July 2024 Vol1 Issue1

CONNECT QUEENSLAND

Miles Doing What Matters: Record cost-of-living for Queenslanders starts July 1st

Miles Government’s record cost-of-living relief rolling out from today

As at 11:30am, more than 40,000 FairPlay vouchers have been snapped up, after registrations opened at 6am $1300 in electricity rebates will be applied to Queenslanders’ electricity bills from today Queenslanders are already benefitting from the Miles Government’s record cost-ofliving relief measures which come into effect from today, 1 July.

$1300 will be taken off every Queensland household’s electricity bill, thanks to investment from the Miles and Albanese Labor Governments.

For the first time in FairPlay’s five-year history, thanks to a $33.5 million investment in the budget, the Miles Government expanded eligibility to all Queensland children aged from five to 17 years.

A 12-month extension of

50% apprentice and trainee payroll tax rebate will begin from today and first year apprentices will be given a $1000 rebate to cover the cost of new tools 9backdated to 1 January 2024).

From today, all government fees and charges will be frozen and the Miles Government has already removed stamp duty for first home buyers to $700,000.

In the coming weeks, 50 cent public transport fares will take effect, the cost of an AirTrain ticket will be halved and the price of vehicle registration will be reduced by 20%.

This financial year, state and federal Labor Governments are working together to provide more Queenslanders more relief:

New tax cuts mean workers will earn more and keep more of what they earn from today Workers will be entitled to an additional 2 weeks paid parental leave And PBS medicines remain subject to a price freeze Measures like these, along with Free Kindy, free TAFE

and uplifts in funding to critical services like FoodBank, Meals on Wheels and homelessness assistance organisations, means more Queenslanders will be able to live more comfortably.

Visit www.queenslandsavers. qld.gov.au to see what you can save.

Premier Steven Miles acknowledges:

“I am doing what matters for Queenslanders and delivering record cost-of-living relief.

“From today, every Queensland household will start to see $1300 credit applied to their electricity bills, plus $372 more for registered seniors and concession card holders. This is my reminder to check your bill for the extra credit.

“In the last few weeks I’ve heard from lots of parents that $200 FairPlay vouchers are going to be a huge help, so it’s fantastic to see that more than 40,000 vouchers have been claimed.

Suburban crash corridors upgraded through Black Spot Program

Brisbane, June 21 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Lord Mayor’s office, Press Release) Brisbane City Council, together with the Australia Government, has delivered Council’s final intersection upgrade of the 2023-24 Black Spot Program.

Inala residents will be able to get home sooner and safer with the upgrade of the Kittyhawk Avenue and Inala Avenue intersection now complete.

The Inala intersection is the fourth and final project to be delivered as part of this year’s program.

It follows works at:

Johnson Road in Forest Lake Bay Terrace and Chestnut Street in Wynnum Bennetts Road, Macrossan Avenue and Crown Street in Norman Park

Schrinner Council saves five weeks of night works with super construction weekend

Brisbane, June 27 (MCCQ Newsdesk Lord Mayor’s office Press Release)

The safety improvements delivered by Council at these sites range from improving traffic flow, upgrading footpaths and adding line markings.

The Inala intersection will now include new traffic lights, so motorists and pedestrians can use the intersection safely.

Overall, $3.7 million was invested by the Australian Government during 2023-24 improving these intersections, which had over 20 crashes combined between 2016 and 2023.

Since the 2010-11 financial year, Black Spot upgrades have been completed at 63 locations across Brisbane’s suburbs.

The Black Spot program will continue in 2024-25 with two new locations identified.

Both Wynnum Road and Southgate Avenue in Cannon Hill, and Melton Road and Nellie Street in Nundah will be upgraded this financial year, making the roads in Brisbane even safer.

For more information on the Black Spot program, visit the Council website.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says, “Our Council is committed to keeping Brisbane moving and helping ensure our residents get where they’re going safely.

“Over many years we’ve partnering with the Federal continued on pg. 2 continued on pg. 2

The Schrinner Council will reduce night works on the Beams Road Upgrade by approximately five weeks thanks to an upcoming super weekend of construction.

The Beams Road upgrade is jointly funded by the Australian Government and will bust congestion on one of the most critical corridors on Brisbane’s northside.

Night works will be taking place from Sunday 30th June to prepare the site, followed by round the clock works from 7pm Friday 5th July to 8am Monday 8th July.

The weekend works will include asphalting of roads and pavements across the Beams Road and Dorville Road intersection where the roundabout was removed, creating a better flow of traffic for residents once finished.

The super weekend program follows extensive underground works to upgrade utilities between Lacey Road and Balcara Avenue.

Once finished, the upgrade will reduce congestion along more than two kilometres of the Beams Road corridor by widening the road to four lanes and improving intersections between Lacey and Handford roads.

The project incorporates more accessible indented bus bays, as well as better paths and fully separated bikeways for pedestrians and cyclists.

The final project will also connect with the Queensland Government’s level crossing removal and overpass, creating a safer connection for residents.

Road users will still be able to travel on Beams Road during the weekend works with temporary detours implemented between Cowie Road and Balcara Avenue.

A section of Dorville Road, between Beams Road and Matisse Street will also be temporarily closed to motorists, with local access maintained over the super weekend of works.

continued on pg. 2

Brisbane July 1 (MCCQ Newsdesk Press releaseMinisterial Statement)

Photo by Richard on unsplash

Photo by Tierra Mallorca on unsplash

Publisher Dr. Noel Kannagaraj

Editor

Mrs. Amrita Deshpande Dr. Ram Mohan

Contributors

Amrita Deshpande

Various Organisations, Volunteers and Members of MCCQ

Website Design & Updates

A’s Design Studio

Designing Layout

A’s Design Studio

Editorial secretary@mccq.org.au

Advertising secretary@mccq.org.au

Multicultural Community Connect Queensland Unit 49, 391, WICKHAM TERRACE, Ground Floor, Spring Hill, Brisbane, QLD – 4000

Miles Doing What Matters: Record cost-of-living for Queenslanders starts July 1st

... continued from page 1

“Good Labor Governments put people first, which is why all working Queenslanders will see additional tax cuts from today, as well as a freeze on the price of PBS medications.

“Very soon all public transport fares will be slashed to 50c, which will save someone who commutes from the Gold

Coast to Brisbane for work at least $2100 over 6 months.

“I am committed to doing what matters for Queenslanders and will keep delivering relief where I can.”

Schrinner Council saves five weeks of night works with super construction weekend

... continued from page 1

Traffic control will be in place to assist road users travelling through the work area.

For more information about the Beams Road upgrade, visit the Council website.

Federal Member for Petrie Luke Howarth expressed his

gratitude.“I want to thank Brisbane City Council for working with me, as the Federal MP for Petrie.

“I always find that the Brisbane City Council deliver in a timely manner and have better outcomes in comparison to the State Labor Government that take years for an outcome.

“It’s good that the Brisbane City Council is acting as a trusted delivery partner to ensure the widening of Beams Rd which will reduce congestion for people living in Carseldine, Bald Hills, Bracken Ridge, Fitzgibbon and many other suburbs.”

Chair for Infrastructure Councillor Andrew Wines

Suburban crash corridors upgraded through Black Spot Program

... continued from page 1

Government to identify and fix some of the most crashprone sites in our suburbs.

“Brisbane has been Australia’s fastest growing capital city for the past decade and by working together with other levels of government through initiatives like the Black Spot Program we can help ensure our suburbs remain great

places to live.”

Quotes attributable to Chair for Infrastructure Councillor Andrew Wines

“We know that these upgrades have shown to significantly reduce the number of incidents on our roads in these Black Spot locations.

“In the five years before the

upgrade in Wilston at the Newmarket Road and Lamont Street intersection in 2016, there were multiple recorded serious crashes.

“In the last five years, there has been just one.

“Whether you’re a pedestrian, cyclist, driver or bus passenger, our Council is committed to improving safety on our roads.”

assures, “The Schrinner Council is committed to keeping Brisbane moving and that means investing in the roads, transport and bikeway infrastructure that a growing city needs.

“Major suburban infrastructure works can take time, and we know it isn’t always convenient for residents.

“This will be a period of short term pain, for long term gain; and I want to thank local residents in advance for their patience.

“Through this construction plan, we can shave off more than a month of night works from the total project which means less impact to local residents and we can deliver this project sooner.

“With this approach, we can reduce nighttime impacts to

local residents while making sure our roads and bikeways get even better.”

Councillor Sandy Landers says

“Residents know Beams Road is one of the most congested corridors on the north side, and our Council is committed to making this stretch of road even better.

“We are doing everything we can to keep the project moving and reduce the impacts on residents.

“I know that local residents will welcome this super weekend of works as it will mean a reduction of five weeks of night works.

“We look forward to seeing this project change the way we get around our suburbs safely.”

Sports &Multicultural Involvement

Dr Noel A. Kanagaraj Chairman & Multicultural Ambassador

Michael is a Diversity and Inclusion in Sport Consultant and the Founder of Inclusive Sport Design. Australia is a vibrant, multicultural country. It is home to the world’s oldest continuous indigenous cultures. Australia is also a nation of migrants, arriving from all corners of the globe, who identify with more than 270 ancestries. Since 1945, around seven million people have migrated to Australia. This diversity of influences creates a cultural environment in Australia that is lively, energised, innovative and outward-looking.

Australia is becoming more culturally diverse too. The 2021 Census found that almost half of Australians have a parent born overseas (48.2 per cent) and the population continues to be drawn from around the globe, with 27.6 per cent of people reporting a birthplace overseas.

Our cultural background helps determine our attitudes and influences the way we live and act and see ourselves in the world. Culture can be defined by many things.

lia, they can face significant barriers and challenges to participating in organised sport and other recreational activities. While people may face a range of different barriers, there are several common ones.

Parental support – Some newly arrived parents may not see their children’s involvement in sport and recreation as a high priority compared to things like housing, education and employment.

Competitiveness – Club sport is commonly perceived as competitive, and there is often an assumption that players need to be skilled and dedicated to gain acceptance.

Cost – The cost of membership and equipment can be a significant barrier, particularly for newly arrived migrant families, whose financial resources may be limited.

Priorities – For young people from particular cultures, excellence and dedication in academia and schoolwork may be seen as a much higher priority than sport participation. Family and religious commitments may also take priority over sport.

Awareness – Sport clubs need improvement in understanding and managing cultural sensitivities better, particularly toward women.

Intimidation – Multicultural audiences may feel less welcome in sport clubs and can feel intimidated at the prospect of joining. This may include the perception that a club’s social culture revolves around alcohol, which may not align with their personal culture.

Language – For many multicultural communities, proficiency in English can be a challenge to accessing key information about sport opportunities.

What encourages multicultural involvement in sport?

Whilst it is important to understand the challenges, it is equally as important to identify ways to encourage participation. People from multicultural backgrounds participate in sport for the same reasons as anyone else –to have fun, get active, make friends and learn new skills. However, there are some specific things that you should consider when encouraging multicultural communities to get involved.

Supporting settlement – For newly arrived migrants and refugees, participating in sport can provide support and assist in their settlement by connecting them with the local community and improving English language skills.

Flexible or low fees – Offering free or low-cost introductory periods, activities, memberships and offering flexible payment options will be attractive to multicultural communities.

Culturally appropriate – Clubs and sport providers that recognise cultural diversity, and offer culturally appropriate programs, options and activities will encourage involvement. The language used in promotional and informational resources should also be considered. Keep English resources simple and easy to understand plus explore the languages of local multicultural communities and offer information in these languages.

Social and fun aspects – Ensure social and fun activities are offered for all members, including non-competitive playing options. Make sure there are opportunities to socialise and mix with people from their own cultural group and other cultural groups i.e. organising or participating in ethnic festivals and events.

Involvement in decision making – Involve people from multicultural communities in planning and delivering your programs and activities and ensure there is a connection with local community organisations and cultural leaders.

MARCH 2024 - Vol 1, Issue 1

Are artists on the brink of extinction as their incomes dwindle?

