Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington says she is very pleased to see the Debutante tradition is alive and well in Kilcoy after attending the Kilcoy Social Dance Group’s Debutante Ball on Friday 25th September.
Mrs Frecklington said it was a wonderful evening which brought the community together and demonstrated the terrific young people we have in our region.
“The young ladies and their partners deserve accolades for taking part in this tradition and it was terrific to see so many younger children participating as flower girls and of course our little page boy,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“I’d like to congratulate the Kilcoy Social Dance Group for making this possible and for working with the girls to make this an extremely memorable occasion.
“My family attended the event with me and we all enjoyed the Ball immensely,” Deb said.
Photo: Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, at the Kilcoy Social Dance Group’s Debutante Ball on Friday evening with the Flower Girls and Page Boy!
Congratulations to the Toowoomba Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) and Food Leaders Australia who last week hosted the ‘Ag in the Asian Century’, National Export and Innovation Conference in Toowoomba.
This was a unique opportunity for primary producers, ag sector service providers and the industry in general to really focus on how Queensland agriculture can harness the huge growing demand from our neighbours in Asian markets to our north.
There is an immense opportunity on our doorstep with a significant increase in affluence of Asia’s middle-class population, expected to rise six-fold to 3.5 billion people by 2030. Chinese consumers face food scandals everyday - so they love buying high quality food and health products and they will pay a premium for it. And we have what they want, clean, green products, due to our hard work with biosecurity and farming practices. In fact, China is Australia’s largest agriculture and fisheries market worth $9 billion (13-14).
The changing face of agriculture must also take into account the advent of technology. In particular, the e-commerce market is the one to watch with booms in online and mobile payment shopping in China. Fourteen percent of the Chinese population shop online every day, compared to the global average of 5%. This market was worth an estimated $909 trillion RMB in 2013.
Attending the TSBE Conference were Chinese e-commerce giants JD.com and SF Express who were in Australia to specifically source new products. JD.com or JingDong recently announced a number of partnerships with Australian companies like Blackmores and Suiise, plus beef processor and marketers Sanger Bindaree Beef. They want more, and they are looking for Australian suppliers of high quality food and lifestyle products.
It is important that groups such as TSBE and Food Leaders Australia bring together these types of opportunities to help producers be export-ready and access Asian markets. The Asian region is destined to become the world’s largest consumer of goods and services. The opportunities for food producers and agricultural services are endless and I can’t wait to see more Queensland producers taking their produce to the world.
ember for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, has submitted a formal Question on Notice during Parliament asking if (or when) the new Government Wireless Network may be rolled out to areas north west of Toowoomba like Goombungee, Maclagan and Kulpi.
Mrs Frecklington said she had been contacted by a local resident who was concerned that when emergency crews are dispatched to these areas, they often lose contact with QFES headquarters.
“The Government Wireless Network is currently being installed across the south-east corner and will bring all Queensland public safety agencies onto the same radiocommunications frequency,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“This program began under the former LNP government and started with the G20 Summit in Brisbane. It is an excellent initiative which improves coverage and transmission for emergency crews.
“Unfortunately, in regional and rural areas in my Electorate, like Goombungee, Quinalow, Kulpi and Maclagan, when fire and ambulance are dispatched to emergencies they can lose contact with headquarters for hours at a time.
“This could pose a very dangerous situation, when they’re only form of contact may be a local landline at a neighbouring house or business.
“On behalf of the communities west of Toowoomba, I want to find out if there are plans to extend the Government Wireless program beyond the south-east corner to areas north and west of Toowoomba,” Mrs Frecklington said.
The Question on Notice must be answered by the Minister by 19th October 2015.
QUESTION ON NOTICE ASKED Thursday, 17 September 2015
Answer due: Monday, 19 October 2015
877 MRS FRECKLINGTON ASKED THE MINISTER FOR POLICE, FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AND MINISTER FOR CORRECTIVE SERVICES (HON J MILLER) ―
Will the Minister advise (a) if and when the new government Wireless Network will be rolled out to the area north west of Toowoomba, specifically for townships such as Maclagan, Quinalow, Goombungee and Kulpi, and (b) if in the meantime QFES are able to piggy-back off the police network?
Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington has joined with LNP Opposition Leader, Lawrence Springborg to call on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to cut ties with the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) as the organisation fast approaches outlaw status.
Mrs Frecklington said she was appalled at the questionable practices exposed by the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption in regards to the practices of union heavyweights.
“These same union heavyweights have had very close ties with the new Labor Government. It worries me very much that these people have a strong influence over the State Government and in fact, the Premier has made no secret of the fact that her government owes its election win to union bosses,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“I fully support Lawrence Springborg’s call for Annastacia Palaszczuk and Queensland Labor to cut ties with the CFMEU immediately and pay back the $750,000 they have received in donations over the past two years.
“The credibility of the Queensland Government really does depend on it.”
The Palaszczuk Labor Government has finally bowed to pressure and voted to give volunteer firefighters access to adequate workers compensation.
Shadow Minister for Police, Fire, Emergency Services and Corrective Services Jarrod Bleijie said the Parliament had today passed a Bill to protect all Queensland firefighters who contract one of 12 specified cancers in the course of protecting the community – without the need to fight 150 fires.
Mr Bleijie said it had taken months of tireless campaigning by the Rural Fire Brigade Association of Queensland and the LNP for Labor to finally wake up and realise their own Bill was discriminatory and downright unfair to hardworking volunteers.
“It wasn’t until the Chair of the Finance and Administration, Labor’s Member for Bulimba, described the Palaszczuk Government’s Bill as ‘unworkable’ that the government actually agreed to scrap its ridiculous fire quota,” he said.
