Media Release

Sport, arts and business community groups from NSW, Victoria and WA make Australian Community Idol final

Just three finalists remain in Australia's Community Idol competition for 2007. The competition is a highlight of the Communities in Control Conference and uses an idol format in which the three finalists have 10 minutes each to convince 1300 people that they alone deserve idol status. The competition judges groups on participation, board performance, fundraising strength and advocacy. Five hundred nominated groups have been reduced to three finalists:

Yirra Yaakin Aboriginal Corporation: Perth-based indigenous theatre company; with an agenda extending beyond the stage. Yirra Yaakin runs more than 100 workshops a year for indigenous and non-indigenous youth and aims to reconcile the two cultures. The group creates jobs for indigenous Australians at stages in the creative process from performance to backstage. www.yirrayaakin.asn.au.

United Cricket Club: This Bendigo-based cricket club offers teenagers with an intellectual disability the chance to train and play competition cricket with teenagers without a disability. Integration in sport, particularly at a competitive level, is rare. The club is over 150 years old and a local institution.

two eight two eight: a community-based venture in the drought-ravaged town of Gulargambone (population 500) aiming to regenerate the town. Two eight two eight (named after the local postcode) renovated a dilapidated building and turned it into a tourist information centre, award winning café, art gallery and giftshop selling local produce creating a showcase for the area and local jobs. http://web.mac.com/gulargambone2828/iWeb/two.eight.two.eight/Welcome.html.

"These finalists are based around arts, sport and business - but they have one thing in common - they give a damn about community," says Dr Rhonda Galbally, CEO of Our Community which organises the award and co-convenes the conference. "Lifting them to idol status inspires other groups to take charge of their local future."

The three finalists will play off on the opening day of the Communities In Control Conference in Melbourne on Monday, June 4. Competitors strut their stuff in front of 1500 conference-goers from across the country, who then vote for the winner. The winner receives $3000 from Westpac (the supporter of the Idol campaign), the Idol trophy, a range of Our Community services and publications, along with priceless Community Idol status.

Adds Dr Galbally: "There won't be any spin-off CDs but this is the idol competition that drives community change."

The third Australian Community Idol competition is part of the Communities In Control Conference held at Melbourne's Moonee Valley Racecourse June 4 and 5. It is the biggest community sector event of 2007. For more visit: www.ourcommunity.com.au/cic.