Read the May 2020 edition of Best Of Local, Moreton Bay.
To have the magazine delivered to your inbox every month and for all other enquiries, visit – https://www.bestoflocal.com.au/qld/moretonbay/
Use left and right arrows to flick through and double click the page to zoom.
In a landmark first for the Council, the voting for Deputy Mayor was conducted publicly via a livestream on Council’s website.
“I’m looking forward to working with our new look Council, bringing diversity of thinking and skills that will help our region flourish,” Cr Sims said.
“I see it as my duty now to be a loyal supporter of the Mayor, act as a conduit between the Council Chamber and the Mayor’s office, and also step up in the Mayor’s absence.
“As we chart a path to economic recovery through the COVID-19 crisis, I don’t want to see any community groups, charities, sporting organisations or our environment forgotten in our planning.
“I am passionate about green space, and want to see communities with higher densities get additional parks and infrastructure.
“I’ve worked to change our desired standard of service and the amounts developers are charged to help meet community needs.
“That’s how in the last term I delivered 23 park installations or improvements in my own division, now I want to roll that out regionally to green Moreton Bay.
“I’m passionate about making our region more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities, so that our buildings, parks and amenities work for everyone.
“The work council has delivered in this space is nothing short of amazing winning several awards like the Backstage Pass for quiet hour in our libraries for those with autism or requiring individual assistance
“I cant wait to get started in the role. Its an immense privilege for me to have this opportunity and I want to serve the residents of Moreton Bay to the highest standard.
“The most important part of being a local Councillor is listening and acting and local residents can count on me to do both.
“Alongside this commitment residents can expect unity across Council.
“We can only achieve things if we work together.
“I’m looking forward to working for Mayor Peter Flannery and with my fellow councillor to make Moreton Bay Region the best it can be.
On Wednesday 22nd April our new Mayor and 12 Local Councillors officially took office with seven of the thirteen Council positions having new representation.
The newly elected Mayor and Councillors could not meet as a group due to social distancing requirements.
Councillors took the Declaration of Office in front of CEO Greg Chemello, on a rotation spaced 15 minutes apart.
The new Moreton Bay Regional Council is:
(Newly elected representatives highlighted)
Mayor: Peter Flannery
Division 1: Brooke Savige
Division 2: Mark Booth
Division 3: Adam Hain
Division 4: Jodie Shipway
Division 5: Sandra Ruck
Division 6: Karl Winchester
Division 7: Denise Sims
Division 8: Mick Gillam
Division 9: Cath Tonks
Division 10: Matt Constance
Division 11: Darren Grimwade
Division 12: Tony Latter
“Having met with all our councillors to discuss their priorities and ideas for our region, I’m pleased that they are collectively focussed on the immediate need for financial support and economic recovery, as our region fights to come back from coronavirus.
“I’m very pleased to have six returning councillors bringing their experience back to the chamber, and six new councillors bringing fresh ideas with them.
“I’d particularly like to welcome our three new female Councillors – Jodie Shipway (Div 4), Sandra Ruck (Div 5) and Cath Tonks (Div 9) – increasing female representation in our team of 12 up to five alongside Brooke Savige (Div 1) and Denise Sims (Div 7).
“I also want to thank the community for putting their faith in me to lead through this uncertain time.
“When we started this campaign, we didn’t know we’d be hit with the global pandemic that is COVID-19. So, locals have certainly made the right choice in electing an experienced councillor and a safe set of hands. That’s critically important at an uncertain time like this.
“I promise locals that my door and the door of every councillor you have elected will always be open to people who have their hearts in this community and have ideas on how we can get through this challenging time together.”
“We may be living in uncertain times and no one knows what the world will look like on the other side, but between the experience of our returning councillors and the fresh ideas of our new councillors, I think we already have the foundations for success.
“My door will always be open to anyone who has ideas on how we can do things differently here in Moreton Bay Region.”
Mayor Flannery said that the community had to be at the heart of every economic, strategic, and stimulus decision they make in the Chamber and he has committed to leading an open and accountable Council that’s united in its focus on economic recovery.
Facebook Post
Read the May 2020 edition of Best Of Local, Moreton Bay.
To have the magazine delivered to your inbox every month and for all other enquiries, visit – https://www.bestoflocal.com.au/qld/moretonbay/
Use left and right arrows to flick through and double click the page to zoom.
With a fresh new look and greater focus to our online activities for the entire Moreton Bay Region. We hope that you like it. We have some great local stories.
To subscribe and have the magazine delivered to your inbox once a month and for advertising enquiries, visit – https://www.bestoflocal.com.au/qld/moretonbay/
Use left and right arrows to flick through and double click the page to zoom.
A century of tradition fades as newspapers across the country halt printing or close their doors altogether due to a steep and sudden Coronavirus related downturn.
As we sit at home and consume more local news than ever, some newsrooms are being forced to close as advertising revenue dries up.
Many papers rely heavily on the real estate industry, with their large pull-out sections as well as pubs, clubs and hotels for regular weekly revenue.
With the current real estate open home and auction restrictions and widespread hospitality business closures, that bulk revenue stream has dried up and the traditional publishing industry, which was already struggling has been pushed to the brink.
