Empowering communities to tackle crime at a local level and giving councils the necessary funding for CCTV are key components of the Andrews Labor Government’s crime prevention plan.
Parliamentary Secretary for Justice Ben Carroll today announced a further commitment to the Community Crime Prevention program, with funding for councils and not-for-profit groups to deliver critical projects.
The 2016/17 State Budget delivers $19.4 million in funding over two years to help target the root causes of crime and includes:
- grants of up to $250,000 under the Public Safety Infrastructure Fund for councils to install CCTV, lighting and strengthen urban design to improve community safety.
- new grants to assist communities to target the underlying causes of crime and address new and emerging crime trends.
- expanding the evidence-based Communities That Care program, and provide resources to help engage communities in education programs.
- extending the Community Safety Fund grants program, with up to $10,000 available to councils and community groups for initiatives.
The City of Brimbank will receive $200,000 towards its Growing Healthy Communities project.
Under the initiative, 240 training places will be available to increase skills and access to employment for young people, women and multi-cultural communities living in St Albans and Sunshine.
Participants will be trained in horticulture, food handling, hospitality and retail, delivering food and planting gardens for community catering, school breakfast clubs and lunches for people in need.
This is the first of twelve projects to be funded under the government’s $2.2 million Place Based Targeted grants announced last year, and will help communities address issues of unemployment and youth disengagement, and improve social cohesion.
The funding injection follows the release of Parliamentary Secretary Ben Carroll’s report into the review of the Community Crime Prevention Program – which is available at crimeprevention.vic.gov.au
Quotes attributable to Parliamentary Secretary for Justice Ben Carroll
“Local communities understand local issues, and this funding will allow them to better address the causes of crime in their area.”
“We are working closely with councils, communities and organisations across Victoria to tackle crime at a local level, and to stop people coming into contact with the justice system.”
Quote attributable to Member for St Albans Natalie Suleyman
“Crime prevention begins at a local level, and this funding will ensure our communities are well supported through grants programs and initiatives to help tackle crime.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020