weekly hansard - Queensland Parliament - Queensland Government

23 Aug 2005 Adjournment 2645
Police Community Forum, Currumbin Electorate
Mrs STUCKEY (Currumbin—Lib) (9.52 pm): Over 100 people attended a police community
forum held on Thursday, 14 July at the Currumbin RSL. In addition, residents circulated a petition calling
for an increased police presence in the Currumbin, Elanora and Palm Beach area. This forum came
about as a result of general public disquiet over an increase in antisocial behaviour, particularly by local
youth. In recent months there had been a marked increase in complaints from the general public about
vandalism, hooning, graffiti and youth street parties. Tragically, two young high school students from the
Currumbin electorate lost their lives when a car in which they were passengers crashed. Mindful of the
needless loss of these lives, prior to the forum my office generated a 14-part questionnaire entitled ‘How
to Improve the Safety of Young Drivers’ which was circulated to year 12 students at Palm Beach,
Currumbin and Elanora state high schools.
As it is our youth’s behaviour that is the cause of much angst in the community, I felt it was critical
to involve them in the decision-making process, particularly with regard to driving practices. This survey
was seeking youth input as to how to improve current licence requirements to ensure safer
practices amongst young drivers. Some 122 year 12 students from these high schools took the time to
fill in the questionnaires. Around half of the questions resulted in students giving fairly equal yes and no
responses. However, there were topics where students were almost unanimous in their replies. A large
contingent of police officers headed by Acting Superintendent Brett Pointing made themselves available
for questions and the sharing of information relating to police activities in the Currumbin electorate.
Jason McCoomb, the officer at the new Elanora Police Beat, outlined his role. I seek leave to table a
non-conforming petition with 100 signatures.
Leave granted.
Mrs STUCKEY: I also seek leave to table my report on this combined police and community
exercise.
Leave granted.
Mrs STUCKEY: Some of the suggestions from the forum included the possibility of school based
police officers at our two high schools; better advertising of the Party Safe program and police register;
continuation of the police beat officer lectures to youth about drugs, drink-driving and alcohol; increase
our Neighbourhood Watch groups; reform the community consultative committee; more frequent and
targeted police patrols; provide venues for youth to participate in events; review the legislation regarding
parent accountability; an increase in police resources; and the need to improve police response.
This forum and youth survey were a much-needed first step towards gathering information and
ideas and setting in place the foundations for a positive working relationship with our police. I am keen
to continue this process and am committed to working with the police and engaging as many interested
individuals as possible to make Currumbin a happier and safer place to live. My sincere thanks are
extended to anyone who contributed with input and assistance.
Seniors Week, Aspley Electorate
Ms BARRY (Aspley—ALP) (9.55 pm): I rise to acknowledge that we are in the middle of Seniors
Week celebrations and to highlight in particular the contribution that seniors in the Aspley electorate
make to my local community. Seniors are very active throughout the Aspley electorate in work,
community and family endeavours. As I have often told the House before, the Aspley electorate has one
of the largest retirement village populations in the state, and that is not surprising because Aspley is a
lovely place to live and seniors are attracted to the convenience, safety and accessibility of the area. It
would not surprise honourable members to know that Aspley seniors have been very busy this week.
With the assistance of the Department of Communities, a number of groups in my electorate have
been celebrating this year’s seniors theme—‘Ageing: Everybody’s Doing It’. As a strong supporter of
seniors, I have been pleased to attend a number of events during Seniors Week. I was the Acting
Speaker in the parliament for the Older People Speak Out group mock parliamentary debate that was
held here where a team of under 25s and under 65s joined forces to argue the rights of both groups to
be heard in our society. As one of the few people present at the debate who were described as the
‘mediocre middle aged’ in the group, I confess to being a little bit intimidated by the wonderful
partnership of youth and seniors who debated on that day, and indeed under 25s and over 65s will be
heard such is their talent and commitment to do so.
I also attended the Aspley Memorial Bowls opening day of its Seniors Week celebratory carnival.
Again, I was outpaced by both the youth and the seniors and was absolutely intimidated by the bowling
skills of my eight-year-old niece, who made my bowling look quite shabby indeed. The event was
sponsored by the Department of Communities, North Lakes Retirement Resort and the Commonwealth
Bank and was a great success, and I commend the club for its efforts during this week. I have also
recently been advised that Aspley Classes for Seniors has won a Department of Employment and
Training Adult Learners Award for Seniors Week. It is a worthy organisation that provides a raft of
education classes for the enthusiastic senior students of my electorate.