Budget airline Bonza began test flights to Mackay this week, with its distinctive purple planes spotted landing at Mackay Airport.

Australia’s newest and only independently owned budget airline was announced last October and welcomed its first Boeing 737 MAX, which has since been christened as ‘Shazza’, to its Sunshine Coast base in August.

The aircraft, coming from America, was then refitted here in Australia, with more planes following.

Mackay residents will be offered two flights a week to Cairns and Melbourne and three flights a week to the Sunshine Coast, while a drive to Whitsunday Coast Airport will give access to Newcastle and Toowoomba twice a week and the Sunshine Coast three times a week.

Flights are expected to cost around $50 for each hour of the flight, including 8kg of baggage, with the aim to deliver competitive rates seldom seen in regional air travel and enable Australians to explore more of their own backyard at low-cost prices.

Bonza’s previously hoped-for launch dates of mid-June and late-September have been and gone while the airline awaits regulatory approval through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

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Many local businesses are struggling to find staff or operating understaffed - one Airlie Beach cafe even had a sign up saying ‘sorry we’re shut, no chef’.

In an effort to help, the Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) is working to establish a new approach to solving staff shortages.

This innovative government scheme called a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) would allow lower skilled overseas workers to come to live and work in the Whitsunday, Mackay and Isaac Regions.

The DAMA gives overseas workers the opportunity to pursue permanent residency through a five-year program which includes training at TAFE while working full-time and contributing to ease the strain on local small business.

Gus Walsgott from WCCC said that there are currently DAMAs in operation in both Townsville and Cairns which is effectively “sucking the workforce” out of the Whitsundays.

“We are at a competitive disadvantage at the moment,” said Mr Walsgott.

“The DAMA is set-up purely for the benefit of the business community as a whole and it will have flow-on effects for the rest of the region.”

The reason our region currently does not have a DAMA is because we had previously been without a Designated Area Representative (DAR), but now that the WCCC have stepped forward, we can expect to become a classified DAMA within the next six months.

This classification will open up many doors for our region and Martin O’Dee from Speedy Global, discussed the advantages at an information night for local businesses last week.

“It’s all about helping people with their life journey,” he said.

“It’s not just about bringing a work force – it’s about providing a system that means people will want to stay, contribute to our communities, raise families and build lives in the region.”

In order to become a DAMA, the WCCC need to gather 100 completed surveys from local businesses.

The surveys take four minutes to complete, and they are an opportunity for businesses to put forward the type of position they are lacking.

There are limited types of roles that will be included under the DAMA so if you want a certain position filled, make sure you fill in a survey so that the specific role is covered.

“We are the vehicle to get us to the end game, but there needs to be a lot of momentum to get us there,” said Mr Walsgott.

“It needs to be driven by the business community.”

There are strict criteria for qualifying for an overseas worker, most importantly that the role has been offered to Australians looking for employment and that it cannot be filled by an Australian first.

If you would like to receive the information pack, please email admin@whitsundaycoastchamber.com.au.

To complete the survey, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L8JTZCC

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Becoming a Designated Area Migration Agreement will open the doors for overseas workers to ease the strain on workforce shortages. Stock image

Gus Walsgott from Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce. Photo supplied

Martin O’Dee from Speedy Global. Photo supplied

The Mackay Conservation Group (MCG) has engaged with local National Australia Bank (NAB) branches, calling on the bank to cease funding of fossil fuel projects and accusing it of “greenwashing”.

The group gathered outside the Mackay City branch last Friday, October 21 in peaceful protest as part of a nationwide movement called Move Beyond Coal which is in the midst of six weeks of activity, with 58 groups taking similar action across the country.

“We’re calling on them for not another dollar to any fossil fuel project starting with Whitehaven Coal,” said Jono Dykyj of MCG.

“We don’t want them funding the climate crisis which is already impacting the community.”

Mr Dykyj said the goal of the protest was to raise awareness with customers, staff and the public.

“This is directed at the higher-ups who make those decisions, but we think that when people find out what the company is actually doing, they’ll be disappointed,” he said.

