CLARE O’NEIL MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR JUSTICE
MEMBER FOR HOTHAM
MADELEINE KING MP
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BRAND
Michael Keenan and the Liberals have failed to keep their promises to the Rockingham community.
In the dying days of the election campaign, the Federal Minister for Justice, Michael Keenan, and the Liberal candidate committed $225,000 to the City of Rockingham for five mobile CCTV cameras.
But Michael Keenan has now backflipped from this commitment and asked the City of Rockingham to apply for this funding under a grant program that hasn’t even been set up.
Michael Keenan wrote to the Rockingham Council recently informing them that in order for the commitment to be implemented “the next step will be for your organisation to submit an application so support the commitment of funds under the Safer Communities Fund”.
Not only is Michael Keenan now asking the City of Rockingham to apply for funding that has already been announced, but he is now saying the application process will not even be made available until the end of 2016.
We still don’t even know if the Liberals have the funding to honour their commitments to Burnie. Deep in the letter, Michael Keenan says that this important community safety project will be subject to the “Government Budget processes”.
Michael Keenan and the Liberals were happy to stand with Rockingham during the election campaign but now that they are elected, they no longer care about tackling crime in our local area.
This is just another example of a government failing to stand by its commitments.
“Labor is disappointed that Michael Keenan would promise money to a community struggling with crime and then take it away after the election,” Clare O’Neil said.
“I am disappointed but not surprised at the Liberals moving the goalposts on this funding. It goes to show we cannot trust this Government to deliver on any promise to help our community,” Madeleine King said.
Michael Keenan and the Liberals said they were committed to making our streets and communities safer. Labor calls on Michael Keenan to explain to communities why he and the Liberal won’t honour their promise.
