Bunnings Safety Initiative Launches in Brisbane 2026

Key Points

• Retail giant Bunnings has launched a new national community safety initiative, titled ‘Safer Places’, following research revealing heightened fears surrounding youth crime, break-ins, and property offenses in Queensland.
• Independent research commissioned by Bunnings shows that 53 per cent of Queensland residents are concerned about youth crime—substantially higher than the national Australian average of 41 per cent.
• Further data reveals 48 per cent of Queenslanders worry about break-ins and property crime (compared to 37 per cent nationally), with 45 per cent experiencing a safety-related incident in the past year.
• As a direct result of safety concerns, 37 per cent of Queenslanders avoid walking alone after dark, 19 per cent have installed additional home security, and 58 per cent nationally have altered at least one daily habit.
• Bunnings, alongside home security suppliers Arlo, Eufy, Orion, Reolink, and Swann, is donating $2 from every security camera or video doorbell sale toward a community safety grant fund.
• The initiative encourages residents to register home security systems with the Safer Places Network to assist police investigations, while providing crime prevention support for trade workers facing high-value tool theft.

Brisbane (Australian News Today) November 10, 2026 – Hardware and home improvement giant Bunnings has launched a national community safety program called ‘Safer Places’ aimed at combating rising property crime, following research showing that over half of Queensland residents have altered their daily routines due to safety fears. The company’s ‘Safer Places’ survey revealed that 53 per cent of Queenslanders are concerned about youth crime and 48 per cent worry about break-ins, outstripping national averages across Australia. Announced by Bunnings Managing Director Michael Schneider, the initiative brings together home safety advice, community grants, and partnerships with police and Neighbourhood Watch Australasia. Under the scheme, Bunnings and major security suppliers will donate $2 from every home security camera and video doorbell sold to fund local crime prevention projects, while encouraging householders to register their security devices with a digital network to assist law enforcement inquiries.

What Did the Bunnings Safer Places Research Reveal About Crime Concerns in Queensland?

As reported by consumer affairs and news reporter Perry Duffin of The Courier-Mail, newly released survey findings from Bunnings highlight a sharp divergence between Queenslanders’ perceptions of local safety and those of the broader Australian population.

The comprehensive ‘Safer Places’ research indicates that 53 per cent of Queensland residents report being concerned about youth crime in their local areas, representing a significant elevation over the national average of 41 per cent. Similarly, concerns regarding break-ins and property crime stood at 48 per cent in Queensland, compared to 37 per cent nationally. Furthermore, 45 per cent of respondents in Queensland reported experiencing a direct safety-related incident within the past 12 months.

These elevated crime fears have led to noticeable behavioural modifications among residents:

• 37 per cent of Queenslanders now actively avoid walking alone after dark.
• 19 per cent of Queensland householders have installed extra home security infrastructure within the last year.
• 58 per cent of Australians nationally report changing at least one daily habit due to safety concerns, including steering clear of public places (17 per cent) and avoiding local parks (17 per cent).

Reflecting on the findings and the retailer’s commercial role, Bunnings Managing Director Michael Schneider outlined the rationale behind the corporate initiative. As reported by The Courier-Mail, Michael Schneider stated: “We’re part of the communities we operate in so keeping our team, customers and local areas safe is important to us. We’ve taken strong steps to tackle retail crime in our stores, but we know crime doesn’t stop at the shopfront.”

Mr Schneider added: “Safer Places is a program that Queenslanders can get behind to make a real difference in their neighbourhoods and towns. By working with the Safer Places Network, local police and our suppliers, we’re supporting communities coming together to help prevent crime.”

How Does the Safer Places Program Work and How Are Grants Funded?

As reported by The Courier-Mail, the Safer Places program operates as a multi-tiered collaboration combining financial donations, equipment registration, and community networking.

To fund the community grants component of the project, Bunnings has partnered with five leading security hardware manufacturers: Arlo, Eufy, Orion, Reolink, and Swann. For every security camera or video doorbell system sold through Bunnings stores or online channels, a $2 contribution will be allocated directly toward the Safer Places grant fund. The resulting pool of money will be distributed to local community groups, resident associations, and crime prevention groups to finance physical safety improvements in public and residential areas.

In tandem with the grant funding, the program encourages homeowners and business operators to register their external security cameras and video doorbells with the digital Safer Places Network. The platform allows participating residents to notify local police of available camera locations, creating a streamlined directory for law enforcement officers to request visual footage when investigating local break-ins, vehicle thefts, or property damage.

