Brisbane Airport Corporation is holding a community information session as part of its commitment to community engagement.

The Brisbane Airport Community Information Sessions are designed to give local residents the opportunity to have their questions about the Brisbane airport answered one-on-one. Stations are set up around the room on key topics of interest such as the New Parallel Runway, airport development, flight paths, aircraft noise, public transport and more. Each station is staffed by expert senior managers from BAC and/or Airservices Australia. Maps, artist impressions, flight path software and other tools are also on hand to assist.

This community Information Session is open to all members of the public, and will be held:

Saturday 12 May, 10am till 12pm
Tarragindi Bowls Club
30 Andrew Ave, Tarragindi

I would encourage you to come along if you have any questions or concerns about the operations of the Brisbane Airport.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise this evening to bring to houses attention a very important issue in the electorate of Bonner and indeed the wider Australian community – that is the issue of mental health.

When I am talking with my Bonner constituents when I am out and about in the electorate I have observed a very definite trend emerging. Increasingly my constituents are concerned about mental health and the impacts it has not only on their own lives but on the lives of their families and friends.
Almost half the nation’s population (45 %) will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their life.

One of the big problems facing mental health treatment in Australia is that so often mental health is categorized too simply as a condition in and of itself. In talking to several interest groups in my electorate it has become clear this over simplification hides the true complexity surrounding the issue.

Another significant challenge that faces these local mental health oriented community groups in Bonner is that of funding. I have been told again and again about the enormous struggle that these smaller groups face in accessing funding mechanisms that allow them to grow and continue to operate at a grass routes basis with the help of hard working, committed volunteers. Far from the large scale funding grants available to larger established organisations, I have observed that smaller groups and support networks can do a lot of impactful community work with limited money.

These groups make a significant impact on the lives of those experiencing mental health issues but I have frequently witnesses their frustration at the lack of infrastructure that would help them develop their outreach further.

Recent studies have found that 1 in 5 people will experience some form of mental illness in any given year. Yet only one third of sufferers receive help from health services – a staggering 65 percent of sufferers battle their disorder alone or with only family assistance.

So what can be done to assist these groups in their operations? What strategies will better assist the smaller organisations at a grassroots level to overcome the increasing challenges facing the community in relation to mental health?

Mr Deputy Speaker, mental health care is at a critical juncture. Genuine reform and real action is needed to provide improved access to care, better long term outcomes for patients and more efficient use of resources.
As Health Minister in the Howard Coalition Government, Tony Abbott oversaw the biggest single injection of funding into mental health services. $1.9 billion was provided in 2006 for the following five years.

The time to tackle mental illness is when it first occurs. The prevalence of mental health problems declines with age. It is our younger Australians – those between 16 and 24 – who bear the brunt of mental illness. Evidence shows that with early and targeted treatment many young people can overcome their problems and lead socially and economically productive lives with lower incidence of progression or relapse.

Delay in accessing appropriate treatment can be damaging for a young person, particularly during adolescence. Maturity can be delayed, social and family relationships can be strained and employment prospects are derailed.

Secondary problems such as substance abuse, unemployment and behavioural problems may develop or intensify and the illness itself may become more deeply entrenched. That is why it is so crucial that volunteers on the ground have access to adequate support in order to achieve their local operational goals.

The Coalition’s Real Action Plan for Better Mental Health includes those support structures vital to achieving local and nation wide objectives. 20 early Psychosis intervention centres, 800 mental health beds and 60 additional youth headspace sites across the country will assist those already founded networks in accessing quality mental health services.

The Coalition’s Direct Action Plan for Better Mental Health is fully funded and builds on existing mental health funding provided in the previous Budget. The Coalition will also redirect funding away from new bureaucratic structures proposed by Labor to provide additional funding directly to front-line mental health services. These are important steps that need to be taken in order to achieve real impacting change to Australian mental health.

It is with great pleasure that I rise this morning to give my full support to the recommendation that 45 volunteers from the Australian Volunteer Coastguard Flotilla, known as Coastguard Brisbane, receive the National Emergency Medal for their significant service to the community during the Brisbane flood crisis in January 2011. These 45 coastguard volunteers from Queensland Flotilla 2 were the first to respond to a call for help from the Brisbane Water Police when a flood emergency was declared in Brisbane and surrounding areas on 10 January 2011. They provided significant service in direct response to the flood emergency, protecting lives and property.

I feel that the significant service from 45 unpaid volunteers in direct support of the emergency flood response for the entire duration of the flood emergency in Brisbane and Ipswich clearly went beyond ordinary coastguard duties and therefore represents extraordinary service. The dedication and selflessness of these 45 volunteers from Coastguard Brisbane saved precious lives and I believe their actions to be those of true heroes. As the federal member for Bonner, I have no hesitation in throwing my full support behind these great people and wholeheartedly recommend that each member of Coastguard Brisbane who served our community so significantly during the Queensland flood emergency of January 2011 should receive the National Emergency Medal. They are Steven Allen, Darren Bennett, Neil Bensley, Craig Bowen, Mark Bray, Stephanie Bray, Paul Burchell, Kevin Condon, Rex Coombes, Steven Creevey, Greg Dyer, Jason Ferrari, Bruce Fleming, Steven Fleming, Gabe Giaccio, Mark Glover, Christian Hager, Shane Hall, Terry Heathcote, Daniel Hunt, Peter Liddle, Guy McEntyre, Allen Penman, John Philp, Brian Prescott, Peter Ratcliffe, Scott Rieck, David Richards, Michelle Richards, Aaron Riddle, Rhiannon Shaw, Harvey Shore, Stuart Smalley, Allan Tennent, Graeme Thompson, Malcolm Walker, Peter Walter, Shayne Whitlock, Owen Wills, Alana Wood and Don Young, as well as Lurlene Bowen, Ron Foster, Brian Lloyd and Beverley Tyrrell. Thank you again on behalf of the Australian parliament.

Epilepsy Queensland invites you, your family and friends to help celebrate
Purple day for Epilepsy.

Join staff, volunteers and members for a Purple Procession (walk) through South Bank, Brisbane to watch the city’s skyline turn purple – as QPAC, Kurilpa Bridge, Treasury Casino and The Brisbane Wheel all light up purple in support of epilepsy awareness.

The walk will commence from The Ship Inn, South Bank at 5.30 pm.
Afterwards celebrate with us back at The Ship Inn from 6.15 pm
for a chat, nibbles and complimentary drink on arrival.

Bookings are essential and wearing something purple would be perfect!

RSVP by Thursday 22 March – 3435 5000 or rsvp@epilepsyqueensland.com.au

For more information please contact Epilepsy Queensland on 3435 5000

All too frequently, a family in Australia is confronted with the news that a child has been diagnosed with a rare disease, a condition that is severe, chronic, regularly degenerative and life threatening, and for which there is often no cure. The family quickly discovers that there is little support available: even if there is medical assistance, there is virtually no help financially, nor is there a social network on which to call. No one in their community has ever heard of the disease their child is suffering from; they are isolated and alone.

It is my pleasure to invite you to a lunch on 22nd March in the Senate Alcove, 12.00pm – 1.50pm, to celebrate a milestone of which to be very proud: the Foundation’s 500th grant to a family impacted by a rare disease. This event is proudly supported by Genzyme, a company undertaking important research work in this space. During the lunch, there will be briefings about the work undertaken by SMILE, insights from a medical specialist, and from a family impacted by a rare disease.

The SMILE Foundation is a groundbreaking national charity that was established in 2007 to improve the quality of life of children with a rare disease or condition. SMILE provides financial assistance to families of affected children, which is often the only support they receive. Additionally, the SMILE Foundation funds research relating to rare childhood medical conditions. SMILE is also committed to raising awareness of rare childhood diseases, an area which in the past has often been sadly overlooked.

One in every ten Australians is affected by a rare disease: today, there are over 2 million people including 400,000 children living with a rare, unique and often recently identified genetic condition. There will be constituents in your electorate who daily struggle with the challenges of coping with and caring for people who suffer from rare diseases.

Your participation in this event will help to significantly raise awareness of what we can all do for those living with a rare disease – we do hope you will be able to join us on this important occasion.

Eliza Newton will be in touch with your office to ascertain your availability, but please don’t hesitate to contact her in the meantime if you have any questions – (02) 8281 3252.

PDN Twilight Workshop: Wednesday 21st March 2012

Overview:

The purpose of this workshop is to assist participants in setting up environments that are supportive of people with ASDs. Specifically, physical structure to give meaning to the environment and reduce visual and auditory distractions will be covered. Additionally, visual supports such as schedules, work systems, curricular adaptations and modifications will be discussed within the context of Universal Designs for Learning. This workshop will utilise pictures and videos from across a range of school and community placements and will include examples from early intervention through adulthood.

The Presenter: Dr Laurie Sperry Ph.D.

Dr. Laurie Sperry was a classroom teacher for children with autism and related disabilities for 8 years. After leaving the classroom, she served as a state consultant for the Autism Division in South Carolina. She received her Ph.D. in Child Development and Family Studies and did postdoctoral work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She worked with Division TEACCH for a number of years as a lead trainer, served on 2 diagnostic teams- young children and adolescents/adults, co-developed a play and social skills group for parents with young children who were newly diagnosed with autism and worked with the adult social skills group. She is a consulting editor for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders and has published numerous articles and written a book chapter related to autism spectrum disorders.

You may register by: On-line Registration:

It is with pleasure that I rise tonight to acknowledge the bravery of the 102nd Field Battery, Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery for its collective gallantry and heroic actions that took place on the night of 12 to 13 May 1968 in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The 102nd’s exemplary conduct on that evening against a numerically superior enemy has yet to be formally recognised by the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal, and tonight I would like to formally raise this matter. I have been made aware that a submission for an award of a Unit Citation for Gallantry for the 102nd is currently before the tribunal. I would strongly encourage the tribunal to formally recognise the collective tenacity and bravery of the Australians who held their ground under intense enemy pressure on the first night of fierce fighting at Fire Support Base Coral in South Vietnam.

The members of the 102nd were under strength and unprepared for the fierce attack that evening and were faced with a 1,000-strong North Vietnamese Army unit who were fresh and well equipped and whose objective that night was to secure the six guns of the 102nd. The North Vietnamese Army succeeded in securing only one of the six Australian guns that evening due to the bold and heroic actions of the battery. The members of the battery were engaged in close hand-to-hand combat with the enemy whilst performing their main purpose, which was to provide support to the Australian infantry, all the while under sustained mass infantry attack. To summarise for you today, as many as 220 Australians would have been captured and lives subsequently lost,; six Australian guns would have been lost, mortar and other vital equipment and supplies would have been lost, and the regiment headquarters would have been overrun-truly unthinkable outcomes. Without the 102nd’s brave actions it really could have become a reality of the Vietnam War. The 102nd’s courageous actions were brought to my attention by my Bonner constituent Mr Jurgen Harms of Wynnum, who served in the Vietnam War and was part of the 102nd FB. I thank him for his ongoing efforts in achieving appropriate recognition for this battle. In conclusion, I would like to formerly place my full support behind the 102nd Field Battery, Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery in their submission to be awarded the Unit Citation for Gallantry.