▁the ▁lead - up ▁to ▁the ▁by - e lection ▁showed ▁Arm ad ale ▁had ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁highest ▁crime ▁rates ▁in ▁the ▁Per th ▁metropol itan ▁area . ▁ ▁Liberal ▁candidate ▁Andrew ▁H ast ie ▁c ited ▁crime ▁as ▁a ▁top ▁issue , ▁alongside ▁jobs , ▁and ▁p led ged ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁things ▁he ▁would ▁do ▁if ▁elected ▁would ▁be ▁to ▁take ▁action ▁on ▁m eth am ph et am ine ▁and ▁ice . ▁H ast ie ▁bl amed ▁the ▁previous ▁Labor ▁federal ▁government ▁for ▁leaving ▁a ▁" h uge ▁fis cal ▁hole ". ▁He ▁advoc ated ▁a ▁combined ▁" law ▁enfor cement ▁and ▁a ▁comp ass ion ate ▁community ▁solution ". ▁He ▁said , ▁" I ▁would ▁look ▁at ▁bringing ▁a ▁whole ▁bunch ▁of ▁st ake hold ers ▁together , ▁from ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁through ▁to ▁community ▁coun c ill ors ▁to ▁educ ators ▁to ▁medical ▁people ▁and ▁tack ling ▁ice ▁head ▁on ." ▁ ▁Labor ▁candidate ▁Matt ▁Ke og h ▁also ▁said ▁crime ▁and ▁community ▁safety ▁were ▁repeatedly ▁raised ▁by ▁people ▁in ▁the ▁elect or ate . ▁He ▁attacked ▁the ▁Abb ott ▁Government , ▁saying ▁it ▁had ▁cut ▁fund ing ▁to ▁crisis ▁services ▁and ▁community ▁groups ▁dealing ▁with ▁ice ▁and ▁other ▁dru gs , ▁domestic ▁violence ▁and ▁social ▁break down . ▁Ke og h ▁said ▁the ▁Abb ott ▁Government ▁had ▁stri pped ▁community ▁organis ations ▁of ▁certain ty . ▁ ▁In frastr ucture ▁fund ing ▁The ▁cities ▁of ▁Arm ad ale ▁and ▁C ock burn ▁joined ▁forces ▁to