Are you planning on moving down under and worried about Australia crime rate? You have made a fascinating choice! But first, have you considered how safe is Australia actually is? According to statistics, the crime rate in Australia is generally moderate. In fact, property crime has decreased across all states and territories during 2020, undoubtedly in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that doesn’t equate to zero danger.
Theft, drug offences, and public order offences are some of the frequently detected crimes in Australia. To deter crimes, the Australian Government has implemented several gun laws that purportedly aid to reduce the rate of violent crimes. In this article, we will be taking a closer look at the Australia’s crime rate in each of the capital cities.
Crime rate in Australia – an overview
In the Global Peace Index, an annual ranking of which countries in the world are the safest, conducted by the Institute for Economics and Peace, Australia ranked 13th out of 163 countries for the year 2020. A comprehensive report by The Sydney Morning Herald also charts out Australia’s crime rates as sharply declining since 2001. These declining Australia crime rates can be attributed to factors such as a reduction in alcohol abuse amongst young people (in response to rising alcohol prices), and the fall in heroin dependence, amongst many others. Hence, despite its turbulent past, Australia is overall a very safe country for travellers and locals alike.
Most traveller sites rank Australia in a similar fashion when it comes to safety. Australia is a low-risk city for all kinds of travellers, even women travellers and students. The low-risk reputation of Australia is due to its strict and extremely comprehensive gun laws that, since its implementation, have been held as an exemplary model for the rest of the world.
In 1996, the Australian Government implemented a gun buy-back program to reduce the number of firearms sold on the streets. The program provided a process to civilians whereby they could sell their privately owned firearms to the Government without the risk of being prosecuted.
The program successfully retrieved 650,000 guns and destroyed them. Along with this, the Australian Government has implemented several gun laws. Any person owning a firearm must have a firearm license only given to individuals who can demonstrate a genuine reason for holding a gun.
Given its geographical size, its unsurprising that the crime rates and safety risks can vary depending on where you are in Australia. Different cities tend to have different laws in place, and different circ*mstances involved can significantly impact the crime rates. Let’s take a closer look at the Australia crime rates across the different capital cities.
Australia crime rates: Melbourne
Melbourne experiences a moderate crime rate and is generally considered a safe city for living and travelling. However, data also suggests that the city has been experiencing a steady rise in crime rates for the past three years. If you live in Melbourne, you are at moderate risk of theft and breaking.
People living in this city are at a very low risk of their car being stolen. The same goes for being robbed and mugged. Women living in Melbourne, however, are at moderate risk of assault and harassment. However, many suburbs in Melbourne can be risky for female travellers and other vulnerable folks. If you live in the western suburbs (areas such as Braybrook, Braybrook North and Robinson), you might stand a higher risk of being robbed.
Despite some potentially dangerous suburbs, Melbourne is considered one of the most livable cities globally and is an excellent overall option for travel or relocation.
Australia crime rates: Sydney
Many cities in Australia have quite a reputation of being safe for residents and travellers. For those looking to move to Sydney, you’re in luck because Sydney is one of those cities! This city has a very low crime rate and has only experienced a moderate increase in crime rate for the past three years. People living here are generally at very low risk of being mugged and robbed.
Female travellers and residents in Sydney do not have to worried about assaults and harassment. The city also experiences very low vandalism and bribery offences. Shopkeepers are safe from breaking and can safely carry out businesses without having to worry about armed robberies.
Due to this reason, Sydney is considered one of the safest cities in the world for students, female travellers, and the elderly. There are very few places in Sydney where you will feel unsafe. Regardless, such spots do exist in Sydney, and you need to maintain vigilance regardless of the relative safety of the city.
In terms of suburbs, Blacktown experiences one of the highest crime rates per capita in the country. Despite this, Blacktown is a vibrant suburb that features a culturally diverse population. Do note that it’s also one of the biggest suburbs in Sydney, so the raw quantity of its criminal offences is always going to be larger.
Australia crime rates: Brisbane
Brisbane is another extremely safe place to live in Australia. It’s highly convenient as well, with numerous facilities available to the residents of Brisbane. The city experiences a very low crime rate, just like Sydney.
The Brisbane city council is the authority in charge and they aim to ensure the personal safety of every resident. However, just like any other big city, crimes do happen in Brisbane. In particular, drug-related offences have been on the rise in Brisbane. The same goes for vandalism and theft-related offences. The good news, however, you are at very low risk of being mobbed and robbed as a Brisbane local.
