A meeting was held in Jindabyne on Tuesday 5 July to discuss and determine actions to address safety concerns in the Jindabyne Community.
A robust discussion was held, with valuable input from key representatives of agencies and this focused on the opportunities for:
- earlier intervention (school ages) to prevent/reduce future incidents and minimise harm
- improved / additional community education eg. available services, community expectations, reporting mechanisms, proactive outreach (Police, Health, NGO service providers)
- improved / additional communication programs eg. available services, crime statistics, reporting mechanisms, promoting what does work (linked to the concept that many supports exist, people just don’t know about them or how to access them and misinformation breeds fear and discontent)
Facilitated by Council, the meeting involved representatives from NSW Police Force, Jindabyne Central School (JCS), Monaro Family Support Service, Wellways Australia, Office of Sport, Jindabyne Liquor Accord, Alpine Uniting Church, and Thredbo. Nichole Overall, Member for Monaro was also in attendance and joined by Mayor Narelle Davis and local Councillors.
Police addressed recent concerns and statistics being shared in the community – and clarified that these statistics are based on core year-round population only numbers so the quoted numbers appear as skewed and are not representative of the situation. While one sexual assault case is too many, the local number is currently very low and by no means the worst in the state.
Key themes and actions were developed from the meeting with working groups formed to ensure broad input to the solutions:
Improve youth services and resources in Jindabyne
Working group of Monaro Family Support Service, Jindabyne Central School, Office of Sport, NSW Police, SMGS, NSW Health, Council’s Youth Services and Councillor Frolich.
Action: work with agencies to review current provision and opportunities to improve
Coordinate and improve communication and information sharing
Led by Council’s Chief Communications Officer, a working group of Monaro Family Support Services, Wellways, Council’s Community Services, Resorts, Councillor Hanna, Liquor Accord, NSW Police and NSW Health.
Action: ensure coordinated messages from state to local level utilising all available mediums to provide community education on safety concerns, emerging issues, actions and solutions.
Responsive transport options
Working group of Council’s Economic Development and Community Services representatives and Councillor Hanna.
Action: engage with Uber to understand recruitment / expansion opportunities, engage with Transport for NSW and work with Council’s Local Traffic Committee.
Ensure accessible Sexual Health services
Working group of Council’s Community Services, Monaro Family Support Services and Mayor Davis (NSW Health Board – local region).
Action: advocate to NSW Health, Coordinare, and private practices to re-establish the Wednesday Room as a minimum, noting its role in responding to a far broader set of issues than just sexual health eg. first contact for sexual assault, mental health crisis, domestic violence.
Streetscape safety / safer by design environments
Being addressed through the Snowy Mountains Special Activation (SAP) Masterplan and Council’s Chief Operations Officer.
Action: understand which areas that would most benefit from infrastructure improvements to incorporate safety elements e.g. footpaths, lighting, CCTV and seek funding / lobby for support to deliver.
This was a valuable meeting of minds, and making connections with new and long-term stakeholders in the community. In gaining an understanding of each other’s role and perspectives, there will be a greater collective approach to these challenges, with short and long term progress to be made. The strong presence of Councillors and the Member for Monaro demonstrates engaged leadership, willingness to listen to community, and a commitment to seeing genuine outcomes for the community.
The following activities discussed are already underway:
- Council has made direct contact with Uber and will be sharing these opportunities with the community to broaden the driver base and support short-term responsive transport means
- The Office of Regional Youth is working on a Youth Activation Plan which JCS students have been enthusiastically involved in
- A short term refresh of the Little Black Book (localised contact book for all services) for online access, with longer term vision for comprehensive review subject to funding
- The NSW Police Force are proactively working to have better links with community to reduce barriers to people accessing police when needed; increased presence at police stations at Jindabyne, Thredbo and Perisher
- Local Police are reviewing the options for CCTV in town
- Council is working with, and has had a positive response to, Essential Energy on additional lighting
Apologies for the event were received from NSW Health, Transport for NSW, Coordinare (Primary Health Network), Headspace/Grand Pacific Health, Perisher, Snowy Mountains Neighbourhood Centre, Snowy Mountains Grammar School and Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce.
