The annual Bonner Christmas Card competition is back and this year’s theme is “Christmas at Home.”

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP is looking for an outstanding and creative design to be featured on his Christmas card, which is sent out to more than 60,000 households in Bonner and even gets sent to the Prime Minister.

“Christmas this year will be one of those celebrations which is usually spent at home in our local communities, and I am looking for the best drawing which best shows what Christmas at Home means to you,” Mr Vasta said.

“The winning entry will not only be on the front cover of my Christmas card which is distributed to more than 60,000 households, but is also sent to my parliamentary colleagues across Australia, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison.”

Mr Vasta said as well as the winning entry being used as the cover, the winner will also receive a school holiday activities pack to the value of $100, sourced from local small businesses in Bonner.

“The 2020 Bonner Christmas Card Competition is now open and all entries must be in before COB, Friday, November 6,” Mr Vasta said.

“2020 has been a year like no other and COVID-19 has been the catalyst for so many family events and gatherings being celebrated in different and unique ways.

“So be creative with your entries for the chance to win.”

Entry forms can be downloaded at www.rossvasta.com.au

Entries can either mailed in to 69 Clara Street, Wynnum 4178 or scanned and emailed to ross.vasta.mp@aph.gov.au

Organisations and individuals in Bonner with ideas for exciting National Science Week events for next year are being encouraged to apply for a grant to make their idea a reality.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said preparations for next year’s annual festival of science were underway, with grants of up to $20,000 available for those ready to inspire Australia’s next generation of big picture thinkers.

“The idea is to make science fun and accessible to everyone and I urge qualified local people with good ideas to put them forward for grants,” Mr Vasta said.

“Successful grant applications will mean that you can have a positive impact on your community and set an example for others. Let’s get involved and show what we can do!”

“This year’s event organisers showed incredible ingenuity in delivering their events online due to COVID-19 restrictions and it was great to see people from all over the country come together to participate in virtual tours, online events and DIY science and citizen science projects.”

National Science Week will run from 14 – 22 August 2021 and is Australia’s largest festival with over a million people participating in thousands of events each year.

Applications for 2021 National Science Week grants are now open, and close on 28 October 2020.

To apply for a grant, or read the updated grant opportunity guidelines, go to https://www.business.gov.au/nswkg

To find out more about National Science Week go to www.scienceweek.net.au

The Australian Government is investing $33.7 million to support farmers by encouraging and incentivising Australians to take a ‘domestic gap year’ and eligible temporary visa holders to work in the agriculture sector this coming harvest season.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said Queensland’s agriculture sector was facing unprecedented pressure on labour supply as a result of COVID-19.

“Through the 2020 Budget, the Liberal Nationals are investing $17.4 million in relocation support and $16.3 million in temporary Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY eligibility changes to incentivise people to take up seasonal farm work this summer,” Mr Vasta said.

“Relocation allowances of up to $6000 for Australians and up to $2000 for eligible visa holders will be available from 1 November to undertake seasonal work in agriculture.

“Under the Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY new criteria, a person who earns $15,000 through employment in the agricultural sector in regional Australia between 30 November 2020 and 31 December 2021 will be considered as independent for the purpose of YA (student) or ABSTUDY.

“This will significantly reduce the time needed for a young person to gain ‘independent’ status and claim Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY faster than under the existing criteria.

“These changes will support critical food production in Queensland so farm produce does not go to waste and will help ensure the agricultural sector continues to play a key role in our local community’s economic recovery.”

From 1 November 2020, relocation assistance will be available to people who relocate to harvest and regional areas to take up at least six weeks of agricultural work, including Australians who are not receiving income support and those with the right to work in Australia.

The Australian Government is also investing a further $9 million in the Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) to ensure employers can meet critical seasonal labour needs.

This funding will help ensure that the SWP has the resources to accommodate the significant growth of the program and ensure appropriate oversight of the program is in place to protect the welfare of workers.

The Australian Government has been working with farmers since the onset of COVID-19. Measures already introduced to fill labour shortages in the agriculture sector:

• providing visa extensions to allow temporary visa holders already here to continue to work in agriculture and for agriculture workers to stay with one employer for a longer period,
• initiating a targeted recruitment trial under the Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) to meet labour needs of Northern Territory mango growers which saw 162 experienced workers arrive from Vanuatu to help with the harvest;
• announcing on 21 August the recommencement of targeted recruitment under the Pacific Labour Scheme and SWP to help meet the workforce needs of critical sectors, including agriculture.

