Month: May 2025

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Released 19/05/2025

This National Volunteer Week (19–25 May), the ACT Government is proud to celebrate the thousands of volunteers across Canberra who dedicate their time, energy and care to making our community stronger, more inclusive and more connected.

Minister for Disability, Carers and Community Services, Suzanne Orr, acknowledged the extraordinary contributions of volunteers across the ACT and encouraged Canberrans to explore the many ways they can get involved.

“We’re lucky to have many committed volunteers here in the ACT: three out of four Canberrans aged over 15 years volunteer in our community, either formally or informally,” Minister Orr said.

“From helping people in crisis to supporting environmental and animal welfare, Canberra’s volunteers are the quiet achievers who bring compassion, resilience and hope to our community.”

One of those volunteers is Manar Ahmad, co-founder of HelpingACT, which provides food, clothing and essential services to people in need.

“My life is richer because of volunteering. Despite the hours, I don’t see it as a cost – it’s brought me into contact with wonderful people and stretched my capabilities,” Mr Ahmad said.

“If you’re nervous, start small. Then go deeper as your confidence grows.”

Madison (Casey) Barancewicz, recipient of the 2024 ACT Young Volunteer of the Year Award, volunteers with the National Arboretum, MIEACT, and WaterWatch.

“Volunteering has taught me to take initiative – and it gives me hope. You’re giving your time to something meaningful. It helps you. It helps others. It helps the world.”

Christine Johnston, a long-serving volunteer with Victim Support ACT, offers vital assistance to victims navigating the criminal justice system.

“When someone’s anxious or overwhelmed, just being there matters. I enjoy helping others, and it’s also helped me feel connected since moving to Canberra.”

Adrian Manning, who volunteers with the ACT State Emergency Service, highlighted the dual personal and professional rewards of volunteering.

“Not only do I get to help my community, but I’ve learned new skills that have benefited me in my work life as well.”

For Pearl Ansley, volunteering with Domestic Animal Services is a joyful part of her routine.

“It’s the best way to start the day – walking the dogs through the bush trail, surrounded by nature and sunshine. The dogs love it, and I do too.”

CEO of VolunteeringACT, Jean Giese, reflected on the power of collective action, “National Volunteer Week is a time to say thank you to the incredible individuals who give their time so generously.

“Canberrans contribute around 63 million hours of volunteering each year. According to the ACT State of Volunteering Report, 61% of people volunteer to help others. Their contributions strengthen the social fabric of our community and help create a kinder, more inclusive region. To all past, current, and future volunteers – thank you.”

The ACT Government, in partnership with VolunteeringACT, is implementing the ACT Volunteering Strategy 2024–2034, which focuses on strengthening the sector by enhancing the volunteer experience, improving recognition, and building better connections across government and the community.

To find out more about volunteer opportunities in Canberra, visit: www.volunteeringact.org.au

– Statement ends –

Suzanne Orr, MLA | Media Releases

«ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

The keys to the light tanker were handed over to an excited brigade on Sunday, 18 May.   

Captain of Raglan Fire Brigade Adin Gillingham said the new tanker would significantly improve the brigades performance, allowing them to better respond to incidents and keep their community safe.  

“It is great to receive any new piece of equipment,” he said. 

“It will certainly make things more comfortable for our members and I believe this new model is perfectly suited to the needs of our brigade.  

“It has exceeded our expectations and really allows us to get up into houses around the bush. It really is state of the art equipment.”  

Acting Deputy Chief officer for the West Region Graeme Armstrong said it was great to see another brigade receive the vehicle they need to continue providing the best service to their community.   

“Raglan and surrounding areas will benefit greatly from this tanker,” he said.   

“The tanker comes equipped with up-to-date safety features and will also have new and updated firefighting equipment to assist with servicing the community in the best possible way as well as providing great safety for all our members.”  

The new light tanker’s low profile and 4×4 capability makes it easy to navigate through congested urban streets or rugged rural terrains.   

Safety remains paramount, with the crew cab equipped with advanced driver assist features and ample seating for four firefighters.  

Other additions include a protected crew operation platform, pump and roll capability, and a generous water carrying capacity of 2,000 litres, with 500 litres dedicated to crew protection. 

19 May 2025

New research shows that Australians care deeply about the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) – one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World – but 13% can’t tell you where it is located.

A social media survey canvassing Australians’ perceptions of the iconic tourism drawcard also revealed that while most people are aware of the threats facing the world’s largest coral reef, few can name many individual species inhabiting it.

The survey, conducted by University of South Australia (UniSA) researchers and recently published in Marine and Freshwater Research, underscores the need for a targeted public awareness campaign to address knowledge gaps about the fragile ecosystem, according to lead author Jarrah Taylor.

The UniSA environmental science master’s student says that 113 Australians recruited via social media were asked four open-ended questions about the Great Barrier Reef, including where it was located, what species lived in the reef, its importance to Australia, and the major threats facing it.

The survey’s key findings were:

• Most participants (86.72%) correctly named the Queensland coastline as the home of the Great Barrier Reef, but a small number (13%) were either unaware of the location or stated the wrong State.
• Participants commonly identified broad groups such as fish (37%), reptiles (12%) and corals (12%) occupying the GBR, and specific species like clownfish (3.9%), sea turtles and sharks (10%) were mentioned, but participants revealed limited knowledge of species at a more niche level.
• The GBR’s environmental importance was recognised, with 48% of survey respondents citing it as a crucial habitat for various species, 27% naming it as a natural wonder of the world, 44% mentioning it as a major tourism drawcard, and 9% aware of its importance to the Australian economy.
• Participants identified several threats, mostly caused by humans, including runoff, pollution and plastics (36%), climate change (33%), warming oceans (24%) and coral bleaching (34%). Of the 18 threats reported by participants, only three were naturogenic (crown-of-thorns starfish, natural disasters and sea urchins).

Taylor says it is not surprising that fish and coral topped the recognition list for marine life in the Great Barrier Reef.

“Images of both coral and fish have long been used in tourism campaigns dating back to the 1970s,” she says.

“We were not expecting participants to provide the scientific name for individual species, but we were interested to see if they could identify flora and fauna at a more niche level – for example reef sharks, manta rays, giant clams and potato cod. This was not the case.”

The most common specific species identified was the clownfish, most likely owing to media portrayals in Finding Nemo, a 2003 animated adventure film inspired by the Great Barrier Reef.

“This shows the power of digital media and popular culture in raising awareness of charismatic species, which can lead to conservation support,” Taylor says.

UniSA senior author Dr Brianna Le Busque says that only three species classified as endangered were identified by participants – the green turtle, staghorn coral, and the hammerhead shark – and fewer than 1% of respondents cited birds, despite the GBR supporting breeding populations of 20 seabird species.

“This finding highlights the need for more education of endangered and critically endangered species living in the Great Barrier Reef, which are under threat from human activities,” Dr Le Busque says.

“We know from a psychology perspective that people are more motivated to help conservation efforts if they feel personally connected to species and know more about them.

“The Great Barrier Reef supports more than 6000 different species and is the jewel in the crown of coral reefs worldwide. It is important to Australia environmentally, economically, culturally and scientifically, and we need to protect it for future generations.”

The researchers recommend expanding the study in future to include a larger, more representative sample of the Australian population. The current study comprised 70% women and 30% men, with participants from SA, Queensland, NSW and Victoria.

“Australians perceptions of species diversity of, and threats to, the Great Barrier Reef” is authored by University of South Australia researchers Jarrah Taylor, Associate Professor Carla Litchfield and Dr Brianna Le Busque. DOI: 10.1071/MF24109

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Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

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