“We want them to raise their voices, it’s a people-powered movement and we feel that we can shift the dialogue and get NAB to make those sensible and ethical decisions around climate and funding.

“Here in Mackay, we’re concerned about the impacts of climate change on the community, the economic, the health, the social impacts.

“We’re also aware that Mackay is needing to be the forefront of a transition away from a reliance on fossil fuels and that can bring lots of opportunities.

“We need to act now to halt the worst aspects of climate change but, despite those threats, there are also opportunities for our community to move forward and to grow and to prosper.”

NAB’s website states that “we support the transition to a low-carbon economy and will seek to manage our portfolio to align with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to less than two degrees celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels.”

The website continues: “NAB’s updated climate strategy covers: a goal of aligning our lending portfolio to net zero emissions by 2050, working with customers to decarbonise and build climate-related resilience, managing climate risk.”

MCG has called this “greenwashing”.

“We’ve got major banking corporations doing sneaky deals with coal corporations and it really concerns me because the public don’t actually understand what’s going on,” said MCG volunteer Tonia Binsair.

“They’re putting up wonderful emissions targets and telling people they’re doing these terrific things when they’re quietly sneaking into the backroom and doing deals with corporations like Whitehaven that don’t even have reasonable emissions targets at all so we’re not going to see any changes.

“National Australia Bank really, really need to take a look at their practices and we need to move towards a better future.”

Ms Binsair approached NAB Mackay Branch Manager Liam Afflick a week before the protest, saying he was receptive to the group’s message.

“I can’t speak for him, but I don’t think he had an awareness of what was happening,” Ms Binsair said.

“It’s not only the public that needs to know but people like Liam and all of his staff, all of the staff across the country, need to know what National Australia Bank is doing.

“Personally, Liam was wonderful to talk to and I really appreciate that from him.”

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The Hibiscus Coast Scout District (HCD) held their annual district Jamboree weekend on October 15 and 16 at Rowallan Scout Park.

This was a District run event with all Scout and Guide sections invited for the 65th Jamboree-On-The-Air (JOTA) and the 26th Jamboree-On-The-Internet (JOTI) as a joint event.

This is the world’s largest digital Scout weekend taking place on the Internet, in person and over the airwaves.

Held every year in October, the event connects millions of young people around the world for a full weekend that promotes communication, friendship, and global citizenship.

This year there was an amazing youth committee containing Joey Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts, Venturer Scouts, and Rover Scouts deciding on the activities along with an enthusiastic team of leaders, rovers, and adult helpers planning, supporting and running the activities at the event.

Youth members from Sarina, Proserpine, Mackay City Central and Banksia Scout Groups attended with youth from five years and older participating in a host of fun activities.

These included a Scoutlink IRC chat base, a Minecraft challenge base, an electronics construction base, an amateur radio base, and a challenging communication scavenger hunt that took the youth all over the park.

The chat base saw members talk to other Scouts over the internet from Germany, Spain, Scotland, Indonesia, Siberia, India, New Zealand and many other places.

The Minecraft base saw the youth, and even the Activity Leaders, complete challenges together using communication, creativity and teamwork in the video game.

The communication scavenger hunt activity contained four messages, each in a different style of communication, that the youth members transcribed to give them the location of the next message and part of a larger second message.

The electronic base had the Scout and older sections soldering and making little 9V ‘Head or Tail’ electronic kits and the Joey Scouts and Cub Scouts using insulating and conductive play dough to create electronic circuits where they could light up several LED lights as part of their creations.

Lastly, the Amateur Radio Base was where youth members talked to other Scouts over the airwaves and had them navigating each other around the park with GPS trackers and walkie talkies.

At the end of the day a traditional district scout campfire was held with songs, skits and story telling with lots of fun and frivolity.

Coordinator, Jim McIntyre said he was happy to see each group and youth section running their own communication and scout knowledge activities over the weekend.

“When they weren’t doing the District activities, I saw some making solar powered miniature cars and learning about solar energy among other activities,” he said.

