Expressions of interests (EOI) applications for the 2023 – 2024 Volunteer Grants have now closed.
All groups who applied have been notified of the outcome of their EOI and if they have progressed to the final round with the Department of Social Services.
I am waiting to hear if Volunteer Grants will be open for 2024-2025, and will update my website and social media once this becomes clear.
Batch 2 of the Saluting Their Service (STS) Commemorative Grants Program is now open!
This program is designed to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australia’s service personnel in wars, conflicts and peace operations, and their families.
Community Grants (CG)
Grants to a maximum of $10,000 are available for community-based commemorative projects and activities.
These small grants are for projects and activities that are focused on the local community, commemorate the service and sacrifice of local community members, and are primarily accessed by the local community.
Some examples of CG projects and activities include:
development of an Honour Roll
restoration of an existing local War Memorial
supply and installation of a cabinet to display military memorabilia
installation of flagpoles
Major Grants (MG)
Grants between $10,001 and $150,000 are available for major commemorative projects and activities that are significant from a national, state, territory and/or regional perspective. MG grants will have a much wider focus than CG category applications and must be commemorative of the service and sacrifice of service personnel beyond the local community, and/or consist of elements that are available to the whole nation, or residents of a state, territory, or regional area. If your project has a high monetary value, it does not necessarily mean that it is considered an MG.
Some examples of MG projects and activities include:
construction of an interactive memorial walking track dedicated to all Australian service personnel from the Vietnam War
development of a digital honour roll and interpretive signage to commemorate the history of service personnel from a particular region
development of a documentary commemorating Australian Prisoners of War.
Batch 2 – applications submitted between 14 June 2023 and 10 October 2023
I wish a very happy 10th birthday to the Mount Gravatt Men’s Shed.
10 years ago, Brian Wheeler and other local community members came to me with an idea to start a men’s shed in Mount Gravatt.
Now I’m happy to say that the Mount Gravatt Men’s Shed has grown to over 360 active members and is a very important part of our community.
From building chairs and tables for community groups to fixing lawnmowers and fences and restoring old machinery, the Mount Gravatt Men’s Shed is the perfect example of how community supporting community makes a difference.
It’s so much more than just a simple workshop; it’s a sanctuary. Crafted out of old-fashioned mateship, men’s sheds provide a safe, welcoming space for men to come together, chat and engage in meaningful connections.
We all know men are less likely to talk about emotions and their struggles or to ask for help when they need it most.
That’s why men’s sheds are so important.
They bring together individuals who might otherwise feel lost or disconnected, providing them with a sense of purpose and belonging.
This helps to combat social isolation, depression and other mental health challenges that men just don’t want to talk about.
With seven men committing suicide every day across Australia, we all must and need to make sure that institutions like men’s sheds are supported, are well funded and continue to grow.
I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of men’s sheds across Australia.
Planes allow families to be connected and they transport our food, medication and much-needed supplies.
Planes bring in jobs, trade and tourism, injecting money into our local, state and national economy. In my electorate of Bonner, over 1,200 people are directly employed by the Brisbane Airport.
That means the people of Bonner make up around 7.5 per cent of the Brisbane Airport workforce, and one in 70 jobs in Queensland is enabled due to the Brisbane Airport.
From these points alone, it cannot be disputed that we need planes to keep our economy and lives going.
But that does not mean that we should compromise our quality of life for people who live in and have moved into areas where flight paths did not exist, especially if other flight path options are available. Deputy Speaker, the proposed flight path changes by Airservices Australia for an early turn option over Wynnum and the Bayside are not wanted by our local community.
Talking with locals and listening to their feedback, I hear that many people have moved into Wynnum and Manly from areas like Bulimba, Morningside, Camp Hill and Balmoral to avoid living under a flight path.
At the time of this speech, in fact, over 1,700 Wynnum and Bayside locals have signed my petition to stop these proposed flight changes, and I will be presenting this petition to Minister Catherine King and Airservices Australia, highlighting the community’s overwhelming opposition to the early turn flight path option.
Whilst it is clear that these new flight path changes are not wanted, I also want to make it clear that caps and curfews are not an option.
They simply won’t fix the problem.
They will just cause economic problems. Caps and curfews would increase ticket prices and increase the costs of everyday household items, putting more pressure on families during a cost-of-living crisis.
