More than 50 business owners and residents gathered outside the Ayr Police Station last week to rally against spiralling youth crime, which many believe is due to insufficient police presence in the region.
A petition has now been launched and Member for Burdekin Dale Last MP will soon be taking to the floor of parliament to raise awareness for the community’s frustration about the surging crime rates.
Mr Last said the sheer number of frustrated community members at the event demonstrated the community was not prepared to stand by while their homes and businesses were being ransacked by young thugs.
“This community has taken a stand and said enough is enough and I plan on making sure the state government hears the Burdekin’s frustrations loud and clear on the floor of parliament,” Mr Last said.
“Just because this community has a smaller population than a bigger south-east city does not mean they should be left without the necessary police resources needed to combat the spike in crime and this petition will be another call for more to be done.”
Mr Last is concerned community safety was being left in the hands of residents and wants the minister to “explain to the residents and business owners in the Burdekin why they should be left conducting patrols after hours just to ensure their cars are still in the driveway the next morning and their businesses haven’t been smashed.”
“The reality is that there were 322 less police officers in Queensland between July 2022 and December last year and that is not good enough,” he said.
The petition, launching this week, appeals for more plain clothes officers and government funded security patrols in the Burdekin and will be available both online and in paper to sign.
“At a time when everyone is feeling the impacts of cost of living, victims of crime are being left out of pocket for repairs and any avenue to deter young offenders from returning again,” Mr Last said.
“I certainly won’t stand by and let those in the south east turn a blind eye because these offences aren’t occurring in inner city Brisbane.”
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