Sandy welcomes the recently passed Marine Rescue Queensland Bill 2023 following her advocacy since 2018 for a fairer model. As mentioned in our January 2023 Noosa 360 update, after the release of Blue Water Review report in 2019 on Volunteer Marine Rescue Organisations in Queensland, it was announced in response to the recommendations that Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ), a single integrated state-wide organisation would be established. This Bill actions this commitment.
For years our Noosa Coastguard QF5 had to fuel up and maintain their boats by fundraising, while at the same time paying for their own uniforms and membership to save lives, which as Sandy has stated previously was completely unfair.
Sandy thanks all of our emergency volunteers and encourages any further feedback to be emailed to us via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au.
To view Sandy’s debate speech on this, please visit www.sandybolton.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cognate-speech-EM-SES-MRQ-RFS-Bills.pdf.
Please note – The Marine Rescue Queensland Bill was debated at the same time as three other bills including the Disaster Management Bill, which for our Rural Fire Service had outstanding concerns. Please read further on this which includes her speech regarding in our Noosa 360 update at www.sandybolton.com/rural-fire-brigade-structure-changes-disaster-management-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2024-update-may-2024
Further information
To contact the relevant Queensland Minister, email the Minister for Fire and Disaster Recovery via fdrc@ministerial.qld.gov.au. Please cc our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward us any response you receive.
For our previous Noosa 360 update on this, please head to www.sandybolton.com/marine-rescue-queensland-january-2023
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