Forgotten bonds redirected to help needy families

Queensland residential tenants and rental property owners are being urged to check if they are one of more than 42,500 people who have forgotten to get their bond refund. Housing Minister Tim Mander said the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) was holding $9.35 million in forgotten bonds that had accumulated over the past 25 years. “I…

Closing go card loophole saves $200,000 a year

Honest public transport users will benefit from savings of more than $200,000 per year after changes were made to the refundable deposit on adult go cards. In May 2013, the refundable deposit on adult go cards was increased from $5 to $10 to close a loophole that saw people deliberately running the balance below $5…

Queensland child protection reforms passed

The Queensland Government is delivering on its commitment to making Queensland the safest place to raise a child with reforms recommended by the Child Protection Commission of Inquiry passed in Parliament today. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie said the Government was following the Commission’s roadmap to build an effective and sustainable child protection…

Science seeks solution to gender imbalance

More than double the number of boys than girls is studying physics, information technology, technology and maths C in Queensland according to new information. Science and Innovation Minister Ian Walker said it was important to address the gender imbalance which was far greater in some instances, with only 26 per cent of Year 11 Physics…

Have your say on Maroons birth certificates

Queensland Maroons fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite specially designed State of Origin birth certificate as part of a state wide competition launched today. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie was joined by members of the Queensland team and said the commemorative certificates were a unique way for supporters to…

Construction industry’s new long term blueprint

 The long-term future of Queensland’s building and construction industry will be secured through a new blueprint set to be developed by industry and the State Government. Minister for Housing and Public Works Tim Mander said ConstructionQ would help deliver on the Government’s election promise to grow the construction industry as one of the pillars of…

New campaign to prevent more ceiling tragedies

A comprehensive awareness campaign about the risks of working in ceilings will be launched, following the deaths of three Queenslanders during the rollout of the former Federal Government’s home insulation scheme. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie launched the campaign with Kevin Fuller, whose son Matthew died while installing insulation, and said the move…

Plan to Fix the Bruce Highway starts with Cooroy to Curra

LEND Lease Engineering has secured the third and final contract for works to complete the Bruce Highway’s $590 million Cooroy to Curra Section A upgrade. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss was on-site today to announce the awarding of the contract for the project. “Lend Lease Engineering is already…

More health capacity, activity on the Sunshine Coast

Increased public hospital activity, capacity and performance on the Sunshine Coast have been highlighted by new waiting list performance data to be published by the Queensland Government on Monday. Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service was catering for increasing growth and patient demand – with an extra 110 public…