Safety in the community is a team effort; that was the message when community leaders spoke up last week at the Gosford Erina Business Chamber breakfast.
It was billed as a powerful morning of conversation, collaboration and community action and feedback and those who attended said it was one of the best GEBC events ever.
The panel of leaders tackled what GEBC called “one of the most pressing issues in Gosford and surrounds – safety in our streets”.
The recent murder of Audrey Griffin after a night out in Gosford was mentioned a number of times.
Speakers included Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid; Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch; Brisbane Water Police District Superintendent Commander Darryl Jobson; Councillor Trent McWaide; Regional Youth Support Services CEO Kim McLoughry; Gosford Hotel General Manager Scott Miller; and University of Newcastle Central Coast Campuses Executive Dean Professor Mike Bowyer.
Superintendent Darryl Jobson said police could not be everywhere at all times and the community didn’t want that.
His message was that police use an intelligence-based model and he asked people to report what they saw to police if they saw anti-social behaviour.
“Let us know what’s going on,” he said.
“Working together is key.”
One suggestion from the room was that if a person was banned from one venue, they should be banned from all.
RYSS CEO Kim McLoughry said “what happens in peoples’ homes happens in our streets”.
She talked about the number of students using the CBD already with schools and the TAFE college and asked how to make the area safe and said “we need to think collectively – like a giant neighbourhood watch.”
University Dean Professor Mike Bowyer said the focus was on public transport for the Gosford campus, currently being built in Mann St on the corner of Beane St.
Teachers would be coming from Newcastle and students from Sydney.
There would be security on-site and duress alarms for staff as well as apps for students which were basically portable duress alarms.
He admitted moving between the new university site and the clinical school at the Gosford hospital site across the railway line was challenging at the moment.
Ninja Protect Managing Director Ashley Roulston gave a brief overview of a modern take on CCTV; one that gave instant feedback when crowds gathered or voices were raised.
GEBC President Peter Lawley said the event was as a result of businesses in the Gosford and East Gosford CBD’s requesting action on recent tragic events and daily challenges business faced in the CBDs in regards to security.
“With the growth in population in these areas, the hospitality and other businesses want to work collaboratively with all levels of government and services to make the CBD an attractive and safe environment for all residents, community and business,” Lawley said.
“There has been significant interest for this event, with over 80 local business members attending”.
Lawley also flagged that he was retiring in July and would end his presidency soon.
Merilyn Vale
