Today I’d like to talk about one of the most important issues in my electorate: black spots on our roads.

Last year the Coalition Government delivered $1.7 million to upgrade two notorious black spots at Holland Park West. The intersections at Gaza Road and Messines Ridge Road, and Messines Ridge Road and the South-East Arterial Road Ramp, have recorded high crash rates in recent years.

Now thanks to the Federal Black Spot Programme, work to improve traffic signals at these T-Junctions are expected to be completed soon. This will help reduce crashes and save lives. 

Further Black Spot funding will be allocated across Australia this year as part of the Coalition’s long-term commitment to improving safety on our roads. I’ve been pleased to see my council colleagues advocating at a local level for black spot fixes in our area.

In particular, Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Chandler Ward, Adrian Schrinner, has been a strong voice for upgrading a notorious black spot in Ransome. He’s shared with me the need to install channelised right turn lanes at the Rickertt Road and Chelsea Road T-Junction, which would improve safety for right turning vehicles out of Chelsea Road.

Councillor Schrinner is also fighting for additional safety features at this intersection. I thank him for his good work.

I look forward to delivering more Black Spot funding for Bonner and to working with Brisbane City Council to identify and fix other black spots on our roads.

Today I’m pleased to update the Chamber with fantastic news for residents in the Bonner suburb of Tingalpa. I’m proud to announce that the new CCTV camera system at Minnippi Parklands is now fully operational.

It’s thanks to the hard work of local council and residents that these CCTV cameras have been installed. The cameras now record high definition footage 24/7. The Parklands are now safer for the many families and groups that use its facilities.

I wanted to single out my colleague, Councillor for Doboy Ryan Murphy, for much-deserved praise. Ryan has been 100% committed to delivering CCTV cameras to Minnippi Parklands since they were first proposed. He’s done a first-rate job seeing this project through.

When reports first emerged of inappropriate activities taking place at the Parklands, Cr Murphy was at the forefront of Brisbane City Council planning to make the area safer. He helped organise numerous infrastructure upgrades. Thanks to Ryan, lighting in the vicinity was improved and other safety improvements were made.

Ryan then led key stakeholder meetings between Council and Tingalpa Model Aero Club. The club is the primary leaseholder on the site and I’d like to thank them for their close co-operation with Council and for providing the site for the CCTV tower to be installed.

Cr Murphy and club members attended every meeting on the CCTV proposal. They fully capitalised on the Coalition Government’s $70,000 investment in the project. Because of their tireless commitment to neighbourhood safety, residents will be able to enjoy Minnippi Parklands without fear of anti-social and criminal behaviour.

I note that Round 2 of the Safer Streets Programme is now open until February 17. I encourage eligible groups and organisations in my electorate to go online and apply now. I look forward to delivering more funding for community safety initiatives in Bonner.

Today I want to talk about a very special addition to the Bayside community in my electorate of Bonner.

Just recently, Yulu-Burri-Ba Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health opened a new clinic in Wynnum. I had the pleasure of touring the facility with Minister for Rural Health, Senator the Hon Fiona Nash. We got to see their wonderful work firsthand and I thank them for their hospitality.

They have been one of the great success stories in the field of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. For over 25 years they’ve provided primary health care and other health services on North Stradbroke Island.

In that time they’ve continued to grow and I’m thrilled to see them expand their services to Wynnum. They offer GP services, after hours care, home visits where needed, a transport service and much more that will benefit so many lives.

Yulu-Burri-Ba has achieved so many positive outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. I congratulate the team for all their hard work and dedication. They should be incredibly proud of everything they’ve accomplished.

It’s easy to see the enormous benefit their new clinic will be to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community on Brisbane’s Bayside. I look forward to paying them another visit in future and wish them every success going forward.

Madam/Deputy Speaker, today I would like to speak on a community forum I will be hosting next week on the ice epidemic currently affecting my electorate of Bonner. 

This is a topic close to my heart. The statistics on methamphetamine use and its devastating impact on families and communities are a great cause of concern on their own. What I’ve found truly confronting are the personal stories my constituents have shared with me. Ice rips apart families and destroys lives. The scourge of ice is growing and must be addressed at all levels.

I was driven to hold the Bonner ice forum to help tackle this problem at a local level, as part of the Australian Government’s wider measures to combat the scourge of ice. The purpose of the forum is to bring together local law enforcement, medical experts, school and community leaders, and individuals whose lives have been impacted by ice. We will be answering the community’s questions on ice and the Government’s measures to stop its spread.

My aim with the forum is to start a dialogue within our community. The fight against ice can only be effective when the community and law enforcement work together and keep each other informed. I hope with this forum that more people will come to understand the extent of the ice problem and the role they can play to help stop the spread of this terrible drug.

Thank you Madam/Deputy Speaker. Today I rise to speak about the fantastic Red Frogs Australia program based in my electorate of Bonner. This is a vital initiative for young people right across the country, teaching them valuable life lessons and giving them the support they need.

