REVEALED: What WA residents want upgraded in their suburbs
New data from community reporting app Snap Send Solve has revealed what's most important to WA residents when it comes to local government.
The first-of-its-kind satisfaction survey, drawn from tens of thousands of app users, shows though WA councils top the country for performance, residents still have plenty of concerns — from bin collection and traffic congestion to untidy public spaces and crumbling footpaths.
Parks and gardens topped the wishlist for improvements, followed closely by cycling and walking infrastructure, parking headaches, and graffiti clean-ups.
More than 75,000 Australians took part in the survey, with Snap Send Solve gathering data based on reports sent to 125 of WA's 137 local councils over the past year.
In WA alone, the most common issues flagged were rubbish and bins, parking problems, abandoned shopping trolleys, park and council facility concerns, and tree maintenance.
Despite the volume of complaints, WA came out on top nationally, with councils here receiving an average satisfaction rating of 62.7 per cent — just above the national average of 61.2 per cent.
The standout performer? The City of Mandurah, which took the top spot nationwide. Cockburn, Gosnells, Stirling and Joondalup also ranked in the top 10, meaning WA made up half of the country's best-rated councils.
'We have relationships with lots of councils in WA and I think they're absolutely providing a great service to the community,' Snap Send Solve founder Danny Gorog said.
'I think the councils are smaller by population and that means it's a bit more personal. I guess I'm not surprised.
'If I compare driving around the suburbs of Perth to the suburbs in Sydney or Melbourne, you can tell that it's neater.'
Mr Gorog, who launched the app 15 years ago after a frustrating trip to the local park with his son, said the idea came from a simple question.
'At the time I had a young son and I took him to a local playground around the corner from where I lived,' he said.
'He loved going on the swing. I got to the park and the chain on the swing was broken and he just started to cry and have a tantrum.
'I looked around and I was like, how do I get this fixed? And so that was the genesis of the idea.'
Since then, the app has handled hundreds of thousands of reports — and in WA, nine in 10 reports were marked as solved last year.
The results suggest local governments are listening — but the message from the community is clear: clean up the streets, maintain the parks, and make it safer and easier to walk and cycle around town.
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People know everyone and if something happens in this town, everybody knows and sometimes it can be a good thing and a bad thing but for me it's easier to connect with people. What inspires you? To start with it was my mum and dad, they're very caring people, it's just part of their personality. I have seen them looking after their parents, and back home (in Nepal) we don't have a nursing home, so there's no age you reach where you go to a nursing home. We all stay in one house and then we look after them, and then they pass away. That's how I've seen it, and what my parents have done for their parents and that's so inspiring. Otherwise, it's people who inspire me. The people I work with and helping add to the quality of their life, and making sure they are safe, so that inspires me. What is your greatest achievement? I think the person I have become is my greatest achievement. 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But here, it's more about the people, the community, and you can connect with people. People know everyone and if something happens in this town, everybody knows and sometimes it can be a good thing and a bad thing but for me it's easier to connect with people. What inspires you? To start with it was my mum and dad, they're very caring people, it's just part of their personality. I have seen them looking after their parents, and back home (in Nepal) we don't have a nursing home, so there's no age you reach where you go to a nursing home. We all stay in one house and then we look after them, and then they pass away. That's how I've seen it, and what my parents have done for their parents and that's so inspiring. Otherwise, it's people who inspire me. The people I work with and helping add to the quality of their life, and making sure they are safe, so that inspires me. What is your greatest achievement? I think the person I have become is my greatest achievement. 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What's something you're working on improving? Every day, I am trying to improve myself so that I can be better for the community. I try to make sure I do the right thing every day, but I want to enhance myself because I don't want to limit myself on what I'm doing, because that doesn't grow you. I want to make sure I'm up to date on things so that clients are getting the best version of what they need to get. Sometimes it's as simple as being up to date on the best can opener, but it can be more than that. You need to stay on top of legislation that is changing so you're giving correct advice, because you don't want to give people incorrect information, especially when I'm doing their budget and dealing with money. I think you never stop learning; there's always something to learn. What's the best advice you've ever received? To listen, then to react, because sometimes we react too quickly, and sometimes you have to just listen, wait and then respond. 