During the weekend, a formal parade along with award presentations took place.

Contributed with thanks to Jim Mcintyre

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Most people have received their annual super statement to 30th June 2022 in the last few months.  Most returns have been negative for the last 12 months on the back of higher inflation, rising interest rates and geopolitical tensions around the world. This often leads to people questioning if they’ve got the right fund.  There are three main types of super fund, Industry Super Funds, Retail Super Funds and Self-Managed Super Funds.

Industry Super Funds offer a low cost, pooled option with limited investment and insurance options.  They are a simple option and due to the pooled nature of their investment choices, many Financial Planners use this style of fund for their younger, lower balance clients.  There are other types of more sophisticated super accounts including Retail Funds and Self-Managed Super Funds.  

Retail Super Funds are where you decide to purchase a fund from a product provider.  Modern retail Super Wrap offerings have thousands of investment choices with a wide choice of risk and return and your account is separate to all other members.  Care and guidance need to be taken to ensure your portfolio of investments is well diversified with such a huge choice.  This choice enables your portfolio to be customized to say protect against downturns if you are drawing a pension or to screen out investments with questionable ethical or environmental credentials if that’s your preference.  These may suit people with higher balances or who are making larger contributions and want more control and flexibility around investment options and the potential tax on transferring to pension phase within their super.  

Self-Managed Super Funds are where you set up your own super fund, usually with up to 6 other family members so you can pool your funds to invest.  SMSF’s offer the most investment choices and flexibility but are expensive.   The ATO suggests the minimum balance to justify the set up and ongoing costs with a SMSF is $500,000.  Purchasing property in a SMSF comes with even more costs so is generally only for those with very large balances.  There are significant compliance requirements and most SMSF’s are paying administrators, tax agents, auditors and financial planners each year.  

The key with super is to ensure you have a fund that matches where you are in your financial journey and not something that you fell into or that suited where you were years ago.

If you’d like an obligation free review of your situation, to review your super structures, call us for an appointment today.

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A Mackay man, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has just taken home the first prize in the Luck Lotteries Super Jackpot Draw.

Purchased online and using just two lucky numbers which were drawn at random, the man said he was bewildered but thankful for his good fortune.

“Well, this is absolutely magical!” he exclaimed.

“Lucky the Cat has come up trumps for me this time!

“I’ve been playing for a while but never expected to win anything. You always dream about it, but you can’t expect that it will ever happen to you.

“It’s arrived at just the right time.

“I’ll be able to live a carefree life, pay off some bills and maybe even treat myself to a few things.

“What amazing news!”

The ecstatic man won the guaranteed 1st Prize of $100,000 in Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw 10720, drawn Tuesday 18 October 2022.

The Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot prize is now $15.65 million for draw 1596, while the Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot prize is now $32.525 million for draw 10721.  

In FY22, 169 Lucky Lotteries 1st Prize and Jackpot winning entries across Australia won more than $32.95 million.  

Last financial year, Australia’s official lotteries contributed more than $1.6 billion via state lottery taxes and donations to help community initiatives, such as hospitals, health research, disaster relief and education.

Caption: Lucky the Cat comes through for local lotto winner

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Emergency services from throughout the region will face off in a 60km Swim Challenge to raise awareness and funds for men's health in November.

Now in its third year, the challenge differs from the previous two years in that the services, Queensland Fire Service (QFS), Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Police Service and the Mackay Airport Fire and Rescue, will race each other to the 60km mark.

Mackay Fire and Rescue Firefighters Carl Jackson and Kyle McCormack organised the challenge last year and are again at the reins this year, saying the event promotes networking and bonding while raising awareness for men’s mental health and raising funds for Movember.

“The whole goal is to raise funds and awareness for men’s health,” said Kyle.

“We’re lucky that we get to use that common goal to network with the other agencies as well.

“We all do a very similar job and we’re super competitive in our nature, so the event just works perfect for us in getting people in there and making connections.”

“We see them on jobs … so now we'll have that better connection and we can work in better with them,” added Carl.

