Without a safe environment to work, share and live in we have no opportunity for real freedom, be it expression, movement or any other form of diversity. The prerequisite of safety cannot be ignored, or undervalued. All higher forms of human endeavour and expression depend on the basic foundation of security. Presently we have significant evidence of unsociable behaviour, severe violence and lawlessness causing fear and thus shutting down the possibility of valuable expression and freedoms. If you are afraid for your safety, you automatically loose all of your freedoms and will never be creative, expressive & inventive.

We continue to speak about freedom of expression, freedom for minorities, freedom to think and to invent, yet we fail to deal with the daily violence and anti-social behaviour that exists in our city. To deal with the very things that prevent the conditions of freedom to exist.

Statistically the centre of Melbourne including Southbank and Docklands has become a "Red Zone" we have more violence, vandalism, oppression and general antisocial incidence per square kilometre than any other in Victoria. Yet it remains a point for discussion for most and fails to be a "rally point for action".

The police are completely under staffed and under resourced generally. The criminals have the upper hand clearly. Consequently, the tolerance level is thereby raised artificially through a "serious crime only" capability. The police could not enforce all of the law even if they wanted to. Somehow we have allowed this to happen, our misguided tolerance and general complacency come to point here.

This diminished enforcement of laws, significantly impacts our quality of life. We are no longer able to walk around our own suburbs / our own city, in peace and without fear of attack. Even if we hide-away every night afraid to leave our homes, we are confronted each new morning with more broken glass, graffiti, vomit in the street etc. etc. "why ?"

"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" this is our current situation !

We tolerate the situation, we privately lament the violence and we fail to insist on enforcement and prosecution. Tax payers are not getting their value for money. Melbourne City Council launches philanthropic ventures whilst the basic values (particularly safety) are ignored. Night club and hotel owners are given priority over residents, drunks given freedom to roam and destroy as we hide away.

I want to live in peace, in a place where all are safe and free, respecting each other and able to share and participate, I love our city and I hate the slide into the "Red Zone" we have allowed. The State and Federal Governments have an obligation to participate. I fully accept the Melbourne Council have limited ability to solve the problem alone, but the council "with the residents" have a voice and we need to have it heard.

Please join me in campaigning and reminding our politicians that they must first deal with the basics "flowers don't grow on concrete" we will not reach our dreams for a Future Melbourne full of culture and beauty unless we act now to build a safe base to grow upon. First we need to take our city back and then to develop it into the beautiful Future City we all dream of.

Looking forward to hear from you and share your ideas on solutions.