Children and youth will benefit from safer play areas at Eastside Community Church in Manly West, with Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta today announcing that a re-elected Turnbull Coalition Government would provide $20,000 to upgrade fencing and install shade sails and pathways at the church’s play areas.

“This is a valuable project that will greatly help Eastside Community Church run its programs, which are accessible to the entire bayside community,” Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta said today.

“These programs currently cater for up to 70 children and 50 young people and are expected to grow in future.”

The project will provide safe play areas for children and youth by: 

a) Fencing the large oval space which borders Wondall Road and the driveway entrance from Wondall Road;
b) Fencing a dedicated play area for pre-kindy to young primary age children;
c) Installing shade sails over the dedicated play area for protection from the sun; and
d) Installing pathways so children facing disability and the elderly have proper access through this child play area.

Pastor Daniel Walker of Eastside Community Church welcomed the funding announcement.

“We look forward to implementing these much-needed upgrades for our play areas,” Mr Walker said.

“I’m thrilled to be able to make this announcement today that will help Eastside expand its programs and make them more accessible to the community,” Mr Vasta said.

Bayside locals today joined in National Families Week festivities at Lota Park to celebrate the vital role families play in the community.

The event was hosted by Wynnum Family Day Care (WFDC), an acclaimed bayside family day care service. A large number of families attended, with many children participating in the day’s events.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta said families were crucial to building a stronger community, and that it was important to ensure families had the support they needed.

“I want to thank Wynnum Family Day Care for arranging this fantastic event for local families in our area,” Mr Vasta said.

WFDC educator Cathy Bavage said they valued families in the local and surrounding areas, and had asked them to attend to showcase what they had to offer to the 650 children registered with family day care.

“Today’s focus was on physical activity, with a showcase of all the LINK activities we have to offer,” Mrs Bavage said.

LINK was established to improve learning outcomes for all children, and provides a number of positive learning experiences for children.

National Families Week is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services. For more on National Families Week visit www.nfw.org.au.

A re-elected Turnbull Coalition Government will upgrade dressing room facilities at the Wynnum Manly Seagulls Clubhouse with an investment of $400,000, announced the Liberal National Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta MP, today.

Making the announcement with the Minister for Health, Hon. Sussan Ley MP this afternoon, Mr Vasta said he was proud to secure this investment for such a worthy local community organisation. 

“I’m delighted to be able to make this commitment to Wynnum Manly Seagulls, which is an important local community organisation here on the Bayside,” Mr Vasta said.

CEO for the Club, Hanan Laban welcomed the funding.

“The purpose of the dressing room upgrade is to enhance the area’s ability to develop the game of rugby league,” said Mr Laban.

“”This upgrade will enable the club to be a central hub for sports in the Wynnum Manly community.”

Only the Turnbull Coalition Team can provide the strong economic leadership needed to deliver for community groups in the Bonner electorate.

Road safety in Queensland has received a boost with a new round of funding announced under the Black Spot Programme.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester and Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta today announced funding of $87,000 to fix the intersection of Bay Terrace and Bride Street in Wynnum, through the installation of additional priority signs on median islands at the intersection.

“This unsignalised intersection has recorded a number of crashes in recent years,” Mr Vasta said.

“After consulting with local residents and businesses in the area, I’m pleased to announce the installation of median traffic islands in the legs of Bride Street, with additional signs on the median islands.”

“This will make the intersection and the traffic control signs more conspicuous to drivers and improve safety for all.”

Director of Children @ Bay Terrace, Rebecca Swainson, commended the upgrade, having worked on Bay Terrace for over 16 years.

“I’ve seen a dramatic increase in the traffic driving along Bay Terrace which has been the cause of some alarm from within our community,” Mrs Swainson said.

“Reducing speeds along this road will create safer spaces for children, families and elderly people to enjoy Wynnum.”

Mr Chester said the project was recommended by a panel of independent road safety experts and would be delivered during the course of 2016-17.

“This investment is helping to make our local roads safer for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians,” Mr Chester said.

“The Australian Government has committed $500 million to the Black Spot Programme from 2014‑15 to 2018-19, including an additional $200 million over two years from 2015-16 to improve road safety and infrastructure across the country.”

Mr Vasta said he was delighted to see the upgrade approved and urged locals to make a submission for essential safety upgrades at other roads or intersections in their area.

For more information on the Australian Government’s Black Spot Programme, or to nominate a black spot, visit http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/funding/blackspots/.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta today said it was important to take the time to honour the legacy of our ANZACs, as well as the service of our local veterans, through upcoming ANZAC commemorations being held throughout the Bonner electorate.

Mr Vasta today hosted a special morning tea for local veterans at Wynnum RSL Club and was joined by Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC, the Hon Dan Tehan.

“We owe our ANZACs and the servicemen and servicewomen who followed in the footsteps of our ANZACs an enormous debt of gratitude,” Mr Vasta said.

“I want to thank our veterans for what you did for our country. I also commend the important work done by our local RSLs supporting those who have served Australia in conflicts across the world.”

The veterans in attendance at Mr Vasta’s morning tea had an opportunity to meet and talk with Minister Tehan.

“I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with veterans in the Wynnum community,” Mr Tehan said.

“The Wynnum RSL Sub Branch is an active part of the local community and continues to work closely with veterans and their families in Bonner.”

Over 2000 children in Bonner will benefit from the Turnbull Government’s National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education.

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta said $840 million in Federal funding will be available for quality preschool programmes across the country, and that these benefits would be felt across Bonner.

“The National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education guarantees funding for 600 hours of quality preschool in the year before school, and includes a focus on lifting participation rates for children from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds in Bonner,” Mr Vasta said.

“All states and territories including Queensland have signed up to the National Partnership Agreement, which is extremely encouraging and means that the funding will flow to local preschools in Bonner.”

“This funding will help over 2000 preschool children aged between four and five who are enrolled at local preschools in Bonner get the best start in life.”

Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the National Partnership funding was just one aspect of the Turnbull Government’s commitment to early childhood education.

“As well as the $840 million for the National Partnership Agreement, the Turnbull Government has committed to reforms worth $40 billion for early childhood education and care over the next four years, including more than $3 billion to ensure the system is more accessible, affordable and fairer for families,” Minister Birmingham said.

“The funding is the single largest investment in early learning and child care that this country has ever seen, and guarantees support for 15 hours of quality preschool education a week for children in the year before school.”

For more information visit: www.education.gov.au/universal-access-early-childhood-education.

Local government and incorporated not-for-profit organisations in Bonner are invited to apply for funding for small capital projects through Round 2 of the Stronger Communities Programme (SCP), Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta said today.

Applications for SCP grants of $5,000 to $20,000 will be open in Bonner until Monday, 11 April 2016. Organisations must match the SCP grant in cash or in-kind on at least a dollar for dollar basis.

“The Stronger Communities Programme is part of the Turnbull Government’s commitment to making local communities a priority,” Mr Vasta said.

“Organisations in our community now have an opportunity to apply for small capital works grants to upgrade areas across Bonner, such as men’s sheds, town halls, sporting infrastructure like turf, change rooms, canteens, and so on.”

Some of the successful applicants from Round 1 of SCP included:

·           Wynnum Manly and Districts Men’s Shed – President David Westlake and Bob Coakes said they relied on small grants like those from SCP to keep the group running, and that the SCP funding would go toward concreting for the floor of their new shed.

·           Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee (B4C) – Catchment Manager Wayne Cameron said their funded revegetation project would provide an important corridor link between Belmont Hills, Bulimba Creek and Minnippi Parklands, and would provide social as well as environmental benefits to the community.

·           Mt Gravatt Lapidary Club – President Jim Horton and Sue Horton said the club could now upgrade their equipment that was 20 to 40 years old to today’s standards. This will help the club be more energy and cost-efficient, saving them money in the long run and helping them keep and bring in more members.

·           Wynnum and District Horse and Pony Club – President Karen Dixon said the grant was for lighting and electrical upgrades that will boost safety for over 1,000 people who use the club’s facilities each year.

“I encourage potential applicants to contact my office on 07 3893 3488 to discuss projects which meet the eligibility criteria and deliver the best possible outcomes for our community.”

Mr Vasta said he had established a community consultation committee that will decide which upgrades are needed and which projects in Bonner are to be funded in the latest round.

“Once projects are recommended by the committee, I will write to the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Darren Chester MP, seeking endorsement and the release of funds for the locally-recommended projects,” Mr Vasta said.

“I will be holding community information sessions—keep an eye on my website for the dates—to answer any questions people may have on the Stronger Communities Programme, and to hear ideas on the best use for this funding.”

“I look forward to delivering much needed upgrades once again to already existing local community projects.”

Mr Vasta strongly encouraged applicants to read the SCP guidelines and frequently asked questions available online at www.infrastructure.gov.au/SCP.

Local teamwork and promoting local solutions are the key to tackling the ice scourge in the community, Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta said at an ice round table he hosted in Wynnum on Friday.

Mr Vasta was joined by Minister for Rural Health and Minister responsible for alcohol and drug policy, Senator the Hon Fiona Nash. Minister Nash visited Bonner to receive a briefing on the findings of the Bonner Ice Forum held last December.

“I thank police, health and church representatives who came along to the round table to discuss our local situation with the Minister,” Mr Vasta said.

“I appreciate their input and personal feedback to the Minister regarding ice in our community, and their hard work on the frontline of the terrible epidemic of ice.”

Mr Vasta said the Government’s new ice action plan would aid local efforts to combat the spread of ice.

The package includes $241.5 million to be invested through the 31 Primary Health Networks (PHNs), which will use their local knowledge to boost the alcohol and other drug treatment sector and reduce demand for ice.

Minister Nash said helping those who are hooked on ice to get off it takes the biggest buyers out of the market and reduces demand.

“PHNs will choose what forms of treatment is best bang for buck in the local region – be that counselling, rehabilitation or other forms of treatment. Government and PHNs will also work closely with the Aboriginal Community Controlled health sector to invest in culturally appropriate services,” Minister Nash said.

“Existing services will be extended by another 12 months to 30 June 2017 to allow considered planning of service delivery by PHNs going forward.”

“The PHNs also deliver mental health treatment services which will provide a vital link between the drug and alcohol treatment sector and the mental health sector.”

Mr Vasta said he was pleased to see local people will make decisions about how best to help the region’s ice problem.

“I look forward to collaborating with this amazing team in coming months and identifying new solutions to the ice scourge,” Mr Vasta said.

For more information about the Government’s ice action strategy visit www.health.gov.au/ice.