Page 830 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 March 2005
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Gungahlin Youth Centre on Friday and they expressed a lot of concern to me about personal safety, about street lighting and things. Without going too much into that, I think Neighbourhood Watch feeds into that.
Neighbourhood Watch is always important. Neighbourhood Watch has been around for a long time. But I think, with the current inadequate police numbers around the place, particularly the inadequate police presence in Gungahlin at the moment, Neighbourhood Watch becomes even more important for giving residents that sense of wellbeing. So I would very much like to support the motion.
I agree with Mr Hargreaves that it is good for these sorts of things to be brought forward in the context of a formal motion. I have a recollection of Neighbourhood Watch as a youngster back in—this will show my age—the 1980s. I do not know if the rest of you guys were youngsters in the 80s but I was, and I remember—
Mr Hargreaves: I was 16, Zed.
MR SESELJA: Yes, I am sure you were. I remember Neighbourhood Watch coming around to our place and it gave my family and our street a real sense of wellbeing, knowing that people were watching out for each other.
Being conscious of the time, I would just like to express my support for the motion, commend Mr Mulcahy again for bringing it forward and commend all those members of the Neighbourhood Watch group in Isaacs who have been named in the motion.
MR MULCAHY (Molonglo) (5.57), in reply: Mr Speaker, in conclusion: I would like to thank members on both sides of the house for their support for this motion. I think it is important that people who give up their time get recognition. I know it is a little unusual to name them but, as Mr Hargreaves has recognised, when people go to this length to give up their time—and they are such an energetic group—it might send a message to others in Canberra that maybe they need to step out of their own home and think about their neighbourhood and lend that measure of support.
I think there is quite a deal that we can do to support the work of Neighbourhood Watch. While some may at times think it is a very parish pump type issue, I have pursued the matter of footpaths and lighting in many of the inner suburban areas of Canberra. It is an issue not just with our older citizens but also with many younger people who have expressed concern. I am continuing to receive representations on this issue, particularly in relation to safety issues at night in areas such as Manuka, and that is something on which I will be saying something more in the near future. We need to ensure that in all of our suburban areas, both residential and areas where people go out for entertainment in the evening, they can do so without fear of personal injury.
Finally, in conclusion, Mr Speaker, one area that we ought to be looking at too is whether we complement the work of the Federal Police and the Neighbourhood Watch and whether or not the Australian Protective Service might have an additional role. The neighbourhood I happen to live in has a very heavy presence of the Australian Protective Service for dealing with diplomatic representatives, and I think that they are a resource that could be brought to assist in a limited way at the very least, without distracting from their main role, in the important work of combating crime in some of our
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