Steven Miles announces more police officers for Rockhampton region

It was a busy day in Central Queensland for Premier Steven Miles and his cabinet as they held a town hall and made several important commitments. Find out exactly what they were

Rockhampton’s police force will have more boots on the ground and more equipment to fight crime in a bid, Premier Steven Miles announced during his visit to Rockhampton.

Mr Miles and the rest of his ministers were in town on Wednesday for the Community Cabinet and made several announcements, but the most important to locals was the commitment to 26 additional officers allocated to the region, as well as 10 more police vehicles.

Mr Miles said five of those officers would be allocated to Yeppoon Police Station, seven to North Rockhampton, one to Emu Park, seven to Rockhampton and four to the Capricornia policing district.

He said there was currently a “record number” of police recruits going through the academy.

“They will be allocated based on where they are needed most, because we know that when the community sees police out and about, in their shopping centres, in their streets, they know they can feel safe and they know the police are there to prevent crime, to intervene early and to detain offenders where necessary,” he said.

Police Minister Mark Ryan the “growth positions” would be allocated between now and June 30 next year.

“(It’s) A significant uplift in policing resources and accompanied by 10 extra police vehicles for the Capricornia district, that again supports the police on the front line,” he said.

“This is an uplift in positions, it’s an uplift in resourcing and this will feed directly into community safety and the government will always have the back of the Queensland Police Service.”

Premier Steven Miles, Deputy Premier Cameron Dick and Police Minister Mark Ryan were all in Rockhampton to announce more police officers for the region.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham said a 30-member team Operation Unison which operated in tandem with Youth Justice to target our serious repeat offenders had also operating in the region.

He said they had been responsible for 400 arrests, almost 9000 task-driven activities and high visibility activities on top of their standard patrol hours.

“We target those crime hot spots and that operation is turning the tide on youth crime and is making a difference across the state,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham said.

“This is their fourth deployment to Rockhampton since they were brought into action last May, they have been responsible for arresting 94 offenders on 269 charges locally, with 76 of those being juvenile offenders, he said.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham said the Central Queensland serious repeat offender cohort was being “held accountable”.

“I am finding that cohort is spending longer times in custody at the moment,” he said.

“When you look at the six month figures to January 2024, and compare those with the previous six months when unison first commenced with guardian, in Capricornia we’ve seen a decrease of almost 18 per cent in total youth offending.

“Particularly offences against the person and unlawful use of motor vehicles, that is early days but it is a significant shift in youth offending.”

The announcement comes two weeks after a crowd of 50 people attended a youth justice parliamentary hearing in Rockhampton.

During the forum local businessman Brad Neven held back tears as he shared his experience with youth crime, telling a panel of politicians he felt helpless and his wife wanted to sell their home and move elsewhere.

PREMIER MEETS WITH ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION

While in Rockhampton on Wednesday, the premier and Deputy Premier and Treasurer Cameron Dick met with members of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) who were participated in strike action.

A group of ETU members gathered on Quay St on Wednesday morning as part of the strike action while the premier made his announcement about boosting police numbers, and called on the government to create a plan for job opportunities for Queenslanders and Australian workers to carry out the Queensland Energy and Jobs plan.

While in Rockhampton for community cabinet Premier Steven Miles and Deputy Premier Cameron Dick met with members of the Electrical Trades Union who were involved in strike action on Wednesday.

ETU Assistant State Secretary Stuart Traill said there should provide plenty of opportunities for local workers, as the government has announced.

“But we are not seeing any plan around where those jobs are coming from,” he said.

GOVERNMENT THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND ROCKY NETBALLERS

The premier joined Mayor Tony Williams and Rockhampton Netball Association President Simone Hitchcock to shoot some netball goals when he went over the Queensland Government’s $5 million in funding for Rockhampton Regional Council to develop detailed designs, costings and gaining relevant approvals for the new multi-use sports precinct to be built at CQUniversity.

Stage one of the development promises to deliver a new, flood-free and contemporary home for Rockhampton netball.

A master plan has been unveiled for a multi-use sports precinct in North Rockhampton. Picture: RRC

It includes 16 fit-for-purpose hard courts, new club facilities, change spaces and a three court indoor facility.

Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams said the announcement was “music to the ears” of Rockhampton’s netball community.

“Having a new sporting precinct on the north side of Rockhampton, which is flood-free and netball being the first cab off the rank on that sporting precinct and a new home for netball is really going to set the foundations for the future,” he said.

Premier Steven Miles announced $5 million to help Rockhampton Regional Council develop detailed designs, costings and gaining relevant approvals for the new multi-use sports precinct to be built at CQUniversity.

Ms Hitchcock the announcement was “fantastic” for local netballers.

“To have the support of the state government, the support of council and the support of Netball Queensland has been something we’ve been working towards for such a long time,” she said.

“To have today’s announcement and the excitement that brings to me as a player, coach and umpire and knowing we’re going to be moving into something like that, I’m overjoyed at it.”

Premier Steven Miles announced $5 million to help Rockhampton Regional Council develop detailed designs, costings and gaining relevant approvals for the new multi-use sports precinct to be built at CQUniversity.

Tourism and Sport Minister Michael Healy said south Rockhampton’s Jardine Park has served the Rockhampton netball community well over the years, but it was moving beyond its capacity and it was time to find a new home so the sport could continue to thrive.

“It’s important we see more women and girls getting involved in organised sport and recreation, and a new home for netball in Rockhampton will help make that a reality,” he said.

BEEFY COMMITMENT TO CQ ROADS

Construction is expected to commence progressively on the Central Queensland beef roads from 2024-25, according the government.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Bart Mellish said in a statement that road upgrades to be proposed under a 10-year Central Queensland’s Beef Roads Investment Strategy will provide safer and more efficient transport solutions for federal and state funded project.

Queensland’s beef corridor network stretches across nearly 218,000sqkm and runs from east to west across Central Queensland.

To kick start the initiative, an early works package is being developed with the state government funding contribution, prioritising the paving and sealing of sections along Clermont-Alpha Road in Mackay/ Whitsunday and Central West districts and sections of the Fitzroy Developmental Road between Bauhinia – Duaringa in the Fitzroy district.

It follows a push from local federal LNP MPs and mayors in the region for funding after senate estimates revealed it would be pushed back from a start date of 2025-26 financial year back until 2027-28 financial year.

NEW MARINE RESCUE VESSEL

Mr Ryan also announced a new contingency rescue vessel for Central Queensland, which will undergo sea trials this month ahead of its deliver to Rockhampton next month.

Marine rescue volunteers from Coast Guard flotillas in Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Keppel Sands and Thirsty Sound will be inducted and trained to operate the new rescue vessel.

The 7.5m rigid monohulled rescue vessel will boost marine rescue capability and will be berthed at Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association QF19 Rockhampton, boosting rescue capability in Central Queensland.

WHY ARE THE PREMIER AND HIS MINISTERS IN ROCKHAMPTON?

The premier and his cabinet held their community cabinet in Rockhampton on Wednesday, March 13.

During the visit, the premier and ministers are holding numerous meetings with local organisations and are also holding a community town hall to give members of the public the opportunity to ask questions.

The next community cabinet will be held in Mackay on 3 April.

“We want to listen to everybody in Queensland, we had our first one of the year and the first one of my government in Cairns just a few weeks ago,” he said.

“It went really well and we’re here in Rockhampton and Central Queensland, we’ve had ministers here throughout the week, we had a fantastic community event last night (Tuesday) in Yeppoon that Brittany Lauga organised.”

Premier Steven Miles, Deputy Premier Cameron Dick and Police Minister Mark Ryan were all in Rockhampton on Wednesday as part of the community cabinet coming to the region.

During the community cabinet meeting the premier and ministers heard from Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke, Keppel MP Brittany Lauga and Mayor Tony Williams about local issues.

Mr Miles said what the government had achieved and what they planned to achieve in Rockhampton and Central Queensland was also discussed at the cabinet meeting.

“These are a great chance for all of us to be here together at the same time, to hear from locals about what they want us to focus on and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

Originally published as Steven Miles announces more police officers for Rockhampton region