Traders believe the safety of Brimbank commuters is being put at risk amid fears that funding for closed-circuit television cameras in Sunshine’s CBD will be withdrawn.
Sunshine Business Association president Bruce White said that with the new federal government yet to commit to Labor’s allocation of $300,000 towards CCTV near Sunshine railway station, residents’ safety was at stake.
“Safety should be ahead of everything else,” he said.
“This makes a mockery of the investment in the Regional Rail Link.
‘‘There’s been too much investment in it to not have safety issues looked at.”
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As reported in August, the money came from the Labor government’s $40 million national crime prevention fund, which was essentially money seized from criminals.
Traders welcomed the funding of at least three cameras in Clarke Street, believing it would make a difference in an area known as a hotspot for anti-social behaviour.
A community ‘‘listening post’’ conducted by Brimbank council last year found safety in and around Sunshine station was residents’ greatest concern.
Also at risk is $237,903 allocated to the Brotherhood of St Laurence to reduce rates of recidivism among at-risk Sudanese and Somali youth through mentoring and recreational activities.
Gellibrand Labor MP Tim Watts said it was time the government committed to the area.
“This sort of mindless cost-cutting rips the hearts out of communities and denies at-risk youth the help they need at a critical time in their lives,” he said.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan did not respond to the Weekly’s request for comment but told Fairfax Media on October 13 that the government was working through ‘‘the arrangements required to implement our election commitments’’.
‘‘In the meantime, we are in the process of advising organisations who were promised funding under the national crime prevention fund not to make any financial commitments on the basis of commitments made by the former government,” he said.
