A group of residents in West Mackay are imploring Council to dismiss a recent planning submission that, if granted, will see the construction of another 24-hour service station in a residential area.

At this particular location, which is near to a school and two churches, there are already 20 service stations within a seven-kilometre radius and two others within three blocks of the proposed site.

A development application is currently being assessed by Mackay Regional Council for the 7- Eleven service station to be built on the site of the Mia Mia Hotel, on the corner of Nebo Road and McGinn Street in West Mackay.

In order for the development to go ahead on the site, it would need to be rezoned from its current ‘medium residential’ zoning.

Judy Nixon, who has lived on McGinn Street for the past 28 years, says that a busy service station would have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of her family and other long-term residents in the area.

“The thought of a service station going in beside my family home is devastating,” she said.

“There is a total lack of need for another service station. There are 20 service stations currently established or under construction within 7kms of the proposed site.

“Officers from Mackay Regional Council have even admitted that that there is an oversupply and that the development application goes against the Mackay Region Planning Scheme.”

Ms Nixon is concerned the neighbourhood will be significantly impacted by noise, harmful emissions, light pollution and increased traffic.

She also states that the impacts to her home, which is directly behind the development site, have not been evaluated as part of the application.

“My home has not been identified as a ‘sensitive receptor’ for noise in the applicants Noise Impact Assessment Report,” she said.

“The developer has also failed to include an Air Quality Impact Assessment in their application.

Residents deserve to know how the fumes and emissions from the proposed service station will impact their health.”

Sharing her views is the Archdeacon Rosemary Dunn of the Mackay Anglican Community who said that another service station in this area would be “superfluous”.

The proposed station site is adjacent to St Charles Anglican Church and there are two local churches nearby.

Ms Dunn believes the sanctitude of the area needs protecting.

“There are already 20 service stations on the Bruce Highway/Nebo Road, but there are few places for quiet reflection,” she said.

“I can see no justification for yet another petrol station here.”

Public consultation for this project is open until April 27 and Ms Nixon implores other residents who are concerned about the development to make their opinion known to Council before it is too late.

Submissions can be made by emailing development.services@mackay.qld.gov.au.

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20 illegal dumping cases from across the region have been reported to Mackay Regional Council over the last month.

Of those incidents, nine offenders have been caught and were required to clean up their mess or face a hefty fine.

Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said illegal dumping was not only unsightly, but it presented dangerous risks to residents’ health and the environment.

“The type of rubbish we found dumped across the region last month ranged from general household waste to furniture and appliances,” he said.

“However, we have even found things like asbestos and old medication dumped in the region in the past, which is extremely concerning due to the health impacts.

“We can’t be everywhere, so we need everyone in the community to be vigilant and report illegal dumping to council so we can all work together to help keep our region beautiful.

“Council provides three free dump vouchers with every rates notice, so there is no excuse for dumping rubbish around our region.”

Residents can also take any old furniture or white goods to the Incredable Tip Shop at the Paget Waste Management Centre free of charge for recycling.

If you see illegal dumping, please report it to council by calling 1300 MACKAY (622 529).

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Council received reports of 20 illegal dumping cases across the region last month. Photo supplied: Mackay Regional Council

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The future of Queensland’s resources industry was on display as a new virtual reality (VR) training lab was unveiled at the Resources Centre of Excellence last week.

The VR training software provides immersive scenarios to help students understand the high-risk environment and potential hazards, without compromising their safety.

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert said the Resources Centre of Excellence is setting the standard for the sector across the southern hemisphere.

“We're proud to support the Resources Centre of Excellence in Mackay and the role it plays in training the next generation of workers in Queensland's resources sector,” she said.

“This new VR lab will help equip our resources workers with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed well into the future – and most importantly keep them safe.”

The lab is the product of an 18-month collaboration between the Resources Centre of Excellence and Brisbane-based Next World Enterprises.

