Under Round 2 of the COVID SAFE Active Clubs Kickstart program, 16 local clubs have received $2,000 in funding to support their activities and encourage Queenslanders to return to play.

We know sport is an important part of life for families in the Gladstone Region, with our clubs being the heart and soul of our community.

The successful recipients are: - BITS Saints AFC - Boyne Tannum Swim Club Inc. - Central Footbal Club Gladstone Inc - Clinton Football CLUB - Clinton Park Sports Association Inc. - Gladstone Calliope Equestrian Group/CQ Dressage - Harbour City Bmx Track - Gladstone Junior Touch - Gladstone Kart Club - Gladstone Rugby Football League Referee's Association Inc. - Gladstone South Swimming Club - Gladstone Tennis & Squash - Gladstone Touch Association Inc - Port City Pirates - Tannum Sands Rugby League Inc. - Valleys Junior Valleys Junior Rugby League Football Club Inc

On Monday, Energy resource company, Australian Future Energy, announced a Memorandum of Understanding with one of Japan’s leading general trading companies, ITOCHU Corporation.

Gladstone's world-class deepwater port, water security through Awoonga Dam, and industry attraction via our State Development Area have all meant that Gladstone is set up to be the Hydrogen Capital of Australia.

It’s because of our investment that the Gladstone region has an outstanding record in development of energy exports from a standing start.

Pic credit: The Observer

These funds have gone towards putting a hard roof shade cover over the existing Multi Purpose Courts and will be an excellent addition to the School.

Queenslanders have been a bit slow in their uptake to flu season, so we're encouraging everyone to get down to their local pharmacy and roll up their sleeves to help protect our community.

Adam says that it's quick, simple, and easy; pop on down to see him or any of our friendly neighbourhood providers.

These homework centres are a great alternative for busy families & will provide students with a supportive, supervised environment to do homework before they get home.

Principals can nominate to host a Homework Centre at their school by submitting a nomination form to their Regional Office.

A list of Regional Offices can be found here: https://education.qld.gov.au/.../state-schools-regional.

The Premier has now introduced the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 into Queensland Parliament to allow access to voluntary assisted dying in Queensland.

I encourage you to:

- Read the Queensland Law Reform Commission report or its summary

https://www.qlrc.qld.gov.au/.../qlrc-report-79-a-legal...

- Participate in the community discussion respectfully

- Take the opportunity to make a submission on the Bill.

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/.../current.../VADB2021

I support voluntary assisted dying. I believe it contains adequate safeguards, and I will be supporting the Bill.

These $10,000 grants can be used to fund facility maintenance and enhancement or to purchase necessary equipment and services to support marine rescue operations.

The importance of nurses, and the work they do can be felt now more that ever amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In Queensland, they have been on the frontline since the beginning and they have been tireless in their efforts to keep us all safe and healthy.

The Palaszczuk Government recognises the important role that nurses and midwives play in delivering high quality health care to Queenslanders.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the incredible work Nurses do for our community.

The thriving artisan liquor industry is supporting thousands of jobs and businesses can now apply for the new artisan producer license to allow their business to grow more flexibly.

We have already seen 13 brand new producers and 34 existing businesses apply for the licence.

Benefits of the new artisan producer licence include: • No limit to how much of their own product can be sold on their premises, providing production limits are met. • An option to sell samples of products at events such as farmers markets and sell their products at music festivals and sporting events. • The ability to sell their product as takeaway, including online.

For more information visit: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/.../licensing/applications/

This means jobs on the ground for our local rangers and researchers.

To make it even better, the boat was manufactured in Queensland meaning more support for manufacturing jobs in our great state.

It's one more milestone on the project that will deliver water security for Central Queensland, including Gladstone.

Great to join Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Tony Williams to mark the occasion.

It is fantastic to see the Strong Communities Ltd as one of the successful recipients and as they assist victims of domestic and family violence and support them in the safest and most appropriate way for their induvial needs.

The Strong Communities Ltd is well placed in our community, working with victims and perpetrators of domestic and family violence and the additional funding of $56,387 will assist with the increase in demand.

Domestic violence is a scourge on society and a sad indictment on humanity, and events such as this highlights the support that’s available for those seeking to escape the fear they wake to every day.

www.qld.gov.au/domesticviolence

The funding for the Gladstone Neighbourhood Centre means it can continue to deliver vital services to the community.

We are pleased that the Gladstone Regional Council will continue as the operator of the Gladstone Neighbourhood Centre, working in conjunction with other service providers and local support services to deliver vital community and social supports to local people.

The Gladstone Neighbourhood Centre has also recently supported a garden transformation project working with young local people, established a financial resilience working group, delivered a roads education program and compiled a welcome pack for new residents to the Gladstone region.

#lestweforget

By delivering this project, the Palaszczuk Labor Government is delivering water security and prosperity for the entire Central Queensland region - including Gladstone.

Access to water from the weir will be important as we continue to develop Gladstone as a hydrogen hub, creating new local jobs in the process.

We’ve just announced $15.5M in grants for Round 4 of our successful Made in Queensland manufacturing partnership program.

Made in Queensland grants of between $50,000 and $2.5 million are available to manufacturers operating in Queensland to become more internationally competitive and adopt innovative processes and technologies.

There’s even more on offer for manufacturers in regional Queensland, with eligible recipients getting up to 75% of their costs covered for projects to the value of $500,000.

For more information on Made in Queensland and to make an initial application, visit www.rdmw.qld.gov.au.