Caps and curfews would mean around 30,000 hardworking Queenslanders, including people in Bonner, would lose their jobs, and the cost would be $2.8 billion by 2032.
That’s a massive cost, and it’s just madness to allow it to happen. It would mean the number of flights, especially to regional and remote areas, would be cut which would be catastrophic for many of these struggling communities. And here is something that we don’t often think about.
Many passengers in planes carry life-saving medicines in the cargo section for people and children who need treatment for things like cancer.
If we implement caps and curfews, we will simply be putting these lives at risk.
I will continue to fight for my community of Bonner. I’ve heard them loud and clear: no early-turn option over the Wynnum and Bayside areas.
Volunteers are the life blood of our community, and that is why each year I run my Bonner volunteer awards to shine a light on their incredible impact on our community.
And I must say, this year’s winners were a truly inspiring.
Congratulations to Marie Byrnes, Jayden Welch, Sean Harrison, Brisbane Bayside Repair Café, Graham Moore, the Redeemer Lutheran College Helping Hands Volunteers, and Mr George Kambouris.
Whilst I don’t have time to go into depth about each winner and their immeasurable contribution to our community, I would like to share the story of Mr George Kambouris.
George was the winner of the overall Bonner Volunteer Award.
Tragically, George passed away on the 1st of May this year.
George was born with spina bifida and dedicated his life to two things: striving for excellence in any endeavour he pursued and providing support to others in the community through various means.
He initiated the “Living on Wheels Program” to assist and mentor young individuals confined to wheelchairs, enabling them to actively participate in sports at the Carindale PCYC.
Instead of using his disability as a reason not to achieve, he used it as an incentive to excel and show others how they too could achieve their goals.
To further honour George’s incredible legacy, I would like to announce that next year’s award will include the George Kambouris Bonner Volunteer Award.
This country is in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Interest rates are rising, everyday household items are becoming more expensive and families are worried about making ends meet.
Whilst times are certainly tough for Australians, there is an underlying contributing factor that we are simply not speaking about: Australia’s declining financial literacy standards.
Financial literacy is the possession of the skills and knowledge necessary to make smart and informed decisions about your personal finances. It is one of the most basic and important skill sets that every person and Australian should and must have.
Whether they’re trying to save for their first house, paying for their child’s education or making their weekly shopping list, every day every Australian makes personal financial decisions that impact their bottom line.
Alarmingly, though, 86 per cent of Australians do not know or understand their monthly expenses.
Australia also ranks fifth in the world out of all the OECD countries for the highest percentage of household debt, and now we have a combined total of over $17 billion of personal credit card debt in this country.
Simply put, Australians’ relationship with their own money needs to change.
This is not a mindset or cycle we want our children and grandchildren to fall into.
That’s why I’m calling upon the federal government to introduce compulsory financial literacy as part of the national curriculum.
If we look at where our children receive their financial literacy from, most children get their personal financial understanding from either their parents or maths based subjects in school.
But with only 50 per cent of Australian adults considered to be financially literate, and a significant decrease in enrolments in maths- and economics-based subjects in senior years, it is clear that we have a problem.
If we delve into this even further, the fact that maths is not compulsory in all Australian states and territories in senior years and that boys usually outnumber girls by two to one in maths based subjects means that we have created a very real situation in which some children, especially young girls, grow up never having an informed discussion about their personal finances.
No wonder there is a direct correlation between increased rates of homelessness amongst women and a lack of financial literacy.
Financial literacy in schools would help reduce homelessness amongst women as it would give young girls the skills to be more actively engaged in managing their own finances later in life.
Financial literacy in schools would also improve mental health and the wellbeing of Australians. A recent study by ASIC and Beyond Blue highlights that people who are experiencing financial challenges are twice as likely to have experienced mental health challenges.
Financial stress also leads to relationship and marriage breakdowns, increased depression and anxiety, and an overall decrease in the quality of their life.
So, not only does this motion help with creating better financial habits for the next generation; it also helps address the social and emotional wellbeing of Australians.
Financial literacy in schools would make not only our households grow stronger and more adaptable but so, too, our nation.
