Media Release

June 11, 2009

Eleven community groups from across Australia have emerged as winners from the Westpac Community Idol competition of 2009, having received a special commendation from the panel of expert community judges.

"We've had a record number of entries for Idol this year," says Rhonda Galbally AO, CEO of Our Community. "It's been a real struggle to take the hundreds of worthy community groups vying for Idol status and select the absolute cream of the crop that deserve special recognition."

The Westpac Community Idol is an annual competition recognising outstanding work by Australia's 700,000 community groups in fields as diverse as sport, environment, indigenous and literacy.

Groups can be large or small from anywhere in the country. Westpac Community Idol is part of the Communities in Control conference held in Melbourne each June. Idol finalists argue their credentials to a 'jury' of about 1500 conference attendees who vote on should take home the coveted Idol status and $6000 worth or cash and prizes from Westpac and Our Community.

The 11 highly commended groups are:

All of these groups have picked up a free ticket to this year's conference as well as a 12-month subscription to several prestigious fundraising and organisation-building newsletters.

The Communities in Control conference will be run from June 15-16, with the next Westpac Community Idol crowned on June 16.

COMMUNITY IDOL: www.ourcommunity.com.au/cic

CONFERENCE: Communities in Control 2009; Crisis, Catastrophe, Community: Rebuild Renew, Recharge

VENUE: Moonee Valley Racing Club, McPherson Street, Moonee Ponds, Victoria.

WHEN: Monday and Tuesday June 15 & 16, 2009.

CONFERENCE DETAILS: www.ourcommunity.com.au/cic

FURTHER INFORMATION: Phone (03) 9320 6800 or email to service@ourcommunity.com.au.