“We’ve designed our cutting-edge virtual reality software to enhance the learner’s engagement and foster a deep comprehension of the training topic,” said Next World Enterprises CEO and Founder Michael O’Reilly.

“It is also a win for business, as it increases productivity and minimises downtime due to injury from ineffective training.”

Resources Centre of Excellence CEO Stephen Boxall said the new lab will work hand-in-hand with the Centre’s existing training facilities.

“What we’re looking at doing is providing that world-first training across theory, practical and VR which I believe will absolutely lead to much safer outcomes for the industry as a whole,” he said.

Speaking at the Resources Centre of Excellence, Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the Queensland Government has committed an extra $5.7 million in funding to expand the Centre to support emerging industry needs.

“Stage 2 is about looking at artificial intelligence and the technologies that we’ll need to develop the workforce, not only for today’s mining sector, but for the future mining sector,” he said.

"Developing a highly skilled and adaptable workforce is a key component of our 30-year plan for the resources sector, which will enable us to drive innovation and growth for decades to come.”

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CEO and Founder of Next World Enterprises Michael O’Reilly, Minister for Resources Scott Stewart and Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert

VR immerses the user in high-risk scenarios without compromising their safety. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

Image supplied: Next World Enterprises

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A 19-year-old Mackay man is currently looking for three housemates of a similar age to join him in one of two new fully accessible homes that have just been completed in Beaconsfield.

The Endeavour Foundation built the houses at a cost of $2.1 million and they are fully equipped to provide the vital facilities needed to enable people living with disabilities to live independently.

One of these individuals is a Mackay local called Chris who is currently living with older people and would love some housemates of a similar age to live with.

“I love love, love my elders, but I would rather live with people in my age group,” said Chris.

“I just hope that we will find at least one rare, beautiful soul.

“If we had similar interests, such as having our own YouTube channels or liking to make films I guess I could do that.

“And someone who loves pets, especially cats. Must be extremely kind to cats!”

Chris said it’s important that people with disability have a house that suits their needs and is staffed by great support workers.

“I describe my disability by saying, ‘Messages to my brain don’t get through as well and that’s the reason I’m always in this wheelchair.’” he explained.

“I will need loving support workers that hoist me in a special kind of chair.

“I would also need to be hoisted from the chair to going in the shower chair, having a shower, getting out of the shower chair and into bed.

Endeavour Foundation Executive General Manager of Home and Community services Leanne Rutherford said she was proud to be building affordable and purpose-built accessible housing for people with disability.

“There are more than 27-000 households on the social housing register across Queensland and nearly half of those include a person with disability,” Ms Rutherford said.

“We believe people with disability have the same right as everyone else to live in a suitable, affordable, and secure home with people they want to live with.”

Recent data from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) says Mackay has a fraction of the registered Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) that other regions have.

“It’s clear that Mackay has very low SDA availability, but the good news is we’ve finished two more new homes here to ease some of that pressure,” said Ms Rutherford.

“That’s why we are investing $45m over four years as part of our My Home, My Life initiative to upgrade existing homes, replace older homes, and build brand-new, fully accessible, ‘Platinum level’ homes for people who may never have had one before.”

Chris said he feels very lucky to have this opportunity and hopes that by sharing his story it will open people’s eyes to the need for more housing.

“I want to make sure that by the time I’m in my 70s, there are a lot of accessible houses,” he said.

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Chris is with his Support Worker, Dannielle Gallagher, planting a tree.

The new home is fully equipped with all the essentials

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At first glance you might think there are very few similarities between movie stars, models and real estate agents. There is a photo of a real estate agent with this column that might help you make a visual assessment of that proposition.

It is true that if you go by the touched-up photos of some real estate agents you could well be filled with excited anticipation, or a daunting feeling of inadequacy, as you wait for them to arrive to do an appraisal at your place.

The reality can be quite different. “My God (he/she) doesn’t look anything like their photo!”

Note to real estate agents: under-promise and over-deliver with everything, including your photos. (“Gee, you’re much better-looking than your photo?”). I’m yet to find a photographer bad enough to create that sensation but it will be a game-changer when I do.

