By Amanda Wright

In response to the rapidly accelerating homelessness crisis, the Queensland Government has launched a new housing plan: Homes for Queenslanders, revealing it will dramatically increase funding for homelessness responses across the state.

Premier Steven Miles made the announcement last week, saying “everyone deserves a place to call home, a place they feel safe and warm.”

Organisations who help Queenslanders experiencing homelessness will receive a 20 per cent increase for the next 18 months to meet demand for frontline and specialist homelessness services as part of an almost $390 million increase in funding for homelessness support.

Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said that it’s heartbreaking to know some Queenslanders are forced to sleep rough, or are facing the threat of homelessness.

“Queenslanders don’t just walk by when people need help, which is why our government is stepping up when more assistance is required.”

In addition to a boost in funding, an independent review will also take place of the whole homelessness service system.

The Review will assess the effectiveness of Queensland’s current response to homelessness and opportunities for improvement, including for people living in urban, rural, regional and remote Queensland.

The independent reviewer will be Ms Rachel Hunter PSM.

Ms Hunter has been selected for her extensive experience in senior government roles and passion in the homelessness service space.

Member for Mackay, Julieanne Gilbert, spent time delivering the news to organisations in Mackay who deliver emergency assistance to those facing homelessness.

“William Stafford Manager of CASA Services in Mackay was delighted to hear of the latest funding which will enable CASA to continue their ongoing short term supported accommodation, emergency and other homelessness relief work,” Mrs Gilbert said.

“I also caught up with Louise O’Brien at Kalyan Youth Services, a not-for-profit community organisation who have been supporting young people in Mackay region since 1985, providing crisis accommodation and support to young people 16 – 25 years who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

“They can provide the shelter and support you need to live comfortably, move into housing, and move on with your life.”

Mrs Gilbert also visited Lowanna House.

“They were excited to be able to continue providing supported emergency accommodation for single women at the single women's shelter and also a family house for women with accompanying children, they said it was very timely as there is an ever-increasing demand for homelessness services, to an increasingly complex cohort,” she said.

“This funding will provide a huge relief for Lowanna House in a time of significantly increased living costs and to provide greater support to homeless clients.”

Premier Miles added, “this funding will go directly to the organisations and the tireless workers at the coalface, who already know the sector and have developed programs and services to target needs.

“For those who fall through the cracks - we need to support our homelessness organisations so they can deliver better services and get people who are sleeping rough into crisis accommodation, and eventually into permanent places to call home.”

Captions

L – R: Kathy Cave, Lowanna House Manager, Julieanne Gilbert Member for Mackay, Deb Rae, Lowanna House Chairperson

2 casa

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert and William Stafford CASA Manager Mackay

3 Kalyan

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert and Kalyan Youth Services Manager Louise O’Brien

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By Hannah McNamara

In the spotlight for his role as the schoolyard bully, 16-year-old actor Jordy Campbell shares his journey from 'bad guy' to screen sensation.

In a Mackay Life interview, Jordy shared his interests and insights about his recent role portraying Bobby Linyette in the popular Netflix series ‘Boy Swallows Universe’. Originally born on the Gold Coast, the young star now lives in Mackay with his family. Jordy says when he’s not acting in Brisbane, he loves fishing, watching sport and spending time at family gatherings.

When asked what his dream job used to be, he replies, “My dream job was to be a footy player to be honest, and then it sort of went into acting and now I’m living the realistic dream.”

The seven-part Netflix series based on the bestselling book ‘Boy Swallows Universe’ is about a young boy who must navigate the 1980s Brisbane criminal world. The heartbreaking yet also heart-warming series portrays a life of chaos and realism within depth visuals of a young boy and his big brother growing up in a broken family, where his mother and step-father get caught up in drugs and deals, in search of a better life.

Jordy portrays the character of Bobby Linyette who is the school bully, where he picks on the main character Eli Bell, played by Felix Cameron. Jordy portrays his character in such a realistic way that he claims he received a lot of hate comments on social media after the series, however, he now sees it as a compliment in regards to his great acting skills.

When asked if he dislikes his character he responds with, “Yeah, he’s a terrible guy.

“Playing the bully was pretty fun, it’s not something you usually do but you see it happen so it’s good to portray it in a funny way.”

