BIG Plans for Small Business!

We know that small businesses are the engine room of the Queensland economy, working across every industry sector.

That's why the Palaszczuk Labor Government has supported more than 18,000 small businesses across Queensland, through our $196 million Small Business Adaption Grants program.

Our Queensland Economic Recovery Plan has supported businesses to help keep 334,000 Queenslanders in jobs.

We've also been supporting businesses by introducing a target earlier this year - that from 1 July 2020, 25 per cent of all government purchases would be from Queensland small and medium sized businesses.

Our commitment to 'Big Plans for Small Business' is all about creating jobs and future proofing Queensland.

We have already announced $8 billion in measures to support Queenslanders through COVID-19, including assistance for workers and businesses.

We're committing to building on our support of more than $2.3 billion in tax relief, grants, electricity rebates and loans for small to medium sized businesses with another $140 million to support big plans for small business.

Only a Palaszczuk Labor Government will continue to back our small businesses to ensure they can recover, reopen and build a strong future for all Queenslanders.

Read our full policy here.

New $40m Hospital for The Redlands!

New $40m Satellite Hospital for Redlands.

Compare this to the LNP and Deb Frecklington, who shut Wynnum Hospital.

A Satellite Hospital in Redlands will be tailored to the needs of the community and will include ambulatory and low acuity day therapy services such as renal dialysis, chemotherapy, complex wound management and urgent care for minor injury and illness!

This is a great investment for the Redlands area. It will mean our health system can continue to meet the growing demand for services and take pressure off nearby hospitals. 

Arts Roadmap

The Palaszczuk Government is committed to supporting the recovery of the Arts sector from the impact of COVID-19. Today Minister Leeanne Enoch has released Creative Together 2020-2030: A 10-Year Roadmap for arts, culture and creativity in Queensland (Creative Together).

Creative Together will build on Queensland’s strengths and deliver on the following five key areas:

• elevate First Nations arts

• drive social change across the State

• strengthen Queensland communities

• share our stories and celebrate our storytellers

• activate Queensland’s local places and global digital spaces.

Creative Together will be delivered through three consecutive action plans. The first action plan, Sustain 2020-2022 acknowledges the impact of COVID-19 on Queensland and the sector and focuses on the immediate recovery of the sector, and will be supported by the $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package.

As at 29 September 2020, grant funding of $9.22 million to support 265 projects has been committed under the $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package to support the employment of artists, the reactivation of venues and to provide COVID-safe arts experiences.

Artist Loren Close - pic source: Quandamooka Aboriginal Art Gallery

First Nations Arts and Cultures Panel EOI

Also announced is the First Nations Arts and Cultures Panel Expression of Interest which will open on 1 October. This panel aims to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples voice in shaping cultural strategy, policy and investment decisions and is an action outlined within the Roadmap’s Sustain 2020-2022 action plan, delivering against the Elevate First Nations Arts and Culture priority.

For information on the Creative Together 2020-2030: A 10-Year Roadmap visit: www.arts.qld.gov.au

RECORD RESOURCES FOR FRONTLINE POLICE

On top of the 2,025 extra police personnel over five years, the Palaszczuk Government is supporting a record roll-out of more police resources for frontline police. 

Member for Capalaba, Don Brown, said frontline police across Queensland would benefit from a record $77 million investment over five years in extra police resources.

“This means more body worn video cameras, more police patrol vehicles, introducing integrated load-bearing ballistic vests and more QLiTE iPads – all fully funded by the Palaszczuk Government,” Mr Brown said.

“Unlike the previous LNP Government, the Palaszczuk Government backs our frontline police. And when we promise, we deliver. 

“No one wants to see a return to the former LNP regime when police were forced to fund their own body worn cameras out of their own pockets. 

“It was an LNP regime that sacked more than 300 police personnel, cut vital police services, cut training, cut funding for police cars and computers, and stopped monitoring more than 1,700 child sex offenders,” Mr Brown said.

MPs Don Brown and Kim Richards with Police Minister Mark Ryan. Image: Redland City Bulletin

This fully funded record roll-out of new police resources includes:

• 5,000 additional QLiTE iPads for frontline police officers (takes the total fleet size to 12,000);

• 250 additional police patrol vehicles (takes the total fleet size to almost 3,000);

• 4,500 additional body worn video cameras to bring the total fleet to 12,000 – one of the largest in the world; and

• in a first for police, 12,000 new integrated load bearing ballistic vests to protect police while they protect the community.

“This is a record $77 million investment in the 12,000-plus Queensland police who work hard, day and night, to keep communities safe in every corner of the State.

Importantly, these vital tools of the trade for police officers across Queensland are fully funded. 

The LNP has a poor track record when it comes to keeping promises to police.

It’s always important to remember that it’s not what they say, it’s what they’ll do.

And the LNP will do exactly what they did last time they were in government. 

They will sack police. They will cut police resources. They will cut police training. 

How else will they fund the $24 billion they have notched up in unfunded election commitments so far?

As the President of the Police Union himself has said: “Police have been badly burnt by previous sneaky governments who made commitments and didn’t fund them properly”.

The Palaszczuk Government’s record shows that we can be trusted when it comes to delivering more police and more police resources,” Mr Brown said.