But despite the apparent differences between Hollywood actors, models and real estate agents, there is one clear similarity: having to deal with rejection.

I imagine that if you are an actor or a model and you miss out on the gig, the feeling of rejection is quite palpable. You’d take it personally.

Rejection for an actor would feel personal; it was something about you, your acting, your  appearance. They decided they didn’t like how you act, the thing you have dedicated your life and energy to.

It would be similar for a model: you missed out because you were too fat, too short, not good-looking enough. There is nothing else to blame. It was personal, they didn’t like you.

But for those actors and models there is nothing else to do but get up, dust yourself off, put a smile on your face and get on with it. Where’s the next casting call, the next audition?

For real estate agents, rejection is a visitor that can arrive after you have done appraisal. You hope it doesn’t and the call from a seller saying “we’ve decided to go with you” is the most pleasing in real estate because nothing happens unless you get that call.

But all agents, no matter how good, have missed out on getting the listing after doing an appraisal. We’ve all had the feeling of rejection. And it’s always tough.

The temptation is to take it personally, to think about it and dwell on it, allow it to drag you down. Wallow in it.

Or bounce back. Get moving. Focus on finding buyers for the listings you do have. Getting a sale is a terrific pick-me-up.

Learn lessons if there are lessons to be learned from the rejection but move on with your job and life. Stay positive, be you. Believe in yourself and be the best you can be. The clients who have chosen you need you to be up and about, at your best. So you move on.

Of course you, the seller, need feel no guilt about handing out rejection. It’s your job to decide and there can only be one agent so someone has to go.

You should properly weigh up whether you are going to be able to easily work with a particular agent and whether you believe that agent can get you the best price, but make the decision and move on guilt-free.

Facing rejection is a fact of life for real estate agents and if they can’t deal with it they are in the wrong business. It’s not your fault the decision didn’t go their way.

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Registered nurses are invited to participate in an up-skilling program in acute care thanks to a new initiative that gives nurses returning to the profession an opportunity to progress and develop new skills.

Elizabeth, who is a registered Mental Health nurse based in Mackay, is one of many who participated in a recent month-long reskilling program.

She completed her Bachelor of Nursing on the Sunshine Coast, before relocating to Mackay with her husband, in September 2020.

“I was working in aged care as a clinical nurse, but I wanted to get back into acute care in a clinical stream,” Elizabeth said.

She completed the Mackay Hospital and Health Service Nurse Reskilling Program in mid-2021, before being offered a job as a registered nurse within the Mental Health Department of Mackay Base Hospital in December 2021.

“I really enjoyed the reskilling course,” Elizabeth said.

“It helped me regain some of those skills which you don’t normally employ in aged care.”

With a blended model of face-to-face education, scenarios, simulation exercises and independent study, participates then complete a practical component, before graduating the course.

“I was on a Medical Rehab F0 ward, for a refresh of what we had learned. We were provided with lots of support, and I am very grateful for that reskilling program because it provided a stepping-stone for me,” Elizabeth said.

Both registered and enrolled nurses who are working outside of the hospital acute care are eligible to participate in the Mackay Hospital and Health Service Nurse Reskilling Program.

The next course will take place from July 10 to August 4, with applications closing Monday, May 1.

For further information about how you could re-skill, call Nicole Armitage on 4885 7059 or email nicole.armitage2@health.qld.gove.au.

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Mental Health Nurse Elizabeth. Photo supplied

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Land valuations are a hot topic and so they should be. We have all received our new Land Valuation and there have been massive changes in some areas. Land valuations are set by the Department of Resources, not councils, and are conducted every two to four years – our last was in 2019.

If you are unhappy with your new valuation and believe your circumstances on your parcel of land are substantially different to those around you then you can lodge an objection. You have until May 16 to object and the details are on the back of your valuation notice. You can also go online at www.qld.gov.au/landvaluation  and see how your area fared compared to those around you.