Despite receiving negative comments after his position in ‘Boy Swallows Universe’ he says he had a lot of fun playing the character and explains it was good to spread awareness that scenes like that do happen in real life. He acknowledges the bad behaviour of Bobby’s personality but reassures his fans that his character does face repercussions towards the end of the series.

The young rising star looks up to famous actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Pacino. With no signs of slowing down Jordy says he’d like to continue his acting career, with the dream of becoming the main character of a movie or show and hopes to be able to star in a Mackay based set.

“The main goal is to be a star in a movie, or play in more tv show casts.

“I’ll for sure continue on and hopefully there’ll be something in Mackay eventually as well,” he says.

Throughout the series, Jordy made good friendships with his co-stars including Felix Cameron played Eli Bell, as well as Zachary Wan who played Vietnamese gang member Darren Dang.

While he shares his personal experiences throughout his growing career, he underlines that being accepted into certain roles can be quite hard. Jordy’s mother Lauren explains there’s a lot of physical rejection involved in the process of auditioning which makes it difficult at times to be approved for specific roles.

“You’ve got to have thick skin, often people are rejected for something as simple as having the wrong eye colour or being too short or too tall,” she says.

Lauren emphasises the hard work her son has put into the roles he played, explaining the long hours as well as the professionalism and dedication it took for Jordy to produce such a great representation of his character. With young actors and actresses involved, Lauren points out the competence and eagerness of the young stars as they showcased their skill sets within the series.

“The kids were just so professional and they knew what they had to do,” Lauren explains.

Jordy added, “it was the best experience I’ve had so far.”

He hopes to be an inspiration to many young locals, fans or anybody out there that has a passion for acting. Assuredly, he is nothing like his character, Bobby Linyette. He is a very respectable, kind young man who has the potential to go very far in his acting career.

The team from Mackay Life wished Jordy the very best for his future.  

Caption 1: Mackay local, Jordy Campbell back in his home town of Mackay after a big year of shooting ‘Boy Swallows Universe’. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara

2: Jordy (playing Bobby) in the sound studio with the other actors. Photos supplied: Lauren Campbell

3: Bobby and Darren (Jordy and Zach) on the school set while filming Boy Swallows Universe

4: Jordy with Director Bharat Nalluri

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The MECC now has a plan of action for works and timeframes required to allow the re-opening of its auditorium, North Foyer, and Lynette Denny Space.

Those areas have been closed following significant water damage over the Christmas period during heavy storms.

The southern wing of the MECC, including the Convention Centre, is open.

Council’s Community Services Director Janine McKay said the MECC had been awaiting a final report on the damage and remediation works required.

She said that report had now been received and advised it could take eight weeks to complete the necessary works once a contractor was engaged.

“With that information, the MECC is now contacting clients with bookings for those areas in March to work with them on what arrangements can be made.

“During February, some events that had been scheduled for those northern areas of the MECC were moved to the Convention Centre, where possible.

“Anyone with tickets for events in those affected areas during March will be contacted with updates.”

Ms McKay said the good news from the report was the damage was not as bad as first thought.

“However, the logistics of the remediation works, especially the high ceilings in the auditorium and technical equipment, means an extension of the current closure is required,’’ she said.

Council is in discussions with insurers about the damage and the remediation plan. There is no estimate of the costs of the works at this stage.

Foodspace Mackay, which had temporarily relocated to the MECC North Foyer while works are being undertaken at Artspace Mackay, remains closed.

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After a heart-stopping escape from his cage, Henry the brave and exploratory bird has made a triumphant return to the loving arms of his rightful owner after venturing into a world with no barriers for two days.

Last week, Henry's unexpected flight sent his owner Kim into a whirlwind of distress. With each passing moment, the chances of Henry's safe return seemed slimmer. Kim McLoughlin states she has had the fifteen-month-old Hahns Marcour since early this year. The day Henry made his great escape had been the same day Kim had plans to move into a new house.

After putting Henry's cage against the removalist truck as she quickly went inside to grab a drink, she had come back to see the cage at the end of her driveway with Henry nowhere to be seen.

Kim's despair turned to desperate hope, as she longed for her beloved feathered friend to come home. She decided to stay at her old house one more night in an attempt to call out to Henry during the night, as she prayed for his return.

