The streets of Grafton, South Grafton and Ulmarra are about to get much safer thanks to the roll-out of Government-funded CCTV Cameras, the Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said.

“CCTV makes our town safer, can save lives, and most certainly will prevent crime,” he said.

“We should always be able to walk our streets in safety, particularly our older residents.”

Government funding of $200,000 will allow for about 160 businesses to put CCTV in their premises, which will also keep an eye on the street outside.

Owner of Toast Expresso Mark Hackett, who is about to put CCTV in his shop, said the program was “a great initiative”.

“It’s about keeping your business safe from crime and the community,” he said.

“We haven’t had a problem with crime lately but it’s about making sure that if there is a crime, the police have the vision to catch them and prosecute them.

The CCTV roll-out is being led by the Grafton Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber’s Vice-President Phil Belletty said the program was about improving security for local businesses and the overall community.

“This will improve safety on the street and will allow businesses to feel more secure.

“We are hoping that these cameras will deter people from committing crime, rather than having the ability to track offenders down, but it certainly does give the police that ability.

“So far we have about 100 businesses signed up. If any other businesses, including those in the Industrial Estate, are interested in taking advantage of this program they can get in touch through our website.”