The results of the Safer Coonamble survey are in and the results show some strong agreement on certain pathways to making Coonamble safer.

The survey was distributed to community members who attended the public meeting at the Bowling Club on 6 December 2023 and released online via the Coonamble Times website the following week.

Overall 60 completed surveys were received, of those 43 people (71.6%) had been directly impacted by crime in recent months.

But what to do about it?

The focus of the survey was on what could be done, including steps community members could take, to reduce crime across the shire.

Many respondents called for a stronger police presence (64%) with most suggesting that a 24-hour station would be a good approach.

“I feel we need a 24-hour station because these young ones know the police aren’t around at night, and tougher laws for the juveniles as they know a slap on the wrist is nothing,” one person said.

“Why should they get off when they have threatened someone who is now too scared to be in their own home?”

There was an even louder call for harsher penalties and stricter bail and parole conditions (80%) to hold offenders to account, especially for repeat offenders. The suggestion of a curfew on young people to prevent children and teenagers “roaming the streets” late at night and in the early hours.

Respondents called for changes to court sentencing practices as well as changes to laws in relation to parental responsibility for young offenders. 

One respondent suggested a system where parents on benefits forfeit some of their Centrelink payments if their offspring commit crime. 

“Three strikes and then the parents lose their government payments”, they said.

There was strong support for re-establishing a community or neighbourhood watch type program and even a night-time community patrol or on-call volunteer system to support vulnerable residents and accompany business owners on alarm call-outs.

“A security patrol outside police hours has worked in other areas,” said one person. “I think the investment is at worthwhile at least on a trial basis.”

Youth activities and programs to direct their energies in a positive direction, as well as providing better support for young people who are charged or convicted, and compulsory participation in available programs for offenders of all ages were suggested.

Another comment was that these should be “services that are based in the community for the community and not just part of a service area of a contract.”

Improvements to street lighting, with some dark areas identified, were also recommended along with more and better use of CCTV cameras.

Of those who participated in the survey, 25 people said they were willing to work together by attending meetings and 22 said they would volunteer in other ways apart from attending meetings.

For those who have put their hand up to be involved, a Safer Coonamble Group has been formed to set clear directions and drive local initiatives.