Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta, today launched a community petition to fix the intersection of Newnham Road and Wecker Road at Mount Gravatt East.

“I’m starting this petition on behalf of local residents and commuters who’ve contacted me about this dangerous intersection,” Mr Vasta said.

“Several people have told me about near misses and crashes they witness at the intersection week after week. Parents who drop off their young children at the school on the corner have a terrible time getting in and out. Paramedics are being called out there far too often. There is a serious issue with people not slowing down when travelling through the area.

“I’ve decided to step in and seek support from all levels of government so everyone can get home to their families quicker and safer.

“I’m asking for the community’s support before someone is killed.”

Mr Vasta said he would be seeking Federal funding to go toward a safety upgrade for the intersection. He said he had recently written to the Lord Mayor to request Brisbane City Council’s assistance in improving the intersection.

Mr Vasta said that, working together, the community and all levels of government could get the intersection fixed once and for all.

“Please sign and share my petition—every signature will help strengthen the case for action to fix this notorious intersection,” Mr Vasta said.

The petition can be signed at https://rossvasta.com.au/CommunityHub/NewnhamRd-WeckerRdIntersectionPetition.aspx.

The Turnbull Government has released a landmark report into Australia’s school system that outlines a clear plan to ensure every school student, including those in Bonner, has the opportunities they need to succeed.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta welcomed the Turnbull Government’s in-principle support for all recommendations of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools led by Mr David Gonski AC.

“Every student deserves a quality school education, and every student in every school in our community should be given every opportunity to succeed and to thrive,” Mr Vasta said.

“I know that local parents value their schools and the teachers who work hard in our classrooms to teach and help prepare their children for whatever challenges the future holds.

“Parents also want to know how our record amount of school funding will improve our students’ educational outcomes.

“This is a challenge the Turnbull Government is committed to tackling. This review is an opportunity for all levels of government, educators, and families to turn around Australia’s performance and build a stronger school system.”

Head of Secondary at Citipointe Christian College, Mrs Helen Moore, welcomed the review.

“For years we have noted a drop in overall standards of literacy in particular, especially in the lack of sophistication of style and breadth of student writing. We were concerned enough eight years ago to begin addressing this specific area in our College,” Mrs Moore said.

“The recommendations in the Gonski report are wide and general so the impact on schools remains to be seen when further details of actions are published.”

Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the Review provides a national blueprint for every government, every teacher, and every family to help tackle declining school performance in Australia.

“There’s no doubt Australia has some of the world’s best teachers and school leaders, and they work hard to help students achieve outcomes that are the envy of many other countries,” Minister Birmingham said. 

“But it is clear that while school funding has been growing year after year and is now, for the first time, truly needs-based – and will continue to grow under the Turnbull Government to new record levels over the next ten years – student outcomes aren’t keeping pace.

“This Review was about how to put our record and growing needs-based funding to best use to improve school performance and student outcomes.

“Australia must focus on creating an education system that gives each student the opportunity to excel and to be their individual best.”

The report is available at: Through Growth to Achievement: the Review to Achieve Education Excellence in Australian Schools

The report identifies 23 recommendations under five themes:

• Laying the foundations of learning before the school years and in the home environment;

• Equipping every student to grow and succeed with the knowledge they need and a focus on growing each individuals’ skills;

• Creating, support and valuing a profession of expert educators including building on the Government’s reforms to date in teacher education;

• Empowering and supporting school leaders with experience and autonomy;

• Lifting aspirations with quality assurance, data and evidence-based research. 

The Government will now work with states and territories and non-government school systems to determine how the reforms set out in the Review should be delivered. A new reform agreement between the Commonwealth and jurisdictions will be negotiated this year to come into effect from 2019.

Members of local police, local school representatives, local community organisations and groups, local business owners, and local council and government representatives today attended the second annual Breakfast of Champions run by PCYC Mt Gravatt.

“The annual Breakfast of Champions is PCYC’s gateway to connect with the decision makers in the community who have the valuable insights and ability to action local solutions,” PCYC Mt Gravatt branch manager Sergeant Gary Penny said.

Sgt Penny posed two questions for attendees:

1. What are the risks and challenges facing the community and those you represent? 

2. What local solutions do you see to overcoming those challenges, and how can we work together to realise them?  

“We are very fortunate at Mt Gravatt to have the support of so many influential members of the community who we can work with collaboratively to develop some achievable outcomes,” Sgt Penny said.

