Volunteer JPs at the 12 public Signing Centres managed by the ACT Justices of the Peace Association helped 9,100 people and witnessed 40,000 documents during 2016-17 – an average of 175 people and 760 signatures each week. (This doesn’t include the sensational efforts of the JP volunteers working with the ACT Police.)
Our busiest Signing Centre is at the Canberra Magistrates Court – no great surprise as they are open five days a week. But the team at the Gungahlin village are not that far behind, an amazing feat given the Gungahlin Signing Centre operates for three hours each week, against 15 hours at the Court. Our services at the the Canberra and Calvary Hospitals are popular and ACT Libraries, now host to six Signing Centres, continue to provide fantastic support in a friendly community space. The major shopping centres at Tuggeranong, Cooleman court and Gungahlin are likewise supporting us well.
The most common service provided, by far, is certifying true copies of original documents, with administering statutory declarations and witnessing signatures vying for second place. Our volunteers at the hospitals are most likely to witness an Enduring Power of Attorney.
Our thanks and congratulations go to all the volunteer JPs at our Signing Centres. You truly are providing a needed and most welcome service. Without you, how or where would members of the public have their needs met – and at what cost?
Give yourselves a pat on the back!