Ready for the road ahead
As your State Member for Waterford, I’ve always been passionate about the health and wellbeing of locals living in Logan.
Now, as Queensland’s newly appointed Minister for Health, Mental Health, and Ambulance Services, I am ready to turn that passion for health into better outcomes for you, your loved ones, and our hardworking frontline health staff.
I’m currently on a listening tour of hospitals across the length and breadth of Queensland. It has been an opportunity to meet with patients and our amazing health heroes firsthand.
One of my first visits was to Logan Hospital, right in the heart of our community.
I toured the site where brand-new modular wards are being installed, which will deliver 28 new hospital beds. I also had an opportunity to get another sneak-peak at the expanded maternity suites, which will provide new parents and parents-to-be with greater care and support.
This is all part of our more than $1 billion investment to expand Logan Hospital, delivering 361 new beds and more than 1,500 new secure jobs for locals.
I’m committed to providing high-quality healthcare closer to home, which is why we are building seven new Satellite Hospitals across the South East, including one in Eight Mile Plains.
The Eight Mile Plains facility will include a Minor Injury and Illness Clinic equipped to deal with those injuries such as cuts, burns, and sprains, as well as a range of specialist services.
We’ve all been there. Your kids are playing sport in the evening and roll their ankle, or you burn your hand taking dinner out of the oven after a long day at work. It’s too late to see a GP, but it’s not serious enough to go to the ED.
That’s where the Eight Mile Plains Satellite Hospital will come in. It will provide more healthcare options close to home, while also easing pressure on our busy Emergency Departments.
And as we put the finishing touches on the next State Budget, which will be handed down on June 13, I can assure locals that I am focused on delivering more healthcare workers, more beds, and better services – not just here in Logan but across Queensland.
I’m excited to take on this new challenge, and I look forward to continuing delivering better outcomes for the Logan community.
Renters getting a fair go
Many people across our area are facing housing pressures, but the Palaszczuk Government is committed to giving renters a fair go.
Our rental reforms aim to provide a strong, balanced approach that protect the rights of renters and lessors, while improving stability in the rental market.
We’ve made a raft of reforms so far, including:
- helping renters experiencing domestic and family violence to leave leases within seven days’ notice;
- establishing minimum standards for safety, security and functionality;
- ending without grounds evictions; and
- quicker responses for renter requests to have a pet.
Recently we’ve been looking for feedback on our second stage of reforms – which aim to help even more families find a safe and stable home in the rental market.
Our proposed changes include:
- making it easier for renters to install the safety, security and accessibility modifications they need;
- helping parties negotiate when making minor personalisation changes to rental properties;
- ensuring rental bonds provide appropriate security; and
- ensuring rent payment, utility and reletting fees and charges are fair and reasonable.
While the official consultation window closed last month, feedback is always welcome, and I would encourage anyone with questions about the rental changes to contact my office.
Every Queenslander should have a safe and secure roof over their head, and we’re committed to making that happen.
Helping Logan’s children thrive
The first few years of a child’s life are incredibly important – and that’s why we’re investing in the best possible education for our children.
We’ve been making kindy cheaper for kids across the state during the past few years – and we’ll have more to say about this in the Queensland Budget.
And we’ve been investing in a range of programs across our community to help local families thrive.
Early Years Places are an easy way for families to access a range of early childhood activities and support from the one location that’s designed for parents and kids alike.
The facilities are Kingston and Waterford West offer a range of services to help local families, with the Kingston East Occasional Childcare providing support for parents who need time off to attend appointments, courses or meetings. The Positive Parenting Program also helps parents manage the common day-to-day challenges of running a family.
Our best and brightest deserve to reach their full potential, so there are a range of scholarships and grants available for local students.
These include:
- the TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarships, which are awarded to exemplary Queensland students who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their school and the broader community, as well as academic excellence through their achievements in Year 12;
- The Peter Doherty Awards, which recognise students, teachers, schools and organisations demonstrating outstanding and innovative contributions to STEM education in Queensland; and
- the Aspiring Teacher Grants, which help high-achieving Year 12 school leavers who are starting their teaching career.
I am proud that our Government is delivering not only an increase in funding, but funding that is clearly targeted to assist those who need it the most.
We’re investing in our youngest Queenslanders, we’re investing in our families, and we’re investing in our state’s future.
