A stronger policing presence in the Bundaberg CBD, including a manned Police Beat, is part of a new rolling action plan which will contribute to the outcomes of the Safe Spaces, Thriving Places initiative.
The Safe Spaces project was recently launched by Bundaberg Regional Council with support from organisations including the Queensland Police Service with an aim to improve safety, encourage positive behaviours and create a more welcoming and vibrant city centre for all.
Queensland Police Service Bundaberg Patrol Group Chief Inspector Grant Marcus said the rolling action plan was being implemented in response to an increase in calls for service and community feedback.
“We’re going through one of those phases where we’re seeing an increase in the calls for service,” Chief Inspector Marcus said.
“In response to that, we are actually increasing the level of policing in the [Bundaberg CBD] area to try and address those increasing calls.”
The initiative will see police officers more visible in the CBD, engaging directly with the public and local businesses.
“Members of the community should expect to see more police out and about… police officers walking the beat, police officers pulling over cars and doing RBTs, things like that,” Chief Inspector Marcus said.
The increased presence is also aimed at addressing antisocial and criminal behaviour, according to Chief Inspector Marcus, but he emphasised the importance of supporting vulnerable members of the community while balancing the need for safety and order.
“It’s not a criminal offence to be homeless,” he said.
“We want to make sure that [those struggling] are getting the services and that there are opportunities for them to have a roof over their head.”
The overarching goal of the Safe Spaces Thriving Places project is to restore community confidence in the CBD and encourage more people to visit, shop in and enjoy the space.
“It would be good to see more people come into the CBD and enjoy themselves, so our aim is to make sure that it’s a safe place,” Chief Inspector Marcus said.
Find out more about the Safe Spaces, Thriving Places initiative here.
It’s about time really
I note Chief Inspector Grant Marcus’s
remark that ” its not a criminal offence to be homeless ” but it doesn’t give them the right to cause offence to the general public.
We’ll look forward to the promised increase in police presence.
I really hope this initiative will change the current situation in our CBD.
It has been nerve wrecking to walk down Bourbong Street on quite a number of occasions.
I have been yelled at, nearly run over by guys on bikes who have their dogs running with them – they ride on the footpath. The number of addicts that gather in many different places is frightening. There have been numerous times that I have walked straight back to my car instead of going to the shop I intended to go to as I was literally scared stiff to walk past a group of these people. Homelessness is one thing, drug affected individuals are scary.
This is a very good initiative – as long as it it continues and after the Christmas/school holiday period. It shouldn’t be done for visitors – as a Bundaberg resident of 45 years I will be grateful to be able to shop in the CBD and support business there.
No it’s not a crime to no homeless but they shouldn’t be hanging around the cbd it’s a real bad look
Like the other day the police picked on two people waiting for a bus but left two campers alone that have been causing problems that is really fixing the issue isn’t it
I quit my job in the CBD because I was turning into a nervous wreck, getting harassed almost daily by screaming, aggressive people. I’ve been back once in two months and avoid it at all costs. Will have to find a new optometrist, dentist, jeweler, chemist, post office, coffee spot. I can’t imagine how much trade the CBD businesses are losing. This intervention is LONG overdue.
How about a more advanced look at what we can do. Our CBD usto be open for late night shopping on a Thursday just like Hinkler Central is I believe we can get back to being like this again.
What we need to do is provide opportunity we can’t give opportunity to all homeless but if we did give more opportunity to work & get a stable foundation to the ones who could before they become to far gone. This would reduce demand on services for the homeless that we can’t give opportunity to.
Yes the unemployment rate is down but remember we ran at high unemployment for ~30 years. The worst year was 2016 & the second worst year was when COVID was on this is not that long ago worse then flooding & worse then the GFC. We need to keep this rate down as much as we can.
When we give the Teenager or Uni student who comes to our shop with a resume in hand a job we are reducing the problem.
Increase government payments to help reduce homelessness & crime. When you under pay on support payments you encourage homelessness & crime. This in turn increases costs anyway to the government, tax/rate payers & businesses.
1. No government payment should be below the job-seeker rate. This means giving a boost to Youth Allowance, Austudy & Abstudy. This should be done as priority.
2. When we can all the rates should be moved up to 90% of the aged pension.
3. Everyone should qualify for rent assistance regardless of age or payment type.
4. This extremely long term illegal underpayment by the federal government should enable compensation. They have a requirement to pay a proper amount under international law.
While being homeless on it’s own is not crime many homeless partake in crimes. Begging is a crime, being drunk or disorderly in public is a crime, stealing is a crime, drug use is a crime, vandalizing property is a crime, assaulting people for money is a crime, pretending to be homeless is a scam.
With the huge amount of camera in Bundaberg CBD you should be able to catch the ones that are breaking laws & put them in prison. There’s a particularly bad one that has been in the CBD or at South-side central for around 20 years he attacks children. If he goes to Hinkler Central there security guards grab him.
Eat out more & buy more takeaway/fast food. This would be a quick method to boost employment. Grocery & premade meal pricing has gone nuts lately it’s at the point where we may as well be utilizing restaurant, pubs, cafe & fast food more.