STATE MEMBER FOR BAULKHAM HILLS

CRIME IN THE HILLS TRENDING DOWN

The tireless efforts of the Hills Local Area Command have resulted in considerable reductions in crime levels in our community.

The most recent quarterly data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) is proof of the exceptional work of local police in preventing crime.

In the 24 months to December 2016, 16 out of the 17 major crime categories either fell or remained stable, including murder, domestic violence and robbery.

Local statistics from The Hills Shire followed the state-wide trends, with 11 offences remaining stable or trending down.

I am really pleased to see downward trends in Baulkham Hills, with breaking and entering a dwelling down 18.9% and motor vehicle theft down 23.4%.

This latest data from BOCSAR is a testament to our local police and their dedication to the safety and protection of our community, led by Superintendent Robert Critchlow.

I would like to thank all the communities in the Baulkham Hills electorate for being vigilant and establishing proactive partnerships with our police, ensuring public safety concerns are properly addressed.

ANZAC MEMORIAL ARTWORK HONOURS BAULKHAM HILLS SOLDIERS

Baulkham Hills soldiers who enlisted and fought in the Great War are to be honoured as part of a stunning artwork at the refurbished Anzac Memorial in Sydney’s Hyde Park.

Baulkham Hills and Carlingford are among 1,699 NSW towns, suburbs and localities where soldiers enlisted from for the Great War. As part of the Anzac Memorial Centenary Project, soil samples will be taken from these sites and displayed in the Hall of Service as part of a permanent artwork by artist Fiona Hall.

The NSW Government is upgrading the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park to realise the vision of the Memorial’s original architect, Bruce Dellit, including a water cascade reaching south through the park to Liverpool Street. It will also have new education and exhibition spaces and storage for the Memorial’s collection.

The local community will be engaged to participate in the collection of soil or attend an event to witness soil being collected as the Anzac Memorial Centenary Project Soil Collection continues.

This project is collecting soil from 1,699 locations across the state from where Australians enlisted for the First World War.

It is about bringing our state together to remind ourselves that people from all areas of NSW answered the call to defend our country and continue to do so.

Mr Elliott collected the first sample of soil at the Bathurst War Memorial Carillon at a ceremony on March 27.

The Anzac Memorial is the state’s principal memorial to all Australians who have served, and collecting soil from sites from where men and women across NSW came from reminds us that this memorial belongs to everyone.

The Anzac Memorial upgrade will be complete in late 2018, as the Centenary of Anzac commemorations draw to a close.

BLITZ TARGETS ILLEGAL “NO REFUND” SIGNS

Consumers have been urged to report illegal “no refund” signs after one in five NSW businesses were found to be displaying them.

The alarming figure has been revealed after Fair Trading conducted a recent blitz, visiting more than 550 businesses to see if they were displaying the illegal signs.

I have been advised by the Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Mr Matt Kean, that under the Australian Consumer Law, retailers were not permitted to post “no refund” signs in their shops or print similar messages on receipts or invoices.

This is because they imply a refund is not possible even when a product is defective.

Consumers aren’t always entitled to refund – for example, if they have just changed their mind. However, they certainly do have the right to a refund if there is a problem with a product, and to suggest otherwise is illegal.

To improve compliance with the law, NSW Fair Trading conducted Operation Refund on February 20 and 21, 2017. Twelve consumer protection officers visited 561 retailers at 52 locations across metropolitan and regional NSW.

Ignorance is no excuse and I’m told these businesses will be inspected again to ensure they are complying. If necessary, further action will be taken to protect the rights of their customers.

Consumers concerned about “no refund” signage should contact Fair Trading on 13 32 20.