Media Release

Singer Paul Kelly Announces two eight two eight as Australia's Community Idol 2007

two eight two eight, a community group from drought ravaged Gulargambone NSW (population 500 and postcode 2828) which turned a dilapidated main street shopfront into an award winning café, tourist information centre, gallery and craft retail outlet was named Australia's Community Idol for 2007 at the Communities in Control Conference in Melbourne on June 5.

Singer Paul Kelly and Westpac's Head of Marketing and Distribution, Rod Finch, made the announcement in front of 1500 conference-goers who had voted for two eight two eight against competitors from Bendigo and Perth in what has become a highlight of the community sector's biggest event for the year.

The group - which only today began interviewing for its first paid worker - has created jobs, training opportunities and a sense of pride in the small town north of Dubbo. It has become a central point for celebrations, social activities, movie nights, town meetings and even wakes.

Each of the three community groups - which were selected from 500 nominations - had 10 minutes on stage to convince the audience that they were worthy of the award before taking a question and answer session from the floor.

two eight two eight's volunteer co-ordinator Angela O'Brien was awarded the Idol trophy, a cheque from Westpac for $3000 and a suite of Our Community publications.

"It's amazing to think that our little group from Gulargambone can be recognised as the best community group in the land," she said. "This will inspire more hard work from the team back home - after a quiet celebration." The group has inspired other people to establish businesses in this previously dying town. More details at http://web.mac.com/gulargambone2828/iWeb/two.eight.two.eight/Welcome.html.

Rhonda Galbally, CEO of Our Community which co-convenes the event, was thrilled with this year's entries: "The passions of these groups - and the other 700,000 community groups around the country - is what makes them worthy of being declared idols. It's inspiring to see what a small group within a small town can do. This is a model for rural and regional Australia's ailing towns."

Now in its third year, the Westpac-supported competition has become a landmark on the Australian community calendar. The competition judges groups on participation, board performance, fundraising strength, community partnerships and advocacy. The other two finalists were:

Yirra Yaakin Aboriginal Corporation, a Perth-based indigenous theatre company, and Bendigo's United Cricket Club which offers teenagers with an intellectual disability the chance to train and play competition cricket with teenagers without a disability.