“This morning we’ve had some very positive discussions involving a wide range of topics, some of which we can action through the PCYC with the input and ongoing support of our community partners.”

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta, said his group discussion had been extremely productive, and that he appreciated the chance to connect with influential members of the community.

“Events like these are a fantastic way to hear about the issues our community faces, to work together on long-lasting solutions, and to establish and strengthen connections in the community so that we can continue to engage in future on these issues,” Mr Vasta said.

Mr Vasta said key issues he had discussed with attendees today included social disconnection experienced by young and elderly people, local crime, and youth unemployment.

“I look forward to working with the fantastic local representatives who came along today and together helping make the Mt Gravatt community an even better place to live, work, study, and volunteer,” Mr Vasta said.

Mr Vasta today congratulated Bonner’s successful applicants for the Australian Government’s Local Sporting Champions (LSC) program at a special presentation ceremony in Wynnum. 

The LSC program provides $500 grants to young sportsmen and women aged 12-18 to assist them with the costs of attending state, national and international sports championships.

“I’m proud to support our talented young sports stars and help them achieve their sporting dreams,” Mr Vasta said.

“I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming championships and I look forward to hearing the outcome of your events.”

Local recipients for Round 3 of the 2017-18 Local Sporting Champions grants who attended:

• James Hardy – Burbank – Gymnastics – Austrian Future Cup
• Jordan Howells – Mackenzie – Basketball – QLD State Champs. 
• Mitchell Tinsley – Tingalpa – Swimming – Pacific School Games
• Elliot Weber – Wakerley – Swimming – 2018 Georgina Hope Aust. Champs. 
• Jaymie Wood – Mackenzie – Archery – International Competition
• Taylah Spall – Manly West – Water Polo – 18 & under National Aged Champs. 
• Alysha Gallagher – Carindale – Swimming – 2018 Georgina Hope Aust. Champs. 
• Roland Skepton – Manly West – Baseball – School Sport Aust. Baseball Champs.  

Carindale swimmer Alysha Gallagher says she will be making good use of the grant and buying a brand new swimming suit for the Championships next week. 

“This money will allow me to buy another professional swimming suit for the competition in Sydney next week. The suits make a huge difference and shave seconds off my swim times but they’re almost $500 a pop and they wear out after about 40 swims.

“Every year I go through so many suits at an enormous cost to my parents. I’m so thankful to have been awarded this grant to ease some of the pressure on my family.”

Further information on the LSC program is available at www.ausport.gov.au/participating/local_sporting_champions

Congestion relief is on the way for Queensland motorists as the Turnbull Government gets to work on vital upgrades to the M1 Motorway.

Federal Member for Bonner said the work starting today includes widening of the M1 southbound between Eight Mile Plains and Rochedale to up to five lanes, providing much-needed extra capacity on one of the busiest roads in the country.

“It’s great to see this Turnbull Government election commitment to spend $225 million fixing the M1 getting underway,” Mr Vasta said.

“These vital upgrades to the M1 will reduce congestion and improve the quality of life for people in Bonner who use this road every day, as well as supporting up to 450 jobs.”

“It comes on top of the Turnbull Government’s commitment last week to spend a further $1 billion to continue fixing the M1.”

“This $1 billion commitment will fund construction of further vital upgrades – including one between Eight Mile Plains and Daisy Hill within the Brisbane urban area.”

“Only the Turnbull Government is committed to fixing the M1, getting people in Bonner home to their families sooner and safer instead of being stuck in traffic.”

Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher said the Turnbull Government was able to fund the roads that the people of South-East Queensland need because of its careful budget management.

“The work that is getting underway today is thanks to the strong advocacy of local Liberal National MPs like Ross Vasta who have fought long and hard for the M1 to be fixed,” Mr Fletcher said.

“We now hope the Palaszczuk Labor Government will stop playing politics and come to the table to help deliver these vital upgrades that Queensland motorists need and deserve.”

Bonner School Principals have had the opportunity to speak with Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham about the future of education, during an intimate meeting hosted this week by Federal MP Ross Vasta. 

Joined by federal colleagues Andrew Laming MP, and Bert Van Manen MP, Mr Vasta said it was great to have been able to give the local schools an opportunity to speak candidly with the Minister about the Education sector.

