Victorian government funds community safety improvements
Victorian Minister for Crime Prevention Edward O’Donohue has announced that the Beth Weizmann Community Centre in Melbourne will receive $10,000 for a new crime prevention project that will support a safer community.
Member for Prahran Clem Newton-Brown, President of ZCV Sam Tatarka, Minister for Crime Prevention the Hon Edward O’Donohue, Cesia Goldberg, Director and Coordinator of the Kadimah Library Rachel Kalman, Member for Caulfield David Southwick, Member for Bentleigh Elizabeth Miller.
The Jewish Community Centre and National Library will also receive $8,840 to fund security upgrades and help prevent opportunistic attacks, vandalism and burglary.
Announcing the funding at the Beth Weizmann Centre, Mr O’Donohue was joined by Member for Caulfield David Southwick, Member for Prahran Clem Newton-Brown and Member for Bentleigh Elizabeth Miller.
Mr O’Donohue said the funding had been awarded under the latest round of the Victorian Coalition Government’s Community Safety Fund grants.
“Effective crime prevention requires residents, communities, businesses and all levels of government to work together,” Mr O’Donohue said.
“Everyone needs to play their part, and we can all take some simple steps to secure our own property and get involved in local community action to help drive down crime.
“The Beth Weizmann Centre has been the subject of vandalism and the current lack of lighting diminishes perceptions of safety after dark,” Mr Southwick said.
“This grant will fund the installation of lighting at the car park, main pathways and courtyard of the car park to enhance security for patrons, staff and community members accessing the centre after hours and to deter vandalism and anti-social behaviour.”
Mr Newton-Brown said security upgrades at the Jewish Community Centre and National Library, would address community concerns about crime that had led to reduced use of the premises in recent times.
“These are valuable community facilities and we want people to feel safe using them,” Mr Newton-Brown said.
“These grants show just how the Napthine Government’s crime prevention policies make a huge difference to individual communities.”
“I commend community leaders for working with the Coalition Government to improve the safety and security of their communities,” Ms Miller said.
“This is exactly what the Napthine Government’s crime prevention policies are about – helping communities implement their own solutions to their problems.”
The grants are part of the Napthine Government’s $35 million Community Crime Prevention Program, which helps promote community safety and prevent crime in communities across Victoria.
Mr O’Donohue noted that a frontbench reshuffle by Daniel Andrews late last year saw the crime prevention portfolio removed from the shadow ministry.
“There could be no starker indication of how little Labor cares about community safety and crime prevention,” Mr O’Donohue said.
