TO START! NOOSA MP QLD DAY AWARDS
The J was packed full of laughter, love and cheers of delight as 150 residents gathered to honour 57 incredible volunteers at the Noosa MP Queensland Day Awards on the 6th of June. Noosa District State Hight School student Matilda Malone shared her incredible talent leaving all of us in awe, and MC Sam Coward had everyone in ‘stitches’ highlighting the amazing achievements and irreplaceable contributions of the award recipients to our community, many over multiple decades. I am sure nobody will ever mispronounce ‘Kinaba’ again! Thank you to our sponsors Noosa Today & Cooroy RSL, The J team, and all who made the evening possible and memorable. As I said I am so proud all of our incredible volunteers and am honoured to work with so many of you every day. A full list of recipients and photos is available at www.sandybolton.com/queensland-day-awards-2024-recipients.
L-R: 2024 Just a small fraction of the moments captured of the Noosa MP QLD Day Awards 2024
GOOD NEWS
Six Mile Bridge #7 Replacement – Its Official!
How fabulous after such a long journey to replace Six Mile Bridge #7, that we finally had the official opening! This made special by having some of the residents who stood with me at this dangerous and flood prone bridge back when first elected I committed to getting this historical issue addressed. Thank you to all who contributed to this momentous journey including long-time residents Phil Moran, Stephen Hilditch, Brian O’Connor, Ron Green, Anita Poteri, Mia Hacker, Nathanael Ford among so many others as well Ministers Bailey, Mellish and the TMR team for this $22.5 million project!
Noosa DFV Units – Construction about to start!
It was wonderful to celebrate the Community Banks and Coast2Bay Housing Group partnership on the construction of domestic and family violence (DFV) units starting shortly. Noosa RISE 2 (which stands for Restart In A Safe Environment) is an instrumental project that I have proudly been involved in, and I thank all who have made this possible including the Queensland Government for providing over $9 million in funding towards the project here, as well further down the coast. Special call out to our Zonta Club of Noosa and Noosa Coolum Salvos, who both have and will be involved along this journey to create safe, supported havens for our families impacted by family violence.
New Multi-Purpose Hall for NDSHS, Pomona Campus – Opened!
Such a momentous moment to officially open this new $11.9 million hall that started as a conversation with the previous Head of Campus Michael Small four years ago and has now become a reality! Special thanks to Ministers Grace Grace and Di Farmer and their Departments, Principal Stacy Wilmore and the P & C and most of all our students. You are our future, and I hope you love this hall as much as we do as it is fabulous for all.
Tewantin State School Pool Heater – Replaced!
Thank you to residents who alerted us to the broken pool heater, and to the Department of Education and acting School Principal Emma for the urgent replacement. With so many students, as well residents utilising this pool including for essential therapies, this has been greatly appreciated with winter now upon us.
L-R: PBCA MP Update; Pomona Multi Purpose Hall opening; Gifts from Peregian Beach Community House/ Kindy
HOT TOPICS
Heavy Haulage
My speech in Parliament on the Environmental Protection Bill raised that it had not fully implemented the original recommendation relating to the powers of the Chief Executive to amend Environmental Authorities, and since then clarity has been provided that the existing processes and new ones combined address the full recommendation. So why do I still have a question mark? Because until we ‘test’ this, there are no assurances that it will achieve what is sought by communities impacted by environmental authorities that are no longer ‘fit for purpose’, including those that allow devastation to residents, wildlife and our environment from heavy haulage as experienced in our Noosa country villages. Anyone who has followed this journey over multiple years will know we have sought any solution possible through State Government, and will continue efforts on this, and to see instigated an Independent Environment Protection Authority for Queensland to see an end to what is very ‘wrong’.
L-R:@ the Hibiscus Q&A; Noosa EV Expo 2024; Kin Kin Mobile Office ‘Moby’
Native Title Claims
With questions being asked on Facebook and some confusion, to clarify, Native Title does not affect private freehold land, it relates to government land such as waterways and lakes, National Parks and other protected areas, as well sites not currently in use such as the former TAFE site. As followers know, this claim has been with the Federal Court awaiting a determination for some years, and now that this has been completed, progress on the former TAFE site can finally occur. We have posted information including a Q&A to Noosa 360 at www.bit.ly/nativetitle_june2024.
Teewah Airfield
It is disappointing that the small airfield portion of Noosa North Shore landing reserve is not being retained for use of community groups, with notification that it will be transferred to National Park along with the majority of the site. However our efforts have secured a two-year transition for these clubs with government assistance to identify and transfer to a suitable site, and I will be tracking this closely to ensure they receive what has been promised. More information is available at www.sandybolton.com/teewah-airfield-update-june-2024
Cooroy Mountain Spring Festival
Following the announcement of the Cooroy Mountain Spring Festival cancellation, we requested the Minister urgently intervene to make sure this vital fundraiser is able to continue as this should never be designated as ‘commercial’ activity. Our volunteer organisations need all the help they can get, and we will update shortly.
