"We're Not A Murder Capital" - Christchurch Mayor (Updated)

from Newstalk ZB
08/09/2009 7:56:01

"Christchurch's reputation as a 'murder capital' is being debunked by its mayor.

There were three murders in the city last month. In the most recent, a 32-year old man has been charged with the murder of his wife after two bodies were found under a house in the suburb of Wainoni. One body is believed to be that of Tisha Lowry, who has been missing for almost a year.

Mayor Bob Parker says unfortunately perception is everything but statistics show that Christchurch is actually New Zealand's safest large city per 10,000 of population.

"The truth is, these crimes are being committed in greater numbers across New Zealand and in other similar-sized cities. So, we're no worse. We're a little bit better off but we still need to get better and that's the focus of council."

Mr Parker says he is still deeply concerned about what has been happening."

And so he should. Trying to excuse the city's appalling record by saying other places are worse is simply an avoidance of responsibility. Will people in the city rest easier knowing that there are places worse than Christchurch and will the families and friends of the victims feel better knowing this is how their deaths are to be dismissed?

One Christchurch street has just suffered its third violent death in four months.

There have been five bodies in six weeks, prompting a Sunday Star Times reporter to visit the city to examine its 'Underbelly' reputation. His article contains remarkably frank quotes from Canterbury University sociology lecturer Greg Newbold: " "There's a big nutcase factor down here, it's part of the character of the city" and goes on to add "(Newbold) says there is something different about the city's underclass, and the types of homicides committed by those within it, drawing a distinction between a typical city murder domestic or gang-related and the "nutty, flaky murders, killing prostitutes and stuff", that tend to occur in small towns."

It's well worth the read if you have any interest in Christchurch, or just small town NZ life in general

See also:
"Crime city Christchurch too scary for women" The Press newspaper report, Juyl 08

Recent violent deaths in Christchurch (including 4 people under 18 years old)
* 2 women recently found buried beneath a house in Wainoni
* Mellory Manning beaten, stabbed, stangled and dumped in the Avon River
* Andre James Delamare died after being stabbed in Phillipstown
* Tala Seleni, 55, and Melissa Nina Adcock, 32, were found dead from gunshot wounds in a Linwood council flat
* Timothy Constable died from stab wounds on a Christchurch street
* 15 year old Marie Davis raped and murdered by a convicted rapist
* 16-year-old Sean Martin William Philip Finnerty-Gallagher bashed and died in Christchurch
* Deaf woman Emma Agnew, murdered and dumped in Spencer Park
* Taxi driver Abdulrahman Ikhtiari stabbed to death in central Christhchurch.
* Kerry Leigh Downey, 52, strangled and dumped on the Port Hills
* Lipine Sila deliberately drove into a crowd of partygoers, killed two young girls Hannah Rossiter (16) and Jane Young (16) and badly injured eight others

What the statistics say - Homicides by area for 2007, 2008 (source statistics NZ)
Central Auckland: 7, 9 (16)
Dunedin Area: 6, 4 (10)
Christchurch Central Area: 5, 4 (9)
Rotorua Area: 5, 4 (9)

New Plymouth Area: 2, 6 (8)
Wanganui area: 1, 5 (6)
Whangarei Area: 3, 1 (4)
Nelson Bays: 2, 2 (4)
Taupo Area: 1, 2 (3)
Wellington Area: 2, 1 (3)
North Shore Area: 1, 1 (2)
Total homicides in NZ: 88, 109 (197)