Brisbane, JUNE 28 (MCCQ

Newsdesk, First Published in InReview Written by Bec Mac)

It was the wrong musical How much do artists earn a year from their craft? How often are they asked to do work for free? According to the latest research supported by Creative Australia and reported on by The Conversation, Australian artists only earn $23,200 a year from their core practice.

This excludes sick leave, holiday pay and super and, on top of this, every meeting we have, every quote we put in, every grant we write we are doing it on our own time, without any remuneration.

We work in an industry with a culture and expectation of low and unpaid labour and it’s not uncommon for this to be viewed as systemic or institutionalised exploitation. Ultimately this means we are key financial investors in keeping the industry afloat, yet unlike investors in other entities we have no agency in saying how we would like our investment used. Is the solution a basic living wage for artists in this country?

Now let’s dive into the numbers from an ongoing economic study supported by Creative Australia. The mean income of an artist from their core creative practice in 1986/7 was $26,000. In 2022, 36 years later the latest survey indicates a mean income of just $23,000. It’s actually gone down by $3000. By my calculations (and I’m no economist) if our average income tracked inflation over that time period, we should have been earning $77,380 per year from our core practice in 2022.

So, does that mean that the average working artist is subsidising the national economy to the tune of $54,380 per

year through in-kind labour?

What does that look like in the average artist’s life?

I’ll use my own lived experience as an example. In 1987 I was just out of school studying for free for the first two years of my degree, then in 1989 the Hawke Government introduced HECS. Initially, all degrees cost the same, $1,800 a year. We protested at the time as we all knew that once that door was opened it was a slippery slope, and we were right.

My first share house was in 1989 at $33 per week which when calculated against the average wage of an artist was 10% of that $26,000. Fast track to 2022 the average rent in a share house in Brisbane was $250 at the very lowest end, so that’s a whopping 57% of the $23,000 that an artist will make.

Sydney, how are you surviving? In places like Erskineville where many creatives have made a home the average room to rent costs closer to $400 per week or $20,000 per annum. You literally cannot afford to be an artist there.

On top of this artists are often the first to be asked to offer up their work for free for a cause or charity – a painting, a performance or, in my case, to emcee an event or produce an interview.

The music industry is in equally catastrophic trouble.

As Taylor Swift’s Eras tour topped $1bn in revenue, musicians playing in small venues are facing pitiful fees and frequent losses.

Artist manager Dan Potts recently quoted in The Guardian said “artists are the biggest employers in the industry. They pay for the tour

manager, session musicians, agent, manager, crew, insurance, travel, accommodation, equipment, rehearsal space, production. Everything. I don’t think people know this …”

On top of this venues are closing, recently less than two weeks after the shock closure of Fortitude Valley’s The Zoo in Brisbane another owner of two inner-city live venues has warned the end is near.

Theatre is not faring any better. In Alison Croggon’s recent article Stage plight in The Monthly she noted: “A generation of small independent theatre makers has been betrayed by government neglect and bad policy, creating a cultural crisis.” I think that can be said for the arts across the board.

Croggon goes onto describe what it looks like when a sector has a “flourishing renaissance” which she noted was Melbourne between 2004 and 2012 and I want to refer to this so we have a benchmark of what it can look like when there is a convergence of funding, opportunities and hope.

I was living in Melbourne at the time, my partner ran a small indie venue above a pub in Fitzroy, funding was available to pay people a minimum wage, there were lots of collaborations and co-ops being trialled which allowed experimentation and risk-taking including in my own work LOVE TV. Things felt bold and exciting. Croggon recalls that back then “Major theatres began to support small companies with studio programs, such as the residency program at the Malthouse Theatre, which produced Hayloft Project’s breakout hit Thyestes, the NEON Festival of Independent Theatre at the Melbourne Theatre Company,

the independent program at Belvoir’s Downstairs Theatre in Sydney, the Bille Brown Theatre at Queensland Theatre ...”

The problem has been a slow progression of a confluence of forces since then. I do think a practical policy supporting a universal basic income for artists such as that in France and the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme recently trialled in Ireland should be considered – initial reviews by the Irish Government revealed that those artists in the scheme invested more time in their practice, improved their mental health and worked fewer hours in other sectors. A basic income guarantee may go some way to making up for the $54,300 in free labour we typically do each year.

David Pledger, an artist, writer and curator also supported this solution in a statement on LinkedIn: “A basic income for the arts (BIA) is the only solution to the devastating financial precarity Australian artists contend with in their daily lives,” he wrote. “The direct subsidy artists provide to government and industry through the provision of their unpaid and underpaid work is what is keeping the system from collapse … I have never seen the material conditions of artists worse than they are now. Ironic that two Australian artists and a company have been lionised at Venice while the vast majority of artists here live below the poverty line.”

In the meantime, artists are finding multiple ways to support their work financially. First Nations artists Libby Harward and Dominique Chen of The Blak Laundry are crowd-sourcing to build a unique creative enterprise, a laundry service that will generate income for themselves and other first nations

artists who want to create, innovative work. Artist Nicole Voevodin-Cash has developed an app based on her art practice that allows people to make artworks from their daily walks.

Chrysalis Projects, of which I am co-founder, raised funds from the community via The Australian Cultural Fund for our ambitious Vernon Ah Kee mural encouraging the community to become mini-investors in their “PLACE”.

One political leader trying to tackle problem is Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, Clover Moore. She has unveiled a cultural strategy aimed at nurturing and expanding the city’s cultural life and workforce over the next decade. At the heart of this initiative is the establishment of a Creative Land Trust, designed to acquire and develop affordable workspace for Sydney’s artists, makers, musicians and performers.

Artists more than ever need to join forces and demand a better deal. We need a seat at the table where the decisions are made and have the value of our contribution recognised. An entire generation of young artists are now choosing other pathways and, to be honest, I don’t blame them. Unfortunately for our culture and society you don’t realise what you have until its gone and we have never needed the critical thinking, creative problem solving and social connectivity that the arts bring more than we do right now.

Bec Mac is a Brisbane journalist and artist. She is the founder of POPSART, an arts journalism platform and also co-founder of Chrysalis Projects which produces public art projects.

https://inreview.com. au/430361

Bec Mac with First Nations artists Libby Harward and Dominique Chen of Blak Laundry who are building a unique creative enterprise - a laundry service that generates income for them and other artists. They are crowd sourcing for the initial investment. Photo by Alex MacDonald

Royal Queensland Art Society continues a long artistic tradition

Brisbane, JUNE 28

(MCCQ Newsdesk, written by Phil Brown, First Published in InReview)

If variety is the spice of life, it’s a very spicy year for the artists of the Royal Queensland Art Society. (RQAS). The 134th RQAS Members Annual Exhibition is now on. It’s in two parts actually.

Recently we saw the acrylic, oil painting and sculpture entries with first prize in the painting in oils and acrylics section won by Laura Phillips for her painting Brink.

That prize was judged by Todd Whisson while the sculpture prize was judged by Stephen Newton and won by Jennifer Long for her work Totem Tangle 3. You have missed seeing them since we are now on to part two although the sculptures are still on show at the Petrie Terrace Gallery along with works from other sections – drawing, photography, digital painting and digital manipulation, watercolour, 2D artworks and pastels.

a long tradition. A very long tradition actually since the RQAS is the oldest art association in Queensland and has been promoting and supporting local artists since 1887, although informal meetings date back to 1884.

the addition of the Gallery of Modern Art). In addition to Isaac Walter Jenner and R. Godfrey Rivers, other famous names associated with RQAS include Vida Lahey, Daphne Mayo, Margaret Olley, Irene Amos, William Bustard and many more.

about what is next.

Owen Hutchison’s woodcut Kata Tjuta Country is a lively Central Australian landscape that evokes the ancient nature of our continent.

The 134th RQAS Members Annual Exhibition is on until July 14 at Petrie Terrace Gallery, 3/162 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, 10am to 3.30pm Wednesday to Sunday.

rqas.com.au

The Royal Queensland Art Society’s annual members exhibition is in its 134th year and features everything from landscapes to digital works R Q A S

The exhibition shows a diverse range of styles and subjects.

And therein lies the beauty of an exhibition which continues

The key foundational figure was Isaac Walter Jenner, a revered colonial artist and the membership over the years is littered with famous names. The first few years were apparently tricky (you know what artists can be like) however the appointment of R. Godfrey Rivers in 1891 settled things down and established the policy of allowing only original works to be shown in exhibitions, a tradition which continues to this very day. R. Godfrey Rivers is another foundational figure in Queensland art and in 1903 painted what has become the Queensland Art Gallery’s favourite work, Under the Jacaranda.

In its chequered history, the RQAS has played an undeniably important role in the establishment of of what is now the Queensland Art Gallery (QAGOMA now, with

So, it’s lovely to see tradition continue. The current member’s exhibition is lively and entertaining Wandering through it the eye is drawn to a familiar image at first … a portrait in pastel of a girl. Lisa Stansfield’s After Vermeer: The Girl with the Pastel Earring is a nice nod to a great art work that eventually became the subject of a rather interesting film.

Graham W Smith is an RQAS stalwart and his Outback Riders in the watercolor section is also eye catching and quite fun, depicting motorcycles churning up the dirt in the Queensland Outback.

In the photography section Christine Hall’s work Introspection is a serene, simple and beautifully lit work that exemplifies the quietude of an artist who is perhaps thinking

There are streetscapes, pastoral scenes, seascapes and homages to other culture and styles such as Christine Groh’s lovely mixed media and collage work Let us Entertain You, featuring a kind of Floating World scene with Japanese Geisha.

Or you might be drawn to pastels of beloved pets or more abstract works but whatever your taste I think we can safely say you will find something to interest you. And of course, this is a wonderful opportunity to add works to you collection –pieces by established RQAS artists and newcomers since one of the artists included is just 15 making this exhibition a multi-generational affair. The judging will take place on the weekend.

https://inreview.com. au/430349

Photo:Owen Hutchison’s woodcut Kata Tjuta Country is one of the works by RQAS members now showing at the Petrie Terrace Gallery Phil

2024 annual event of the Queensland Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan Group

BrisbanePress Release)

Director William Fan, Chair of the Queensland Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan, James Martin MP and Co-Chair, Mr John-Paul Langbroek MP, hosted the 2024 annual event of the Queensland Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan at the Queensland Parliament on the evening of June 15 .

The event was attended by over 90 guests, including Queensland Parliament

Speaker Curtis Pitt, Ministers and State Members of the Queensland Parliament from all parties, Overseas Community Affairs

Commissioner Phyllis Lo, Queensland community leaders, representatives from various associations, Taiwanese business executives, senior officials from Taiwanese banks and airlines companies, and members of the Taiwanese Student Association.

Speaker Pitt opened the event by acknowledging the significant contributions of

the Taiwanese community to Queensland’s economic development and multicultural fabric. He highlighted the close ties between Taiwan and Queensland in energy, trade, education, culture, and tourism, emphasizing the potential for further growth. He expressed hope that the Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan Group would continue to serve as a mutually beneficial platform for enhancing interaction between Taiwanese Australians and Queensland parliamentarians, aiming for mutual success for Taiwan and Queensland.

In their speeches, Mr Martin MP and Mr Langbroek MP underscored Taiwan’s robust economic and technological advancements, affirming its crucial role as a trading partner for Queensland. They praised Taiwanese immigrants for their dynamic contributions to Queensland’s development, noting their integral role in the state’s diverse cultural landscape. Both MPs committed to further promoting bilateral cooperation and exchanges, with Martin sharing insights from his visit to Taiwan last year, encouraging fellow parliamentarians to

deepen their understanding of Taiwan’s politics, economy, and cultural richness to better serve the Taiwanese community in Queensland.

Director Fan highlighted the close economic ties between Queensland and Taiwan in 2023, particularly in trade, academic exchanges, and healthcare cooperation.

He noted ongoing bilateral agreements in technology and industry, foreseeing continued collaboration opportunities in critical minerals and emerging energy sectors.

Moreover, Director Fan discussed the new President Lai Ching-Te’s values-based diplomatic approach and Taiwan’s role in global supply chains, emphasizing Taiwan’s commitment to equality and dignity in managing cross-strait relations. He urged Queensland parliamentarians to support Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Economic Cooperation Agreement (ECA) with Australia, aiming to bolster bilateral industrial cooperation, educational exchanges, and safeguard shared democratic values.