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But here, it's more about the people, the community, and you can connect with people. People know everyone and if something happens in this town, everybody knows and sometimes it can be a good thing and a bad thing but for me it's easier to connect with people. What inspires you? To start with it was my mum and dad, they're very caring people, it's just part of their personality. I have seen them looking after their parents, and back home (in Nepal) we don't have a nursing home, so there's no age you reach where you go to a nursing home. We all stay in one house and then we look after them, and then they pass away. That's how I've seen it, and what my parents have done for their parents and that's so inspiring. Otherwise, it's people who inspire me. The people I work with and helping add to the quality of their life, and making sure they are safe, so that inspires me. What is your greatest achievement? I think the person I have become is my greatest achievement. I probably had the misconception before coming into the [aged care] industry that it was just showering people but when I got into it, it was completely different. You are helping people, but then you are adding to their quality of life. When you are connecting with people, that affects your life and has really added value to my life as well, because I'm more caring by nature now. I look back, and 10 years ago, I was a different person, and it's just because of people and what they've given me. I remember day three of being in Australia, and I was working as wait staff, and they handed me a pamphlet, and all I had to say was that we had a 20 per cent discount on all our food items, and I couldn't even speak a word, and I felt like running away. But now, doing this, I can easily go in for a conversation with my client and not even realise an hour has passed. I can look back and think that version of me would be so proud of how far she's come. 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I probably had the misconception before coming into the [aged care] industry that it was just showering people but when I got into it, it was completely different. You are helping people, but then you are adding to their quality of life. When you are connecting with people, that affects your life and has really added value to my life as well, because I'm more caring by nature now. I look back, and 10 years ago, I was a different person, and it's just because of people and what they've given me. I remember day three of being in Australia, and I was working as wait staff, and they handed me a pamphlet, and all I had to say was that we had a 20 per cent discount on all our food items, and I couldn't even speak a word, and I felt like running away. But now, doing this, I can easily go in for a conversation with my client and not even realise an hour has passed. I can look back and think that version of me would be so proud of how far she's come. 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SBS Australia
a day ago
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Independent news and stories connecting you to life in Australia and Korean-speaking Australians. Ease into the English language and Australian culture. We make learning English convenient, fun and practical.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
'People see injustice': fight goes on for Vietnam vets
Australians who fought in Vietnam have been acknowledged at ceremonies around the nation to mark the 59th anniversary of the costliest battle of the contentious conflict. The end of the Vietnam War, Australia's longest military engagement of the 20th century, was commemorated on Monday, the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966. Services throughout Australia included a major gathering of servicemen and women in Sydney's Martin Place. But for many a different battle drags on. Bernie Cox attended in Sydney and told AAP people had gained a greater appreciation for what veterans of the conflict faced. "People can see the injustice of the whole thing," he said. After being conscripted to serve in Vietnam, he faced "animosity" attending university after he returned home. "Even some of those people now would say that was a bit unfair," he said. Relatives of Mr Cox served in World War I and World War II. "I just thought that's what Aussie kids did, join the army ... it's normal," he said. He found out that wasn't necessarily the case after being conscripted. "I got a bit of a shock, it wasn't such a great adventure in the end." Having not always felt fully recognised, 2500 Australians excluded from receiving the Vietnam Campaign Medal continue their struggle to be acknowledged despite increasing public awareness of what veterans went through. The Vietnam Veterans Association and the RSL are calling on the federal government to award the honour to the contingent, who were among 60,000 Australians to serve in the conflict between 1962 and 1975, but remain without acknowledgement because of a technicality. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. Navy veteran Bob Braithwaite finally received his medal last week after multiple applications and rejections. After joining up as a teenager, he served 120 days in Vietnam before having to return because of injury. "It's very hard, very hard," Mr Braithwaite told AAP from his home in Adelaide in the lead-up to Vietnam Veterans' Day. "You weren't recognised as a full veteran in my books ... you could say it felt like being a car with only three wheels." Conscripted into service and sent to fight in a deeply unpopular war, the veterans awaiting recognition completed at least 60 days in-country, serving under harrowing conditions. Because their national service obligations ended before they reached the 181-day threshold, they were sent home and denied the campaign medal - and the recognition and respect many of their comrades received. Made to feel like they had not done enough, some were labelled "short-timers" and have since carried the burden. Mr Braithwaite takes medication for PTSD and undergoes a twice-yearly psychological check-up. "You'd go to a hotel on Anzac Day to have lunch and celebrate with your wife and a couple of close friends and the guys with the full medals would kind of look at you a bit funny, and you'd think, 'oh, OK, I haven't finished the process to become a full veteran'. "But the stigma has slowly worn off ... and we seem - the older we get, the fewer we get - to get more appreciation for what we've done." Christopher Anderson said some of his fellow veterans felt more closely aligned with Vietnam Veterans Day than other memorial days such as Anzac Day. "It is still an experience that is close to the hearts of those who participated," he said. "Many of us lost good friends." The broader community and RSL failed to treat veterans well or welcome Vietnam vets when they returned. Then-RSL NSW president Ray James, a veteran of the Vietnam War, was among those to deliver a formal apology on Vietnam Veterans Day in 2023. Some 3000 Australians were wounded throughout the conflict and 524 died during or as a result of their service in Vietnam. