Tauranga has formal designation as an International Safe Community under the World Health Organisation (WHO) Safe Communities programme. This is organised by the Safe Communities Foundation NZ.
The Tauranga City Safe City project began in 2006 with the first step being the formation of a strong partnership between Tauranga City Council, ACC, Bay of Plenty District Health Board and Fulton Hogan. More recently, this group has been expanded to include Tauranga Police, the Ministry of Justice and the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
The project’s main aim is to make Tauranga City a ‘safe place to live, work and play in’ and has looked at a variety of safety concerns such as alcohol and street violence, falls prevention, workplace safety.
There are a number of projects and campaigns operating in the community to address some of these issues.
The priority safety issues for Tauranga were identified as follows:
- water safety
- road safety
- workplace safety
- alcohol use
- street safety
- falls prevention
- family violence
For more information on this project please contact our Safe City Coordinator - Mike Mills - mmills@pl.net
Designation as an International Safe Community: What does it mean?
Following a site visit on 1 April 2006, Dr Carolyn Coggan, Director Safe Communities Foundation, and a panel of local and central government officials, recommended that Tauranga be designated as an International Safe Community under the WHO Safe Communities programme. Tauranga is the 7th community in New Zealand to achieve this status.
Safe City Application document
The application document sets out the scope of the Tauranga Safe City project and the assessment criteria that were applied. The document provides an overview of community safety initiatives and activities that are in place in Tauranga.
For more information on safety check out the following websites:
Teentools
A site that gives parents tools, guidelines and local contacts to assist in your children having a safe and happy journey through the teenage years.
New Zealand Police
contains local news and also access to resources and safety tips
New Zealand Fire Service
has contact details for the Tauranga Station and access to promotions and fire prevention programmes and resources
St Johns Ambulance Sevice
has a description of the services and links to Education Services and first aid courses
Coastguard
describes the services offered and includes access to instructional videos and links to educational services and boating courses
Surf Lifesaving
describes the structure and services of surf lifesaving and provides access to educational material
Water Safety
lots of information and resources around water safety
Bay of Plenty District Health Board
provides access to descriptions of the emergency and medical services offered in the region
ACC
lots of information on injury prevention: in the home, sports, workplace…
Alcohol Advisory Service
ALAC’s website provides access to a wealth of resources and advice on alcohol-related issues
Youthline
provides information and access to counseling advice for young people
NZ Transport Agency
resources for road safety
Road Safety Trust
resources for road safety
Last Reviewed: 30/04/2012