Endorsing the initiative, Neighbourhood Watch Australasia Chief Executive Officer Melissa Roberts emphasized the importance of residential precautions combined with active neighbourhood communication. As reported by The Courier-Mail, Melissa Roberts stated: “Making sure your home looks well cared for and taking simple precautions can help improve security and give you greater peace of mind. Knowing your neighbours, having someone bring in your bins or collect your mail while you’re away can make a real difference.”

Ms Roberts further noted: “These small acts help create the impression that a property is occupied and being looked after, rather than left unattended, which can make a property less appealing to potential offenders. The Safer Places initiative is a great resource, giving communities access to funding to help improve local security. It’s something we strongly support. It’s a great opportunity.”

How Does the Initiative Help Tradespeople Avoid Site Tool Theft?

As reported by The Courier-Mail, a core focus of the crime prevention campaign centers on protecting tradespeople from high-value tool theft at residential construction sites and from vehicles parked overnight.

For self-employed trade workers, tool theft represents an immediate threat to livelihood, leading to lost billable hours, project delays, and out-of-pocket replacement expenses. Speaking to The Courier-Mail, Gold Coast carpenter Christian Gangell recalled an incident while working in Western Australia where he and a group of fellow carpenters had $5,000 worth of specialized tools stolen from a job site storage facility over an Easter long weekend.

Describing the impact of the theft, Christian Gangell stated: “It wasn’t a good experience when we all rocked up to work and there was nothing – we couldn’t do any work because we didn’t have any tools to do it with.”

Mr Gangell noted that while his employer at the time absorbed the replacement cost, many sub-contractors and sole traders are forced to cover replacements independently. As reported by The Courier-Mail, Christian Gangell stated: “Two of my previous work colleagues have been broken into overnight – they’ve come out to their cars, and one had both sides of his tool trailer open and there was nothing inside it, and another had a canopy on the back of his ute jammed open and a heap of tools stolen. They just had to go out of their own pocket and repurchase the tools. It’s all right if you’ve got money there, but if you don’t, then you can’t repurchase them.”

Highlighting the practical benefit of registered security footage to help police track down stolen trade equipment, Mr Gangell added: “Security cameras are a great precaution to take for your own security and if you’ve got footage of the (thieves) – license plates and they’re pulling up in a car or whatever – it’s probably a lot easier for the police to track people down and recover your tools.”

Background of Youth Crime Debates and Property Crime Trends in Queensland

The launch of the Bunnings Safer Places program comes against a backdrop of intense public and political debate surrounding youth offending, property crime, and home invasions across Queensland. Over recent years, regional hubs such as Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba, and parts of South East Queensland have experienced heightened media coverage and community advocacy regarding car thefts, break-ins, and repeat youth offenses. The issue featured prominently during state political campaigns, prompting legislative reviews regarding bail laws, police enforcement powers, and youth diversionary programs.

Commercial retailers have simultaneously faced rising challenges with retail theft, organized shoplifting, and aggressive behaviour within stores across Australia. In response, major retail chains have invested heavily in high-definition CCTV systems, body-worn cameras for floor staff, and smart exit gates. The expansion of Bunnings’ safety strategy into residential neighborhoods reflects a growing corporate trend where major retailers leverage their commercial scale and supplier networks to address broader community security concerns that extend beyond store perimeters.

Prediction: How Will the Safer Places Initiative Affect Local Communities and Retail Security?

The rollout of the Safer Places initiative by Bunnings and its security hardware partners is expected to have a tangible impact on local residential safety, law enforcement investigations, and retail security dynamics.

Impact on Residential Communities and Local Crime Prevention: The injection of $2 per security product sale into local grant funds will provide community groups and Neighbourhood Watch branches with direct financial resources to implement micro-targeted safety projects. Suburbs participating heavily in the Safer Places Network will likely see an increased density of registered home CCTV devices, providing local police stations with faster access to video evidence following residential break-ins or vehicle thefts. Over time, high concentrations of visible home security and registered neighborhood surveillance may serve as an effective deterrent against opportunistic property crimes.

Impact on Trade Workers and Small Business Operators: For tradespeople, enhanced home and job-site camera coverage—combined with preventive measures such as tool engraving—is expected to increase the recovery rate of stolen equipment. As more trade vehicles and residential driveways are monitored by high-definition smart cameras, police will be better equipped to identify vehicle registration numbers used during overnight tool thefts, reducing financial losses for self-employed contractors and lowering insurance claim friction across the construction sector.