By Tate Papworth
Crime prevention in Brimbank could receive a $1.5 million boost.
ALP Fraser candidate Daniel Mulino and opposition justice spokesperson Clare O’Neil announced the funding, to be allocated if Labor wins this month’s federal election, while visiting Sunshine’s central business district last week.
Mr Mulino said the money would make a big difference to safety in the area.
He said the ALP had spoken to safety leaders in Brimbank who were working to address the challenges of family violence, alcohol abuse, incarceration and anti-social behaviour.
“I’m looking forward to working with council, local residents and businesses to get the most out of this very welcome investment,” he said.
The community will get to decide how the money is spent.
Brimbank council will be able to nominate community initiatives under the pledge of up to $1.5 million.
The money could be used for community safety infrastructure (such as lighting, CCTV or bollards) or projects run by local community organisations.
Brimbank mayor Lucinda Congreve welcomed the funding promise and said the council would listen to residents from across Brimbank on what their priorities were for improving safety in their neighbourhoods.
“We want to ensure projects around community safety reflect the views and expectations of our community,” she said.
“Safety is fundamental to creating the kind of community that we all want, and deserve, to belong to – we all have a part to play in building a safer community.
“This money will complement the work we are already doing under our Community Safety Strategy to improve safety and reduce crime – including lighting improvements, programs to prevent violence against women and to reach out to vulnerable groups in our community.
The council last year installed CCTV cameras in St Albans town centre. It has been credited with helping to significantly improve safety levels in the area.
Figures released by the Crime Statistics Agency in March revealed crime rates rose by 11 per cent across Brimbank in the year to December, 2018.
When the figures were released, Acting Inspector Terry West said family violence was a major reason for the spike.
“Stalking and harassment numbers jumped from 353 to 511, which is consistent with what we’ve seen since the introduction of our dedicated family violence investigative team,” he said.
“We’re seeing more people reporting these cases, which obviously raises the numbers.”
