General News
12 September, 2022
KAP calls for grants to help crime victims
GRANTS of $1500 to help victims of crime in communities such as Mareeba have been proposed by Katter’s Australian Party. KAP Leader Robbie Katter has called on the Palaszczuk Government to offer $1500 security grants to Queenslanders affected by crime in communities that have a property offence crime rate that is more than double the State average.
Mr Katter said the move, which would apply across crime-riddled communities like Mareeba, Cairns, Townsville and Mount Isa, would demonstrate to the State Government that there was a cost for their inaction on effectively spiralling crime rates.
Under the KAP proposal, the annual round of grants, which would be open to property and business owners, would provide a “dollar-for-dollar” contribution up to $1500 for those who invest in security measures such as CCTV cameras, alarms, bollards and bars and security screen installation.
The funding pool would be capped at $10 million a year, which would assist at least 6500 property or business owners who wished to take up the dollar-for-dollar incentive.
“This crime wave doesn’t discriminate, people have packed up their bags and left towns, as well as businesses who are under siege already have, or are prepared to, shut up shop as a result of crime, and this is a crying shame in every instance,” Mr Katter said.
Just last week, Mareeba’s pet shop, Fantasy Tails, decided to move from Byrnes Street to the town’s industrial estate after being the victim of countless break-ins and threats.
“If the Government clearly aren’t willing to change any laws to help, then we need to find any small way to assist people financially that want to be proactive and assist in putting these offenders away,” Mr Katter said.
“If we are to continue to live with property crime of this magnitude, then the least our government can do is be proactive in assisting innocent, hardworking people that are being driven to the wall to protect themselves.
“This is a small gesture to show the government is aware of the crisis situation in these regions, and that they shoulder at least some of the responsibility for it.”
Mr Katter said the State average for offences against property was 373.48 per 100,000 ERP (estimated resident population), and there were currently 18 police districts across Queensland that had a crime rate (for offences against property) that is more than double this average.
Mr Katter said North and regional Queensland communities were overrepresented when it comes to property crime data.
“These grants would of course just be a short-term solution, and to ensure crime is eventually controlled, the KAP will continue to call on the government to make some real changes, such as supporting our Relocation Sentencing Policy for recidivist youth offenders,” he said.
