Locally owned and independent
December 7, 2023
The Northern Rivers Times
NEWS 11
By Tim Howard
Clarence councillors backed the minute,
becoming victims of
in the area could be
crime has prompted a
included in the inquiry.
civic leaders in regional
She said the there
and rural NSW to call for
were 12 cold cases that
an inquiry into policing
remained unsolved in the
for their regions.
Clarence Valley.
Last Tuesday the
At the end of the 2009
Clarence Valley joined
Coronial Inquest into one
the call when Mayor
of these cases, the 1997
Peter Johnstone brought
murder of Brooms Head
a Mayoral Minute to the November Clarence Valley Council meeting
teen Lee Ellen Stace, the Clarence Valley Mayor Peter Johnstone’s mayoral minute seeking support for a parliamentary inquiry into rural and regional crime gained unanimous support at the latest Clarence Valley Council meeting.
seeking to endorse
then-deputy state coroner Carl Milovanovich criticised the length of
issues for NSW local
to prepare the brief of
universally agreed
governments.”
evidence for the inquiry.
outdated current model,
Mr Chaffey said when
His criticism implied
those local government
his organisation looked
police lack of resourcing
areas that do have a first
at the BOCSAR figures,
led to the delay, but
response agreement in
people were shocked.
police involved in the
categories, reported by
place.
“The rate of incidents
investigation were more
the Bureau of Crime
The CMA has and the
per 100,000 people was,
direct.
Statistical and Research
NSW Police Association
in some cases, horrifying
They said the initial
(BOCSAR) in regional,
said crime statistics from
when compared to
investigation and
rural and remote NSW,
BOCSAR have revealed
metropolitan figures,” he
subsequent investigations
specifically focusing on
rural and regional people
said.
were hampered by
the inequalities between
were more likely to be
“Up to 90% of crimes
poor levels of police
Metro and regional local
sexually assaulted, more
including vehicle theft,
resourcing.
government areas.
likely to have their cars
breaking and entering,
Cr Johnstone did not
stolen, more likely to
sexual assault and
support including cold
funding for the NSW
have their homes broken
domestic assault are
cases in his minute,
Police Force to increase
into and more likely to
happening here, in our
concerned it might dilute
frontline policing
be impacted by domestic
regional communities.”
the message coming
numbers in regional
violence than in the past.
The CMA was
from the CMA.
remote and rural regions
CMA Chairman Mayor
heartened at the success
“This is a motion has
most at need.
Jamie Chaffey said about
of the Parliamentary
been put forward by
C. A commitment
a third of NSW lived in
Inquiry into health
the Country Mayors
to the minimum staffing
rural and regional areas,
outcomes and access
Association and almost
agreements known in
outside metropolitan
to health services in
every council that’s
the NSW Police Force
areas.
regional NSW that was
covered by the Country
as First Response
“But we are still
established in 2020.
Mayors Association is
Agreements for non-24
second-class citizens
“We know the only
using this exact motion.
hour police stations, all
when it comes to
way forward is to seek
So personally, I prefer
of which are located
the safety of our
the bipartisan support
that we just kept it as it
in regional, rural and
communities,” he said.
of our state Members of
is,” he said in reply to Cr
remote local government
“For the first time, our
Parliament to commit to
Novak’s suggestion.
areas. And
CMA annual survey
this inquiry,” Mr Chaffey
The minute was passed
has revealed that crime,
said.
unanimously.
The minute sought: A. Establishment of a parliamentary inquiry to report on the rate of crime in all
B. An increase in
D. A review of
0-++&#1$,$)-2/(*3
levels including the
Association NSW.
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time it took for police
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the top five emerging
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determine the staffing
the Country Mayors
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law and order is now in
Q2F&"2:"R,.8,-"+,33)',
the formula used to
recommendations from
(*$%+!#&$,$+#-.&$-))!"*+%
questioning if cold cases
!"#$%&#'()&%
likelihood of residents
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with Cr Debrah Novak
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An increase in the
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Backing for probe into rural crime rates