Director Fan also expressed gratitude to Queensland parliamentarians and officials for their condolences to the victims of the Hualien earthquake on April 4 and their congratulatory messages to President Lai’s election, affirming Taiwan’s progress in promoting democratic governance.

Throughout the event, attending parliamentarians demonstrated their support for Taiwan and Queensland relations through active engagement with Taiwanese community groups, lively exchanges of ideas, and enjoying the award-winning Kavalan whisky from Taiwan, which received high praise.

Brisbane, June 19

(MCCQ Newsdesk, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office,

Mandela Day 2024, Panel Discussion!

Brisbane, June 26

(MCCQ Newsdesk, by Adhis Cole Press Release)

*Mandela Day 2024 Panel

Discussion: “AfricanAustralians: Racism, Rights & Resilience”*

Curtin University’s Centre for Australia-Africa Relations (CAAR) and Centre for Human Rights Education (CHRE) are partnering with the African Australian Advocacy Centre (AAAC) to convene an informative and enjoyable event to mark Nelson Mandela International Day 2024 on 18 July. To secure your place, please register for in-person or virtual attendance.

Follow the URLto buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ mandela-day-2024-curtin-tickets-934250136307

“In November 2009 - in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom, UN General Assembly declares 18 July “Nelson Mandela International Day”. Resolution A/RES/64/13 recognizes Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity in: conflict resolution; race relations; promotion and protection of human rights; reconciliation; gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups; the fight against poverty; the promotion of social justice. The resolution acknowledges his contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world”

(Ref: United Nations).

The Australian-Vietnamese Community Extends A Helping Hand To PNG

Ipswich, June 18 2024, (MCCQ News Desk Senetor Paul Scarr press release)

Recently appointed as Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement, Senator Paul Scarr is known in the local and wider community as personally committed to multiculturalism, supporting events and organisations in the multicultural space on a weekly basis.

On Saturday 8 June, it was the Vietnamese Community in Australia – Queensland Chapter, that demonstrated what a multicultural and harmonious society aspires to look like, as they mobilised to organise a fundraising event to support the victims of the recent landslide in Papua New Guinea.

“Our Queensland Vietnamese community is always there for people in need,” said Senator Scarr.

According to PNG’s National Disaster Centre, more than

2000 people were buried by the landslide, but the death toll remains unknown. Around 1,600 people have also been displaced by the disaster.

“PNG is still in a time of great need and my heart goes out to them. My thoughts are with the incredible people of PNG, a country very close to my heart as I lived and worked there for two years,” he said. Australian international aid and development agency Caritas has also organised a fundraising page where people can donate. If you are in a position to help, please consider doing so at the following link: https:// www.caritas.org.au/.../ papua-new-guinea-landslide/ “Thank you to the Queensland Vietnamese community for your generosity of spirit and compassion. Your kindness and community spirit represent the very best of Australian values,” said Senator Paul Scarr.

Madaraka Day Festival, by the Queensland Kenyan Community

Senator Paul Scarr attended the Madraka Festival by the Queensland Kenyan Community as the shadow multicultural engagement minister.

The 2024 Parkinson Multicultural and Dragon Boat Festival, by the Hakka Association of Queensland

Senator Paul Scarr attended the 2024 Parkinson Multicultural and Dragon Boat Festival, by the Hakka Association of Queensland as the shadow multicultural engagement

ECCQ WEN successfully organised the 2nd Workshop

Center at Kangaroo Point.

ECCQ WEN group successfully delivered its 2nd workshop in the workshop series on Domestic Violence.

The Title of the workshop being: Family Law and Service Providers Orientation.

The workshop was held at the Queensland Multicultural

The Workshop was well attended by interested women who wanted to know what services are currently out there in the area of domestic violence.

Representatives from

• Home affairs department,

• Challenge DV,

• Center Against Sexual Violence,

• and Women’s Legal Services gave an insightful presentation and a panel discussion on various topics related to Family Law and Domestic Violence.

The goal of this workshop was to educate community leaders on how to respond to Domestic Violence, including coercive control and be familiar with the laws and

serivces being offered to the multicultural community.

The workshop gave community leaders an understanding of the rights of the victim in a domestic violence situation.

We also discussed issues such as how to approach the service providers? What funding, financial help is out there for women who are in a Domestic Violence situation?

How effective is the strategy to involve men in advocacy?

The WEN Leadership team plans to create short video of the workshop which will be shared on the ECCQ youtube soon.

For more information or queries, and to join WEN group as a member, please contact advocacy@eccq.com. au

Brisbane, June 28 (MCCQ News Desk, written by Amrita Deshpande)

Miles Government support to boost teacher attraction and retention

Brisbane, June 12 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Ministerial Media Statement Media Release)

• New Miles Government doing what matters most to Queenslanders by providing financial incentive to attract and retain teachers in rural and remote schools

• $3 million to provide free accommodation for 12 months for teachers moving to priority schools

• Rural and Remote Teacher Experience Program to be doubled to $500,000.

• The Miles Government has moved swiftly to introduce immediate responses to the recommendations of the Teacher Workforce Roundtable, held on 28 May, to attract and retain teachers to rural and remote schools.

The Government will invest $3 million to provide free accommodation for teachers for up to 12 months who accept roles at priority regional, rural and remote schools from the commencement of Term 3, 2024.

The Government has also doubled funding for the Rural and Remote Teacher Experience program for 2024-2025 to $500,000

The program gives urban Queensland state school teachers considering teaching in a rural or remote state school a 1-week experience that is organised and funded by the department through an expression of interest process. It includes an orientation with the host school, a weekend living in the community and five days replacing the host teacher in class.

Experiencing rural or remote teaching provides an invaluable opportunity to broaden teaching practices along with providing enhanced

employment opportunities for teachers. Of the teachers who have participated in this program, more than half have transferred to a rural or remote location to continue their teaching career.

The Teacher Workforce Roundtable brought together representatives from across the education sector for a productive discussion on solutions to address the teacher workforce challenges. The participants unanimously agreed incentives including financial, professional and social benefits will help attract and retain teachers, particularly to rural and remote schools.

The Queensland Government last week launched a survey of all state school teaching and leadership staff about workload pressures, which was also a key issue facing teachers, teacher aides and principals. The Government will review and consider the feedback provided about the administrative burdens taking them away from their core business with the intention of reducing overall workload.

Work has also begun on other action items agreed upon at the Roundtable:

Developing a long-term, sector wide workforce strategy to look at how Queensland can attract, recruit and retain school staff.

Building on the “Grow Your Own” concept by exploring initiatives targeted in regional and remote areas.

Contacting recently retired and retiring teachers and school leaders to identify how they can remain engaged in the system. Developing a ‘valuing teachers’ campaign.

Premier Steven Miles Quotes:

“I am doing what matters for Queenslanders and that means making sure our fantastic

Queensland teachers get to see what our regional and rural communities have to offer.

“We know that when people go to rural and regional Queensland to fill critical gaps in the workforce, they love it and want to stay there.

“I don’t want cost to be a barrier for teachers thinking about a change, so I’m doing something about it.”

Education Minister Di Farmer says:

“We are absolutely committed to doing what matters for Queenslanders.

“We are exploring every plausible option to attract and retain the best teachers to our schools across the state.

“Queensland is one of the most geographically diverse education environments in the world.

“As I travel around the state visiting schools in towns of all sizes, I always meet teachers who moved to a rural or remote town, initially for a year or two, and fell in love with the community and the school and end up building their lives there.

“It’s a consistent story from Cape York to Thargomindah.

“These programs support anyone interested in teaching in one of these communities to make that dream a reality.”

The Rural and Remote Teacher Experience Program has had 110 participants from 2018 – 2023. Of those, 56 have transferred to a rural or remote school.

Details on the program can be found at https://education. qld.gov.au/schools-educators/other-education/ rural-and-remote-education/ teacher-experience-program

Planned burns underway as Brisbane prepares for Bushfire season welcomes

new members

Brisbane, June 13 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Lord Mayor Adrian Shrinner office Media Release)

The Schrinner Council is preparing for bushfire season with the city’s planned burn schedule now underway.

The 2024 program kicked off at the Boondall Wetlands on Sunday 9 June, encompassing 28 hectares between the Gateway Motorway and Paperbark Drive.

Another planned burn will take place starting today until Saturday 15th June at the Mount Coot-tha reserve,

weather permitting.

Council manages more than 10,000 hectares of bushland and natural areas across Brisbane and has undertaken 80 planned burns impacting over 1,300 hectares since 2018.

More than 100 trained staff are employed by Council, operating 20 four-wheel drive light attack firefighting units.

Council’s investment in fire preparedness also includes fire trail construction, fire management plans, managing vegetation and maintaining

More protection for resources worker safety

Brisbane, June 13 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Ministerial Media Statement Media Release)

• The Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 has passed in Parliament, creating changes to legislation for safety and health in Queensland’s mines, quarries, petroleum, gas and explosives industries.

• The new laws will help protect workers and improve safety.

• They implement the final recommendations for Resources Safety and Health Queensland from the Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry which investigated the Grosvenor mine explosion.

• The changes will begin over the next five years to allow industry implementation.

• The Miles Government has delivered on its commitment to safety in the resources sector with amendments to the Resources Safety Acts passing Queensland Parliament.

The reforms facilitate high reliability organisation behaviours within the resources sector, modernising regulatory enforcement powers, and ensuring Queensland’s resources safety and health legislation is contemporary and effective.

Critical controls are a particular focus and aim to address serious risks on mine sites.

Previously, these controls have been voluntarily applied across industry. The new laws now require mine and quarry sites to include critical controls in their safety and health management systems.

The changes also mean enforceable undertakings have been introduced for the first time to the resources industry.

Safety Acts were informed by recommendations from the Brady Review into fatal accidents at Queensland mines, the Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry, the coronial inquest into the death of Gareth Dodunski, and industry consultation.

As part of the legislation, Resources Safety and Health Queensland’s petroleum and gas inspectors will now be able to compel relevant people to give information or answer questions. This was a recommendation from the coroner after its inquest into the tragic death of Gareth Dodunski.

Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart says:

“The most important thing to come out of out of any workplace at the end of each shift is its workers, and that is why safety is my number one priority.

“Our goal for these reforms was to improve the resource sector’s safety and health performance, and to reduce the number of fatalities and serious accidents.

“After the explosion at the Grosvenor mine in 2020, the Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry was established and made recommendations to industry, unions, Resources Safety and Health Queensland and other stakeholders.

“This legislation implements the final recommendations for Resources Safety and Health Queensland which is incredibly important.

“The resources industry is a key driver of the Queensland economy, but we can’t have a thriving resources sector without robust safety measures in place.

“The health and safety of all workers is paramount for the Miles Labor Government.

fire access tracks and trials.

Locals can also attend bushfire information and awareness workshops that are facilitated by Council and funded by Get Ready Queensland.

Further burn locations are yet to be announced.

Council will advise the community of each planned burn ahead of time via a Community Service Announcement.

Residents can be prepared for Bushfires with simple steps

An enforceable undertaking is an alternative to prosecution and allows the regulator to accept an undertaking from individuals and companies where they have breached the safety and health legislation, but not in matters involving workplace deaths.

All changes to the Resources

like:

Having a bushfire survival plan Tidying up yards, gutters, and overhanging branches Preparing an emergency kit ready and accessible

“This has been a monumental effort and I want to thank everyone who contributed to these reforms, in particular the parents of Gareth Dodunski, Michelle and Phil, who bravely recounted the devastating loss of their son during the Committee hearings.”

For more information on planned burns or bushfire safety, visit www.brisbane. qld.gov.au.The current council term began on 1 February 2024 and ends 31 January 2026.

Election commitments delivered in 2024/25 Budget

Brisbane, June 16 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner office Media Release)

The 2024-25 Budget confirms the Schrinner Council’s commitments to keep Brisbane moving while taking pressure off household rates and rents.

The $4 billion Budget incorporates Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s suite of election commitments, including the return of $2 Summer Dips, new safety cameras and suburban congestion-busting initiatives.

The commitments made by Cr Schrinner and his team at the election were modest and affordable to prevent forcing unnecessary costs onto Brisbane households during the cost-of-living crisis.

The new commitments are funded while still delivering a balanced Budget that maintains the cheapest residential rates in south east Queensland and continues to deliver the most generous pensioner rebate scheme in Queensland.

The Schrinner Council’s election commitments were in stark contrast to the Green/Labor Coalition of Chaos which made $3.5 billion worth of unfunded promises that would have driven Council spending up by 20 per cent, guaranteeing significant rate rises for years to come.

The first $500,000 round of the Safer Suburbs Community grants to fund security improvements at Councilleased sports and community clubs will be awarded this year, with applications to open soon.

The first cameras as part of the roll out of more than 35 new suburban safety cameras will be installed in high-priority public spaces at Forest Lake, Boondall, Mt Gravatt Outlook, Moorooka and the Caxton Street precinct in the 2024/25 financial year.

In the coming financial year works will begin on the major upgrade to Brisbane’s traffic management system with a global search to get underway for the best traffic management technology to move as many people as efficiently as possible.

The Budget will deliver the promised community storage facilities at Edinburgh Castle Road Precinct at Wavell Heights and Moggill District Sports Park at Moggill next financial year.

The Budget allocated funding to deliver the four-year Safer Suburbs Lighting Program with Kelvin Close Park in Forest Lake, Springfield Street Park in MacGregor and Childs Road Park in Nudgee to receive new and improved lighting in the 2024/25 financial year.

Community consultation and initial design work for the first new Safe School Precincts will commence in the next financial year in Kedron and Mansfield, encompassing six different schools.

The 2024-25 Budget funds the extension of the successful $2 Summer Dips which led to pool patronage doubling during December and saved residents almost $2 million last summer.

The commitment to bring

CityCats to Howard Smith Wharves has been delivered with services starting on 27 May and already proving incredibly popular.

The Schrinner Council’s 2024/25 Budget includes funding for:

• Community storage facilities

• Delivering a sustainable ferry

• Extension of $2 Summer Dips

• Kedron Brook revitalisation

• Koala recovery, resilience and vaccinations

• More coffee carts in parks through reduced fees

• New Suburban Safety cameras

• Planning work for a new northside Brisbane Metro charging station and depot

• Protecting and boosting platypus populations

• Safer School Precincts

• Safer Suburbs Community Grants

• Safer Suburbs Lighting Program

• Sporting club lighting upgrades

• Suburban congestion-busting plan

• Taking CityCats to Howard Smith Wharves

• Upgrading Brisbane’s traffic management system

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner assures:

“We have been able to deliver new and exciting opportunities for Brisbane without passing unnecessary costs onto Brisbane households.

“I promised residents I would be a responsible financial manager and I have delivered on my commitment to hand down a balanced and sensible Budget that delivers the cheapest residential rates in south east Queensland.

“With 89 per cent of spending in our suburbs, we’re investing in all corners of our city and continuing to make Brisbane an even better place to live, work and play.

“Brisbane residents had a choice between an experienced team with a strong track record of making Brisbane better or a radical and risky Green/Labor Coalition of Chaos.

50 cent fares set by the Miles Government

Brisbane, June 16

(MCCQ Newsdesk,Ministerial Media Statement Media Release)

• June 16 marks 50 days until Queenslanders will be able to travel on any Translink public transport service around the state for just 50 cents.

• 50 cent fares will be trialled for six months from Monday, August 5 on all modes of public transport across Translink’s networks.

• Queenslanders planning to use public transport for the first time during the trial are encouraged to visit the Translink website to find their best payment method and plan their journey in advance.

• The countdown to the cheapest public transport fares in Queensland’s modern history is on with 50 days to go until 50 cent flat fares take effect.

The Miles Government will trial 50 cent public transport fares across the Translink network for six months from Monday, August 5.

During the trial Queenslanders will be able to travel on bus, train, ferry, tram, on demand services in South East Queensland, and all regional urban buses for just 50 cents.

Fares on Airtrain services will also be slashed to half-price for the same period, reducing fares to $10.95 when travelling from the city to Brisbane Airport and slashing worker tickets in half as well.

Public transport usage across all modes remains about 13 per cent below pre-COVID levels, but Translink will monitor usage on all services during the trial to help inform future decisions on the cost

of public transport fares and service levels.

Public transport users can also visit Translink’s Service Capacity Tracker to view a forecast of the space available on their service based on the day and time they are planning to travel.

More information on the six-month trial of 50 cent fares is also available on the Translink website.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Bart Mellish:

“In 50 days, the Miles Government will trial Australia’s first-ever 50c fares for public transport.

“Whether it is going to save someone more than $100 per week on their work commute,

“Brisbane residents chose to put downward pressure on rates and rents and to keep Brisbane moving.”

or just a few dollars here and there, this trial means money will stay in the pockets of Queenslanders.

“It’s really important public transport users continue to tap on off during the trial as this provides Translink with valuable data on which services are busy and where people are travelling, which helps Translink plan an efficient and reliable public transport network.

“Whether you’re a frequent public transport user, a first timer, or coming back after a break, there has never been a better time to jump on-board.

“The rollout of Smart Ticketing is making it easier to pay for your journey, and the trial of 50c fares will make public transport more affordable.

“These investments and initiatives are designed to get more people onto public transport which will help to reduce congestion.

“The only mention of public transport in David Crisafulli’s budget reply speech was their $6.6 billion unfunded ‘promise’ to deliver Sunshine Coast Direct to Maroochydore by2032, which experts says is impossible.

“We know the LNP did not support the Northern Transitway and we know they sacked more than 2000 workers from TMR when they were last in government.

“The Miles Government backs public transport and we will continue to invest in new infrastructure and initiatives for Queenslanders.”

International Day of Yoga 2024- GSIA celebrates the Yoga Day!

Brisbane, 22 June (MCCQ Newsdesk, GSIA press release)

Greater Springfield Indian Association INC (GSIA)

Celebrates International Yoga Day!

On 23rd June at Springfield Central Libraries, we had a wonderful International Yoga Day event organized by the GSIA Team. It was heartwarming to see our local community come together to practice yoga and embrace wellness.

A special thank you to our amazing yoga instructors, Jyothiba Patil and Hinduja Ji from Springfield Lakes, for guiding us through the session with such grace and expertise.

Thank you to the sponsors who made this event successful:

During the event, President Mukesh Dubey delivered an inspiring message emphasizing the importance of yoga in promoting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. He highlighted the significance of such gatherings in strengthening community bonds and encouraged everyone to continue embracing yoga principles in their daily lives.

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this day a success! Let’s continue to promote health and peace in our community.

International Day of Yoga 2024- Brisbane celebrate the Yoga Day with the Consulate General of India in Brisbane!

Brisbane, 22 June (MCCQ Newsdesk) by

Amrita Deshpande

On 22nd of June, The Internaional Day of Yoga was celebrated in Brisbane with an overwhelming response from the local multicultural community.

For the first time in Brisbane, the newly established permanent Consulate of India, consulate general Ms. Neetu Bhagotia along with her team and group of community organisations organised the event.

Community organisations supported the yoga event on a big way. Especially Queensland Cricket for providing the venue and hosting the Yoga session on the Allan Border Field. Star Promotions, India News and Multicultural Community Connect came forward to develop the backdrop media wall, the advertising and the documentation of the event. Other organisations who supported the event were Bharatiya Samaj, Medical Doctors Association, FICQ and ICAQ.

Her excellency the Governor General of Queensland Dr. Jeanette Young graced the occasion as the chief guest

and addressed the attendees expressing her gratitude for inviting and organising the event which is necessary for the health and wellbeing of each and every person living in Brisbane. In her addressed she said, “Yoga has many benefits social, mental, and physical, hence, I hope this event becomes a regular event”

Consulate General Ms. Neetu Bhagotia in her address to the attendees said that “This year the theme is Yoga for Self and Society so let us try to inculcate this practice in our daily ritual so that we can have a healthier version of ourself, and when an individual is healthy he or she is a healthier assest for our soceity. So, let us all be healthy and become productive assets for the soceity and mankind. India follows the philosophy Vasudeva Kutumbakam which means world is our family, hence let us spread the awareness of yoga to our wider family.”

On the occassion Queensland Cricket Director Terry Svenson acknowledged that “Yoga connects us to our friends in India and it is timely for cricket to have it in Allan Border Field. Last

year at Christmas we had the Indian Women’s team playing here at the Allan Border Field for world cup and the mens team were here too. So we are previledged to be connected with the Indian diaspora here and have the yoga event”

Cr. Vicki Howard was present at the occasion representing the Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

Bhavana the Yoga instructor took the attendees into a spritual, self realising journey through the demonstrations of Yoga poses and meditation session. To help her were her colleagues and friends who volunteered to demonstrate the posses along with her.

The morning was definietly a self healing, spiritualy uplifting and relaxing. This one session of Yoga made many enjoy the pleasures and joys of hatha yoga, laughter yoga and pranayam.

Community leaders, students and children attended the event making it a very successful day of Yoga. Thanks to the weather, it only drizzled rain for few minutes and let the event unfold smoothly without intruptions or delays.

Outdoor Gallery refreshed with new Gloss

Brisbane, June 14 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Lord Mayor office press release) foyer.

Brisbane’s art scene is ready for a refresh, with the Schrinner Council’s latest Outdoor Gallery exhibition making the city’s hidden spaces even better.

Paradise Gloss will transform laneways, streets, lightboxes and carparks into vibrant exhibitions that explore creativity and play.

Now in its 11th year, the free program spans Brisbane’s favourite lifestyle precincts and central spaces like Fish Lane, King George Square Car Park, Heritage Lanes, Howard Smith Wharves and the Museum of Brisbane

Curated by Brisbane local Laura Brinin, the new exhibition includes works from 14 artists across multiple disciplines.

Rachel Burke, Bonnie Hislop, Sunday Jemmott, Jessica Nothdurft, Frances Powell and Susan Lincoln are just some of the local talent featured, along with many other Australian creatives.

Paradise Gloss is on display from Friday 14 June to Sunday 3 November.

To find out more go to www. brisbane.qld.gov.au and search Outdoor Gallery

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner appreciates the efforts:

“Our Outdoor Gallery program celebrates the best of Brisbane’s local talent, while brightening up our city spaces.

“This fantastic free exhibition is a great way to explore new parts of Brisbane and see our city in a new light.

“It’s part of Council’s commitment to make our lifestyle even better.”

Paradise Gloss curator Laura Brinn advocates: “Art’s immediacy can communicate our shared realities, engage with critical social questions, and envision an

inclusive future.

“It reminds us of the beauty and joy inherent in the everyday, even the banal, and can act as an antidote to the daily grind.”

2024 Queensland Greats honoured on Queensland Day

Brisbane, June 7 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Ministerial Statement Media Release).

• Six Queenslanders and LifeFlight recognised for shaping Queensland life.

• Olympics legend Natalie Cook OAM OLY, fashion icon Keri Craig-Lee OAM, and ‘Mr Gold Coast’ the late Sir Bruce Small among the recipients.

• Premier Steven Miles last night honoured six exceptional Queenslanders and the aeromedical service provider, LifeFlight, as Queensland Greats.

It was the first Queensland Greats awards presented by new Premier Steven Miles.

Queensland’s new Greats were honoured for their outstanding contributions to the state at the annual Queensland Day ceremony which celebrates the individuals and institutions who have helped to shape Queensland.

The 2024 Queensland Greats are:

Scientist and biotechnology leader Emeritus Professor Peter Andrews AO

Emeritus Professor Peter Andrews AO expressed his gratitude:

“This is a great honour that could never have happened without the support of my family and the contributions of my colleagues.

“This is a golden opportunity to share the prospect of visitors to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games being blown away by the proliferation of innovative Queensland companies generating economic, societal, and environmental benefits for people, around the globe.”

There are now 125 individuals, 20 institutions, and 11 posthumous recipients of a Queensland Greats award, representing the many ways in which Queenslanders have worked for the greater good of the state and their community.

