Queensland has seen some encouraging news this week, with the Queensland Police Service reporting a 9.6 per cent reduction in the number of crime victims across the state.
Firstly, I want to thank the Premier and our Queensland Police for the work they’re doing. Operations like Yankee Forge and the State Flying Squad are clearly making a difference, and every victim prevented is a positive outcome.
But here in Far North Queensland, we can’t ignore the reality.
While the statewide reduction is 9.6 per cent, here in FNQ victim numbers have only fallen by 3.8 per cent over the past 12 months.
That tells us one thing: we’ve still got a lot more work to do.
Families in Cairns are still feeling the impact of crime. Too many people are still worried about break-ins, stolen cars, and the safety of their neighbourhoods. While these latest figures are a step in the right direction, they won’t mean much to the people who are still living with the consequences of crime every day.
That’s why we can’t take our foot off the pedal.
We’ll continue working with the Queensland Police Service to make sure Cairns and the Far North get the resources they need. We’ll keep backing targeted policing, stronger community safety initiatives, and the support needed to prevent repeat offending.
Our community deserves to feel safe in their homes, safe in their businesses, and safe in our streets.
So while we welcome these statewide results, our focus remains firmly on Far North Queensland. A 3.8 per cent reduction isn’t enough, and we won’t stop pushing until families in Cairns see the kind of improvements they deserve.
There’s more work to do, and we’re committed to getting it done.
