This month’s newsletter celebrates being the big ‘50’, bringing an urge to revisit all editions since January 2018! Never could I have imagined the intense joys and challenges that our incredible community would face, from bushfires, a pandemic and then floods, right through to enormous achievements. However, there is no time for revisiting, as we have always much to do! This month has been a ‘doozy’ between Budget 2022 and current preparation for Estimates, with many events and initiatives packed in between, including our QLD Day Awards and Seeds for Change projects! ????

COVID-19 vaccine restrictions have been eased for workers in a number of areas including schools, early childhood education, outside school care, kindergartens, family day care and airports. This has been welcomed by residents and industries, with the remaining sectors such as aged care, still being severely impacted and which I have spoken about in Chamber. We cannot keep putting these facilities and remaining staff under untenable duress any longer, as ultimately it is our much-loved matriarchs and patriarchs that must be the focus, and you cannot do that without staff.

L-R: Kin Kin Pink Stumps Day 2022; Sconetime at Cooroy is BACK!; Our QLD Day Awards recipients

From the Chamber and Beyond

The Queensland Budget for 2022 held no surprises, however some glaring omissions for QLD.  We have posted a summary of inclusions that we have found so far to 360 (www.sandybolton.com/budget-2022-23-update/), including a new mental health co-responder based on the Sunshine Coast, and Queensland Ambulance Services (QAS) Clinical Hub, to alleviate ambulance delays. That the enormous extra injection of funding required for social housing across QLD to address the wait list of over 50,000 was absent was disheartening, considering this is beyond a crisis point. However, I am confident that through the number of initiatives born from the Housing Action Group, the upcoming Noosa Council Housing Strategy, and projects, such as an expanded Better Together program we have funded through Coast2Bay and Purpose Real Estate, we will continue as we do – resolve by our own efforts. ????

Persistence does pay off, as demonstrated after our 3 years of advocacy regarding the inequitable School Transport Assistance Subsidy Scheme (STAS), with $18.9 million being committed to expanding the scheme to include children shared between households. A long journey, and I thank everyone for their patience in reaching this point!

A number of Bills were debated, with the Personal Injuries Proceedings and Other Legislation Amendment 2022 on ‘claim farming’ resulting in my first Dissenting Report. This regarding the timeframe for those diagnosed with terminal condition, and the ensuing amendments by the Minister in response to our efforts were greatly appreciated. The opportunity to share with one of our local firemen this outcome was also appreciated as it was his personal situation that highlighted to me the flaws in the Bill.  In my speech, I also tabled a series of amendments needed going forward regarding law certificates to minimise further ‘red tape!’ as ‘more’ does not always equate to ‘better’!

With the Inspector of Detention Services Bill, I spoke on my concerns regarding the issues submitted that are outside the scope of the Bill, including the lack of accommodation for those eligible for parole (some for over 2 years) which contribute to the overcrowding of prisons, and make no sense. To view these speeches, as well as all previous speeches, head to www.sandybolton.com/parliament/speeches/.

Although Budget occupied much of Parliament, I was able to hop over to the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) during a lunch break to visit the ‘Pomona Reimagined’ Project, where third year architectural students showcased their visions of how to best utilise spaces to address community needs through innovation. It’s wonderful to see this ongoing relationship with QUT, and I thank Brian O’Connor, as well residents who took time to provide feedback to the students during their visit on what they would like to see! ????

From the Inbox

Sunshine Coast proudly hosted the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Summit on Kabi Kabi land, where partnerships between First Nations people, governments and the private sector were discussed, with the Cooloola Great Walk Project used as one example of these relationships. As this is a complex, diverse project, we post regularly to Noosa 360 at www.sandybolton.com/cooloola-great-walk-update-june-2022/

Due to the welcomed dry weather, the 10 tonne limit on Kin Kin Road was lifted late into the month, which saw both positive and negative responses from impacted constituents. Capital works on the road, as well Six Mile Bridge #7 are set to commence soon, so please be mindful that traffic delays are expected whilst construction occurs. In addition, maintenance works continue, with contractors inspecting daily and repairing according to their safety criteria. If you see any new potholes on state roads, please contact TMR on 5451 7055 or northcoast@tmr.qld.gov.au. For Council managed roads, call 5329 6500 or download the Snap/Send/Solve App onto your smartphone to report hazards.

We are still waiting for the determination from the court case between Noosa Council and the quarry operators regarding the inappropriate and damaging level of heavy haulage and will update on this as soon as received.

In July, Noosa Council will be hosting a roundtable alongside Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) and the Department of Environment and Science (DES) regarding the polystyrene that impacted our beaches earlier this year. Council and community are still working to remove all remnants from the flood, with the industrial vacuum working overtime! ????

