By Wide Bay Mp Llew O’brien
As we recover from 2020, we celebrate our Noosa innovators who break new ground, and local business people and community groups who have all pulled together through these very challenging times.
Local businesses saw strong support over the holidays and we need to sustain this momentum through the quieter months to keep the wheels of the economy turning.
We are not out of the woods yet and the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine is due to start in weeks. We’re investing an additional $1.9 billion in COVID-19 vaccines and most people can be vaccinated by October.
We want people to enjoy everything each distinct Noosa community has to offer, the range of accommodation, the restaurants and caf¨¦’s, the beaches and hinterland. The vaccine is a key part of the Morrison Government’s economic recovery plan to protect people and enable families and friends to safely reunite and socialise and support local businesses to keep people in jobs and local towns vibrant.
One local business primed for success in 2021 is the Heads of Noosa Brewing Company which has achieved a $20,000 grant through the Morrison Government’s Energy Efficient Communities Program. These funds will help Heads of Noosa to slash energy costs and support local jobs.
We are also supporting world leading bush-firefighting innovators. A recent firefighting demonstration at the Noosa Aerodrome by Fireball International, Helitak and McDermott Aviation showed us how they are changing the way bushfires are detected, fought and extinguished, and their collaboration will benefit fire-risk communities worldwide.
I was pleased to announce support for the development of this remarkable world-first technology with a $500,000 Entrepreneurs’ Programme grant for Fireball.International and assisted Helitak with a $497,500 Accelerating Commercialisation grant.
Where there is a community willing to innovate, I am pleased to help the Morrison Government play its part to support it, and it’s great this is happening in Noosa.
