Tackling Crime in the Regions: Bush Summit Discussion

That was one of the key issues discussed on the opening morning of News Corp Australia’s National Bush Summit at the Orange Ex-Services’ Club on Thursday, 29 August.

The Bush Summit, of which Your Local Club is a major partner, is bringing together some of Australia’s most influential decision makers to discuss the biggest issues facing regional Australia.

Among the topics being discussed are crime, business, energy and life in the bush.

Vanessa Vazquez, an Orange local who founded Birds in the Bush — a volunteer-run organisation which aims to increase awareness of domestic violence and fundraise for local services — said the regional experience of domestic violence is different to that of the city.

“[In many cases] everybody knows the offender or perpetrator, so it makes it more difficult to flee these situations.

“The biggest fear is that they won’t be believed and it’s different [in regional areas] when everyone knows that ‘Jimmy’ is a good guy, he brings in your bin and he coaches the soccer team.”

Vanessa made the comments during the Crime in the Bush panel discussion, in which James Grant, Partnerships Manager NSW at the Clontarf Foundation, also featured as a panellist and who spoke of the importance of proactive programs as an overall crime prevention measure.

The Clontarf Foundation, which receives approximately $250,000 annually through the ClubGRANTS program, has more than 11,000 boys in its program.

“Non-Clontarf boys have a 60 per cent higher chance of reoffending, compared with 29 per cent of Clontarf boys,” Grant said.

“Sure, we need more police and need more powers, but the damage is already done by then. At the Clontarf Foundation, we’re preventing them from getting into crime [and] giving them healthy ambitions.

“We incentivise school attendance… if they’re turning up to school, doing the right thing, not being suspended, not blowing up at teachers, getting work done, you get those rewards.”

The Clontarf Foundation ensures that families are brought into the process in order to build the level of trust required to achieve positive outcomes.

“My belief is with these kids, discipline has to come from home, we can help them and put them through the program, but if there are no consequences from the home life then it’s really hard to hammer home a message,” said Grant.

The Bush Summit will be taking place throughout the day at the Orange Ex-Services’ Club and is being broadcast live on Sky News Australia.