Colin Barnett's community gardens pledge aims to reduce crime Community gardens provide a sense of ownership for communities and have been proven to be effective in reducing rates of crime, says Premier Colin Barnett. COMMUNITY gardens will be rolled out across Perth in a bid to cut crime and promote a greater sense of community, under a $400,000 pledge from the Barnett Government. Premier Colin Barnett said WA had fewer established community gardens than anywhere else in Australia, with just 40 gardens already established or being developed. Today, he will promise that a re-elected Liberal Government will offer grants of up to $20,000 to community groups or local governments to establish a community garden, or up to $10,000 for maintenance of existing gardens. The pledge comes after a 2005 study by the University of New South Wales found that community gardens resulted in reduced crime in suburban areas. "Community gardens provide a sense of achievement and ownership for communities and have also been proven to be effective in reducing rates of crime," Mr Barnett said. I think that's true of anything, if you can get people who might get into trouble with the law, if they're getting engaged whether its a sporting club, a community group or a community garden, there's no doubt they don't feel marginalised, they don't feel isolated and they get out of that crime habit. Mr Barnett said the plan had been prompted by Liberal candidate for Perth, Eleni Evangel, who had witnessed the success of East Perth's Perth City Farm. "Particularly in the inner city areas, if people want to live closer to the city to reduce travel time or whatever else, I think an activity like this will work, as will a local tennis club or anything else," he said. But I certainly want to encourage people to participate and particularly for people who are lonely or subject to depression, anecdotally talking to other people, meeting people, having a bit of fun, in this case growing vegetables, enjoying them, I think that's just terrific. It makes people feel included, gives them friendships, conversation and something to do.