While less than three per cent of residents in Noosa are employed in agriculture, its importance in our everyday lives is significant. Without agriculture we would not have access to shelter, clothing, cleaning products, and of course food.
Woolworths and the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) have launched the AgriEmpower Scholarship – investing $400,000 over four years in future agricultural changemakers. They are offering 20 scholarships of $20,000 each to individuals aged 25-40 across the agricultural supply chain. The program aims to build impactful networks and drive forward-thinking solutions that enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability in the ag sector.
Beyond the $20,000, the winners gain access to valuable events and workshops hosted by Woolworths and the NFF to build networks. Applications are now open, closing 30 June. You can find out more about this opportunity at nff.org.au/agriempower-scholarships.
There are numerous community, sporting, and recreational groups in need of funding to help them continue to grow and deliver programs, activities and services.
My office receives regular enquiries seeking grant funding, as often just a bit of extra assistance can make a big difference in local communities. It is disappointing that the Albanese Labor Government has either cut or pared back popular and successful regional development grant programs that the former Coalition Government provided to deliver tangible support for not-for-profit community service, veteran, and sporting organisations.
In Noosa, these programs delivered funding to enable the Sunshine Beach Surf Lifesaving Club to build a new clubhouse and to support Tourism Noosa to deliver training and events. The grant programs also assisted in the delivery of the Olive Donaldson Pavilion at Tewantin, the Peregian Beach Community House, improvements at the Pomona Bowls Club and Noosa District Softball Association, upgrades to Noosa Golf Club and Sunshine Butterflies, and extending the CCTV network in Hastings Street.
Groups including the Noosa Dolphins Rugby Union Club, the Noosa Tigers Australian Football Club, the Cooroy Chamber of Commerce, the Cooroy Badminton Club, the Tewantin Noosa Cricket Club, and NOOSA Alive! also received funding to support their activities.
These grant programs enabled the delivery of new projects to create new opportunities throughout Noosa, and local not for profit groups have been deprived of vital funding in the time since. I and my Coalition colleagues have been calling on the Albanese Government to establish grant programs for community, sporting and service groups to support the vital work they do.
Wide Bay is home to many talented young athletes, and I congratulate the local sports stars who will receive funding from the Australian Government’s Local Sporting Champions program, which helps meet the costs of participating in sporting events.
The following athletes will receive assistance to attend state, national, and international events, and I wish them every success in achieving their sporting goals.
Representing Wide Bay at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships are Noosaville’s Aiden Harris, Emmersen McEwan, Stella Carlson and Fynnian Norris, Lilly Donlan from Tewantin and Zachary Hutton from Peregian Beach.
The Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships will be contested by Ezra Dean, Shaun Dean, Kieran Dean, Oliver Thompson and Jaime Carberry from Sunrise Beach, Joe Tolano from Marcus Beach, Lachlan Caple from Sunshine Beach, and Patrick Duncanson and Margaret Duncanson from Tinbeerwah.
Mason Kopff from Tewantin and William Skinner from Peregian Beach will swim at the 2025 Australian Age and MC Age Championships, and Beau Galvin from Pomona and Zachary Harrison from Black Mountain are playing in the Queensland Representative School Sport State Soccer Championship.
Eli Melinz from Cooroibah, Harvey Zegers from Peregian Beach, and Linden Hermus from Tewantin will be attending the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, Jophiel Armijo from Pomona the AFL Championships, Elliot Bentley from Tewantin the Asian Roller Skating Championships, and Nellie Pocock from Tinbeerwah the SSA Triathlon and Aquathlon National Championships.
My office is always here to help in any matter controlled by the Australian Government. If you need assistance please contact me on telephone 4121 2936, email llew.obrien.mp@aph.gov.au, my website www.llewobrien.com.au or on Facebook www.facebook.com/llewobrienlnp.
