By Dongyun Kwon
Star Mail’s six-week CCTV campaign was welcomed by the local traders and shopkeepers.
Getting into the campaign’s midpoint, Star Mail interviewed local traders groups and shopowners to find out if a well-managed CCTV network is needed for local businesses.
Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce managed the CCTV network system in the town until the group was closed a couple of years ago.
Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce former president Ashleigh Skillern said the CCTV system brought many benefits to Yarra Glen at the time.
“It gave some good feedback and good access to the police to track down some criminals,” he said.
“I don’t have any knowledge of (if the CCTV cameras are still) up and working.
“Yarra Glen will be good to have a CCTV system back in order to strengthen the safety and security around the main street of town. I think it should be totally funded by the council or the government because the benefits go towards the general public.”
In Healesville, the CCTV network system was looked after by the Healesville Chamber of Commerce which was also closed.
After the absence of a group for the businesses for some years, Healesville Traders Incorporated was established to form an official business and traders group for the town in 2023.
Nina Sturgess, president of the group, who runs the Verso Books on the main street, said the reinstatement of the CCTV network would benefit the town.
“The Healesville Traders have been working with a number of individuals that have been campaigning for this,” she said.
“Yesterday (on Thursday 6 March), there was an arrest right outside Aldi which was filmed by residents.
“There are a number of incidents that happen in Healesville that would be probably avoided if we did have CCTV.”
Healesville Jewellers owner Sally Piper, who experienced several break-ins, shared her anxiety regarding the increased crimes in the town.
She said having cameras in the town is always going to be helpful.
“I absolutely live with anxiety. It’s not just during the day, it’s 24 hours a day,” the shopowner said.
“(With the well-operating CCTV cameras,) we might have a chance to identify those who choose to abuse our businesses.
“It can assist the police who do the most extraordinary job to try and protect us in our community and the visitors who come here, so those cameras play an important role in assisting with the police workload as well.”
Ms Sturgess confirmed Ms Piper was not the only person who felt the safety concerns among the business owners.
As a female business owner who hired female staff members, Ms Sturgess said she felt a strong sense of responsibility towards the female staff that she employed, but she also emphasised it’s not just women who were targeted by offenders.
“It’s definitely something that we have discussed amongst female-owned businesses. Employing female staff comes with a set of responsibilities. As a business owner, you have to acknowledge and take care of them,” she said.
“We have looked at various systems. We had some neighbours which was a male-owned business who always used to look out for us and were always willing to help us.
“Having said that, a male business owner was assaulted in broad daylight the other day at 6pm.”
Despite feeling the demand for well-functioning CCTV cameras, some questions remained about getting the system back on the right track.
Ms Sturgess said the main issues at the moment are identifying the key stakeholders and working out relevant funding to maintain the system.
“We have a major highway running through the town of Healesville, so does it become a (VicRoads) issue? Is it a council issue? Is it a police issue? At the moment, the responsibility has been put on the traders,” she said.
“(According to) the conversations we’ve had with the police, the local police in Healesville have always maintained that they would happily monitor any CCTV system that was installed.
“The monitoring as far as I’m aware is not an issue, it’s the installation and maintenance of the cameras. The cameras that are currently in place are obsolete and not functioning.
“I believe they were installed with a grant and we probably are going to need to get a grant. At the moment, there are so many people involved and so many individuals involved. We’re trying to navigate how to best approach it.”
