O'Brien and Labor clash over South Gippsland crime figures

State Nationals leader Danny O'Brien says Gippsland South is recording more than 62 criminal offences a day after crime across the electorate climbed 5.5 per cent in a year.

Mr O'Brien said the latest Crime Statistics Agency figures proved the state government had failed to get on top of crime, with South Gippsland the hardest hit of his three local government areas.

Recorded offences across South Gippsland jumped 15.2 per cent in the year to March 2026, with sharp rises in Leongatha, Korumburra, Foster, Mirboo North and Venus Bay.

"These figures show the reality of rising crime across Gippsland, which is being felt by local families, businesses and communities every day," Mr O'Brien said.

"Most concerning is the dramatic increase in recorded sexual offences, which surged almost 150 per cent in just 12 months."

The agency counts each offence separately rather than each victim and notes recorded sexual offences can reflect the reporting of historical incidents.

Mr O'Brien said theft from vehicles across Wellington Shire had climbed more than 53 per cent while retail theft kept rising.

"After more than a decade of Labor, we are seeing crime rise while frontline police are being stretched to breaking point," he said.

The figures sharpen a fight Mr O'Brien has waged for months, after a wave of thefts across Leongatha left businesses tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket and put Victoria's bail laws under fire.

He said only a Nationals government would hire an extra 3000 police and reopen every station closed or cut back under the state government.

The state opposition seized on the same figures.

Liberal leader Jess Wilson said crime had risen 23 per cent since Jacinta Allan became Premier in September 2023, with motor vehicle theft up 65 per cent and unsolved crimes up 51 per cent.

"Under Labor, cops are down, crime is up and Victorians are paying the price," Ms Wilson said.

She said a Liberal and Nationals government would recruit 3000 extra police, return protective services officers to every metropolitan train station and bring in tougher bail laws.

The state government hit back, pointing to a statewide fall in crime.

It said Victoria's criminal incident rate dropped almost 3 per cent in the year to March 2026 while youth offending fell 6 per cent, the biggest fall since before the pandemic.

Aggravated burglary fell 22 per cent statewide, robbery dropped 15 per cent, and sexual offences and family violence incidents kept declining.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said tougher laws were working.

"There's more work to do but crime is down, youth offending is down and more people are being jailed not bailed," Mr Carbines said.

Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny said the government's bail changes were holding repeat offenders to account.

"Our bail laws are holding repeat offenders to account and prioritising the safety of Victorians above all else," Ms Kilkenny said.

The statewide figures point to crime easing, but the local picture across South Gippsland tells a different story, with offences in the shire rising at their fastest rate in years.