The recent Parliamentary recess gave me the opportunity to get out and about in Wide Bay again and catch up with a number of community, sporting, and service groups to discuss their needs, goals, and plans for the future.
My friend and LNP candidate for Noosa Clare Stewart joined me visiting groups in Noosa that received funding from the Australian Government’s 2023-24 Volunteer Grants Program.
The Cooroora Historical Society, also known as the Noosa Museum at Pomona, received $2500 and their grant was used to buy office, computer, and outdoor maintenance equipment to help keep their volunteers safe and comfortable while they perform their roles. The Museum has an incredible collection of memorabilia and photographs and is open to the public and to researchers interested in Noosa’s history.
Pomona District Meals on Wheels is helping to meet the fuel costs of their volunteer delivery drivers with the $5000 they received from the Volunteer Grants Program. The Meals on Wheels volunteers make an incredible difference in the lives of their clients and it’s important that the Australian Government assists in alleviating some of the costs their volunteers incur, who use their own vehicles to deliver meals and to keep people connected with their community.
The Noosa District Basketball Association at Noosaville has been awarded a $2500 grant, which has been used to purchase computer equipment to support their volunteers who perform various roles leading up to and including game day.
In the Mary Valley, the Friends of Amamoor group run a very popular monthly Cheers and Beers event, and their $2750 grant is allowing them to purchase kitchen items and computer equipment to help decrease the work load for their volunteers and ensure they can keep this great community event going.
The volunteers at the Kandanga Cemetery Association do wonderful work maintaining and repairing the historic Kandanga cemetery. A $2430 grant allowed them to purchase computer equipment and a portable gazebo to support their volunteers and assist in keeping records that chronicle the rich heritage and pioneering families of the region.
Wide Bay’s volunteers are our most valuable community resource, and another round of the popular Volunteer Grants will open towards the end of this year, giving not-for-profit volunteer groups the opportunity to apply for funding to support the important work they do helping others. Please contact my office on 4121 2936 if you would like to be notified when this Volunteer Grants round opens.
In other news, Telstra and Optus have extended their 3G network shutdown date to 28 October. There’s been concern about the shutdown affecting a range of older 3G devices and some 4G-enabled devices.
My LNP colleague, Queensland Senator Matt Canavan chaired an inquiry into the shutdown and called on Telstra and Optus to delay the closure to ensure that concerns about public safety, business connectivity and the continuity of services are addressed.
Impacted devices may include phones, smartwatches, tablets, in-home personal emergency alarms, EFTPOS terminals and fire and security alarms, so it’s important to check your tech at 3gclosure.com.au or with your service provider, so you can stay safe and connected.
