New police beat announced for Nambour after decades-long campaign

A 3500-signature petition from 2005 has achieved its goal, as a Sunshine Coast hinterland town will finally have a CBD police beat.

Premier David Crisafulli, Nicklin MP Marty Hunt, Police Minister Dan Purdie, and Former Nambour Chamber of Commerce Christine Jones announce new Nambour police beat.

After a 20-year campaign and a petition that attracted more than 3500 signatures, a Sunshine Coast hinterland town finally has a police beat.

Nicklin MP Marty Hunt said “a safer Nambour starts today” after announcing the Nambour CBD police beat.

At a Nambour press conference today, November 6, Mr Hunt was joined by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, Police Minister Dan Purdie and others to announce the permanent shopfront on 4 Lowe St in Nambour, which will open by the end of the year.

Mr Crisafulli said this was a significant step for the Nambour community.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, Police Minister Dan Purdie and Christine Jones along with Nicklin MP Marty Hunt attend a press conference in Nambour. Picture Queensland Government

“We spoke about restoring safety where we live,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“Nowhere is that more valuable in a community where we have seen anti-social behaviour and we’ve seen for a long time that put on the backburner, and we take a different approach.

“It is really important that as part of that positive policing, that we have we have extra boots on the ground, but also the visibility that comes with having a facility like this.”

Nambour’s homelessness problem in the CBD has driven locals and businesses from the area.

Families are avoiding public parks, and local businesses are losing trade as homeless camps in Quota Park and the Petrie Creek area continue to increase in size.

Queensland Police Service Assistant Commissioner Kevin Guteridge said there would be a 24-hour police presence.

“One officer will work the hours that are required to best service the community, and having said that there will always be a 24-hour presence in this part of the Sunny Coast,” Mr Guteridge said.

Mr Hunt said establishing a police beat in the CBD had been a “decades long fight”.

“I have a petition here from 2005 with 3500 signatures from the Nambour community asking for a police beat,” Mr Hunt said.

“It was run by Christine Jones, then president of the [Nambour] Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m proud to stand here with Chrissie today in that decades long fight to have this delivered.”

Mr Crisafulli said this was a significant step for the Nambour community.

Christine Jones said she was “very excited” to deliver the news.

“I am very excited today, because what I started out to do as president of the chamber was to bring extra safety,” Ms Jones said.

“I’d always treated a police beat as a deterrent — we’re there.”

Mr Purdie said the LNP was honouring its commitment of an increased police presence.

“We made a commitment before the election, we would deliver more police with better tools and resources and facilities that they needed to do their job and drive down crime in Queensland,” Mr Purdie said.

“It’s great to be here opening this new facility because we know it’s not only about returning community safety, it’s also returning that perception of safety.

“We want people to be safe and we want people to feel safe and having more frontline police on the ground in places like Nambour will do that.”