The Nationals WA have announced a $140 million strategy to tackle crime and overhaul youth justice, focusing
on reducing crime rates, boosting regional policing, and creating meaningful pathways to divert young
offenders from the justice system.
Leader Shane Love MLA said the comprehensive plan addresses critical gaps in WA’s justice and policing
systems, prioritising public safety and community wellbeing.
“The Nationals in Government will restore safety and trust in our communities, particularly in regional and
remote areas which have been disproportionately affected by crime and youth offending,” Mr Love said.
A cornerstone of the plan is a $40 million commitment to develop a statewide Youth Diversion Strategy and
establish on-country diversion programs in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Goldfields and Mid-West
regions.
“Our Youth Diversion Strategy will prioritise reducing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in detention,
who currently make up more than half of the population in youth detention centres,” Mr Love said.
“On-country diversion is the missing link in WA’s justice system. It gives young offenders the chance to
reconnect with their communities and culture while receiving support to break the cycle of reoffending.”
The Nationals will allocate another $60 million to enhance regional policing incentives, including boosting the
regional retention allowance, reviewing tenure requirements which contribute to difficulty in policing regional
stations, upgrading police stations, and installing security cameras in all Government Regional Officer Housing
used by WA Police.
“WA Labor’s FIFO policing model under Operation Regional Shield has failed to deliver the consistent police
presence regional communities need,” Mr Love said.
“We’ll provide meaningful incentives to attract and retain officers in regional areas and ensure they feel safe
and supported while serving our communities.”
Mr Love highlighted the success of the former Liberal-National Government’s regional attraction and retention
allowance, which halved the time it took to fill police vacancies in hard-to-staff areas.
“Under our plan, we’ll strengthen police numbers where they’re needed most and ensure our communities
have a strong and reliable police presence.”
The Nationals WA will rewrite the Young Offenders Act 1994 to modernise legislation and align it with
community expectations.
Key changes include removing police discretion to issue cautions for violent offences such as common assault,
and introducing aggravating circumstances for crimes that are filmed, recorded, or posted online, to deter
youth from glorifying criminal behaviour.
“We need a justice system which holds offenders accountable while also addressing the root causes of crime,”
Mr Love said.
The Nationals WA will also restore the Department of Child Protection to a stand-alone agency, and commit
$40 million over four years to support grassroots crime prevention and legal services including:
• $20 million for local government assistance, such as safer street lighting and expanded CCTV
networks and raising awareness of Crimestoppers Eyes on the Street campaign.
• $8 million for household rebates for home security measures in designated regional areas.
• $12 million for community led youth engagement programs.
“After years of inaction from WA Labor, communities are crying out for real solutions to crime and anti-social
behaviour,” Mr Love said.
“Our plan delivers a holistic approach which focuses on intervention, meaningful diversion programs, and
stronger enforcement measures to protect public safety.
“The Nationals WA will rebuild trust and safety in our communities. This $140 million plan puts youth justice at
the forefront while ensuring regional policing and community safety initiatives receive the funding they
desperately need,” Mr Love said.
