{"id":356782,"date":"2025-01-21T18:31:12","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T08:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=356782"},"modified":"2025-01-27T22:49:48","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T12:49:48","slug":"residents-share-hopes-and-fears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2025\/01\/21\/residents-share-hopes-and-fears\/","title":{"rendered":"Residents Share Hopes And Fears"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The organisers of the meeting … Wondai residents, from left, Priscilla “Cill” Lorne, Lisa Cross and Laura Freeman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

January 21, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Facebook group discussing a recent spike in juvenile crime in the Wondai area entered the real world on Saturday with residents gathering at the Wondai Diggers Club to air their feelings.<\/p>\n

The organisers of the meeting – which attracted about 75 people – were “Wondai Crime Chats<\/a><\/strong>” group admin Lisa Cross and moderators Cill Lorne and Laura Freeman.<\/p>\n

Laura, who chaired the gathering, said the aim was to share ideas on how to make the community safer.<\/p>\n

The meeting followed a spate of break-ins at night, attempted break-ins and vehicle thefts in the local community.<\/p>\n

Laura emphasised it was not an attack on local police – “who are doing the best that they can” – and it was not to form a vigilante group.<\/p>\n

People were invited to share their stories, which quickly tumbled from the floor:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Every little noise, you’re awake and you freeze …”<\/em><\/p>\n

“My little boy doesn’t want to go to the toilet by himself …”<\/em><\/p>\n

“The same places are being hit more than once …”<\/em><\/p>\n

“CrimeStoppers and police are contacted but nothing has happened …”<\/em><\/p>\n

“We’re all on edge …”<\/em><\/p>\n

“I’m very concerned about protecting my property when I’m not there …”<\/em><\/p>\n

“Why don’t we have more police here? “<\/em><\/p>\n

“God betide them if they come into my house as they won’t be walking out …”\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>“We’re scared. Where are the parents of these kids?”<\/em><\/p>\n

“(Because of the) snivelling libertarians and do-gooders, there’s no discipline at home, at school or on the street …”<\/em><\/p>\n

Cill urged residents to report all suspicious incidents to police so they would be included in crime statistics.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“People are too scared to talk but everyone has to speak up, even if someone has just come to your door,” Cill said.<\/p>\n

“We all want to change something but no one is speaking up.”<\/p>\n

She also urged people to email the Police Commissioner and the Premier to get more police into Wondai.<\/p>\n

Representatives from both the South Burnett Regional Council and the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council were also in attendance.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cherbourg councillor Gordon Wragge said it was important that people know how frustrated Cherbourg was, too.<\/p>\n

The meeting was told there were no police rostered in Cherbourg from 4:00pm to 9:00am every day.<\/p>\n

Deputy Mayor Carla Fisher said Cherbourg residents also felt anger, sadness and fear.<\/p>\n

“These kids are bringing these (stolen) cars to Cherbourg and using our roads as racetracks,” she said.<\/p>\n

Acting Cherbourg CEO Sean Nicholson said Cherbourg Council was suffering thousands of dollars worth of damage every week.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He urged people to speak to the government to get more police, especially over the Christmas and Easter breaks.<\/p>\n

“Kids come in from Townsville, Maryborough and Brisbane and get dumped on their relatives and then go on a crime spree,” he said.<\/p>\n

South Burnett councillor Heath Sander said he had asked about imposing a curfew but had been told it could not be done.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cr Sander said he had also been told there were 12 serious repeat offenders in Queensland and nine of them were in Murgon.<\/p>\n

He suggested these nine children be fitted with ankle bracelets so police would always know where they were.<\/p>\n

Mayor Kathy Duff said she had heard some children actually wanted to be caught by police because being in detention was actually better than their home lives.<\/strong><\/p>\n

She said it had become a “revolving door” and suggested something like a “boot camp” could help the children to learn respect and get some pride back.<\/p>\n

“We need to come up with a some solutions and lobby the government as a united front,” Mayor Duff said.<\/p>\n

Mayor Duff also suggested a revival of the old-style BYTE Night where residents and businesses sponsored a weekly meal and activities for children.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This had been done before at the PCYC in Murgon, which Mayor Duff said had been successful in breaking a cycle of crime.<\/p>\n

She suggested a similar program could be implemented in Wondai.<\/p>\n

Also put forward was the suggestion for better street lighting in Wondai, which Mayor Duff said Council could raise with Ergon Energy.<\/p>\n

Attendees also agreed more town meetings should be held, but no date was fixed.<\/p>\n

UPDATE January 27: The next town meeting will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, February 22, at the Wondai Diggers Club.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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