Media Release

Friday, May 24, 2002

When the Parliamentary Inquiry into Cabramatta Policing reconvenes today in it will hear that the NSW government has withdrawn funding from a key Cabramatta policing initiative, leaving the Council to pick up the $400,000 tab.

The close circuit TV system (CCTV) was jointly funded by the NSW Government and Fairfield Council in 1995 in response to the drug and associated crime problems being experienced in Cabramatta.

The cost of running the CCTV system is in excess of $400,000 a year.

For the past 4 years the state government has withdrawn funding, leaving Council and Cabramatta ratepayers to pick up the tab.

A recent independent review of the CCTV system found that the NSW Police service gains the greatest level of value from the CCTV program but were not contributing to the substantial cost of the system.

And while Council carries the entire cost burden of the system, Council staff advises that much needed town centre improvements are not being carried out due to Council’s need to fund the operation of the CCTV service said Cr Ngo.

Cr Ngo will use today’s Inquiry to call for government contribution to the cost of running the CCTV.

"The NSW government has an opportunity here to put its money where its mouth is in relation to Policing in Cabramatta" said Cr Ngo.

Cr Ngo said in the long run he would like the Police to take over monitoring of the CCTV system.

"Police could then respond faster, rather than wait for Council to pass the information on" concluded Cr Ngo.

The Parliamentary Inquiry starts at 10am, Cabra Vale Diggers, Canley Vale.