Calls grow for stronger police presence sooner amid mounting CBD safety concerns
Stories by Cameron Outridge
Business owners in Nambour have voiced mounting frustration at a community safety meeting on May 14, expressing concerns about an escalation of criminal and anti-social behaviour in the CBD.
Organised by a local businessperson the meeting was attended by Nicklin MP Marty Hunt, Div 10 Councillor David Law and Nambour Police Snr Sgt Peter Hocken.
The session drew traders troubled by everything from public drunkenness and anti-social behaviour to violence, aggression and alleged open drug deals, which they say are driving customers away, particularly seniors and families.
Businesspeople expressed concern for themselves, their staff and their customers’ safety, and their belief that the source of much of the behaviour was coming from an influx of people from as far as Moreton, Toowoomba and Ipswich.
Mr Hunt acknowledged he “hears your frustrations” and reiterated his election promise to establish a dedicated police beat and install CCTV in the CBD, to the tune of $1.1 million.
Mr Hunt also pointed to the recommendations in Sunshine Coast Council’s Nambour Community Safety Review.
Cr Law pointed participants to the Nambour Place Revitalisation Project as frameworks already under way.
Still, participants expressed frustration about when the reports or initiatives would translate into meaningful action.
Of particular concern is what some perceive as a misplaced focus from authorities. They believe officials are prioritising services for vulnerable populations without providing parallel safety initiatives for the broader community.
Meanwhile, police are frustrated by their already-stretched workload being overwhelmed by domestic violence cases.
MP urges action on implementing Nambour Community Safety Review
Member for Nicklin Marty Hunt says concerns raised by Nambour business owners at a recent meeting echo issues that have been voiced for years—highlighting the need for immediate action.
“That’s why we’re putting in the police beat, and why I’m pushing to get an officer appointed even before the premises is finalised,” Mr Hunt said.
He said Nambour was facing growing pressure as people experiencing homelessness moved into the area from Moreton and Brisbane, following enforcement measures in those places.
“We’ve inherited a lot of issues, and it’s not going to be solved overnight,” he said. “I’m seeing the housing minister this week to raise concerns about housing, but homelessness also involves mental health, addiction and a range of other challenges.”
Mr Hunt called on Sunshine Coast Council to implement its own Nambour Community Safety Review, which was published two years ago.
“So far, none of the recommendations have been actioned,” he said. “The council is new, and there’s a new mayor, so I’ve raised it with them. I’m meeting with David Law about it. Recommendation one was to form a working group involving police, council and relevant departments. That’s the first step, and it needs to happen very soon.”
He said the town square near Lowe and Short Streets was a hotspot for antisocial behaviour, with reports of people even feeling unsafe while using ATMs due to aggressive begging.
“That police presence is going to be important,” he said.
Despite the concerns, Mr Hunt said he remained optimistic about Nambour’s future.
“There’s significant investment happening at C-Square, and that’s positive. But safety has been a concern for 20 years, and for too long it was ignored.
“It came through clearly in council’s own research,” he said referring to the Nambour Community Safety Review. “And in my recent community survey, safety rated as a bigger issue than cost of living. We’ve got to acknowledge that and act on it.”
He said initiatives such as CCTV and the police beat were part of the response, and that action on the Safety Review was urgent.
Council to collaborate with Nicklin MP
Div 10 Cr David Law said he was pleased to attend the May 14 meeting with local businesses to hear first-hand the current experiences in the town centre and have the opportunity to discuss solutions.
“I will continue to collaborate with State MP Marty Hunt with the implementation of the Nambour Community Safety Review and specifically support for the opening of a Police Beat in the town centre.
“Many of the issues and concerns discussed related to unacceptable anti-social behaviour in public as well as allegations of criminal behaviour.
“This needs a response from every level of Government to implement solutions and I will continue the work with Marty Hunt and we must include our Federal MP Ted O’Brien as well to solve the housing crisis that continues to escalate and impact our community, not only in Nambour but across the whole Sunshine Coast.”
