MEDIA RELEASE
13 February 2001

Improvements in Manukau’s Social Environment

A report to Manukau City Council’s Community Development Committee this month
has reported substantial improvement in many areas of the City’s social environment. The report contains key statistics for the September 2000 quarter.

Positive developments in the quarter included an improvement in home affordability, fewer burglaries, a 50 percent drop in the road toll, more crimes resolved, and a 10 percent increase in the numbers of parents using car child restraints in vehicles.

However, while this the use of child restraints is increasing, Land Transport Safety Authority statistics show that Manukau City’s rate of compliance of 59 percent is still below the national rate of 75 percent.

Other improvements included fewer people dependent on income support, more opportunities for people to learn basic computing skills free of charge, and a taskforce being set up to help meet improve literacy among the City’s adults.

Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis is extremely pleased at these positive results for the City. “Combined with a lower unemployment rate, it is very gratifying to see clear improvements in residents’ wellbeing” he says.

“However we can’t be complacent. There is much more work to be done in making Manukau an even better place to live. Council will continue to work with other private and public agencies to address the challenges and maintain the improvements,” he said.

Some of the challenges outlined in the report include a continued increase in cases of meningitis and whooping cough, more alcohol-related violence offences reported over the Christmas holiday period, a lack of after-hours GP service, high unemployment among Maori and Pacific Peoples, and an increase in truancy and juvenile complaints.

ENDS

Media Contact:
Gabrielle Hinton
Media Liaison Support Officer
Ph: 09 2637100 x 8650
Fax: 09 2625759
Email: ghinton@manukau.govt.nz

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