The Queensland Greats Awards program began in 2001 to honour people and organisations who have made a meaningful contribution to, or whose achievements have significantly impacted, the history and development of Queensland.

Olympic gold medallist and athletes’ champion Natalie Cook OAM OLY

Natalie Cook OAM OLY reveals her secret:

“As a proud and passionate Queenslander, it is an honour to receive a Queensland Greats award.

“I represented my country for twenty years in the green and gold, but always wore maroon underneath.”

Award-winning fashion stylist and retailer Keri Craig-Lee OAM

Keri Craig-Lee OAM:

“The Queensland Greats Awards are a magnificent salute to the best that Queensland has to offer in making this state so special.

“To become an alumnus of this incredible group of individuals and institutions is one of the proudest moments of my life and certainly very humbling.

“I am exceptionally honoured to be in such esteemed company and an extremely proud Queenslander.”

Premier Steven Miles said on the occassion:

“Yesterday, on Queensland Day, we honoured some great Queenslanders for their contributions to the state.

“Their work, determination and commitment has been of great benefit to Queensland.

“I want to congratulation our new Queensland Greats, and all those who were nominated.

“Our state’s success is built of the accomplishments of our people and the contributions that make Queensland and Australia a better place for all.”

Construction industry entrepreneur and philanthropist Scott Hutchinson

Scott Hutchinson say:

“The significance of this wonderful award hit me as soon as I looked at the list of previous winners - they are truly great people.

“There are literally thousands of people at Hutchies and our music partners that make me look a lot better than I should, and this award is also for them.

“I would like to thank the Queensland Government for this honour which I’m delighted to receive.”

LifeFlight CEO Ashley van de Velde OAM:

and philanthropist Sir Bruce Small (posthumous)

Dr Anne Small, granddaughter of Sir Bruce Small:

“This award represents recognition by Queensland and hopefully the rest of Australia of all the work Sir Bruce did to develop and celebrate Surfers Paradise.

“Hopefully people will realise how far they can go with their own endeavours, even if they come from a poor start like Sir Bruce did when his family had to sometimes pray for food to land on the table to feed the children - his story of coming from humble beginnings to becoming one of Australia’s greatest success stories is still relevant today.”

World-leading aeromedicine community service LifeFlight They will be honoured with bronze plaques installed alongside previous recipients at Roma Street Parkland in Brisbane.

“It is a great honour for LifeFlight to be included in the prestigious Queensland Greats.

“We proudly accept this award on behalf of the 90,000 people helped since LifeFlight first took to the skies with a single rescue helicopter 45 years ago.

“My sincere thanks and congratulations must also go to our team for decades of outstanding aeromedical service.

“This acknowledgement is reflective of a wonderful Queensland success story that has grown to be a world leader in aeromedicine.

“We are immensely proud to be recognised as a Queensland Great and humbled to accept this award on behalf of everyone who has been on this incredible journey with us.”

For more information about the Queensland Greats Awards including biographies of the 2024 recipients, visit www.qld.gov.au/qldgreats.all.

Torres Strait Islands advocate and community leader Getano Lui (Jnr) AM

Former Gold Coast Mayor

The Good, the Bad and the Frugal

Business Breakfast by the Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce

Brisbane, June 29 (MCCQ Newsdesk, by Maria Guillergan)

On June 12, 2024, the Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce hosted a highly relevant and eye-opening Business Breakfast: Themed as Finance and Business Structure - ‘The Good, the Bad and the Frugal’ at the Redlands Sporting Club. The event featured insightful presentations from two distinguished guest speakers: Nikhil Khatri, Principal of Worrells Brisbane and Cleveland, and Terri Cooper, Small Business and Regional Engagement Manager from Business

Chamber Queensland. Suzie Tafolo, President of Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce, shared updates on the organization’s upcoming events and initiatives aimed at supporting local businesses. Additionally, Redland City Mayor Jos Mitchell provided a council update, outlining recent developments and plans for the Redlands community. The event was a resounding success, offering attendees a wealth of knowledge and fostering a spirit of collaboration and growth within the local business community.

Have your say on the future of aquaculture in Queensland

Brisbane, June 7th (MCCQ Newsdesk, Ministerial Statement Media Release).

Public consultation is now open for the Queensland Aquaculture Strategy 20242034, giving Queenslanders a chance to have their say on an exciting growth industry.

The strategy is being developed to maintain Queensland’s reputation as the nation’s preferred supplier of quality farmed seafood, an industry worth $263 million and growing.

The Strategy, and initiatives that arise from it, is part of a $15 million commitment under the Future Fishing Taskforce’s recommendations, which aim to significantly reduce high-risk fishing activities impacting the Great Barrier Reef.

The Queensland and Australian Governments have committed $185 million to implement all Taskforce recommendations.

The Queensland aquaculture industry is key to meeting continued and growing consumer demand for high quality seafood to complement the wild-caught sector, while providing a boost to regional economies and jobs.

The Queensland Aquaculture Strategy 2024-2034 will identify research priorities, best practice regulatory approaches and provide a clear direction for aquaculture’s future in Queensland.

It will also accelerate the uptake of innovative approaches and investment to ensure Queensland continues to be a world-leader for best practice, sustainable aquaculture.

The Queensland Aquaculture Strategy consultation paper is available at Department of Agriculture and Fisheries | Queensland Aquaculture Strategy consultation (engagementhub.com.au) and submissions close on 5pm Wednesday 31 July 2024.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner:

“The Miles Government is doing what matters to back Queensland’s aquaculture industry, which is on a strong growth trajectory.

“It’s important that we continue to grow an industry which delivers investment and jobs across the state, especially in our regional areas.

“We want to hear from all sectors of the community so we can further enhance Queensland’s reputation as a supplier of sustainable, responsibly sourced and farmed products.

“Earlier this year I released the Ross Lobegeiger Report, which showed a 17% increase in the growth of the sector over a 12-month period to hit a record high of $263 million.

“Key to this continued growth will be considering protections for our unique environments that strengthen stock sustainability.

“We also want to make Queensland’s aquaculture sector a world-leader in the adoption of new technologies.

“That’s why the new strategy will have a strong focus on keeping Queensland a step ahead of the rest technologically.”

Terry Cooper from Business Chamber of Queensland, Mayor Jos Mitchel with Nikhil Khatri, Principal of Worrells Brisbane.

Maria Judith Guillergan of Global Fair with Mayor of Redland City, Jos Mitchell

With Suzie Tafolo, President of Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce.

JobsNow! Creating Connections in Redlands

The JobsNow! event, held at Alexandra Hills Hotel, was a tremendous success, drawing an impressive crowd of 189 job seekers and 55 employers. This vibrant event showcased a diverse array of talent, ranging from first-time job seekers to highly skilled professionals, creating a dynamic and engaging atmosphere for all participants.

Local employers were notably impressed with the quality and readiness of the candidates they encountered. The enthusiasm and professionalism displayed by job seekers highlighted the wealth of talent within the Redlands community, leading to many valuable connections and potential employment opportunities.

The event facilitated meaningful interactions and networking, laying the groundwork for positive employment outcomes across the region. Attendees had the chance to engage directly with potential employers, discuss job opportunities, and gain insights into various industries. Employers, in turn, were able to identify suitable candidates for their organizations, streamlining the hiring process and fostering a sense of community collaboration.

Proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government, the Redlands Regional Jobs Committee played a pivotal role in organizing this impactful event. Their dedication to enhancing employment opportunities and supporting the local workforce was evident throughout the day, contributing to the overall success of JobsNow! and underscoring the importance of such initiatives in driving regional growth and prosperity

Brisbane, June 29 (MCCQ Newsdesk, by Maria Guillergan)

Jobs Now! event organised by Redlands Regional Jobs Committee

Maria Judith Guillergan of Global Fair with Cr. Tracy Hughes and Suzie Tafolo, President Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce

Frontline staff boost to keep Queensland workers safe

Brisbane, June 13 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Press Release, from minister Grace Grace ministerial statement)

Miles Government has delivered a $97 million boost to the Office of Industrial Relations (OIR) for frontline services that make workplaces safer

140 new positions including in Workplace Health and Safety, the Workers’ Compensation Regulatory Service, the Electrical Safety Office, and the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor Includes 40 new WHS inspectors and 9 new Electrical Safety inspectors

The 2024-25 Miles Government budget is backing Queensland workers by funding an additional 140 staff to help keep them safe.

Over the next five years, there is a $96.7 million boost to meet the health and safety compliance needs of Queensland’s rapidly growing economy.

This funding provides 40 new Work Health and Safety inspectors, along with new specialist advisors to provide support and advice on Queensland’s nation-leading psychosocial code of practice.

The Electrical Safety Office, which regulates electrical safety in all Queensland workplaces and households, will get an additional 9 inspectors along with other new staff.

When it comes to Workers’ Compensation, timeliness is vital both in terms of decisions and reviews. Medical Assessment Tribunals provide an independent medical assessment of injury and impairment for compensation claims, and extra staff will

help this happen even more quickly. If a worker seeks a review of a workers’ compensation decision, the time frame for that review is incredibly important: providing additional review unit staff will ensure reviews are delivered in a timely fashion.

The independent Office Work Health and Safety Prosecutor is also getting extra staff, including two new prosecutors.

The contact centre at the Office of Industrial Relations takes around 150,000 calls a year, including notifications of serious workplace and electrical safety incidents, safety complaints and questions on worker safety. The centre is getting new staff to ensure when workers and businesses

get in touch, they can report incidents and get the information they need, faster.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Industrial Relations Grace Grace MP:

“Queensland has added an extra 111,600 jobs over the past 12 months, the most of any state. As the unemployment rate remains low at 4.1% - down 1.5% on the preCOVID level - and industries like construction continue to boom, we must ensure we have enough frontline staff to regulate industries and support Queensland workers.

“That’s why I am proud that this budget is yet again delivering what matters for Queensland and is providing a boost of around $97 million for 140 new staff in the

Office of Industrial Relations to deliver critical frontline regulatory services.

“The Miles Government will always back Queensland workers, and alongside our nation leading laws, that means investing in our health and safety regulators.

“Everyone deserves to go to work and come home safely to their loved ones, and the Miles Government will always do everything we can to ensure that’s exactly what happens.

“This is in stark contrast to the Queensland LNP, which has consistently voted against the health and safety laws we’ve introduced to keep Queenslanders safe, and would repeal them if they got the chance.”

Extra funding supports early intervention for at-risk women and children

Brisbane, June 5 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Press Release, Ministerial Statement from Scott stewart)

New early interventions to help mothers build their capacity to safely care for their children are a key part of the Miles Government’s Putting Queensland Kids First strategy

$9 million for the Safe Pathways initiative to support women facing homelessness, domestic and family violence, and improve health responses

$2.2 million for a Family Connections program trial to work with families in their own homes and connect them with the right services

The Miles Government is supporting vulnerable mothers and children with new funding for early intervention and support through the Putting Queensland Kids First strategy.

The $11.2 million over two years will support two early intervention initiatives to help

women who are pregnant or have children, and are experiencing hardships, to reduce the risk of child protection involvement.

The Safe Pathways initiative will receive $9 million over two years and deliver a range of interventions that support pregnant women and mothers with young babies to meet immediate housing, health and parenting needs.

Safe Pathways partners include Micah Projects, Brisbane Youth Service and Institute for Urban Indigenous Health in Brisbane and REFOCUS on the Sunshine Coast.

Safe Pathways will include an outreach service for mothers who are homeless or at risk of homelessness or who are experiencing domestic and family violence.

A short-term pilot in Brisbane has already assisted 264 families in its first six months, helping women to find safety and support from domestic and family violence.

Safe Pathways will also provide intensive therapeutic and housing support for 16 to 25-year-old mothers who have experienced domestic and family violence or homelessness.

It will also target young mums who are at risk because of other factors such as alcohol and drug use.

In addition, an integrated care team will work with at-risk new mothers while they are still in hospital by linking them with long-term accommodation, with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Another part of the Safe Pathways initiative will focus

on delivering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led pregnancy care across the Greater Brisbane region from hubs in Logan, Salisbury, Strathpine and Bayside.

Trials of this type of early intervention are showing significant success in keeping young families together, and mums are also 50 per cent less likely to experience a pre-term birth.