“The uncertainty, the anguish and the confusion could have all been avoided if the Palaszczuk Government simply supported the original Bill introduced by the LNP three months ago.
“It’s extremely disappointing, but not surprising, that Labor was prepared to dig its heels in and put politics ahead of the protection of hardworking volunteers.”
Mr Bleijie said the LNP had vowed not to give up the fight for Queensland’s 35,000 volunteer fire fighters and their families.
“Like the rest of Queensland, the LNP respects the hard work, dedication and sense of service that permanent, part-time, auxiliary and volunteer rural firefighters have,” he said.
“I’m thrilled that we’ve had a win for rural firies across the state.”
Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington has spoken on the issue of Domestic Violence in State Parliament this week, calling for an attitude change and the need to work together.
Mrs Frecklington said she took the opportunity to speak on domestic violence to help give regional families touched by this often hidden crime, a voice.
“Since last week’s tragic events, my office has received many calls and emails imploring the State Government to do more to stop the crimes which are being committed against women and children,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“We agree with the Premier that the community must step up on this issue. There is no one single answer to solving this issue and eradicate domestic and family violence from our communities.
“We all agree that more resources, funding, policing and community-support are all pieces of the puzzle.
“I was also very proud to be able to mention the research our local Magistrate, Simon Young, has done in regards to the reasons behind domestic violence in our South Burnett community. It was also important to highlight that, as mentioned in the “Not Now, Not Ever Report” domestic violence in a rural and regional setting can be quite different to that of our larger cities like Brisbane, or even Cairns.
Mrs Frecklington said there are many things which must be done, but believes that as alcohol and drug-abuse are often major factors, we need strong laws to deal with these issues.
“This is why the LNP implemented the VLAD laws, which were the strongest and most effective in the country and worked to ensure Queenslanders felt safe in their homes. It will be very disappointing if these laws are rolled back.
“The LNP Opposition also released a consultation paper urging Queenslanders to have their say on the proposed disclosure scheme, Clare’s Law. Local agencies and community workers were involved in this consultation during a meeting I held here in Kingaroy with Shadow Minister for Communities, Tracy Davis.
“Clare’s Law allows a person to make an application to police for information on whether their partner has a history of domestic violence or sexual offences. Access to this type of information could save someone’s life,” Mrs Frecklington said.
Video: Link to Deb’s Domestic Violence speech in Parliament - http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/broadcast-chamber/archive?file=20150915_102310
Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, was proud to host the annual R U OK Day Free Community Breakfast at her Electorate Office this morning (10th September).
This was the fourth year Deb has hosted the event and says it one of her major priorities to help increase awareness of mental health issues.
"Access to better mental health services in regional areas like ours has always been a priority for me and one which I will continue to push on behalf of our community," Mrs Frecklington said.
"It was wonderful to have Crow FM broadcasting live, who always do such a great job of supporting RUOK Day, along with organisers Margie Hams and Nik George from Partners in Recovery and Tim Saal from Rural and Remote Mental Health. RUOK day is all about people taking the time to ask “are you okay”.
World Suicide Prevention Day fallson the same day as R U OK? Day in Australia and Shadow Health Minister Mark McArdle said World Suicide Prevention Day was designed to raise awareness about the seriousness of mental health issues and remind everyone that they can play a part in helping to support people who were finding it difficult to cope.
“This year’s R U OK? Day campaign is Thanks for Asking, letting Queenslanders know that a simple question could mean so much to someone struggling,” Mr McArdle said.
“Across Australia, we lose someone to suicide every four hours. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if together we could see that this does not happen today, or any day?”
Mr McArdle said effective suicide prevention for children and young people involved a range of actions including those aimed at building individual and community resilience, promoting early detection and intervention, and targeting groups at higher risk of suicide.
“We must work hard to look at ways of building resilience in communities and ensure the support that people need is there,” he said.
“This is about reducing the stigma around talking about suicide prevention. We need to ensure Queenslanders know that support and services are available to all those touched by suicide.”
Mr McArdle said the Queensland Government could support the tremendous work done by organisations such as Lifeline, Beyond Blue and R U OK? by establishing a number of Suicide Prevention Ambassadors.
“Ambassadors are volunteers, often with a high media profile, who can use that profile to draw attention to the work of a non-profit organisation or strategy,” he said.
“It makes sense to look at incorporating suicide prevention ambassadors in our approach to reduce the incidence of suicide, given the success of ambassadors in similar social health education campaigns.”
Anyone who needs support should call Lifeline on 13 11 44 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington says local rural volunteer firefighters are one step closer to getting a fair deal after the Labor MP’s on the Finance and Administration Committee endorsed the LNP’s workers compensation policy.
Mrs Frecklington said the committee’s report on the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 was tabled on Tuesday 8th September and it recommended that Labor scraps its discriminatory fire quota on volunteer firefighters.
“This is a real win for rural volunteer firefighters across our region. Labor’s proposal was unfair and discriminated against volunteer firefighters and we are glad to see the committee saw sense and supported the LNP’s position*,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“The committee admitted Labor’s proposal to force volunteer firefighters to attend 150 fires before being eligible to receive compensation if they contract cancer was not based on scientific evidence.
“In stark contrast, the LNP’s proposal ensured Queensland’s hard-working firefighters, regardless of pay status or the colour of their fire truck, received the same workers compensation support.
“Earlier in the year I signed a pledge to support rural firefighters and I want to let them know I will continue to push for the adoption of our bill.
“This is about making the process easier. The last thing someone needs when they are told they have cancer is to go through an extra battle making sure they can take the time they need for treatment,” Mrs Frecklington said.
Photo: Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, with her pledge to support rural firefighters
*The LNP’s bill would provide coverage to help all Queensland firefighters who contract one of 12 specified cancers in the course of protecting the community.
