Coalition Vows Crackdown on Crime as Labor Leads in Polls
- admin928749
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
Peter Dutton and the Coalition are going all-in on a tough-on-crime pitch just two weeks out from the federal election. Their latest plan? A $750 million “Operation Safer Communities” package aimed at cracking down on “drugs and thugs” — with a major focus on child safety, border security, and support for law enforcement.
At the heart of the announcement is a 12-month trial of a national child sex offender disclosure scheme. Basically, it would let parents apply to police to find out if someone who’s spending time with their kids is a convicted sex offender. The scheme would be backed by $21.3 million in funding and would apply when someone’s had unsupervised contact with a child for at least three days.
Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said the finer details would be worked out with the states, but the idea is to give parents peace of mind. “This is all about keeping drugs and thugs off our streets. That’s what Peter Dutton is about — keeping Australians safe,” she said.
It’s not the first time Dutton has pushed this kind of idea. Back in 2019, when he was Home Affairs Minister, he floated the idea of a public sex offender register.
Now, with polls not in their favour, the Coalition seems to be leaning into familiar territory: national security, crime, and defence — areas where they tend to feel most comfortable. Dutton said this isn’t just a state issue and that a national approach is needed, especially when offenders can move between jurisdictions.
He also said the Coalition would soon release a separate domestic violence policy, calling the issue an “abomination” and stressing it deserved focused attention outside of the broader crime plan.
In addition to the sex offender disclosure scheme, the Coalition’s crime policy includes:
$355 million to fight illegal drugs, including better screening and detection tech.
Doubling funding for the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation.
$7.5 million over three years for Crime Stoppers to expand operations.
New efforts to crack down on date rape drugs and drink spiking.
The proposed disclosure scheme would be based on models already running in WA and the UK. Under the WA version, people who receive info through the scheme must keep it confidential — no naming and shaming allowed — and making false applications is actually an offence.
The national pilot would be overseen by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, with local law enforcement handling the applications and background checks.
Dutton said, “As a former police officer, and as a father, I have always fought for the protection of children. This register is an idea whose time has come.”
The Labor government, for its part, hasn’t dismissed the idea outright. Health Minister Mark Butler said they’re “open” to good suggestions about improving community safety — but did take a jab at Dutton, saying he promised a similar register when he was in government and never delivered.
Labor’s Murray Watt was even more blunt, calling the move “a cynical” pre-election play. He pointed out that the Coalition previously blocked Labor’s efforts to crack down on money laundering — a big issue tied to organized crime and drug trafficking.
Prime Minister Albanese also weighed in, saying his government has already taken action on community safety, including creating a national child sex offender system that allows info-sharing between states, and committing to a national firearms registry set for 2028.
Albanese added that while community safety is mainly a state police responsibility, “my government provides whatever support is required when it’s requested.”
More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.
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