Community
12 February, 2024
Crime ‘priority’ issue
THE Cairns Unity Team has rated crime and community safety as the regional city’s number one issue and has announced a series of measures it will implement if elected next month.
“Unity understands that Cairns’ number one issue is crime and community safety. It doesn’t matter which one of our team is out there talking to residents, from Ellis Beach to Babinda, people always bring up crime and community safety,” team leader and current mayor Terry James said.
“We will introduce a raft of measures that help Cairns residents feel safe in their homes and communities while unapologetically holding the state government to account on issues of crime and anti-social behaviour,” he said.
They include:
Zero tolerance for repeat offenders
Holding the state government to account to tackle crime
Investing in additional CCTV devices and the Cairns City Safe program in the CBD and suburban hot spots
A proactive approach to the prevention of crime and anti-social behaviour with council public space safety officers to assist the Queensland Police Service
Identification of hot spots in the suburbs with improved lighting and visibility to deter anti-social behaviour
Working with all levels of government to increase youth engagement programs and opportunities across Cairns.
“Since becoming mayor, I have met with the new premier and the opposition leader to discuss the community safety issues facing our city, and if re-elected, I will continue to pursue all options to get the investment we need for the people of our city,” Cr James said.
He said there were 500-plus CCTV cameras and more would be added to known hot spots.
He invited the community to send a list of areas where cameras were required.
Cr James said he wanted the new council to work with the owners of liquor outlets to reduce alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in places such as outside the Raintrees shopping centre in Koch St.
Division 5 candidate Nathan Lee Long said the council was offering incentives for developers to build residential projects in the CBD, so there would be more people living in the inner city.
He said more people out and about in the CBD would deter crime and anti-social incidents.
