Thousands of residents are departing Victoria, prompted by ongoing crime issues in Melbourne, with many choosing to relocate to another Australian state.

Recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate Victoria’s population has decreased by 2,000 people, while over 24,000 individuals have migrated to Queensland. Notably, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast have become popular destinations for those leaving the southern state.

Simon Mutton, a well-known real estate agent on the Gold Coast, shared with Today that he has received “hundreds” of inquiries from Victorians worried about crime in their home state.

“This is quite significant as we approach an election year,” Campbell observed. “If the Victorian State Government fails to address crime effectively and restore public safety, there’s a genuine risk Jacinta Allan may not maintain her position on the government benches.”

In response, the local government is implementing measures, such as the introduction of community safety officers. Although they are not official law enforcement, Campbell noted they will possess the authority to immediately address criminal activities.

“They have the capacity to make arrests and handle confrontational situations,” Campbell explained. “These officers will serve as a visible presence on the streets to discourage crime.”

Leader of the Nationals at the Federal level David Littleproud claimed the council’s measures are an indictment on the state’s Labor government’s inability to control the crime in Melbourne and Victoria.

“It’s sad that they have to employ effectively their own police,” he told Today. “But such is the leadership that you’re seeing in local communities and local governments across the country.

“You’ve got failure of State Government, having not been able to have the resources of police on the ground, that councils have to step up.”