Guardian Angels Principal Craig Acret, Seton College Principal Warren Bath, Citipointe Pastor Brian Mulheran, and Lota State School Principal Susan Hughes expressed that one of the biggest challenges facing local schools is ensuring their students have the same opportunities as those at other schools across the country. 

The Minister explained that the federal government is focusing on supporting all school’s whether that be in the city or in regional areas and ensuring that all students are getting the best education possible to equip them with the skills needed to excel in life.

“The coalition is committed to delivering quality fair education funding. Our government’s recently introduced funding reforms will provide real needs based funding to support each and every student in Bonner and across the nation.

“Our education reforms will deliver a combined additional amount of $304 million for schools in Bonner over the next decade. 

“This funding will enable schools to provide for each and every student and do things like invest in more specialist teachers and help kids who are falling behind their classmates, perhaps with individualised help or help in small groups,” said Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham.

Bonner MP Ross Vasta said it was great to have the Minister there to explain the funding reforms and reassure the principals that Bonner schools will be better off under the new program. 

“Labor is up to their usual scare-tactics again spreading falsities about the funding, but the proof is in the pudding. Funding per students on average is increasing by around 50% over a decade.

Mr Vasta said “if parents are still unsure then I encourage them to visit the school funding estimator online and see for themselves. The data has been provided for all to see and is transparent and available for parents to easily access at www.education.gov.au/school-funding-estimator“ 

Bonner families are being urged to sign on and start their changeover to the Turnbull Government’s new child care and early learning system which kicks off in less than three months. 

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta said with more than 7,500 families in his electorate set to benefit from the Turnbull Government’s new package, it was time for them to make the switch to the overhauled system starting on 2 July 2018. 

“The online transition portal we’ve set up is live and it’s time for people to take action,” Mr Vasta said.

“Our new child care package will provide the greatest hours of support to the families who work the longest hours, and the greatest subsidy and financial support to the families who earn the least.  

“With more support for more Bonner families just around the corner, families should visit www.education.gov.au/childcare and make the switchover as soon as they can so they’re ready for the new system from day one.”

Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the child care changes are focused on helping the families that need it most. 

“Our overhaul of child care and early learning subsidies and extra $2.5 billion investment in the system will introduce hourly rate caps to put downward pressure on fee increases and abolish the annual rebate cap for most families,” Minister Birmingham said. 

“Overall it will mean around one million families benefit and it’s estimated the package will encourage more than 230,000 families to increase their workforce participation.

“The biggest winners will be families working, studying or volunteering that earn less than $250,000 a year. Even if your family has a higher income, you’ll still stand to gain from our change to lift the annual rebate cap to around $10,000.”

Recent changes to the Consumer Price Index have also seen hourly rate caps and annual caps increase and will mean under the new child care and early learning package:

• More than 370,000 families earning around $66,958 or less a year will have their base subsidy increase from 72 per cent to 85 per cent;

• Families earning up to $186 958, will no longer be limited by an annual $7,613 cap on the amount of child care they can access – that’s more than 85 per cent of families using child care and early learning and means families won’t run out of subsidy mid-year as happens now;

• Families earning between $186,958 and $351,248 will benefit from an increased annual rebate cap of $10,190 per child;

• Hourly rate caps will rise from $11.55 to $11.77 for Centre Based Day Care, $10.70 to $10.90 for Family Day Care, whilst families with children in Outside School Hours Care will also see their hourly rate cap rise from $10.10 to $10.29.

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta today encouraged locals in his electorate to help make the case for the Brisbane Metro project.

“This public transport project has the potential to bust traffic congestion in Brisbane, which means people will have more time to spend with their families and less time stuck in traffic,” Mr Vasta said.

“Infrastructure Australia has named Brisbane Metro as one of the top six projects on its Infrastructure Priority List. It’s the only public transport project in Queensland to be listed as High Priority.”

“Infrastructure Australia also supports the business case released by Brisbane City Council that shows Brisbane Metro is a value-for-money investment in our public transport network that will provide significant benefits for commuters.” 

The Brisbane Metro project will:

• Improve travel times by up to 50% in peak commuter periods;
• Have turn-up-and-go services every three minutes in peak periods;
• Fix critical bottlenecks on the busway; and
• Reduce bus congestion in the CBD and help deliver more bus services in the suburbs.

“Please take a minute to add your support for Brisbane Metro by signing the petition at www.fundthemetro.com.au,” Mr Vasta said.

“Your support will be critical as I and my LNP colleagues fight for this project in Canberra.”