Hervey Bay Gossip

Multicultural Affairs Minister Chris Cummins today announced $7,120 funding for two Wide Bay region community groups to run awareness raising projects in Gympie, Hervey Bay, Childers, Maryborough and Bundaberg.

Mr Cummins said the funding, provided through the Beattie Government’s Muslim Community Grants program, was part of more than $160,000 for fifteen projects across the state, promoting interaction and understanding between Muslim and non Muslim Queenslanders.

“The Fraser Coast Cultural Consultative Group will receive $4,800 to host a series of interactive workshops covering interfaith relationships and the contributions and history of Muslims in Queensland,” he said.

“The workshops will be linked to regional media to help promote acceptance and understanding between all groups in the Wide Bay region and provide an opportunity for people to learn more about each others’ faiths and practices.”

Level 3 water restrictions were introduced today in the Beaudesert, Brisbane, Caboolture, Esk, Gatton, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Kilcoy, Laidley, Logan, PineRivers and Redcliffe council areas.

The decision to move to such severe restrictions was taken after the combined storage levels of Wivenhoe, North Pine and Somerset dams reached 30%.

The penalties for breaching these restrictions are $150 for individuals and $750 for corporations for the first offence. For a second offence within two years of the first breach, fines are $225 for individuals and $1125 for corporations.

For a third offence or subsequent offences, within two years of the first offence or within six months of the most recent breach, the fines are $300 for individuals and $1500 for corporations.

There has also been some suggestion that offenders will have their water supply cut off.

This is serious business and we here in Hervey Bay should be thankful that the water reserves in our dam is at a much more healthy level.

The body of Wayne Shulz - the Hervey Bay man killed in Iraq - will be returned to Australia later this week. A private family funeral will be held on a date to be fixed.

For years they’ve been battling low prices and rising costs and now when they are ready for some good times to arrive as the use of ethanol in fuels increases they’re facing another rough time.

Sugarcane Smut is a disease that is usually found in South America and parts of Africa although it has appeared in Australia before in cane in the Ord River area of Western Australia in 1997-1998. At that time the Sugar Research and Development Corporation funded a report into a contingency plan to manage an outbreak here if one should occur.

You can read that report here

Now it finally has arrived on the east coast and a farm in Childers has been quarantined. Unfortunately that may not do much good because the disease is carried on the wind and the State Government has inspectors looking at surrounding cane farms.

Sugarcane Smut attacks the cane plant and severely stunts it’s growth and of course that affects the yield which is something that the sugar cane industry could well do without just now.

Further information about Sugarcane Smut can be found here

Well at least as far as the Coalition is concerned.

In talks last week the Nats and Liberals agreed that the state seat of Hervey Bay would be contested at the next election by the Nationals and three other seats will also be contested by one Coalition candidate.

While Mr Springbord is quoted as being “delighted” it would certainly help those candidates if the Coalition actually had some policies instead of nothing more substantial than hot air.

If you actually know of any policies that the Coalition might have please feel free to post them in the comments section. I’m sure a lot of people in Hervey Bay would be interested to read them.

Cadbury in the UK certainly seems to think so - especially after finding that at the end of 2005 they had an over-abundance of chocolate after a computer glitch resulted in a production rate that far exceeded the market’s ability to consume the product.

Yeah that’s right … when things go wrong blame the computer guy

Today’s Courier Mail is reporting that Wayne Schulz, the security guard who was killed in Iraq yesterday, was in the process of building a home for his family in Hervey Bay.

You can read the full story here

A free, small business management skills training program for Queensland aviation businesses, piloted on the Sunshine Coast in February and March this year, is now being offered in Cairns and the Wide Bay region, as well as the south east corner of the state.

Small Business Minister Chris Cummins today said about 30 business people had attended the pilot program on the Sunshine Coast and subsequently established a Sunshine Coast Aviation Network that now meets every four to six weeks.

“We piloted this program, a series of three workshops delivered by the Australian Institute of Management on behalf of the government, to help local aviation businesses take advantage of the state’s growing aviation and aerospace industry,” he said.

“Since coming to office the Beattie Government has helped generate 6,000 new jobs in the aviation sector.

“We’ve put a lot of effort into attracting major aviation industry companies to Queensland and last month the Premier announced $6.5 million funding to ensure the continued growth of the sector. He also announced Brisbane’s selection as host of the 2006 Asia Pacific Aviation Summit from July 26-28.