Funding of $2.2 million will also be allocated over two years to trial the Family Connections program in two high-need locations.

As part of the trial, clinicians will do home-based visits with families and connect them to services such as counselling, parent education and crisis intervention.

The Miles Government is investing more than half a billion in the Putting

Queensland Kids First strategy – the biggest investment in early intervention in our state’s history.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Child Safety Charis Mullen:

“We want every young Queenslander to thrive, and we know early intervention for vulnerable families is vital to help change life trajectories for the better.

“That’s why we are investing heavily in programs that we know will work.

“Programs like this will make a difference for women who are at risk and who need a helping hand with parenting and other challenges.

“By intervening early, we are supporting more women to care safely for their children and avoid coming into contact with the child protection system.”

Miles Doing What Matters: First nurse-led health clinic site announced

Brisbane, July 1 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Press Release, Ministerial Statement from Scott Stewart)

The first of four new clinics across the state will open in Brisbane City in September 2024

The free, walk-in clinic in Adelaide Street will be open every day from 8am to 10pm and offer treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses.

The Miles Government’s $46 million investment towards the roll out of the clinics will improve access to healthcare for all Queenslanders, with a

focus on the healthcare needs of women and girls.

The Miles Government has announced Adelaide Street in Brisbane City as the first of four nurse-led clinics that will provide free healthcare to Queenslanders.

The first clinic will open on 30 September to provide free healthcare to adults and children aged two and over, with no booking or referral will be needed, and open every day from 8am to 10pm.

Queenslanders in need will

be able to walk-in and receive clinical assessment, treatment, and advice from qualified nursing staff, including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse consultants, and clinical nurses.

The clinic will improve access to care for the local community for minor conditions such as: Conjunctivitis

Common colds and simple respiratory conditions

Cuts, abrasions, bruises, minor burns

Suture of wounds subject to

size, depth and location of wound

Simple gastroenteritis

Skin conditions

Simple limb injuries

Urinary tract infections

Women’s health concerns

Trauma-informed and women-focused services will also be available, including support for women’s health concerns and contraception advice such as emergency contraception.

That’s why the Miles Government committed $46 million as part of its

Queensland Women and Girls’ Health Strategy 2032 to deliver four walk-in clinics in regions that need it most.

Patients who require care beyond the clinic’s capabilities will be referred promptly to the most appropriate service, such as an emergency department, general practitioner, rapid access clinic, or mental health services.

Premier Steven Miles said: “I’m doing what matters to Queenslanders, which means delivering world-class health care right across the state.

The South Asian Genes and Health in Australia (SAGHA) study

Radio 4EB Women’s Luncheon on 22nd June

Brisbane, June 22 (MCCQ Newsdesk) Queensand. At the occasion Prerna Pahwa also let everyone know about her organisation Simply Human and her initiative about the donor drive event she is organising for cancer stem cell donations.

It was a wonderful afternoon mingling with women broadcasters of 4 EB with a lunch menu by Irene Bayldon Tavutavu often a welcome treat for all. She always provides a finger licking, sumptuous lunch.

What is unique about this luncheon are the speakers who share important information to women present in the room. It is a space where women connect with other broadcasters from different communities as well as mix with commuity leaders who are invited to attend the Lunch.

Cr. Vicki Howard was present at the lunch who is a proud supporter of radio 4 EB’s activities and the women broadcasters.

For the luncheon on 22nd June, Rose Brown of Tenants Queensland was the main speaker for the day who gave useful information on issues with tenants facing domestic violence. She works with the Tenants Queensland in the Domestic Violence space. She gave a good insight about the tenancy law tool kit for the domestic and family violence service providers in

She encourages everyone to step forward to donate stem cells and save lives. Check the flyer for more information on the donor drive.

President Changeover ceremony for Sunnybank Rotary Club

On June 27th 2024, the Sunnybank Rotary Club organised a dinner event for their members and community at the Landmark hotel. At this event the focus was the changeover ceremony of the past President to the Newly elected President.

Lisa Fu the past president handed over the Rotary banner, the medals and the pins to the newly elect president Shane Li.

Present at the fuction were distinguished guests from the community in Brisbane.

Member of Parliament Peter Russo, Councillor Kim Marx addressed the attendees as speakers for the night.

It was a packed restaurant. The food was delicious and there were lots of fun prizes and auction for fundraising.

The newly elected committee for the Rotary Club is as follows:

President-Shane Li

Executive Secretary- Lisa Fu

Secretary-Bhaskar Rao Bitra

Assistant Secretary- Jasmine Kaur Kang

Membership Director-Peter Zhuang

Vocational Service Director- Taylor Hull

Foundation Director-Shane Chen

Executive Director- Robert Atherton

Assistant Executive- Terrance Xi Tiang

Youth Project Director-Meanie Zhao

Youth Project Officer-Arnold Chiu Club Aministrator-Betty Meng

Assistant Club Administrator-Xin Sun

Marketing Director-Vera Pottinger

Assistant Marketing DirectorTaylor Hull

Brisbane, Jun 28 (MCCQ Newsdesk, by Amrita Deshpande)

Energy Experts Appointed to Spearhead Queensland’s Renewable Revolution

Queensland Energy System Advisory Board members named.

Brisbane July 1 (MCCQ Newsdesk Press release Ministerial Statement) projects. She has been an advisor to a broad range of sectors and has substantial board experience.

Board to provide technical advice on Queensland’s renewable energy transition. Board members are Australian energy sector experts. Another key commitment of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan delivered. Queensland’s renewable energy transformation is in expert hands, thanks to the establishment of a new independent technical advisory board.

The Queensland Energy System Advisory Board (QESAB) will ensure the Sunshine State continues to power ahead with a smooth, coordinated energy transformation that delivers clean, reliable, and affordable power for generations.

This leading team of energy experts will help lead Queensland’s energy transformation by providing critical advice to the Miles Government and the Energy Minister.

The new Board will be led by Leeanne Bond – a Queensland professional engineer who has helped shape some of the nation’s most important green energy projects.

Ms Bond is an expert in energy and resources, technology and innovation, infrastructure and governance of major capital

The Board will play a key role in providing advice and recommendations as part of the Queensland SuperGrid Infrastructure Blueprint review and update process, ensuring that the state is on the optimal infrastructure pathway to ensure:

Renewable energy targets are met safe, secure, reliable electricity supply, and the long-term cost of electricity for Queensland consumers is minimised

The Board will also deliver annual progress statement, outlining progress toward achievement of Queensland’s renewable energy targets and on delivering the SuperGrid.

The new Board includes:

Ms Leeanne Bond (Chair) - has over 30 years’ experience in the Australian energy sector, including 20 years in Board Chair and Advisor, and Independent Non-Executive Company Director roles. Ms Bond is an Independent Non-Executive Director on Aurecon Limited, Entry Limited and CRC One Basin Limited.

Mr Mark Carkeet - is a highly experienced solicitor and consultant for the energy and resources sector

working on projects in Australia, the Pacific and east Asia. Mr Carkeet is a consultant for Minter Ellison and has provided advice to government on strategic energy initiatives including the Priority Transmission Investment framework and Renewable Energy Zone framework.

Mr Peter Price - has over 40 years’ experience in the Queensland electricity industry. Mr Price is Chief Engineer of Energy Queensland, is on the Board of Energy Skills Queensland, is a member on the Board of TAFE Queensland and is a member of the Australian Energy Market Commission Reliability Panel. Mr Price previously served as an Executive General Manager at Energex.

Ms Jo Sheppard - has spent the past 20 years working in roles that support Queensland’s regional communities across multiple sectors, and most recently is focused on agriculture and co-existence with energy projects. Ms Sheppard is the Chief Executive Officer of Queensland Farmers Federation, and has worked to develop the Queensland Renewable Energy Landholder Toolkit for landholders considering hosting a project on their property.

Professor Paul Simshaus-

er AM - has over 30 years’ experience in Queensland’s electricity sector working in ASX-listed, private and government-owned companies, and in the public sector. Professor Paul Simshauser is the Chief Executive Officer of Powerlink and is a part-time professor of economics at the Centre of Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research with Griffith University

Ms Leann Wilson - is a Bidjara/Kara-Kara and South Sea Islander descendant, and is a recognised experienced executive, business owner and First Nations leader working with businesses, government, and communities to facilitate collaboration between Indigenous Australians and the energy and resources sector.

Ms Kathryn Summersis an experienced power control engineer with over 25 years’ electrical, market and regulatory experience. Ms Summers was awarded the Professional Electrical Engineer of the Year in 2020 and is dedicated to bringing about an orderly transition to a net zero future.

Energy and Clean Economy Jobs Minister Mick de Brenni says:

“To deliver the energy transition we need the best

of the best, and our seven board appointments represent decades of knowledge and experience in the field.

“These energy superheroes will help the Miles Government deliver on its nation leading energy plan, providing independent advice and ensuring we stay on track as we decarbonise.

“I’m looking forward to working closely with the new board, as we continue our energy transformation and work towards delivering cheaper, cleaner energy for generations to come.

“The inaugural board is bolstered by seven exceptional individuals with a vast array of expertise.

“The announcement of the board members represents a commitment made in the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and it is an important piece for Queensland’s energy future.

“I’d like to congratulate board Chair Ms Leeanne Bond and the 6 new members for being part of this landmark board.

“I am excited to work with the new board and continue our energy transformation as we work toward our renewable energy and emissions reduction targets.”

Listening Sessions organised by Queensland Community Alliance

Brisbane, June 28 (MCCQ Newsdesk, OCA)

QCA is organising community listening event for local community in several areas leading upto the elections. Please keep a look pout on the information for when and where are the listening sessions held.

The two confirmed sessions are July 10th on Weds 10th July, 6-8pm at the Multicultural Australia office in Logan for a community dinner and listening event.

And July 24th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, Corner of Springwood and Hicks street Mt Gravatt 4122

A big Assembly will be held in August.

Why Attend?

Listen and Share Community Stories and Pressures in Qld. Build power together for a collective voice for change. Connect with leaders and learn about collective issues. Identify and support new

community leaders.

Together we will share stories about the issues

Qld Community Alliance is acting on this year:

• Safe and Connected Communities.

• Accelerating Queensland’s Renewable Energy transition.

• Welcoming New Queenslanders.

• Thrive by Five.

• Secure Work.

This event is co-hosted by the Community Leaders Group and organised by the Queensland Community Alliance via QPASTT and Multicultural Australia.

If you are a student, Migrant or on Refugee status, or would like to express your thoughts on the topics listed above, please save the date and attend the listening session.

Please visit the Event page for RSVPs and information: https://events.humanitix.com/ multicultural-community-listening

Multicultural Community Connect Queensland Inc. is supporting the listening event and appeals to community members to join the QCA for the listening session and express your views and concerns regarding the five issues.

Please read the Maroon Print document that is developed by QCA which lists the scenarios of each topic, what QCA has already heard from people and what are the possible solutions QCA proposes.

QCA- Listening to Mt Gravatt and Surrounds

Join us at Southside Uniting Church, Mt Gravatt for our 2024 Listening to Mt Gravatt and surrounds Learn about the Qld Community Alliance and the Collective Agenda Maroonprint 2024 Build relationships for shared action Wed 24th Jul 2024, 5:30 pm - BBQ 6:00 pm - Start

To receive an electronic copy of the marron print please contact Walters Nkemfack at walters@qldcommunityalliance.org. Cnr Springwood &, Hicks St, Mount Gravatt QLD 4122

Renewable energy future! OUR TAKE

Miles Goverment’s future plan for energy is to go completely a clean green energy. This means that every household will have to use either wind power or solar power for their energy needs. Currently Miles government is also giving rebates to house owner to install the solar panels on their roof tops to promote their agenda for clean energy. Every Queenslander is getting $1000 in energy rebate. The Federal Governement is also giving $300 in energy bill rebate to all Australian households. Recently there is also a surge in households wanting to go green with solar energy. But immigrants find it difficult to take advantage of this scheme.

If you are a home or apartment owner then you need to check for eligibilty to get rebates and if the scheme is currently available in your area. For apartment owners if you are elegible then you must contact your Body Corporate.

