Safe communities program

Community safety is 'The right of all individuals living, working or visiting Cairns to go about their daily pursuits without fear or risk of harm or injury; and it is the shared responsibility of Government agencies and all other people in the community to ensure this is possible.'

What is a safe community?

In August 2008, the Cairns Safe Communities Program became an accredited international safe community, under the World Health Organisations (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion. Cairns Safe Communities application for accreditation (PDF) document.  Based at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden this is a supported approach to injury prevention and safety promotion that aims to reduce the overall number of injuries over time. 

The Cairns Safe Communities Program, an initiative of Cairns Regional Council, commenced in 2005.  It is pursuing a more coordinated approach to local safety and well-being issues in Cairns, and aims to demonstrate a best practice model for safety promotion.

A safety and well being partnership for Cairns

The Cairns Safe Communities Program is based on partnership and collaborations between groups that are responsible for safety promotion in their community.

The Safe Communities Program encourages and promotes community collaboration on public safety promotion, crime and violence and injury prevention issues, health and wellbeing, using the following strategies:

  • Co-ordination Team
  • A Broad, Diverse Network
  • Project Working Groups - Safety Issue Teams (SIT's). 
Those already established are