Sussan Ley’s Melbourne crime crusade achieves little more than a political free kick for Victorian Labor

There's no question Victoria has a crime problem, but the federal Coalition parachuting in with little more than talking points is not the answer

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

On Wednesday morning, Sussan Ley flew into Melbourne on a mission: to sound the alarm on the city's out of control" crime crisis, flanked by two fellow non-Victorian members of her shadow cabinet - Queensland's Andrew Wallace and New South Wales' Julian Leeser.

In an op-ed for the Herald Sun, the federal opposition leader painted a grim picture of Melbourne, comparing it to the 1920s - a time, she wrote, the city was overrun by crime and political violence".

Sara: So apart from calling it out, do you have a policy on youth crime right now?"

Wallace: We're not the government in Victoria. The government of Victoria has the predominant responsibility of passing criminal laws"

Sara: Just to be clear, apart from calling out this issue, this is a state issue and you don't have a policy on youth crime?."

Wallace: We are developing our policies at a federal level."