Residents of the small suburb of Maddington in Perth’s south-east are fed up with the escalating crime crisis in their town. They claim to have repeatedly reported antisocial behavior, violence, death threats, vandalism, theft, and drug use from public housing tenants to the Department of Communities with no positive outcome. A recent community meeting drew more than 150 people who shared their horror stories and called for action from the government and WA Police to address the situation.
One resident, Katrina, took out a violence restraining order against her neighbors after being verbally abused and threatened with violence for two years. She made 47 official complaints before hiring a lawyer to force the Department of Communities to take action. Another local reported that her children had been broken into five times and now sleep with baseball bats for protection. Residents are taking measures like putting spikes around fences and carrying pepper spray and cattle prods when going out after dark due to safety concerns.
Locals believe that a small section of Department of Housing tenants are responsible for the increase in general crime in the suburb. Reports include incidents such as an attack with a hammer at a local supermarket and elderly residents being terrorized by groups of youths. Despite complaints and evidence provided to the police, the culprits often avoid consequences by covering their faces and wearing gloves to avoid identification.
Melanie Samuels, deputy director general of WA’s Department of Communities, attended the meeting and assured residents that the department takes a firm approach to disruptive behavior complaints. However, the residents feel that their complaints are not being taken seriously enough, and the current complaints procedure and Residential Tenancies Act need to be updated. The community is frustrated with the lack of accountability for public housing tenants who engage in criminal behavior and want stronger action to be taken.
City of Gosnells councillor Glenn Dewhurst, who chaired the meeting, highlighted the fear and apprehension among residents, with 60% of people he spoke to not willing to attend community events due to safety concerns. Despite recent reductions in crimes like burglaries, Maddington has seen an increase in offending related to theft and family violence. WA Police acknowledge the issues in the area and assure that officers are working to address them, although it is not always possible for them to attend all community events.
In response to the growing concerns, a petition has been launched to lobby the government for action, and further meetings are planned to address the crime crisis in Maddington. Residents are calling for meaningful intervention from authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the community and hold accountable those responsible for the escalating criminal activities in their town.
