Premier Colin Barnett today affirmed $250,000 in surveillance cameras and lighting upgrades to improve community safety in Port Hedland.

Mr Barnett said the public security initiatives - $100,000 for CCTV and $150,000 for lighting - would be funded through the Pilbara Regional Grants Scheme, under the umbrella of the Liberal-National Government’s Royalties for Regions program and would result in greater use of public open spaces.

The security upgrades were among 320 projects across the State approved for funding in the first round of the Liberal-National Government’s regional grants program. More than $32million has been committed to a diverse range of services and infrastructure projects.

“The project funding will help deliver the second stage of the Town of Port Hedland’s CCTV System upgrade which will be complemented by improvements to public lighting,” the Premier said.

“With better security measures it is hoped the community will make greater use of the recreation, leisure and public open space facilities being built throughout Hedland.

“These projects will help achieve a reduction in anti-social behaviour and increased community safety by reducing vandalism, assault and burglaries and, hopefully, traffic accidents.”

The CCTV project is expected to be completed by September this year. It will provide installation work for up to five contractors, ongoing employment for up to two maintenance staff and potential active monitoring of the system for up to four workers, seven nights a week.

By June 2010, new street lights will be installed with vandal resistant guards in place and lights on existing poles improved to current Australian standards.