Noosa Council Amendments
After the release of Council’s draft amendments to the 2020 Noosa Plan and it was good to join our Noosa Chamber of Commerce for an interpretation by Russell Green from RG Strategic who took the complexities and drilled down into a simple summary regarding multiple aspects that was appreciated by all in attendance! Remember to have your say www.noosa.qld.gov.au/noosa-plan/draft-amendments-noosa-plan-1.
ON THE HOMEFRONT
St Thomas More & Altitude
This annual event with our young Noosans always brings such joy, as I love the diversity of questions, including those burning ones around electric bikes and scooters! We covered so much and was as always excited to see those hands shoot up afterwards on who would like to be a future Councillor or Member of Parliament and from the Qs asked know that our future is in very good hands! This was also showcased at the Altitude event where the students on scholarships were inspirational and aspirational, traversing physics to music and way beyond!
L-R: Salvos Red Shield Appeal breakfast; Six Mile Bridge #7 opening; New DFV housing celebration
Surf Lifesaving
At the Sunshine Beach Surf Club Awards, we celebrated the achievements of members over the past year which have been enormous, in both saving lives and in surf sports. Additionally, the new Noosa Heads Club’s training facility opened in Noosaville, which also caters to our emergency services, corporate clients and schools enabling sessions at night and on weekends. With our lifesavers being called to assist in disasters and emergencies, ensuring they have the training as well connectivity to other emergency frontliners is important. High ‘5’ to all for what you do!
Noosa Come Together
Noosa certainly came together to raise funds and have fun! The sun shone, the music rocked, and our youngsters squealed with joy on the rides. It was also wonderful to congratulate organiser Oz Bayldon in person with a big hug for both the weekend, and as one of our Queensland Day Award nominees for his fabulous work!
L-R: Altitude scholarships event; @Noosa Express Recycling; Noosa Come Together 2024
Noosa EV & Electrify Everything Expo
This ‘street fest’ of information hosted by Zero Emissions Noosa (ZEN), supported by Noosa Council and the Noosa Junction Association included our Queensland Police Service and TMR who had lots of information on electric bike and scooter safety (EBSS) and it was wonderful to see the ‘pullups’ that are being provided to retailers, schools and anywhere needed as to rules around these. In amongst our ‘learnings’ was with Matt Golinski on the benefits of induction cooking (his pasta was awesome!) and Garry from Noosa born EnergyFlex, who has partnered with the Commonwealth Bank as part of reducing our energy consumption, as well many other innovations and innovators. Our latest update regarding the urgent need to address safety concerns around electric bikes and scooters is available at www.sandybolton.com/electric-bikes-and-scooters-update-may-2024
Gifts from Peregian Beach
There were so many magical moments in our eastern beaches communities especially when we dropped in to do a ‘pickup’ for Hope in a Suitcase from the beautiful Carmel, parents and children from the Peregian Kindy, and to see the intergenerational initiative by President Mary from Peregian Beach Community House where our youngest
Noosans had a ‘ball’ with the ‘Knitters for Charity’. In addition, the Peregian Beach Community Association AGM where I shared updates on issues we are working on and learnt more on the work they are doing in dune revegetation and regeneration in amongst so much else. It was also lovely to celebrate another Noosa MP Queensland Day Award nominee, Rochelle Gooch, over the most superb coffee and pear cake ever!
Changeover dinners
With the end of the financial year, came the ‘changing of the guard’ for many of our community group committees. These included Cooroy Rotary and Cooroy Pomona Lions Club where it was appreciated to share some homegrown and homemade fare, welcome new committee members and say ‘thank you to those outgoing! As I said at the Queensland Day Awards, I am honoured to work with so many of you every day.
L-R:@Noosa Care Carramar Q&A; Parkyn Hut ‘vollie’ celebration; Fun at Noosa Community FM
Noosa Salvos Red Shield Appeal Breakfast
It was wonderful to gather together at the Sunshine Beach Surf Club to fundraise and hear the phenomenal work of our much loved ‘Salvos’ including some I never even realised, with insights from guest speaker Rod McGeoch how we can all ‘light the way’ by individually being the best we can be. You can still donate via their website.
Resident Q&A Sessions
As you know I love these annual MP update sessions and Q&As, which in June included with our matriarchs and patriarchs at Noosa Care Carramar and Ozcare where my mum is. Great questions and lovely comments from attendees with key theme being we love the place we live, and that I am not very good at Bingo?
