What we want to see within ten years
Goal: A community where we feel safe
Goals are how the Shire has interpreted and grouped the things that the community wants everyone to work together to improve over the next ten years
Goal Outcomes:
- Community Awareness📢👀 - Community are aware and understand how to stay safe and prevent crime.
- Safe Physical Environment📍 - People feel safe on the streets and in public areas and can engage in healthily vibrate active lives
- Families, Children, Young People👪 - Families are supported and children and young people make better choices
- Alcohol and Other Drugs🍷🍺 - Less alcohol and drug related harm in the community
Background:
Personal safety is primarily influenced by crime, natural hazards and the risk of traffic accidents. Crime in the Shire typically results in a loss of possessions, physical suffering, stress and anxiety.
Community safety was the highest priority in the 2021 Community Perception Survey (Markyt Community Priorities).
The issue of safety and security can be both real and perceived and that a number of initiatives need to be put in place to respond and manage this. This focus will need to be ongoing into the future if people are to move past the perception/reality of the Shire towns being unsafe in certain areas, and/or unsafe at night. This will be a combination of management strategies, public realm improvements/additions and ongoing communication and community education/awareness.
Whilst primary responsibility for law enforcement and crime prevention rests with State Government agencies such as WA Police, there is also growing recognition that local government is well-placed to lead community crime prevention initiatives. The reasons for this include:
Crime and the perception of Crime on the local economy
Crime and its perception have significant impacts on the availability and quality of jobs in remote Australia, including in Kununurra. Crime can deter potential employers and investors from setting up businesses in the region, reducing the economic opportunities and development for the local population. Crime can also affect the morale and productivity of existing workers, who may face increased stress, fear, and insecurity in their daily lives. Moreover, the perception of crime can be even more damaging than the actual crime rates, as it can create a negative image and reputation for the region, discouraging tourism, migration, and innovation. Therefore, it is important to address both the root causes and the consequences of crime and its perception in remote Australia, and to promote a more positive and realistic view of the region's potential and achievements.
Personal safety is primarily influenced by crime, natural hazards and the risk of traffic accidents. Crime in the Shire typically results in a loss of possessions, physical suffering, stress and anxiety.
Community safety was the highest priority in the 2021 Community Perception Survey (Markyt Community Priorities).
The issue of safety and security can be both real and perceived and that a number of initiatives need to be put in place to respond and manage this. This focus will need to be ongoing into the future if people are to move past the perception/reality of the Shire towns being unsafe in certain areas, and/or unsafe at night. This will be a combination of management strategies, public realm improvements/additions and ongoing communication and community education/awareness.
Whilst primary responsibility for law enforcement and crime prevention rests with State Government agencies such as WA Police, there is also growing recognition that local government is well-placed to lead community crime prevention initiatives. The reasons for this include:
- Local government often has existing consultative mechanisms that can be utilised in the coordination of crime prevention responses and problem solving;
- There is an increasing community expectation that local government will assume some responsibility for crime issues that affect the local amenity and quality of life; and
- Local government is responsible for a range of services related to crime prevention including the management of public space, animal control, building and environmental design, land use and zoning, waste management, street lighting and recreational services.
Crime and the perception of Crime on the local economy
Crime and its perception have significant impacts on the availability and quality of jobs in remote Australia, including in Kununurra. Crime can deter potential employers and investors from setting up businesses in the region, reducing the economic opportunities and development for the local population. Crime can also affect the morale and productivity of existing workers, who may face increased stress, fear, and insecurity in their daily lives. Moreover, the perception of crime can be even more damaging than the actual crime rates, as it can create a negative image and reputation for the region, discouraging tourism, migration, and innovation. Therefore, it is important to address both the root causes and the consequences of crime and its perception in remote Australia, and to promote a more positive and realistic view of the region's potential and achievements.
More about 1.1 Community Awareness 📢👀
A major component of community safety and crime prevention is the development of public awareness around key safety messages. With awareness comes an increased community understanding of how to prevent and respond to safety issues and become actively involved in programs and activities that improve safety outcomes within the community.
Awareness programs are often diverse and managed by a variety of stakeholders. The Shire mainly acts as a facilitator for the distribution of information by others, however, specific local issues will also be developed and driven by the Shire. The Shire aims to increase community awareness and understanding of how to prevent crime and maintain and improve safety.
The Shire acknowledges the importance of the community being aware of safety issues within the environment and practical steps that can reduce or discourage crime. To equip the community and deter opportunities for crime, the Shire can use its community engagement and communication tools to support community education and awareness programs and developing local resources on safety and crime prevention.
Awareness programs are often diverse and managed by a variety of stakeholders. The Shire mainly acts as a facilitator for the distribution of information by others, however, specific local issues will also be developed and driven by the Shire. The Shire aims to increase community awareness and understanding of how to prevent crime and maintain and improve safety.
The Shire acknowledges the importance of the community being aware of safety issues within the environment and practical steps that can reduce or discourage crime. To equip the community and deter opportunities for crime, the Shire can use its community engagement and communication tools to support community education and awareness programs and developing local resources on safety and crime prevention.
More about 1.2 Safe Physical Environment 📍
The planning and design of places, spaces and buildings can assist in reducing crime through improvements to lighting, fencing, landscaping and surveillance of the area.
Environments, where people feel safe, encourage active and healthy participation in the community and elicit further positive use of public spaces, resulting in increased commerce and social benefit.
Environments, where people feel safe, encourage active and healthy participation in the community and elicit further positive use of public spaces, resulting in increased commerce and social benefit.
