March 8, 2023
Thank you to all the wonderful women who inspire me every day – especially my three daughters!
I had a lovely time celebrating International Women’s Day with a large group of Wondai Women at the Kingaroy RSL.
The Wondai Ladies lunch has been a long tradition in the community and is a wonderful opportunity for the women to come together.
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Flood Grants Deadline Update
I have been pleased to advocate on behalf of primary producers struggling to meet the deadlines for flood grant applications.
So far, we have achieved an extension of the deadline for the for ex-tropical Cyclone Seth event (Jan 2022) – now due May 5, 2023.
I have also written requesting an extension for the Feb/March and May flood events and am waiting for an update.
Let’s hope common sense prevails and further extensions are granted.
UPDATE! After further lobbying I am pleased to advise new extensions to QRIDA grants have been announced:
- SEQ Rainfall and flooding event (Feb/March) – new deadline June 9, 2023
- Southern QLD flooding event (May) – new deadline June 2, 2023
I know this will be a relief for many in the Nanango Electorate!
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Communities Take Action On Transmission Line Corridors
During December and January, communities in the northern, eastern and central parts of the Nanango Electorate were faced with the State Government’s announcement that electricity transmission line corridors may be built through their region.
There are six proposed corridors that have been put forward to connect the proposed Borumba Dam Pumped Hydro Project to the Woolooga Substation in the north and the Tarong/Halys substations in the south.
One corridor in either direction will be chosen and residents have spent many anxious nights wondering if their rural homes, businesses and properties will end up being in the path of these massive new 500kV lines.
On behalf of my community, I wrote to the Minister for Energy asking for an extension to the consultation period.
A small extension has been granted until March 31 (for consultation) and the release date for the chosen corridor is now April 27.
During Parliament this week I spoke on this issue in support of my community. I have also tabled a Question on Notice, and I would encourage the community to consider signing the petition.
I back my community’s call for State-owned land to be the first choice for the corridors and that all available technology and infrastructure is used to minimise the impact on private landowners, the environment and on traditional owners.
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Local GPs Feel Pressure Of Patient Tax
On the eve of Christmas, the Queensland Treasurer dropped a new Patient Tax on GP clinics.
The re-interpretation of the laws means general practices are now subject to payroll tax.
In January, I met with the Nanango Medical Centre and they told me that this will mean practices will have no choice but to increase the cost of seeing a GP, and could see the end of bulk-billing.
For rural and regional areas that are already feeling the effect of a lack of GPs, and the further pressure this places on our hospital system, the Labor Government need to permanently discard this patient tax.
At the very least, they must make an exemption for rural and regional practices, especially the very few that still provide bulk-billing services.
[UPDATED]
