Steps towards a safer Whanganui
Published on 29 September 2017
Safer Whanganui has commissioned a community needs assessment to gather, analyse and present the latest available Whanganui District injury and safety statistics.
Manager Safer Whanganui for Whanganui District Council, Lauren Tamehana, says “This needs assessment is an important step towards reaching our vision for Whanganui to be a positive place to live, learn, work and play, where everyone feels safe.”
Mrs Tamehana says most people consulted for the report felt Whanganui was as safe, or safer, than other communities. “Whanganui is seen as a place where the traffic is lighter on the roads. There’s a more relaxed pace of life, friendlier people, good lighting in the CBD, a relatively low number of drinking establishments and effective policing.
“We are concerned however about our injury rates from a range of causes and that important issues such as adolescent mental health, family violence and elder abuse are well understood in our community and effectively addressed.”
She says the Safer Whanganui Community Needs Assessment report provides a core reference and resource for Safer Whanganui to help guide, prioritise and evaluate its strategic direction and future activities and projects.
“The assessment, conducted by HealthSearch Ltd, included consultation with knowledgeable people in the Whanganui District to obtain further advice on the significant harms, injuries and safety-related needs in the district.
“If we don’t have a comprehensive picture of where we are now, it’s more difficult to move forward to where we would all like to be in the future. We needed to gather all the existing information in one place.”
As well as statistical information about the people of the Whanganui District, the report covers information on injury deaths, hospitalisations for injury, emergency department attendances, ACC injury claims, road crashes, suicide, drowning, crime, adolescent mental health, restorative practices, hazardous alcohol use, methamphetamine, family violence, elder abuse, work safety, fire-related harm and natural disasters.
Mrs Tamehana says, “All injury data in the report should be interpreted carefully, especially when assessing possible reasons for trends or changes, but we want this to be a resource for the entire community, to promote discussion and guide future development of injury prevention and community safety activities across the district.”
The Community Needs Assessment report was presented to local agencies and organisations at a forum held at the War Memorial Centre in Whanganui on 22 September.
Further information
Safer Whanganui is a coalition of agencies and groups working together to promote community safety and reduce harm in the Whanganui District Council territorial authority area.
The Whanganui Community Needs Assessment report, key findings and summary report can be downloaded from the Whanganui District Council website.
Full Report
Key Findings
Summary Report