Health Minister Tim Nicholls, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington and Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett
June 8, 2026
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington welcomed Premier David Crisafulli and 17 of her Ministerial colleagues to Kingaroy at the weekend as part of a special “Country Cabinet” visit to the region.
The Ministers were accompanied by the Directors-General of their various departments as well senior staffers… the key public servants responsible for putting government directions into action.
The MPs and officials gathered for an afternoon tea at the Kingaroy Performing Arts Centre on Sunday afternoon amid tight security.
All attendees had to book in advance and were checked by security officers at the door.
A portion of Markwell Street was closed and uniformed and plain-clothes police kept a close watch.
Mrs Frecklington introduced each Minister to the crowd, and detailed some of the outcomes achieved within their portfolios over the past 12 months.
A round of applause greeted Mines Minister Dale Last who recently signed off on the King 2 East extension of the Meandu coal mine.
The approval potentially extends operations at the mine, which supplies coal to the Tarong and Tarong North coal-fired power stations, by at least 20 years.
Mrs Frecklington said the extension delivered long-term security to the 500 workers at the mine and the neighbouring power stations.
She also praised Housing Minister Sam O’Connor for the 38 new social and affordable homes being constructed in Nanango and Kingaroy under his watch.
The aim of the Community Cabinets is to provide an opportunity for Cabinet Ministers to hear directly from the community about local issues and priorities.
After the informal afternoon tea, which included canapes served by Kingaroy State High School hospitality students and on-stage entertainment, the Ministers moved into a separate space to hold pre-arranged 15-minute private one-on-one, or small-group, meetings with local residents.
This is the sixth Community Cabinet to have been held in Queensland since the Crisafulli Government won the 2024 election.
Footnote: The MPs travelled to Cherbourg on Tuesday for a formal Cabinet meeting. Watch for our report about this visit.
Cr Heath Sander, Mayor Kathy Duff, SBRC general manager finance Kerri Anderson and Premier David Crisafulli, right, with staff members from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in a 15-minute meeting (Photo: SBRC)Everyone entering the Kingaroy Performing Arts Centre for the Country Cabinet Afternoon Tea had to undergo a security check … including Mayor Kathy DuffKingaroy State High School students greeted visitors as they entered KPAC … from left, Paipi Grevell (who also did an Acknowledgment Of Country), school captain Charlie Sparks, school captain Indiana Bannon, vice-captain Hana Saito and vice-captain Stanley O’HanlonFour of the troupe of dancers who performed during the afternoon … back row, from left, Deegan Johannessen, Orlando Brock, Jacob Barrass and Kahn Fleischfresser; at front, Israel TyoreMember for Nanango Deb Frecklington, at right, introduced the visiting Ministers … from left, Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg, Health Minister Tim Nicholls, Natural Resources & Mines Minister Dale Last, Finance Minister Ros Bates, Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki, Deputy Premier Jarrod Blejie and Premier David CrisafulliEducation & Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek, Police Minister Dan Purdie, Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber, Local Government & Water Minister Ann Leahy and Housing Minister Sam O’Connor (missing from photo, Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Fiona Simpson, Environment Minister Andrew Powell, Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm; and Minister for Small and Family Business Steve Minnikin)Deputy Premier Jarrod Blejie, centre, with South Burnett Deputy Mayor Linda Little, Cr Deb Dennien, Cr Danita Potter, Cr Heath Sander, Mayor Kathy Duff, general manager Kerri Anderson, Cr Jane Erkens, Cr Ros Heit and Member for Nanango, Deb FrecklingtonAt one of the 15-minute sessions … Erin Jeffs, from Laurel Place, with Department of Justice Director-General Sarah Cruickshank, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington and Mrs Frecklington’s chief of staff, Ben MurphyDeb Frecklington with Kingaroy resident Simon Neal and Hutch, 7 monthsAssistant Police Commissioner Kev Guteridge, Sheree and Scott Prendergast, and Queensland Corrective Services Commissioner Paul StewartFormer South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell with Inspector Craig TretheweyRachel Bjelke-Petersen and Ree Fazldeen with Red Earth Community Foundation chair Georgie SomersetEducation Queensland Regional Director Helen McCullough with Kingaroy State High School principal David ThomsonDeborah Cook and Simon Parnell, from the Department of Natural Resources, Mines, Manufacturing & Regional and Rural Development, who were directing guests to their 15-minute meetingsQueensland Fire Department Commissioner Steve Smith with Minister for Local Government and Water & Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers Ann LeahySeath Holswich (Salvation Army) with Minister for Women and Women’s Economic Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships & Minister for Multiculturalism Fiona SimpsonJust part of the large contingent of police who were making sure the afternoon went ahead smoothly … a section of Markwell Street was blocked off to traffic and there were also police in the school groundsSam Murray and William Trott, from Impact Bridge which works with businesses to track their reconciliation effortsArts Minister John-Paul Langbroek with South Burnett Community Orchestra president Andrew Maddern … the SBCO’s 20th anniversary concert on Saturday night filled the Kingaroy Town Hall to overflowingNorth Burnett councillors Melinda Jones, left, and Cr Trina Vaughan and Cr Renee McGilvery, right, with Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm, second from left, and Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety Director-General Belinda Drew, centreDepartment of Justice Director-General Sarah Cruickshank; Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism Director-General Natalie Wilde; Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Director-General John Sosso; and Public Sector Commissioner David MackieKingaroy State High School’s Toni Phillips-Petersen, centre, with some of the young dancers who performed on stage as part of the afternoon’s entertainmentThe young dancers posed for photographs after their performanceThe Kingaroy State High School stage band, conducted by Matt Phillips, also performed during the afternoonAfter the informal meet’n’greet, the guests who had booked in for 15-minute meetings with the Ministers and their staff gathered at separate tables