Before one decides to go with Solar energy they must make sure that the Body corporate approves of them putting the solar panels in a strategic area on the roof top.

Many Body Corporates have supported this initiative however some are struggling to understand the real benefits of the solar energy other than the fact that it is a clean energy producer.

To put up the solar panels one needs to have a substantial space to put minimum eight panels to cover your household of two BHK. Once you have identified the area to put in the panels, you need to think about who will you give the contract to put the solar panels.

Choose wisely, consult with others and seek experienced opinions. Make sure you go with an accredited installer. There is a chance to be overcharged by your installer company. The resonable amount to pay for a 8 panel grid is about minimum $4000. The Quote depends on the number of panels to be installed, location of the panels and the energy board.

All of the quotes and information makes you aware of costs you will incur to install the panels and what amount of energy the panels will generate.

Once the panels are installed you will be switched to the renewable energy supply. You need to wait for months

to know the results whether you have substantially saved or not. Any excess of energy you produce because of solar panels, will be reimbursed by the energy company and the process is simple. The excess energy is directed to the company grid and depending on the rates and energy generated, the company will pay you the amount for the excess energy produced.

This excess energy currently is not stored in your own grid to use it later. It has to be channeled to the energy service provider. You will be charged for the amount of energy you consume over the amount that your solar panels produce. Hence, it may seem that you are not earning as much or lowering your energy bill as much as you expected. The grids that are installed recently cannot switch to multiple energy storage hence it cannot generate income for you. The grid model also needs to be designed to sufficiently accomodate the household need to produce excess energy.

For most immigrants to Australia who are recent citizens, living for not more than five years, it could be difficult to afford the solar panels for their houses or owned apartments due to the costs of panels and installation charges.

The installation charges maybe far beyond their budgetted expenses. They may also not stay in one place for 10 yrs to actually reap the benefits of the solar panels. Hence, most migrants and recent immigrant who own a place are reluctant to install the solar panels. It does not seem to benefit the migrant workers or recent immigrants.

Hence the ambitious plan of going completely clean energy, fulfilling the UN sustainable goal may not be achievable if immigrant household owners do not cooperate. For the migrants, it will often be debatable whether to spend on fulfilling their immediate needs or go with the government’s clean energy for sustainability.

Moreover for the solar energy to generate income one must have the following things in place:

1. Get a good assessment of the area and number of panels needed to generate sufficient energy for the household.

2. Get an accredited installer

3. Upgrade your lights to LED

4. Upgrade your Thermostat

Miles Doing What Matters: Skilling Queenslanders for Work

Brisbane, June 29, 2024

Ministerial Press Release

Skilling Queenslanders for Work is the next Miles Labor Government cost-ofliving measure, supporting Queenslanders to gain the skills, qualifications and experience needed to secure jobs and remain in the workforce. 2024-25 State Budget investment of $80 million to fund community organisations to deliver training and support programs to up to 15,000 unemployed or underemployed Queenslanders. The program was completely cut by the LNP leaving thousands of jobseekers in the lurch and sacking 144 support staff.

The Miles Labor Government is providing another $80 million in cost-of-living relief by sponsoring thousands of Queenslanders with free qualifications, paid traineeships, and putting them on a path to employment.

Funded by progressive coal royalties, up to 15,000 vulnerable jobseekers will be given an opportunity with community-based not-forprofit organisations to get on the job training through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program.

The first round of funding in 2024-25 will invest $44.6 million to open doors for over 5,500 job seekers, who may be experiencing social isolation, learning difficulties or mental health challenges, to find meaningful work through our Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.

Across 94 organisations and 166 projects statewide, jobseekers will gain qualifications and real-world experience across a range of priority industries including construction, education, retail, community services, health, and hospitality.

Visiting Micah Projects’ Hope on Boundary Street Cafe today, Minister for Training and Skills Development Lance McCallum met with “The Hope Street Training Program” participants who are changing their lives for the better through the program.

Since opening in 2016 the social enterprise café has supported over one hundred vulnerable Queenslanders, including women experiencing domestic violence, with the majority going on to secure ongoing employment.

Minister for Training and Skills Development Lance McCallum says:

“We’re doing what matters for Queenslanders – so this

about more than funding, it’s a beacon of hope and opportunity for some of our most vulnerable Queenslanders.

“We know the cost-ofliving is putting pressure on Queenslanders - this initiative provides essential support to help people secure ongoing employment to improve their livelihoods.

“For many, this will be the first formal qualification they’ll have ever gotten, and for some their very first job.

“The new Miles Labor Government knows that good jobs change lives – and low unemployment isn’t an accident – deliberate decisions like funding Skilling Queenslanders for Work properly at $80 million a year make a real difference.

“The community services sector has seen first-hand the damage that cuts by the LNP can cause, so Queenslanders should rightfully be asking serious questions of David Crisafulli about whether he will cut this program again.”

CEO of Micah Projects, Karyn Walsh backs the skilling Queenslander initiative:

“Micah Projects is part of Skilling Queenslanders for Work so we can provide great and strong opportunities to train people, prepare them for work and get them into jobs.

“Trainees have come through the program for more than five years and we still have trainees continuing to learn skills so they can take up work and fit into the workplace.

“The Hope on Boundary and Hope St Cafes are training grounds to get real experience to be ready to take up a position in the workplace and build careers.

“It’s not just a temporary job but aims for a long-term solution providing work for those in the program.

“Being part of a social enterprise means it helps overcome some of the barriers to work that some people face finding permanent employment.

“Micah Projects is committed to supporting people in the community here at West End and throughout Brisbane with the ultimate hope of permanent employment that works for them and their situation.”

Further Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) information:

The second Skilling

Queenslanders for Work funding round for 2024-25 opens on 29 July 2024 - continuing the Miles Government’s commitment to empowering individuals and strengthening the workforce.

Recipients of this round include:

Beyond DV’s Community Work Skills ‘Reach into Retail’ project in Carindale – aiding up to 20 women affected by domestic violence to complete a Certificate I in Retail Services with practical experience at Westfield Carindale Shopping Centre. IDEAL (Innovative Disability Employment and Liaison) Placements Mackay – assisting 20 individuals, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those with disabilities, to earn a Certificate III in Rural Operations.

Community Owned Enterprises’ Wujal Wujal Pride of Place Community Recovery Project – employing 10 people from Wujal Wujal in paid Work Skills Traineeships through a Certificate I in Construction, while enhancing community facilities.

Southern Downs Industry Education Association Inc’s Community Work Skills ‘Southern Downs Automotive 2024 – 2025’ project – assisting 12 people to complete a Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation in the Warwick region.

The Migrant Centre Organisation Inc’s five projects across the Gold Coast – assisting up to 285 migrant and refugee job seekers to earn certificates in Community Services, Early Childhood Education and Care, Health Administration, Health Services Assistance, Individual Support, SchoolBased Education Support, or Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways. The initiative supports the Good Jobs, Great Training: Queensland Skills Strategy 2024 – 2028 which outlines the Queensland Government’s plan to provide an accessible training system and ensure our state has the skilled workers it needs now and into the future.

Please click the following link for a list of the successful SQW projects: https://desbt.qld.gov.au/ training/community-orgs/sqw/ funded-projects

Visit www.qld.gov.au/skillingqueenslanders or call 1300 369 935 for further details.

Article written by Amrita Deshpande (Editor. MCCQ and New Media Artist)

Brisbane, July 1, 2024

Contact: secretary@mccq.org.au for advertising in the newspaper

Opera with body ... and bodies

Brisbane, June 25 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Written by Phil Brown, first published in InReview) In Brisbane performing arts world terms chatting to Yaron Lifschitz while he is creating is like having a direct line to the Manhattan Project.

Lifschitz is artistic director of Brisbane-based contemporary circus outfit Circa which is now a global phenomenon thanks to his vision and a very talented group of acrobats. Circa has conquered several continents and we’ve sometimes seen less of them at home but they are working to remedy that.

One way they do it is by collaborating. Circa collaborated with Opera Queensland (OQ) on the hugely successful production Orpheus & Eurydice which was performed here and in Sydney with soon other cities destined to see that acclaimed production.

That collaboration was so successful that Lifschitz and OQ have decided to go again with another mythological piece with sublime music and singing.

Opera Queensland and Circa present Henry Purcell’s timeless masterpiece, Dido and Aeneas in the Playhouse,

QPAC from July 11 – 27 July.

What you will see on stage will be as fresh as it gets. When I chat to Yaron Lifschitz in the middle of rehearsals he hasn’t even finished creating the show yet. He promises “bodies doing extraordinary things” which is what we usually get with Circa.

Lifschitz and his acrobats manage to serve up something fresh with each production and this latest will be, among other things, “a kind of historical fantasia”.

“It’s sad and beautiful and it is also going to be short and punchy,” Lifschitz promises. “It’s basically the opposite of The Ring Cycle. There’s nothing wrong with The

Ring Cycle but this one is over before the first act of Das Rheingold has settled in. I don’t mean to knock my Germanic brethren by saying that but a lot of opera is long and boring.”

Stylistically this tale of love and betrayal is reimagined through the lens of 1940s glamour with designer Libby McDonnell’s costumes evoking that.

Inspired by Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid, one of the foundational texts of the Western literary canon, audiences will encounter a world of love, duty and betrayal.

The opera focuses on the romance of Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Aeneas, the shipwrecked Trojan prince,

doomed by a malevolent Sorceress and Dido’s inner turmoil.

Australian star soprano Anna Dowsley returns to Opera Queensland as Dido, with Sebastian Maclaine as Aeneas and featuring Katie Stenzel as Belinda, Dido’s handmaid. Joined by an ensemble of 16 singers, nine acrobats and a rope artist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, led by Australian conductor Benjamin Bayl.

In this groundbreaking new interpretation, Dido, portrayed as a 1940s cabaret singer, shimmering in black sequins also plays the Sorceress, a transformation played out on stage that is both mesmerizing and ominous.

“With Dido and Aeneas, we delve into the clash of desire and destiny, brought vividly to life by superb singers, embodied by the Circa ensemble, and set to some of the most moving music ever written,” Yaron Lifschitz says. “Our production takes the miniature masterpiece of Dido and Aeneas and smashes it into time, history, love and desire with immense gusto

and physical force. Destiny, time and our lives propel us endlessly forward.

“History is movement. Love and loss are stillness, they pose a threat to history and are eventually crushed by it. It is the meeting of these two currents I’m seeking to stage.

“The production is fast paced, restless and hard edged. Bodies leap and crash. LED signs scroll messages as vocal and physical ensembles wrestle with layers of emotion shot through with irony, power and lust. Ultimately, I want to create a muscular and dense ride into the heart of emotions powerful enough to end lives and found empires.”

Collaborations between Lifschitz and OQ are quite personas. Lifschitz and OQ artistic director Patrick Nolan are good friends and have known each other since they studied together at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) back in the early 1990s.

Nolan has marveled at watching Lifschitz transform Circa into one of the world’s great contemporary circus companies.

Musician’s travelogue explores an unusual rail trail to Europe

Why fly to Europe when you can catch a few trains and it will only take you 89 days? If you’re lucky fairly closely with Salamanca. This always intrigued me.”

Brisbane, June 25 (MCCQ Newsdesk, by Phil Brown first published in InReview)

Travelling by train from New Zealand to Spain takes a while. Presumably author Gregory Hill knew about the air services that could have shuttled he and his wife there a lot quicker.

But I’m missing the point. Although I’m not really because I’m actually in favour of slow travel by train.

I’ve done quite a bit of it including , earlier this year, the four-day journey between Brisbane and Adelaide on The Great Southern.

Yes, I know, I could have got there in two hours by plane but for lovers of train travel it’s all about the journey. And what a journey Gregory Hill and his wife Anne Loeser took – 89 days of travel, on 33 trains through 19 countries.

The journey is chronicled rather beautifully in Gregory’s book The Antipodean Express which is subtitled A Journey by Train from New Zealand to Spain.

To my mind this trip is right up there with some of the great rail journeys I have followed involving Michael Portillo, Paul Theroux, Joanna Lumley, and, among others, Michael Palin.