‘Same offenders creating most of the problems’
RE/MAX Nambour Property Sales Director Tristan Brown said there was a growing concern and frustration that the same offenders were responsible for the majority of anti-social and criminal behaviour in the area.
“The police are doing their best however it appears there is a real disconnect between the court system and the expectations of the general public,” he said.
“There is a sense that vigilante action will find its way into the community and this is such an unnecessary outcome. The offenders are apparent and yet they somehow continue to be given the leeway to create an unsafe environment in Nambour.
“When there’s a police presence in the area it’s amazing how quickly the atmosphere is far more pleasant. The police presence is a real benefit and should be encouraged.”
‘Concerns for my staff’
Another businessman said he wanted to answer off the record as “this topic is just so divisive in the community” and he had fears for his staff’s safety.
“Personal safety would be the biggest concern that I have for my staff and second to that would be property damage.”
Asked about any recent confrontations the businessman said: “At least once a week we would have staff members or clients who have felt either uncomfortable or threatened by people who are intoxicated on alcohol or drugs. We had an incident within the last six months of a man standing in front of our premises pleasuring himself in front of our female reception staff.”
Police beat a great start
“The addition of a police beat in town has to be a great start and I do think that this will have a positive impact. The response time from the Nambour station after hours is slow but I understand the under-staffing issues they face hinders them greatly.
“On many occasions the conflict or situation has been and gone well before the police are able to respond.”
Asked why Nambour seemed to have more of a public safety problem than other Coast areas the man said: “I don’t believe the issue is any worse than other city centres on the Sunshine Coast, the issue we have is that our town centre is quite small and centralised whereas other areas on the coast are more spread out.”
Major issue with camps
“There is a major issue with camps being set up near the town centre and, like it or not, a majority of the people we are having issues with are residing in these camps.
“We are seeing so many banks and businesses leave our CBD and that does have an impact. We have a lot of commercial space that is too large for most businesses to accommodate or afford to rent and this vacant look the town has compounds the safety concerns people have.”
CBD should be thriving
“Our CBD lends itself perfectly for a cafe or restaurant culture to thrive, especially with the influx of young families moving into the area. Business owners in the hospitality field just need to feel that they and their clients can be safe from the unruly behaviour that has become accepted now.
“We will have succeeded when this is the case and our CBD is alive with people and activity.”
Owner reveals constant safety struggles in CBD from people drunk or on drugs
A Nambour business owner has re-iterated the confronting safety challenges faced by local traders for years, describing a weekly pattern of aggressive behaviour from intoxicated individuals that has staff locking doors during business hours for protection.
The owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said concerning incidents occurred “every week without fail,” with the situation deteriorating recently.
“Aggressive or intoxicated people or people under the influence of drugs” posed the biggest safety threat, the owner said.
The person said they had no issue with people experiencing homelessness in general, but expressed concern for the safety of staff and customers when individuals displayed aggressive or unpredictable behaviour. “It’s the ones who are aggressive with you, there’s a man out there currently. We had just called the ambulance for him yesterday. And he’s just a nice man who’s homeless and is sick or something. It’s not ideal, him sleeping out there, but he’s not a scary problem. It’s the ones who are under the influence that cause us great concern.”
“It wears you down.
The psychological toll was evident. “It wears you down. I have concerns for my staff and my customers ... Sometimes we’ll go out in groups, usher people out. Especially if we’re leaving here at dark and you just don’t know what you’re going to get sometimes. It’s just been happening too often.”
Years of experience have taught the person de-escalation techniques to deal with unpredictable people under the influence.
“Every week we have incidents, without fail. I’m sort of used to it honestly. We’ve had heaps of altercations. You just have to be non-confrontational. You can’t take them on. If I was aggressive back to them, it would not work out very well.
