Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Wednesday last week, I received a letter from Casey, Jovilyn, Reily, Sharneece, Harvey, Peter and Robert on behalf of the grade 5 and 6 students at St Theresa's Primary School in Albion. They wrote to me as they are concerned about safety in their local community in Sunshine. They know of the petty crime and vandalism that has occurred near Sunshine station, and they know this can be remedied by installing CCTV cameras. They wrote to me upset that the funding for their CCTV cameras had been shelved by the Abbott government.

They know the benefits these cameras will have in preventing crime and promoting community safety in Sunshine. I spoke to them today via Skype and was impressed at their knowledge and ideas, and the passion that they felt for this issue. These students are also engaging with the community around them. They have spoken with the Sunshine Business Association, launched a petition and written a letter to the Brimbank leading newspaper to raise awareness of this issue in their community. They are even planning to go to the Sunshine railway station to ask commuters for their opinions on the cameras.

I am proud of these students for taking their roles as citizens in the community so seriously, and I want to make sure that their voices are heard in this place. The parliament should hear their call to get these CCTV cameras installed in Sunshine. I am looking forward to working with these passionate and proactive students who want to make the community of Sunshine a safer place. We will do everything we can to get these cameras switched on, and I congratulate the students and their teachers for playing an active part in our local community.