A new e-petition calling on the NSW government to address safety concerns in the Gunnedah region has been launched.
Nationals Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson, joined Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce President Ben Hennessy and Gunnedah Shire Mayor Colleen Fuller in launching the petition.
Mr Anderson said the Gunnedah community has had enough of unacceptable levels of serious and violent crime in their own backyard.
"People have a right to feel safe in their homes, but instead feel unsafe, frustrated, and angry about ongoing violent crime," Mr Anderson said.
"This petition is an opportunity for the local community to band together and demand that the government do more to get on top of crime in the region."
The petition asks the Legislative Assembly to call on the government to:
1. Implement 24-hour on-site staffing at Gunnedah Police Station, ensuring officers are available to respond in real-time to overnight incidents.
2. Increase police resourcing in Gunnedah, including staffing levels, patrol capability, and crime prevention units.
3. Introduce a dedicated, locally-answered Gunnedah police phone line so that calls made to the station during emergencies or disturbances are answered and actioned by on-site officers – rather than being redirected to distant locations.
Gunnedah Shire Mayor, Colleen Fuller, said the Gunnedah Crime Prevention Committee, of which she is a member, had long advocated for 24-hour policing in Gunnedah.
"Residents no longer feel safe in their homes and this is unacceptable. There must be change and we need a constant police presence to help achieve that," she said.
"Our police officers are stretched to their limits and they must be supported as they combat rising crime in our community.
"I give this initiative my full support and I urge Gunnedah Shire residents to sign this important petition."
Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce President Ben Hennessy said the Gunnedah business community is united in calling for greater police resourcing.
"Retail theft, car break-ins, assaults, and property damage are becoming all too common in our community," Mr Hennessy said.
"The physical police station may have had a multimillion-dollar upgrade, but what we really need is boots on the ground. A modern building doesn't stop crime - visible, available police officers do.
"This petition is about drawing a line in the sand. Gunnedah deserves proper resourcing, 24-hour local policing, and a dedicated, locally answered police phone line that our residents can call when there's an emergency."
The e-petition can be signed by any NSW resident on the NSW Parliament website at https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/Pages/ePetition-details.aspx?q=_BPYrWJ6-eVIYklNWDPHFQ
