Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to share some concerns that have been raised with me by the local community in my electorate. Late last year I was contacted by a group of my constituents who live in the suburb of High Wycombe in my electorate. My constituents contacted me because they have become concerned about living in their own homes. They have become increasingly worried about the number of break-ins in their neighbourhood and feel disempowered by the lack of report they are receiving from authorities. My constituents tell me that they have observed an increasing amount of crime around them. What was a safe and family-friendly neighbourhood is becoming an increasingly safe haven for young criminals.

A couple of these constituents who contacted me, Malcolm and Gloria, wrote to me to share the story of how their home was recently broken into. They said, 'We are retired and we feel we are not safe in our home anymore.' Malcolm went on to tell me that he and his wife were burgled and family heirlooms that were of value and to which they had significant emotional attachment were stolen. Malcolm and Gloria's daughter shared with me that their home had been broken into, an office chair had been thrown out of the window and a safe containing documents and jewellery had been carried out and then wheeled away on the office chair.

My heart was touched by Malcolm and Gloria's story. This was a tragic event to experience. What is worse, Malcolm and Gloria's experience was not a one-off. After hearing their story I contacted the entire High Wycombe community, calling for feedback about residents' thoughts on home safety. Overwhelmingly, people told me they were concerned about burglaries and break-ins. They were also concerned about hoons and groups of young people loitering in public access walkways. This is a cause of great concern and these residents need to have their voices heard on these issues.

I have been doorknocking in High Wycombe with the local state Liberal candidate, Nathan Morton. Together we have personally visited the entire High Wycombe community to hear from residents their concerns about home safety. Last weekend I also invited residents of High Wycombe to join me for a community meeting, where they called for an increase police presence to offset some of the antisocial behaviour that we are seeing in High Wycombe.

I want to thank my state colleague Nathan Morton for his work in High Wycombe and for joining me at this community meeting. This was a fantastic opportunity for residents to be able to share their views and suggest practical changes that they want to see to build a safer community in High Wycombe. I also want to assure the residents of High Wycombe that I will not rest until we have seen a resolution to their concerns. I am committed to building a safer community for the residents of High Wycombe.

I also want to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to the West Australian Barnett Liberal government for their announcement today that they are committing $22 million to be invested into a university in Midland. Midland is a vibrant and growing community. It is the future growth corridor for our region. In the coming few years Midland is slated to have unprecedented growth. Being the site of a new university campus is an excellent opportunity for the Midland community to accommodate the needs of our growing population. My community has been working hard for a long time to see a university in Midland come to fruition. I also believe in the critical importance of building stronger communities through education.

A group of dedicated individuals has been passionately advocating for tertiary education opportunities for our region. I know that my state colleagues Alyssa Hayden MLC and local Liberal candidate Daniel Parasiliti have been fighting hard for Midland, and it is due to their efforts that we have seen this announcement today. I know that my local chamber of commerce, Swan Chamber of Commerce, has been lobbying for the past 20 years to see this outcome. A university in Midland will not only provide excellent education opportunities for our young people; it will also be a fantastic partnership for our local businesses. This university campus will also provide a platform for local medical students at the nearby Midland Health Campus. We will benefit immensely from the collective knowledge gained through a university campus contributing to our community. I look forward to working closely to see this project come to fruition, and I sincerely congratulate the Premier for his determination to deliver education opportunities in my electorate.

As federal members of parliament, it is a pleasures when we are able to deliver to the communities that we serve and provide them with the infrastructure and the pathways into careers that will make a difference in their lives.