Between 40 and 50 swimmers participated last year, with all services collaborating to complete the 60km goal in three hours.

This year, each service will enter its own team and race to complete the goal individually.

“It makes it a bit more competitive,” said Kyle.

“There’s a bit more pressure for everyone to get down there which is what we want at the end of the day.”

The nature of the industry and the potential of being exposed to trauma means mental health is of the utmost importance to QFS.

Additionally, with differing shifts, firefighters aren’t always offered the opportunity to get to know their colleagues while at work.

“It’s really about just getting everybody together and connecting,” said Kyle.

“There’s lots of different people and personalities within the workplace, just like every other workplace.

“It’s important to me because we all get to have a conversation and talk and connect, especially with the other services, so they don’t feel like they’re on their own.”

Mental health awareness is engrained in the culture of QFS, seeing frequent collaborations with Movember, R U OK? Day and Black Dog Institute, and Carl says these causes help to promote open communication.

“The more you work with someone, the more you start to realise maybe they’re not having a good day,” he said.

“If you know someone well enough, you’ll be able to talk to them.

“It’s not awkward, it’s not a hard conversation because you feel comfortable, and you feel supported.

“That’s what we’re trying do with this, to encourage people to speak up - it’s okay to not be okay.”

The Challenge will take place at Mackay Aquatic and Recreation Centre on November 11, bringing together emergency services from Mackay and throughout the region and their families.

Emergency vehicles will be there for the kids to explore as well as mascots, a sausage sizzle and games and competitions outside the pool for everyone to get involved in.

There is also a trophy on offer for the first service to complete the 60km swim.

To find out more about the event and to donate, scan the QR code.

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64% Disengaged employees in 2020

66% Disengaged employees in 2021

68% Disengaged employees in 2022

What’s going on and what are you doing about it!

After trending up in recent years, employee engagement saw its first annual decline in a decade -- dropping from 36% engaged employees in 2020 to 34% in 2021.

Engaged employees are involved, enthusiastic, emotionally connected to your business and stay longer. Disengaged employees are disgruntled and disloyal because their workplace needs are unmet.

Employee engagement is pivotal to improving the wellbeing and resilience of a workforce because it contains elements of communication, caring, development, involvement, and collaboration. These set the stage for building & strengthening trust.

What can you do?

Although there has been an overall decrease in employee engagement, some organisations have doubled employee engagement. Here’s what they do differently;

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Create a strong culture, values & behaviour framework to guide business decisions

Employees need to see the culture and values lived out daily. The most successful organisations put their values at the centre of decisions and create behaviour frameworks which display & solidify their values.

Embrace flexible work environments

Hours, location, priorities, hybrid workforces, and roles. Flexibility can take on different meanings – how are you creating flexibility for your workforce?

Focus on employee wellbeing and humancy

Since work and life are blended for many employees, consider the demands of life inside and out of the workplace. Consider how career, social, financial, physical and community wellbeing affect employees, and provide resources designed to improve these important elements of wellbeing.

Tailor communication to reach teams where they are

Transparent and authentic communication is called for in the workplace. Tailor communication to suit teams, individuals and personality types. Ask what your teams prefer for their comms platforms.

Empower managers to manage through times of change

Consistently upskill managers to coach their employees through their strengths. Every person has a different work-life situation, and only managers can understand these nuances and make adjustments based on how each individual best performs, collaborates and brings value to customers.

How can Shiift help you? Our strength is creating great people & great teams. Let’s make it yours too!

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The Queensland Government is introducing a range of new rules for E-rideables this week which include reducing speed limits and handing out bigger penalties.

Covering mobility devices such as e-scooters and e-skateboards, the new legislation promises to improve safety and user-awareness on these relatively new and previously un-regulated modes of transport.

From this Tuesday the speed limit on a footpath will be reduced to 12 kilometres per hour while the current 25 kilometres per hour speed limit will remain the same for bike paths and roads.

In addition, there will be fines for offences involving driving in excess of speed limits, illegal road use and holding a mobile phone while riding.

