Financial Information Service- Free Seminars

Come along to a free financial seminar where an expert from the Department of Human Services Financial Information Service will talk about ways to develop wealth and build your financial resources for the future.

Venue: Wynnum Leagues Club- Premier Room, 92 Wondall Rd, Manly West
RSVP: 136 357 to reserve your place and for further information about the seminars or email: fis.seminar.bookings@humanservices.gov.au  


Understanding Your Pension- Wednesday 2nd September 2015, 6:30pm-7:30pm

– How income and assets are assessed.
– Concessions & other services
– Centrelink assessment issues
– Rights & obligations

Understanding Superannuation- Wednesday 9th September 2015, 6:30pm-7:30pm

– How super works
– Contribution and access rules
– Fund choices & Investment options
– Taxation of superannuation

Understanding Income Streams- Wednesday 16th September 2015, 6:30pm-7:30pm

– How Income streams work
– Fund choices & investment options
– Tax & Centrelink assessment
– Transition to retirement

Understanding Your Pension- Wednesday 23rd September 2015, 6:30pm-7:30pm

– How income and assets are assessed
– Centrelink assessment issues
– Consessions & other services
– Rights & obligations

Read More
Vasta-with-Wynnum-Police-ice-taskforce

$1 MILLION CRIME STOPPERS CAMPAIGN TO HELP COMBAT ICE SCOURGE

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta has welcomed the Coalition Government’s announcement that $1 million in funding would be made available to Crime Stoppers to roll out a national ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign to help combat Australia’s ice scourge.

Mr Vasta said the national campaign asks community members to report people who are dealing illegal drugs as part of a national initiative to crack down on the supply of ice at our borders and in our communities.

He said the campaign would be modelled on a similar Crime Stoppers initiative in Victoria which resulted in information increases of 100 per cent to 400 per cent across its 15 regional campaign sites.

“The fight against ice can only be effective when the community and law enforcement agencies work together,” Mr Vasta said.

“Information from the public plays an essential role in helping police and other agencies to bust drug manufacturers and prevent illegal drugs from ending up on our streets.”

Mr Vasta said he was concerned about the growing impact of ice on the community and that he was working with local authorities and experts on measures to stop the spread of the drug.

“I have met with Wynnum Police and ice taskforce experts Senior Sergeant Mark Norrish and Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Austin to discuss our local situation and strategies to combat the ice epidemic,” Mr Vasta said.

“I will also be hosting Minister Keenan in Bonner for a forum to answer the community’s questions on ice and the Government’s measures to stop its spread.”

Minister Keenan said ice posed the highest risk of all illegal drugs to the community because of the violent, menacing and irrational way people behave under its influence.

“With more than 60 per cent of Australia’s most significant organised crime groups involved in the ice market and about 200,000 Australians reported to have used ice in the last 12 months, it is up to all of us – government, industry, law enforcement agencies, health workers, educators and the community – to work together to remove this ongoing threat to Australia,” Minister Keenan said.

The ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign will be rolled out in consultation with the states and territories but all instances of crime or suspicious behaviour can be reported to Crime Stoppers now on 1800 333 000.

Read More
Michael-and-Ross

SCHOOL COMPETITION TO HONOUR AUSTRALIA’S VIETNAM VETERANS

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta today encouraged secondary schools in Bonner to participate in the Australian Government’s Honouring Australian Vietnam Veterans schools’ competition.

The competition encourages students in Year 9 and 10 to explore the service of Australia’s Vietnam veterans, and to reflect on the importance of remembering their involvement in the conflict.

“More than 60,000 Australian servicemen and women were deployed to Vietnam between 1962 and 1975, and over 500 were killed. While many returned home with physical and emotional scars, all came home with a personal story to tell,” Mr Vasta said.

“The Honouring Australian Vietnam Veterans schools’ competition offers students an opportunity to research some of these stories and better understand their service.  Students can submit responses in a variety of ways, including multi-media, artworks, musical compositions or essays.”

