Hunt pushes for Police Beat re-boot

Marty Hunt is pushing for increased Police presence in Nambour CBD ... the business community was very supportive of a Police Beat and there was even free premises offered for it in C-square.

Member for Nicklin Marty Hunt said he was pressing on to regain the momentum of a six week trial of a Police Beat in Nambour earlier in the year that had to be cut short when COVID hit and police resources were redirected.

“No doubt safety is the issue that we have to address to make sure people feel safe in Nambour and the push for a Police Beat or at least a regular mobile beat unit continues,” Mr Hunt said.

Mr Hunt said the business community was very supportive of a Police Beat and there was even free premises offered for it in C-square. “The local police were supportive of it as long as they didn’t lose existing resources to the facility, because they are so under-resourced as it is.  Even if we can’t get an actual shop front, I know that the Police District is currently having a mobile beat unit constructed and we hope to have it in Nambour regularly.”

Mr Hunt said the interrupted trial had been very much appreciated by the community.

“I spoke to all the businesses that I could visit, to see how the Police Beat trial was going for them and it was very positively received. It makes people feel safe. And it discourages the type of antisocial behaviour that makes people feel scared. It’s not necessarily high crime but it’s behaviour that can be intimidating. When your daughter, mum or grandmother is walking down the street you don’t want to see people hanging around, fighting, swearing, drinking, spitting on the ground.

“And that fear, whether it’s warranted or not, it exists. Perception is reality. This is not necessarily something people will call 000 for, but it’s happening and it’s intimidating.”

“We want Nambour to be a vibrant, happening sort of place for families. You know, we’ve got a great cinema now. We’ve got Stalwart Alehouse and Brewery up there. We’ve got Downtown Burgers, we’ve got the pinball parlour. We’ve got a lot of good things happening. A lot of people are already coming to invest in Nambour because they can see a future here.”