Cootamundra Electorate Policing

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-96312

Hansard session: Fifty-Sixth Parliament, First Session (56-1)

Cootamundra Electorate Policing

Ms KATRINA HODGKINSON (Cootamundra) (17:12:39):

My electorate incorporates the four local area commands [LACs] of Griffith, Canobolas, Cootamundra and Wagga Wagga, and the various Police and Community Together [PACT] meetings held throughout the year are great for stakeholder engagement. They are truly local in focus, which is particularly important outside the major regional centres, given the unique nature of some of the social and economic problems associated with greater isolation. The latest PACT meeting of the Cootamundra LAC was held yesterday at Young while I was here during sittings. However, the meeting included an informative briefing from the Cootamundra LAC's Domestic Violence Liaison Officer [DVLO], Rennai Kentwell.

While the latest NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research statistics indicate that domestic violence was down in some areas of my electorate, it remains a significant issue, with 136 instances of domestic violence assault in the Cootamundra LAC over the nine months since May 2016. About half of the 136 instances were in Tumut and Young alone, with 32 cases for Tumut and 35 cases for Young. In Young, the rate of apprehended violence order applications is the third highest in this State. It is a 300-kilometre, three-hour round trip between Young and Tumut, and the caseload for both towns is the responsibility of Rennai Kentwell, the sole DVLO for the Cootamundra LAC. A typical month for Rennai involves eight days in court. On top of this, there is liaison with local domestic violence support groups, schools and other stakeholders. Then there is the actual caseload, which is time consuming, delicate and emotionally draining.

There is also a requirement to attend Safety Action Meetings [SAMs] in Wagga Wagga. This is a fortnightly interagency meeting enhancing communication and coordination across the district. By all reports, the SAMs have been extremely beneficial to stakeholders and I congratulate the Minister on this initiative. What is problematic, however, is the associated travel to attend such meetings, which equates to another two full days per month away from casework. I am therefore seeking the Minister's support for these meetings to be held outside the major centres on occasion to make it a little easier on those who are doing the legwork on domestic violence in the regions.

Rennai and her counterparts in the Wagga Wagga, Griffith and Canobolas LACs do a tremendous job and are to be commended. Together with the great work of our DVLOs, the value of awareness campaigns and support initiatives through community organisations cannot be underestimated. Groups like the Narrandera Domestic Violence Committee are important. Serving on that committee is Iris Schofield, who received a Hidden Treasure Award last year for her work in this area. The Domestic and Family Violence Sub-Committee of Young, which includes Naomi Peters, does some great work in conjunction with the Young Police Citizens Youth Club.

The group ran a Respect, React, Respond community awareness campaign last year during which more than 40 local businesses and organisations, me included, were photographed with the slogan. Similarly, Grenfell's Voices Against Violence committee undertook an awareness campaign ahead of White Ribbon Day last year. Congratulations to Elly Schiller of Grenfell Community Health on this initiative. The team at Junee Community Centre have said that, in conjunction with Wagga Wagga's Sisters Housing Enterprises, the Link2Home program is going very well. Particularly when there are children involved, it allows for minimal disruption of their schooling. This liaison has proved incredibly helpful for Junee.

Finally, a quick word on other issues raised. The need for a new police station at Young is a high priority, as is a designated mental health room at the Young District Hospital. The lack of such a facility at the Young District Hospital means that police are called up to the hospital frequently, away from their duties elsewhere. This is an issue that I have raised repeatedly in this House, particularly the need for a new police station at Young. I cannot stress enough to the Minister for Police that this is an absolute priority for my electorate. It is currently on a split site. It is inconvenient for all, and impractical.

Opportunistic theft from a motor vehicle continues to be an issue across the Cootamundra LAC. I remind constituents to remain vigilant when it comes to locking their vehicles and residences, and to leave valuables hidden. Please do not make yourself an easy target. Finally, the mobile drug testing program is going very well, with officers reporting a high hit rate. I thank the Government for ensuring that we have those mobile drug tests operating on our highways throughout the electorate of Cootamundra. I thank the House for its attention.

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (17:17:03):

I also add my congratulations to the many community groups in the electorate of the member for Cootamundra who are working tirelessly to reduce the incidence of domestic violence across the electorate. More should be done across the State and across the country to ensure that domestic violence incidences are reduced.