Far North town to come together on crime crisis
Up to 1000 people are expected to gather at a rally on Sunday to address a crime crisis in a Far North town – but the local MP won’t be there.
Cairns
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MAREEBA residents are expected to come out in force for a rally to address crime on Sunday as public sentiment reaches boiling point.
Organiser Denis McKinley, a retired Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Inspector, said he was disappointed MP for Cook Cynthia Lui would not be attending the event at Davies Park.
Mareeba Shire Mayor Angela Toppin confirmed she would attend the rally.
Mr McKinley is aiming to come up with a set of resolutions with the broad backing of diverse community groups to push for change.
“The leaders aren’t leading, a whole range of them,” Mr McKinley said.
“I’m flabbergasted that our local member isn’t attending – she’s given us the flick, but she should stand shoulder to shoulder with us.
“It as though she has written Mareeba off.”
Ms Lui, who attended the opening of the new $7m Pormpuraaw Police Station this week with Police Minister Mark Ryan and Queensland Police Service (QPS) Commissioner Katarina Carroll, said her door was always open for people to talk to her.
“While I am unable to attend the rally this weekend due to existing commitments, I have spent the last two days in the electorate with the police minister, police commissioner, deputy commissioner and chief superintendent for the region talking about a range of issues including community safety,” Ms Lui said.
She said 150 more front line officers would be introduced in the Far North region over the next five years.
“The government has also invested heavily in youth justice measures and introduced the toughest youth bail laws in the nation,” Ms Lui said.
Mr McKinley said the crime situation was like an out-of-control bushfire.
“We want to get our town back,” he said.
“I have lived here since I was 11, and I have never seen so much crime here in all my life and I’m 70 now.
“We’ve had enough – we’ve got to put strategies in place to pull it up right now, it is still rampant, day in, day out.”
The residents believed there were few consequences for offenders and rehabilitation efforts were not working.
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Originally published as Far North town to come together on crime crisis
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