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Australians who fought in Vietnam have been acknowledged at ceremonies around the nation to mark the 59th anniversary of the costliest battle of the contentious conflict. The end of the Vietnam War, Australia's longest military engagement of the 20th century, was commemorated on Monday, the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966. Services throughout Australia included a major gathering of servicemen and women in Sydney's Martin Place. But for many a different battle drags on. Bernie Cox attended in Sydney and told AAP people had gained a greater appreciation for what veterans of the conflict faced. "People can see the injustice of the whole thing," he said. After being conscripted to serve in Vietnam, he faced "animosity" attending university after he returned home. "Even some of those people now would say that was a bit unfair," he said. Relatives of Mr Cox served in World War I and World War II. "I just thought that's what Aussie kids did, join the army ... it's normal," he said. He found out that wasn't necessarily the case after being conscripted. "I got a bit of a shock, it wasn't such a great adventure in the end." Having not always felt fully recognised, 2500 Australians excluded from receiving the Vietnam Campaign Medal continue their struggle to be acknowledged despite increasing public awareness of what veterans went through. The Vietnam Veterans Association and the RSL are calling on the federal government to award the honour to the contingent, who were among 60,000 Australians to serve in the conflict between 1962 and 1975, but remain without acknowledgement because of a technicality. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. Navy veteran Bob Braithwaite finally received his medal last week after multiple applications and rejections. After joining up as a teenager, he served 120 days in Vietnam before having to return because of injury. "It's very hard, very hard," Mr Braithwaite told AAP from his home in Adelaide in the lead-up to Vietnam Veterans' Day. "You weren't recognised as a full veteran in my books ... you could say it felt like being a car with only three wheels." Conscripted into service and sent to fight in a deeply unpopular war, the veterans awaiting recognition completed at least 60 days in-country, serving under harrowing conditions. Because their national service obligations ended before they reached the 181-day threshold, they were sent home and denied the campaign medal - and the recognition and respect many of their comrades received. Made to feel like they had not done enough, some were labelled "short-timers" and have since carried the burden. Mr Braithwaite takes medication for PTSD and undergoes a twice-yearly psychological check-up. "You'd go to a hotel on Anzac Day to have lunch and celebrate with your wife and a couple of close friends and the guys with the full medals would kind of look at you a bit funny, and you'd think, 'oh, OK, I haven't finished the process to become a full veteran'. "But the stigma has slowly worn off ... and we seem - the older we get, the fewer we get - to get more appreciation for what we've done." Christopher Anderson said some of his fellow veterans felt more closely aligned with Vietnam Veterans Day than other memorial days such as Anzac Day. "It is still an experience that is close to the hearts of those who participated," he said. "Many of us lost good friends." The broader community and RSL failed to treat veterans well or welcome Vietnam vets when they returned. Then-RSL NSW president Ray James, a veteran of the Vietnam War, was among those to deliver a formal apology on Vietnam Veterans Day in 2023. Some 3000 Australians were wounded throughout the conflict and 524 died during or as a result of their service in Vietnam. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Australians who fought in Vietnam have been acknowledged at ceremonies around the nation to mark the 59th anniversary of the costliest battle of the contentious conflict. The end of the Vietnam War, Australia's longest military engagement of the 20th century, was commemorated on Monday, the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966. Services throughout Australia included a major gathering of servicemen and women in Sydney's Martin Place. But for many a different battle drags on. Bernie Cox attended in Sydney and told AAP people had gained a greater appreciation for what veterans of the conflict faced. "People can see the injustice of the whole thing," he said. After being conscripted to serve in Vietnam, he faced "animosity" attending university after he returned home. "Even some of those people now would say that was a bit unfair," he said. Relatives of Mr Cox served in World War I and World War II. "I just thought that's what Aussie kids did, join the army ... it's normal," he said. He found out that wasn't necessarily the case after being conscripted. "I got a bit of a shock, it wasn't such a great adventure in the end." Having not always felt fully recognised, 2500 Australians excluded from receiving the Vietnam Campaign Medal continue their struggle to be acknowledged despite increasing public awareness of what veterans went through. The Vietnam Veterans Association and the RSL are calling on the federal government to award the honour to the contingent, who were among 60,000 Australians to serve in the conflict between 1962 and 1975, but remain without acknowledgement because of a technicality. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. Navy veteran Bob Braithwaite finally received his medal last week after multiple applications and rejections. After joining up as a teenager, he served 120 days in Vietnam before having to return because of injury. "It's very hard, very hard," Mr Braithwaite told AAP from his home in Adelaide in the lead-up to Vietnam Veterans' Day. "You weren't recognised as a full veteran in my books ... you could say it felt like being a car with only three wheels." Conscripted into service and sent to fight in a deeply unpopular war, the veterans awaiting recognition completed at least 60 days in-country, serving under harrowing conditions. Because their national service obligations ended before they reached the 181-day threshold, they were sent home and denied the campaign medal - and the recognition and respect many of their comrades received. Made to feel like they had not done enough, some were labelled "short-timers" and have since carried the burden. Mr Braithwaite takes medication for PTSD and undergoes a twice-yearly psychological check-up. "You'd go to a hotel on Anzac Day to have lunch and celebrate with your wife and a couple of close friends and the guys with the full medals would kind of look at you a bit funny, and you'd think, 'oh, OK, I haven't finished the process to become a full veteran'. "But the stigma has slowly worn off ... and we seem - the older we get, the fewer we get - to get more appreciation for what we've done." Christopher Anderson said some of his fellow veterans felt more closely aligned with Vietnam Veterans Day than other memorial days such as Anzac Day. "It is still an experience that is close to the hearts of those who participated," he said. "Many of us lost good friends." The broader community and RSL failed to treat veterans well or welcome Vietnam vets when they returned. Then-RSL NSW president Ray James, a veteran of the Vietnam War, was among those to deliver a formal apology on Vietnam Veterans Day in 2023. Some 3000 Australians were wounded throughout the conflict and 524 died during or as a result of their service in Vietnam. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Australians who fought in Vietnam have been acknowledged at ceremonies around the nation to mark the 59th anniversary of the costliest battle of the contentious conflict. The end of the Vietnam War, Australia's longest military engagement of the 20th century, was commemorated on Monday, the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966. Services throughout Australia included a major gathering of servicemen and women in Sydney's Martin Place. But for many a different battle drags on. Bernie Cox attended in Sydney and told AAP people had gained a greater appreciation for what veterans of the conflict faced. "People can see the injustice of the whole thing," he said. After being conscripted to serve in Vietnam, he faced "animosity" attending university after he returned home. "Even some of those people now would say that was a bit unfair," he said. Relatives of Mr Cox served in World War I and World War II. "I just thought that's what Aussie kids did, join the army ... it's normal," he said. He found out that wasn't necessarily the case after being conscripted. "I got a bit of a shock, it wasn't such a great adventure in the end." Having not always felt fully recognised, 2500 Australians excluded from receiving the Vietnam Campaign Medal continue their struggle to be acknowledged despite increasing public awareness of what veterans went through. The Vietnam Veterans Association and the RSL are calling on the federal government to award the honour to the contingent, who were among 60,000 Australians to serve in the conflict between 1962 and 1975, but remain without acknowledgement because of a technicality. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. Navy veteran Bob Braithwaite finally received his medal last week after multiple applications and rejections. After joining up as a teenager, he served 120 days in Vietnam before having to return because of injury. "It's very hard, very hard," Mr Braithwaite told AAP from his home in Adelaide in the lead-up to Vietnam Veterans' Day. "You weren't recognised as a full veteran in my books ... you could say it felt like being a car with only three wheels." Conscripted into service and sent to fight in a deeply unpopular war, the veterans awaiting recognition completed at least 60 days in-country, serving under harrowing conditions. Because their national service obligations ended before they reached the 181-day threshold, they were sent home and denied the campaign medal - and the recognition and respect many of their comrades received. Made to feel like they had not done enough, some were labelled "short-timers" and have since carried the burden. Mr Braithwaite takes medication for PTSD and undergoes a twice-yearly psychological check-up. "You'd go to a hotel on Anzac Day to have lunch and celebrate with your wife and a couple of close friends and the guys with the full medals would kind of look at you a bit funny, and you'd think, 'oh, OK, I haven't finished the process to become a full veteran'. "But the stigma has slowly worn off ... and we seem - the older we get, the fewer we get - to get more appreciation for what we've done." Christopher Anderson said some of his fellow veterans felt more closely aligned with Vietnam Veterans Day than other memorial days such as Anzac Day. "It is still an experience that is close to the hearts of those who participated," he said. "Many of us lost good friends." The broader community and RSL failed to treat veterans well or welcome Vietnam vets when they returned. Then-RSL NSW president Ray James, a veteran of the Vietnam War, was among those to deliver a formal apology on Vietnam Veterans Day in 2023. Some 3000 Australians were wounded throughout the conflict and 524 died during or as a result of their service in Vietnam. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046
