Ninderry MP blasts NHW funding cut

Member for Ninderry and former frontline police officer Dan Purdie has blasted the Palaszczuk Government for slashing funding for Neighbourhood Watch by 85% and is urging locals to sign a petition to save it.

Mr Purdie, who used Question Time in Parliament last week to raise the issue with the Police Minister, said he could not understand why the Government would strip critical funding from a volunteer organisation that played an instrumental role in helping keep local communities safe.

“Neighbourhood Watch and its thousands of volunteers across the state deserve an immediate explanation from the State Labor Government as to why they would sacrifice a program that is having such a positive impact supporting the hard work of our law enforcement officers,” Mr Purdie said.

“I’ve seen first-hand the valuable role Neighbourhood Watch is having in addressing crime, particularly opportunistic crime, in local communities.

“In my own electorate of Ninderry, there are a number of very active Neighbourhood Watch groups, whose members give up their own time to raise the awareness of community safety.

Bli Bli Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator Edith Blanck and volunteer of nearly 20 years  said she was devastated to learn that funding had already been cut, without any consultation or warning.

“Our local Neighbourhood Watch groups work closely with police to promote and enhance safe communities right across this state,” Ms Blanck said.

“Such a significant loss of funding will really hamper the effective relationship we have been working so hard to develop for so many years.”

The online petition is available at https://queensland.typeform.com/to/jQWd2V

“These volunteers act as the eyes and ears of their local communities and it’s a real kick in the guts to see all their hard work disregarded and de-valued by this Government on the eve of their 30th anniversary celebrations,” Mr Purdie said. “Particularly on the Sunshine Coast, we are proud of the valuable contribution made by Neighbourhood Watch in enhancing our way of life, and I urge residents to have their say on what they think of Labor’s latest efforts at trying to prop up their coffers at the expense of hard working Queenslanders.”