Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

McGrath family organise public march through Whangarei

By Kristin Edge
Northern Advocate·
16 Jan, 2013 07:07 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

John McGrath will carry a poster of his dead sister in a public hikoi through Whangarei in the hope it will prompt women to leave violent relationships.

And others who will be joining the march will include Queenie Dunn, mother of murdered Whangarei woman Mairina Dunn, Lesley Elliott, mother of Sophie Elliott who was stabbed 218 times by her former boyfriend in Dunedin and Karen Edwards, mother of Ashlee Edwards, who was found dead under a bridge in central Whangarei last year.

They will all be carrying posters of their loved ones.

The march, planned for next Monday morning, has the backing of Whangarei police and the Northland District Health Board, who also want to send out a message that violence is unacceptable in the community.

Mother of two Patricia Ann McGrath died on January 8 after she was taken off life support following an assault four days earlier in her Kamo home.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A man charged with her assault is to appear in Whangarei District Court on the same day and police said it was likely more serious charges would be laid.

Her family have vowed to not let Patricia's death be in vain.

"We must find a way to stop the abuse starting. Educating that it is unacceptable to hurt those closest to you and that even one experience of domestic abuse can be enough to alter people's lives irreparably," John McGrath said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We fully support the white ribbon campaign and intend on doing as much as possible to educate and motivate others to leave or change similar situations in which they might find themselves."

Police are called to thousands of family violence incidents across Northland every year.

Police figures show 2011 domestic violence incidents were reported in Whangarei/Kaipara in the 12 months to June 30, and 1504 in the Far North; a total of 3515, or 67 a week on average. That includes an increase of about 500 reports from last year.

Whangarei/Kaipara area commander Inspector Tracy Phillips said police supported the McGrath family stance against family violence as it promoted a safer Northland community.

Head of the Northland DHB Nick Chamberlain said as one of the main healthcare providers in Northland they were acutely aware of the harm family violence has in the community.

"Our staff is involved in the care and protection of families and we are very clear that family violence is not ok and strongly advocate that people seek help."

Chief Medical Officer Mike Roberts said staff saw first-hand the affects of violence.

"In our emergency department we are all too often dealing with the effects of domestic violence harm and very sadly people who have suffered abuse are reluctant to disclose it and even when they do they often don't feel able to act on the advice about how to keep them safe."

Hikoi details Monday January 21, 10am. Gather at Laurie Hall Park 9.30am, start Bank St outside the Court House, proceed down Bank St, left Cameron St, Rathbone St and finish Laurie Hall Park.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

'Will it take someone to die?': 85yo's fears after home 'demolished' by airborne car

Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

'Will it take someone to die?': 85yo's fears after home 'demolished' by airborne car
Northern Advocate

'Will it take someone to die?': 85yo's fears after home 'demolished' by airborne car

A former occupant says it's the third time the house has been hit by a car

17 Jul 05:00 PM
Far North homes without power after severe gales
Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

17 Jul 08:26 AM
'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi
Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

17 Jul 06:02 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP