This month saw the release of plans for the Green Camp Road corridor upgrade at Wakerley. I’ve spoken many times here about this project. That’s because it’s such a huge win for my electorate.

Green Camp Road carries 30,000 vehicles every day: this part of the road network will no longer grind to a halt at peak times thanks to this vital project. The upcoming works to widen Green Camp Road to at least four lanes between Rickertt Road and Manly Road, as well as upgrade the Tilley Road and Rickertt Road intersections, will drastically improve peak hour commute times for thousands of my constituents.

Earlier this month I joined Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, and local councillors Adrian Schrinner and Ryan Murphy, to unveil details of the project. Brisbane City Council is investing $18 million to tackle traffic congestion along Green Camp Road.

Thanks to a further $10 million contribution from the Coalition Government, the scope of the project has been increased to also include capacity and safety upgrades at the Rickertt Road intersection.

Construction is expected to start in mid-2018 and be complete in late-2019. It will include:

• Two through-lanes in each direction on Green Camp Road from Manly Road to approximately 180 metres past the Rickertt Road intersection;

• Three through-lanes on the Green Camp Road northbound carriageway at the Tilley Road intersection;

• Signalisation at the Green Camp Road and Tilley Road intersection;

• Tilley Road intersection approach widened with one left-turn lane and one right-turn lane;

• Two through-lanes on Rickertt Road in each direction over a distance of 200 metres from the Green Camp Road intersection;

• Rickertt Road intersection approach widened with a separate left-turn lane and two right-turn lanes;

• New on-road cycling lanes and an off-road shared pathway; and

• Raising Green Camp Road and upgrading culverts to improve drainage and flood immunity.

The Green Camp Road corridor upgrade will reduce motorists’ commute times by up to 50 per cent in the mornings, and 35 per cent in the afternoons. It will cut down long peak hour queues on Rickertt Road and Tilley Road, and reduce congestion not only on Green Camp Road, but on arterial roads across the eastern road network.
More importantly, it will deliver safety improvements for thousands of commuters who travel through the area.

I applaud Brisbane City Council’s vision and commitment to deliver this infrastructure that will help meet the needs of future generations.

I also thank the Minister for Urban Infrastructure, the Hon Paul Fletcher, and Member for Bowman, Andrew Laming, for their work securing the Federal Government’s additional $10 million investment.

This upgrade wouldn’t have been possible without valuable feedback from the public. That’s why I’m encouraging my constituents to share their ideas for other vital upgrades in our area by filling out my online local infrastructure survey.

I appreciate their comments so far, which will help secure more important projects for Bonner.

Today I want to talk about a key part of my electorate: the suburb of Wishart. I spent some time in Wishart over the winter break, talking with residents and local groups about what's important to them.

There was a great turnout at the NBN information session that I held recently for local residents and businesses. NBN Co has confirmed with me that this week over 4,300 premises in Wishart will be switched over to the NBN. These homes and businesses can expect a letter in the mail soon about the next steps they should take to connect to the NBN.

I recently met with the Wishart State School P&C Association to hear the latest on their five-year improvement plan. The P&C adopted this plan in July last year to help focus their fundraising efforts. They've already completed their first goal of putting air-conditioning in their resource centre. This October they're holding a spring carnival to raise funds to help them complete more of their goals, and I look forward to being there.

I also met with the Neighbourhood Watch Upper Mount Gravatt Area 16 to discuss the best ways to tackle local crime in Wishart and surrounding areas. The next round of the government's Safer Communities Fund is coming up soon, and I encourage them to apply.

It's always great to catch up with my constituents in Wishart. I will be doing so again this weekend at a mobile office in Devlin Street Park, with the state member for Mansfield, Mr Ian Walker, and councillor for MacGregor, Councillor Steven Huang.

The NBN rollout continues to be an issue of high concern to my constituents. I am pleased to have another positive update for Bonner locals.

NBN Co has advised me that 21 per cent of the NBN rollout is complete in Bonner, thanks to the Coalition government's revised rollout plan. Every premise in my electorate will have access to NBN services by 2020.

The majority of residents and businesses in Bonner will have access within the next year. Over time, the NBN will replace most of the existing networks as the deliverer of a new service network. This means that, at the end of 2020, there will be further plans for path upgrades and speed building. This will ensure that all users in my electorate will continue to have access to the best service possible.

Many people have been asking me about the NBN and what they should do when it reaches their door. Many of my constituents, particularly older residents, have come to me worried about how the compulsory switchover to the NBN will affect them.

To help answer their questions, I recently hosted three community information sessions with representatives from NBN Co. We first visited the Eight Mile Plains-Wishart area to take questions from local residents and business owners. We held two seniors information sessions for locals from the Wynnum Manly and Mt Gravatt areas.

Many attendees have told me how helpful they found these sessions. Common questions addressed included: what steps people must take to switch over to the NBN; whether extra devices are needed to be installed inside their home; and how people can check whether medical devices connected to their landline will be compatible with the NBN. Attendees also learned how they should shop around for a suitable provider in order to get the best possible broadband speeds to suit their requirements.

These NBN information sessions were such a success that I will be holding another one around the Carindale-Carina area in the near future. I look forward to doing more with the NBN as it continues to roll out in my electorate.

It’s with great pleasure I announce today that the Federal Government has committed $10 million to go toward Brisbane City Council’s upgrade of Green Camp Road. This adds to Brisbane City Council’s $18 million investment to improve the Green Camp Road corridor.

Construction works are due to start next year. This will include widening of Green Camp Road between Manly Road and Rickertt Road. It will also include much-needed fixes to the notorious Green Camp Road and Rickertt Road intersection.

I’ve spoken before about the issues commuters between Brisbane and Redland City face every day on these roads. Around 1,000 vehicles pass through the Green Camp Road-Rickertt Road intersection during peak times. This can bring traffic to a standstill for up to two kilometres. Countless people have come to me over the years asking for a fix.

Thanks to combined Federal and council efforts, commuters will receive an upgrade for the Green Camp Road corridor much sooner. As well as reducing congestion, the project will improve safety for drivers due to improved signalling.

I thank Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and local Councillors Adrian Schrinner and Ryan Murphy for funding this vital upgrade. I also thank my colleague, Member for Bowman, Andrew Laming, for his advocacy on behalf of Redland residents, which together has allowed us to secure the Federal Government’s contribution to this project.

I look forward to seeing work completed on this vital upgrade for Bonner commuters.

Today I’d like to speak about my recent visit to Moreton Bay College in Manly West. I along with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Leader, the Hon. Julie Bishop  and met the senior girls of MBC to discuss important issues and events affecting them.

The MBC community has been shaken by the latest terror attack in London, which claimed the life of MBC old girl Sara Zelenak. Minister Bishop advised the girls on how to turn this tragedy into motivation to go forth and be the very best they can be. She spoke about the importance of standing strong together in the face of tough times.

She also gave the girls an insight into her own life, and the trials and tribulations she has faced as a lawyer and politician. The students then had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present questions to the Minister.

The school motto at Moreton Bay College is ‘breadth of mind, depth of heart’. This motto is no doubt embodied within the MBC community.

The Minister told the girls: life is not without obstacles and battles, but if you believe that you can achieve great things, you can.

I was impressed by the self-awareness and intelligence the girls demonstrated when questioning the Minister, and I have no doubt they have great things ahead of them.

I thank the Minister for joining me in visiting Moreton Bay College, and for sharing her insight with the senior girls.

This week is National Men’s Health Week. The theme this year was “Healthy Body – Healthy Mind: Keeping the Balance”. It was a great opportunity to raise men’s awareness of the benefits of keeping healthy. I couldn’t think of a better organisation to collaborate on this with than one of my electorate’s local men’s sheds, Mt Gravatt Men’s Shed.

As their President Murray Rogash tells me, men’s sheds are much more than group workshops. They’re health initiatives that improve their members’ physical, mental and social health.

Mt Gravatt Men’s Shed offers a variety of health activities such as fitness classes. It counts among its 292 members a medical doctor, psychologist and Minister of Religion, who help cater to other members’ health needs. It also provides health check-ups to members through the Australian Men’s Shed Association’s Spanner in the Works program.

Last Tuesday I was pleased to contribute to Mt Gravatt Men’s Shed’s health initiatives with a Men’s Health Week morning tea. I was joined by special guest and local GP Dr David Hunt, who spoke on the crucial health issues older men face and the importance of regular check-ups. Dr Hunt has treated a number of men from the Shed. He tells me the Shed has made a positive difference in their lives, and that men’s sheds are a vital community health resource.

No doubt men’s sheds help to save lives. I’m proud to support the men’s sheds in my electorate, and I commend them for their work improving local men’s health.

FEDERATION CHAMBER – 3 MINUTE SPEECH

M1 UPGRADE (GATEWAY MERGE AT EIGHT MILE PLAINS)

29 MAY 2017

Today I have some very good news for commuters in my electorate. I’ve recently received updates from the Minister for Urban Infrastructure and from the Department of Transport and Main Roads regarding the Gateway Motorway merge upgrade at Eight Mile Plains.

This is one of many vital upgrades to the M1 taking place under the Queensland Roads Package deal reached by the Australian Government earlier this year. The M1 is of course notorious for its peak hour traffic. The southbound lanes of the M1 between Eight Mile Plains and Rochedale, in particular, are plagued by congestion during afternoon peak hours.

I and State Member for Mansfield, Ian Walker, have regularly heard from constituents about how traffic in these lanes now starts to back up as early as 2pm, and doesn’t ease until as late as 6pm. We’ve been pushing for an upgrade on their behalf. So we’re thrilled that work to widen the M1 at the Gateway Motorway merge past the Rochedale Road off-ramp will begin later this year.

More specifically, the upgrade will include:

·            Up to five southbound lanes on the M1 between Eight Mile Plains and Rochedale;

·            The relocation of the existing bus entry from the Eight Mile Plains Bus Station onto the M1;

·            A replacement four-lane overpass on a realigned Underwood Road;

·            Managed motorway technologies from Klumpp Road to Rochedale Road.

