Community partnerships and local ideas to improve public safety in Ballarat are receiving support thanks to funding from the Andrews Labor Government.

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today announced $700,000 in crime prevention funding for Ballarat City Council, to ensure community designed and delivered projects improve community safety in the area.

The City of Ballarat will continue to work with the Ballarat Community Safety Partnership action group to oversee community projects that keep and improve community safety.

The funding will be used for projects that build local capability to effectively keep vulnerable people away from crime, build local community partnerships and strengthen relationships to deliver crime prevention activities.

This significant grant announcement builds on the community forum held in June which saw the State Government, City of Ballarat, Victoria Police, schools and the community discuss ways to improve the safety of women and girls.

This funding is part of the Building Safer Communities Program, which provides grants and community forums to support Victorian councils and community organisations to deliver innovative projects to address the causes of crime and improve community safety.

Applications for the next round of competitive grants will open on Monday 15 November 2021 and close at 4pm on Friday 11 February 2022.

The Government has invested over $85 million in crime prevention projects since 2015, including almost $20 million over four years through the 2021-22 State Budget. Over 860 projects to increase community safety and confidence across Victoria have been delivered.

For more information visit  Building Safer Communities Program | Community Crime Prevention Victoria

Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“Every Ballarat resident should feel safe and be safe. This funding from the Victorian Government will empower local stakeholders to come up with solutions to prevent crime happening in the first place.  

By intervening and investing in crime prevention we are building a safer, more connected Ballarat.”  

Quote attributable to Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle

“This will give Ballarat the resources to tackle important community safety issues identified at the Building Safer Communities forum, and to support the community to develop local crime prevention ideas that work.”

 Quote attributable to City of Ballarat Mayor Daniel Moloney

“The City of Ballarat is delighted to receive this crime prevention funding. Council is committed to strengthen relationships with community stakeholders and work in partnership to deliver a range of projects and initiatives to ensure safety across Ballarat.”

Quote attributable to Women’s health Grampians CEO Marianne Hendron

“This funding is so very welcome. It will provide a valuable opportunity for community partners and City of Ballarat to co-design locally tailored prevention initiatives to increase the safety of women, girls and gender diverse people and contribute to everyone in Ballarat feeling safer, well supported and included.”