Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 17 April I hosted a community safety roundtable with Michael Keenan, shadow minister for justice, customs and border protection; representatives from the Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Liquor Accord and Chaplain Watch; and local residents. It was an important day for both me and the shadow minister to hear from community representatives and residents of the local area. The coalition has a $50 million policy of using the proceeds of crime to invest in capital infrastructure to make the community safer. My electorate is home to many diverse social playgrounds such as Fortitude Valley, Caxton Street and the CBD. It is clear that the Commonwealth can have a role in providing funding for things such as CCTV, increased lighting and other measures that increase community safety. I want to congratulate the Valley Chamber of Commerce, led by Robin Maini, for the fantastic work they do in promoting the social and economic standing of the Fortitude Valley precinct. I look forward to working with them to confirm a funding package that will make this great suburb an even greater one.

As a mother of young adults, I fully understand the need for the assurance that, when young people go out at night, they will be as safe as possible. That is why I am committed to continuing to work with the state and local government, the Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Liquor Accord under the guidance of Nick Braban, Chaplain Watch under Lance Mergard, and other like-minded groups to improve safety in social precincts such as the valley, Caxton Street and the CBD. (Time expired)