Poll shows we don’t feel safe

Readers responded in numbers to the recent spate of violence on Oxford Street. More than 70 percent of respondents to last week’s Sydney Star Observer poll said they no longer felt safe on the street.

The Anti-Violence Project (AVP) coordinator Carl Harris said more victims had come forward to report incidents following SSO‘s detailed coverage of escalating violence on the strip.

We’ve had a good response from the community, and contact from other people who work in the area which has suggested other stakeholders, Harris said.

Many groups came together to formulate the City of Sydney’s Oxford Street Safety Strategy, which was finalised earlier this year.

The AVP will reconvene with the police, Attorney General’s Department, and the Surry Hills Licensing Accord next week to look at the implementation of the strategy.

A number of CCTV cameras were introduced as the first stage of the strategy, designed to increase perceptions of safety.

The next stage will be to train security guards on how to correctly deal with homophobic violence.

Training was identified by people who work on the strip as one of the key issues, Harris said.

The AVP will also be meeting with Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore next week about increasing police resources, joined by the Residents Action Group of Taylor Village.

The further reports of violent incidents will be followed up with police.

In this week’s SSO poll we want to know if you think the NSW Government should introduce a relationship register.