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Melbourne’s Crime Wave Warning to the West | Andrew Bushnell on Bail Reform, Immigration & Ideology In this in-depth conversation, Quillette’s Iona Italia speaks with Andrew Bushnell about Melbourne’s dramatic surge in violent crime. From machete fights and carjackings to a failing bail system and ideological reforms, they explore how Victoria’s criminal justice policies—and wider political ideology—have contributed to the city’s decline. Andrew Bushnell is a writer, researcher, and policy analyst specialising in criminal justice, governance, and public policy. A former senior researcher at the Institute of Public Affairs, he has written extensively on bail reform, sentencing, and incarceration, and has worked closely with government and civil society on criminal justice reform in Australia. His work focuses on the intersection of law, ideology, and state capacity—particularly how progressive policy experiments impact public safety and institutional integrity. 🔍 Topics discussed include: The rise of violent youth crime in Melbourne How bail reform and “compassionate” justice policies backfired Ethnicity, gang violence, and the failure to collect demographic crime data The role of mass immigration and housing densification in rising crime Why political ideology is undermining state capacity Broader implications for Australia and the West 📊 Drawing on data, political analysis, and first-hand policy experience, Bushnell offers a sobering but essential account of what happens when ideology overrides public safety. 🔔 Subscribe to Quillette for interviews on culture, politics, policy, and the future of liberalism. 👇 Join the conversation in the comments. #Melbourne #CrimeWave #CriminalJustice #AndrewBushnell #AustraliaPolitics #Immigration #BailReform #Quillette #IonaItalia #UrbanDecline #MacheteCrime 00:00 Melbourne's Crime Surge: An Overview 04:29 Policy Changes and Their Impact on Crime 10:53 Densification and Its Consequences 13:47 Understanding Crime: Fear vs. Anger 19:09 The Ideological Underpinnings of Crime Policy 23:38 The Demographics of Crime in Melbourne 28:37 Ideological Influences on Crime and Justice 30:26 The Importance of Accurate Crime Data 32:01 Needs-Based Policing and Community Safety 34:24 Demographic Changes and Immigration Policy 38:23 Affordability and Immigration in Australia 42:34 Reforming Criminal Justice: A Return to Basics 47:39 The Complexity of Incarceration Rates 51:58 Transformative Change in Criminal Justice 55:00 Understanding Crime as a Reflection of Broader Issues ------ Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values. Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology. Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern orthodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship. --- Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream. Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup Or donate send us a one-off tip: https://quillette.com/#/portal/support We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1EyKTPJfyw