As the true local publication, Local Ipswich News are covering the fast-approaching Queensland State Election closely and bringing the important news throughout the campaign to our readers.
In the sixth week of this coverage, we are looking at the Police and Community Safety portfolio and associated issues facing the residents of the electorates of Bundamba, Jordan, Ipswich, and Ipswich West.
During a youth crime wave, the State Budget handed down included a record $4.379 billion allocation for Police and Community Safety as the foundation of Queensland’s historic Community Safety Plan.
The record budget also supports the government’s extra $1.28 billion investment in the Community Safety Plan for Queensland, which builds on the strong laws and effective measures to further protect the community.
To address community safety concerns, the government unveiled the Community Safety Plan for Queensland which includes an extra $1.28 billion over five years for community safety measures across five key pillars: supporting victims; delivering for our frontline; detaining offenders; intervening when people offend; and preventing crime before it occurs.
Placing an increased focus on domestic, family, and sexual violence, safety for women and young offenders, the plan takes a whole-of-government approach that brings together education, health, sport, housing, community services, domestic violence, and child protection services.
STATE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
Supporting victims
- $16 million to continue and expand the Victims of Crime Community Response Program that provides immediate round-the-clock support to victims of crime.
- $15.6 million to increase the capacity of Victims Assist Queensland to process financial assistance applications.
Delivering for our frontline
- 900 additional police personnel to join the over 18,000-strong police presence in Queensland.
- additional equipment such as 3000 wands and 1000 state-of-the-art tasers for detection and response.
- a permanent 20 per cent uplift in funding to the state funded domestic, family, and sexual violence service providers across Queensland, continuing to improve women’s safety.
Detaining offenders
l $149.2 million approved for the Wacol Youth Remand Centre.
Intervening when people offend
l $13.6 million to expand the Youth Co-Responder teams.
l $6 million to non-government organisations to provide after-hours support for young people.
Preventing crime before it occurs
l $5 million in a new Local Government Community Safety Fund for communities in priority areas across Queensland to install CCTV systems and other community safety measures.
l $3.2 million to boost support for community groups such as the Neighbourhood Watch, Queensland Homicide Victims’ Group, Crime Stoppers, and Stop the Coward Punch.
Domestic Violence Allocation
- $588 million package in response to recommendations from the two Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce’s reports.
- Funding of $154.4 million over four years and $38.4 million per annum ongoing.
- providing $14.8 million over two years in additional funding to Queensland Corrective Services to support domestic and family violence perpetrators’ rehabilitation and re-entry to the community.
WHAT THE ELECTED MPS SAID
Joint statement from Member for Bundamba Lance McCallum, Member for Jordan Charis Mullen and Member for Ipswich Jennifer Howard
Ensuring the safety of the Ipswich community is a top priority for the Labor Government. Because locals deserve to feel safe and be safe, and our communities must be safe places to live, work, and enjoy Ipswich’s great lifestyle.
It’s why we developed the comprehensive $1.3 billion Community Safety Plan for Queensland to address crime in our communities and its underlying causes.
We have committed millions to new local police stations, one in Rosewood which is almost completed, and another in Ripley which commenced construction last week. These new builds are vital for supporting our ever-growing community, and making sure everyone has accessibility to a police station.
But it’s not just police stations. We’re employing an additional 40 police officers and seven additional frontline staff positions for the Ipswich Police district to assist locals with community safety issues. We have also funded two additional Mobile Police Beats and 10 additional police vehicles for the Ipswich District to ensure that first responders are readily available.
Our community safety plan is our roadmap for tackling crime and its causes. It sets out how we will develop, invest in, and implement what’s needed to stop crime now, and address the complex root causes of crime for the future.
For most of us, there’s nothing more important than the wellbeing of our family and the people we love.
For our children, we want them to grow up connected to the Queensland community, confident and reassured that this is a home where they can thrive and have a great future.
The Putting Queensland Kids First Plan was one of Steven Miles’ first policies as our new Premier. It addresses small problems before they become big ones.
WHAT CANDIDATES SAID
LNP candidate for Ipswich West Georgia Toftt
No matter where I go and who I talk to, youth crime is always raised as an issue locals are concerned about.
I have heard stories from locals who have had their cars stolen in Leichhardt, family homes broken into in Walloon and tools stolen from hard-working tradies in North Ipswich.
Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure in their own homes and communities.
It’s sad when Ipswich West locals say they feel unsafe walking down the streets or taking their families to a local park.
In Ipswich, assaults are up 364%, robbery is up 130%, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle is up 53% since 2015.
Enough is enough.An LNP Crisafulli Government will bring back consequences for actions with Adult Crime, Adult Time.
And this will go hand in hand with early intervention and rehabilitation with purpose.
Joint statement from Greens candidate for Bundamba Tracey Nayler, Greens candidate for Ipswich Amanda Holly and Greens candidate for Ipswich West Mark Delaney
The major parties have turned crime into a political football – putting scoring political points and media stunts ahead of proven reforms that keep our community safe.
Locking up kids fails 90% of the time – with more than 90% of kids who are locked up going on to reoffend within one year. As just one example of how Labor has failed our justice system, Queensland has just 13 beds in children’s residential drug and alcohol rehab services despite thousands of young people needing help.
Labor and the LNP’s race to the bottom on justice has wasted billions of dollars, overcrowded Queensland’s youth prisons and police watch houses, defunded proven rehabilitation programmes – and just made things worse.
We can’t improve community safety with more of the same.
The Greens’ plan would address the real causes of offending and stop crime before it happens. Instead of continuing Labor and the LNP’s failed policies, we’ll tax big corporations to fund decent housing, services and early intervention.
By focusing on the underlying causes like helping kids stay in school, tackling the housing crisis and supporting proven justice programmes, we can make sure everyone feels safe.
