Safe Community programme. Application received January 2008, Site Visit February 19th-20th, Designation Ceremony 5th March 2008.

Name of the Community: City Of Palmerston
Country: Australia
Number of inhabitants: 28,848
Programme started year: 2005
International Safe Communities Network Membership: Designation Year 2008
Full application available: http://www.safecommunities.org.nz/sc/pal

For further information contact:
Department of Community Services
Mark Blackburn       
City of Palmerston   
Po Box1, 2 Chung Wah Terrace
Palmerston
Australia
+61 89359976                 Fax: +61 89359900      
mark.Blackburn@palmerston.nt.gov.au
www.palmerston.nt.gov.au

The programme covers the following safety activities:

For the age group

• Children 0 – 14:
  “Look at me”
  Car Restraint clinics
  Burns Awareness
  Fireworks Safety 
  Water Safety
  Road Safety Awareness
  Walk Safely to School
  ‘Wait a Minute Mate’: Behaviour Control
  School Holiday Program
  Nursery Tales
  Tunes and Tales
• Youth 15-24 years:
  Palmlesstonnes
  Car Restraint Fittings
  Handling Fire Works Safely
  ‘Look at Me’
  Wait a Minute Minute: Say no to Bullying
  Youth Bazzar
  PARYS
  Seniors and Youth Intergenerational project
  Digital Literacy
• Adults 25-64 years:
  Palmlesstonnes
  Home safety Expos
  Car Restraint Fittings
  Fireworks Safety
   ‘Look at Me’
   ‘Wait a Minute Mate’: Say no to violence
  Digital Literacy
• Older Adults 65+ years:
  Palmlesstonnes
  Make you Home Safe for Kids
  Motorised Scooter Safety
  Seniors Week
  Seniors and Youth Intergenerational project
  Digital Literacy

In the following Environments:

•  Home:
  Keep your home safe
  Animal Management
  Falls Prevention
  Home Pool Safety
• Traffic:
  Road Safety
  Child Restraint and seat belt campaigns
  Walk Safely to School
  Bike Helmet campaigns
• Occupational:
  Mega Training Day
  Say no to violence against women
• School:
   Animal Management
  Walk Safely to School
  Anti bullying
  School Holiday program
  PetPEP
• Leisure:
  Bike engraving
  Adopt a Park
  Healthy Lifestyle
  PACNET
  
   

Violence Prevention (intentional injuries):

The City of Palmerston works in close collaboration with the Palmerston Police and a wide range of non government organisations to reduce the incidence of violence.

• Family Violence
• Youth program
• Alcohol Management
• School Anti Bullying campaign
• Bus Interchange Program

Suicide prevention (self-inflected injuries):

There is not a high incidence of suicide in Palmerston and the city is proactive in working to foster community well being, a sense of belonging and support for all its residents. Current programs are general in nature and specific initiatives will be developed in the future.

Programmes aiming at “High risk-groups”:

Notwithstanding the success in safety and injury prevention across a wide range of Council programs the City of Palmerston has recognised two population groups that are ‘hidden’ within the statistics.

People who register as having a disability are 2% of the population (Census 2006). Issues raised by this group are similar to those of seniors and it is important to ensure they are appropriately addressed. Issues are considered through our Disability Access Program.

The Palmerston Indigenous Village (PIV) is not a formal suburb of the municipality and is on the outskirts of Litchfield Shire. The site of PIV was originally established, as temporary accommodation, for visitors to the area but over time has become a permanent place of residence for indigenous families. Significant support is provided through a Community Development Worker and Youth Diversionary Projects.

Statistics that show the negative impacts of alcohol in the Palmerston community are alarming and a broad based community and Government response is required to address demand, supply and harm if further reductions in safety and injury prevention can be realised. City of Palmerston has undertaken broad community consultation in the development of an Alcohol Management Plan and specific initiatives are being progressively implemented

Surveillance of injuries:   

Numbers per year:
While a wide range of statistics is available through NT Government Departments that gives insight into priority safety and injury issues for Palmerston the Northern Territory does not currently have a trauma registry. PRSCC has recently developed a matrix of key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Safe Communities program and the Department of Health and Community Services is assisting with the collection and analysis of data to reflect these KPIs.

In the period 2002 – 2004 there were 605 crashes in Palmerston with 2 fatalities, 86 people admitted to hospital and 103 people treated at hospital but not admitted.

Hospital admissions over the period 1999 to 2003 showed an increasing trend in injury related issues.

In 2003 / 2004 there were 9,118 workdays lost with a cost to Palmerston businesses of $1,069,650. 

Population base:

With an average age of 28, Palmerston's 23,848 population is primarily made up of families. The Australian Bureau of Statistics predicts Palmerston's population will reach over 40,000 people by 2021.

Approximately 30% of the population is under 15 years old and our Indigenous population is 11.9%.

74.8% of persons usually resident in Palmerston were born in Australia. The number of people employed in the Defence Force living in Palmerston has increased from 4.7% in 1996 to 7.3% in 2001 and 11.2% in 2006. (Census 2006)

In Palmerston 7.4% of homes were fully owned, 40.8% were being purchased and 39.7% were rented (Census 2006). There are pockets of low-socio economic areas but the community works in collaboration with the City of Palmerston to proactively advocate for services to support families in this circumstance

Started year: The Palmerston Safe Communities program commenced in 2005 and initial data was accessed predominantly through the Department of Health and Community Service and the Department of Justice quarterly Crime statistics.

Produced information material, pamphlets, community communication:

• ‘Look at Me’ brochure
• Regular news through Palmerston Post (Council newsletter)
• Monthly news through Queensland Safe Communities Support Centre
• Palmerston Safety Survey 2006: Experiences and Perceptions of injury, safety and crime in Palmerston
• Local newspaper articles and promotion

Staff                                                                                

Number: 1
Professions: Part-time coordinator
Temporary: 1 year contract
Organization: City Of Palmerston
Specific inter-sectoral leadership group: Palmerston Regional Safe Communities Committee
General public health/health promotion group: Palmerston Regional Safe Communities Committee

International commitments:

-      Membership of the Australian Safe Communities Foundation
-      Member of the Queensland Safe Communities Support Centre
-      Representatives attended Safe Community conferences in Townsville 2005 and 2006