The competition is open from Tuesday, 18 August 2015 until Friday, 8 April 2016, giving students two full terms to participate. Schools can enter their best individual student entry.

Winning students will be invited to attend a three-day Canberra Commemorative Programme in August 2016, where they will visit cultural institutions and attend the national commemorative event marking the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

The Honouring Australian Vietnam Veterans schools’ competition is one of several initiatives linked to the Australian Government’s Anzac Centenary national programme. A key aim of the programme is to improve education and awareness about Australia’s wartime history, especially among younger Australians.

Further information, including entry details, the competition question, guidelines and frequently asked questions, is available at www.anzacportal.dva.gov.au/competitions

Read More
shop_02-2

ROSS VASTA FAREWELLS LOCAL AMBASSADORS

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta MP has farewelled local Mansfield State High School students ahead of their exchange programme to France.

Ross was particularly proud to have Zac Look, one of Mansfield SHS’s Year 12 students, contact him directly to request the National Australian Flag to present to their sister school Jean-Baptiste de la Salle School in Rouen.

“It was such a privilege to be invited to see off this delegation,” Mr Vasta said.

“After seeing the quality of students embarking on this exciting adventure, I am filled with confidence knowing the Mansfield school community is being represented by these outstanding students.”

Mansfield SHS teacher Sarah Fryer, who will be accompanying the students, said the school was proud of the long-standing exchange program established in 1999.

“The program is invaluable for students to experience the culture and speak the language they are learning,” Mrs Fryer said.

“The students will be spending their September holidays immersed in French culture, history, language and of course, food!”

As local ambassadors for Bonner, Mr Vasta wishes the student group and the accompanying teachers and parents all the best for a safe and happy learning experience. 

Read More

Annual Gem Show

The Waterloo Bay Lapidary Club's annual fundraising Gem Show has become the event of the year for Hemmant and surrounds. Over 30 stalls are offering gems, minerals, rocks, crystals, jewellery and handicrafts. There is a raffle of beautiful jewellery and refreshments in our Soft Rock Cafe. See a display of club members work. Take a tour of our club workshop where all the magic happens. Come by train – Hemmant Station is just across the road. 

When: Saturday 29th August 2015, 9am-3pm
Where: Hemmant Community Hall, cor Ramsay and Brand St, Hemmant
Admission- Adults $3, Pensioners $2 and Children under 12 are free!

Read More

90 second statement speech- EACH

Mr VASTA (Bonner) (13:49): Today I would like to bring attention to a very special organisation in Bonner. The EACH social activity club has made a huge difference to the lives of a number of people in Wynnum and surrounding areas. Just recently I had the pleasure of having afternoon tea with members of the group. It was great to catch up with everyone and hear members' stories about how EACH has changed their lives for the better. EACH is a fully federally funded program that has provided vital social and community health services across Australia for over 40 years.

The EACH activity club opened in Wynnum just one year ago, and already it has grown to around 150 members. These members can choose from 16 activities a week, including aqua therapy, gentle gym, gardening and book club, and can take part in day trips as well. EACH not only provides valuable social support to older Australians in our community but also expands their networking opportunities. Two people at EACH Wynnum were able to set up their own businesses through partnerships built by the club.

EACH Wynnum has partnered with local services including the local PCYC and Meals on Wheels to enhance the services on offer to its members. I want to thank coordinator Tracey Slater and everyone at the club for their lovely hospitality to me and for the wonderful service that they provide to vulnerable people in my electorate. I am pleased to report more people are taking part in EACH's club activities every day. I look forward to— (Time expired)

Read More

NEW ROUNDS FOR GREEN PROGRAMMES OPEN IN BONNER

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta, today announced that the next application rounds for the Australian Government’s Green Army and 20 Million Trees programmes were now open.

