Commitment for CCTV welcomed

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has welcomed commitments from the major parties to provide closed circuit television cameras in the town centres of Woy Woy, Ettalong Beach and Umina Beach.

Chamber president Mr Matthew Wales said both Member for Robertson Mr Jim Lloyd and Labor candidate Ms Belinda Neal had made commitments for the necessary funding for the cameras.

"After 18 months of hard lobbying by the Chamber of Commerce, we are really pleased with the bipartisan approach that both the Liberal Party and Labor Party have shown with their recent announcements that they will fund the installation of security cameras in our town centres," Mr Wales said.

"This is such an important issue for small business on the Peninsula which has fought an ongoing battle against anti-social behaviour, vandalism and graffiti attacks in our main streets.

"Businesses, especially in Umina Beach, are sick and tired of damage to shops, vandalism and anti-social behaviour by young people.

"It's a huge expense to business with insurance companies now refusing to insure some businesses because of the risk."

Mr Wales said that the Chamber had been negotiating with Gosford Council for the preparation of applications to the Federal Government under the Community Crime Prevention Program for funding to install cameras for over 18 months.

"We were naturally disappointed when council advised the Chamber it did not have the resources to assist in the lengthy application process and that it wanted to wait 12 months to see how the Gosford CCTV system worked," Mr Wales said.

"This was entirely unacceptable to the Chamber.

"We are fed up with playing second fiddle to the Gosford CBD.

"We made approaches to both Jim Lloyd MP and Labor Candidate for Robertson Belinda Neal to assist in changing council's mind.

"The bipartisan approach has worked with council agreeing to lodge applications with the Federal Government."

Mr Wales said that Mr Lloyd had promised that an incoming Liberal Government would fund the CCTV system, with Ms Neal guaranteeing $680,000 from an incoming Labor Government for the project.

"This is great news for the local business community," Mr Wales said.

"With up to 30 cameras to be installed, the CCTV system will provide the NSW police force with an invaluable resource to identify those who want to ignore the law and cause damage in our town centres."

Mr Wales said that, while the system would not be monitored 24 hours, NSW Police could access the system at any time to check trouble spots and rely of taped footage to identify those causing damage and graffiti and participating in anti-social behaviour.

"We're not saying that the CCTV system will stop crime," Mr Wales said.

"What it will do is improve safety in our town centres and make it harder for criminals."

Press release, 25 Sep 2007 Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce