Queenslanders have endured ongoing financial and emotional hardship since the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes increases in domestic violence and mental health issues and a housing crisis. In addition, high inflations, with this budget addressing cost of living pressures through electricity rebates and increasing supports such as Fairplay vouchers.

Sandy’s full Budget Reply speech in Queensland Parliament is available here.

On the specifics for Noosa, after delays to the Lake Macdonald refurbishment, it is wonderful to see $72 million allocated to get this safety work completed. While the official opening of Six Mile Creek bridge No. 7 was celebrated recently, the need to create greater safety on Kin Kin Road remains. A total of $37 million is in the budget for this, and that these sums have been required due to inappropriate levels of heavy haulage through our villages is another example of our system failing. A disappointment of this latest budget was the missing $1 million required for a pedestrian crossing on Factory Street, Pomona so that residents can safely traverse this road, with Sandy contacting the Minister as this is vital for inclusion.

$25 million has been allocated to widen the Eumundi-Noosa Road from Emu Mountain Road to Beckman’s Road, however, this is where further disappointment lies. After the completion of stage 1 of the Tewantin Bypass to address the congestion, stage 2 needed construction funding by the next budget, however the detailed design funding required to make that happen are nowhere to be seen. Regardless of the reasons for the delays that have led to this, whether on State’s or Noosa Council’s end, Sandy has reiterated that the Minister must fast-track and fund the requirements to get it back on track.

Even though $115 million to start the Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade stage 1 was included,  there was not anything for a Nambour to Gympie rail shuttle, which is vital, and we await the outcomes from the northern line study, which must support this need.

Our businesses are receiving some assistance, with $650 off their electricity bills and extra access to initiatives in the Queensland Small Business Strategy including supports, natural disaster recovery and extra cash grants, which they do need. However, we do need to reduce red tape for our businesses and also expand the ability of the Small Business Commissioner to resolve disputes.

On the education front, we are celebrating the opening of the new hall at the Noosa District State High School, Pomona Campus. In addition, there is progress on the advanced manufacturing unit for Sunshine Beach State High School, with smaller amounts of funding outlined below. An area that needs improvement is funding for tuckshops as this is obviously inadequate given that we have schools for a number of years applying for grants unsuccessfully to do the works needed.

There was welcomed news on our health front, with additional funding for the Queensland Ambulance Service which will result in 12 extra paramedics for the Sunshine Coast which Noosa will benefit from. In addition, for mental health, there was the extra requested youth co-responder team and a second mental health CORE team for our region. Sandy looks forward to finding in amongst the buckets of funds either grants or allocations for our Noosa Salvos to provide after-hours and weekend supports for both mental health and emergency accommodation. We also need co-location of services provided through the Better Care Together mental health program.

There was no mention of fairer funding models for our palliative care hospices which Sandy has been fighting for, and even though the review is nearly complete, and increases have been  provided to our Katie Rose Cottage Hospice, it is not enough. The extra funding for domestic, family and sexual violence (DFV) is welcomed, as well as the funding for perpetrator programs. At this time, we can see no mention of a DFV court for the Sunshine Coast which is much needed.

For our environment, there is $1.1 million for coastal walk upgrades in Noosa National Park, with the only extra funding being very targeted such as to improve firefighting capabilities. With Queensland lagging behind other states and territories in funding per hectare, the needed increase of $200 million over four years has not been found, nor funds for a new independent environmental protection authority or for the environmental upgrade agreement process. That is important because that will then allow those landowners to be able to put solar on their houses which will then benefit renters.

The budget provided for 98 police additional officers for the Sunshine Coast, and we are waiting on the amount that is to be allocated for Noosa as well as the timeline for those.  In addition, welcomed news was the $1.12 billion allocated to community safety, and it has been good to see that many of these measures align with the recommendations from the Youth Justice Reform Select Committee. They include the all-important much earlier interventions to support children from their earliest years through to preventions via educational engagement and health services from birth. In addition, family support coordinators and behavioural specialists in primary schools and early childhood coordinators. Especially appreciated has been the extra funding to Victim Assist to reduce the delays and to expand supports to victims of non-violent crimes, as well as those youth co-responder teams, I mentioned earlier, and an expansion of the intensive case management program including on the Sunshine Coast. Overall, from the 60 recommendations from the Youth Justice Reform Select Committee report, between the Community Safety Bill and this budget it looks like over half have been addressed.

All budget papers are available here, with the following being a list of Noosa State Electorate allocations found so far! Please note some have already been mentioned above, and there will be updates in the coming weeks as we go through the estimates process.

Education

  • $686,000 across 8 schools in the Noosa Electorate for maintenance.
  • $100,000 for water and sewerage upgrade at Cooran State School.
  • $1,273,000 to finish construction of the new school hall at NDSHS, Pomona Campus.
  • $300,000 to refurbish Block C at Tewantin State School.

Tourism, Innovation and Sport

  • $197,029 out of a $218,921 total spend to upgrade lighting at an Australian football field in Pomona (Pomona Demons).
  • $225,000 out of a total $250,000 total spend to upgrade ancillary facilities at the Noosa Yacht and Rowing club.
  • $500,000 out of a $1,000,000 total spend for tourist eco villas in Kin Kin.

Water & Energy

  • $71,394,000 to commence construction on the Lake Macdonald Dam improvement project
  • $38,416,514 Replace sub- transmission and 11 kilovolt assets on energy network for Sunshine Coast including Noosa.

Health

  • $1,800,000,000 investment for the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service including extra ambulance positions and mental health teams as mentioned above.

Transport and Main Roads

  • $14,250,000 out of a $25,000,000 total spend for Eumundi – Noosa Road, Emu Mountain Road to Beckmans Road, widen existing pavement.
  • $36,661,000 for remaining Kin Kin Road Stages.
  • $104,000 for Old Bruce Highway improvements near Pomona & Cooroy.

Environment

  • $1,100,000 for coastal walk upgrades in Noosa National Park.

If any Noosa Electorate residents have further questions, please feel free to email our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au for us to investigate.

Further information

 

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