“I was up and down the street at 8 o’clock at night going ‘Henry, Cuddles’, just hoping he’d hear me,” Kim explains.

It is believed that he had flown over to the opposite side of the racecourse track houses across from Kim’s Ooralea home and landed on a woman’s shoulder. Kim explains the odd coincidence that the woman who found the bird called her daughter, which led to Henry ending up in a house at Andergrove.

Shortly after, Kim’s sister-in-law’s son happened to have been going to school with the son of the woman who had Henry in her care. The boys got to talking about birds only to realise that they were both talking about Henry.

After two days of despair and heartache for Kim, she received a miracle call to say,

“I think I’ve got your bird.”

Kim was overwhelmed with joy and was extremely grateful for the return of her Henry.

“I couldn’t stop crying, I thought I would never see him again, but thank God there’s some honest people out there,” she says.

After two eventful days of exploring the mysterious world, Henry is now back in the warmth and security of his own home, reunited with his rightful owner and settling into his new area that Kim has dedicated for him.

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Caption: Adventurous Henry: Home safe at last. Photo supplied by Kim McLoughlin

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Contractors will be carrying out maintenance work at two popular playgrounds in Mackay later this month.

The skywalk towers at Queens Park will be closed for three days from February 20 to 23, so that the entry sections of two tube slides can be replaced along with the anti-climb mesh ladder.

The work site will be fenced off so the rest of the playground can remain open during this work.

The playground at Iluka Park will be closed from February 22 until March 19, weather permitting.

The work will include replacing the climbing unit, installing a new children’s playground Spica spinner, installing new sections of concrete footpath and softfall edging and the replacement of rubber softfall below selected play units with artificial turf.

To find an alternative playground in your area during this work, please visit knowyourburb.com.au.

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This could happen to you this Sunday, but I’m hoping it really doesn’t, just for safety’s sake.

The reason I’ve thrown this wild idea into your mind, is because Sunday my mates at the Mackay Dragon Boat Club are doing a big charity paddle-a-thon at the Mackay Marina and they want your help.

They are all paddling around the marina doing at least 40 laps, and the money they raise will go straight to Chances Op Shop and their fantastic community work, helping so many people in Mackay at this very stressful time.

They are also putting the call out there for people to come along and have a paddle as well. Get wet if you like, have a few laughs, and maybe get the ‘guns out’ all in the name of charity.

Their president Darrin was telling me the other day that they are all set to go after being delayed by that cyclone a few weeks ago. I won’t mention her name, because it’s like a swear word in my household. It’s just best not to say anything.

If you’d like to join us, yes, I’ll come down and say hi early, they’ll all be there from 6am, so let’s have some fun on the water!

This weekend is very busy for so many people, even after the action last week at the Sports Expo! That was massive. Tonight, the annual J-League hockey comp starts up at Harney Street. This will be fun. The next lot of teenagers playing fast paced hockey over the next 6 weeks on a Friday night. Come down and check it out. Maybe you want to play hockey, or get your kids into it? Come and have a chat with us. I’ll be there so come and say hi.

Also, before I go, if you’re up in Airlie Beach tomorrow, and you see a bloke with sunglasses on, having a swim in the lagoon, it may be me. I decided I need a day in the Whitsundays, so I’ll be cruising up the goat track, for some relaxing time right beside the Great Barrier Reef. Just magic!

I might be on a yacht, I may just be swimming, or I might even be strolling around Magnums listening to the tunes with a local ginger beer in hand. Who knows. I just hope the weather is fine enough to have some fun.

I’ll see you down the road. Have fun.

You can join Rob Kidd from 5am weekday mornings on 4MK 1026 AM in Mackay and Proserpine, 91.5FM in Airlie Beach or just ask your smart speaker to play 4MK on iHeartRadio!

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Council is offering two great programs for young people to explore their love of art.

Artspace Mackay and BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) are bringing free art and music to community centres as part of the BMA Kidspace program.

BMA Kidspace is the gallery’s popular children’s program that gives children up to five years old the opportunity to explore and have fun with art and music with the guidance of skilled local artists and musicians.

Artspace Director Tracey Heathwood said, with Artspace Mackay being closed for renovations, it was a great opportunity for the program to head out into the community.

