Redbank Plains Community Centre Social Impact Report 2022

During the focus group session there was some discussion that this study was in its final phase. Whilst there was recognition for how this research has to date been used to inform initiatives aligned with community need e.g. Centre programming (such as a volunteer led women’s walking group introduced in response to community safety concerns) participants also expressed frustration with the pace at which feedback was acted on and that local issues were addressed. From the group’s review of the survey results around local challenges participants suggested the development of a matrix that cross matches identified local challenges with key stakeholders important to potential advocacy initiatives, and advancement towards collective local area

solutions. The group discussed key stakeholders as likely to include different levels of government (local, state and federal) and authoritative agencies in particular sectors. Throughout this study, different respondent cohorts have consistently identified crime, limited public transport, financial pressures, racism and pressures of rapid growth amongst the top five local community challenges. Population estimates suggest that in the ten years 2011 to 2020, on average 1,024 new residents (or dependent on year, between 762 and 1,450 new residents) have moved into the suburb each year (.id profile, 2021). Crime and limited public transport have been most reported as local concerns that the following data places in further context.

Crime Discussion in the most recent focus group session elaborated on survey results and conveyed a perceived disparity between the suburb’s population size (estimated at 24,166 residents at 30 June 2020, .id profile, 2021) and local access to particular services or quick response mechanisms. In particular, access to a dedicated police station was suggested to be disproportionately lacking in the local area.

Queensland Police Service data indicates that the total rate of reported offences for the 2020– 2021 financial year was higher in Redbank Plains compared with the Ipswich local government area and Queensland (respectively total rates of 9,740, 9,690 and 9,154 per 100,000 persons). In Redbank Plains, of the total rate of reported offences, offences against ‘person’ and ‘property’ were higher, whilst ‘other’ offences were lower, than Ipswich and Queensland (QGSO 2021).

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