In addition to the measures already rolled out to date, and announced in the budget, we are continuing to look at how we can support our agriculture sector by ensuring they have access to the workers they need now and into the future through the development of the National Agriculture Workforce Strategy.

We have also delivered a National Agriculture Workers’ Code to provide for the COVID-safe travel between states – five of eight Australian jurisdictions have implemented it except for Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania.

More information on the additional support being provided can be found at: https://www.dese.gov.au/budget-2020-21

The Morrison Government is launching a new era of Australian manufacturing, as part of our JobMaker Plan to rebuild the economy, create jobs in Bonner and recover from the COVID-19 recession.

The $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy will make Australian manufacturers more competitive, resilient and able to scale-up to take on the world, while ensuring our nation is more secure.

“Our Modern Manufacturing Strategy is exciting news for the 513 local manufacturing businesses and the 4651 locals they employ,” Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said.

“Importantly, it will create new jobs in Bonner both now and into the future.”

Mr Vasta said the Government was charting a course to ensure manufacturers right across the country could seize the opportunities to grow into new and emerging local and global markets.

“Manufacturers are central to our economic recovery and they have capabilities that underpin so many other industries and support businesses in my electorate right along the supply chain,” Mr Vasta said.

“As a Government, we’re determined to play to our strengths and ensure we are strategically investing in areas where we have an edge.”

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said this strategy draws on what we have learned during the COVID-19 crisis but has also been developed following extensive work with industry before the pandemic.

“Our manufacturers have risen to the challenge to deliver during COVID-19 and now, we’re unlocking their potential to deliver for our future,” Minister Andrews said.

“By playing to our strengths, strategically investing and boosting the role of science and technology in industry, we can open up new markets and take more of our quality products to the world.

“This Strategy sends a clear signal that not only is Australia open for business, but we mean business.”

The centrepiece of the Strategy is the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI), which will see the Government strategically invest in projects that help manufacturers to scale up and create jobs.

The MMI will support projects within six National Manufacturing Priorities;

• Resources technology and critical minerals processing
• Food and beverage
• Medical products
• Recycling and clean energy
• Defence
• Space

Industry will be engaged to help develop tailored road maps for each of the priority sectors.

The Strategy will also address the competitiveness of individual manufacturers in our priority sectors, with a $52.8 million expansion of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund.

“At the last election we announced the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund, which has delivered support for 200 projects across the nation, including Crystalaid at Tingalpa, and I’m very pleased we are now expanding it to help more local businesses boost their production,” Mr Vasta said.

“There’s been a real groundswell of support for Australian-made recently because we all know buying Australian made supports local jobs.

“Our plan to scale up will mean more Australian made products on the shelves and more jobs in our local community.”

The COVID-19 crisis has also highlighted supply chain issues and opportunities. A $107.2 million Supply Chain Resilience Initiative will support projects that address an identified supply chain vulnerability.

Innovation and Science Australia will be repurposed as Industry Innovation and Science Australia, to provide strong industry advice to Government throughout the implementation of the Strategy.

This strategy builds on the work across Government to improve economic conditions for business, including streamlining regulation, cutting red tape and cutting input costs. A key part of that will be cutting energy costs as outlined in the Gas-fired recovery statement on 15 September 2020.

As part of its $800 million JobMaker Digital Business Plan, the Morrison Government is encouraging and supporting more Australian small businesses to digitise, so they can compete, succeed and create job opportunities as we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.

This includes an expansion of the Australian Small Business Advisory Service (ASBAS) Digital Solutions program.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said since its inception in 2018, the ASBAS Digital Solutions program has supported small businesses through low-cost, independent, expert and tailored advice to small businesses.

“The expansion of this service means a further 10,000 Australian businesses will be able to these services, enabling them to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the digital economy now and in the future,” Minister Cash said.

Businesses will be able to receive information and advice on:

• Websites and selling online.
• Social media and digital marketing.
• Using small business software.
• Online security and data privacy.
• Business crisis management and business continuity planning.
• Finance management and boosting cash flow.
• Staff management and creating a safe work environment.
• Retaining and staying connected to customers.
• Resilience and wellbeing.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said many businesses moved online quickly when the pandemic hit, undergoing a decade of change in months, finding new customers or new ways of doing things.

