Alderman Marti Zucco’s comments in today’s Mercury completely miss the point in trying
to reduce street violence here in Tasmania. We have a police force and they do a great
good job.
What we aren’t doing is trying to stop violence before it happens. We need to start to
influence those most likely to be involved in street violence, 16 – 24 year olds, and we can
do this through a campaign focussed on peer pressure and education that attaches social
stigma to street violence.
We suffer nearly 90% more street attacks than Victoria and nearly 65% more then
Queensland on a per capita basis. Both those State’s have realised the benefits of a cultural
campaign, with Victoria running the “Step Back. Think” campaign and Queensland with a
“One Punch Can Kill” campaign. Yet here in Tasmania we continue to believe that the only
solution is to increase the police.
Let’s move into the 21st Century; let’s show some leadership.
This is no better shown than the senseless violence that was witnessed in the Hobart Mall
today, right near the police hut! People simply do not care for the consequences of their
actions. Here were multiple people attacking one other person without any regard for what
could happen.
Zucco gets it wrong
In concern to many in our community that believe that better sentencing of offenders will
have an impact; the Liberals have committed to establishing a ‘Sentencing Advisory
Council’.
The establishment of a ‘Sentencing Advisory Council’, as recommended by the Law Reform
Commission would comprise of legal experts and, very importantly, appropriate
representation from victims of crime groups.
This will bridge the gap between the judiciary, the courts and the government to better
inform, better educate and provide better advice on sentencing matters.
I will continue to champion the benefits of a pro-active campaign focussed on cultural
change. Couple this with the establishment of a ‘Sentencing Advisory Council’ and we
would be dealing with this problem appropriately before people get attacked, and when
people do get attacked, we will have sentencing which will appropriately consider the crime
from the perspective of victims of such crimes.
Media Contact: Matt Stevenson 0466 692 254
Matt Stevenson Liberal Candidate for Denison