Newsrooms are empty across the nation at a time when people are relying on having the news at their fingertips.
Several regional communities have been left shocked at the closure of their only print news publication. The Sunraysia Daily, Mildura’s only daily newspaper, which should be celebrating their centenary this year has announced its’ closure, along with the Swan Hill Guardian, the Gannawarra Times and the Loddon Times in the Mallee region of Victoria.
After 122 yrs in operation, Broken Hills’ only daily newspaper ‘Barrier Daily Truth’ has had to suspend operations due to a collapse in revenue. Thirty staff at the newspaper are now out of work.
Gippslands Yarram Standard, which is 145 years old and Great Southern Star, which was celebrating its 130th year in print have both suspended operations.
Newscorp has announced that it will suspend the print of 60 publications across the country from 9th April, including our Quest Community Newspapers which includes our local Pine Rivers Press, The Caboolture Herald and The Redcliffe Herald.
Other Newscorp publications to be suspended include those published by News Local in NSW, Leader in Victoria and Messenger in South Australia. All will continue to publish digitally during this time.
News Corp’s decision was not taken lightly. According to the company’s Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller, “The suspension of our community print editions has been forced on us by the rapid decline in advertising revenues following the restrictions placed on real estate auctions and home inspections and the forced closure of event venues and dine-in restaurants in the wake of the coronavirus emergency.”
Back to post:
The Federal Government bailout will cost an estimated $1.6 billion to assist the struggling industry and provide some relief to families, many of whom have taken their kids out of care.
Under the plan, the Federal Government will pay half of the operating costs of Australia’s 13,000 childcare and early learning centres.
Federal Education Minister, Dan Tehan said, “If parents have an existing relationship with a childcare centre, they will get free childcare. We want as many people able to work as we possibly can and we want them to be able to access childcare as they need to make sure their children are being looked after while they are working and helping us deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.”
“We want to ensure your childcare centre will remain open so that where you normally take your child to get cared for, that will be there for you so you are not looking to have to go to a new centre.”
Back to post:
The University was officially opened by Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan, and Peter Dutton, Federal Member for Dickson and Minister for Home Affairs.
More than 400 invited guests attended this historic occasion at the entrance to the impressive, three-storey building that has 16,000 square metres of floor space, state-of-the-art technology, and already accommodates more than 1,200 students.
Among the speakers today were Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan, Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath, Federal Member for Dickson and Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton, Acting Moreton Bay Mayor Mike Charlton, USC Chancellor Sir Angus Houston AK, and USC Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk sent her apologies and was not at the opening as she was attending the Hannah Clarke family funeral. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath, spoke on her behalf.
The USC Moreton Bay foundation building on Moreton Parade, Petrie, spans 16,000 square metres over three storeys.
It was designed by Hassell Studio and built by construction firm Hansen Yuncken over 18 months on Moreton Bay Regional Council land at Petrie, and was funded through a Commonwealth Government loan of $121 million.
The building has a huge central atrium that will be suitable for community events, and has been designed to cater for rapid growth of the student population (up to 3,600 students) over the campus’s first three years.
There is a 460-seat lecture theatre, state-of-the-art learning technology, nursing simulation labs, engineering labs, a ‘makerspace’ and library facilities.
USC Moreton Bay offers almost 50 undergraduate degrees including Business, Education, Health, Computer Science and Mechatronic Engineering.
More than 1,200 students have enrolled to study at USC Moreton Bay this semester, with the most sought-after degrees so far being Nursing Science, Animal Ecology, Psychology, Biomedical Science and Social Work.
The campus is tipped to grow significantly over the next decade, with an anticipated student population of 10,000 by 2030.
It will become the centrepiece of Moreton Bay Regional Council’s ‘The Mill at Moreton Bay’ development, which was declared a Priority Development Area by the State Government in 2016. This development will include commercial and residential areas, as well as large areas that will be returned to nature.
The building was designed by Hassell Studio and built by construction firm Hansen Yuncken over 18 months on Moreton Bay Regional Council land at Petrie. It was funded through a Commonwealth Government loan of $121 million.
The USC Moreton Bay foundation building has been built on land adjacent the former Petrie Paper Mill site. It is also next to the Petrie Train Station, providing excellent access to public transport for students and staff.
This afternoon the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) charged a 63-year-old man from Newport with two counts of misconduct in relation to public office.
He was arrested by the CCC and transported to Fortitude Valley Police Station where he was formally charged with two counts of misconduct in relation to public office contrary to section 92A(1)(c) of the Queensland Criminal Code.
He was bailed and is expected to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 5 February 2020.
As the CCC’s investigation remains ongoing and this matter is now before the court, the CCC is unable to comment further.
The CCC is an independent agency combating major crime and reducing corruption for the benefit of the Queensland community.
Source: https://www.ccc.qld.gov.au/
Pine Rivers Magazine – Dec19/Jan20 Holiday Edition. Use the left and right arrows to flick through the magazine.
Pine Rivers Magazine – November 2019. Use the left and right arrows to flick through the magazine.
Pine Rivers Magazine – October 2019. Use the left and right arrows to flick through the magazine.