A scientific paper published by CSIRO has resulted from our efforts to have extensive testing for dioxins in our river, which revealed that the unique ‘signature’ associated with our dioxins can be linked to the amount of kaolinitic clay found in the sediments sampled. This paper, as well previous updates including the report from QLD Health, which specifies that there are no safety concerns regarding our lakes or river in relation to dioxin levels, can all be found at Noosa 360: www.sandybolton.com/?s=dioxins

Noosa Council are currently seeking feedback on their draft Housing Strategy, and it is important for every resident to be involved as our housing crisis impacts everyone! Community consultation will open mid-July, however please read the strategy in advance to compile your submission via www.noosa.qld.gov.au/housing-strategies

L-R: With ‘Dame Edna’ at PTSD Dogs; Our Noosa CEO Sleepers; At the AIATSIS Summit 2022

On the Homefront

This month started with a favourite – our annual Noosa QLD Day Awards! 39 amazing residents from 29 different not-for-profit organisations were awarded and acknowledged for their donation of time, expertise, energy, and love to our community. These, and so many other residents, give so much, and enable all of us to enjoy services that otherwise would not be available, whether that be sports for our kids or emergency assistance during fire and floods…the list goes on! Deep gratitude to all – you are the beating heart of our electorate, and I was thrilled to be able to finally have a mini ‘hug party’ with some extra special moments that I will always remember. ???? Many thanks also to all involved in making the event possible, including new sponsor Cooroy RSL. ???????? To find out about our 2022 recipients, head to: www.sandybolton.com/queensland-day-awards-2022-recipients/ And please, start thinking about your nominees for next year, so you are ready when nominations open!!

Our Noosa MP 2022 Seeds for Change grants have funded some phenomenal projects, including our first indigenous learning centre, support for eating disorder sessions to Noosa, mental health initiatives, environmental projects and more, as posted to Facebook at https://bit.ly/seeds4change22

We attended so many wonderful and successful fundraisers, including PTSD Dogs with their High Tea for Hounds ????, Katie Rose Hospice with a ‘Forget Me Not’ dinner, and the annual Pink Stumps at Kin Kin for breast cancer, where your Mayor Clare and MP Sandy umpired, which for myself, year after year, has not improved! ???? Also, after months of delays due to COVID-19 and flooding, Sconetime came back in time to raise much-needed funds for Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea ???? Alongside these events, it was wonderful to continue the legacy of Trish Bradford, as we were able to donate to various auction’s artwork from her estate. As I said – she would be keeping an eye on us from above and is.

The events kept coming. These included the Electric Vehicle Expo ???? hosted by Zero Emissions Noosa, the Permaculture Noosa Tiny Homes expo, as well Coast2Bay’s new social enterprise realty office opening in Tewantin, with some of our funding going towards their house share program. Noosa Rugby Union Club hosted their annual Sponsors Day (Go the Phins!), Noosa Heads SLSC their annual dinner, which was very glam! At the Express Recycling Battle of the School presentation, I was thrilled to meet all schools who participated, and view just one of the 15 shipping containers they filled as part of recycling, reducing and repurposing, extending the life of our landfill ????

Lastly, a massive congratulations to Team Sunshine Coast, which included our Noosa ‘sleepers’ Mayor Clare, Jeanette, Alex, Carlie, Leigh and Heidi, who raised nearly $200,000 in this year’s CEO Sleepout. Even though I could not participate due to being in Chamber, I spoke again there on our housing crisis. The reality is we should not have to fundraise to alleviate this ongoing failure of all governments over many years, and it is time to finally address.

L-R: Electric Vehicle Expo; Celebrating Mervyn’s 103rd birthday; Noosa Dolphins Sponsors Day

Grants and Reminders

Alongside our Seeds for Change Grants, we also had 30 clubs successful in their Active Grant applications, with each club receiving $2000 to towards their club and members! Too many to name here, however are listed on Facebook at https://bit.ly/activeclub22. Congratulations to all and we look forward to visiting to see how these funds have assisted!

For further State Government grant opportunities see the QLD Government Grant Finder or Grants Guru.

Parliamentary Speeches and Questions

Recent Questions on Notice (QON’s) can be found at www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Questions-on-Notice-and-Answers and latest speeches at https://www.sandybolton.com/parliament/speeches/.

Have Your Say

For a complete list of Queensland State Government Consultations, including on Incident and Disaster Warnings in Queensland, head to https://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/gi/

Mobile Office

NOOSAVILLE – Sat July 22nd Gympie Terrace from 8.15am PEREGIAN BEACH – Sun August 21st Peregian Beach Markets from 8.15am COOROY – Sat September 10th, TBD

Office Reminders

Our office is open 9am – 4pm Monday to Friday, except during public holidays.  For community organisations we have the photocopier, marquees, and trailer available at no charge for your use.

L-R At Express Recycling presentations; Katie Rose Gala; Coast2Bay’s new social enterprise ‘Purpose’

Connect

With so much to share, stay up to date via  Noosa 360, Facebook page updates or our monthly newsletters. Columns are in Noosa Today, Coolum Advertiser, Forest Star, Cooroy Rag, Your Local Lifestyle and Eastern Beaches News.

And Finally….

With so many wonderful moments this month, there was also deeply saddening ones such as the loss of some of our much-loved Noosans, including Baz, Lauren and Lorraine. What has been inspirational is how their families and friends have responded in their grief.

Lauren from Zenko has left incredible legacies, with her family announcing that a ‘patronage’ would be developed in her name to assist those who cannot afford yoga, and mums throughout our communities donating their breast milk for baby Lucinda. With offers of assistance pouring in, the response from Lauren’s family is one of deep gratitude, and that announcements are imminent on how we can all help. ????

Until next month, blessings to all. You are incredible in all ways that matter, and what I have seen this month has brought me to tears through your demonstration of the love and care that is imbedded in our community. ????

Sandy ????