Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to pay tribute to the federal government's funding program for security cameras in our communities. These security cameras, which have been funded for a long period of time now, are making a real difference. When you switch these cameras on, you switch off crime, you detect crime, you deter crime, and it gives the community great confidence. In the electorate of Casey, new networks are being installed in Warburton, Millgrove, Seville, Wandin and Montrose. An existing network in Monbulk has also been extended to the new pavilion at the Monbulk Recreation Reserve. Existing camera networks are located in Lilydale, Healesville, Yarra Junction, Yarra Glen, Woori Yallock, Mount Evelyn, Mooroolbark and Belgrave.

As I said, this has been a very successful program, not just for the towns themselves but for the collective of those towns that I read out. It really has created a network across the Yarra Valley-Dandenong Ranges and the outer east of Melbourne that has been most useful for the police. The cameras go straight back to the police stations. Of course, the footage is stored, and it's made a real difference in fighting crime—graffiti, vandalism and some very serious crimes as well. I pay tribute to this program, and long may it continue.