Liberals promise $340,000 for CCTV in Bentleigh
A TRADER who was assaulted on a train and had about $3000 worth of tools stolen from his car has welcomed a plan to fight crime in Bentleigh.
South East
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FOUR months out from the state election, the battle for Bentleigh has heated up with crime a hot political issue.
Liberal candidate Asher Judah last week pledged $340,000 to curb drug dealing, shop lifting and vandalism with CCTV.
POLICE PURSUIT THROUGH SOUTHEAST
Mr Judah promised Glen Eira Council $235,000 towards improving, repairing and expanding the existing CCTV camera network in retail precincts, parks and train stations across McKinnon, Bentleigh and Bentleigh East.
He said neighbouring Kingston Council would receive $85,000 for similar work in Moorabbin and $20,000 would go to the Bentleigh Traders Association for graffiti clean-up activities in the shopping precinct.
“We need to stop the cycle of crisis after crisis in Bentleigh streets, and start planning and working to make the community safer,” Mr Judah said.
McKinnon resident Phil De’Ath, who attended Mr Judah’s announcement, said he had twice been a victim of crime.
“I was assaulted on the train and had about $3000 worth of tools stolen from my vehicle which was parked outside my house,” Mr De’Ath said.
“Those experiences made me feel unsafe in my own neighbourhood and reluctant to use public transport, especially after dark.”
Glen Eira Neighbourhood Watch chairman Michael Hain said a CCTV network was crucial in deterring crime in Bentleigh’s main shopping and transport area.
But Labor Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos said the idea was “nothing new” and that State Government already offers grants to councils for CCTV cameras.
Mr Staikos said the cities of Glen Eira and Kingston “are aware that they have my support should they ever wish to obtain State Government funding for CCTV”.
“The Liberal Party should apologise to the people of Victoria for not funding a single additional police officer during their four years in government,” Mr Staikos said.
Shadow Minister for Community Safety and Police, Edward O’Donohue said Bentleigh was now home to Victoria’s largest increase in criminal offences but Mr Staikos said crime was “now going down under Labor”.
Recent figures from the Crime Statistics Agency revealed the total number of offences rose by 30.3 per cent in Bentleigh and 3.4 per cent in Moorabbin from April 2017 to March 2018.
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