Toowoomba Region, Queensland, has achieved international accreditation as an Australian Safe Community after the final assessment by the Australian Safe Communities Foundation.
Toowoomba Region joins six other nationally accredited Australian Safe Communities plus communities in New Zealand, Canada and the United States as part of the Pan Pacific Safe Communities Network.
Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor, Paul Antonio, said, “Gaining national accreditation will allow us to promote our community with more confidence as a destination for new businesses, migrants and international students.
The Mayor recognised the many community members, government organisations, not-for-profit groups and volunteers that worked with Council to make the Toowoomba Region a safe place to live, particularly the Safer Toowoomba Regional Partnerships (STRP).
Chairman of the STRP, Councillor Geoff McDonald, said Toowoomba Region’s bid for Safe Community accreditation had taken nearly three years.
He acknowledged the assistance of Toowoomba’s Sister City, Whanganui District Council, New Zealand, which is already an accredited Safe Community.
“One of the great benefits in this international Sister City relationship has been our ability to work with Whanganui to build our case during the accreditation.”
Secretary of the STRP, Geoff Holmes OAM, said Toowoomba Region’s accreditation had been built on the work of the community to build a culture of safety.
“We are also grateful to the many community groups and religious organisations that have contributed to our Safe Community application and they continue to help us with their commitment to the process.
“As an organisation the STRP has been working closely with Council through the application process for national accreditation and we have been very fortunate to obtain both financial and in-kind support through the application process.
“STRP encourages a culture of safety and peace through initiatives including crime prevention projects.
“This accreditation shows that our community as a whole are working with us to build safety as a community philosophy.”
