Bunbury business questions government priorities amid escalating crime

Australia Broadcast Center

19-05-2025

As Western Australia's biggest regional centre prepares to play host to major sporting events, the local business community is calling out a lack of funding and action on the city's underlying social issues.
Theft, used needles on the footpath, and verbal abuse and threats against staff have become commonplace at Hillzeez Surf Shop in Bunbury's CBD.
Store manager Ryan Callegari said staff were dealing with anti-social behaviour at least twice a week.
The ABC has spoken to several other businesses in the CBD that are also concerned about safety.
The City of Bunbury has grappled with anti-social behaviour in the CBD for years, even deploying non-stop Wiggles music at an outdoor music shell frequented by people sleeping rough, which it later stopped and apologised for.
The same music shell was closed indefinitely last week for repairs after a 23-year-old man allegedly set fire to the structure.
In a statement to the ABC, Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel said the homeless community and anti-social behaviour in Bunbury were "completely different cohorts".
He said the majority of homeless people in Bunbury were respectful and "doing what they can" to stay safe, regardless of their situation.
"The city has formed the homelessness and housing solutions working group, which aims to advocate for state government funding to help increase housing in Bunbury," Cr Miguel said.
Mr Callegari said it was wrong to fully blame anti-social behaviour on people experiencing homelessness, but he still believed the two societal issues were linked.
Mr Callegari questioned the priorities of the state and local governments, which have spent millions attracting major sporting events to the $17 million Hands Oval.
Despite community calls for state government funding, the city of 30,000 is still without a dedicated homelessness shelter.
Homelessness support agency Accordwest chief executive Evan Nunn said the situation had remained unchanged for the past three to five years.
"The Labor party has expressed they want to solve this problem; my view is that they need to discuss how they're going to do that," Mr Nunn said.
"I plead with them to make it a priority and get on with a plan that's actionable, that provides funding to organisations and people that can get on and solve the problem."
A state government spokesperson said more than $4.8 million had been provided to homelessness support services across the South West region, with 23 social homes recently delivered in Bunbury.
Bunbury Police officer-in-charge Jeramy Davies said police met with the City of Bunbury in March to discuss safety in the CBD.
He said increasing calls for action on the issue had been met with high-visibility police foot patrols and plans to introduce bike patrols.
"We've got a zero tolerance for drug use, street drinking and anti-social behaviour, and we will always respond as quickly as we can."
Mr Callegari said he "shuddered" to think where the Bunbury CBD would be in the next 10 years on the current trajectory.
"We need to lower our eyes and ensure that these things are getting tackled in a really meaningful way," he said.