Women’s Voices At The Heart Of Plans To Make Our City Safer For All

Thursday, 22 Dec 2022

Griffith has been named among 10 local government areas being given the opportunity to share up to $10 million in funding through the NSW Government’s Safer Cities Program.
Griffith, Canterbury-Bankstown, Bayside, Cumberland, Fairfield, Lismore, Blacktown, Wollongong, City of Sydney and Central Coast councils can now sign up for pilot initiatives to help our cities and towns feel safer.
Treasurer Matt Kean said the Safer Cities Program will put female voices at the forefront of infrastructure design and is part of a wider $100 million investment in women’s safety.
“We want to hear from women and girls about how they feel in our towns, suburbs and cities. As part of the program we’ll also be partnering with 10 local councils to pilot safety-boosting initiatives,” Mr Kean said.
“We’re backing this program with a $30 million commitment that could go towards better lighting, wayfinding, smart technology and landscaping to create safer connections through streets, public spaces and around transport hubs.”
Griffith Mayor, Doug Curran said he was very excited to be part of this program, which will require extensive community consultation to see what women and girls feel needs to be done to see safety improved in the city.
“Councillors have identified three precincts adjoining the CBD which would be ideal candidate sites,” he said.
“We will be going out to the community to ask services, women and girls what they think we should do to activate these sites so they feel comfortable and safe when walking to the CBD and main transport hubs.
“It’s no coincidence that Griffith was chosen as one of the only western councils after our successful Street Scapes event, which activated the Memorial Park carpark space. I have no doubt this is what led us to be able to access these funds. It just demonstrates that we are able to deliver these kinds of space activations to really improve the lives of our residents.”
Griffith City Council will commence community consultation for this program in the New Year.
You can complete the Transport for NSW survey here: https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/safer-cities
Everyone over 16 years of age is invited to provide feedback. You can complete the short anonymous 10-minute survey or share your ideas. Your feedback will help to better understand the experiences that affect your sense of safety in and around public spaces and transport hubs.
Community input will help Transport for NSW deliver better infrastructure, amenities, design, and activations to help improve the community’s sense of safety in our cities and towns. The consultation is open until 8 February 2023.

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