Why this young Australian politician has called for the police to be completely defunded as she’s blasted for needing a ‘spoonful of reality’
- Victorian Socialist member Nahui Jimenez urged the state to defund the police
- The 26-year-old claimed police harass people of colour without consequence
- Victoria recorded highest police funding in the country with $3.9 billion this year
- Social media users said Jimenez had ‘no idea’ and needed a ‘spoonful of reality’
A young Australian politician is campaigning for the police to be defunded after claiming officers harass people of colour – however others have claimed she needs a ‘spoonful of reality’.
Victorian Socialists party member Nahui Jimenez called for voters to fight to defund the police after the state recorded the highest police budget in the country, with $3.9 billion between 2022 and 2023.
The 26-year-old Brunswick candidate claimed police harassed homeless people and people of colour without consequence in a video shared to the Victorian Socialists’ TikTok account on November 23.
‘We need to fight to defund the police,’ Jimenez said.
‘You’ve probably seen the police harass the homeless and people of colour without any consequences and pepper spraying anti-racist protesters.
‘Victoria is the highest budget police state in Australia, their budget has doubled while spending on nearly everything else has gone down.’
Victorian Socialist party candidate Nahui Jimenez (pictured) called for the defunding of police
Jimenez called for the decriminalisation of harmless drugs, including cannabis, and is pushing to abolish drunkenness laws, which she labelled as ‘racist’.
She said Victorian Socialists was the only party aimed at fighting to defund the police and if elected, the party would focus on channelling the ‘insane funds’ into social services.
‘If you want to fight towards defunding the cops, you need to vote one Victorian socialist,’ Jimenez said.
‘If you were at the Black Lives Matter rally, if you’ve ever been affected by blackness and custody you know how important it is to have a voice in parliament fighting to defund the police.’
The video, which has received more than 16,000 views and more than 270 comments, divided Australians, with many claiming the political hopeful had ‘no idea’.
‘Who’s gonna tell her the police don’t make the laws they just enforce it. So defunding them isn’t going to make any change,’ one user wrote.
Another user commented: ‘Gurl [sic] you need a spoonful of reality.’
‘You can tell she has no idea what she’s talking about. Defunding the police doesn’t solve or help the issues,’ another person wrote.
‘Police don’t write laws, but enforce it. Defunding will lead to increased crime (more complaining), worse training, worse equipment and understaffing,’ a fourth chimed in.
Jimenez claimed officers harass homeless people and people of colour without consequences and urged the state to abolish ‘racist’ laws including laws against weed and drunkenness (pictured, Victorian police outside the MCG in Melbourne)
The Victorian Socialists party picked up 52,336 votes, with 1.39 per cent electing the party as their first choice.
Victorian Socialists, which formed in 2018, is one of Victoria’s biggest and fastest-growing minor parties with the state’s youngest candidates.
The party campaigns on an anti-capitalist and pro-community message and has organised protests including the defend abortion rights rally in Melbourne after Roe v Wade was overturned.
It comes after Daniel Andrews won a historic third term as Victoria’s premier on November 26, despite a small swing against the Labor party.
His government will retain its majority, with analysts predicting the party will win 56 seats – one more than their election landslide of 2018 and well above the 45 it needed to maintain a majority in the lower house.
The divisive premier’s victory comes despite his hardline Covid policies that saw Melbourne endure a cumulative 263 days of stay at home orders, making it the most locked down city in the world.
Mr Andrews’ vaccine mandates infuriated some workers, but were accepted by most of the population – and his government campaigned on promises of free kindergarten and renewable energy.
Jimenez explained the state should channel the ‘insane funds’ – $3.9 billion, which is the highest in the country – from police and into social services (pictured, police arresting a protester at St Kilda Beach, Victoria)
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