“The Government wants local people to join the Green Army to work on local projects in our community, and we want local groups to come forward with ideas for projects,” Mr Vasta said.

“We invite potential project hosts such as community organisations, Landcare groups, natural resource management organisations, environment groups, Indigenous organisations, local councils and others to put forward local project ideas as part of Round 4 of the Green Army,” Mr Vasta said.

Round 4 Green Army applications are open until 2pm Canberra time (AEST) on Wednesday, 16 September 2015.

“Information sessions about how to get involved in the Green Army are currently running across Australia for local community groups and young people interested in signing up,” Mr Vasta said.

Mr Vasta encouraged those interested to attend one of two information sessions to be held in Brisbane on Thursday, 20 August 2015 at the Mercure Hotel:

 

  • Project Host Information Session – 9am to 11am;

  • Participant Information Session – 11am to 1pm.

Mr Vasta also invited community groups, organisations and individuals to start their own tree planting projects by applying for grants under Round 2 of the 20 Million Trees Programme, which aims to see 20 million trees planted across Australia by 2020.

“Funding of up to $5 million is now available under the second round of the programme with grants of between $20,000 and $100,000 available for projects which will re-establish native vegetation, provide habitat to support threatened species and to improve the local environment,” Mr Vasta said.

“This is a great opportunity for the many local people in our community who are committed to conservation and green spaces.”

Applications for Round 2 of the 20 Million Trees Programme are open until 2pm Canberra time (AEST) on Wednesday, 16 September 2015.

“I look forward to seeing these trees—and the millions to follow under this programme—grow into thriving green corridors and urban forests,” Mr Vasta said.

More information about Round 4 of the Green Army Programme, including eligibility, project guidelines, application form and the full schedule of community information sessions is available at www.australia.gov.au/greenarmy.

More information about Round 2 of the 20 Million Trees Programme is available at www.nrm.gov.au/20-million-trees.

Read More

Adjournment speech- Stronger Communities Program

Mr VASTA (Bonner) (19:55): Mr Speaker, I congratulate you on your recent elevation to that office. It is with great pleasure tonight that I inform the House and the community and sporting groups in my electorate of Bonner of the fantastic opportunities available to them through the Stronger Communities Program. The coalition are committed to local communities. We understand the importance of creating opportunities to support local community and sporting groups, and that is precisely what we are doing through this suite of grants. In the last few weeks, I have had the privilege of being present at the openings of the Mount Gravatt Men's Shed's incredible new extension, the Gumdale and District Progress Association's new car park and the St Paul's Uniting Sporting Club's new clubhouse.

These wonderful upgrades will serve the local community for many years to come and are evidence of this government's commitment to sporting and local community groups. The Stronger Communities Program gives our local community the opportunity to apply for small capital works grants to upgrade areas across Bonner, such as town halls, sporting infrastructure like turf, change rooms, canteens and so on. The applications have now opened, and the Bonner community steering committee has been established to help assess worthy applications, so I am encouraging organisations in Bonner to get on board now. I have already received wonderful feedback from local group executive members who have wholeheartedly thrown their support behind this initiative and are eager to apply. Eligibility requirements have been designed to be simple and wide ranging, meaning there is scope for a huge variety of groups and clubs to apply. To be eligible, groups need to be listed as not for profit and have an ABN.

There is no doubt about the wide-ranging benefits of engaging positively with local groups. In Bonner, sporting clubs and community organisations are the beating heart of the community. They offer a space to fill the void of social isolation, they provide a platform to allow our volunteers to showcase their skills and, most importantly, they are eyes and ears on the ground, plugged into the needs and aspirations of my constituency in an intimate and ongoing way. I rely on my community groups as a source of information and to fill the cracks that people can slip through at times. This is why it is so important to adequately support them. I am proud to be a part of a government that asks those who know best how to spend their tax dollars, rather than having a paternalistic approach that tells them what they ought to spend their tax dollars on. I am also proud to support the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, who recognises the importance of our local groups and has worked hard to make sure they are looked after. The assistant minister understands the value of our local community.

