Gillard Government thanks quiet achievers on Australia Day
Minister for Human Services
Minister for Social Inclusion
Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
26 January 2011
Minister for Social Inclusion Tanya Plibersek has marked Australia Day by thanking thousands of volunteers for their remarkable flood relief and recovery efforts, which continue across much of eastern Australia.
“On behalf of the Gillard Government, I would like to thank volunteers who have rolled their sleeves up and picked up a shovel – to start helping flood affected people back to their feet,” said Mr Plibersek.
Ms Plibersek said Volunteering Queensland had received some 70,000 inquires from people wanting to join the clean up effort, some from as far afield as Poland.
“On January 14, at the height of the disaster, volunteers at Lifeline took 1,600 calls from distressed Queenslanders, the most ever in one day for the organisation.”
“The Australian Red Cross has been assisting since the first evacuation centre opened in December, with around 3,000 volunteers deployed to Queensland and Victorian disaster areas.”
Ms Plibersek said the spirit of mateship and the belief in putting others before ourselves were part of what we celebrate on Australia Day.
“In the face of great adversity and hardship, it is heartening to know that Australians have an unwavering ability to pull together and meet the challenges that confront them.”
Ms Plibersek said the volunteers who have been working together in the floods clean up were part of an army who go about helping people across Australia every week.
“Volunteers contribute more than 700 million hours of unpaid work each year to their communities, valued in monetary terms at $15 billion each year,” she said.
As the United Nations celebrates the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers, Ms Plibersek said the Gillard Government is working to acknowledge the important role volunteers play in the community.
“This year we will deliver a National Volunteering Strategy, providing vision and guidance on the future of volunteering in this country.”
A volunteering advisory group has been established to begin work on the strategy and will hold its first meeting next month, she said.
Media contact: Simon Crittle ( Minister Plibersek’s office) 0466 773 531