Shire of Broome seeking $600,000 to combat sharp rise in discarded needles

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Shire of Broome seeking $600,000 to combat sharp rise in discarded needles

The Shire of Broome says it needs $200,000 a year to collect used needles left in public spaces after council crews reported they were handling more than three times the number of discarded sharps than a year ago.

The council is seeking $600,000 over three years ahead of the State and Federal elections to deal with an alarming increase in syringes found in parks, playgrounds, carparks, schools, drains and recycling bins around Broome.

Minutes from the most recent council meeting reveal the shire’s community cleanup crew had collected significantly more needles last year compared to 2023, recording an increase of more than 300 per cent.

“An increased number of needles have recently been found in public places, which has heightened community concern,” the minutes state.

“Anecdotally, the shire understands there has been a considerable increase (approximately 50 per cent) in the number of needles and syringes handed out through Broome’s NSPs program in the past 12 months.

“The Shire of Broome has advocated for many years to address the issue of needles found in public areas, underscoring the risk posed to staff and the community.

“Shire staff and community members regularly find inappropriately disposed needles in parks, playgrounds, carparks, schools, drains, and recycling receptacles.

“Shire community cleanup crew members regularly visit hotspot locations and pick up discarded needles and syringes. The shire also maintains 30 needle disposal units in public areas.

“The shire’s annual public place bin and little collection service costs approximately $835,000, a considerable cost to the ratepayer.”

The discarded sharps are from Fitpacks which are handed out for free at Broome Hospital through the Needle and Syringe Program. The program aims to reduce people sharing needles and spreading diseases such as **** and AIDS and hepatitis C.

As part of Kimberley Regional Group, the Shire of Broome has listed cleaning up the syringes as one of its priority projects to enhance community safety.

In the KRG’s Federal and State budget submission, ahead of the two elections, the shire has asked for $600,000 over three years to manage the ongoing risk of discarded needles to the public.

The shire has already received a smaller grant of $187,430 grant from the Mental Health Commission to dispose of needles and syringes in Broome.

The grant, which was approved at the December council meeting, will include the installation of needle bins at strategic locations around Broome and the employment of more officers to empty them frequently and pick up discarded sharps.

The State Government has also promised a needle exchange program for Broome, but details on this service and when it will start are yet to be announced.

The shire has noticed a rise in community concern about discarded needles in public places after an eight-year-old girl was pricked in September at a Broome primary school.

Broome mother Natalie Kennedy began actively campaigning after she managed to collect 59 discarded needles from streets and playgrounds.

It was also reported children as young as eight years old were being handed packs of free sterile needles intended for intravenous drug users, prompting calls for age restrictions to the NSP.

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