Safety fears could 'derail Nambour’s CBD fightback'

Rhonda Billett told a parliamentary hearing Nambour’s long-awaited economic revival was at risk, warning anti-social behaviour in the CBD could drive away investors, businesses and customers.

Nambour Groups chair Rhonda Billett has told a parliamentary hearing the town is on the cusp of its biggest economic revival in decades, but warned anti-social behaviour in the CBD could choke that momentum if stronger action was not taken.

Appearing before the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee at Nambour RSL on March 30, Mrs Billett argued that proposed new police move-on powers and stronger responses to anti-social behaviour were needed if the town was to protect rising investor confidence and rebuild public faith in the CBD.

“My hope is that you walk away with an on-the-ground understanding of how much laws like this will help communities just like ours across this great state of Queensland,” she told the committee.

Ms Billett, a Nambour business owner of 27 years and chairperson of I Am Nambour, said the town had endured a long economic decline after the loss of key industries and the shift of activity toward the coast, but was now entering “very, very exciting times ahead”.

She revealed Nambour had secured about $150 million in private economic investment, with more still to come.

“To be quite honest with you, we’ve actually not had this much economic interest and investor interest since the 1980s,” she said.

But she said that optimism was colliding daily with the reality on Nambour’s streets.

“With the high amount of community services jam-packed into one central CBD, it brings a constant flow-on effect of antisocial behaviour that consistently spills on to the town streets,” she said.

“Graffiti, alcoholic intoxication, multiple addiction issues … stealing from business owners, humans that take their drug and alcohol use onto the streets … this happens daily in the Nambour CBD.”

Ms Billett said the toll on business and public morale was real. She shared recent comments she had heard from traders, workers and shoppers “‘It’s too dangerous to work in Nambour, I will work from home instead as much as possible’.”

“‘I don’t feel safe doing my banking in Nambour anymore’.”

And: “‘I’ve moved my business out of Nambour … I cannot successfully operate my business here’.”

“This is our Nambour business reality,” she said.

Ms Billett said the stakes were especially high because major investors were now actively walking the streets, planning projects and trying to shape the next phase of the town’s future.

“We recently walked Nambour with one of our key investors … the company is currently establishing future tenancy options for the town to enjoy as a part of their investment,” she said.

“The last thing we need as a town, given how long it’s taken to attract this investment, is to have them invest and then have their buildings empty.”

She told the committee the proposed bill “has got to happen”, saying Nambour could not afford to let repeated street disorder ruin the chance to bring back shops, tenants and foot traffic.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got a community out there that are screaming for more shops and fun places to go, things to do, but sometimes incidents that do arise, it can kill that,” she said.

Mrs Billett acknowledged the issue was complex and not every person causing concern would be helped by housing or by a single intervention. Some, she said, including a person she knew well, were disengaged and simply did not want help.

She said at the end of the day grown adults were responsible for their own behaviour and there needed to be reasonable consequences for anti-social behaviour.

She told the MPs that Nambour was finally attracting the private investment it had long waited for, but unless the CBD felt safe again, that opportunity could be lost and my Nambour Group leaders and "I simply won't let that happen to Nambour’s CBD moving forward".