“Our JobMaker Digital Business Plan provides significant backing to continue that digital push and expand opportunities for businesses to grow and create more jobs,” Mr Vasta said.

The Australian Small Business Advisory Service – Digital Solutions program is available to small businesses with fewer than 20 full-time (or equivalent) employees, as well as sole traders.

The service is available across all metropolitan and regional areas.

Further information on accessing the program is available at business.gov.au or 13 28 46.

Australians will now benefit from a new one-stop-shop career information website with the launch of the ‘Your Career’ website.

The first release of the ‘Your Career’ website designed by the National Careers Institute will help people of all ages plan, navigate and manage their careers.

The website will serve as Australia’s authoritative source of careers information as part of the Australian Government’s priority to get people back in to work.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said as the nation deals with COVID-19 and the impact on the economy, it was important Australians had access to reliable and accurate labour market data, and information on the skilling or re-training options available to them.

“This website provides access to information about how to transfer their skills to jobs in demand, upskill, retrain or start a plan for longer-term goals,” Mr Vasta said.

“The ‘Your Career’ website delivers on that need because it is driven by world-leading labour market intelligence from the National Skills Commission.

“Australians can use this site to explore their future career options, or to look for options they can pursue now – either local employment opportunities, or short-term study options.”

Given the changing nature of the labour market, ‘Your Career’ will continue to evolve to enable all Australians to take the next step in their career using tailored careers information.

Key features of Your Career include:

• career quizzes to explore jobs that match a person’s skills, interests and goals
• information about study or training options to gain new skills, upskill, or reskill
• information to help with a successful job search including resumé writing
• links to support services to help find employment, manage wellbeing and understand rights at work, and
• an A to Z of occupations, including detailed career descriptions, pay and available jobs.

The ‘Your Career’ website can be found at www.YourCareer.gov.au

For more information about the National Careers Institute, visit www.nci.dese.gov.au

The Morrison Government will invest an additional $1.2 billion to support Australian businesses to employ 100,000 new apprentices and trainees as part of our COVID-19 economic recovery plan.

Starting 5 October 2020, businesses who take on a new Australian apprentice will be eligible for a 50 per cent wage subsidy, regardless of geographic location, occupation, industry or business size.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said apprenticeships and traineeships were an important pathway to get young people into jobs and to ensure there is a skills pipeline to meet the future needs of employers.

“During this pandemic the Federal Government has been focused on supporting and creating jobs as well as identifying the skills we need in the economic rebuild,” the Prime Minister said.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said whether it be manufacturing, housing and construction, arts or mining sectors – this new wage subsidy gave businesses certainty to hire and provides a career path to young school leavers or others looking for an apprenticeship or traineeship.

“This new wage subsidy will provide school leavers and job seekers in Bonner with a real opportunity to upskill and reskill through an apprenticeship or a traineeship,” Mr Vasta said.

The subsidy will be available to employers of any size or industry, Australia-wide who engage an Australian apprentice or trainee from 5 October 2020 until the 100,000 cap is reached.

Under the new measure, employers will be eligible for the wage subsidy for a new or recommencing apprentice or trainee for the period up to 30 September 2021, up to $7,000 per quarter.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said the measure builds on the existing $2.8 billion Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy that is helping employers to retain their apprentices and trainees.

“The Australian Government has already invested significantly to ensure that apprentices are retained where possible and supported to re-engage if they lose their job,” Minister Cash said.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, the Hon Steve Irons MP, said the new measures we are announcing today will build on the already significant investment to support apprentices and trainees.

“Through the existing Supporting Apprentices and Trainees measure, as many as 90,000 businesses employing around 180,000 apprentices throughout Australia will continue to be supported,” Assistant Minister Irons said.

More information on the measure is available at www.employment.gov.au/boosting-apprenticeship-commencement

The Morrison Government will undertake the most significant reforms to Australia’s insolvency framework in 30 years as part of our economic recovery plan to keep businesses in business and Australians in jobs.

The reforms, which draw on key features from Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States, will help more small businesses restructure and survive the economic impact of COVID-19.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the reforms would give more support to the region’s businesses that had been hit hard by the coronavirus.

“The Morrison Government is standing by small and family businesses and doing all we can to help make sure these businesses come out on the other side of this crisis,” Mr Vasta said.

“Along with early access to super, cash-flow boosts and JobKeeper, we are doing everything we can to keep family businesses up and running.”

