The Bay Belles, QCWA, Wynnum branch are hosting a “how to recognise and avoid scams session.

Bob Walker is a Community Engagement Officer for the Office of Fair Trading. He will be visiting the Bay Belles to offer advice on how to recognise and avoid common types of scam. He will also explain about what you can do if you think you may have fallen victim to—or narrowly avoided—a scam.

Date / Time: Thursday 16 February, 7.30pm start

Venue: Wynnum RSL Club 174 Tingal Rd, Wynnum QLD 4178 (upstairs small function room)

Cost: $3.00 pp (covers cost of a light supper)

Further information: https://baysidebelles.wordpress.com/  |  baybelles@outlook.com  |

https://www.facebook.com/wynnumbaybelles/

Thank you Madam/Deputy Speaker. Today I rise to update the house about a call out I put on Facebook recently asking constituents to submit their burning questions to me.

The post generated quite a bit of interest. Today I’m going to answer some of those questions however as I can only mention a few I’m going to focus on the questions related to the NBN roll out in Bonner asked by Petro from Wishart and Chris in the Bayside.

I thank Petro and Chris for their questions. As Telstra is now project managing the rollout, they’ve decided to focus on rolling out the Fibre to the Node (FTTN) technology before the Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) technology rollout.

In my electorate, Bonner is made up of 77% Hybrid Fibre Coaxial which means we are awaiting the next update.  NBN has recently taken down their old 3 year rollout plan which was released on October 2015. In the meantime there has been a move to provide more accurate and timely information about the NBN with a brand new website allowing you to ‘check your address’.

NBN has released the first phase of the ‘check your address’ web function that will provide a date range for when the NBN service will be available at an individual address. Keep in mind that some suburbs are stating generic rollout information on the NBN website, saying “it will be delivered by 2020.” These suburbs will be updated in the coming months.

Just like the questions I was asked, many others want to know ‘when will they get the NBN?’

This new ‘check your address’ tool gives individual households and businesses more specific information to answer that question. For ‘check your address’ go to nbnco.com.au

The NBN rollout is a priority for my constituents and I have met with the Communications Minister this week to remind him of the need for superfast broadband sooner for my local residents and business owners. I will continue to meet with the Minister for Communications and NBN on a regular basis and put forward my constituents concerns and keep pushing for the roll out in Bonner. I’m fighting for Bonner and this means securing the NBN rollout as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Federal MP Ross Vasta has called on the Bonner community to celebrate the achievements of local businesses and charities by nominating them for the 2017 Telstra Business Awards.

Now in its 25^th years, the Telstra Business Awards are renowned for showcasing and celebrating the achievements and entrepreneurial spirit of Australia’s most brilliant small and medium businesses (SMBs) and charities.

Mr Vasta said that SMBs and charities are the engine room of the Australian economy and deserve to be recognised.

“Local business owners and leaders drive growth and deliver jobs for many Australians by pouring their hearts and souls into their businesses every single day,” he said.

“It was inspiring to see the Glitter and Dance Fabric Specialists from Mansfield win the Queensland Micro-Business Award category in 2014 and be recognised for the amazing work they do supplying premium fabric for dance, stage and sport costuming.”

“We have so many great SMBs and charities in the Bonner region, it is important that they are recognised for their contributions to the economy and the community just as the Glitter and Dance Fabric Specialists were.”

Anyone can make a nomination for any of the following five Award categories:

·         New Business Award – operating for one to three years with up to 200 employees

·         Micro Business Award – with five or fewer employees

·         Small Business Award – with more than five up to 20 employees

·         Medium Business Award – with more than 20 and up to 200 employees

·         Charity Award – ACNC registered with DGR status, between one and 200 employees and an annual income of $250,000 and $10,000,000

To nominate, please visit: www.telstrabusinessawards.com/nominate or call 1800 AWARDS. Entries will open 30 January 2017 and will close March 16 2017.

State and Territory winners of the 2017 Telstra Business Awards will be announced at gala events later this year, with the Queensland Awards taking place on Thursday the 14^th July.