Report shows Canberrans feel safe in public and at home


Released 25/07/2017

Acting Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Rachel Stephen-Smith today welcomed the release of the Justice volume of the 2017 Report on Government Services, which shows Canberra residents feel safe and have a high level of satisfaction with our community policing service.

The report finds that during the 2015-16 financial year community perceptions of safety both at home and in public places were positive, with all categories scoring above the Australian average. Four out of the five categories scored the highest nationally, with one scoring the second highest.

“We all want Canberrans to feel safe and confident while enjoying everything our wonderful city has to offer. This report shows that Canberra residents feel safe when they’re at home, in public and on public transport. We know that Canberra is a safe city, but it’s important to have this confirmation that our residents feel safe across our city during the day and at night,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

The report also showed Canberra residents have a high level of satisfaction with police performance. The ACT’s results for feelings that police are honest were the highest nationally and the results for general satisfaction with police services and police performing their job professionally were the second highest nationally. The ACT’s results for police treating people fairly and equally were the third highest nationally.

"These results are a tribute to the hard work of ACT Policing in engaging with the community and responding in timely and effective ways when incidents do occur. The numbers show that Canberra residents have a high level of confidence in community policing, which is also supported by the low rate of complaints from the public."

The ACT had the lowest number of road deaths in 2015-16 per 100,000 registered vehicles. However, the report also found that a high number of Canberra residents admitted to speeding 10km/h or more over the limit and driving while possibly over the prescribed alcohol limit.

“While the number of road deaths in the ACT was low, the reality is that speeding and drink driving are two of the top factors in deaths on Canberra roads and we still have a way to go in changing attitudes and behaviors. The Government will continue to work with the police and the community towards zero deaths on our roads,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

The report also showed that the proportion of juvenile offenders diverted away from the judicial system during 2015-16 was the second highest nationally, building on the strong youth justice outcomes detailed in last week’s release of the Community Services volume.

“Overall, the strong outcomes reported by the Productivity Commission reflect the dedication of our police officers and support staff. On behalf of the ACT community, I’d like to congratulate ACT Policing on these results and thank the women and men in uniform who protect our community every day,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

- Statement ends -

Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases

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