Mobility devices will also now have to follow all of the rules of the road such as stopping at red lights.

Beam, who are Asia Pacific’s largest shared micromobility company and operate 300 e-scooters in Mackay, are getting behind this new legislation by launching their own ‘Ride Kind’ campaign educating road users about the changes.

At the same time, Beam is investing heavily in shared e-scooter technology for additional oversight over rider use.

For example, Beam restricts where their vehicles can operate, via ‘geofencing’ technology, which allows them to designate specific operating areas, low-speed and no parking areas.

Beam’s e-scooters are speed restricted, have 24-hour GPS tracking and include a helmet with every vehicle, with technology to detect if the helmet has been used during a trip and issue warnings to riders who are breaking the rules.

A “three strikes” policy ensures those breaking the rules face warnings, suspensions, or permanent bans when caught breaking the law.

Beam General Manager (Australia and New Zealand) Tom Cooper said he welcomes the new legislation.

“The added technology in shared e-scooters that differentiates Beam’s from privately owned e-scooters, ensures that we can regulate Beam e-scooter use under the new legislation,” he said.

“Our campaign aims to educate all Beam riders in Queensland of the new rules ahead of 1 November.

“We know that the majority of riders do the right thing, but we’ll be working closely with the Queensland Police Service in all cities we operate to educate and enforce the riding rules.”

NEW RULES

• 16 and up to ride solo, 12 and up with an adult

• Riding with a helmet is mandatory

• $431 fine for drinking and riding

• $1078 if touching your phone when riding

• 12km per hour on footpaths

• 25km per hour on roads and bike lanes

• Riding on local roads allowed

• 50km speed limit roads you must be in a bike lane

Image: New rules apply when riding your e-scooter around Mackay

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Image: Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Senator Bridget McKenzie in Mackay last week. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox hosted Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Senator Bridget McKenzie in Mackay last week, highlighting several projects that were ear-marked for funding in the Dawson electorate that they say are now at risk in the upcoming Federal Budget.

Mr Willcox said the Dawson electorate received multiple funding commitments from the Building Better Regions Fund including $483 million towards building the Urannah Dam, $200,000 for a clubhouse upgrade to Mackay Hockey and $5 million towards Veteran Wellbeing Centres in the Mackay region.

The fund also directed $4.1 million to Mackay Regional Council for the Waterfront Revitalisation Project.

“These projects cannot happen for your average council,” said Mr Willcox.

“We need federal government support and that’s why the Building Better Regions Fund is so important.

“We will be watching what happens in this budget to make sure that we get our fair share because the people of Dawson deserve it.”

Ms McKenzie said that, while in government, the LNP contributed $3.5 billion to the Mackay community towards road projects and community benefit projects.

“We are very concerned about the Government’s silence on regional funding in the lead-up to the Budget,” Ms McKenzie said.

Ms McKenzie said that there is uncertainty around what will happen to projects like the Riverfront Revitalisation Project if the Building Better Regions Fund is cut in the upcoming budget.

“It’s been very clear to us that, when the Treasurer’s been talking about the upcoming budget, that he’s described programs that have funded these sorts of projects in communities like Mackay as wasteful,” she said.

“These are the types of projects and programs that underpin the social and economic wealth of this community, and we need to make sure that Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers don’t remove one single dollar from these communities because we produce the wealth of this country out here.

“We don’t ask for a lot, but we do expect to have adequate investment in our economic infrastructure so that we can have a safe, sustainable and prosperous future just like the capital cities.”

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Local gymnasts at PCYC Bowen have been enjoying the use of new GoPro video cameras which are allowing them to review their flips and better their skills.

A suite of GoPRos purchased with funds from a QCoal Foundation Community Spirit Grant are being utilised to enhance multiple programs at the club, including during gymnastic lessons as well as documenting the work of the club’s R.U.B.Y Crew at its skating facility.

PCYC Branch Manager and Police Sergeant Michelle O’Regan said the GoPros had been “wish list items” that were always getting set-back on the list of priority purchases for the club.

