Safer Communities For All

October 19 2009

Kate Waters

Senior Health and Social Planner

Overview

•Introduction to Local Government

•Creating Safe Communities through Building Community Harmony

•Safety through Partnerships

•Planning for Safety

•Rooming Houses

Local Government Context

• Federal, State and Local Governments• 79 local governments in Victoria, each

one is different• Maribyrnong City Council is made up of:

– Community Wellbeing– Infrastructure Services– Sustainable Developments– Corporate Services

A bit about the City of Maribyrnong…

• 31.2km² - 9 suburbs

• 67,000 people

• Smallest & most densely populated LGA in metro Melbourne

• 38.9% born overseas

• 43% speak a language other than English

Safer Communities Policy and Action Plan

“Council recognises the right to safety for all community members. Whether people are young or old, rich or poor, homeless or housed; whatever her or his ability, culture, linguistic or socio-economic status, each person has a right to enjoy a life free of fear or threat of injury.”

Community Harmony

• Community harmony and cultural diversity are promoted and celebrated through a range of community events and festivals.

• Council has a range of community facilities that are accessible for all

Council Facilities

• Libraries• Community Centres• Phoenix Youth

Centre• Maribyrnong Aquatic

Centre

Festivals and Events

• Community Safety Month

• Western Harmony Train

• Dilwali Festival

• Cultural Diversity Week

• NAIDCO Week

• Mental Health Week

Festivals and Events

• Community Safety Month– Every October, a range of community safety

activities.

• Western Harmony Train– Prompted by Council as a public show of support

for multiculturalism

• Dilwali in the West – Festival of Lights– Celebrated by Indians of all faiths, signifying the

triumph of good over evil

Partnership to Safety Police – Indian Western Reference Group

•Established in January by the Police in response to the increasing violence involving international students.

Maribyrnong Safety Taskforce

•To identify community safety issues and coordinate action to improve community safety.

Maribyrnong Preventing Family Violence Working Group

•Network of service providers and health promotion workers

Planning for Safety

• The design of the physical environment can impact on community perceptions of safety and can play a role in crime prevention.

• Developers, Urban Planners and Open Space Planners play a vital role in planning safe communities.

Planning for Safety

• Surveillance– Maximising visibility

• Access, movement and sightlines– Good movement, connections and access

• Activity– Maximise activity in public spaces

• Ownership– Defined private and public space responsibilities

• Managements and Maintenance– Ensure public spaces are attractive and well

maintained

Housing Considerations

• Register and inspect rooming housing– Fire Safety

• Smoke alarms• Fire sprinkle system

– Provision of facilities, maintenance and cleanliness

– Anonymous reporting to Council– Registered list of rooming houses on

Council website

www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

Kate WatersSenior Health and Social Planner

9688 0127kate.waters@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au