“We are now a key centre for defence aerospace support, research and development, as well as aviation training and maintenance.

“With major companies coming here, a growing defence aviation presence and more scheduled air routes to Queensland, there are plenty of opportunities for local small and medium-sized businesses.

“Boeing spends more than 60% of its total costs in Queensland and is implementing a deliberate policy to spread their business around small-to-medium-sized Queensland companies.

“It’s acknowledgement that the Smart State is the smart choice when it comes to choosing a place to do business.”

Jan Becker from Becker Helicopters said the business training program was fantastic.

Jan and Mike Becker operate their flight training business out of the SunshineCoastAirport.

“It’s helped us enormously with our business,” Ms Becker said. “But perhaps, the greatest benefit for us was coming together with other aviation and aerospace businesses and seeing our collectives strengths and weaknesses.

“As a business, you often feel you operate in isolation. You feel that there are certain challenges unique to you, like the amount of regulatory paperwork you have to fill in. But the reality is you’re not alone and that there are others out there with similar issues.”

Ms Becker said this was why the participants in the program had decided to establish an aviation and aerospace business network.

“We plan to meet monthly to chew the fat, so to speak,” she said. “Basically, this will provide us with a supportive environment in which to develop our businesses, share our successes and work together on finding solutions to our common challenges.”

Mr Cummins said aviation businesses in Cairns, the south east and WideBay should contact Sarah MacDonald on 3227 4867 to enrol for training at the following locations:

Cairns Aviation Skills Centre - CairnsAirport, 1 Tom McDonald Drive on 18 and19 July and 21 August

Brisbane - Australian Institute of Management - cnr Boundary and Rosa Streets, Spring Hill on the 27 and 28 July and 29 August

HerveyBay - Playa Concha, Shelly Beach, 475 Esplanade on 3 and 4 August and 1 September

“This is free training funded by the Beattie Government as a service to industry,” Mr Cummins said.

Company contact details: Becker Helicopters, Ms Jan Becker, 5448 9888, Street address: 7 Friendship Avenue, SunshineCoastAirport, Mudjimba, Email: jb@beckerhelicopters.com, Website: www.beckerhelicopters.com

You don’t have to live in Hervey Bay for long before the sound of rescue helicopters overhead becomes a common occurrence. Hardly a week goes by when there isn’t at least one call-out to Fraser Island or an emergency medical transfer to Brisbane.

Queensland’s network of community helicopters will receive a significant boost to their operational capability with the funding announced in this week’s State Budget, Emergency Services Minister Pat Purcell said today.

In the Beattie Government’s 2006-07 Budget $5.1 million was allocated for community helicopter providers, as part of a $13.2 million commitment over four years.

The four providers are: Energex Community Rescue, RACQ CareFlight, Central Queensland Rescue, and Capricorn Helicopter Rescue.

The community helicopter providers offer important rescue and aeromedical capability to Queenslanders, Mr Purcell said.

“They undertake a range of missions, including search and rescue, attending motor vehicle accidents, fighting bushfires, and transferring patients between hospitals,” Mr Purcell said.

“Their services are free of charge to users. Last financial year they completed more than 1500 missions.

“The community helicopter providers, along with the Emergency Management Queensland fleet of rescue helicopters, ensure the State is well covered.

While it’s the dream of many people to start and operate their own small business that dream can quickly turn into a nightmare as things start to go wrong.

Maryborough locals wanting to start their own small business should attend a free development workshop on Wednesday the 14th June, at the Ergon Energy Building, 97-99 Adelaide Street, Maryborough.

Small Business Minister Chris Cummins today said the Getting Started in Business workshop would run from 12 noon to 2 pm and help budding small business operators identify what it takes to make a success of a new venture.

“Starting your own business is an exciting prospect but it’s also challenging and there are many pitfalls for beginners to be aware of,” Mr Cummins said.

“Participants will find out about businesses that have performed well and why. They will also learn about the benefits of networking and the importance of taking a close look at their own aspirations and skills.

“The workshop will provide valuable tips on business planning, advice on where to get more information and the importance of properly researching a business idea.

“General information will include: how to determine the feasibility of the business idea; licensing and regulation requirements; choosing the right location; and, legal issues.”

To book for the free Getting Started in Business workshop or for more information, telephone the Maryborough State Development Centre on 4121 1780 or visit www.sd.qld.gov.au/maryborough.