“We can’t do this alone”: Council needs urgent help fixing antisocial behaviour in Kempsey’s CBD.

Street furniture ripped out, Wi-Fi killed, and walls fenced off –  Kempsey Shire Council is throwing everything it has at a reported “anti-social crisis” gripping the CBD. Still, the council says it needs urgent help from the state government to make meaningful improvement.

What happened: A mayoral minute was brought to the February council meeting earlier this month, in response to ongoing community concerns about antisocial behaviour in public spaces.

• “This is not a new issue,” Mayor Kinne Ring said during the meeting. “It's not a reaction to a single incident. It's something that I have raised consistently since being elected.” 

Councillor Ben Paix, an emergency responder in Kempsey for 13 years, agreed antisocial behaviour in the area is far from a new occurrence.

• “From midnight to 3am if you go around the streets of our town, it's a different place to what you might see through the daytime,” Paix said.

What’s the difference? The term antisocial behaviour incorporates a range of behaviours, from minor offensive or harmful acts, for example swearing or noisy behaviour, to more serious criminal activity like physical assault and property offences.

It is hard to define because it depends on what different communities perceive antisocial behaviour to be, however broadly speaking, it means behaviour that disturbs, annoys or interferes with a person's ability to go about their business.

Help needed: Mayor Ring said staff are doing what they can under local government authority but the challenges cannot be solved alone.

• “Issues involving crime, drug use and public safety require coordinated, long term intervention from state agencies,” Ring said. “We are doing what we can, but we also need help. We can't do this on our own, and we need that accountability and that action from those agencies.”

The mayor spoke of increasing frustration at being asked to fix problems the council don’t have the power to solve. 

Coordination key: The motion stated the prevention and management of antisocial behaviour requires coordinated action by state agencies, and that without appropriate state government resourcing and intervention, including policing, health and social support services, council’s capacity to address these issues is extremely limited.

The action: Council requested the CEO write to the local State Member of Parliament seeking stronger and more immediate support and advocacy to address the underlying drivers of antisocial behaviour. The motion was passed unanimously. 

What council has done already: CEO Andrew Meddle listed council’s recent attempts to deter antisocial behaviour in Kempsey's CBD. It has:

• Disconnected the electric point outside the IGA

• Contacted Telstra to ask for the relocation of the pay phone. The WiFi and incoming calls to that phone have been temporarily banned while negotiations continue.

• Removed dumped items and rubbish from public spaces and on private land.

• Erected a temporary fence around the wall in Clyde Street and removed street furniture “so that there is nowhere convenient for people to lay or sit during the day”.

• Increasing alcohol prohibited in the area signage

• Worked with local businesses to reintroduce classical music being played in the area

In January, people experiencing homelessness on Forth Street were moved off the public land and connected with partner agencies New Horizons and Community Housing Limited for support and temporary accommodation.

The root cause: Meddle said local police have included Clyde Street as a daily task for officers, but while Clyde Street is the first area council is tackling, the new patrols have only moved antisocial behaviour to other areas.

• “So we’ll tackle those areas similarly, but at some stage, just removing street furniture or putting up increased signage is not going to solve the issue,” Meddle said. “We need to tackle the root causes which are inextricably linked with health.”

Mayor Ring agreed with Meddle, saying while staff maintain spaces – and council advocates for support – it does not have the legislative authority or funding to address the root causes of the problem.

Drug crisis needs focus: During the meeting, Councillor Arthur Bain said combatting drug issues could help solve the root cause of crime in the area.

• “There's a significant crisis in drug use in our community and I believe there needs to be more resourcing in that health sector of things like the opiate treatment program and peer support services for injecting drug users to try and minimise the harm that it's causing to our community,” Bain said.

State MP weighs in: Member for Oxley, Michael Kemp, said prior to the meeting he contacted council asking them to address antisocial behaviour in the CBD impacting local businesses.

• “I had a lot of businesses in the area complaining to me, saying that it was impacting their trade,” Kemp told the Mid North Coaster. “That people no longer want to go past the toilets and the Clyde Street Mall because of the drug paraphernalia, the drug usage, and the harassment that has come about from people that are loitering in the CBD.”

Kemp said he brought the issue to council and asked them to move those people on so they weren't affecting businesses “who pay taxes and who employ our families” and who continue to struggle after back-to-back floods.

The MP said he offered council help to advocate for state services in health and housing that can support “less privileged people” but has not yet received a request to assist.

• “I'm willing to advocate for any of those services to happen. There are many state services that provide assistance in areas and I remain open to communicating with council and acting as an intermediary between those services,” Kemp said.

Youth programs on offer: Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) in Kempsey currently offers youth programs Fit for Life and U-Nites.

• U-Nites runs on Friday evenings aimed at encouraging young people off the streets and engaging in meaningful activities and mentorship in a safe space. Dinner and transportation are provided.

• Fit for Life is a flagship program offered at PCYC clubs across the Mid North Coast. PCYC staff and NSW Police Youth Engagement Officers run morning fitness activities, serve breakfast, and act as positive role models for participants before driving them to school.

PCYC Kempsey is also currently trialling a gym mentorship initiative, designed to get young people facing social challenges engaged in physical activity. 

• “Participants are taught how to use the equipment and mentored one-on-one, before cooking a free nutritious meal with PCYC staff,” a PCYC spokesperson told the Mid North Coaster. “It gives them a sense of belonging and helps with life skill development.”

Participants can also wash their gym clothes on site.

• “PCYC youth programs foster physical and mental wellbeing, boost educational engagement, and promote prosocial behaviours,” the spokesperson said.

PCYC NSW recently received $10 million from the state government to help deliver 278 programs across regional NSW focused on employability, connection through sports, and resilience. PCYC contributed $5.66 million.

Thumbnail: Smith Street, Kempsey