“Over the coming months we are excited to bring BMA Kidspace to Bucasia, Slade Point, Sarina and Andergrove,” Ms Heathwood said.

“We encourage families from all over the region to drop-in any time with their children and enjoy the free activities with live music entertainment.”

Linda Murry, General Manager of BMA’s Hay Point Coal Terminal, said BMA was proud of its 15 years of support of the BMA Kidspace program.

“While the gallery is closed it’s a great opportunity for BMA Kidspace to pop up in other parts of the region so toddlers can even more easily access this fun and interactive experience,” Ms Murry said.

BMA Kidspace will be held from 10am to 2pm on a Tuesday each month at the following venues:

   • Bucasia – February 20, Northern Beaches Community Hall, 24 Wallace St.

   • Slade Point – March 19, Slade Point Community Hall, 4 Wren St.

   • Sarina – April 23, Bob Wood Cultural Hall, 65 Broad St.

   • Andergrove – May 21, Andergrove Community Centre, 80 Celeber Dr.

For more information go to artspacemackay.com.au.

Artspace Mackay will also host Kids Art Club during term one for kids aged eight to 12 years.

Well-known and award-winning artist Rosemary Payne will tutor young artists during this six-week creative arts program.

Ms Heathwood said the participants will explore and respond to the natural surroundings of Queens Park through experimental and fun-filled activities.

“They will learn new techniques and make art with all kinds of exciting creative art materials,” Ms Heathwood said.

Kids Art Club will run for six Saturdays from February 17 to March 13 from 10am – 12pm. Cost is $180 each child, which includes all materials.

It will be held at the Cricket Shed, Queens Park (access via Goldsmith Street).

Numbers are limited so register now at https://bit.ly/3ND3oyK

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RACQ CQ Rescue have formally thanked the volunteers of the Alpharho ESA gift wrappers, for endeavouring to assist Mackay wrap their festive presents, with wrapping proceeds donated to RACQ CQ Rescue.

In 2022, the group donated $37,000 RACQ CQ Rescue, and at an official ceremony last Monday, the ESA announced that they raised a great $65,538, from their Christmas wrapping appeal.

Marking their 20th year raising money at the Canelands Central Shopping Centre, more than 80 volunteers signed up for the 2023 effort.

Alpharho ESA decided to donate their proceeds to three worthy causes in the Mackay area, and at the official ceremony on Monday, each organisation thanked the volunteers for their tremendous achievement.

The $65,538 was divided between the three.

$50,000 was gifted to RACQ CQ Rescue.

$8,000 was donated to Queensland Remote Area Tracking (QRAT).

And $2,000 was gifted to Ronald McDonald House Mackay, and the remaining will form the kitty for the 2024 appeal.

Nathan Gelhaar, Founder and Treasurer of QRAT said, “We thank you so much for this donation. Our boy's skills are not really suited to gift wrapping so while you don’t see us, we carry you on our backs in everything we do, because we could not do what we do without you.”

Tegan Philpott, RACQ CQ Rescue spokesperson said, “a huge thanks to the entire community who put their hands in their pockets to help keep us in the air.

“We did 716 missions last year, and this money is literally used to help us save lives.”

Emily Doran-Smith, Operations Support Officer, Ronald McDonald House Mackay explained, “we a so grateful for the support that allows us to care for the children and families of the region when they need it most.”

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Review by Hannah McNamara

Smiles and satisfied stomachs filled the Lancaster Room at Harrup Park last Friday night as Sarah Todd returned to her hometown of Mackay and gave guests a taste of her creativity, sharing her remarkable life experiences and how her culinary career came to be.

As most recognise her from appearances in two seasons of MasterChef, the well-known celebrity cook has since gained a fan base and opened up a successful restaurant based in India. She is now an inspiration, not just to Australians but worldwide, having travelled to different countries with the opportunity to experience different cultural and traditional styles of foods.

Ms Todd emphasises her love for India, calling it her second home as she decided to make the big decision to move to the country after her love for India grew. Her passion for India inspired her to create her own unique twist on Indian flavours and she now shares it with the rest of the world.

“There’s this saying that translates to basically say their guest is their God, so when someone from overseas comes to India they’re very welcoming and I really felt that and fell in love with it,” Ms Todd said.

