Cassowary Coast Regional Council has won the Local Government Mutual Services Risk Excellence Award for its Flash Flood Sensor Network. The radar sensors monitor water levels at known flood-prone locations across the region. Readings feed into the Cassowary Coast Disaster Dashboard, where residents, emergency services and Council can view local conditions. The network has already helped police and State Emergency Service personnel monitor conditions around Mission Beach. Council is running a three-year trial to verify the sensor readings and assess the system's effectiveness.
Brimbank council is bidding for a share of a $10 million state safety fund to tackle crime and make public areas safer. Under the Creating Safer Places program, councils can apply for grants of $50,000 to $250,000 per project. Officers chose five projects in Sunshine and St Albans, including park lighting, street lighting, event lighting and mobile vehicle barriers. Upgrades to security cameras were excluded because state guidelines make camera renewals ineligible. Councillors voted to submit the proposals and urged the state government to provide broader, long-term safety support.
Mandurah council has voted to install number plate recognition cameras and extra CCTV, with the plate recognition vote passing 8-3. The council agreed at its September 22 meeting to shift about $100,000 in its budget toward the two projects, each expected to cost about $72,000. A state grant of $40,686 will help fund the plate recognition cameras, which will go on Mandurah Bridge and Mandurah Terrace. Opponents argued that the cameras were a state government responsibility. Supporters said the technology helps respond to antisocial behaviour and break-ins at Lakelands Park.
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Residents, businesses, property owners, volunteers and visitors on the Peninsula are being invited to weigh in on community safety and animal management services. A community survey forms part of a broader review examining how these services should be delivered in future. Council wants to learn which priorities matter most, what the community expects, current concerns and where effort should concentrate. Mayor Stephen Batty said the feedback would help Council plan services for the coming years. The survey covers the balance between education and enforcement, service visibility, seasonal pressures and priorities over the next three to five years.
Grants of up to $50,000 are now available for community-led projects in remote Barkly communities and Aboriginal homelands outside Tennant Creek. The funding comes through the Barkly Regional Deal and supports projects responding to local priorities. Applications close on November 9. Housing and Local Government Minister Steve Edgington said the grants would back local ideas that strengthen communities, build Aboriginal leadership and improve safety. Applications must be lodged through NT Grants.
Maribyrnong mayor Mohamed Semra has again called for a joined-up approach to crime in inner-city Footscray. Police were called to an assault at a Barkly Street business on 15 October, where a female staff member was allegedly attacked by a woman after a man verbally abused her. The victim was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the alleged offenders are believed to be at large. A day earlier, a 37-year-old man was arrested on Byron Street after allegedly threatening passers-by with a knife.
Neighbourhood Watch Tasmania will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a ceremony at the Tasmania Police Academy in Rokeby on Saturday, 17 October. The community-led crime prevention group began in 1986 at Risdon Vale and now has more than 50 groups across the state. President Peter Edwards said the groups act as the eyes and ears of communities, passing information about anti-social behaviour and criminal activity to police. Tasmania Police Commander Joanne Stolp said the partnership remains as relevant today as it was 40 years ago.
Volunteers from the Nerrena Fire Brigade are running a Get Fire Ready drop-in session this Sunday, October 18, between 10am and 2pm. Residents can learn how to prepare their property, create a bushfire management plan and make informed decisions about their safety. Brigade Captain Samantha Smith said the session will also cover keeping fire trucks able to reach properties and making roadside numbers clearly visible. The brigade urges residents to understand their own fire risk, as each town, property and community differs.
Mansfield Shire Council has launched an Emergency Dashboard on its website, giving residents one central place to find emergency information. The dashboard gathers content from VicEmergency, VicTraffic, the Country Fire Authority and the Mansfield Weather Station. Mayor Steve Rabie encouraged residents to bookmark the page and share it with neighbours, saying reliable information helps people make safe decisions early. The dashboard is designed to complement official warnings, not replace them, and residents should always follow emergency services instructions. Council also urged people to check on neighbours who may need extra support.
Northern Grampians Shire Council says many residents are concerned about safety in Stawell after a video of a young male being attacked by several youths was posted online. Mayor Karen Hyslop said the video is the subject of an active police investigation and is a matter for Victoria Police. Calls for council-managed CCTV have followed, but Hyslop said installing cameras across the shire would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and the policy has not changed for now. Residents can ask the council to review its position through a formal submission.
Children's Week runs from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, celebrating children's talents, achievements and rights. This year's theme is that children have the right to use their own language, celebrate their culture and practise their religion. A special Chinese Storytime at Balwyn Library lets children paint Chinese calligraphy to decorate the Belonging Tree. Activities also run alongside Community Safety Month and Halloween, including a community safety pop-up at Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre and several local Halloween events.
The Evans Head Rotary Club called a meeting after rising crime in the town. Attendees included Rotary members, Richmond Valley Council representatives, police and State MP Richie Williamson. Club president David Parker said two CCTV cameras would cost between $170,000 and $200,000, and he wants the club to fund two more. Richmond Valley Council plans to install cameras and is seeking State Government funding. Police said the Evans Head Police Station will return to full staffing of two officers by the end of October, with extra patrols planned. Another meeting is set for December.
Hills Shire Council and the NSW Rural Fire Service have partnered to deliver the free Four Weeks to Fire Ready program. Each week covers a step, from discussing family plans and preparing homes to understanding fire danger ratings and finding reliable information. A Community Preparedness Survey gives participants a personalised score and suggested actions. Mayor Michelle Byrne says preparation is especially important this season, as forecasts point to hotter and drier conditions that can raise bush fire risk.
Northern Territory Police Force has launched Operation Whirlwind in response to the anticipated presence of Outlaws members and associates in the Alice Springs region. Residents can expect a highly visible police presence across Alice Springs and surrounding areas this week. Additional officers have been deployed from across the Territory to target offending linked to the gang, while also supporting local policing, traffic enforcement and responses to antisocial behaviour. Superintendent Drew Slape said criminal activity linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs will not be tolerated.
The Footscray Club in Melbourne's inner west closed its doors on Sunday after 132 years. Its president, Neil Lewis, said the club had tried everything to survive and was closing out of necessity, not choice. Members say rising drink prices and a shrinking, older membership left it unable to cope. Safety concerns in the area have also kept some members away. Long Huynh, who owns the building, said he wanted to keep the club open, but Footscray had become very hard for business.
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Melbourne residents faced another night of arson attacks, with six vehicles torched across multiple suburbs. In Oakleigh East, a family of four escaped harm when a firebombed ute damaged their home. Similar incidents occurred in Springvale and Reservoir, where flames spread to properties. Premier Ben Carroll condemned the attacks, while police investigate potential links. The spate of firebombings has destroyed 13 cars this week, with two homes damaged and a teenager critically injured.
The Greens have promised to build 10 government-owned supermarkets across Victoria, offering groceries at up to 30 per cent discounts. The party will commit $300 million to the project, with five stores in Melbourne and five in regional areas. Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the initiative was inspired by a similar proposal in New York City. The Greens also pledged $1 billion over four years for community safety programs, including crisis outreach teams and mental health services, also inspired by New York City policies.