Mackay Regional Council has more than 53,000 rateable properties in 25 categories and each year council sets a budget to ensure council can provide services for the community. Rates are then calculated based upon a property’s land use category and the current land valuation using a cents in the dollar calculation. As valuations rise, we drop the cents in the dollar to match what we need to run council.

Whilst calculating rates can seem complex, using the cents in the dollar method avoids situations where rates increase at the rate of property values. More information on how rates are calculated is available at council’s website.

Unfortunately, where wild fluctuations in land valuations occur, we will struggle to maintain an even rate rise across all ratepayers. For example, if your suburb has increased substantially compared to the average it will affect your rates.

This is the same for our rural land holders as because we cover such a large area there has been big changes in some areas. My rural land valuation has gone from $170,000 to $590,000 (288% rise). As this is higher than the average rural valuation rises, there is no doubt that this is going to have a negative effect on my rates.  

Council will continue to look at multiple avenues to reduce costs prior to determining the rates generated per category for the 2023-2024 budget. I am always happy to chat or visit community groups to give more detail on this topic if you are interested.

Cr Laurence Bonaventura

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Good news for Bowen and Collinsville residents who need to attend medical appointments with plans now underway to provide a bus service that will transport patients north to Townsville.

Mayor Julie Hall said this service would be invaluable for families who needed to travel long distances for medical care.

“Our Economic Development team are working to explore potential funding opportunities for a community minibus for Bowen, Collinsville, and surrounds to transport patients to Townsville for regular medical appointments,” she said.

“Council will work with our Federal and State government representatives, community, and not-for-profit groups to explore options and advocate for ongoing funding, to ensure the service is viable and operates to meet our residents’ needs.”

Mayor Hall said, at the Pink Stumps Day held in Bowen in February, she was saddened to discover that people with cancer are missing out on vital treatment because they can’t get to their hospital appointments.

She said that Council has already contributed $50,000 to the Mackay Hospital Foundation towards providing a community medical bus service to transport patients from Proserpine and Airlie Beach to Mackay Hospital and the Icon Cancer Centre for medical appointments.

“However, there is currently no such service for residents in the northern end of the Whitsundays,” she explained.

“Ensuring access to this service for regional communities is so important, but it will be no quick fix as there are multiple funding, legal and operational logistics to be negotiated.”

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It is hoped that the new bus will provide a similar service to the Mackay Hospital Foundation bus. Photo supplied

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You can hear the screams from parents right now, can’t you?

The parents who haven’t done anything to get ready. The ones who still haven’t cleaned out the lunchbox with the banana in there from two weeks ago. The bags that have got homework uncompleted from weeks ago are still sitting on the kitchen bench.

We’ve all been there, but I have got some help for you, and it’s free.

Grab the lunchbox, throw it in the bin and grab a new one out of the cupboard. Get that school bag and throw it in the washing machine. Job done. Oh and the homework, throw that in the bin too. Tell the teacher the dog ate it. If you don’t have a dog, tell them the one next door did it.

Now that’s all done, and the kids are ready for the school return next week, get ready to enjoy the next two days and make it count. I have some suggestions that will make you smile.

Get in the car tomorrow morning, tell your phone’s guidance app to take you to Cattle Creek near Pinnacle. You’ll be driving through the Pioneer Valley, and you know how great that is. Don’t forget to take your camera because you’ll need it for snaps.

When you get to Cattle Creek on the left, get out of the car, race into the creek water, and just sit there and let the rapids take you wherever you want to go. I probably wouldn’t drink the water, as you may swallow half of what the horses and cattle leave in the creek upstream. Just a heads up.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll be hungry. You could drive up the road for a $9 pie, or you could head up to the Chalet and grab a feed with the most gorgeous view of the valley anyone would love to see.

Once that’s all done, and only if you have time, drop into the Leap and walk up the mountain. The views are spectacular. Don’t forget your camera.