Speaking of Michael Palin, it also ranks alongside Palin’s epic journey Across The Andres By Frog, a hilarious spoof that featured in an episode of his Ripping Yarns. Travelling by frog is not ideal and tragic that in the end they had to eat the frogs. Rail is much more reliable.

Travelling by train is, to my mind, the most literary form as far as I am concerned – I’m thinking of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and the Swiss-French poet Blaise Cendrars epic poem about his journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. There are many other literary examples.

Rail travel has never been more popular for any number of reasons. Which is why I think Hill’s book will inspire as well as delight.

I guess one has to ask why you would want to travel by train from New Zealand to Spain though. The explanation is simple and charming. As an impressionable young French horn player Hill was inspired by an older musician who was retiring and planning to travel on the Trans-Siberian.

Hill was just starting out on his career as a musician at the time (his wife Anne Loeser, is also a musician and plays violin) and was quite taken by the idea of this epic journey.

It stayed with him, percolating for decades, until, finally, he had the time, inclination and the zany idea to connect with the antipodes of where he and Anne live in New Zealand.

“There was an old m[primary-school atlas anchored in my memory, haunting me,” he writes in his introduction. “I remember it had a page with New Zealand superimposed on its upside-down antipodes, Spain. The antipodes are the place at the exact opposite point on the globe to where you are standing now. Wellington corresponded

Getting there by train, including a stint on the Trans-Siberian, would take some planning and plenty of determination but its seems Hill and his wife were up for it.

And so, before the world went pear-shaped (the pandemic, war in Ukraine etc.) the couple took off, beginning their journey in New Zealand’s north island, travelling to the red centre of Australia via Adelaide on The Indian Pacific and weaving past the volcanoes of Java, through Asia and on to Europe.

From hilarious miscommunications in China to cultural immersion at the Bolshoi Ballet, there are plenty of funny stories and a very detailed travelogue en route to their own antipodes in Spain.

As Hill makes clear at the end of the book … “Events in the four years since … have shown that the whole journey was remarkably well timed,”

he writes. “A month after we visited Hong Kong, the place erupted into street violence in protest against a proposed bill allowing extradition to China. By the end of 2019 terror and violence affected places I had visited.”

Moscow became a place westerners would want to shun, Catalonia unraveled and all sorts of other dramas have ensued. So, given the state of the world now Hill is lucky, he and his wife took their epic journey when they did.

“I cannot imagine when, or if, such a journey will ever be possible again.”

I didn’t think that is overstating the case at all.

Hill may be a musician but he has a journalist’s eye for detail and his book is illustrated with maps and photos that make it a vividly visual travel narrative filled with global insights and fascinating railway anecdotes. And even if it might be impossible now to replicate the entire journey there are segments that all of us can aspire to.

All aboard! The Moscow-Paris Express standing at Belorussky Station in Moscow, one of the trains featured in Gregory Hill’s hugely entertaining book The Antipodean Express

Film review: The Promised Land

Brisbane, JUNE 24 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Written by Penelope Debelle. First published in INREVIEW)

A Danish veteran back from war with Germany in the mid-18th century is on a mission to tame the brutal Jutland heath by turning it into fertile land. The idea is a pet project of the Danish king; when the soldier, Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) offers to fund the project from his war pension, officials cynically agree. Should he succeed, he will become a Danish noble with a title, a manor and servants.

We make plans and God laughs, says the writer and director Nikolaj Arcel. He first collaborated with Mikkelsen in 2012 in The Royal Affair which was set at a similar time in Danish history and was equally magnificent in its themes of ambition and madness.

The Jutland heath was a place of wildness, a barren wasteland occupied by outlaws and Taters

– descendants of Romany gypsies who speak a Latinate patois. There is also a missionary church led by the sweet-faced pastor Anton Eklund (Gustav Lindh) who helps Kahlen by handing on two runaways he has been sheltering, Anna Barbara (Amanda Collin from Raised by Wolves) and her husband Johannes (Morton Hee Andersen). They had fled the estate of nobleman Frederik de Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), a weak and evil drunkard whose delusions of grandeur in his eyes make him the owner of the heath on which Kahlen wants to farm.

The story is complex and takes some investment as Kahlen, the unrecognised bastard son of a servant woman and estate owner, is in turns humiliated and courted by de Schinkel, a man unaccustomed to being denied. When de Schinkel arrives with leftovers from a banquet and a purse full of money, Kahlen accepts then returns them in disgust at having let himself be bought. The landscape darkens, with a

scene of extraordinary cruelty that deserves an audience warning for the squeamish.

starts raising larger questions about the price he will pay to become a noble.

An impoverished war hero determined to rise above his origins and farm Denmark’s inhospitable heath sparks a savage frontier love story worthy of a western. pain and purpose. His tour de force performance, older and greyer than we have seen him, is the rock on which this quintessentially Danish saga stands.

Yet Kahlen stays in the log home he calls King’s House, believing in his right to build on the land of the Danish king. When one option is taken away, he finds another and for a time has the Taters helping him burn the land ahead of sowing the resistant German crop in which he has such faith, the humble potato.

Everything, including nature, conspires against him and Kahlen’s grim determination

It is at heart a love story that takes many forms. It’s a psychodrama about a man’s journey to find himself, and also a riveting fight between wrong and right as an unscrupulous nobleman tries to claim what is not his. In short, it’s a lot.

But this forbidding and magnificent drama has at its disposal Mads Mikkelsen’s face which, in repose, is one of the wonders of cinema for the depth it conveys of hidden

https://inreview.com. au/430295

The festival that is here, there and anywhere

Brisbane, June 23

(MCCQ News Desk

Written

by Cameron Pegg, First published in InReview)

The Anywhere Festival is back with shows happening across South East Queensland anywhere and everywhere but in a theatre

Written by Cameron Pegg

Paul Osuch’s secret ingredient for creating a thriving independent theatre festival is the last thing you might expect.

The founder and artistic director of the popular and perennial Anywhere Festival originally studied business at university and used that knowledge to hone risk assessment templates that would make other theatre makers weep.

The proof is in the pudding

because across 14 years and almost a thousand productions staged everywhere from garages and bookstores to community pools and graveyards, there has not been a single insurance claim against the festival.

Osuch happily shares a treasure trove of DIY resources with Anywhere Festival participants spanning everything from how to coordinate front of house, to developing a marketing budget and managing risk.

“We really focus a lot on not just saying – okay, you pay some money and it puts you in a program. It’s more about saying – right, if you’re an emerging artist, here’s a whole training course that will take you from go to whoa to actually put on that show.

And providing a lot of those resources, that mentorship, that in a big festival you’re not really going to get.”

Osuch originally studied business at QUT, while pursuing his first love – writing. He spent his spare time teaming up with friends at the University of Queensland including future screenwriter Stephen Vagg. The duo produced a trio of hit plays at the Cement Box Theatre, and also contributed sketches to the UQ Law Revue.

A year studying at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) followed, before a teaching gig at a drama college in the UK, and then sitcom writing work in Los Angeles. With the birth of his second son looming, Osuch returned to Brisbane with his

family, and decided to stage the first Anywhere Festival in May 2011.

The inaugural festival was a pragmatic response to a lack of established theatre spaces in Brisbane.

“I was looking to open a venue and I just could not find the right space,” Osuch says.

“I had all these people that I’d been working with before I went overseas, and they were still struggling to find more than one venue to perform in a year. So, then I thought –why don’t we just eliminate traditional venues and we’ll set up a festival that is all about performances anywhere but a traditional venue?”

The industry loved it and Arts Queensland funding was secured in the second year, and has been provided ever since. Although Brisbane remains headquarters for the festival, the event has expanded beyond the city since 2014 including to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Osuch and a small project team help creatives broker leasing agreements with the many unorthodox venues that allow the festival to take place, well, just about anywhere.

“We want people to use the space as much as it is,” Osuch explains.

“We don’t want them to convert it into a theatre space because if you’re going to do that, then you might as well just use a theatre. What’s interesting is when you say: well, let’s use the space and make the most of what it looks like and turn the constraints into something that actually inspires the creativity.”

Theatrical experimentation has always been at the heart of the Anywhere Festival ethos. A standout show in the first program was You Were Invited – performed live in multiple locations around the world, and beamed to the audience via Skype.

“It was in six different countries, and it was six different 10-minute plays, and they were all happening at the same time, and they were performed six times. And what you’d do is you’d log in with nine other people –because that’s all Skype could do – and you would watch this 10-minute play and then at the end they’d give you the next Skype connection code to go to the next one. It was brilliant.”

Likely Story at Buderim Books was just one of Anywhere Festival’s venues beyond traditional theatres.

Photo by Travis Macfarlane https://inreview.com.au/430327

Respected arts figure Rachel Healy chosen as new boss of QPAC

Brisbane, JUNE 28 (MCCQ Newsdesk Written by Phil Brown first Published in InReview)

As the John Kotzas curtain call goes on QPAC has finally announced who will be replacing him

QPAC’s new theatre is very much the legacy of outgoing chief executive John Kotzas but it’s the new head honcho who will preside over its opening next year.

Yes, after months of waiting we now know who will take over from Kotzas and it’s the experienced arts identity Rachel Healy, widely acknowledged as one of Australia’s leading arts professionals.

The new theatre is way behind schedule and Healy will now be in charge when it opens but hopefully it might include a

Kotzas wing, or a corridor at least.

Kotzas is staying on until the end of the year and Healy will take on the role in early December just in time to usher in QPAC’s 40th anniversary year in 2025.

With more than 20 years professional experience across multiple artforms, venues, festivals and arts administration, and having served on more than 30 arts boards and government and industry advisory bodies, she brings an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and expertise alongside a limitless passion for the arts to the role.

Chair of the Queensland Performing Arts Trust, Professor Peter Coaldrake, says Healy has the ideal blend of artistic leadership and arts

management to drive QPAC forward.

“I am pleased to say that Rachel’s appointment was a unanimous decision by our board following an extensive national and international recruitment process led by respected human resources agency Russell Reynolds,” Professor Coaldrake says. “Perhaps best known for her role as joint artistic director of the Adelaide Festival with Neil Armfield from 2015 to 2022, Rachel’s tenure in this high-profile cultural leadership position delivered remarkable critical acclaim, growth both in box office numbers and artistic accomplishment for the festival.”

Healy has held executive leadership positions at Belvoir St. Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Festival,

Vivid Festival and was the Executive Manager Culture for the City of Sydney.

“We were looking for someone to continue QPAC’s resolve of being as commercially successful as it is dedicated to engaging audiences and the community, “Professor Coaldrake says. “The successful candidate needed to bring both business and creative nous, and to be a purpose-driven leader with an understanding of the important role the arts play in our wider Queensland community.

“She will step into an organisation well poised to move into a new era which includes the opening of a fifth venue making QPAC the largest performing arts centre in Australia under one roof.

“I warmly acknowledge the important contribution that John Kotzas has made to the industry throughout his 15-year tenure as Chief Executive and look forward to celebrating his time leading QPAC later this year.”

Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch welcomed the appointment and says Healy will build on the significant legacy of John Kotzas.

“With QPAC on the threshold of its 40th year, the addition of the new theatre and Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics firmly on the horizon, Rachel will be taking

on this important cultural leadership role at a critical time,” Minister Enoch says.

Rachel Healy lists QPAC’s commitment to its Reconciliation Action Plan, the completion of the new theatre next year (QPAC’s fifth), the venue’s central position in the South Bank Cultural Precinct as well as the opportunity to build on QPAC’s strong legacy as among her reasons for taking on the role.

“I could not be more delighted about the prospect of a move to Brisbane and the opportunity to serve the wider Queensland and visitor community at QPAC,” Healy says.

“The sheer number of extraordinary artists and cultural leaders Queensland produces is remarkable, and it feels that the city’s ambition, civic pride and sense of purpose has accelerated.

“Its commitment to active and affordable public transport, its Olympics and Paralympics bid, its investment in major cultural infrastructure all tell a story of a progressive, confident city opening its doors to the world.”

John Kotzas will finish December 10 while Rachel Healy begins in the role on December 11. The seat should still be warm.

https://inreview.com.au/430359