WA Labor tough on crime to keep Geraldton community safe

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will continue to crack down on violent young offenders and enhance community safety in Geraldton.
  • Only Roger Cook and WA Labor will crack down on violent young offenders
  • Builds on WA Labor Government’s record of curbing crime in the region
  • Follows Operation Regional Shield’s blitz to deter antisocial behaviour over summer

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will continue to crack down on violent young offenders and enhance community safety in Geraldton.

WA Labor has committed to a $14.5 million Youth Crime Reform Package, which will see tough new laws delivered to ensure:

  • All repeat offender matters before the Children’s Court will be fast tracked within 28 days
  • Decisions to grant juvenile offenders bail can be reviewed immediately
  • Violent young offenders on bail in the community will be monitored using the latest technology
  • Responsible adults will be penalised for breaches of curfew conditions

In addition, WA Labor’s $22.5 million Community Safety package will further curb antisocial behaviour in neighbourhoods and shopping centres.

Legislation will be introduced for retail barring orders, to enable retailers to ban people who exhibit violent or intimidating behaviour from shops and shopping centres.

As part of the package, CCTV cameras will be set up in priority locations in Geraldton, in addition to a $1 million state-wide CCTV grant program.

New laws will also be introduced making it illegal to ‘post and boast’ about hooning, violence, property damage and other criminal activity online.

The new offence is designed to reduce illegal activity being posted and glorified on social media to gain notoriety and clicks.

Roger Cook and WA Labor will invest $1 million towards the Geraldton PCYC to continue youth diversionary program SafeSPACE for two years which helps keep young people on the right path and reduce antisocial behaviour.

These election commitments come following the success of the Cook Labor Government’s Operation Regional Shield over the summer to crack down on crime and antisocial behaviour.

The Cook Labor Government is also delivering a new On Track to Thrive program in Geraldton which aims to divert vulnerable young children from entering and becoming entrenched in the criminal justice system. This is on top of the Government’s Target 120 program for older children.

Comments attributed Police Minister Paul Papalia:

“Our police in Geraldton do an incredible job and I want to take this opportunity to thank them."

“The worst year of crime in Western Australian history was in 2016, under a Liberal National Government."

“Today we have more police on the beat than ever before, and less crime across the State despite the population skyrocketing by over half a million people."

“Our election commitments will further crack down on violent young offenders and provide police with tough new powers to keep the community safe.”

Comments attributed to Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton:

“I welcome WA Labor’s package of community safety commitments which build on what the Cook Labor Government has delivered for our region already."

“These commitments are about supporting and boosting regional police, continued investment in the Geraldton PCYC and delivering extra CCTV to make our region safer.”

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