Australia's Gold Coast may be the hotbed of crime due to the city's worsening incidents of crime and violence. A young man was recently stabbed to death for having alleged bikie connections on the steps of a luxury home in Gold Coast. A former detective and leading criminologist at Bond University, Dr. Terry Goldsworthy says data shows an increasing rate of violent offences throughout the district in the recent years.

Top police authorities and politicians in Queensland argue that the stabbed man at the beachfront on community is also a victim of Gold Coast's high profile causing a biased media coverage. Last Monday, Police Commissioner Ian Stewart explained that the high tourism profile in Gold Coast meant the city receives more media coverage than other areas in the region. This could possibly be the reason why certain problems regardless of size can have misleading interpretations.

Commissioner Stewart also said the rising crime rate in Gold Coast signals a tougher stand against criminals and sending out a more proactive police force to patrol the streets especially for drugs and weapons-related crimes. Police officers have investigated complaints and followed leads to apprehend the offenders.

Councillor Paul Taylor whose jurisdiction includes Broadbeach where the violent stabbing happened said it was "unfair" to portray Gold Coast as a crime hotspot. Taylor defended the city and said most people in the community felt safe. Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate announced last week that funds of $1.5 million will be set aside to improve the city's CCTV. Closed circuit television network cameras are known to deter crime.

Mayor Tate said the CCTV expansion was not an acknowledgement of Gold Coast as a crime capital but a step towards more police visibility. The mayor reiterates that Gold Coast is one of the safest cities in Australia and only the media holds the "crime hotspot" view.

Statistics show an increase in Gold Coast crime rates in three categories. Crimes against persons went by 7 per cent while crimes against property are up by 21 per cent. Other criminal offences rose to 33 per cent.

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