During her master class dinner at Harrup Park, her love for Indian culture prevailed throughout the courses, with each dish providing a distinct taste of Indian essence. On the night of the event, she openly spoke on her insights and challenges throughout her culinary journey. With living so far away from her close family members as well as working extremely hard to open her new restaurant, she often found it difficult to be apart from her loved ones.

“I was so stressed out, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life and I think for a lot of reasons, not just because it was in a different country, and it’s very foreign, but also, I hadn’t run a business before.

“There was a lot of learning and a lot of hard learning,” Ms Todd exclaims.

Despite the challenges, her determination of following her culinary dreams certainly paid off as her career continued to escalate into a successful business. She goes on to talk about her family dinners as a child and reminisces the good times that have impacted her life and stuck with her throughout her career.

“From a very young age, every night on the dinner table at 6.30pm, either nana or mum had cooked dinner and we were very lucky as we sat down at the table and really enjoyed that family time together.

“I think it’s something that’s really stuck with me throughout my life,” Sarah Todd explains.

“Food is not just about eating, but it really does cross borders and when I started travelling around the world one of the first places that I went to was Germany where nobody really speaks English.

“I just remember having this really incredible dish with the family I was staying with and they couldn’t speak English but we’re just savouring this meal and it’s just such a nice way to connect with people through food.”

The return reunion of Sarah Todd at Harrup Park involved a four-course meal with a cocktail on arrival as well as four different wines to go with each of the courses. Sarah’s unique style of food made quite the conversation at the table as guests were left blown away at the distinctive contrast of flavour and her ability to make different ingredients blend in a perfect combination.

The food presented was a testament to her ever-growing success and the night felt much like a family gathering as she shared multiple stories with her close relatives, specifically in relation to her mother, father, brother and grandmother who were also seated amongst the crowd.

She spoke about her ever-growing inspiration and her passion that led her to become a chef.

“When I was in MasterChef the biggest thing I wanted to do was open a restaurant.

“I didn’t want to be just known for being on television, so I really get inspired by female chefs who have done great things in the food industry,” she says.

Sarah’s mother, Lorraine Todd, has been her biggest supporter throughout her journey and on the night of the event, was a shared tribute to Lorraine’s birthday. Of course, Sarah had the honours of singing her treasured mother a Happy Birthday as the audience joined in to make the birthday girl feel special.

Overall, it was a fantastic night, showcasing a Mackay born local who had a dream and chased it.

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Caption 1: Sarah Todd with her mother, brother and father. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara

Caption 2: Sarah showcasing her rose petal topped dessert

3: The arrival snacks set the tone for a delicious evening

4: Friends and family with Sarah

5: Harrup Park staff with Sarah. Photo credit: Harrup Park General Manager Adrian Young

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Hi Everyone,

Well, the election race has certainly begun!

Over the past two days I have spoken directly with 26 different Local Government Election candidates, 13 from the Whitsundays and 13 from the Burdekin.

It has been a whirlwind of congratulations, conversations, and off-the-record statements which of course we won’t share in these pages.

What you will see this week, however, is an introduction to all the candidates and statements from current Councillors who are unopposed and will remain in their seat.

I am very excited to see who will become the next Mayor and, with some very qualified people standing for the position, I think it will be a tight race.

Over the next few weeks, we will be following the election race closely so if you have any questions you would like to see posed to any of the candidates, please email them through and we will find an answer for you.

I hope all the election campaigns will be run cleanly and fairly with all candidates focusing on their own race, spruiking what they can do for the region and the people rather than bagging their opposition.

Changing pace now, I’d just like to say how exciting it was this week to meet representatives of the local businesses involved with Tiny Homes Project.

Each of them has stepped forward to donate time, skills and supplies to help with the construction of four tiny homes for homeless women over 55 in Proserpine.

Do you have any skills you could bring to the table? Are you a retired tradesperson? Are you a small business that could find the time to give locally?

If so, please reach out to this incredible charity and get involved with making big changes in our small community.

Rach

Quote of the Week: “Sit at the table where they are talking about growth, goals and money. Not other people” (Unknown)

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A small group of local business representatives gathered at the Whitsunday Housing Company earlier this week to discuss how they will contribute towards building four tiny homes for homeless women over 55 in Proserpine.