At this time of year I always like to reinforce the importance of safety at Schoolies to students in my electorate. Programs like Red Frogs help spread this vital message. Last week I was privileged to attend a Red Frogs talk by founder Andy Gourley at Mansfield State High School. The students had a great time learning how they can best protect themselves and their mates.

It was great to see in person what makes Red Frogs so special. Since Andy began Red Frogs in 1997, the program has grown to cover a range of events and critical issues for youth. Red Frogs helps set up healthy behaviours for young people to last a lifetime.

I applaud the Red Frogs crew for their work. In particular I want to thank Andy Gourley for his immense contribution to this cause. Red Frogs has changed so many lives in my electorate, in Australia and across the world, and it all started with one bag of Red Frogs and one man’s passion to engage with young people. I look forward to seeing the program achieve even greater success in future.

Today I rise to speak yet again on broadband internet in my electorate of Bonner. I’m extremely pleased to have much better news for my constituents following NBN’s release of its new three-year rollout plan.

After years of frustration under the slow and expensive joke that was Labor’s plan, today I’m proud to announce that over 59,500 homes and businesses in Bonner will soon have access to superfast broadband. That means within three years, 80 per cent of the homes and businesses in the Bonner community will be NBN ready.

Next year construction will begin at over 22,000 premises in Mount Gravatt, Mount Gravatt East, Upper Mount Gravatt, Holland Park, Holland Park West, Mansfield, Wishart and Macgregor. These suburbs will be connected to the NBN via HFC. The rest of my electorate will be connected either via HFC or fibre-to-the-node technology—a decade sooner than they would have under Labor’s plan.

Again I would like to thank the former Communications Minister, the Prime Minister, for his outstanding work reining in the costs of the NBN. Thanks to him Australians will receive fast internet years sooner. I would also like to thank the current Communications Minister for continuing this good work and ensuring every home and business in Australia will have access to superfast broadband by 2020.

Thank you Madam/Deputy Speaker. Today I rise to speak on the Special Care Central Recognition Awards that were recently held in Bonner. In particular I would like to talk about two outstanding individuals from my electorate who’ve gone above and beyond to help people with special needs.

This year marked the 7^th year of the Special Care Central Recognition Awards. These are a fantastic set of awards for a fantastic set of local individuals and businesses. The awards shine a light on those in our community who are making a real difference for disabled people. They’re held as part of the Disability Awareness Expo, which itself helps raise the profile of our disabled community.

I’ve been so privileged to be a part of the Disability Awareness Expo and the Recognition Awards over the years. It was unfortunate this year I had to be in Canberra the same week this wonderful event was held. However I must thank my good friend Yvonne Campbell from Special Care Central for allowing me to sponsor a new award this year.

The Local Hero Award was created to recognise people in the community for the positive contribution they’ve made to the lives of individuals with special needs. I was pleased to hear that two noteworthy individuals received the inaugural award for 2015 and I’d like to take a moment to single out their remarkable achievements.

Thomas Spencer is a young man with a disability who has overcome many obstacles in his life to achieve his goals. He has worked hard to help and inspire others with special needs to realise their potential. He was extremely deserving of the Local Hero Award for all that he’s accomplished from such a passionate and selfless perspective.

The second recipient of the Local Hero Award has dedicated many years to helping students with special needs. Lyndall Hayes has led the Step-Up to Employment program at Darling Point Special School since it began in 2013. In the years beforehand she coordinated the vocational education programs at Darling Point Special School.

The Step-Up program helps disabled students get work-ready and fosters their independence. Lyndall and her team help each Step-Up student progress in their senior education while helping them work toward achieving their hopes and aspirations. Students learn important life skills and benefit from work experience opportunities with local businesses. Many graduates have gone on to paid and volunteer work. Thanks to Lyndall’s dedication, Step-Up has been a great success setting up students for a bright future.

Thank you to Thomas and Lyndall for your amazing work. Congratulations also to the people and businesses who were nominated for a Special Care Recognition Award this year. I want to thank all of you and also Special Care Central for everything you’ve done for the disabled community. I look forward to attending the Awards at next year’s Disability Awareness Expo.

Today I would like to acknowledge the outstanding humanitarian work of two incredible people from my electorate of Bonner. Dr Andrew Wright runs a medical practice in Wynnum West. He has served the Wynnum community well for several years. He and his wife Anne have also dedicated many years to improving the lives of people in the town of Kitgum in Northern Uganda.

The Wrights have spent their own time and money to provide Kitgum with much-needed medical services, assistance and training for local medical staff. They established a medical clinic in the town some years ago. Since then, they have spent a great deal of time in Kitgum offering medical aid and inspiration to the locals. They have worked hard to build a hospital for the community. I’m pleased to report that, as of this week, the Yotkom Medical Centre has opened its doors and is taking its first patients.

I commend the Wrights for their inspirational and selfless work. Many people in my electorate have also recognised their work and the good name they have given our community. I would like to say the Wrights have given all of Australia a good name overseas. We would all do well to follow their example. I wish Andrew and Anne the very best for the future.

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)

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.