L-R: Sunshine Beach Surf Lifesaving Club; New Noosa Surf Club Training Centre; St Thomas More year 6 Q & A
Mobile Offices and Meetings
There was such a great vibe at the Kin Kin Market, with the Pet Expo a huge success, and it was super fun to hand out the awards especially to a skateboarding water dragon! Congratulations to all who participated, to Anita and the Kin Kin Community Group team for organising, and to the fabulous Noosans we yarned with! Meetings included with the Queensland University of Technology on ‘GrandSchools’, the Men’s Table and their great success with our first Noosa ‘Table of Eight’, Katie Rose Cottage Hospice and the Noosaville Containers for Change depot to celebrate them reaching 100 million containers! In addition, Youth Member for Noosa Dylan (who also works in my office) and his Youth Parliament Committee on their bill tackling ‘deep fakes’, which is one of the most concerning aspects of Artificial Intelligence to emerge which can take photos and voices from Facebook and create false photos and clips, and we look forward to their findings.
Parkyn Hut Celebrations
What started as a ‘welcome back’ to these ‘vollies’ when docking at the Noosa Marina after a ‘thank you’ trip on the Noosa Queen, turned into awards to awesome peeps Peter and Kerry, as well tears when I was presented with the most beautiful mug of ‘hugs’, and a freshly made chocolate heart from the Noosa Chocolate Factory! Shocked? Absolutely, as these beautiful Noosans do so much for our community without acknowledgement or pay, and I felt both inadequate and unworthy of such a special moment. Thank you so much as I will always treasure.
FROM THE CHAMBER AND BEYOND
2024 State Budget
Even though we celebrated the opening of Six Mile Bridge #7 mentioned on page 1, the need for greater safety on Kin Kin Road remains with $36.6 million allocated for this. Other items were $25 million for the widening of Eumundi Noosa Road, progress on the Sunshine Beach State High School Advanced Manufacturing Hub, major grants for our sporting clubs and more including extra police and paramedics. However, ‘missing in action’ was the detailed design allocation for the next stage of the Tewantin Bypass, as well the pedestrian crossing on Factory St, Pomona, which as you can see from my Budget Reply speech in Parliament at the link below, is not acceptable, and I have requested this be addressed immediately. Of note for broader Queensland was in the Youth Justice Reform space with a number of allocations that align to the recommendations in our report, which is essential. A list of Noosa specific funding is at www.sandybolton.com/budget-2024-25-summary, which will be updated after estimates as we are still digging!
L-R: Noosa Chamber of Commerce; Cooroy Rotary & Cooroy Pomona Lions Change Overs
Housing affordability
The Help to Buy Bill passed, which was a referral of constitutional powers from Queensland to the Commonwealth to allow them to deliver their Help to Buy scheme. With only 2,000 places a year in QLD and 30,000 first home buyers, this Commonwealth scheme does not create affordable housing stock as needed and can actually push prices up. However, as I said, every little bit helps, though much more ‘bits’ are needed. During the Economic Development Bill debate, I asked what this will ultimately do for affordability, as there are a lot of words in legislation, though at times a lack of simplicity in the ‘how’. There were also concerns, as expanding powers, even in the need to provide social and affordable housing, must be accompanied by clarity. Most importantly, we need to make sure that Parliaments of the future are not still grappling with the failings of the past, nor potentially of present decisions, so that Queenslanders can all enjoy a stable roof over their heads, and not going without, including of food, to do so.
National Park Expansion
Around 479 hectares of Yurol State Forest and 889 hectares of Ringtail State Forest are soon to transition to Tewantin National Park following recent progress in Parliament. My original speech in Parliament when this was announced in 2019 can be read at www.bit.ly/nationalparkspeech.
AND FINALLY….
That our Queensland Day Award nominations grow each year is a testament to how beautiful our community is. We have so many amazing Noosans doing incredible work, including our youngsters such as previous awardee Spencer from Save Sunrise Glossies on meeting legendary conservationist Jane Goodall at the Sydney Town Hall this month as part of her youth action group. You make us all so proud, and I love watching your works! However, it is always sad when we have part of the ‘tapestry’ that connects us pass on. This month included Aido from the Sandflys, Gloria Quinn and David Green whom over the years whether through work or pleasure, I have had the honour of knowing, and they will be greatly missed by all who had the benefit of sharing time with them.
This ‘tapestry’ and the moments that bind us sometimes are best shared in photos as they speak for themselves. From Kin Kin to Peregian Beach and all in between, we are all Noosans who love our home and will do anything to look after it, and each other! Until next month, always remember to contact me if we can ever assist via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au or on 53193100 as again this month there was raft of misinformation on social media, including that the new North Shore Ferry will not be accepting cash, which is totally incorrect!
𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙮
𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙉𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙖
𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘕𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘢. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦
For Emergencies, head to www.sandybolton.com/keycontacts where a comprehensive list of contacts numbers is available to assist.
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