Involvement of Local Community Network
- Business Responding to Illegal Drugs Working Group
- Central City Executive
- Precinct Groups
- Melbourne City Licensees Accord Management Committee
- Melbourne City Amusement Centre Accord Management Committee
- Heath Service Providers Forum
- Municipal Youth Service Providers Forum
- Neighbourhood Youth Sector Forums
- Local Government Community and Social Planners Network
- Local Government Research Network
- Local Government Health Promotion Network
- Metropolitan Mayors Group on Drugs
- Lord Mayor’s Drugs Advisory Committee
- Residents 3000
- Indigenous Advisory Committee
- Aboriginal Consultative Committee
- Local Government Multicultural and Indigenous Network
- Youth Drug Issues Committee
- SkateSafe Committee
THE PROGRAM COVERS THE FOLLOWING SAFETY PROMOTION ACTIVITIES:
For the age group
Children 0-14 years:
As a signatory to the United Nations Rights of the Child Declaration the
City of Melbourne recognises the right of children, as individuals in the municipality, to
be protected and have an adequate level of health care, education and safety.
Through the Forward Plan for Families and Children (1999) Council is committed
to sustaining good residential neighbourhoods for families and children, encouraging the
participation of families and children, and continuing to support services which meet the
specific needs of families and children.
Youth 15-24 years:
Youth Strategy: A City for Young People& Here for Life Seminars sponsored by Council encourage
young people to participate in discussions regarding a range of current youth issues.
Stake Safe Program – youth were involved in planning for a new skate park,
including location, design, equipment and safety requirements.
Neighbourhood Youth Services provide a wide range of activities including drugs and
alcohol peer education.
Safe City Taxi Ranks - have been established to assist in creating a safer
environment for passengers to wait for a taxi and taxi drivers to access safe fares.
Safe Laneways Project – improvements to safety in laneways including waste
management, lighting and graffiti removal.
Nightrider Bus Service - Nine NightRider buses leave the City Square hourly from
12.30 am to 4.30 am Saturday and Sunday mornings providing safe transport to outer
suburban areas.
Safe Major Events Strategy – promotes safety in streets and public spaces.
It includes a local law prohibiting the consumption of alcohol on roads and public places
every day of the week, 24 hours a day.
Amusement Centre Accord is a commitment by amusement centre operators to achieve
best management practice for their centres. It promotes the responsible management of
behaviour of patrons, adequate staff training and open communication.
Adults 25-64 years:
Melbourne City Licensees Accord - The accord is a commitment to high
standards of Safety and Service for patrons by Licensees and their staff members in and
around Late-Night Licensed Venues.
As above:
Safe Laneways Project
Safe City Taxi Ranks
Nightrider Bus Services
Safe Major Events Strategy
Elderly 65+ years:
City of Melbourne recognises and accepts the United Nations Principles for Older
Persons, incorporating independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment and dignity.
This underpins Council’s Forward Plan for Older People (1999) incorporating
the following strategies: promoting the importance of pedestrian safety.
Community and Social Support Program which offers a number of social, recreational
and educational opportunities to older persons and the provision of a home maintenance
service.
Consideration of safety needs of older pedestrians when planning capital works,
conducting safety audits of parks, streets and neighbourhoods and the promotion of safe
pedestrian thoroughfares.
Safety for Older Women and Men Program promoting personal safety for older people
and promotion of friendship through the Senior Citizen’s Club and Organisations.
Participation in Senior Citizens Week held yearly including organising the
Handcrafts Fair.
Establishment of the Older Persons Action Centre.
Ranger Assistance Program – which assists older persons attending the
city’s parks and gardens.
Facilitate and support Neighbourhood Elderly Activities Group, which included
organising day outings, social gatherings, talks and demonstrations.
Grants awarded to Elderly Ethnic Community Groups.
Safe Major Events Strategy – as previous.
At the following environments
Home:
Maternal and Child Health Service provides information into key ages and safety
promotion as provided by the Early Childhood Injury Prevention Program.
Early Childhood Services provide safety information through parent education sessions
and newsletters, and facilitated playgroups.
Support is provided for women needing to leave domestic violence.
Information and support is provided in the range of languages spoken within the City of
Melbourne neighbourhoods.
Traffic:
Road Safety Plan
Transport Strategy: Moving Melbourne into the Next Century
- Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (1995)
- Bike Plan (1997)
recommends solutions to allow bicycles to become the preferred
choice of vehicular transport for a vastly greater number of Melburnians. The plan
includes the development of a cycling code of conduct, support of Bike Ed and Cycle On
programs and ensuring bicycle safety in the design of major infrastructure works.
Skate Safe Program: Skating Code of Conduct: Skating is permitted in all streets of
the City of Melbourne, with restricted hours in some locations. The Code requires skaters
to be considerate of pedestrians using footpaths and to not skate in a reckless manner, or
in a way that is likely to cause damage to property.
Bicycle Couriers Accord: details a range of injury prevention strategies for
couriers, including Bike Ed and a requirement to wear a clearly displayed registration
number.
Safe Roads Program: Council works in partnership with VicRoads to promote road
safety initiatives addressing both infrastructural and behavioural aspects.
As previous
Safe City Taxi Ranks
Nightrider Bus Services
Walk with Care
Occupational:
City of Melbourne Occupational Health and Safety Policy
(Council employees only)
School:
Melbourne Police Division -
Central Business District Student Diversion Strategy:
This program exercises police duty of care in relation to school students
identified as being at risk through truanting from school and visiting high risk drug
areas in the central City.
