Labor has launched a new push to address growing public safety concerns across Tasmania, with a strong focus on youth crime and safety on public transport.
Pulse can reveal Labor will roll out the party’s ‘Fresh Start for Public Safety’ policy today.
The plan includes a ban on knife sales to anyone under 18, boosted police patrols in youth crime hotspots and a new stand-alone youth court to fast-track cases involving young offenders.
Shadow Police, Fire and Emergency Management Minister Jen Butler said more Tasmanians are feeling unsafe in public spaces.
“Governments have a duty to protect the community and at the moment Tasmanians are being let down,” she said.
“Violent knife crime is causing great alarm in the community.”
“Banning the sale of knives to under-18s is another simple, yet common sense policy that will help keep Tasmanians safer.”
The policy also targets public transport, with plans to finish installing safety screens for Metro bus drivers and introduce dedicated safety officers with the authority to detain offenders.
Shadow Transport Minister Meg Brown said the Liberals’ failure to act on public safety has put ordinary Tasmanians at risk.
“Unfortunately Tasmania’s buses and bus malls have become hotspots for anti-social behaviour, placing both members of the public and bus drivers at risk,” she said.
Other measures in the policy include introducing new offences to combat hate crimes and expanding workplace safety protections to cover retail workers and bus drivers.
Clark candidate Luke Martin said after door-knocking around a thousand homes in Glenorchy in recent days, it is clear a tougher stance on law and order is needed.
“People are genuinely changing their behaviour about when they shop and what time they shop because of the fear of crime,” he said.
“But they’re also deeply concerned about the perception that’s being made about the community they belong to.”
“A lot of people have moved into this community over the last few years, they’ve set up their homes, they’re raising their families and they actually want to be proud of where they live.”
Mayor Sue Hickey yesterday said Glenorchy is “not suffering a violent crime wave” and insisted the city was safe.
“We’re all perfectly safe and the crime is, you know, it’s a terrible thing. We don’t want it on our watch,” she said.
“We don’t condone it. We don’t like it. We don’t want any criminal activity, but it is a fact of life no matter where you live.”
