Survey says we feel safe - but we are worried about crime
5th September, 2012
Most local Wide Bay people feel safe and secure in their local area, but they are worried about crime. These are the results of the law and order questions in Wide Bay’s Community Survey 2012 conducted by Federal Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss. More than 4100 Wide Bay residents participated in the survey by completing a questionnaire on key local issues.
70% of Wide Bay residents said they feel safe in their local area, but 22% were not. Noosa 80%, Murgon 68% and Gympie 67% felt the safest while 64% of the Survey respondents from the Fraser Coast area felt secure.
“A range of crime prevention strategies received strong support in the survey,” Mr Truss said.
88% wanted more police on the beat; 88% supported the use of community service penalties such as building footpaths, boardwalks, eradicating weeds etc to rehabilitate offenders, 81% wanted higher penalties and tougher sentencing to deter would-be offenders, 82 % supported proposals to require Centrelink or the Tax Office to deduct payments from those who avoid paying fines, 80% wanted more intervention programs to deter anti social behaviour, 80% favoured licence plate recognition technology to identify hooning vehicles and 81% wanted more closed circuit television cameras in known problem areas.
“Wide Bay residents are undecided about whether the Australian Constitution should be amended to include a Bill of Rights,” Mr Truss said. 31% supported the proposal, 33% were against, but 36% said they were unsure.
There was, however, overwhelming support for greater protection for property rights with 84% of respondents saying property rights should be enhanced and only 6% saying no.
58% of those who replied to the Survey were against Australia becoming a republic with a further 13% unsure. These figures are higher than the 2009 survey where just 50% were opposed to a republic with 15% undecided. 82% said the Australian flag should not be changed and 83% said it should be illegal to desecrate the Australian flag.
