Sat, 15th August, 2026: Olivia Jenkins, ABC Crime Reporter; Crime in Melbourne: what is changing, who is behind it, and are police and governments keeping up?

From the death of underworld matriarch Kath Pettingill to the tragic killing of Sunshine shopkeeper Van Viet Truong, Melbourne’s crime headlines have felt non-stop lately. At the same time, fire-bombings linked to illegal tobacco are allegedly spilling over into Melbourne’s bars and nightlife. But are these just isolated headlines, or is the face of crime in our city fundamentally changing? ABC…