To me it seems obvious - put CCTV cameras in Grant Street. While they're at it, they can install them along Macrossan Street too.

Regardless of whether the latest incident where a 39 male was found unconscious in Grant Street last Friday morning was an assault or just a horrible accident, the presence of cameras would have clarified the cause.

Instead, almost a week later, police are struggling to determine how it happened.

If indeed it was an assault (on Tuesday the police said they had no evidence that it was) then the person or people responsible are still wandering the streets while the victim remains in Cairns Base hospital with a fractured skull and possible brain damage.

If it was an accident, then cameras would show how it happened and, if possible, action could be taken to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Grant Street in particular now has a reputation for late night violence. If Macrossan Street follows then it won't matter how loud musicians are allowed to play their music, no one will want to be there to hear it.

Cairns suffers from this stigma to a degree, but they now have cameras to at least assist police in catching offenders and get them off the street.

If no action is taken in Port Douglas and assaults continue to happen , can you imagine the consequences, particularly if tourists are involved?

No amount of destination marketing will undo the damage done through social media by people sharing their experiences with friends, family, and anyone else who will listen.

With cameras in place, the reduced cost of investigating such incidents surely would go a long way to offsetting the cost of installation and monitoring.

As one person said to me "What price do you put on human life?" 

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