Refugee welcome zone decision a delight
IT was with great delight that I read of the Northern Grampians Shire Council’s decision to join our neighbours Ararat Rural City Council and Horsham Rural City Council in becoming a refugee welcome zone.
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The Refugee Council of Australia notes that signing the aforementioned declaration can foster harmony and social cohesion in the community, promote appreciation of cultural diversity and, importantly, take a strong stand against racism and discrimination.
With three months now having passed since the council declared their intention I am wondering why we are still not included on the list of Victorian councils which have demonstrated their commitment in spirit to welcoming refugees in the same way that we would typically welcome any other new arrival.
The motion was passed six votes to one.
If the council is concerned about community opinion, surely this would be an excellent time to start a conversation about the benefits of welcoming refugees to the region.
There are many examples of the positive contributions made to Australia by refugees in the fields of medicine, science, engineering, sport and the arts.
For the economic benefits refugees can bring to rural areas in particular we need look no further than Nhill, where the refugee population has stimulated economic growth with increased need for goods and services and the creation of new employment opportunities.
There are a lot of myths still circulating about the costs and negative impact of migration.
Yet the positive economic, social and cultural contribution of the 800,000 refugees who have settled in Australia since 1901 should not be underestimated.
I urge the Northern Grampians Shire Council to demonstrate compassion and benevolence by honouring their commitment to supporting the principles contained in the refugee welcome zone declaration.
CORRINE LEAHY
Stawell
Life Saving stickers to prevent pedestrian deaths
AUSTRALIA is on track in 2016 to equal the number of pedestrian fatalities recorded in 2015, which grew for the third consecutive year.
The Australian Road Safety Federation has extended an initiative it hopes will reverse the statistics and start to see a decline in the number of deaths and injuries.
Wimmera residents are being urged to help make streets safer by applying Life Saving stickers to their yellow and red wheelie bins.
The large stickers, which feature life-size images of children stepping towards the road and speed limit signs, are designed to provide a strong visual road safety reminder to motorists.
The images are based on research, which found that signs that depicted motion, resulted in faster reaction times and increased vigilance among would-be drivers, which could ultimately lead to faster stopping times.
Use of the stickers in other Australian states has seen more than 5000 distributed and applied to wheelie bins throughout the country.
So powerful is the campaign, some councils are buying them in bulk to make available to residents.
The federation now wants more residents in Victoria to get on board.
Between January and May this year, 67 pedestrians were killed on Australian roads.
If trends continue the number could reach or even exceed last year’s number of 165.
Drivers need to be sent a reminder that is visual and available to them when they are on the road.
The Life Saving sticker campaign provides a real-time reminder to motorists to reduce their speed.
If someone is exceeding the speed limit, we hope these stickers will prompt them to immediately slow down.
Even small changes in vehicle speed can have a dramatic impact on stopping distances.
Of the 67 pedestrians killed so far this year, seven were under 16 years of age.
We also know that the statistics show fatalities are higher on week days when over 82 per cent of this year’s fatalities have been recorded.
Victoria has recorded the second highest pedestrian fatality rate so far in 2016 accounting for more than 25 per cent of deaths.
These are just the fatality rates.
There have been many more injured and even left with life changing disabilities.
Our research tells us that for every fatality, there is between 20 and 30 injuries.
With the impact on families and friends, that’s thousands of lives shattered every year.
The Australian Road Safety Foundation launched the initiative in Queensland earlier this year as an education program.
It makes the life-size stickers available at cost, $10 each, plus postage.
Word has spread fast with orders coming from all over the country.
We are also seeing councils and corporate organisations purchasing the stickers in bulk to save their constituents or customers postage costs and encourage local use.
Residents interested in purchasing a sticker for their bin can contact the federation hotline on 1300 723 843 or email info@australianroadsafetyfoundation.com to arrange to purchase stickers.
For more information, people are encouraged to visit www.facebook.com/fatalityfreefriday
RUSSELL WHITE
CEO, Australian Road Safety Federation