The Liberal Party has pledged a quarter of a million dollars towards extending Ararat’s CCTV security network should it win the upcoming state election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ripon MP Louise Staley announced on Thursday $250,000 would be allocated to extend the camera network along Barkly Street if her party is elected.
“The last four years in Ararat have been shocking; there have been some horrendously violent assaults and aggravated burglaries,” she said.
“Small businesses just like these here in Barkly Street, Ararat have felt firsthand the effects of Labor’s ‘soft on crime’ policies with some of them having been broken into and ransacked multiple times. We need to protect these businesses and their customers.”
Ararat Rural City Council deputy mayor councillor Jo Armstrong said the pledge was welcome.
“Additional CCTV in Ararat, especially along Barkly Street, is much-needed and will help to keep local shoppers and traders safe,” she said.
A CCTV network was recently installed at the newly upgraded Ararat Skate Park, already proving useful by being used to catch vandals.
Ms Staley said an extensive network will act as a deterrent for criminals in the town.
“I want residents and business owners of Ararat to feel safe again,” she said.
Ararat Sergeant Brett Johnson said CCTV camera provide a significant advantage in preventing crimes as well as assisting police solving crimes.
“CCTV is a great investigative tool in fighting crime so more cameras in the community can only be a benefit,” he said. “It aids us greatly and we always seek it wherever it is available.”