ICYMI: The Budget delivers for Queensland families
As a parent, I understand the challenge of managing the family budget and giving our kids the best future.
That’s why I’m pleased to share that the Palaszczuk Government is making kindergarten free for every Queensland family, starting 1 January 2024.
Locals shouldn’t have to choose between paying bills like your mortgage or petrol, and giving your kids a world class education. And now they won’t have to.
Plus, Free Kindy will also help us build our state – by helping parents – particularly women – be able to choose to return to the workforce.
Free kindergarten will save young local families around $4,600 per year, putting money back in the pockets of mums, dads, and carers at a time in their life when they need it most.
We are also delivering new household relief to help all Queenslanders with cost-of-living pressures. This is only possible because we have kept energy assets in public hands.
Including:
- $550 cost of living rebate for all Queensland households
- $1072 cost of living rebate for eligible Queensland concession card holders
We’ll keep working to deliver the M1 upgrade and Busway extension through to Loganholme. These projects will get you home sooner and safer, and support hundreds of local jobs during construction.
I know that emergency medical care is a priority for local families, that’s why we’re building a bigger Redland and Logan Hospital, a new Springwood Ambulance Station so we can make way for the M1 and Busway, and we’re opening the Mount Cotton Road Fire Station.
Koala Sighting App launched in Daisy Hill
Our community has always taken the commitment to protecting koala populations seriously, and we have always fought to protect them by expanding their habitat, introducing strong protections, as well as educating Queenslanders at our Daisy Hill Koala Centre.
That’s why earlier this month, Environment Minister Leanne Linard and I launched a new koala sighting app at the Daisy Hill Koala Centre.
The new app allows members of the public to act as citizen scientists by reporting koala sightings and providing accurate location and population data.
If you spot a koala while enjoying our national parks, state forests and bushlands, or in our urban areas, you can simply upload the details and a photo to the QWildlife Koala Sighting App.
The app is based on the highly successful Wildlife Crocodile Sighting app, which has helped Qld Parks & Wildlife Service improve the management of crocodiles.
Koala sightings from the app will provide a better understanding about where koalas live and how they use their environment, and will help support important koala research, conservation and management actions
The koala is not just the official emblem of our great state, it’s symbolic of the heritage of our local community, and a legacy that I will continue to defend for the benefit of future generations.
Push-up Challenge 2023
This month I took part in the Push-up Challenge to put a spotlight on the mental health issues affecting everyday Australians and reduce the stigma around mental health, and to raise money on behalf of Lifeline.
The work Lifeline does in helping people through challenging times in their life and supporting them is so critically important.
My goal was to complete 3144 push ups during the challenge – one for each Australian who tragically died from suicide in 2021.
I proudly completed my final push-ups of the challenge with Paralympian Will Martin.
I want to thank everyone that came out and did push-ups with me, from local students, gym goers, colleagues, people from organisations such as FOGS, Mates in Construction, and Lifeline.
On behalf of every person who will be supported by Lifeline and the hundreds of thousands more across the broader event beneficiaries, thank you very much for joining me in supporting this initiative.
Thanks to your support, I was able to reach my target and bank $5000 – which goes directly to Lifeline!
Moreover, the entire campaign raised an outstanding $12,903,253 (and it’s still rising) towards supporting people in our community.
A sincere thank you again to those that supported me and participated in the challenge.
You have directly contributed to saving young lives and it has been a privilege to have completed the Challenge with your support.
Winter Warmers
Winter can be a bitter and challenging season, especially for those without a warm place to call home.
However, in a heartwarming display of community solidarity, local resident Imogen from McCartney Family Funerals recently organised a remarkable Winter Warmer Drive, aimed at providing much-needed support for those in need.
The beneficiaries of the drive are Rosies (Bayside) and Roceels (Logan), both organisations do amazing work in our community.
After the call went out, there was an outpour of compassion and generosity for this initiative of collecting sleeping bags and non-perishable food.
The Springwood Tri Service Sub Branch was a major donor, using the money they raised on Anzac Day to contribute sleeping bags to the drive.
I am proud to be part of and represent such a caring community that looks out for one another.
Stan Pauley of the Springwood Tri-Services RSL Sub Branch said
“We are always looking for different ways to support the community. We know people are doing it tough at the moment and wanted to contribute locally to those in need.”
In total, 60 sleeping bags, over 500 cup noodles, more than 300 tins of soup, spaghetti, baked beans and stews, and a whole stack of other incredible donations were collected this year.
“With the current cost of living and housing crisis in this country, it is only fitting that those of us who can help do so. We are fortunate to share our efforts to support incredible local organisations that provide essential services to people sleeping rough and experiencing homelessness, and we are proud of the work that our team at McCartney Family Funerals do to go above and beyond, making sure these incredibly generous donations from our wonderful community, get right to those most in need.” Imogen Bizilis, McCartney Family Funeral
Thank you everyone that made a contribution. Every little bit helps and can make a difference in someone’s life.
