Emma McBride (Dobell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am deeply concerned. The Toukley and District Senior Citizens Club is a regular target for vandalism and antisocial behaviour. When I was there on Friday I was shown damage to the building, including vandalised windows, fire damage and graffiti. Recently, the club spent almost $8,000 of their own funds upgrading lighting to improve security, and members are regularly required to fix damage to the building themselves, which Rex does almost every single day. They were excited when, during the recent election campaign, their club was included in the government's promise to deliver $205,000 to Central Coast Council for CCTV across the electorate of Dobell. In addition to the Toukley and District Senior Citizens, the promised funding would install fixed cameras at Cottage Youth Centre, Tumbi Community Hall and Sohier Park, and mobile cameras at the boat ramp car park in Norah Head—a project I know that Norah Head Marine Rescue are keen to see help them keep people safe on our waterways this summer.

The government now appear to be backing away from this promise and have sent a letter to Central Coast Council advising that there is no certainty around the funding and that they will now have to apply for the money under a grant program that has not even been set up. On behalf of the Toukley and District Senior Citizens, the Norah Head Marine Rescue and the Central Coast community, I call on this government to keep their promise to our community and provide this necessary funding.