More must be done to bolster security services and Stawell law enforcement officers, Ripon MP and shadow spokesperson John Pesutto said during a visit to the town on Thursday.
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Mr Pesutto said despite a $30,000 cash injection the Stawell magistrates court was still suffering from a lack of investment.
“Last year out of a vaunted $58 million grant for court security around the state, Stawell magistrates court only received $30,000 out of that,” he said.
Ripon MP Louise Staley said she was concerned about the lack of separation between the accused and victims.
“A lot of matters heard here are family violence matters and one of the recommendations from the royal commission into family violence was specialised family violence courts,” she said.
“My concern is that we will see specialised courts in Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong and for women in Stawell, their options are going to be limited to their access to justice.”
Ms Staley also said the building was in a poor condition and could benefit from major upgrades.
“These are beautiful buildings, there is no reason for them to be mothballed, they are part of the town’s heritage and fabric and I am calling for retro fitting to suit modern times,” she said.
Western Victoria MP Jaala Pulford denied the opposition’s claims.
"The Andrews Labor Government is investing $58.1 million into Victorian courts, with more than $1 million in court upgrades in the region, including at Stawell, Maryborough and Ararat,” she said.
"Rather than take advice from the opposition, the government will instead continue to work with Court Services Victoria to determine future funding needs and priorities.”
Ms Staley and Mr Pesutto also called for more police to tackle rising crime in the area.
In the Northern Grampians Shire, 1,288 offences were recorded in the latest quarter, up 18 per cent since September, 2015, Crime Statistics Agency showed.
“The police announcement late last year only diffused the situation, but we will not see more police in Victoria for over 2 years,” Mr Pesutto said.
Ms Pulford said the opposition failed to fund new police during their time in government. “We are recruiting 3135 new police on top of attrition, the biggest boost to frontline police in this state's history,” she said.
