Another business calls for more police resources: ‘It’s just such a no-brainer’
Another Nambour businessperson has stepped forward to call for increased resources so police could conduct regular foot patrols in the troubled CBD area.
“We all think Nambour is a great town but why are we allowing 20 or so people to run amok?,” she said. “People are proud of Nambour and they don’t want to admit that there’s a problem. But there is a problem.
“Nowhere else on the Coast has an issue that is so visual and so obvious. And the whole issue is that it doesn’t get addressed. Years ago I put in a lot of energy to try and have the situation addressed, as have a lot of people. I’ve given up now. It’s just like banging your head against a wall. There just seems to be a denial of the issue.
“I understand that people don’t want to tarnish Nambour’s reputation but the reality is that at the moment it’s not safe and Nambour people deserve to feel safe. I think we need police patrols and we need to move the methadone clinic back to the hospital. Then, half the problems will be solved.
“Then there would be no need for all these other studies and initiatives and surveys that, from past experience, will simply cost a lot of money and nothing will change.”
The woman said online blowback directed at people who spoke out about the issue was such that she didn’t want to be named.
“Oh, it’s crazy. They attack you and misconstrue your intentions. I don’t know why people won’t face the reality of it. I understand that the majority of Nambour is a really good town. But we also need to face facts.
“Yesterday, (Monday, December 5) it was like ... I don’t know how to describe it. For some reason the men are all taking their shirts off down there (in the town square on the corner of Lowe and Short Streets).
“A group predominantly males: they’re drinking. They’ve got really loud music going, and it’s 11am in the morning. And women definitely feel unsafe around that situation.”
The businesswoman was sceptical of statistics indicating Nambour crime had fallen since 2018. She said a lot of incidents happened but went un-recorded because reporting an incident through the Policelink (131 444) number or the online system was onerous and clunky and would probably be prohibitive for busy people and confusing to the elderly.
She said people drinking in public came from different towns and even regions to access services in Nambour.
“There’s people from everywhere at the moment. I don’t recognize probably two thirds of them. They’re definitely not people that are regularly in the square. We know the regular people. “I think that the methadone clinic should be at the hospital, where they have security, and associated support services at hand, rather than in the town centre. I don’t even know how that hasn’t changed. It’s just such a no-brainer. How could anyone say ‘Oh, that’s a great idea: let’s have a methadone clinic in the middle of a family shopping area’?
“For Nambour to progress, everyone needs to feel safe in this community. These issues and petitions have been going on for years, and I have come to the conclusion that the main thing that actually changes the feeling of safety, is the police presence.
“And the rest just happens automatically. I don’t even know why we need a report, or research, to understand that.
“It’s so simple. It’s just straight-forward logic. Of course a methadone clinic will bring with it associated issues. Of course, you will need more police presence. It’s not like we need a survey to tell us that. If they spent that money on police patrols, the safety issue would be fixed.”