A last push is underway to bolster support for a petition calling for 24-hour policing in Gunnedah, with just weeks remaining before it closes.
Kevin Anderson joined Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce President Michael Broekman and Colleen Fuller this week to encourage locals to add their names to the e-petition, which is open until Thursday 5 March.
“The Gunnedah community have had enough of serious crime in their own backyard,” Mr Anderson said.
“This petition is about calling on the government to do more to get on top of serious crime, including by implementing 24-hour policing, and increasing police resources.
“Every signature we get sends a strong signal to government that the Gunnedah community have had enough, so I’m calling on the community to go online and add their signature to this petition.”
The petition asks the Legislative Assembly to call on the NSW Government to implement 24-hour on-site staffing at Gunnedah Police Station, increase police resourcing including staffing levels and patrol capability, and introduce a dedicated, locally answered police phone line so calls made during emergencies or disturbances are answered by on-site officers rather than redirected elsewhere.
Mayor Fuller, who also chairs the Gunnedah Crime Prevention Working Group, said around-the-clock policing was crucial to restoring confidence in the community.
“Residents need to know they can call on our police for assistance and that our police can be there in a timely manner to assist them.”
“And our police need to know that additional resources are available if, and when they are needed,” she said.
Mayor Fuller said it was unacceptable that many people, including elderly and vulnerable people, in the community are concerned for their safety.
“There are residents who feel they can no longer allow their children to walk or ride bicycles on their own.”
“Our residents have the right to feel safe in their own homes, their own streets, their own towns. We need a stronger police presence to bring criminals to account and make our Shire safe again.”
“I strongly urge Gunnedah Shire residents to sign this important petition, so we can broker positive change in our community.”
The petition states that despite significant investment in upgrading the Gunnedah Police Station, it remains unstaffed after hours, leaving the community vulnerable, and claims there has been a measurable increase in petty crime, vehicle theft, assault, break and enter and armed incidents.
However, official data tells a more nuanced story.
According to NSW Government statistics, all major categories of crime in Gunnedah are decreasing, with the exception of ‘crimes against justice’, which include offences such as breaches of bail conditions. NSW Police have said that increase reflects more proactive policing rather than a surge in underlying criminal activity.
“Officers attached to the Oxley Police District have run several operations in the Gunnedah area, focusing on preventing and disrupting crime,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.
“The success of these operations may have contributed to an increase in the detection and reported rise in the rate of judicial offences.”
Launched in September last year, the petition has so far attracted 1,722 signatures. While that is enough for it to be recorded in the parliamentary record and require a ministerial response, it falls well short of the 10,000 signatures needed to trigger debate in the Legislative Assembly.
NSW residents can sign the petition via the NSW Parliament website before it closes on 5 March.
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