Crime falls but public concerned
STATISTICS show a dramatic downturn in crime across Townsville but public concern remains high.
The city has had its lowest number of recorded offences for the start of a year since 2015, with January 2018 producing about 20 per cent fewer reported offences than the same time last year.
There were still more than 1500 crimes reported in Townsville in just 31 days, including 225 drug offences and 170 break and enters.
Townsville Police Superintendent Steve Munro said it was always pleasing to see reported crime decreasing, but there was more work to be done.
Townsville Action Against Crime secretary Wendy Ambrose said public concerns were as high as ever despite the recent drops.
“I think there may be a slight downturn in crime,” Ms Ambrose said. “When they start harping on about downturns I don’t take a lot of notice because if you look through the history of our crime statistics you see peaks and troughs all the time.
“I don’t think there’s been any change in people’s concern.”
Supt Munro said there were several repeat offenders, who were recognised as part of Townsville’s core group of problem criminals, behind bars at the moment. He said the challenge was making sure figures continued to move down when such people were released back into society.
“A number of core recidivist offenders are currently incarcerated and, hopefully, they are getting some access to supported pathways to become fully functioning contributing members of society,” Supt Munro said.
Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper said the recent announcement that magistrates would be able to require offenders to wear a GPS monitoring device to ensure they comply with bail restrictions was a step towards relieving community concerns.
AS one of the three Members of Parliament in Townsville City, I welcomed the Premier’s recent announcement of tasking Major General ( Rtd) Stuart Smith to lead a taskforce on an issue that has dominated, challenged both sides of politics and our community for many years.
We know there is more to be done and have started well before the commencement of the 56th term of government.
Following on from the State Election we have been given a mandate to deliver more in this space. In particular, and as one of the local MPs who requested GPS trackers, I particularly welcomed the Police Minister’s announcement of magistrates having the legislative ability to order offenders to wear a GPS tracking device.
Since our MP- led crime forum in 2016, the following initiatives have been done in an effort to reduce the rate of offending.
1. Targeted Police Operations through Operation Oscar Merchant and Papa Advance.
2. Extra police have been requested and delivered. A further 54 committed at the last election are to be delivered into Townsville.
3. Extra funding for Project Booyah. We know by bringing business, community, police and families together that this excellent program works.
4. Establishment of the Transition to Success program, which again sees young people put on a training and development pathway to break the cycle of crime.
5. Establishment of the Townsville Stronger Communities Action Group, which is a whole of government response to deal with what is a fundamentally complex area of generational dysfunction.
6. Directly from that same crime forum, we have also on request to the Attorney- General restored court conferencing as some victims want to face the offenders, as they want them to know how they have affected people’s lives.
7. Restored the Sentencing Advisory committee. 8. Restored the Murri Court. 9. Established a specialist magistrates youth court.
10. Established the Domestic Violence Court.
11. Funding for the Yinda, indigenous Cultural Mentoring program has already shown early success in its first cohort.
12. Established the Lighthouse, which run by TAIHS provides supervised safe place for youth with no other options of staying at home.
With the added benefits of our state funding programs such as our back to Work Youth Boost, Skilling Queenslanders for Work, and major infrastructure such as the NQ stadium, port expansion, road projects and water pipeline, ensures unemployment is reduced.
We have worked extensively with NGO’s to support training and development programs through funding programs to get people work ready.
While we can demonstrate a reduction in offending rates of stolen cars and property offences, we know there is more to be done and are committed to working with the entire community as long as it takes.
At the same time while these programs are established and working we still need to hold people accountable for crime and support the victims of crime. Some of the recent incidents remains completely unacceptable to our society, but I know working together will bring results.
Data provided to date shows we also have significant issues with youth addicted to volatile substance misuse, drugs like Ice which are inherently linked to crime. We also have a significant amount of youth in Child Safety, of which some sadly end up in the youth justice system due to issues like drug use. This is a major element of the crime issue ( stealing for drugs).
Finally, I have been impressed with the fresh view Major General ( Retired) Stuart Smith will bring to leading the taskforce on this complex issue. Major Smith brings an experienced Defence viewpoint of command and control, has the capacity and experience to lead and I believe can bring together all elements of the community to work in collaborative approach on the issue. It has been nearly two years since our MP- led crime forum, and Mr Smith can assess the impacts of extensive work done to date, consider other options in tackling the crime issue which has elements of generational dysfunction at its very core.
He is a welcomed and respected gentleman who has lived in Townsville and I am confident can help our city move through this challenging issue. He has my full support.
AARON HARPER, Member for Thuringowa.