Local residents are feeling increasingly unsafe, with new data revealing a sharp rise in fear and crime across the Shire.
Long-time police officer and councillor Brett Owen said what stood out to him in the community engagement and survey was the perception of safety.
The council report says feeling “unsafe” at night in the public areas in the Shire increased from 11 per cent in 2024 to 19 per cent in 2025. Feeling unsafe was more common among females, and adults aged 45–54 years old.
“That’s almost doubling in a year period…“It’s concerning,” Cr Owen warns.
12 per cent of residents stated that they avoid walking, riding, or scooting to local activities due to “troublemakers” along active travel routes.
The most common safety concerns related to crime and policing (26 per cent), concerns around various groups of people (24 per cent), and specific incidents or knowledge of break-ins (15 per cent).
There were 18–19 criminal incidents per day in the year ending March 2025; a 32 per cent increase compared to 2024, most of which were theft or breaches of family violence orders.
Cr Owen said “council has a role in this space — it’s a real issue for our community, and this document highlights that.”
At the October 20 meeting, councillors unanimously voted to renew the Liveability Plan 2017–2029, with community safety remaining at its core.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe at home and in the community,” the report states.
“For some, perceptions of safety relate to crime, for others it relates to dangerous driving, risk of injury, perceived threat, discrimination or work environment.”
Cr Owen added that the Liveability Plan also guides both council and community groups, helping them set priorities, access grants, and focus on local initiatives.
While there is still a long way to go, councillors acknowledged that improving safety is a shared challenge and that other government departments must also play a role.
Cr Samantha-Jane Potter said “the data doesn’t lie” and it’s “confronting”.
“It outlines a path that we can choose to take as a community towards health, wellness, inclusion and living a fantastic life in Cardinia together,” she said.
“It is also a shared challenge for us all to bridge our perceptions, to see one another more clearly and to come together as one Cardinia.”