This should fill up your weekend before Monday and it will certainly make you smile. The reason I know. I did them all last week and I’m still smiling now.

If you need directions to any of these places, let me know. I’ll be your tour guide.

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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April is the cruellest month to depart the Whitsundays.

The stifling air is finally running off - the rain, rain has gone away - and I decide to move to the country’s opposite end? The kookaburras on the fence line are laughing at me for that.

I have been a writer for Mackay and Whitsunday Life newspaper for two years, and in two weeks, I will write my last word for this masthead. This is my final editor’s note. I have made the decision to leave the region and the publication behind. Onwards to greener pastures, as they say.

Let us do away with any pretence: I am a sentimental man. I will miss Pioneer Bay, levelled out on the horizon, blue and tinged with green. I walked the bicentennial boardwalk on Easter Weekend and watched rainbow lorikeets chirruping to each other – I miss the sound already. I imagine I will cry when I drive up Shute Harbour Road through to Proserpine for the last time. The sugarcane will wave me goodbye in the wind.

And that’s simply the place; I will miss the people more. Writing for them, and for all of you, has been an honour. You know how incredible you are. And that alights on something else: I will miss my friends. But “friends come in and out of your life like busboys at a restaurant,” don’t they? We will see each other again.

So, to the Mackay and Whitsunday Life team, to my friends: thank you all for making the Whitsundays my home. This new chapter in Tasmania will be an exciting one, and I will not forget you.

To you, I say thank you, Constant Readers.

Goodbye, for the last time.

Declan

Quote of the Week:

“Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance. They make the latitudes and longitudes.” – Henry David Thoreau

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It’s not every day that you hop off the bus and are greeted with a woman, a stranger at that, handing you a single gorgeous red rose, telling you ‘Have a nice day!’ and waving you off.

Well, that’s exactly what happened to Jan Smith, just prior to Easter, when she got off the bus in Cannonvale one afternoon.

The bus stop sits just opposite Karen Hill Florist, a local florist that prides itself on having the most exquisite floral arrangements in Airlie Beach.

When Jan and another woman alighted the bus, they were greeted with a Karen Hill Florist employee, giving them a red rose, and wishing them well.

“She just dashes out of the flower shop and says, ‘Don’t move! Stop!’... we both didn’t move. You do what you’re told, you know!” said Jan.

“And she came out holding these two absolutely beautiful single roses.

“The strange thing was that I had just been wishing that I had enough money to get a bunch of flowers for the dining room table!”

Jan is no stranger to the Whitsunday area, living between Airlie Beach and England, often spending months with her daughter in the region, participating in local events and community functions, including the Airlie Beach Book Club and the Whitsunday Writers’ Festival.

“I have never gone into that shop, never bought flowers from there. But now I will, and I will talk about her generosity,” Jan added.

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Lindeman Island has sold for $10 million to a Singaporean family leaving previous owners White Horse – a Chinese cable television operator – with a $2m loss on investment and $10 million shy of their original asking price.

The once site of a Club Med resort has lain dormant for over a decade as the Chinese group sought to develop a luxury resort on the 136-hectare island with plans never eventuating.

White Horse had originally paid for Lindeman at a price of $12m and had been willing to take the loss when Queensland property developer Shaun Juniper approached the business to purchase the asset.

Mr Juniper unexpectedly withdrew his business’ offer before the Singaporean family swooped on the island, reportedly buying it “weeks ago”.

The Chinese company’s divestment from Lindeman arose due to struggles with Queensland State Government approvals, despite having completed an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) component to redeveloping the island - that EIS was for a $583-million-dollar masterplan to redevelop the abandoned site.

The Singaporean family have reportedly begun initial enquiries into redeveloping the existing Club Med Resort.

Lindeman, still in a development limbo, remains one of the Whitsunday Archipelago’s owned islands awaiting development, like Long Island, which was recently purchased by Oscars Hotels, as well as the Meridian Australia purchased Hook Island, and South Molle Island – an island owned by China Capital Investment Group.

