‘Waited long enough’: Port Augusta taskforce to tackle crime
A new taskforce is meeting this week to address anti-social behaviour in Port Augusta, an issue a local member says is more than “a bad patch”.
SA Police, Corrections, Human Services, Child Protection and Attorney-General’s representatives are meeting with politicians and the Port Augusta Council on Friday to find new ways to tackle crime in the region.
The meeting on September 4 is part of the state government’s plan to “address issues spanning youth justice, drug and alcohol support and public safety”.
But Liberal member for the federal seat of O’Donoghue – formerly named Grey – Tom Venning says the move is “years overdue”.
Venning claimed South Australia Police figures showed that in the past four years, reported offences rose 17.6 per cent in Port Augusta, 36.9 per cent in Port Pirie and 9.1 per cent in Ceduna.
Across South Australia, crime has continued to show downward trends, according to state government figures.
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“Crime in Port Augusta has gone up every single year since Labor has been in office. That is not a bad patch. It is a sustained trend that demands a sustained response,” Venning claimed.
“This taskforce needs to mark the beginning of a coordinated, ongoing response – not a one-off announcement.
“We now need to see clear targets, regular reporting and measurable outcomes. The community has already waited long enough.”
While Venning welcomed reforms, he feared other regional and Indigenous communities were being left behind, with Coober Pedy and the APY Lands facing police officer shortages.
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A letter from SA Police Association president Wade Burns to the Deputy Premier revealed by InDaily in January claimed there were “critical” staffing issues in Coober Pedy. This included claims staff were “forced” into frontline roles they were not qualified for, while some incidents were not being attended by police.
Venning claimed since then, “the Coober Pedy Police Station has just eight of its 19 positions filled, down from 10 in January”.
Police Minister Michael Brown said the causes of anti-social behaviour and crime in the Port Augusta region “are complex”.
“The government is taking action both in the immediate sense with strong policing, as well as long-term, with measures to reduce youth recidivism and drug and alcohol abuse,” Brown said.
“Long-term safety comes from strengthening communities and that’s the aim of this task force: to continue to find practical solutions to improve community safety and prevent crime.”
Local member for the state seat of Giles Eddie Hughes said people in his electorate told him that “crime and anti-social behaviour are a deep concern”.
“People want to see this issue tackled seriously and police can only do so much,” Hughes said.
“We need to look at what is driving offending in the first place and invest in solutions that prevent crime from happening. That means developing long-term strategies with the community, services and local organisations. But while we work on those longer-term solutions, people also need to feel safe in the here and now with practical action to reduce crime.”
The government announced a $12 million Port Augusta Community Safety and Wellbeing plan earlier this year, which includes partnering with the Port Augusta Council.
Some of the reforms cited included expanding CCTV coverage, operating public WiFi charging stations, training council staff in crime prevention and supporting small business operators to improve shopfront safety.
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