“We’ve got people trying to come into the building ... sometimes they are yelling, screaming at us,” they explained. “I had a man come in here the other day who was very scary. He’s come from Melbourne and he’s out of jail, so I’m guessing maybe he’s come for the winter because it’s warmer up here.
“I knew how to de-escalate it and just walk him back out. But that’s just one incident. We’ve had ladies who were quite aggressive out here just coming and screaming at us, coming in and screaming at the staff. We’ve had bottles thrown at the walls here. Smashing everywhere. All gross stuff all up here. We constantly have to wipe graffiti off out the front. Yeah, it’s endless.”
The business owner supports Nicklin MP Marty Hunt’s promise of a police beat and cameras in the CBD, suggesting the long-vacant cafe (formerly Jackson’s Cafe) in the town square would be ideal.
“We need a constant presence.
“We need a constant presence. They want to make the CBD a nice area and they’ve got the markets and all these things, but it doesn’t make a difference while we have aggressive people hanging around. They do a blitz every now and then and they go away for a while but then they come back.
“It’s hard to explain to them that I pay a lot of money in rent to be here and run my business and they don’t, you know?”
Asked why the situation was bad in Nambour they said the town had become attractive to vulnerable people because of the train line and the services provided here.
“There’s already an established community of homeless people here and that’s fine. But apart from the homeless people there are other people, addicts or whoever, and they know that this is a place to come and it (drug use) is just accepted.
“I guess, maybe, in other areas they don’t accept it as much ... whereas we’ve just grown to accept it.”
Nambour awaits implementation of Council’s 2023 review
Nambour’s CBD accounts for a third of all recorded crime in the suburb and more than half of trespass offences, a University of the Sunshine Coast review shows.
The Nambour Community Safety Review, commissioned by Sunshine Coast Council in 2023, blends police data with a survey of 398 residents, focus-group testimony and a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) audit. It offers six detailed recommendations aimed at turning public concern into coordinated action. Nicklin MP Marty Hunt has urged Council to take up the recommendations as soon as possible.
Recommendations from the Review:
1. Multi-agency partnership: Researchers urge Council to convene a standing “crime and disorder reduction” taskforce involving police, government services, businesses, residents and hard-to-reach groups. A Council project officer would handle day-to-day coordination and a memorandum of understanding with police would lock the alliance in.
2. Foot and bike patrols: Uniformed patrols should target hot spots around the transport hub, supermarkets and Petrie Creek. Officers are told to start by “getting to know people and their needs” before escalating through warnings and, as a last resort, arrests or banning notices.
3. Crime-prevention education: Reviving programs such as Nambour Safe and Business Safe could lift basic security standards. Public awareness campaigns would spell out how residents can report issues and what support services exist for vulnerable people.
4. Fix the basics: Poor lighting, cracked footpaths, graffiti and dilapidated shop fronts all fuel fear. The report calls for a rolling maintenance blitz, removal of prominent alcohol advertising and expansion of community art to “refresh the town’s image”.
5. Activate empty space: Family-friendly events and pop-up traders should be encouraged to occupy vacant premises and “put more eyes on the street”. Council is asked to ease permit rules so small local events can proceed without red tape.
6. Measure what matters: Every initiative must be tracked with police statistics and regular feedback from traders, youth, welfare groups and residents. Continuous monitoring will show whether interventions are working or need adjustment.
Lead author Dr Emily Moir said the plan hinges on collaboration rather than crackdowns. “Foot patrols succeed when officers know people by name, offer real help, and only escalate if behaviour continues,” she said, adding that community-run dinners and street music sessions already show “quiet, effective safety in action”.
Focus-group participants backed the holistic approach. “Our CBD is a hotspot, but a tiny group is making life uncomfortable for others,” one said. “If police, Council and locals work together we can turn it around.”
Council had said it would consider the six-point plan as it rolls out the Special Entertainment Precinct and broader town-centre revitalisation.