This upgrade is a major win for commuters who use this part of the M1 on a daily basis. They will enjoy improved traffic flow, reduced travel times, as well as improved safety.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads is currently finalising the design for the upgrade. It has also contacted land owners impacted by the upgrade and will deal with them directly on a case-to-case basis. Early works on the project are expected to commence later this year, with major construction to begin following the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

I can’t wait to see this much-needed project completed. I encourage residents and motorists with more questions about the upgrade to contact my office for further information or visit the Department of Transport and Main Roads website.

90 SECOND STATEMENT

KEIN SHELDRAKE

29 MAY 2017

Today I would like to share the story of a very impressive young man who studies at Belmont State School in my electorate. Kein Sheldrake has achieved amazing things at just 11 years of age. He currently builds and refurbishes computers and donates them to children and families who couldn’t otherwise afford them. This is remarkable in and of itself, but it’s the story behind his work that has touched me deeply and deserves recognition.

Last year, Kein taught himself how to build a PC by watching YouTube videos. After successfully building his first computers, he decided to use his skills to provide for others less well-off. With his mum Michelle’s help, he set up a GoFundMe page in January to raise funds to help him build and refurbish PCs for kids whose families can’t afford them.

He was able to make contacts in the community and was put onto a service that does work with refugee families. So far two of his computers have gone to refugees from the Congo. Kein’s enthusiasm for helping those in need is admirable and I commend him for helping give others access to technology and the internet

Michelle recently told me her son, Kein, has Asperger Syndrome. She wanted me to mention this to show how a condition such as Asperger’s doesn’t have to prevent a person from following their passion, and I have to agree. Well done to Kein who has a very promising future in his dream career of IT!

Today I would like to shine a spotlight on Australian Innovative Systems, an outstanding company in my Bonner electorate that continues to impress year on year. Last week, the Prime Minister and I had the pleasure of touring their Tingalpa facility. It was great to hear from CEO Elena Gosse about how the Government’s measures to help small and medium-sized businesses will benefit AIS and its customers.

AIS has been a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of water disinfection technology and chlorine generators for over 20 years. It now employs over 60 staff and exports its products to over 55 countries. AIS has been recognised for its innovative work with an incredible number of awards. This includes being named Australian Small Business Champion in the manufacturing category, and winner for Best Innovation Culture in BRW’s 50 Most Innovative Companies Awards.

The Prime Minister also commended AIS last week for its ongoing commitment to innovation. We were very impressed seeing its range of chlorine generators for commercial and residential swimming pools. As the Prime Minister put it, AIS is what innovation enterprise is all about, and small and medium-sized businesses like AIS are at the heart of our economic future.

That’s why this Government is continuing to support small businesses with a turnover of less than $10 million by lowering their tax rate to 27.5%, the lowest level in 50 years. This follows global trends and will allow Australian businesses to compete globally. We’re also extending the $20,000 instant asset write-off scheme and introducing the new Skilling Australians Fund.

CEO Elena Gosse told us how these measures will benefit AIS. Our company tax cuts will help their bottom line, which will allow them to invest more in research and development, expand their production and create more local jobs.

The extension of the $20,000 instant asset write-off scheme will also assist its customers. Eligible swim schools and aquatic facilities will be able to purchase pumps and filtration systems from AIS and claim an immediate deduction for depreciation up to $20,000 each financial year. This is a great incentive for businesses to upgrade their equipment and support a home-grown company like AIS.

Companies like AIS will also benefit from the Skilling Australians Fund. The Government is providing a record $1.5 billion through the fund to help train Australian apprentices and trainees in key trades, helping them gain the skills they need for jobs in demand. It will give people more opportunities to be an apprentice or trainee. It will also give employers more opportunities to support apprentices and trainees.

I thank Elena and AIS staff for hosting the Prime Minister and myself, and for providing and supporting so many local jobs in my electorate. Your success is very much deserved and I look forward to seeing you grow and achieve greater things over the coming years.

Today I’d like to speak about the Ride against Drugs group operating in my electorate and the work they do for youth in Bonner.

I met with co-founder and director Max Cooper to hear all about the RAD movement. Max and his partner Tracy founded the group in 1996 with the aim of creating a community of young BMX, freestyle, dirt trail riders, and skaters who embody the drug free message and lead by example.

RAD has come a long way since 1996 enlisting thousands of program recruits, sponsors and mentors in many different parts of Australia including my electorate of Bonner.

I was honoured to be able to recognise one of the local riders as an outstanding student role model within our community as part of my Bonner Volunteer awards for 2016. 15-year-old Zac Pankhurst was awarded the volunteer student award for his commitment to being an anti-drug ambassador for local youth. We all know that when people are involved with drugs at a young age it’s often harder to break the cycle, which is why the Ride against Drugs movement is so very important.

RAD deserves congratulations for the tireless work they do within my community, all delivered purely on donations and monies raised.

For anyone who would like to sign up or get involved, this Sunday RAD is holding a Ride Jam at 10am at the Lota Skate Park in Bonner complete with free bbq for riders and families, prize competitions, and a special show from the RAD lead pro team.

Thank you.