I am really excited to see the support of government being extended to the hardworking volunteers of Bonner. For those Bonner groups and clubs interested in applying, please contact my office for more information on how to apply and details of upcoming information sessions that I will be hosting. Debate interrupted.

Read More

Stronger Communities Programme

Mr Speaker, I congratulate you on your recent elevation to that office.

It is with great pleasure tonight that I inform the House and the community and sporting groups in my electorate of Bonner of the fantastic opportunities available to them through the Stronger Communities Program.

The coalition is committed to local communities. We understand the importance of creating opportunities to support local community and sporting groups, and that is precisely what we are doing through this suite of grants.

In the last few weeks, I have had the privilege of being present at the openings of the Mount Gravatt Men's Shed's incredible new extension, the Gumdale and District Progress Association's new car park and the St Paul's Uniting Sporting Club's new clubhouse. These wonderful upgrades will serve the local community for many years to come and are evidence of this government's commitment to sporting and local community groups.

The Stronger Communities Program gives our local community the opportunity to apply for small capital works grants to upgrade areas across Bonner, such as town halls, sporting infrastructure like turf, change rooms, canteens and so on. The applications have now opened, and the Bonner community steering committee has been established to help assess worthy applications, so I am encouraging organisations in Bonner to get on board now.

I have already received wonderful feedback from local group executive members who have wholeheartedly thrown their support behind this initiative and are eager to apply. Eligibility requirements have been designed to be simple and wide ranging, meaning there is scope for a huge variety of groups and clubs to apply. To be eligible, groups need to be listed as not for profit and have an ABN. There is no doubt about the wide-ranging benefits of engaging positively with local groups.

In Bonner, sporting clubs and community organisations are the beating heart of the community. They offer a space to fill the void of social isolation, they provide a platform to allow our volunteers to showcase their skills and, most importantly, they are eyes and ears on the ground, plugged into the needs and aspirations of my constituency in an intimate and ongoing way. I rely on my community groups as a source of information and to fill the cracks that people can slip through at times.

This is why it is so important to adequately support them. I am proud to be a part of a government that asks those who know best how to spend their tax dollars, rather than having a paternalistic approach that tells them what they ought to spend their tax dollars on. I am also proud to support the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, who recognises the importance of our local groups and has worked hard to make sure they are looked after. The assistant minister understands the value of our local community.

 I am really excited to see the support of government being extended to the hardworking volunteers of Bonner. For those Bonner groups and clubs interested in applying, please contact my office for more information on how to apply and details of upcoming information sessions that I will be hosting.

Read More
Speech

Upgraded car park complete in Gumdale

 The Australian Government is continuing to deliver on its commitments to fund community infrastructure upgrades in Bonner, with today’s opening of the $25,600 Gumdale Car Park upgrade.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta, who joined the local community today to officially open the upgraded Gumdale Car Park, said he was pleased that the Australian Government fully funded this project and that it was delivered by Gumdale and Districts Progress Association volunteers.

“The local community will benefit from a safer and more secure access to the community hall, as well as the provision of wheelchair access,” Mr Vasta said.

“This upgrade has also improved the overall appearance of the hall and museum, and sealing the car park surface with asphalt mitigates the dust problems associated with an unsealed car park.

“Works involved levelling, sealing and marking of new parking bays.

 “Congratulations to the Gumdale and Districts Association volunteers for all their hard work.”

Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jamie Briggs said the Australian Government had fully funded the car park upgrade through the Community Development Grants Programme to improve and increase parking for visitors to the Gumdale Community Hall.

“The opening of this upgrade is yet another example that Ross Vasta and the Australian Government are delivering better community infrastructure in Bonner,” Mr Briggs said.

Construction on the Gumdale Car Park upgrade took place in February and March 2015.

Read More