Neighbourhood spirit on the rise in WA
25/11/2008
Many Western Australians appear to be making a greater effort to get to know their neighbours, according to the latest SGIO Neighbourhood Survey.
Many Western Australians appear to be making a greater effort to get to know their neighbours, according to the latest SGIO Neighbourhood Survey.
The 2008 survey has revealed 65 per cent of city residents say they know all or most of their neighbours’ first names, up from 57 per cent in 2007.
Country WA people continue to lead the way with 71 per cent of people surveyed professing to know all or most of their neighbours first names, up from 59 per cent in 2007.
SGIO State Manager Colin Tierney said there were many benefits in getting to know the neighbours, including building a sense of community and improving neighbourhood security.
With many people planning to go away over Christmas, it pays to have trusted neighbours to keep an eye on your house, as nicer neighbours are bad news for burglars," he said.
Of Perth residents surveyed, 90 per cent say they would willingly keep an eye on their neighbours home if they were away and 69 per cent say they are happy to collect the mail.
Only eight per cent of Perth residents in the survey say they do not know any of their neighbours first names, compared to 13 per cent in 2007.
Fewer city-dwellers appear to be living in total isolation from their neighbours and many will benefit from the greater sense of community and security that this can bring, Mr Tierney said.
SGIO suggests these tips to help deter burglars:
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Lock the house every time you go out;
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If going on holidays, ask a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your house and collect mail and newspapers;
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Don’t leave packaging for expensive items out front or in the driveway;
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Keep your home looking lived in with open blinds and timer switches on lights;
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Never leave a message on your answering machine saying you are not home;
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Mark your driver’s licence number and state on the back of all electronic valuables;
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Keep your car keys somewhere safe as home burglars will steal a car if the opportunity presents; and
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Secure garages and garden sheds and remove valuables from your garden.
SGIO Neighbourhood Survey 2008*
According to the research, the most frequent road rage actions towards other drivers included:
| Question | Perth | WA Country |
|---|---|---|
| Keep an eye on home (+/-) from 2007 |
90% (+4%) |
85% (-3%) |
| Put bin out/take it in (+/-) from 2007 |
67% (0%) |
71% (+9%) |
| Collect mail (+/-) from 2007 |
69% (+2%) |
55% (-7%) |
| Collect newspapers (+/-) from 2007 |
57% (-4%) |
46% (-10%) |
| Water/tend to plants (+/-) from 2007 |
50% (+41%) |
62% (+58%) |
| Feed pets (+/-) from 2007 |
49% (-12%) |
50% (-12%) |
| Make home look lived in (+/-) from 2007 |
33% (+1%) |
50% (+21%) |
| Mow lawn (+/-) from 2007 |
21% (+11%) |
24% (+11%) |
| Know all/most first names (+/-) from 2007 |
65% (+8%) |
71% (+12%) |
| Know no first names (+/-) from 2007 |
8% (-5%) |
10% (-5%) |
*Woolcott Research, commissioned by SGIO in August 2008.