MP Michael Healy welcomes council ‘finally stepping up’ on CBD crime
A Cairns MP has welcomed the council’s spending of millions on inner-CBD safety measures, saying the council was finally “stepping up to their responsibility in relation to inner-city security”.
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Member for Cairns Michael Healy has welcomed the council’s spending of millions on inner-CBD safety measures, saying the council was finally “stepping up to their responsibility in relation to inner-city security”.
Cairns Regional Council on Friday revealed the full extent of the organisation’s spend on its CitySafe program, totalling $5m, and the 14,000+ incidents reported in the year to October.
It prompted Mayor Amy Eden to demand the next state government address youth crime with “more than talk and slogans”.
Cairns MP Michael Healy responded on Friday, claiming the council had finally begun to take responsibility for matters in the city centre.
“For the first time, we’re starting to see Cairns Regional Council stepping up to their responsibility in relation to inner city security,” Mr Healy said.
“Secondly, we continue to resource our police services here in the Far North.
“Apart from the expected growth numbers, we have additional numbers, up to over 122 additional police than what was expected.”
Mr Healy said courts had also been given full authority to deal with criminals in whatever manner they deemed appropriate.
“This fallacy that’s being pushed that the courts are restricted is absolutely untrue,” he said.
“In the last couple of months we’ve seen an increase in kids’ smashing windows … and they’re stealing $20-30 worth of alcohol. That is enormously frustrating.”
When the Cairns Post approached LNP candidate for Cairns Yolonde Entsch at the Showgrounds pre-polling booth on Friday to discuss how much the council was spending on inner-city security, she did not want to respond at the time as she wanted time to read up on the matter, but later sent through a statement.
“Youth crime is so important to people in Cairns,” Ms Entsch said.
“We have a plan making our community safer.
“Only by preventing, intervening, diverting, rehabilitating and protecting can we end Labor’s youth crime crisis and restore safety in Cairns.
“If Cairns residents want to see youth crime addressed, vote one for me, LNP.”
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