
Realising Wai Ora Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland’s Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Strategy
What are the top priorities?
A year and a half on from the first sector hui for Wai Ora Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland’s Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Strategy, we bring you an update of what’s been happening recently. We look at what’s involved in the implementation phase and to the future.
What’s been happening?
It has been a busy two months with 33 stakeholder groups meeting on a one-to-one basis, to build relationships and uncover stakeholder perspectives of the strategy and future direction. Amongst the challenges and we found an overarching will to collaborate to ensure effectiveness and efficiency going forward.
The Steering Group meeting, held on the 21 March, endorsed the direction of the Strategy implementation work for the next five months, and this was reaffirmed by the Reference Group meeting held on the 23 March. Attendees voiced support for the four strategic strands and identified priority implementation initiatives for the short-term focus.
Six Priorities
The feedback provided clear direction on the priorities, with agreement on how to proceed in the short term, as follows:
- Advocate through collective submissions
- Refresh the Integrated Aquatic Programme (IAP)
- Create team to craft generic messages designed to be overarching but unpack to sector specific messages.
- Create team to seek existing communication networks and provide coordination/connection for the sector.
- Create an independent WOTM fund holder and secretariat.
- Expand members of Reference Group to improve capacity.
What’s next?
The first working group has been established to focus on the Integrated Aquatic Programme (IAP) – tasked to refresh, extend, and create an interactive resource for the benefit of the wider community.
Regular sector engagement will continue through weekly emails, face-to-face meetings, and the creation of specific working groups.
.
The inclusion of additional organisations beyond the wet sector is proposed for the future to support capacity and advocacy.
Look out for updates on the next working groups as the team continue sector engagement meetings and activities to progress these 6 priorities.

Save the dates
Working Group 1 Meeting
13 April, 8am – 9.30am @ DPA
Integrated Aquatic Programme
Meeting dates for additional working groups will be added in due course. It is envisaged organisations with specific interest of expertise will join respective working groups but is optional.
Reference Group Meetings
8am – 10am @ DPA
- 27 April
- 27 July
- 21 September
- October – pending
Want to know more?
There’s more information about Wai Ora Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland’s Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Strategy over on the dedicated webpage. Click the button to learn more.
More news and views
He Taonga Te Wai – Dawn Event WDPD 2023
Drowning Prevention Auckland are pleased to invite you to our World Drowning Prevention Day dawn service - He Taonga Te Wai on 25 July. Supported by Te Ahiwaru Trust, the event acknowledges our close connection with water as we come together to remember the tragic...
Community Water Safety Education
Highlights from our April activity including Wai Wise, a global drowning prevention event at Vector Wero Whitewater Park and the new one-day SPLASH holiday programme.Wai Wise ProgrammeOne of DPA’s flagship programmes, Wai Wise, ran for the first time with Auckland’s...
Kāhui Ako Conference – ‘Together We Are Stronger!’ (Massey Schools Cluster)
The recent Kāhui Ako Conference for the Massey Schools Cluster brought together educators of all levels, from early childhood to secondary school for a day of connection and learning. Held on the first day of term two, the event was a rare chance for teachers and...