Queensland state budget: $15m Helping Seniors Secure Their Homes trial moved to Darling Downs

Janice and John Humphreys are part of a growing demographic of elderly Queenslanders who have been victims of crime and no longer feel safe in their homes. It is hoped this expanded State Government program will give them some respite.

The night Janice and John Humphreys woke to strange noises in their Wilsonton home is one that has made a lasting impression on the couple.

Janice went to investigate only to see her husband’s car speed down the road.

Moments later, she narrowly avoided getting hit by the family’s second vehicle after it too was stolen.

While the Wilsonton seniors claimed the lost vehicles through their insurance, no amount of financial restitution would replace their lost sense of security from that September 2022 night.

“When the offenders took our cars, they also took our house keys, so we had to get every lock in the house changed,” Ms Humphreys said.

“We can’t sleep at night, and with any small noise we are instantly awake.”

Sadly, one of the vehicles belonged to the couple’s daughter Jodie who died from flu complications six years ago.

Ms Humphreys said driving in the car made her feel like she was travelling with her departed daughter.

“I would hop in the car and say, ‘Hi Jodie, we are going shopping today,’” she said.

“That car was our last link to Jodie, but I could not get back in it knowing what the offenders had done with it.”

Wilsonton residents John and Janice Humphreys lost two cars to Queensland’s youth crime wave and would look to take advantage of home security provisions announced in the state budget. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The couple is just two faces of a growing demographic of elderly Queenslanders who have been victims of property crime, and in response the State Government has announced a $30 million expansion of a grant program to pay for seniors to strengthen their home security.

The Helping Seniors Secure Their Home trial has been in place in Townsville, Cairns and Mt Isa for some time now, and Toowoomba will be added after the Queensland Government finalises its 2023-24 budget.

Residents aged over 60 can apply for up to $10,000, provided they have a Pensioner Concession Card and are unable to work, to be spent on extra locks, security screens, shutters and CCTV.

“It’s important that our seniors feel safe and supported in their home,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

According to Queensland Police data, there have been 1812 unlawful entry-type offences in Toowoomba in the past year.

This is up from 1629 in the previous year.

“Programs such as Helping Seniors Secure Their Homes are one of the tools we are using to help ensure we meet the housing needs of Queenslanders,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“It comes on top of tough new laws to hold offenders to account and other investments in addressing the complex causes of crimes and better supporting victims of crime.”

Ms Humphreys welcomed the announcement with open arms.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Treasurer Cameron Dick during a press conference in the 2023/24 state budget lockup at Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled.

So did Ann Rixon from the Toowoomba Senior Citizens Club who said their CBD clubhouse is regularly targeted by offenders looking for easy cash.

“We have weekly dance nights, so we leave the front door open and people regularly come into the office and steal from us,” she said.

Ms Rixon added the social members did live in fear that they would be targeted by young offenders.

“They are terribly frightened,” she said.

“Just last Monday one of our ladies had her car stolen, and it was found at Meringandan.

“She cannot get around because the buses don’t go to her area, and she has to walk along unsealed footpaths.”

That fear has been amplified by several high-profile attacks on seniors, including one that claimed the life of Robert Brown after he was robbed while waiting for a taxi just a few hundred metres from the senior citizens’ clubhouse.

The government has also put money into extra high-visibility police operations that involve additional patrols of the city shopping centres and public transport hubs.

“It is a shame that in these later years of our lives we are too scared to go shopping,” Ms Rixon said.

For more details about the grants, phone 13 QGOV.