August 16, 2016
Kumbia Neighbourhood Watch marked its 25th anniversary with a celebration dinner at Kumbia Memorial Hall on Monday night.
Committee chairman Morris Winter said the first meeting of the group was held on August 14, 1991, and four of the people present at that meeting were still members in 2016.
Since then, the group has prepared a newsletter every three months and distributed 500 copies throughout the community.
Inspector Michael Bianchi, from the Dalby Burnett Patrol Group, said he was pleased to recognise the excellent work done by the members of the group over the years.
He said the concept of Neighbourhood Watch began in 1972 in New York and quickly spread worldwide.
The first Australian group was established at the Isle of Capri in the Gold Coast in 1988, just a couple of years before Kumbia’s rural group began.
A special guest speaker at the celebration was Kingaroy Officer-In-Charge Senior Sergeant Duane Frank who reminded everyone that next week is Road Safety Week in Queensland.
He said it was wrong to assume that young drivers were the only ones at risk on the roads; he had attended two crashes recently which both involved older drivers – and both were extremely lucky to be alive.
Snr Sgt Frank demonstrated the latest roadside breath test unit, as well as the Lidar radar guns which will be out in force on local roads during Road Safety Week.
He said there were three emerging issues facing the South Burnett community:
1. Drugs – leading into mental health issues as well as break-ins and other thefts
2. Youth Crime – young people “falling through the cracks” who are getting involved in crime, and have “no respect for anyone”
3. Domestic Violence – one of the key priorities for police in the South Burnett under the slogan “Not Now, Not Ever”
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