Opportunity for rural arts leaders
ASPIRING arts leaders living in regional and rural Australia are invited to apply for a new scholarship to further develop their leadership skills.The Australia Council Scholarship will provide $150,000 over the next three years for three high-performing regional arts leaders to participate in the Australian Rural Leadership Program.This scholarship will allow a high-performing arts administrator or manager working in regional Australia to participate in a program to further develop their management skills and build networks with other regional leaders. I encourage any arts leaders to apply.
Millions directed to road infrastructure
PROGRESS towards the construction of the Mackay Ring Road is on track with the announcement of close to $35 million in the Budget in 2015-16. In addition to this, more than $70 million will be invested into road infrastructure in the next financial year.
Budget provides jobs, economic boost for North
NORTHERN Australia is a big winner in tonight’s Budget with a massive boost of $5 billion of investment.This is addition to schemes to provide more pathways to jobs for people of all ages, but particularly youth, immediate benefits for small businesses, and more childcare options for families.Northern Australia can now step up to the plate to drive economic development and play a vital role in the nation’s path back to recovery with the announcement of a new $5 billion Northern Infrastructure Facility.
Reef is in recovery mode
THE health of the Great Barrier Reef is improving, and actions by the Liberal National Government should be given some of the credit.A report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) which is yet to be released showed that the reef was healthier in 2013-14 than in the previous year.This report card shows the Reef is recovering and getting healthier, and this shows that the Abbott government’s intervention measures are working.
Budget measures good for jobs & families
Families will find measures to make life easier, businesses will reap a tax cut and jobs will be created after the Liberal National Government’s Budget is handed down tomorrow.This Budget is about building jobs, growth and opportunities while still charting a path to debt reduction.A new Child Care Subsidy will be introduced from July 2017 which will mean families with incomes of between $65,000 and $170,000 will be around $30 a week better off.
Truth triumphs on state of reef
AN extreme green campaign of lies and misinformation on the state of the Great Barrier Reef claimed another high-profile scalp this week, I'm pleased to see that the truth had triumphed.A lot of people have been duped by this extreme green campaign which is loaded with lies, so it’s not surprising that Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson has fallen victim to this highly damaging deluge of misinformation.He fell for the fiction these green eco-traitors like to peddle, and has admitted that he’d been ill-informed.
Sandy Gully Bridge upgrade reaches new phase
Aurecon Australasia has been selected to commence the detailed design phase of the $57 million Sandy Gully Bridge upgrade project at Bowen.This particular section of the Bruce Highway is regularly closed during bad weather, which has a serious effect on locals, tourists and heavy vehicles travelling through the region.That includes freight operators shifting coal and agricultural produce to domestic and international markets, many of which are reliant on timeliness to remain competitive.
Boost for young sporting achievers
ALICIA Smith has a lifetime dream, and it’s about to be fulfilled even though she is just 12 years old.The Muay Thai martial artist has made it onto the Australian team to compete at the International Federation of Muay Thai Amateurs in Bangkok in August.I was happy to assist Alicia to pursue that dream by announcing that she is one of eight young sporting champions to be given an Australian Government Local Sporting Champions grant.
School’s salute to service
THE Townsville Grammar Junior School at Annandale will soon be sporting an impressive new ANZAC memorial thanks to funding from the Australian Government’s Saluting Their Service grants programme.I met with school principal Noel Nethery this week to hear about their plans to honour our servicemen and women.Mr Nethery said the grant of more than $2,200 would be used for a large sandstone centrepiece topped with a plaque and badges of the Australian Army, Air Force and Navy.
A safer Bruce Highway around Townsville
COMPLETION of the $137.5 million upgrade to Townsville's stretch of the Bruce Highway is one step closer, with an overpass of the North Coast Rail Line at Cluden officially opened today.I joined Federal Member for Herbert Ewen Jones and State Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper at Cluden to celebrate this major infrastructure milestone, which was opened to traffic last week.Being four lanes, this will improve driver safety and traffic flow by eliminating the existing level crossing at Cluden.In another major milestone for the project, the new southbound Stuart Creek Bridge has also been opened to traffic and work is almost complete on the Hunter Street intersection upgrade.
Insurance win in the north
WE'VE had a major win in the long battle for a fair deal on insurance premiums, and for the first time in a long time, we are going to see some premiums in North Queensland coming down.Major insurer Suncorp have announced today that they are introducing their own measures to reduce insurance premiums.This is a direct result of the battle that Member for Leichardt Warren Entsch and I have been waging against unaffordable insurance in the North over the past four years.
Support for families with nanny programme
FAMILIES who struggle to access affordable child care services will now be able get support to hire a nanny under a new pilot programme to be trialled by the Liberal National Government.This will be particularly beneficial for families in rural and regional areas, those who have children with special needs, and shift workers such as nurses, police officers, ambulance officers and firefighters.The $246 million two year Interim Home Based Carer Subsidy Programme will provide subsidised care for about 10,000 children, especially in middle to low income families.
Overhaul of vocational training
THE Liberal National Government has had the overalls on and spanners out to deliver better vocational training programs with more input from industry.A new approach to the development of vocational education and training products will allow industry to take the lead, because it is employers who know best when it comes to the skills and competencies needed in their current and future employees.
Support for arts partnership
The Liberal National Government will fund a partnership between Crossroad Arts, BlueCare and the Endeavour Foundation to steer two major dance and photography projects.This is an innovative partnership called cheek2cheek and it’s being overseen by Mackay’s award-winning Crossroad Arts director Steve Mayer-Miller.It will allow for collaboration between major stakeholders in the disability and aged care sectors in both Mackay and Gladstone to steer two major multi art dance projects over two years.
Ethanol needs full commitment
The State Government should support jobs and industry in Queensland by fully embracing biofuels with a phased-in mandate for ethanol fuel.There is no point in beating around the bush on this issue because a half-hearted approach will achieve nothing.A proper ethanol mandate for the Mackay region would ensure the ongoing viability of Sarina’s ethanol plant and it may also pave the way for future investment in ethanol production by Mackay Sugar.