Chinese receive invitation THE Federal Government is inviting members of the Chinese community in Australia to join its new Ministerial Consultative Committee. The invitation came from Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Senator Kate Lundy, Federal Member for Moreton, Graham Perrett and Senator Matt Thistlethwaite of NSW. “The Chinese community has played an important role in Australia, and establishing this Ministerial Consultative Committee recognises the community’s valuable contribution to social, cultural and economic life in our country,” Mr Bowen said. “This new committee will provide a means for the Chinese community to communicate with senior Government ministers about what matters to them,” Senator Lundy said. Mr Perrett and Senator
Thistlethwaite will co-chair the committee. “I am pleased to be co-chairing this Ministerial Consultative Committee, which will foster better people-to-people links between the Government and the Chinese community,” Mr Perrett said. “My electorate of Moreton is vibrant and extremely rich in its diversity and I look forward to working with the rest of Australia’s Chinese diaspora for the benefit of our nation.” Senator Thistlethwaite said he looked forward to meeting Chinese community leaders and hearing their feedback on how the Government can work to address their concerns. “In my time as Senator for NSW I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Australia’s Chinese community on a number of important issues, including through my own campaign on beach safety awareness,” he said.
“The Chinese community is a proud part of this nation. They have enjoyed tremendous success in the professions, media, sport, the arts, politics and academia and I look forward to working to ensure this prolific community continues to prosper in future.”The Ministerial Consultative Committee will comprise approximately 10 members, drawn from Chinese community leaders across Australia. The committee will meet regularly with the co-chairs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and in Canberra with Ministers Bowen and Lundy. The Government will also hold an annual forum for the committee to facilitate access to the Prime Minister and other senior Government ministers. Email expressions of interest to mcc@immi.gov.au. Expressions of interest close at 5pm on Friday, July 6.
Rewarding outstanding efforts FEDERAL Member for Moreton Graham Perrett has encouraged the people of Brisbane’s southside to nominate local individuals and organisations who deserve national recognition for their work to improve the lives of people with disability. The National Disability Awards are part of the Australian Government’s celebration of International Day of People with Disability, which happens on 3 December each year. “The awards this year come at an exciting time for people in the disability sector,” Mr Perrett said. “The launch of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in mid-2013, a year ahead of the Productivity Commission’s timetable, will deliver historic reform to people with disability.
“As we move forward, we want to acknowledge the magnificent work that is done each day to make positive differences in the lives of people with disability.” Locals can nominate a person or organisation in one of the following categories: The Minister’s Award for Excellence in Disability Reform Emerging Leaders Award Excellence in Accessible Communities Award Excellence in Improving Social Participation Award Excellence in Advocacy & Rights Promotion Award Excellence in Improving Employment Opportunities Award Excellence in Improving Personal
and Community Support Award Excellence in Improving Education Outcomes Award Excellence in Improving Health Outcomes Award Nominations close on July 20 and award recipients will be announced at a gala dinner at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra on November 28. The annual event aims to build awareness of disability issues and of the important role people with disability have in their local communities, their country and internationally. To nominate for the National Disability Awards, go to www.idpwd. com.au or call 1800 440 385, TTY users please call 1800 555 677 and ask for 1800 440 385.
Cash to help Moreton prepare for NDIS A DISABILITY service provider at Eight Mile Plains will receive $30,000 from the Federal Government to help get ready for a National Disability Insurance Scheme. Federal Member for Moreton Graham Perrett said Multicap was among 64 successful recipients of grants worth up to $30,000 as part of the Australian Government’s NDIS Readiness Fund.
THE Federal Member for Moreton, Graham Perrett, congratulates Multicap CEO Joanne Jessop on her organisation’s success.
Community News
The NDIS Readiness Fund is part of a $3.1 million investment to help Australian disability enterprises prepare for the reform. “This funding will help Multicap prepare for the changes ahead by helping with the costs of consultant services,” Mr Perrett said. “It’s important for all areas of the disability sector to be ready to make the change, including our Australian disability enterprises which employ more than 20,000 Australians. “We are committed to ensuring the disability sector here in Moreton is well supported as we move towards this historic reform. We want Australians with disability, their families and carers, to start benefitting from an NDIS as quickly as possible. “For the first time, Australians
with significant and permanent disability will receive care and support over their lifetime, regardless of how they acquired their disability.” The Federal Government will deliver $1 billion over four years to start rolling out the first stage of a National Disability Insurance Scheme. “From the middle of next year, people with disability, their families and carers in selected launch sites will start to receive care and support through an NDIS,” Mr Perrett said. “The Government will provide support to about 10,000 people with significant and permanent disability across the country from mid-2013 and this will expand to 20,000 people from the middle of 2014.”
Blue Care Southside office opens its doors BLUE Care began in 1953 as the Blue Nursing Service and has grown into one of Australia’s leading providers of community care, residential aged care and retirement living. The State Member for Sunnybank, Mark Stewart, was present to celebrate the official opening of the new Brisbane Southside office at Eight Mile Plains. The move from Coopers Plains to
Eight Mile Plains was a welcomed one as the new premises are close to all the major arterial roads and the office space has been specifically fitted out for Blue Care’s needs. Blue Care Southside Community Care has more than 200 staff and 90 volunteers who assist more than 2000 people with in-home community services in Brisbane’s south.
Welcoming new police IAN Kaye, Member for Greenslopes, has welcomed the Queensland Police latest recruits as part of the latest graduation which delivered 17 officers for the Metro South district. “These new recruits are a muchneeded resource for the local community,” he said. “I want to warmly welcome them. “I know the residents of the Greenslopes electorate will also welcome these additional police into the area.” The new officers will begin working immediately to tackle issues facing the community,
including law and order. Mr Kaye said the Greenslopes electorate was a diverse community with differing needs and these recruits would assist residents with those needs. As a former front-line police officer, Mr Kaye was pleased that the Government was working hard to honour its election promises to recruit 1100 new officers for the state. “I am part of a government that is focused on better front line services for communities like ours. I warmly welcome these new recruits,” he said.
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