THE recent cranking up of the Kings Square redevelopment has Fremantle Citizen’s Advice Bureau concerned for its future.

The not-for-profit service currently operates from a poky room on Queen Street, which the volunteers say will get swallowed up by the redevelopment.

“It would just be another service that disappears from Fremantle,” says volunteer Opal Van Niekerk.

The group says their room isn’t ideal anyway, as it’s too small for soundproof partitioning, which is important for giving confidential advice.

• Citizen’s Advice Bureau volunteers Margaret Marrone, Denise Tomizee, Opal Van Niekerk, and Barbara Smith hope CAB is able to move into a nicer space after 50 years of serving the Fremantle community. Photo by Trilokesh Chanmugam

“It’s really not ideal…we’re supposed to have a room where the client’s privacy is preserved”, says volunteer Margaret Marrone.

The CAB is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and last Thursday Fremantle MP Simone McGurk sang its praises to parliament.

“[The volunteers] commit to a regular stint, train themselves and challenge themselves, and are motivated by helping people who just need a hand…” Ms McGurk said.

“If it can secure visible and accessible accommodation, I have no doubt that the Fremantle Citizens Advice Bureau will be celebrating its next 50-year anniversary in due time.”

The first Citizen’s Advice Bureau was created in England after WW2 to deal with problems like lost ration books, evacuations, missing relatives, and prisoners of war.

by TRILOKESH CHANMUGAM