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- 28 February 2001
Murwillumbah Firearms Registry; Crime Prevention Plan
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Page: 12085
Mr NEWELL (Tweed) [5.39 p.m.]: Last Thursday, 22 February, the New South Wales firearms registry opened in Murwillumbah. The registry was opened by the Premier, Bob Carr, with the assistance of the Minister for Police, Paul Whelan. With this project came 50 new jobs to the Tweed. As one worker said, "These jobs are a godsend." That may sound dramatic but in regional New South Wales the creation of 50 new jobs is vital, not only to those employed in the registry but to the flow-on effect to the community, small businesses and the housing market. Although those 50 new jobs are very important, the project also highlighted the co-operation of the three levels of government. Located in the same building as the registry are the new Centrelink offices and Murwillumbah's new community health centre, which was also opened the previous week by the Minister for Health, Craig Knowles. The co-operation between the three levels of government has brought to the community not only jobs but valuable services. Unfortunately, that level of co-operation is not common.
Last year I put forward to the community and to the Tweed Shire Council the benefits of the New South Wales Attorney General's crime prevention plan. Unfortunately, Mayor Lynne Beck, despite her enthusiasm for jumping in a vigilante car to patrol Murwillumbah in the wee hours of the morning to hunt down vandals, declined to embrace a comprehensive crime prevention plan for the whole of the shire. Under the Local Government Act councils have a duty to incorporate social planning into their activities and that is exactly what the crime prevention plan is about. Council's role in the plan would be minimal, with one staff member required to be involved on the crime prevention committee. The mayor's attitude makes me wonder just how committed she is to serving the residents to build a safer and better community. She is playing games with the safety of the elderly, our young people and our families. It is a pathetic attitude from a civic leader.
Byron Bay, Ballina and Lismore councils have all entered into the Government's crime prevention plan and have achieved good outcomes. The safety of residents in the community is a high priority for me, as I know it is for the elderly and families in my electorate. We have an excellent, hardworking Police Service and a dedicated Neighbourhood Watch network. Both groups deal with crime and the building of a safer community for all. The police emphasis is on dealing with crime when it happens. Neighbourhood Watch relies on the goodwill of volunteers watching over their local neighbourhood and alerting police to any suspicious activities, as well as taking other safety measures. But there is no one solution to crime, and that is why I have vigorously encouraged the Tweed Shire Council to adopt a crime prevention plan for the Tweed.
Traditionally, we have relied on police and the justice system to prevent and reduce crime in the community. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that much of the work of the police and the criminal justice system is reactive: it deals with crime after the event. That does not mean that the police and the law enforcement agencies are not doing a good job or that we simply need to increase our resources. Rather, it indicates that relying upon the criminal justice system as the only means of reducing crime is not 100 per cent effective. If we want to prevent crime and reduce its impact upon the community, we have to intervene before crime is committed. Through the New South Wales Attorney General's Department I organised for a crime prevention officer, Patrick Shepherdson, to visit the Tweed at the end of last year. I had discussions with Mr Shepherdson and representatives of the Tweed Shire Council, together with Tweed police.
The following day I attended discussions with council counterparts from the Gold Coast and Mr Shepherdson. As a result, it was agreed that a cross-border crime prevention plan would be put into place. Unfortunately, that does not incorporate the whole of the Tweed because we were "Becked". As a result of Mayor Lynne Beck's refusal to embrace a comprehensive crime prevention plan for the Tweed, a large proportion of the shire residents will not reap the benefits of this State Government initiative. However, I am determined that the whole Tweed will eventually be incorporated into the plan. The New South Wales Government is committed to building a better regional-rural New South Wales by deploying services and jobs to our areas. I am also committed to bringing the very best that this Government can offer to the Tweed, and that includes a comprehensive crime prevention plan for the whole Tweed electorate.
I take this opportunity to thank the Premier and the Minister for Police for delivering on an election campaign promise relating to the New South Wales firearms registry and the 50 new jobs, and for their confidence in the Tweed to professionally deliver a valuable service to the State. The firearms registry was one of five points in a comprehensive policing plan that the Minister for Police put forward prior to the State election. This was the final unit of that plan, the others being the upgrading of police stations at Tweed and Kingscliff, the turning over of prison escort duties to the Department of Corrective Services, the firearms registry and the tactical action group grants, the flying squads. I look forward to reporting to honourable members in the future that a comprehensive crime prevention plan is in place for the whole of my electorate. [Time expired.]
Ms NORI (Port Jackson—Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Tourism) [5.44 p.m.]: I congratulate the honourable member on the excellent job he does in representing his area. I have had the pleasure of visiting the area on a number of occasions, particularly for tourism functions, and I can well understand why he would be delighted that the firearms registry has brought with it 50 jobs. He is quite right in saying that in a regional centre that number of new jobs is significant. Notwithstanding those very welcome 50 new jobs, it is the tourism industry that has provided employment to many of his constituents. Therefore, I am concerned to hear that the Tweed Shire Council is somewhat reticent in adopting a crime prevention plan. Nothing would kill a tourism industry faster than a lack of attention to crime issues.
The Tweed is a special area which relies heavily on tourism. The area does well from tourism because it is a great product, and it will continue to be a great product. I support the honourable member and urge him to encourage the local council to adopt a crime prevention plan, not only for the sake of the local community but for the sake of the tourism industry. A safety audit has been conducted in my own area. That is a good way of bringing the community together and improving safety. It provides some ownership to the community, and I congratulate the honourable member on the tack he has taken in relation to this matter.
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