“We saw an opportunity in our gymnastics class for our students to see their progress,” Sergeant O’Regan said.

“Students can be coached, but they’re not able to see how they move and GoPros are a good way to remedy that. They can help them perfect their skills and track their progress throughout the term.

“Now thanks to QCoal, that’s something that we can realise with our gymnastics classes, as well as our R.U.B.Y Crew being able to record the work they’re doing.”

PCYC gymnastics head coach, Beau Brooker said the GoPros have already proven a fantastic resource.

“To show the students what they’re doing when they’re in the air particularly, because you’re not always cognitively aware of where your body is, watching that back is extremely useful,” Mr Brooker said.

“It’s also been an excellent tool for promotion: we’ve already seen interest in our circus workshops because of the promos we’ve got from the GoPros.”

Sergeant O’Regan said the next step was rigging televisions on brackets around the PCYC to play looped videos of students for promotion, as well as the potential for instant feedback during lessons.

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PCYC gymnastics head coach, Beau Brooker using one of the club’s new GoPro video cameras

The Neighbourhood Hub celebrated United Nations Day on Tuesday, commemorating the anniversary of the official creation of the United Nations through the 1945 UN Charter.

Inviting community members to mark the annual day of celebration with the weekly World Café group, The Neighbourhood Hub came together to celebrate the UN’s achievements and the important role it continues to play in international peace and security, development and the promotion of human rights.

The morning of celebrations included the sharing of stories, cultural traditions, dance, song and food.  

The Neighbourhood Hub General Manager Nicolette Frost said that the event was a chance to reflect on the principles of the UN including importance of diversity, equality, peace, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

“Our region is so blessed to have such a vibrant multicultural community,” she said.

“While we celebrate United Nations Day, we can also reflect on the diversity of our community being one of our greatest assets and know that we are stronger because of it.”

Multicultural Community Program Coordinator Ela Maglente said the aim of the event was to bring everyone together.

“Hopefully we get some meaningful conversations and connections happening and for everyone to meet new people,” she said.

The event was hosted by the World Café group, one of the many programs facilitated by the Neighbourhood Hub to encourage social integration for migrants.

“When migrants come to Mackay, isolation is one of the problems,” said Ms Maglente.

“It’s such a good thing to be coming together and using the space to carve their own life in Mackay.”

Originally from the Philippines, Ms Maglente has lived in Mackay for five years.

“I found out about World Café, so I started coming and I’m so glad that I’m able to be that person to continue the group,” she said.

“Through World Café and the Neighbourhood Hub, I was able to learn how to drive, get my license, meet new friends.

“I started here as a volunteer … and now I run the multicultural program which I’m very passionate about.”

“Those who are in isolation or haven’t heard of us, feel free to come here.

“It doesn’t have to be scary, there’s no expectations, no judgement, you just come here and hopefully you’ll walk out with a friend.”

The Neighbourhood Hub also offer free transport for those who are unable transport themselves to events.

For more information about The Neighbourhood Hub’s multicultural program, email admin@tnhub.org.au or contact 07 4957 2626.

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Queensland's resource mecca is set to shine the spotlight on critical challenges facing community futures as it seeks to deal with a changing world.

Isaac Regional Council has called for 76 other local governments to back five motions at the 126th Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) 2022 Annual Conference which took place in Cairns from October 17-19.

The motions are pre-emptive actions to ensure communities and local governments are not left to deal with the social, economic and financial impacts from end of mine life and the climate change response.

This includes the need for a regional transformation authority, sourcing state regulators for major resource and renewable projects and establishing a contemporary framework for the future mining sector.

Isaac Regional Council is also pushing for more program funding for regional university centres which will provide more learning opportunities for residents and to retain staff to cost-saving operational measures.

Mayor Anne Baker said it is in best interests for Queensland local councils to be ahead of the game on behalf of regional communities.

“Local governments like ours are the backbone of regional Australian communities and we are asking Queensland’s 76 other councils to back our collective futures,” Ms Baker said.

