When a Mobile Service Centre drives into a rural or regional town, it provides a lifeline for communities that don’t have regular access to face to face government services. For Colin Hall, it marks the culmination of months of work by his team.
Colin, who works for the Department of Human Services, has managed the Mobile Service Centres since 2010. Today he received an Australia Day Achievement award from the department for his outstanding work and contribution to the Australian community.
“The whole team is doing something that makes a real difference,” Colin said.
“We see the results of our work, we see the impacts and we see the people who benefit from our work and appreciate it.”
Since Mobile Servicing began in 2006, Mobile Service Centres have visited more than five thousand communities and helped nearly 150,000 people around Australia. They also play a crucial role during emergencies. The Mobile Service Centres have helped people during 23 natural disasters, including the Victorian bushfires in 2009 and the flooding in Northern Queensland in early 2019.
The 20 tonne trucks, Golden Wattle and Desert Rose, are fully equipped with the latest technology. Staff who work in the trucks are able to provide exactly the same level of service as those working in traditional bricks and mortar service centres around Australia.
“People are grateful that we’re there and we can help them in their own communities,” Colin said.
“The modern trucks are like a billboard, people see them in the street and want to come in and have a look.”
Colin and his team have been working around the clock during the recent bushfire disaster. They started visiting bushfire affected communities in September, helping people during the recovery process.
“It’s a very demanding job especially during emergencies. We help people who are suffering and provide them with all the support we can,” Colin said.
“The crews work hard out on the ground, but our logistics team work just as hard behind the scenes to make sure everyone is where they need to be and that they are safe.”
He said he’s extremely proud of the work his team do.
“We can’t do anything without a great team. We just do it, we make things happen,” Colin said.
