A $30M package of women-focused safety measures to be revealed as part of the NSW budget

Females will be front and centre in helping to transform public spaces deemed to be unsafe at night as part of a package of women-focused measures in the budget.

Women and girls will be asked to help transform parks, trains and public spaces deemed unsafe at night as part of a $30m state government anti-street harassment project.

Parramatta Park and The Rocks will be the first two areas to undergo an overhaul, with the funding to stretch to as many as 10 projects across the state.

The budget initiative follows a survey that found as many as 90 per cent of women did not feel safe in public ­spaces after dark.

Figures from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show more than 80 women have been victims of sexual offences in parks, bushland and gardens in the Parramatta local government area in the past decade.

In the Sydney local government area, which includes The Rocks, there are more than 170 female victims over the same period.

The project – which will also include improving public transport – will form part of a package of women-focused measures to be unveiled in the upcoming NSW budget.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the program would provide additional CCTV, lighting and foot traffic upgrades.

“I have heard too many stories of women taking the long way home to avoid dark streets, or calling a friend while walking in case something goes wrong,” Mr Kean said.

“Safety shouldn’t depend on who you are or where you are.”

Women will be enlisted via a series of forums and also “walk shops” where local areas of concern will be visited.

The government will also develop a policy toolkit to help guide councils and planning officials in the future development of public space and infrastructure.

Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Minister Rob Stokes said it was important to start with Parramatta Park because of its tragic history.

“We will work with women and girls to design safer cities for everyone, designing solutions across our public spaces, parklands, precincts and public transport system,” he said.

In 2018, Plan International Australia conducted a survey of 500 women in Sydney, with most of them declaring they felt unsafe after dark.

“They’ve told us they’re being harassed, followed, catcalled, groped or leered at, on a regular basis,” it said.

Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Minister Natalie Ward said the program would further investigate why so many women felt unsafe, “especially after dark”.

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