Sports:
Management of the Melbourne City Sports Program that involves employees throughout
the city participating in team sport competitions during their lunch break including the
Corporate Challenge and the Corporate Cup Sports Series.
Cocoon Club – weight training program designed for over 60’s
Implement Skate Safe Program: as previous
Leisure:
Melbourne City Licensees Accord: as previous
Playgrounds: ensure Australian Standards are met in both management and the design of
new facilities.
Parks and Gardens: Undertake a safety audit, ensure new designs for parks and gardens
respond to public safety and personal security issues, and continue the Ranger Assistance
Program for the elderly.
Other:
Programs in the following injury areas:
Violence prevention (intentional Injuries):
Melbourne City Licensees Accord
Safe Major Events Strategy
Suicide prevention (self inflicted injuries):
Support given to the annual ‘Here for Life’ conferences through community
sponsored use of Council venues.
Programs aiming at "High risk-groups":
Intentional Injury
- Drug Related Injury
- Advocacy for an improved range of services, including the introduction of the ACT pilot
heroin trial
- Provision of information to people who use drugs, community forums to provide discussion
on drug-related issues and research on the extent and impact of injecting drug use.
- Major projects include the management of toilets, laneways, and improvements to specific
problem areas in the city.
Unintentional Injury
Older Pedestrians- as previous
- Pedestrian Safety Action Plan
- Walk with Care
- Road Safety Plan
- Ranger Assistance Program
Falls in the street, home, playgrounds and parks and gardens
- Employment of Neighbourhood Officers
- Improvement of pedestrian walkways, and related Public Spaces by addressing Disabled
persons access, Wheelchair access, Pedestrian walk-light sequences, Access for prams,
Safety Barriers
- Open Space Management contracts to meet with Australian Safety Standards, and
maintenance of facilities
- Development of new Skatepark in the Central Business District for young in-line skaters,
and continue to implement the Skating Code of Conduct
- Ensuring new designs for parks and gardens respond to the need for public safety and
personal security through City of Melbourne’s community consultation process
- Continue Ranger Assistance Program
Surveillance of injuries
Where:
Victorian Inpatient Minimum Database - Injuries
Coroners Facilitation System – Injury and Unnatural Deaths
Hospital Emergency data, Australian Bureau of Statistics & Metropolitan
Ambulance Service – Drug Related Injuries and Death
VicRoads – Road Injuries and Deaths
Public Liability Claims – Falls in the City of Melbourne
Victoria Police (Crime Statistics) & Department of Justice (Crime
Victimisation Study)
Public Surveys (CBD and Neighbourhoods) – Public Perceptions of Safety
City of Melbourne Customer Satisfaction Surveys, International Social Science
Survey, City Worker Survey, In-centre survey, In-home survey & media reporting on
safety issues and incidents –
Number per year:
Injuries requiring hospitalisation:
1994-1997= 3056
Cause if injury:
- Falls 1100
- Transport 397
- Intentional-self 367
- Intentional-by other 275
Location of injury:
- Unspecified 1131
- Home 672
- Street/Highway 428
- Residential 336
Deaths – from injury and unnatural causes: 1994-1997 = 84
Cause of injury
- Intentional-self 22
- Medical injury 16
- Transport 10
- Poisoning 9
Intent of injury
- Unintentional 35
- Self inflicted 22
- Unknown 20
- Assaultive 7
Location of injury
- Home 48
- Transport areas 16
Intentional Injuries
Assaults: 1998 951
Unintentional Injuries
Road Deaths: 1998 12
Roads: serious injuries: 1998 431
Bicycle deaths: 1990 – 1995 5
Bicycle injuries: 1990-1995 561
Falls/Trips: 1998 39
Population base: total population
Started year: varied
Publications: (Scientific)
Produced information material, pamphlets:
- Strategy for a Safe City
- Safe City Initiatives Brochure
- Drugs Action Plan
- City Support Card
- Drug Services Card
- Safe City Watch Card
- Community Safety & Well Being
- Melbourne City Licensees Accord
- Midnight to Dawn Transport Cards
- The Bourke/Russell Street Area: Development Strategy
- Safe By Design: Safe Car Parks Project
- Carlton Neighbourhood Community Safety Plan
- The Community Speaks
Fact Sheets:
- Safe City Cameras Program
- Special Lighting Schemes
- Safe City Taxi Ranks
- Safe City Cameras Program
Staff
Number: 7
Social Issues Team
Profession: 7 full time
Permanent: 7
Temporary: 0
Organisation: City of Melbourne (Council)
Specific Intersectional leadership group:
City Safety Forum, comprising
- City of Melbourne
- Victoria Police
- Property Council, Australia
- VicHealth
- Department of Human Services
- Youth Substance Abuse Service
- Entertainment Industry
- National Media
- Jesuit Social Services
- City Car Parks Association
- Australian Retail Association
- Chambers of Commerce and Industry
General public health/health promotion group:
Injury Prevention Advisory Committee
International commitments
Participation in Safe Community Conferences:
- The Sixth International Safe Community & Injury Prevention Conference, Melbourne
1996.
- The Eighth International Safe Community Conference, Vienna October 1999.
Hosting "Travelling Seminars":
For further
information:
Brigid Henley
Social Planner, City Issues
Council House, Level 3
Melbourne Vic 3000
AUSTRALIA
Phone: +61 03 9658 9574
Fax: +61 03 9650 1112
BRIHEN@melbourne.vic.gov.au
City of Melbourne web page: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au
