Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson today welcomed news of a three year funding commitment from the Queensland Government for the delivery of free or low-cost legal services to vulnerable and disadvantaged Queenslanders. Fiona Simpson MP has announced that two local service providers will receive funding from the Legal Practitioner Interest on Trust Accounts Fund…
Taxpayer funding for political parties will be slashed under reforms to Queensland’s electoral system passed in Parliament today. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie said the Government’s reforms would protect and modernise Queensland’s electoral system. “We promised at the election that we would restore accountability to Government and these reforms clean up electoral amendments,…
Queensland’s environment will be the big winner after the new Environmental Offsets Bill was passed in parliament fulfilling another election commitment by the Newman Government. Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, Andrew Powell, said the new legislation gives the government the opportunity to focus investment on frontline corridors with high environmental value. “This means for…
It sounds like something out of science fiction but a US company is planning to produce kidney tissues using a 3D printer. And there’s a Queensland connection. Minister for Science and Innovation Ian Walker said mini-kidney tissue would be printed by America’s 3D bio-printing company Organovo following an agreement signed with the University of Queensland’s…
A free, independent system to review decisions made by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission has been established, in a significant reform to the building industry. Minister for Housing and Public Works Tim Mander said that previously, home owners, builders, contractors and certifiers could only appeal the building industry regulator’s decisions in the Queensland Civil…
The building and construction industry will receive another boost with legislation that brings down costs by reducing red tape. Minister for Housing and Public Works Tim Mander said moving the licensing and compliance function to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission would result in cost and efficiency savings for the industry. “There are currently two…