It is our responsibility to ensure that the next generation is equipped with the skills that they need to be confident in making smart personal financial decisions so that they can get ahead, especially as we become a cashless society, where knowing what a dollar is and understanding the value of that dollar will become increasingly difficult for future generations to understand.
What is a budget? How do interest rates work? What are the implications of credit scores and superannuation? How to save, how to invest and how to live within your means should be taught in schools and must become compulsory as part of our National Curriculum.
Financial literacy in schools would mean that those children born into disadvantaged families could learn in the classroom how to save and invest and work towards a better life.
Financial literacy in schools would mean that we could help the next generation avoid unnecessary household and credit card debt, because they would be smarter about their financial choices.
And financial literacy in schools would mean creating a generation of financially resilient Australians who are in control of their own money.
The Motion
I move:
That this House:
(1) recognises that;
(a) financial literacy rates in Australia are in decline;
(b) enrolments in economic based subjects, which incorporate financial literacy in the national curriculum, has declined by 70 per cent over the past three decades;
(c) enrolments in maths-based subjects has decreased from 76 per cent to 66 per cent in 2020, and boys outnumber girls 2 to 1 in these subjects;
(d) only around 50 per cent of Australians are considered financially literate, with women having significantly worse outcomes compared to their male counterparts;
(e) on average, 50 per cent of Australians live pay-check to pay-check;
(f) financial hardship is one of the most commonly cited contributors to poor mental health;
(g) Australian students are falling behind other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development nations in financial literacy performance, based on the Program for International Student Assessment Survey data;
(h) 20 per cent of Australian students do not meet baseline levels of financial literacy; and
(i) the 2021 Australian Government Australian Financial Capability Survey indicates that 94 per cent of young Australians aged 14 to 17 either agreed or strongly agreed that is important to learn how to manage their money; and
(2) calls on:
(a) the Government to make financial literacy a compulsory part of the national curriculum and extend this into the senior years of schooling; and
(b) all Members of Parliament to support measured and considered action to improve financial literacy outcomes in this country across all demographics.
For my latest speech in Parliament on financial literacy, click here
This Anzac Day, Australians from all walks of life will come together to commemorate the Centenary of Anzac, marking one hundred years since the landing of the ANZACs on the shores of Gallipoli.
The importance of this anniversary cannot be understated. The Gallipoli campaign and the First World War shaped who we are as a nation. It cost us dearly, but the bravery and selflessness of the ANZACs will never be forgotten.
I ask you to pay your respects to the legacy of the ANZACs, as well as the servicemen and servicewoman who have followed in their footsteps in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations over a century of service.
I look forward to paying my respects with you at local services across Bonner this coming Anzac Day.
Please consider attending a local service.I recommend checking service and event times closer to the date.
Manly-Lota Sub Branch
4.15am – Dawn Service, held at Richard Russell Memorial Park, Manly.
A Gunfire Breakfast will be held at the Manly Lota RSL Sub-Branch Hall after the dawn service.
8.00am – Anzac Day Parade commences on Ernest Street near the Manly State School, followed by a community service at the Richard Russell Memorial Park, Manly.
Members of the community are encouraged to lay a wreath or poppy at the service. Poppies will be provided by the Manly-Lota RSL, and donations are appreciated.
A light morning/lunch will be available at the Manly-Lota RSL Sub-Branch Hall after the mid-morning service.
Wynnum RSL
5.00am – Dawn Service
9.15am – March (Stepping off at the Corner Bay Terrace & Edith St).
National Servicemen’s Association of Australia Bayside Branch
6.00am – Service at the Darling Point National Servicemen’s Memorial at Darling Point.
The service will be followed by tea and danishes.
Holland Park/ Mt Gravatt Sub Branch
Adelaide Street, between George Street and Creek Street
9.45am – 12.30pm – March followed by Service followed by former and current ADF veterans and other groups that contribute to the Parade that make it the commemoration worthy of its heritage.
QLD Rifle Association, Belmont Shooting Complex
The Armistice Centenary War Memorial, at the entrance go, to the Belmont Shooting Complex
10.00am – March participants form up on the grassed area adjacent from Wynnum Manly Pidgeon Club
I rise to update the House on the incredible success of childhood cancer charity Richie’s Rainbow Foundation. It was established after local little legend Richie Walsh tragically lost his battle with cancer.
