A researcher from James Cook University’s Cairns Institute met with Local Government Minister David Crisafulli yesterday to explain how Cairns’ CCTV system interrupted 40 per cent of late-night assaults.

Senior Research Officer Boris Pointing will unveiled his findings to Mr Crisafulli in Brisbane after undertaking a study of Cairns’ CCTV system in conjunction with Cairns Regional Council and community safety stakeholders.

“The Cairns Institute’s research grew out of a partnered study to decrease alcohol-related assaults in Cairns’ late-night entertainment precinct,” Mr Pointing said.

“The city is a major national and international tourist destination, and visitors, as well as residents, enjoy the city’s diverse nightlife.

“To help reduce assaults in the CBD area, Cairns Regional Council asked us to look at a range of their CCTV practices in regards to governance and human practices in the camera room."

Mr Pointing said that further research into CCTV room operations could help further reduce the number of assaults in other CBD areas across Queensland and throughout Australia – for example, in key nightspots such as Fortitude Valley in Brisbane.

“The Cairns study has been really interesting, as we looked at the individual camera operators and what catches their attention in the CBD, and gets them to notify on-street security," Mr Ponting said.

“Cairns has 90 cameras, including 73 in the CBD, but cameras alone are not the answer. If they’re not operated properly from a human perspective, then you’re not maximising their potential.”

Mr Pointing said the Cairns Institute’s research showed that the Cairns system interrupted 40 per cent of assaults in the CBD when operating the system effectively, which works out to about 200 fewer assaults each year.

“People should be able to go out at night without worrying about being assaulted, and an effective CCTV operation can help achieve this,” he said.

Mr Pointing is set to release a paper over the coming months on an economic analysis of the direct costs of assaults in the Cairns night-time economy.