As the economy continues to recover, it will be critical that distressed businesses have the necessary flexibility to either restructure or to wind down their operations in an orderly manner.

The reforms will assist incorporated businesses with less than $1 million in liabilities covering around 76 per cent of Australian businesses subject to insolvencies today, 98 per cent of which have less than 20 employees.

Together, these measures will reposition our insolvency system to reduce costs for small businesses, reduce the time they spend during the insolvency process, ensure greater economic dynamism, and ultimately help more local businesses get to the other side of the crisis.

Earlier this year the Morrison Government announced temporary regulatory measures to help financially distressed businesses get to the other side of COVID-19. On 7 September 2020 the Government announced a further extension of this relief to 31 December 2020.

The new processes will be available for small businesses from 1 January 2021.

Queensland school leavers and job seekers will benefit from increased access to free or low-fee skills training under a significant investment through the JobTrainer Agreement to be rolled out across Queensland.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said strengthening Australia’s skills and training system was a priority as the nation responded to COVID-19.

The $1 billion JobTrainer program will provide up to an additional 340,700 training places across the country for school leavers and help upskill and retrain jobseekers in areas of demand.

“JobTrainer is central to Australia’s recovery from COVID-19. It will provide Australians with new opportunities and skills to get a job” Minister Cash said.

“It is a significant joint investment by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments.”

The Queensland agreement will inject an extra $201 million into the state’s vocational education and training sector.

The Australian Government will contribute $100.5 million, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Queensland Government.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said this was a fantastic result for Queensland which would greatly assist job seekers and young people, especially school leavers.

“The JobTrainer Fund will help lift Queensland as the state recovers from COVID-19,” Mr Vasta said.

“I have spoken to a lot of young people concerned about what the future holds and to provide more skills training opportunity will provide some certainty and confidence our economy will get back on track and there will be jobs for young people.”

Minister Cash said JobTrainer was part of the Australian Government’s $6.5 billion investment in Vocational Education and Training in 2020-21.

“As part of this investment the Commonwealth is also providing additional support with the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees (SAT) wage subsidy, which has provided more than $500 million to employers across Australia since April this year.

“As part of the SAT the Government has invested $102.89 million to assist 10,461 employers to retain 17,290 apprentices and trainees in Queensland.”

For more information about JobTrainer visit: https://www.dese.gov.au/jobtrainer-fund.

The Queensland Labor Government’s Band-Aid election commitment of $40 million to provide “accessibility improvements” to Lindum Station fails to address the dire safety situation of the level crossing and five-way intersection.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the proposal ignored the $85 million delivered by the Federal Government and $40 million delivered by Brisbane City Council to provide a long-term solution to this dangerous level crossing.

“We have had this funding on the table since 2018 to deliver a major improvement to the notorious level crossing at Lindum Station, yet Queensland Labor has created this smoke and mirrors election commitment to improve passenger accessibility to the station,” Mr Vasta said.

“This is an appalling response after our $85 million commitment.”

Mr Vasta said the brochure released by the Department of Transport and Main Roads this week declared a long-term safety solution may not even happen.

“I’m so disappointed by this latest update,” Mr Vasta said.

“They have basically said “here will chuck in some traffic lights to keep you happy” and say a long-term solution is subject to “state-wide prioritisation and funding availability”.

“In other words, it may not even happen if the state doesn’t prioritise it.

“How many more people have to die before the Queensland Labor Government commits to funding a long-term safety solution to Lindum crossing?”

Mr Vasta said traffic was only getting busier and he would not settle for meaningless cosmetic upgrades which is all the Queensland Labor Government is offering.

“Pedestrians, motorists and commuters had been crying out for major improvements to the dangerous level-crossing and five-way intersection and again they miss out,” Mr Vasta said.

“When I delivered $85 million Federal funding for Lindum Crossing, it was to deliver a long-term, safe solution for all road users in partnership with all levels of government.

“Labor’s $40 million for “accessibility upgrades” is nothing but a distraction from the fact that they won’t commit what’s needed to fix Lindum crossing.”

Mr Vasta said to make matters worse, they had tied in a 2017 election commitment with this one and packaged it up as a new deal – ignoring the fact they failed to deliver on a $5 million parking upgrade announced three years ago.

“Queensland Labor has done nothing for this region and given they couldn’t even deliver a $5 million parking upgrade; will this $40 million project even get off the ground?”