Richie was just nine years old.
Mum Lisa and dad Karl Walsh and their children Melissa, Luke and Layla vowed that Richie’s strength, courage and bravery would never be forgotten, so Richie’s Rainbow was created.
As you might have also guessed from the name, Richie loved rainbows.
On Sunday 26 March, Richie’s Rainbow celebrated their first birthday with a fun walk at Lota Park along the Wynnum Manly foreshore.
And what a fantastic event it was. I, along with my team, local schools and 300 walkers united to help raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer research.
I’m excited to share that, from this event, Richie’s Rainbow has raised over $14½ thousand and still counting.
This is on top of over $100,000 they have already raised and donated to childhood cancer research in their first year of operation.
No child should ever die from childhood cancer, and I’m proud to support Richie’s Rainbow as they work to make this a reality.
A vision that would take trucks of Brisbane roads, making it safer for Brisbane families by reducing congestion, noise and air pollution.
A vision that would bring thousands of job opportunities for locals.
A vision that would strengthen our supply chain resilience and increase the export and import capabilities of local businesses.
A vision that would revolutionise the Queensland economy and ensure that Queensland is brought into line with the World’s best Practice for freight.
And that vision, Deputy Speaker, is Tunnel Vision.
A dedicated tunnel connecting the Port of Brisbane to the inland rail would transform Brisbane into the logistics capital of Australia.
In the 2022 Financial Year, the Port of Brisbane, located in the north of my electorate of Bonner, contributed $7.8 billion to the Queensland economy.
Along with its supply chain networks, the Port of Brisbane also supported 63,000 jobs with 7,900 of those jobs directly within the port precinct.
This is despite the Port of Brisbane currently running at 10% capacity.
Let me reiterate that, running at only 10% capacity.
Think of the billions of dollars, thousands of jobs and limitless business opportunities we are currently missing out on because the Port of Brisbane is running at only 10% capacity.
Mr Speaker, we are doing a disservice to current and future generations of Australian’s if we do not unlock the Port of Brisbane’s economic potential.
And my Tunnel Vision will help achieve this by bringing our freight network into the 21st century.
It also has the added benefit of taking a predicted 13 million trucks off Brisbane roads by 2050.
Currently, over 97% of freight leaves the port of Brisbane by truck, causing increased road degradation, traffic congestion, as well as noise and air pollution for Brisbane locals.
Don’t get me wrong, truckies are vital to our economy and without them, Australia would stop.
We must always be thankful for our truckies.
But the reality is, with a prediction of over 50% of Queensland’s population living in Brisbane by 2032, and the city becoming increasing landlocked, it will not be viable to have this many trucks on Brisbane roads.
All it will do is cause more congestion, increase freight costs with time lost, and put greater pressure on businesses and supply chains.
Tunnel Vision is the best solution to get trucks off roads, whilst also causing the least disruption to family homes and our local environment.
With fully electric locomotives, we will also be ensuring our future supply chains are reducing their carbon footprint. And thus eliminating the need for smoke stacks from the tunnel.
There is just one major problem though, Mr Speaker, we are still waiting for the Queensland State Government to release the Port of Brisbane Strategic Rail Access Study.
On the 17th of February 2021, I wrote to the Queensland State Minister for Transport and Main Roads urging him to release this study.
A study that the former Coalition Government contributed $20 million to.
Well, it’s over 2 years later, and this report, this taxpayer funded report has still not been made public.
This means I along with other MPs and councillors cannot consult with our constituents and engage in community feedback.
It means we cannot tell them exactly where the train lines will be, and we cannot tell them how or if their homes will be impacted.
Simply put, we are all in the dark, and this is unfair and un-Australian.
Mr Speaker, whilst the cost of the tunnel will be in the billions, there is no doubt about that, the tunnel vision project is about leaving a legacy for future generations.
This is about saying we planned for their future.
That when we had the chance, we took trucks off the roads, made it safer for families, protected our local environment and planned for the future growth of Brisbane.
We cannot wait – the time is now.
I am again calling on the State Labor Government to release the Port of Brisbane Strategic Rail Access Study.
And help plan for a better future for all of Brisbane and indeed all of Australia.
Batch 2 of the Saluting Their Service (STS) Commemorative Grants Program is now open!
