Liberals promise CCTV

By Shaun Inguanzo
A CLOSED-circuit security system providing a live video feed of Noble Park’s shopping precinct and train station to local police will receive a $120,000 funding boost from the Howard Government if re-elected this month.
And the Labor Party has refused to say whether to it will match the commitment.
On the same day it announced plans for a technical college in Dandenong, the Liberal Party has offered another pre-election sweetener to Greater Dandenong residents and traders, this time in Noble Park.
In the wake of crime and migration issues in Noble Park last month, both Justice and Customs Minister David Johnston and Attorney-General Philip Ruddock visited the suburb to discuss community safety with traders, police, the local council and residents.
Liberal candidate for Isaacs Ross Fox this week said a re-elected Howard Government would invest $120,000 into a closed-circuit television (CCTV) security system covering Noble Park’s shopping strips and train station.
“The funding will allow for the installation of digital security cameras which can be monitored live by local police,” he said. “The cameras have powerful digital zooms that will allow police to significantly enhance recorded footage to identify offenders even if they are some distance away. I have been lobbying hard for this funding because I know that CCTV will be a valuable tool for the local police in the fight against local crime. This funding will restore the local community’s confidence and assist the police in their efforts to ensure that the area is safe.”
Labor candidate for Isaacs Mark Dreyfus failed to answer specifically whether or not his party would match the promise, but said the ALP supported community safety initiatives.
“Labor supports all improvements for safety and security in homes and streets, but I am surprised that the Howard Government has taken so long to promise to fund this project,” he said.