Elderly too scared to shop alone as Mount Isa confronts youth crime

The fear of crime is so pervasive in an outback Queensland town that some elderly residents are too scared to go shopping alone. Find out more.

Mount Isa’s mayor Peta MacRae says there are elderly people in the community too scared to go out and do shopping due to ongoing safety concerns.

In Mount Isa, the fear of crime is so pervasive that some elderly residents are too scared to go shopping alone.

Mayor Peta MacRae highlighted this alarming issue following a recent town meeting focused on crime prevention.

In a follow-up email to attendees, she pinpointed that a breakdown of respect, family, and discipline as the root causes of the current crime wave plaguing Mount Isa.

“This is teamed with domestic and family violence and a general feeling of loss of pride and hopelessness of some in the community,” she said.

To combat these issues, the mayor suggested several environmental improvements, including beautifying Pioneer, increasing youth engagement through sports and education, and enhancing public safety measures such as better lighting and expanded CCTV surveillance.

Mount Isa mayor Peta MacRae.

Emphasising personal responsibility, Ms MacRae urged residents to take proactive steps to safeguard their property.

“We long for a time when we didn’t have to lock our cars and homes, but those days are unfortunately gone. Being vigilant about keeping vehicles in well-lit spots and locked, and increasing home security will help to an extent,” she said.

Sharing her personal ordeal, she revealed, “I’ve had a stolen car ram-raid my business, so I’m not immune to these issues.”

A major topic at the meeting was the lack of understanding about how NGOs collaborate with different local groups.

Mayor MacRae expressed hope that efforts led by Alan Baillie, funded by the state government, would enhance co-ordination, co-operation, accountability, and transparency.

“There’s undoubtedly good work being done, but sharing this information would improve confidence,” she said.

Tougher penalties and enforceable consequences, such as community service orders, were among the community’s demands. There was also a strong desire to rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders locally.

“Youth detention is seen as a waste of taxpayer dollars and not effective,” Ms MacRae said. “Work camps and alternate sentencing could benefit the community by ensuring offenders are housed at night and work on community projects during the day.”

The mayor said the plight of the elderly was also particularly poignant.

“There are elderly people in our community scared to go out and do shopping,” she said.

She noted Pastor Keith of the Church of Christ has offered to escort those in need.

She stressed that the meeting was just the beginning of a broader effort to foster a safer community.

“This is not a talk fest but the start of driving and instigating change,” she asserted, promising further meetings to discuss next steps and maintain open communication.

Originally published as Elderly too scared to shop alone as Mount Isa confronts youth crime