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Lindeman island has sold for $10 million to a Singaporean family at a $2m loss for its previous Chinese owners

Over 30,000 passengers disembarked from cruise ships last month, each of them visiting a diverse range of restaurants and shops, and taking part in tours and excursions on offer in our beautiful region.

This year, 65 cruise ships are scheduled to sail into Whitsundays waters and there are 43 now remaining.

This welcome boost for tourism is a game changer for our local economy.

Local operator, Julie Telford from Red Cat Adventures, said that Airlie Beach is buzzing on cruise ship days.

“It’s a really different vibe – the streets are so busy, and the town is pumping!” she said.

“The cruise ships play a big part in getting us back off the ground after COVID and all the passengers spend money on souvenirs, food, drink and having fun.

“They always come into our main street shop and ask for recommendations, and they are great for filling up last minute seats if they are not already pre-booked.”

A central part of the cruise ship experience is the welcome they receive when they disembark.

Since 2004, the Cruise Ship Ambassadors wearing their tropical shirts and big smiles have been greeting each passenger, offering maps and advice on where to go.

This friendly welcome has heightened the passenger experience and made the Airlie port a favourite among visiting cruisers.

Tourism Whitsundays CEO, Rick Hamilton, says he is hugely appreciative of the work that the Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors are doing to welcome cruise ship passengers.

“The welcome passengers are receiving from our Ambassadors is another reason for them to get off the ship and explore The Whitsundays,” he said.

“Our volunteers are from all industries but have one thing in common, a love of people and customer service, this is something that isn’t trainable, and we’re fortunate to have so many people who all love helping people enjoy their holidays.”

There are 35 Cruise Ship Ambassadors who meet every ship as it arrives, and they are always looking for extra volunteers to participate on a rotating roster.

Ideal for a retired individual who is looking for a worthwhile activity to fill some free time, becoming a Cruise Ship Ambassador is a great way to make new friends and meet new people while spruiking our stunning region.

“Every time we meet a cruise ship we’re greeting people and welcoming them, many for the first time, to The Whitsundays,” said Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors Coordinator, Lyn Blanche.

“A friendly welcome and help to get the most out of their time on shore go a long way when you’re visiting somewhere for the first time.”

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The friendly Cruise Ship Ambassadors greet passengers as they disembark. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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Holidaymakers, industry workers and visiting family members have all combined to create record-breaking numbers for Whitsunday Coast Airport over the Easter holidays.

Craig Tuner, Chief Operating Officer for Aviation and Tourism for the Whitsunday Regional Council said that up to 3000 passengers transited through the airport per day.

“When you think our best was 2,200 last April, this is a significant uplift,” he said.

“We are on-track this year to do over 500,000 passengers!”

Next Friday, the last of the three direct Bonza routes opens to the Whitsundays as we welcome Toowoomba alongside Sunshine Coast and Newcastle lines.

This new addition means that the airport will now receive up to 11 flights a day compared to a maximum of six just a few months ago.

“We are expecting to see some really amazing numbers,” said Mr Turner.

It is now more cost effective and efficient for people living in Newcastle and Toowoomba to travel direct from their closest airport.

This means that miners and industry workers will now transit through to Collinsville and the Bowen Basin.

Craig said that he is also anticipating savvy holidaymakers will book direct through Bonza and transit to the surrounding island resorts.

“It is far cheaper to fly direct than to go to Sydney so we are expecting a real mix of VFR (visiting friends and family), holidaymakers and also industries,” he said.

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A departmental traffic crash took place earlier this week when a police vehicle was responding to a priority incident in Mackay.

The incident occurred at the intersection of George Street and Milton Street when the police vehicle collided with a four-wheel drive.

Two police officers, one male constable and one female constable, were treated at the scene before being transported to the Mackay Base Hospital in a stable condition.

The driver of the four-wheel drive, a 30-year-old woman, was also treated at the scene before being taken to hospital.

Investigations are ongoing.

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