Nina Taylor is the latest local MP to respond to the TWiSK community safety survey for local State MPs. We’ve also asked James Newbury (Brighton) to respond.
In previous weeks we published responses from David Southwick and Rachel Westaway.
We asked for short responses and set no word limits. Her answers are presented in full.
Nina Taylor’s response in full
Q1: How do you feel personally about community safety when you are going about your day-to-day activities with your family?
It’s important to me that people both feel safe and are safe in our community so that they can go about their normal activities. My role is very mobile, so I am regularly across all parts of the electorate, and whilst I personally feel safe, I completely take on board the spectrum of community views on this issue.
Q2: What are your constituents telling you about how they feel about community safety?
I have received clear feedback from the community that there are concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour – we are listening and that’s why we’ve introduced our tough new bail laws, it’s why we’re banning machetes and continuing to back our police with the resources they need to keep us all safe. We’re working with a number of organisations to provide support on the ground to address anti-social behaviour through targeted drug and alcohol programs, like Ngwala Willumbong, and housing services through Sacred Heart, Salvation Army, Uniting Vic and Vincent Care Victoria. We have partnered with the City of Port Phillip on the Wellington St Common Ground project – the $10.9 million initiative will deliver 26 self-contained permanent social housing units in a new three-storey building, with residents supported by dedicated 24×7 on-site services.
Q3: What do you think the community wants from the State Government on community safety? What could the State Government be doing differently to improve community safety?
I think the community wants to both feel safe and be safe, as they are entitled to – and under the Allan Labor Government we will continue to put community safety first.
Q4: What role do police play in community safety, and are they currently getting the resources they need to fulfill this role?
Police play an important and invaluable role in community safety, and I regularly liaise with Victoria Police in St Kilda, South Melbourne and Southbank on the spectrum of community safety matters, as well as attending police-led community safety forums. As part of the Allan Labor Government’s record funding in police, an additional 60 officers have been delivered for the Prahran division.
Q5: What is the role of other levels of government (both Federal and Local) in community safety? What more could they be doing now?
In Victoria, community safety comes first. We must never let places we meet become places we fear – that’s why we’ve delivered record investment in our police, introduced tough laws to crack down on offenders and have the supports in place the address offending or anti-social behaviour.
