Council will inform the State Government that it opposes any proposal to decriminalise offences such as public intoxication, begging and urinating in a public place.
The State’s Community Support and Services Committee is taking submissions on the offences, which are under the under the Summary Offences Act 2005, as well as considering health and welfare responses and the appropriateness of police powers to ensure community safety.
According to a report tabled at today’s Ordinary Meeting, Council officers believe “any ‘softening’ to the current Summary Offences Act 2005 in regard to public intoxication and begging offences would have counterproductive consequences to Council’s current direction in regard to community safety in public spaces.
Council recently endorsed the Community Safety Plan – CBD Pilot 2022-2026 trial, which aims to address some of those problems.
There is a concern that decriminalisation of these offences without significant improvement to current health and welfare responses, would in fact exacerbate anti-social issues and behaviours being experienced in Cairns.