“Our role has gone way beyond the traditional operations of rates, roads and rubbish as community needs and expectations continue to grow.

“The conference is an opportunity for us to help form policy positions and for the LGAQ, a representative for all Queensland councils, to advocate to federal and state governments for the betterment of the regions we represent.

“We’re looking for a massive vote of support for these five motions.”

The five motions are:

• The need for a regional transformational authority in conjunction with Central Highlands Regional Council

• Resourcing state regulators for major resource and renewable projects

• Establishing a contemporary framework for the resource, renewables and clean energy sector

• Regional university centres program funding

• Cost recovery on over dimensional permits from the national heavy vehicle regulator

Visit https://www.isaac.qld.gov.au/homepage/283/lgaq-conference for more information on Isaac Regional Council’s motions.

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An Environmental Health Officer has received state recognition for his outstanding contributions to investigating and promoting environmental health compliance at Mackay Hospital and Health Service.

Benjamin Rochester, an Environmental Health Officer at the Mackay Public Health Unit, was the recipient of Environmental Health Australia’s (Queensland) Early Career Environmental Health Professional of the Year 2021-22 award in September.

Presented in Dalby, the Early Career award acknowledges the valuable efforts and contributions of any person who has enhanced, shown passion and dedication for, or achieved environmental health outcomes.

Benjamin said he was contacted by Environmental Health Australia’s Queensland president to advise he had been nominated and invited to attend the awards ceremony.

“Being shortlisted as a nominee and then receiving the award was quite humbling as you’re being recognised by peers who have guided and supported you throughout the early stages of your career,” he said.

“A colleague from Metro South Public Health Unit submitted the nomination detailing the work I had undertaken and contributed to over the last couple of years.”

Benjamin started his career as an Environmental Health Officer with Brisbane City Council before moving to Metro South Public Health in 2020 where he was part of a team working to prevent, manage, and control communicable disease and environmental health risks in our community.

He has been part of the Mackay Public Health team since January 2022.

His contributions to investigating foodborne illness outbreaks and collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic attracted praise and supported his nomination for the award.

“I was very nervous at the awards ceremony, but it was a great experience and I am incredibly proud to be this year’s recipient,” he said.

“The award is a reflection of how well we work as a team and the dedication we have shown in protecting and serving our communities.”

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‘Tis the season to be festive and Bowen’s Pilchers Mitre 10 are launching into the Christmas cheer early this year with their first festive display!

Sprinkling a dash of Christmas magic throughout their store, Pilchers Mitre 10 are letting locals have their imagination take flight with multiple Christmas photobooth displays to snap the kids and make memories.

Capture the littlies wonderment as they explore the Pilchers family traditional Nativity Scene or enjoy a ride in Santa’s red sleigh. Booths are open throughout the festive season for customers to Snap-‘n’-Share with their family and friends.

Get up close with Santa as he dashes in from the North Pole to finalise the kids wish list before the big day and have their volunteer team of elves wrap and tag your Christmas gifts ready to go under the tree at the Charity Gift Wrapping Station. For a gold coin donation per gift, you can have your presents looking amazing and help raise funds for charity.

See instore or keep an eye on Facebook for gift wrapping station open times and Santa’s visiting dates.

Gifts to spoil everyone

While instore check out the gift ranges available for the whole family. Whether it’s a tool set or camp gear for dad, garden pots or home decor for mum, and a playhouse or a remote-control car for the kids; Pilchers Mitre 10 has something for everyone and all budgets.

Light up the night

Make sure to shop at Pilchers for all Christmas lights to create a twinkling wonderland at your home. From fairy lights, projectors to inflatables, powered and solar, check out the huge selection to brighten the night and spread the festive spirit in your street.

In the festive spirit of giving, Pilchers Mitre 10 are giving back to their customers and the community that’s continued to support their family business for years. Visit the team at 56 Powell Street Bowen to experience the magic this Christmas, open seven days.

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Pilchers Mitre 10 Bowen are having a very merry Christmas, turning their store into a Santa's village for families to enjoy