May 22, 2015
by Deb Frecklington
This year’s Federal Budget was brought down recently and there are several key initiatives in it which will really help small business owners such as accelerated depreciation, tax cuts, reductions in red tape and wage subsidies.
So on Wednesday, May 27, I’ll be hosting a Small Business Information Session in Kingaroy to encourage all our region’s small business operators to take advantage of them.
Our guest speaker will be Opposition Leader, Lawrence Springborg.
We’ll also have local accountants Mortimer & Co there on the night to help with technical questions.
I’m sure this evening meeting will prove to be very helpful to small business operators.
And I promise we’ll be finished before State of Origin begins!
- Where: Kingaroy Hotel, cnr Youngman & Haly streets, Kingaroy
- When: Wednesday, May 27, 5:00pm-7:00pm
- Cost: Free – Nibblies provided, drinks at own cost
- RSVP: By May 26 to the Nanango Electorate Office on (07) 4162-1381, or send an email.
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Private Hospital Closure Will Leave Large
Hole In South Burnett’s Health Services
I am extremely disappointed that Pulse Health have decided to close the South Burnett Private Hospital.
Thank you to everyone who has contacted my office expressing their concerns.
I totally understand how frustrated the region must feel, given the amount of community support shown towards the Private Hospital for so many years.
We have fundraised and taken this private operation under our wing because we all know how important this health service was to our region.
It is worrying that decision is going to leave a very large hole in the provision of health services in the South Burnett.
From a State Government point of view, our former LNP Government and I worked closely with the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service Board to improve the level of health services in the South Burnett, particularly at the Kingaroy Hospital.
I believe this has been very successful.
But at the same time, it was always with the intention of continuing to work with the private health sector in Kingaroy.
It has been my goal since being elected to achieve a brand new hospital for the South Burnett, and in the event of the Private Hospital closure, the need has never been greater.
Our former Government identified several rural and regional hospitals previously neglected by the Labor Government, and Kingaroy Hospital was at the top of the list.
I will be urging the new Health Minister not to forget the regions, and put Kingaroy Hospital at the top of the capital works list as a matter of priority.
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Parliament Update
During May there have been two Parliament sittings and I have had several opportunities to speak in the Chamber on issues important to our region.
I have called on the Labor Government to support key projects in the South Burnett – in particular, for access to better mental health services in our region.
I want to gain a commitment for the South Burnett Clubhouse, which was a fully funded and budgeted local commitment I made during the election.
Access to mental health services for people in regional areas has been one of my major priorities.
The proposed ‘South Burnett Clubhouse’ offers a model of care which has a proven track record, providing intervention service that assists people who experience mental health problems.
This project will be similar to the current, and very successful, Toowoomba Clubhouse which provides people with mental illness vocational training and work experiences, helping them connect with treatment, rehabilitation and re-establishment in the working community.
Please be assured I will continue to push for this funding.
I also had an opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of the Blackbutt Show Society in Parliament and congratulate them on their 2015 Show.
It was an honour to be able to officially open the Show on Saturday, May 16 and a pleasure to note some of the busy committee members including President Jamie Marriott, Secretary Julie Taylor-Dixon and Treasurer Dave Robison, as well as all of the volunteers for their hard work in putting on such a fabulous small country show.
Blackbutt and Benarkin are the southern gateway to the South Burnett.
And it is great Shows like these which illustrate the unique aspects of our region and all it has to offer.
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Helping With Key Issues
During Parliament this month I’ve had the opportunity to represent the community of Wivenhoe Pocket (downstream of the Wivenhoe Dam) with an issue surrounding water releases from Wivenhoe Dam.
I thought this was a good example for all communities across the Nanango Electorate of what can be achieved to help rectify a serious problem.
Through constant pressure and lobbying of the Minister for Energy and Water, I was able to secure an announcement by the Minister that the Labor Government will review the recent water releases from Wivenhoe Dam on May 1. It is now acknowledged there is problem with the notification system for downstream landholders, which has resulted in serious damage to pumping and farming infrastructure.
While it was disappointing that it took three weeks and so much pressure from myself and the landholders the Minister and Department have realised that this event needs investigation. They were reluctant to acknowledge the fact that the notifications for downstream landholders came after the gates were open, so I hope this review brings this to light and helps ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Landholders downstream of Wivenhoe Dam deserve to be heard and I hope this review gives them this opportunity.
