Tags:
Hargreaves Mall
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nightclubs
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violence
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anti-social behavior
CITY of Greater Bendigo Sandhurst Ward councillor James Reade has called on the Bendigo community to come together and discuss youth behaviour in an effort to stamp out violence on our streets.
Cr Reade was bashed by six men at the Bendigo Show last year and said he was disappointed by the judicial system, which gives no accountability to violent thugs.
“The issue which concerns me is the small number of people in the community who think it is acceptable to behave violently,” he said.
“There is no accountability, and until there is, these people will think they can behave this way.”
Following last year’s incident Cr Reade was told by police that his primary attacker would receive a caution notice.
“I don’t understand how someone can bash the crap out of you and walk away with a caution,” he said.
“I am not blaming the police, they have done a lot of work in that area but we need more of them, and figures have suggested we are about 80 police short.
“This problem is definitely not a generational thing, 99 per cent of kids in Bendigo are fantastic, and it’s just this very small group of people.”
Cr Reade said he hoped to organise a series of community forums to discuss levels of acceptable behaviour.
“It’s up to us as community leaders to get systems in place to regulate behaviour.
“We need the community to be passionate and to step forward.
“The community forums need to discuss what behaviour we deem acceptable in our community and hopefully we can make a change.”
