EACH year, an Australian is reported missing every 15 minutes. In many cases, they are under 18. 

During National Missing Persons Week, Young Australians are being urged to let someone know where they are.

Federal and State police launched this year’s campaign, which runs from July 29 to August 4, with the theme ”Take the Time to Let Someone Know”, encouraging young people to let someone know their whereabouts.

Superintendent Kylie Flower, of traffic operations, said many cases reported to police are often as simple as young people forgetting to tell their families when their plans had changed.

Of the 35,000 people reported missing in Australia each year, approximately 20,000 are young people.

In the ACT, seven people remain missing. Between 1974 and 2008, Canberra’s Kate Alexander, Megan Mulquiney, Elizabeth Herfort, Odette Houghton, Amelia Hausia, Benjamin Wells and Laura Haworth went missing.

They were remembered at a church service hosted by ACT Policing on the weekend to mark the official start of Missing Persons Week.

Superintendent Flower said there are misconceptions about reporting cases to police.

“Research shows that many people believe they must wait 24 hours before they can report someone missing,” she said.

“This is not the case, and ACT Policing is urging the reporting of a missing person as soon as family or a loved one becomes concerned for their welfare.”