General keen to hear range of views on crime problems

TOWNSVILLE’S new “community champion” wants people to stop him in the street and share their thoughts on crime in the city.

Major General Stuart Smith ( Ret) was last week appointed as an independent consultant to spend the next year speaking with Townsville residents and reporting directly to the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

After meeting with Townsville community and business leaders, Maj- Gen Smith said he intended to spend the coming few weeks speaking to local residents about their experiences and perceptions of criminal activity in Townsville.

“I need to speak to those that are victims of crime, to mums and dads, to aunties and uncles, to patrol officers, teachers, case workers, to disenfranchised youths,” he said.

Maj- Gen Smith said he wanted to have “all segments” of the community involved in a solution for the city.

“Townsville is a strong and resilient city where the people work very hard every day,” he said.

“That is why I am saddened to hear stories that people feel unsafe in their homes, I’m saddened to hear stories that some sections of our local youth feel so neglected and lost that they have to resort to crime.”

Maj- Gen Smith said he encouraged people to stop and speak to him if they saw him running along The Strand or Thurwingowa Drive.

“People who see me … stop me and give me their perception and experience,” he said.

Maj- Gen Smith said he had gained extensive experience during his time in the military, which he believed would be relevant to his new role.

“I have experience leading the military response to Cyclone Yasi … another example would be when we were here in the ’ 80s and there was the social challenge of the rift between the defence community and the civilian community,” he said.

Maj- Gen Smith said he was “confident” he would be able to convey the community’s concerns to the Premier with “authority and independence”.

“My loyalty is to Townsville … I have a vision of conducting another community consultation forum, which is different to previous forums,” he said.

“I want to use it to get our subject matter experts to update the community on what actions have been taken and where we can reinforce and improve those actions.”