General News
10 September, 2024
Cross-Border Commissioner needed in Mount Isa: leaders
Mount Isa mayor Peta MacRae and state MP Ann Leahy want to see more done in the North West.
Mount Isa mayor Peta MacRae has called for the newly appointed Cross-Border Commissioner to visit the North West as the city looks for ways to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviour.
Queensland Police Union president and current serving police officer Ian Leavers was officially appointed to the role last month, which tasks him with working alongside councils and other agencies to improve government response to criminal offending and disaster management along the state’s shared borders.
Cr MacRae said while the commissioner was investigating matters at Goondiwindi, the position was intended to solve issues along the Northern Territory border.
“We are hoping he does come here to get a better understanding of our issues because we have very significant problems,” she said.
“We need to try to streamline legislation to do with housing and alcohol management and all of those things that are encouraging people to come to our city and partake in anti-social behaviour.”
Speaking at the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils gathering, the LNP’s spokesperson for local government Ann Leahy said the issues confronting Mount Isa appeared to be just as difficult as Goondiwindi.
“There are a lot of cross-border issues in Mount Isa because there are a lot of people coming across from the Territory – but these people don’t seem to go home. The situation in Mount Isa appears to be just as bad as what is going on at Goondiwindi, which is getting a lot of media attention currently,” she said.
“I think it is absolutely needed in Mount Isa – for example, there are differences in the liquor licensing laws between Queensland and the Northern Territory – so is there some way we can work with each jurisdiction to manage the issues arising from that?”