Last December, Council voted unanimously to organise a Community Safety Round Table to bring council, police, community agencies and experts together to discuss improving community safety.
Details are now becoming clearer and we can now reveal that it is likely to be held in March and will be chaired by an eminent independent person yet to be confirmed.
However, we also know that it will not be open to the public, and it will not be inviting submissions from the public.
Speaking to TWiSK, Mayor Louise Crawford said the event was about bringing stakeholders together to deliver innovative outcomes.
‘The event will be focused on experts, and we want frank and fearless conversations.
‘[The round table] is an expert panel; there will be many other opportunities for the community to get involved,’ she explained
(View the mayor’s comments in the first minutes of a Q&A with TWiSK)
What is the Round Table’s job description?
The following resolution to initiate a Community Safety Round Table was supported unanimously by councillors at the meeting on 11 December last year:
‘That City of Port Phillip initiate a round table of key stakeholders, incorporating the City of Port Phillip, health, housing, community legal and social service providers, Victoria Police and other relevant stakeholders or recognised expertise to examine the current situation and review place-based models to address community safety issues in our high streets and surrounding areas.’
Four outcomes were identified (in summary):
a) Provide advice and case studies from other jurisdictions on community outreach models.
b) Provide advice and case studies from other Council jurisdictions on how local laws can be used to provide community safety and protect the amenity of public spaces.
c) Review the merit and feasibility of establishing an ongoing alliance to continue this work over the next four years.
d) Provide recommendations to Council on the above within the short and long term.
Mounting concerns create escalating expectations
From the Council’s point of view, the outcomes of this round table will be a key influence on the Council’s renewed Community Safety Plan, which is set to be revised with community consultation later this year.
The new group of councillors has acted unanimously regarding community safety and the condemnation of the Adass Israel Synagogue arson attack. The convergence of these issues undoubtedly contributed to this collegiate response.
But it is apparent that expectations and concerns in the community are mounting.
Hundreds of locals have marched through St Kilda in a peaceful call for more police resources.
A petition for more proactive action on community safety, with over 1,100 signatures, has been received by the Council.
In the Prahran by-election, most candidates said community safety was raised frequently during doorknocking and campaigning.
Even Victorian Premier Allan announced a review of bail laws last week, saying ‘there are still too many Victorians – especially women and children – who don’t feel safe.’
Community safety is set to play a role in the forthcoming Federal poll and locally in Macnamara, especially fighting anti-Semitism and health funding.
Too many chefs and not enough dishwashers?
The fact is that Victorian councils, including Port Phillip, are chronically financially squeezed after many years of state government-imposed rate caps.
The state government is also facing unprecedented debt and deficit.
Inflation and supply constraints mean all levels of government are spending more and getting less for their millions.
Locally, this creates some stark realities, including:
Our Council has only three local laws officers on duty on a shift (until recently it used to be just two);
St Kilda area police only have two divisional wagons on call during the day and one at night; ParksVic has one local ranger.
[TWiSK would like to acknowledge the service, dedication, and courage of the women and men who do these jobs daily.]
‘Talk-fest’ it might be
Sceptics and cynics have already denounced the round table as a ‘talk-fest,’ and they might be right.
But if the round table gets local agencies to talk constructively with each other, that would be a magnificent start.
