Every so often those of us living in regional communities get the distinct impression that we are being disadvantaged compared with
residents of major cities. As someone once said, NSW does not mean Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong.
However, a recent announcement by the NSW Government appears to fit into that very category.
Last month the then Minister for Justice and Police Troy Grant and Attorney General
Gabriel Upton urged the community groups, businesses and councils with ideas to reduce criminal and anti-social behaviour to come forward and apply for up to $250,000 in NSW Government funding.
Funding for the grants will be via what they described as the 2017 Community Safety Fund for local initiatives with a crime prevention focus. The program will see $10 million invested over
4 years to fund community initiatives across the state to, in the words of the Ministers,“enhance the work of Government and law enforcement agencies to combat crime”.
According to the Ministers, the Community Safety Fund aims to reduce crime and anti- social behaviour through infrastructure and service delivery projects that address local crime hotspots, promote safe and inclusive use of public space and collaborate approaches to crime prevention and detection.
While all initiatives aimed at improving community
safety are to be applauded, it is difficult to be too positive about the Government initiative when considered against the reality of the shrinking police presence in regional areas. Local residents are all too painfully aware of the difficulty of engaging with police in times of need, particularly as police stations in small towns are increasingly taking on the appearance of ghost structures.
The efforts of local police are, as always, greatly appreciated. However, one can’t help but think that the resources applied to the Community Safety Fund would be better spent in rural areas if applied to increased policing and resources for police.
John Clarke is the Solicitor Director of Clarke Law with a local network of offices in Narooma, Bermagui.