Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone was proud to host the Purnong Community Safety Forum alongside Shadow Minister for Community Safety and Police on 26 February.

The forum, which took place at the Purnong District Hall, attracted over 30 attendees.

Mr Whetstone said the free forum aimed to bring together locals to express their concerns and receive useful advice and insights on regional policing.

“The community feedback in Purnong indicates a desire for increased police resources in their area, particularly on the roads and along the river,” Mr. Whetstone said. “This forum allowed residents to voice their concerns about policing issues and policies that impact them.”

“There was plenty of interesting discussion regarding local community safety issues, as well as concerns about property safety and residents’ well-being.”

“Some locals reported several incidents where calls to their local police stations went unanswered, and police officers were unavailable for hours after the events occurred.”

“The overwhelming majority of residents were appreciative of the excellent work of their local SAPOL officers, while also voicing concerns about the shortage of officers across the state.”

“The forum was a great way to connect people with advice directly from SAPOL. Much of the feedback we received will help Jack and I advocate for more officers and increased resources across the state.”

“I want to thank the community members who took the time to attend and share their concerns.

“I’m looking forward to further engaging with local communities regarding these important issues in the future.”