August 2021 Bulletin

International Coffee with a Cop Day

Coffee with a Cop Day started in California in 2011. The Hawthorne Police Department had a brainstorming session for ways to connect more successfully with their community members – hence, Coffee with a Cop was born. The program expanded worldwide into Canada, Europe, Africa and is in most states of Australia. Neighbourhood Watch Tasmania (NHWT) seized this initiative and rebranded it as Cuppa with a Cop (CWAC) to enhance police and community relations one cup at a time.

Internationally this day is traditionally the first Wednesday of October each year. However, in Tasmania we spread these events across the year and across the state so as to minimise the demand on our police members who might be available to attend. For those in the north of the state I have it on good authority that there will be a CWAC in Evandale on 1 October and another one with support from Knight Frank at Prospect Vale Marketplace on 6 October 21.

Support from Knight Frank

Knight Frank manage the marketing for a number of neighbourhood shopping centres in Tasmania. Specifically, Burnie Plaza in the north-west; Meadow Mews Plaza, Prospect Vale Marketplace, and Riverside Plaza in the north; and Claremont Plaza, Glenorchy Central, Green Point Plaza, Kingston Plaza, New Town Plaza, Shoreline Plaza and Sorell Plaza in the south.

Knight Frank have generously offered NHWT groups support at any of these centres if they are looking to plan a CWAC in those locations in the future. Initial enquiries should be directed through NHWT in the first instance to admin@nhwtas.org.au.

Road Safety

Tasmania is experiencing one of its worst years for serious and fatal crashes. Up until the 27th of August, 26 people had died on Tasmanian roads which is three more than for the same time last year. During August there were a number of police operations targeting traffic related offences to reinforce the message that road safety is everyone’s business. The snippets of information below reinforce the importance of everyone doing the right thing for road safety.

Complaints were made to police about motorists speeding through roadworks on the Bass Highway on the Northwest Coast. Despite clearly marked speed reduction signs, one two-hour operation in August resulted in 16 infringement notices being issued for speeding in multiple roadworks zones at Sassafras and Leith.

In the south, a Hobart CBD blitz resulted in 23 infringement notices being issued in another two-hour period. One person was booked for failing to stop at a red light; 21 more were caught using their mobile phones while driving; and another was cited for inattentive driving.

Authoritative research has identified that drivers using a mobile phone are four times more likely to have a crash. Further research has found that texting whilst driving increases the risk of crashing by 23 times! Police further advise that using a mobile phone while stationary at traffic lights is an offence that attracts a $346 fine and three demerit points!!

Get Online Week 18 – 24 October 21

Congratulations and thanks to those NHWT groups that applied for the $700 grant to participate in an event during Get Online Week this year, which is being coordinated through our peak body, Neighbourhood Watch Australasia (NHWA). These events are social, fun and everyone is guaranteed to learn something to enhance their digital knowledge and skills. For our groups it is another opportunity for community engagement and a few extra dollars to assist with other NHW activities.

If you are involved with this project, please take photos, and send them through to admin@nhwtas.org.au so we can promote the benefits to members who have missed out this year.

Neighbourhood Watch Week/Bunnings Crime Prevention Week – The Week.

Planning is now well underway to host activities in partnership with Bunnings for our joined-up Crime Prevention Week with Neighbourhood Watch Week across Australia from 8 – 14 November 21. If you are daunted by organising a barbecue, Bunnings will also donate a prize and provide space in their store for you to sell tickets and display NHW information. It really is a win/win – every ticket sold equals funds for you to deliver other activities in your neighbourhood.

If you would like further information or support to do something, just send an email to admin@nhwtas.org.au and you will get all the help you need to run a successful event.

Neighbourhood Watch Tasmania Website

With the help of Andrew Lockman, NHWT is constantly trying to improve the relevance and content of the information we have on our website. An initiative for 2021 has been to post each of the Monthly Bulletins under the Media & News banner on the site. The benefit of this is that readers are now able to search back issues to check up on content that they may have seen before. The Monthly Bulletin regularly posts How To clips, such as How to organise a CWAC, as published in the April 21 edition, would be relevant if you wanted to pursue the Knight Frank offer mentioned in this Bulletin.

Annual General Meeting for NHWT Inc.

For 2021 our AGM is moving to the Country Club in Prospect, Launceston on Saturday, 20 November 2021. Although Launceston Police Headquarters has stood us in good stead over the years, we have been keen to find a suitable venue that provides ample parking and easy access for our members. The Country Club clearly does this and the Mount Pleasant Showroom, where the AGM will be held, is an excellent venue to hold such an event.

This year we are particularly excited because the AGM will also include our Honours and Awards ceremony to recognise many of our members for outstanding and exceptional service to NHWT over significant periods of time. Nominations for these awards closed on 30 June 21 and awardees will be notified during September and announced in the next Monthly Bulletin.

All members are asked to plan their attendance at the AGM and Awards Ceremony in Launceston on Saturday 20 November 21 to help make this a truly memorable event that also celebrates our 35-year history of service in Tasmania.

Call for unwanted firearms at Sorell on Saturday 4 September 21.

Tasmania Police and Crime Stoppers are again encouraging people in southern Tasmania to hand in unwanted or illegal firearms and ammunition between 10am and 2pm at the Sorell Memorial Hall this Saturday. Tasmania has a permanent firearms amnesty and anonymous information can always be provided through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or https://www.crimestopperstas.com.au/.

Did You Know?

Every five years there is a national Census in Australia – we just completed the latest one on 10 August 21 and are now waiting for the analysis of that data. Our 2016 Census identified that 61,200 Tasmanians (almost 20% of the state’s population) were born outside of Australia. From 2011 to 2016, people who spoke another language at home rose by 5,018 (22.8%), whilst those who only spoke English fell by 3,707 (0.8%). In fact, today, 159 identified languages are spoken in Tasmania!

When we consider this information in conjunction with contemporary research that identified loneliness is prevalent in modern neighbourhoods – particularly disadvantaged ones – the purpose and worth of Neighbourhood Watch to build community connectedness is never more relevant. Often planning an event is more important than the actual event itself. This is especially so when we need to negotiate with other groups and individuals to help us make something happen.

Bushwatch Westerway & Upper Derwent Valley

Bushwatch is a member of the Neighbourhood Watch family in Tasmania, and you might recall that in 2020 we reported on their success in removing dumped tyres from the bush. We also reported on how their members had taken an interest in a lonely and unkept First World War Memorial in the neighbouring hamlet of Fentonbury. The before and after photos below depict the success of the project which was initiated by Bushwatch and completed by the Central Highlands Council and local contractors.

At 6am on Anzac Day 2021 the first service in living memory was held at the Fentonbury War Memorial. 22 people attended the short but meaningful service where three wreaths were laid in respect for the three local men who lost their lives during the Great War of 1914 – 1918. The Neighbourhood Watch message in this story is how, if we look around our neighbourhoods, we can find projects that if we take the lead, we can play an influential role in building community pride and connectedness.

When we say they should…could we reflect that… we are actually they?

Well done Bushwatch Westerway & Upper Derwent Valley.