Community safety in Brimbank will be improved with support from the Victorian Government to help address the root causes of crime.

Minister for Crime Prevention Natalie Hutchins today announced the City of Brimbank will be the first local government Crime Prevention partner as part of the Victorian Government’s Building Safer Communities Program.

The partnership will result in $700,000 in grants for crime prevention programs determined by the local community.

The Empowering Communities grants are part of the Government’s Building Safer Communities Program helping local communities bring projects to life that improve safety and address crime in their area.

The first of the Government’s Building Safer Communities forums was held in Brimbank in November 2020, hearing from local young people about the challenges and personal safety issues they face. Forums have since been held in Hume and Melton with another scheduled for Ballarat.

The grant builds on the issues explored at the forum and on the Government’s recent investment in crime prevention in Brimbank, including funding for CCTV, lighting and other safety improvements and programs for young people from diverse backgrounds.

This further funding complements initiatives previously delivered by the local community and supported by government. This includes more than $2.8 million for 38 crime prevention projects in the Brimbank local government area, funded through the Community Crime Prevention Program.

The Community Crime Prevention Program has invested more than $48 million in 820 projects across Victoria since 2015.

For more information go to crimeprevention.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Crime Prevention Natalie Hutchins

“We’re investing in local communities because they have the local knowledge and expertise to address the root causes of crime.

“This will give Brimbank the resources to tackle important community safety issues identified at the Building Safer Communities forum, and to support the community to develop local crime prevention ideas that work.”