By: Deborah Morris & Ed Cocks
Canberra Liberals Ed Cocks MLA and Deborah Morris MLA have called on the ACT Labor Government to treat community safety in the Molonglo Valley as a priority, after residents in Wright, Coombs, Denman Prospect and surrounding suburbs raised growing concerns.
“People in Molonglo are telling us they are afraid in their own homes. They are telling us about home invasions, property crime, slow police responses and, most concerningly, people simply giving up on reporting crime because they do not believe anything will happen,” Member for Murrumbidgee Ed Cocks said.
At community forums, residents described forming neighbourhood WhatsApp groups, taking self-defence classes and trying to reassure children frightened by attempted break-ins. Some also reported police response times of 15 to 25 minutes.
“Parents are taking self defence classes and trying to convince frightened children that it is safe to sleep in their own beds. The government cannot pretend that things are improving,” Mr Cocks said.
Shadow Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Community Safety Deborah Morris said keeping the community safe is one of the most fundamental duties of government.
“Our police are stretched dangerously thin and residents are fearful they will need to take matters into their own hands to keep their families safe. This is a dangerous situation which could escalate out of control if the Labor Government does not act now.
“The Canberra Liberals always have, and always will fight for more police, regular police patrols in crime hotspots and a delivery plan for a new police station in Molonglo.”
A motion before the Assembly notes longstanding concerns about home invasions, property crime and police response times, and reports that some residents have stopped reporting incidents because they do not believe an effective response will follow.
Mr Cocks said the lack of a local police station remains at the centre of those concerns.
“Molonglo is one of the fastest-growing parts of the ACT. The Government needs to deliver the police station it promised,” Mr Cocks said.
“The Canberra Liberals have been fighting for a properly resourced Molonglo station since 2019. Labor promised one before the 2024 election, then after the election called it a longer-term project with no delivery date.
“Until that station is built, residents deserve a stronger visible police presence so they can feel safe in their homes and their community. We will keep standing up for Molonglo until those concerns are taken seriously.”
The Motion will be debated in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, 22 September.
Note: Based on current planned developments within the ACT, with the expanded developments in Denman Prospect and Whitlam, Molonglo Valley is expected to show the most significant population growth over the 40-year period between June 2025 and June 2065, growing at an average annual growth rate of 3.8 per cent.
~ ACT Treasury, ACT Population Projections 2025 to 2065, p. 13