In short:
The Coalition has promised to reopen Wyndham North Police Station’s public counter in Tarneit if elected in November. Services would initially operate from 9am to 5pm, with longer hours to be considered after additional police are recruited.
Station Closed Amid Crime Crisis
Wyndham North Police Station in Tarneit will reopen its doors to the public if the Coalition wins the state election.
Liberal candidate for Tarneit Venkat Ram Upparlapalle announced the election commitment alongside Deputy Liberal Leader David Southwick and Upper House MP Trung Luu.
The station, located on Sayers Road, currently has its public counter temporarily closed, although police continue to operate from the facility, providing 24-hour patrols and response services.
Upparlapalle, who has lived in the area for more than a decade, said community safety remained a priority for local families.
“As someone who has called this area home for over a decade, I understand how important community safety is to local families,” he said.
“The local community needs accessible police services and officers who can respond to local concerns. The Tarneit community deserves to feel safe, heard and supported.”
Police Station Staffing Commitment
Deputy Liberal Leader David Southwick said it was “unbelievable” that Wyndham North Police Station was unmanned.
“They (residents) are left high and dry when it comes to dealing with law and order. If you want to report a crime in the west, you’re on your own under Labor.”
When asked by Wyndham TV whether the Coalition intended to reopen the police station as a 24-hour facility, Southwick said the first priority was restoring counter services.
“But the initial stage is to ensure we get counter service, nine to five to start with, and then we’ll wait and see how we go from that once we recruit the additional police.
“I mean, you want to see why we have a crime crisis in Victoria? Just have a look behind me: a closed police station.”
According to the Crime Statistics Agency, Tarneit recorded 3,708 criminal incidents in the year ending June 2026, an increase of 9 per cent on the previous year.
Police Recruitment In Election Spotlight
Southwick was also questioned about Labor’s election commitment to open a police academy in Wyndham and whether the Coalition would consider matching the announcement.
“Well, the thing about the government is they’ve had 12 years to actually recruit more police, and this government has been on a go-slow in recruiting these police.
“They haven’t been advertising for them. They haven’t funded for more police, and now they want you to believe that they’re going to start to recruit more police.”
Southwick reiterated the Coalition’s commitment to recruit 3,000 additional police officers across Victoria, saying it would expand training capacity if necessary to get more officers onto the streets.
With just 29 days until Victorians head to the polls on 28 November, law and order remains firmly in the election spotlight as both major parties campaign on their plans to tackle crime and increase police numbers.
FOLLOW US