Living in Brisbane also poses a very low risk of car theft and home invasions. Women, racial, and sexual minorities can feel safe in Brisbane as hate crimes are very low in this diverse city. As mentioned, however, low crime doesn’t mean no crime and Dunwich, Dutton Park, Moorooka, Acacia Ridge and Inala residents might have to keep a look out for theft, break-ins and property damage.
Australia crime rates: Perth
We’ll be honest, the reputation of Perth is not as flattering as the other cities on this list. Even though the city is relatively safe when compared against crime rates in the United Kingdom, it does have a higher crime rate when compared to other cities in Australia. Overall, the city has a moderate crime rate. However, data suggests that the level of crime has been increasing at a high rate in this city for the past three years.
On the plus side, violent crimes such as assault and armed robberies, as well as corruption in the police department, are relatively low in Perth. In addition, the chances of car theft is low as well. Hate crimes based on ethnicities, religion, gender, and sexuality are similarly pretty low in this city.
However, there is a moderate risk of being mugged and robbed in Perth. In addition, property crimes such as theft and vandalism have been noted to occur in moderate quantities in this city. Despite these crimes, Perth remains a safe city, especially when juxtaposed against other major American cities.
Australia crime rates: Adelaide
Adelaide is yet another safe state you can choose to relocate to on this list. According to a survey conducted by Suncorp, Adelaide might also be the nation’s safest city. In 2013, Adelaide had the lowest crime rate at 2365 incidents per 100,000 population. Data shows that the level of crime in Adelaide is very low. Crime has been increasing in a moderate amount for the past three years. However, the overall number of crimes committed is still very low.
If you are living in Adelaide, you don’t need to worry about facing any discrimination based on your religion, sexuality, caste, gender, or ethnicity. Adelaide experiences a meagre amount of hate attacks. You are also at low risk of being robbed or mugged on the streets of Adelaide.
You can feel safe walking alone on the streets of the city’s suburbs, regardless of night or day. The city has a low risk of assault, robbery, theft, vandalism, property damage, and car theft. With a low overall crime rate, this is one of the best places to live in Australia.
Australia crime rates: Canberra
Canberra is not just Australia’s capital city, it is also one of Australia’s safest places to live, whether you’re a woman, student, or elderly. This city has one of the lowest crime rates in all of Australia. Canberra is also one of the safest cities globally, and the crime rate here is below the national average. According to data, the crime experienced by the city is very low.
The increment in crime rate for the past three years has also been moderate. You can feel highly safe walking down the streets of Canberra, whether it’s night or day. In addition, you generally don’t have to worry about common crimes such as theft, home break-ins, car theft, vandalism, property damage, and armed robberies in this city.
The frequency of nearly all crimes in this city is very low. Discrimination based on gender, class, race, and other factors is uncommon in Canberra, Australia. However, just like any other big city, crimes happen more frequently in some parts of Canberra. Data reveals that Kambah (Canberra’s largest suburb) experiences the most burglaries.
Australia crime rates: Darwin
While Canberra is practically a safe haven for residents and visitors, Darwin is the polar opposite. While Darwin is generally a safe place to visit, crime is a massive problem for the residents, especially if you are walking alone at night. Residents and visitors are strongly advised not to venture out alone at night and not leave valuables in the car.
According to data, the crime experienced by the city is high. The crime rate has also been increasing at quite a high rate for the past three years. The risk of getting into a verbal fight with someone is relatively high in Darwin. The city also poses a moderate risk of being attacked due to your race, sexuality, religion, and gender.
There’s also a moderate risk of being robbed and mugged if you are walking alone. Drug-related offences and misdemeanours are also relatively high in Darwin. Property crimes such as theft and vandalism are also prevalent crimes in this area.
Australia crime rates: Hobart
Hobart is another safe haven for visitors and residents of Australia. It was once ranked in Australia’s top 6 safest cities. According to data, the level of crime experienced by the city is low. The level of crime increasing for the past three years is moderate. The people who live here can consider themselves very safe travelling on the streets of Hobart.
Crimes such as theft, vandalism, armed robberies, car theft, and assaults are low in this city. There is a moderate risk of getting into a verbal scuffle with a person.
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