{"id":301182,"date":"2021-06-22T21:02:08","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T11:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=301182"},"modified":"2021-06-22T21:14:10","modified_gmt":"2021-06-22T11:14:10","slug":"champion-impressed-by-cherbourg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2021\/06\/22\/champion-impressed-by-cherbourg\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Champion’ Impressed By Cherbourg"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Director-General Clare O’Connor, Cherbourg mayor Elvie Sandow and “Cherbourg Champion” Minister Leanne Linard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 22, 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cherbourg’s new Ministerial “Champion”, Leanne Linard, paid her first visit to the community on Tuesday … and she admitted she was impressed.<\/p>\n

Ms Linard is the\u00a0Minister for Children and Youth Justice and Minister for Multicultural Affairs.<\/p>\n

She was appointed to the “champion” role in late April this year.<\/p>\n

She was accompanied on her visit by the former head of the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Clare O’Connor, who is now Director-General of the\u00a0Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy.<\/p>\n

Ms O\u2019Connor is Cherbourg\u2019s \u201cGovernment Champion\u201d.<\/p>\n

The “champion” roles are designed to give Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council a direct channel into Cabinet and into the upper echelons of the public service.<\/p>\n

Minister Linard told southburnett.com.au there was a lot of pride in the community.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The Mayor and the local councillors are really proud of the community.\u00a0 And I’ve just had my first visit to the school – a proud principal, beautiful kids playing,” she said.<\/p>\n

The visitors also dropped into Nurunderi TAFE, where they met another “really proud team”.<\/p>\n

“This community has great facilities and there’s people who really love being here, are excited about what’s here now but also where they’re going in future,” Minister Linard said.<\/p>\n

She said Council had briefed her on what they would like her focus to be on, as well as their plans moving forward.<\/p>\n

Concerns about child safety issues were also discussed with councillors.<\/p>\n

“If there are things that need to be addressed, that’s what this process is about,” Minister Linard said.<\/p>\n

Minister Linard and Ms O\u2019Connor, accompanied by Mayor Elvie Sandow, Deputy Mayor Tom Langton and CEO Chatur Zala, also visited the Cherbourg Water Treatment Plant and the Materials Recovery Facility \/ Containers For Change depot on Tuesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Minister planned to return to the community on Wednesday with the Director-General of\u00a0the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs, Deidre Mulkerin, to see new houses under construction, visit Gundoo Day Care and have a meeting with the Barambah Local Justice Group.<\/p>\n

Minister Linard said she was looking forward to coming back to Cherbourg and engaging with more of the community and services.<\/p>\n

She would also be talking regularly with Mayor Sandow.<\/p>\n

The Assistant Minister for Health and Regional Health Infrastructure Julieanne Gilbert – the \u201cAssistant Champion\u201d – will also be visiting the Cherbourg in future.<\/p>\n