This meeting brought together some of the inspiring businesses which have decided to step forward and offer their skills and supplies to the Tiny Homes Project.  

The project is being run by local charity Whitsunday Housing Company and over the last 14 months it has raised just under $700,000 to construct the homes.

An initiative of several local women who have all put their energy and effort into getting this development off the ground, the Tiny Homes Project is an entirely locally driven campaign which is now close to fruition.

And thanks to the kindness of a number of local businesses, the costs of the project have decreased, enabling any additional money to be ploughed into extra housing.

It is planned that by June this year, the Tiny Homes Project will have broken ground and four modular homes will start to take shape.  

Development Approval will be sought from the Whitsunday Regional Council over the next few weeks, after which the soon to be donated land in Proserpine will be signed over to Whitsunday Housing Company.

From here Mark Thompson and Joanne Moynihan will oversee the next stage of the project.

“This landmark moment has been made possible with the help of a variety of grants, a sea of fundraising events, business sponsorships and partnering with local events such as the Mayor’s Ball” Fundraising Coordinator Sandy Clark said.

“I don’t think people realise how many folks there are living in cars but once you start getting involved with this sort of project, you get a bit of a fright,” said Anthony Wensley Manager from Stratco in Proserpine.

“This is a great initiative and wonderful to see locals supporting locals.”

“It’s a charity that is not government run, so let’s get behind it and help them!” said Ross Hammond from Hayman Electrical.

Narelle Stewart from Whitsunday Marble and Granite has been part of the project since inception and says the more people who get involved, the better it would be.

“It’s a fantastic project and the more locals get to know about it the more people will want to help,” she explained.

“There will be retired builders and contractors who might like to come in at the building stage to help out – I’m sure everyone would be welcome.”

If you are a tradesperson and would like to contribute your expertise or if you are a small business who would like to donate some supplies, please reach out to The Tiny Homes Project.

This is a direct, locally driven response to the housing crisis in the region and, together with the Whitsunday Housing Company, there are more plans to implement similar projects in different areas.

The Tiny Homes Project would like to sincerely thank everyone who has been involved with the project so far, big and small businesses, every donation has been appreciated.  

Caption: Some of the many businesses involved in the project. Luke Eacersall from Bunnings, Tim Gable from Woodman Group, Narelle Stewart from Whitsunday Marble and Granite, volunteer Fiona Donnellan, Joanne Moynihan from The Whitsunday Housing Company, volunteer Sandy Clark, volunteer, Shirley Lethlean, Ben Storer from Stratco (seated), Ross Hammond from Haymans Electrical, Anthony Wensley from Stratco and Dannii Gibson from Beaumont Tiles.

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A truck rollover on the Bruce Highway, on Tuesday, February 13, caused a five-kilometre exclusion zone.

The truck was travelling on the Bruce Highway on Tuesday morning, when is rolled over at Bloomsbury, south of Proserpine, at 11.30am, causing a blockage for both lanes of traffic.

The truck was transporting ammonium nitrate, an agricultural fertilizer which is commonly utilised by mining industries for explosives.

The exclusion zone was established following the truck leaking ammonium nitrate, with police evacuating properties along Stafford Road, Campbells Road, Caping Road and O’Donnells Road.

The Bruce Highway was closed from 11.30am, with traffic diverted along Kunipipi Road an Midge Point Road.

By the morning of Wednesday, February 14, independent crews were cleaning up the spill, with representatives of the truck driver on site assisting.

At time of print, the highway remained closed, and emergency services were hesitant to release an time to expect the reopening.

The driver was transported to Proserpine Hospital in a stable condition, and paramedics remained at the scene to assist other emergency services.

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At 12pm this Tuesday nominations closed for the upcoming Local Government Election and it was formally confirmed that four Mayoral Candidates have registered and two Councillor positions are opposed by a total four Councillor Candidates.

Richard Evans, Ry Collins, Peter Hood and Phil Batty have all announced their Mayoral candidacy.

Meanwhile the Division 2 seat, which encompasses Cannonvale, Cannon Valley and Woodwark, is contested with Councillor Clay Bauman the only seated candidate to be challenged by newly announced opponent, Tony Price.

The other seat up for grabs is Division 6 which includes the township of Bowen.

