Grace Tame among speakers at regional crime prevention event

That's according to social researcher and futurist Mark McCrindle, who will be one of the high-profile speakers at a regional crime prevention conference to be held in Gunnedah, on November 23 and 24.

He will be joined by outspoken advocate for survivors of sexual assault and abuse, Grace Tame, 2020 Young Australian of the Year finalist Hunter Johnson, and crime prevention and community safety specialist John Maynard.

The conference will seek to highlight issues and find possible solutions to some of the biggest crime questions impacting regional communities.

"This [upcoming conference] is very innovative and proactive," Mr McCrindle told the Leader.

"It's very broad in the attendees and in the focus and it is open-ended, honest and candid in looking at these issues as well giving a voice to so many."

From a social researcher's perspective, Mr McCrindle said he will be talking about issues such as safety and the sense of connection that are among the top three concerns facing most people in Australian communities. Cost of living being the top issue of concern, he said.

Crime trends, youth justice, counter-terrorism, rural crime, cyber crime, and domestic, family and sexual violence will be among other issues.

There will also be speakers from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, NSW Police Engagement and Hate Crime Unit, Department of Communities and Justice, Qld Police and City of Logan, Cyber Security NSW, and Just Reinvest NSW.

READ ALSO:

The conference is the brain child of Gunnedah councillor Colleen Fuller, who is one of about 14 people on the Gunnedah Crime Prevention Committee, and who started organising the event before COVID hit.

"It's something that I've always wanted to do in a rural and regional area," Cr Fuller said.

Cr Fuller said when she was elected to the local council about 18 years ago, Gunnedah was among the top ten towns in the state known for alcohol abuse issues, "broken windows" and "fighting brewing in the main street".

"But we started a program and turned things around," Cr Fuller said.

Cr Fuller said the council has since introduced many projects in the community to address issues that stemmed from alcohol-fuelled violence, such installing CCTV along the main street.

"That has been really good because it has stopped all those broken windows and fighting in the main streets," Cr Fuller said.

"So we need to be working together as a state or a nation to turn things around. And all the good ideas that come from a cross section of speakers [at this upcoming conference] can only make things better for everyone."

The two-day Gunnedah Crime Prevention and Community Safety Conference which will be held on November 23 to 24, at the Gunnedah Town Hall, with NSW Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism Yasmin Catley in attendance.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: