New CCTV cameras earmarked for CBD

Round Two of the Coalition’s Safer Streets Program has allowed for $44,000 to be spent on six closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the Gunnedah CBD.

The program supports communities at the grass roots level to help address crime and anti-social behaviour and boost crime prevention initiatives to keep streets safe. 

Gunnedah Shire Council made a funding bid to add to the 17 cameras already in place in the CBD at a meeting in February.

The idea was supported by police.    

Gunnedah Crime Prevention Committee Chair Colleen Fuller has welcomed the new funding and said it’s a major benefit to any community to have security cameras. 

“It’s great to know it’s all safe and elderly people can go down the street at night and feel secure,” she said.

“It’s an essential thing.”

Securing funding for CCTV cameras in Gunnedah  was an idea floated many years ago and has slowly progressed to include the 17 that have been  installed over the past four years.

They provide 24-hour, high quality surveillance of the CBD and footage has been used to assist police in their investigations.

“When we started from the beginning, we wanted to get at least 15-20 in the major areas we needed them in,” Cr Fuller said. 

“You can never have too many.” 

She added that cameras help prosecute those involved in traffic, anti-social and alcohol-related incidents, graffiti and broken window attacks, and break and enters.

Member for New England Barnaby Joyce announced the funding and said the program had paid great dividends, including in Tamworth where $500,000 was spent on CCTV.

“This funding allowed the Tamworth Regional Council to buy CCTV units which had enabled it to prosecute graffiti vandals, hoon behaviour in cars and unauthorised rubbish dumping,” Mr Joyce said.

“I hope this announcement will provide a similar level of community assistance in Gunnedah.”

The new cameras are planned for installation on Conadilly Street between Elgin and Abbott streets in the next 12 months.