Previous Councillor of Division 6, Mike Brunker, announced his retirement last week and now John Finlay and David Paddon have stepped forward to vie for the newly vacated position.

The remaining seats are unopposed and current Councillors will continue with the new term.

Jan Clifford will remain Councillor of Division 1 which encompasses Jubilee Pocket, Mandalay, Flametree, Airlie Beach, and parts of Cannonvale.

John Collins will remain Councillor of Division 3 which is primarily Proserpine, extending to include Lake Proserpine, Andromache, Conway and Wilson Beach and Lethebrook.

Michelle Wright will remain Councillor of Division 4 which extends further inland, with Bogie, Collinsville and Scottville, Mount Coolan, and Gumlu.

Gary Simpson will remain Councillor of Division 5 which encompasses the localities of Cape Gloucester, Gregory River, Riordanvale, Sugarloaf, and the regional outskirts of Bowen.

The local government election is due to take place on March 16 and with three positions open for public vote, the campaign race is expected to heat up in the coming weeks.

To kick things off, have introduced a Meet the Candidates feature this week and asked each person the following questions:

   1. Who are you and what do you think qualifies you for the role?

   2. If you could initiate a project or address one issue in the region – what would it be and how you would go about it?

   3. What do you think the people most want now and how would you give it to them?

   4. Tell us what your first 100 days would look like if you were successful in your election bid?

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I wish to serve our Whitsunday community. I’m a seasoned leader with a 40-year track record in national politics and industry leadership. My leadership skills have developed from service as a federal member of parliament during the Keating-Howard years; championing national and small businesses and industry at a state and national level as Executive Director for the Franchise Council Australia, Australian Retailers Association, Australian Fashion Council, and Clubs Victoria; and my volunteer contribution with local Whitsundays community and cultural groups.

There will always be competing issues to address. The strategic priority is to unite the region. Let’s get a shared view of who we are, what we want to be, what to preserve and where we can progress. Let’s consolidate ideas, learn other perspectives, and set a plan that unites us all. From there, we can move confidentially forward together, taking the Whitsundays from the coffee table to the policy table, and create real positive change and opportunities for everyone.

I believe our community wants to be proud of our region where we live, work, learn, and play – Whitsunday Pride, if you like. Where we all know our rights and are responsible and respectful in looking after each other. That starts from the top, and our community expects integrity – honesty, trust, and transparency, to deliver on what we say – from its elected representatives and Council. That’s where we need to start, the integrity, unity and leadership of Councillors and Council.

First 100 days will include unifying Councillors on priorities, meeting and listening to our community, partnering with the Council CEO on governance frameworks for informed decision making and managing conflicts of interest, internal review of Council, and stakeholder briefings. There will be two major outcomes from the 100 days – (1) Ratepayer Engagement Framework, providing improved pathways for residents to productively engage with Council, and (2) Mayoral Strategy, a public plan for the community to hold me accountable during my term.

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I'm a passionate and experienced local advocate for our region with a strong and diverse business background. My current experience in addressing our economic challenges, promoting our best opportunities, coupled with strong family values and deep understanding of our community's needs, equips me to lead effectively. I'm committed first and foremost to listening, understanding, and acting on the concerns of our residents to drive outcomes, meaningful progress and growth.

Addressing the current challenges in housing and accommodation supply would be a priority, this issue is having a massive impact on the cost of living, community well-being and our ability to grow our region. We need to look at what levers we can pull and I would look to establish a working group to engage and collaborate with government, community groups and the development industry to increase affordable housing options, utilising innovative solutions and sustainable development practices to ensure long-term viability and community growth.

People are seeking relief from the rising cost of living and to live in a prosperous region with future opportunities. By leveraging my business acumen and advocacy experience, I aim to attract investment, support community groups and local businesses, work effectively with the councillor group to run an efficient and accountable business and implement cost-saving initiatives for our community where possible. I’ll work hard toward these goals, be a strong voice for the community in fostering economic and social growth, that is my commitment.

My initial focus will be on engaging with the breadth of our community to collectively map out urgent needs and priorities. I’m willing to engage and listen to anyone and will advance this feedback through council and through external advocacy. I'll seek to initiate a review of our current housing response and support an upcoming council budget that is considered and prioritises any actions that may deliver cost relief. Establishing a clear, actionable roadmap and vision would be crucial.

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