Lang Lang residents have launched a parliamentary e-petition calling on the Labor Government to improve community safety.
The petition is the latest move by the Lang Lang community to pressure the Labor Government to address the town’s rising crime through stronger police presence and the funding of closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras in the CBD.
The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria, Melina Bath has been supporting the community in its endeavours and is sponsoring the petition which will be tabled in parliament later this year.
Ms Bath said with the community’s proactive approach, the petition will demonstrate the need for more frontline police and crime prevention tools such as CCTV.
“Some years ago, residents had their one officer station closed to all but a few hours per week and the latest crime statistics reflect that lack of frontline presence.
“In the last 9 years under Labor ‘crimes against the person’ have grown by 588 per cent, and ‘offenses’ have increased by 174 per cent.
“Labor can’t whitewash the situation – Lang Lang clearly needs a more active police presence to deter anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.
Speaking in parliament Ms Bath said it was well known that CCTV is an effective situational crime prevention tool.
“Listening to locals and Cardinia Councillor Kaye Cameron there is potential to install CCTV systems in public spaces, but these require additional state government funding.
Ms Bath said police resourcing had become a significant problem right across Victoria, but it was regional and rural communities that were really paying the price.
“There was always going to be a consequence of the retraction of frontline police numbers – when Labor took away the town’s one officer station, community safety was compromised.
“I congratulate Lang Lang for its practical stance and look forward to continuing my advocacy to boost police patrols and extending the opening hours of the town’s station”, said Ms Bath.
The petition can be signed via the parliamentary website https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/boost-police-presence-in-lang-lang/
