With a population surpassing 50,000 residents, Kwinana is no longer a small town—yet our local safety infrastructure remains stuck in the past. We are served by a police station that operates on 9-to-5 “office hours.”

While supporters claim patrols continue after the doors lock, the reality on our streets tells a different story. If these patrols are effective, why are families regularly kept awake by the roar of unlicensed bikes and hooning cars? On any given day, kids on dirt bikes pop wheelies down the main street with total impunity. After every full moon, we wake up to parks and roundabouts torn to shreds—damage that ratepayer dollars must repair, while our Council remains silent.

The Council possesses far more power and authority than any individual resident. They have a mandate to lobby Police Ministers and Premier Roger Cook for increased patrols and the resources needed to stop these criminal acts. If the State Government refuses to listen, the Council should be publishing those email trails in the I Love Kwinana magazine and on the official website. Transparency would inform residents exactly who is to blame for the inaction on law and order.

Instead, we see a disturbing trend of silence. While Council minutes mention our Mayor having lunch with the Police Minister, there is no record of any hard questions being asked about our safety. It appears the Council’s priority is to protect the reputations of State and Parliament representatives before the concerns of the Kwinana community. Rather than flashy photos in magazines spruoking “community spirit,” we need a Council that uses its platform to hold the State accountable. Our safety shouldn’t be sacrificed for political politeness.