Bell tolls for community policing in regional W.A. Stirling MLA, Terry Redman, said today that the closure of six country police stations may have signalled the death knell for the future of community policing in regional Western Australia. “ Following the closure of the Cranbrook Police Station, local people were given the blunt message that community policing is no longer considered necessary in their town,” Mr Redman said. “This arbitrary decision to remove community policing from towns like Cranbrook, Wickepin, Dumbleyung and Ongerup is in complete contravention of the state government’s claim that community safety is a priority. “The “Frontline First” policy of the Western Australian Police Service was purportedly designed to implement the government’s commitment to increasing police presence and visibility within the community. “The closure of these police stations flies in the face of that commitment, and undermines what for years has been a very effective means of preventing and combating crime, that of having police living and working within rural towns.  Western Australians are bombarded with advertising campaigns such as Eyes on the Street and Burglar Beware, concerning crime prevention and crime fighting, but what they really want to see is a real police presence in their towns, working within the community rather than travelling from another town after an incident has occurred. “For regional Western Australians it’s a growing case of Eyes on the Street but no police on the beat,” Mr Redman said. For more information please contact Terry Redman on 0427 350 784 VOLUNTEERING Volunteering Fact Sheet Did you know..? o There are over 700, 000 non-profit organisations in Australia that rely on volunteers. o Volunteering in Australia is on the rise. In 1995, 24% of the population volunteered. In 2000 it had risen to 32% (ABS 2001) and by 2004 it had reached 41%. (Giving Australia 2005) o Volunteering contributes an estimated $42 billion a year to the Australia economy. (Ironmonger, 2000) o Approximately 836 million hours were contributed by volunteers in 2004, giving an average of 132 hours for every volunteer. (Giving Australia, 2005) o People in paid employment (full-time or part-time), are more likely to volunteer than those who were unemployed or not in the work force. (ABS 2001) o A majority of people who had volunteered in the last 10 years knew someone involved (29%). (ABS 2001) o 65% of volunteers work for one organisation only. (ABS 2001) o 73% of all hours contributed by volunteers were provided by those who volunteered on a regular and/or weekly basis. (ABS 2001) o A Newspoll survey found that respondents felt that volunteers were ‘inadequately recognised by Government and the wider community’. (Volunteering Australia 2004) The face of volunteering o The most active age group of volunteers is 35-44 years. They make up 47% of all volunteers. (Giving Australia 2005) o 33% of women in Australia volunteer compared to 31% of Australian men. (ABS 2001) o The most common volunteering activities are fundraising (56%), management (45%), teaching (44%) and administration (41%). (ABS 2001) o The most common reasons for volunteering were ‘to be of service to the community’ (47%) and for personal satisfaction (43%). Young people aged 18-24 also volunteered to gain ‘new skills and work experience’. (ABS 2001) Organisations that rely on Volunteers in the Great Southern ACTIV - Albany Leisure Network ACTIV - Day Options Active After School Communities Program - Great Southern Albany Agricultural Society Albany Baby Loss Support Group Albany Community Hospice Albany Community Radio Inc Albany Foodbank Albany Gateway Inc Albany Historical Society Inc Albany Injury Prevention Assoc. Inc Albany Outreach Support Albany Parent Link Home Visiting Service Albany Regional Counselling & Mentoring Services Albany Senior High School Albany Surf Life Saving Club Albany Volunteer Centre Albany Volunteer State Emergency Service Albany Worklink Albany Youth Support Association Alzheimer's Australia - Hawthorn Community Respite Anglicare WA Bethel Aged Care Carriage Driving Association Christian Family Church Care Ministry Citizens Advice Bureau of WA Inc - Albany Branch City Of Albany Conservation and Land Management Conservation Volunteers Denmark Chamber of Commerce Fire & Emergency Services Authority of WA 10136 FESA Volunteers Friends of RSPCA Friends of the Hospital Great Southern Area Consultative Committee Great Southern Family Violence Intervention Great Southern Parenting Service Guides Western Australia (Albany) Great Southern TAFE - Albany Campus Indigenous Community Volunteers Information for Action Infoxchange Australia Lions Community Care Lower Kalgan Progress Association Mentally Healthy WA - Albany Act, Belong Mt Barker Rugby Union Football Club Neighbourhood Watch WA - Albany Region North Albany Football & Sporting Club Inc Old Farm Strawberry Hill Parklands School Plantagenent Cranbrook Home & Community Care Police & Citizens Youth Clubs (Inc) - Albany Princess Royal Garrison Forts Read Write Now Red Cross Australia Riding for the Disabled (Albany) Inc Salvation Army School Volunteer Program Senior Citizens Centre (Albany) Inc Silver Chain St John Ambulance Service St Vincent De Paul Starlight Children's Foundation Technical Aid to the Disabled WA Inc The Cancer Council The Lighthouse a beacon of light and hope The Major Lockyer Proclamation Society WA Victim Support Service WACA Regional Cricket Program Western Australia Museum - Albany Volunteering Australia Albany & Regional Volunteer Service