New calls for youth curfew

By Alison Noonan
A SPATE of violent gang attacks in Cranbourne during the Christmas break has prompted community leaders to renew their calls for a youth curfew.
Uniting Church Minister Paul Creasey said the holiday period had seen a dramatic increase in the number of incidents of youth violence in Cranbourne.
Rev Creasey said the brutal bashing of eight Merinda Park cricketers outside McDonald’s on Camms Road in December, and several other vicious assaults had confirmed gang activity was rife.
“Gangs are a growing issue but I am also concerned about the rise in violence we are starting to see in youth culture,” he said.
“I have seen a definite increase in violence from young people these holidays.
“I spoke to a young boy who was recently mugged by a group of 30 youths at the train station and on Boxing Day a 14yearold boy threatened to bash neighbours with a cricket bat in my own street.”
Rev Creasey said he feared the violence could escalate into scenes similar to those recently experienced in the New South Wales town of Cronulla if not addressed soon.
“There are ominous signs on the horizon that if we don’t deal with the issues soon there is the potential for more serious incidences.
“Let’s see the warning signs. If we refuse to acknowledge there is a problem, we are opening the gateway for further trouble,” he said.
Casey councillor Steve Beardon said he would revisit the introduction of a youth curfew in Casey if the youth violence continued.
Cr Beardon last year called for a curfew to keep young people off the streets after midnight in a bid to minimise gang activity in Cranbourne.
“We can’t have young people intimidating residents and bashing people for no good reason. These gangs need to be put on notice. A youth curfew will get those who shouldn’t be there off the street and out of trouble. We need to take the next step and confront this problem before someone is beaten to death.”