Never been more proud to be a Queenslander and a member of Annastacia Palaszczuk's Government.

More National Parks. More support for nature refuges. Doubling number of Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers

The Palaszczuk Government has just announced the release of the Queensland’s Protected Area Strategy 2020-2030.

This exciting strategy will see our national parks grow in size, and will support Queensland’s economic recovery by supporting the beautiful protected areas that are such a drawcard for tourism. 

Unlike the LNP, the Palaszczuk Government is committed to sustainably and effectively managing Queensland’s pristine environment.

The Queensland’s Protected Area Strategy 2020-2030 includes actions for sustainably expanding and effectively managing Queensland’s protected areas, both public and private.

With $60 million in funding, the Palaszczuk Government is investing in Queensland’s most valuable asset, it’s environment.

Queensland’s Protected Area Strategy 2020-2030

• More National Parks

• More support for nature refuges

• Doubling number of Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers

The Strategy delivers on the Queensland Government’s 2017 State election commitment to release and implement a Queensland Protected Area Strategy, including a continued Nature Refuge Program and expanded NatureAssist toolkit to support landowners. 

The Strategy includes high level actions for sustainably expanding and effectively managing Queensland’s protected areas, both public and private, with areas of specific focus including:

• driving economic stimulus in regional Queensland through capital investment in public protected areas to improve visitor experiences and support regional tourism, and partnerships to improve the management of private protected areas

• effective management of public protected areas (like national parks)

• initiatives complementary to the Government’s broader biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation agenda

• a support and monitoring program for private protected areas (nature refuges and special wildlife reserves) as part of an expanded NatureAssist toolkit

• investment pathways and partnerships to achieve sustainable growth in protected areas over time – recognising the importance of both quantity and quality in any approach to protected area expansion

• participation of First Nations peoples, through genuine partnerships in protected area management, with a focus on connection to Country and co-stewardship

• improving the quality of the visitor experience

• ensuring that the significant social and economic benefits of a diverse, well-managed and ecologically resilient protected area system are grown and realised

• ensuring that ecotourism ventures on protected areas represent international best practice.

The Government has allocated $60 million over four years as a down payment to support early implementation of the Strategy. 

This is comprised of: 

• $28 million for expanding the public protected area estate 

• $8 million to continue the Nature Refuge Program and deliver an expanded NatureAssist toolkit to support landowners

• $24 million to doubling the number of Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers who do important work looking after Country.

Delivering a world-class protected area system for Queensland will ensure the full suite of environmental, economic, social and health values provided by protected areas are recognised and maintained. 

Queensland’s protected areas form the foundation of the State’s ecotourism industry. In addition to tourism, protected areas also support and generate jobs across multiple other sectors, including outdoor recreation, research, education and conservation.

An extra 2,025 police personnel in Queensland by 2025. Fully costed and fully funded.

Member for Redlands Kim Richards and I joined Commissioner Katrina Carroll and Police Minister Mark Ryan MP to discuss our huge announcement of an extra 2025 Police personnel by 2025. It will means an extra 150 police for our division providing an extra 2,025 police personnel in Queensland by 2025 - fully costed, and fully funded.
Our $624 million investment will be the biggest increase in police resources Queensland has seen in 30 years and will see 1,450 more officers deployed on the frontline across our state.
We’re also providing 25 mobile police beats, to make sure our police can be where the community needs them.
Queensland is in a position to recover more quickly and support more jobs sooner than other states thanks to the efforts of Queenslanders, and of frontline services like the Queensland Police ServiceKim Richards Member for Redlands and I joined Commissioner Katrina Carroll and Police Minister Mark Ryan MP to discuss our huge announcement of an extra 2025 Police personnel by 2025. It will means an extra 150 police for our division. #DonDelivers

COVID-19 household utility relief

Under the Queensland Government’s COVID-19 economic relief package, Queensland households will automatically receive a $200 rebate to help offset household electricity and water costs.

In order to provide this assistance to households as quickly as possible, the household utility assistance payment will be credited to customers’ electricity bills.

The payment is made up of:

• the $50 electricity asset ownership dividend for 2020
  plus

• an additional $150 to assist households with their utility bills this year.

This assistance is in addition to any other energy rebate or concession for which customers may be eligible.

When will I get the household utility assistance?

• Regional Queensland residential customers will start seeing the utility rebate appear from April 2020 onwards, depending on their individual electricity bill cycle.

• South East Queensland customers will begin seeing the credit on their electricity bill from May 2020, depending on when they are due to receive their bill.

Who is eligible to receive the household utility assistance?

The utility rebate is being provided to residential customers who are separately charged for their electricity.

Customers who don’t receive a separate electricity bill (e.g. where electricity is included as part of the rent) are not eligible to receive the rebate.

Arrangements are in place for customers with on-supply arrangements and customers using a card-operated meter to receive the utility rebate. See below for details.

On-supply arrangements

Households who pay their landlord, property manager, caravan park owner or body corporate in an on-supply arrangement are eligible for the rebate.

These customers will have the rebate credited to their bills by their on-supplier or electricity billing company.

On-suppliers are required to lodge a claim (using form 511) with their electricity retailer.

Card-operated meters

Households with card-operated meters are also eligible for the rebate, which will be automatically transferred to their orange power cards (linked card).