More about 1.3 Families, Children, Young People 👪
Identify the causes of deviant behaviour
Many of the young people who engage in criminal activities and who continue to commit crimes into adulthood have been raised in dysfunctional environments. Their homes are often characterised by poor or absent parenting, alcohol and substance misuse, violence, poverty and joblessness, and chronic instability. This does not excuse criminal actions. But it does give insight into points where it may be possible to intervene in what is often an inter-generational cycle of disadvantage, violence, and crime.
Many of the young people who engage in criminal activities and who continue to commit crimes into adulthood have been raised in dysfunctional environments. Their homes are often characterised by poor or absent parenting, alcohol and substance misuse, violence, poverty and joblessness, and chronic instability. This does not excuse criminal actions. But it does give insight into points where it may be possible to intervene in what is often an inter-generational cycle of disadvantage, violence, and crime.
More about 1.4 Alcohol and Other Drugs 🍷🍺
Drug and alcohol use can have significant consequences that result in crime and erosion of the public confidence in community safety. Preventing and reducing the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach involving various relevant agencies.
Have we missed anything?
Use the comment box below to let us know if there is anything that might have been missed
Use the comment box below to let us know if there is anything that might have been missed
What we will do
Shire's Role in achieving the Goal:
Partner to address all aspects of community safety, ranging from crime prevention to animal control and emergency management.
Partner to address all aspects of community safety, ranging from crime prevention to animal control and emergency management.
Developing strategies and the Shire's Response
Based on input and feedback from the community, available statistics and analysis by local and national agencies the following response have been identified as the best ways to achieve the community goal.
Based on input and feedback from the community, available statistics and analysis by local and national agencies the following response have been identified as the best ways to achieve the community goal.
Shire strategies in achieving the goal:
- The Shire will work to improve the distribution and awareness of information and resources on safety and crime prevention
- The Shire will design places, spaces and buildings to enhance public safety
- The Shire will advocate for greater support for families, children and young people
- The Shire will advocate for services to support the reduction of alcohol and drug related harm
Linking the Shire strategies to the goal outcomes:
1.1 Community Awareness 📢👀 |
Community are aware and understand how to stay safe and prevent crime The Shire will work to improve the distribution and awareness of community safety information and developing local resources on safety and crime prevention. |
1.2 Safe Physical Environment 📍 |
People feel safe on the streets and in public areas and can engage in healthily vibrate active lives The Shire will design places, spaces and buildings following designing out crime principles and strategies to counter and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. |
1.3 Families, Children, Young People 👪 |
Families are supported and children and young people make better choices The Shire will advocate for greater support for families, children and young people |
1.4 Alcohol and Other Drugs 🍷🍺 |
Less alcohol and drug related harm in the community The Shire will advocate for services to support the reduction of alcohol and drug related harm |
What do you think the Shire should do?
Use the comment box below to tell us what you think the Shire's role should be in this space in the future
Use the comment box below to tell us what you think the Shire's role should be in this space in the future
Community Input
Community aspirations:
- Towns where people feel safe and that encourage healthily vibrate active lives
- Community awareness and understanding of how to prevent crime and maintain and improve safety
- Families are supported to improve the outcomes for children and young people helping people make the right choices
- Reduced incidence of alcohol and drug related harm
Community comment received:
2021 Community Scorecard Perception Survey:
Community Vision Survey:
Community Vision survey - Shire wide
2021 Community Scorecard Perception Survey:
- Facilitate a reduction in youth committing crimes.
- Advocate for greater police presence in the Shire, especially at night-time.
- Provide an expansion and improvements to the CCTV network.
Community Vision Survey:
Community Vision survey - Shire wide
- better collaboration/certifiable outcomes amongst youth agencies
- Curfew for children
- Lore centres for youth at risk teaching them about culture and how to respect/treat each other
- More activities for kids out of hours so they're not breaking into our houses (2)
- Acknowledging the numbers of children and adults with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) so that education can be appropriate and then hence parenting support and then hence Policing and addressing crime here then
- Drop in centre/somewhere safe for kids to sleep at night
- Get these kids off the street at night
- Kid friendly
- Increased services for the local youth - all programs currently focus on the indigenous population
- Hostel for primary students so they get a chance to get to school
- More activities for youth after school hours and safe spaces throughout the night.
- Juvenile drop in centre at the old fire department site.
- More youth services
- Less crime (47)
- Less crime and violence
- 100% security from vandalism, theft and abuse by impose REAL deterrents for perpetrators (learn from other countries where crime is at net zero or at least underground). We are currently a very ugly place to live despite our natural beauty
- Stop street drinking
- End street gambling
- Alcohol restrictions should be the same throughout WA
- alcohol restrictions do not work at all
- Removal of bodies in supermarket doorways
- Addressing the social issues
- community safety/ confidence
- police upholding laws
- Stop park gambling
- on country detention centre for youth crime
- Actual penalties for perpetrators of domestic and family violence
- Reduction in anti-social behaviour (3)
- Expectation that all residents are responsible and accountable.
- Fix street lighting
- Support for families with bad kids
- Reduce crime
- More CCTV
- The social issues are getting worse, whitegum park is a disgrace
- Fix the current crime and anti-social issues
- reduce local crime
- More immediate consequences for juvenile criminals
- Identify the causes of deviant behaviour
- Sober community
- Drop liquor restrictions a lot of people being punished for a small group of people.
- No alcohol in the streets
- Home and vehicle safety
- Control the crime
- Make parents accountable for kids
- Crime to go down
- The dogs that run at me while I’m walking my baby in the pram need to be dealt with. I don’t feel safe.
- Reduced crime rate
- Less crime
- Stray dogs
- More police
- Education for older people in town to deal with home security and scam calls
- confidence in police
- Up maintenance of bush/fire risk – inc. education + support for people who can’t do it themselves
- Safer place to visit and live
- Active monitoring of CCTV
