The first of the fleet of new Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV) for the Australian Defence Force has been unveiled.

The 211 new Boxer 8×8 CRVs will be delivered by Rheinmetall Defence Australia under the $5 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability project.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the new vehicles with their high levels of protection, firepower and mobility, will provide a world-class capability to the Australian Army.

“These new vehicles are part of the Morrison Government’s $200 billion investment in our defence capability over the next decade to ensure the Australian Defence Force is equipped to succeed in our challenging strategic environment,” Mr Vasta said.

“The Boxer project will create around 330 jobs here in Queensland – a welcome boost for Defence capability and the local economy.”

Twelve small businesses across Australia have contributed to the production of this first Boxer, ensuring the delivery of these vehicles is a national enterprise.

Over the 30-year life of the vehicles, Australian industry will secure $10.2 billion of the total investment in acquiring and maintaining the fleet.

The vehicles will be able to undertake a range of missions from regional stability and peacekeeping through to high-threat operations, and will provide improved safety to Australian soldiers on deployment and on exercises around the world.

Consultation on Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy is underway, with the Morrison Government seeking views from across the country to improve the cyber security of Australian citizens, community groups and businesses.

The Department of Home Affairs is hosting a public forum in Brisbane on October 17^th for all Australians to discuss the 2020 Cyber Security Strategy with the local community and industry.

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta said the forum presented an opportunity for Australian families and businesses to talk to the Australian Government about how best to protect them online.

“Cyber security is no longer something for technical specialists and large corporations because every day Australians are increasingly affected by malicious online activity and have stories to share,” Mr Vasta said.

“We are asking all Australians to participate in the conversation and contribute their thoughts and ideas through these public forums.”

In 2018 alone, around one in three Australian adults were affected by cybercrime, hundreds of businesses, families and individuals have fallen victim to scams, ransomware, sophisticated fraud or the theft of their intellectual property.

The Australian Government has also released a public discussion paper to start the conversation. Those unable to attend the public forum are invited to contribute their views by submitting a response online.

For more information and to register for Brisbane’s public forum, visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/2020-cyber-security-strategy-open-forum-brisbane-registration-71026611507

Local Sporting Champions continues to support more aspiring young sportspeople than ever before, with Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta encouraging families to apply for the next round of the popular grants program by 30 September 2019.

The Morrison Government’s Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance to aspiring young athletes, coaches and officials between the ages of 12-18 attending eligible state, national or international sporting championships.

Mr Vasta said Local Sporting Champions, managed by Sport Australia, was an important initiative for talented young sportspeople and their families.

“Local Sporting Champions provides an opportunity for aspiring young athletes from the Bonner Electorate to take part in high level competition,” Mr Vasta said.

“This program helps support families meet the costs associated with attending sporting competitions such as competition entry fees, travel, accommodation, uniforms or equipment.

Local Sporting Champions continues to grow, with the Morrison Government announcing a funding boost in 2018-19 of $11.8million over four years. Funding starts at $500 per grant, with additional provisions for longer distance travel.

Minister for Youth and Sport Richard Colbeck said assisting families to engage in high level sporting competition would help meet the Morrison Government’s Sport 2030 plan to help more Australians be more active more often.

“Local Sporting Champions has already delivered more than $30 million in grants to more than 52,000 young Australians,” Minister Colbeck said.

“Sport and physical activity is a valuable part of any child’s development, so this program is a great investment in the health of our nation.”

Applications for the Local Sporting Champions program are open throughout the entire year, with four assessment periods. To be considered for the next assessment period, applications must be in by 30 September, 2019.

For more information on Local Sporting Champions grants, including the eligibility criteria and to apply, visit www.sportaus.gov.au/lsc

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta took Alan Tudge Minister for Urban Infrastructure, Cities and Population on a tour of Bonner today stopping at the local accident hotspot Newnham, Wecker rd intersection in Mount Gravatt East.

Mr Vasta explained that the local intersection is ranked one of the top five worst intersections in Queensland, and the community demands it be fixed.

“Thousands of locals have already signed my petition to have this issue fixed, and today I had the opportunity to show the Minister first hand why I’m fighting for a solution.

“Near misses and crashes are all too common at Newnham/Wecker Rd. Parents are trying to drop their young children at the school on the corner and having to deal with this mess, while paramedics are constantly being called out to accidents.” Mr Vasta said.

Minister Tudge thanked Mr Vasta for showing him the intersection and said after seeing the issues personally he knows why it’s a big issue for the community.

“Ross has expressed to me that this is one of the top priorities for local residents. We want to deal with congestion across the nation, and this is a project we will look at closely.”

The Minister said following today’s visit he will be working alongside Mr Vasta and the Brisbane City Council to investigate a solution for the intersection.

Labor’s NBN policy will leave residents in Bonner waiting longer and paying more for broadband, Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta said today.

“Under Labor’s NBN you’ll wait longer and pay more,” Mr Vasta said.

“Labor’s NBN policy is to slow down the rollout in Belmont, Hemmant, Lota, Lytton, Manly, Manly West, Murarrie, Tingalpa, Wynnum, Wynnum West and more because they will dig up everyone’s front garden and driveway – despite technologies being available that avoid this.”

“Labor’s NBN policy means these locations could be waiting until 2022 to connect to the NBN.”

“Under a Coalition Government they will have the NBN over the next two years,” Mr Vasta said.

“Monthly internet bills are also set to rise under Labor, because their policy costs $8 billion more than the Coalition’s.”

Under Labor’s last mismanaged rollout, just 61 premises in Bonner were able to connect to the NBN. 

Under the Turnbull Coalition Government, this has increased substantially to 379 premises able to connect in Bonner, with more than 59,500 premises to be connected under the Coalition’s accelerated three-year rollout of the NBN.

Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield said Labor had already tried and failed to deliver the NBN. 

“Under the Coalition, the NBN is hooking up more than 60,000 homes a month, compared to just 51,000 connections in six years under Labor.”

Labor’s last gold plated approach would have added up to $43 a month to internet bills,” Minister Fifield said.

Under the Turnbull Coalition Team, the nbn is rolling out better broadband across Australia in the fastest and most affordable way.

Under the Coalition, the NBN has met every roll out target; it is ahead of schedule and on-budget.

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.

Ross, in partnership with local law enforcement, schools and health experts, invites you to attend the Bonner ice forum on Wednesday, December 9. The forum aims to start a dialogue about what can be done at a local level to combat the scourge of ice in our community.

If you'd like to come along, please RSVP to ross.vasta.mp@aph.gov.au or call 3893 3488.

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.

Patients in Bonner are set to receive better access to frontline health services, with Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta announcing who will be running the new Primary Health Network locally.

Primary Health Networks – or PHNs – are part of the Abbott Government’s plans to improve the health of the nation and will replace Medicare Locals from July 1. 

Mr Vasta said the successful bid by Greater Metro South Brisbane Medicare Local to become the Brisbane South Primary Health Network was good news for local residents.

“The new Primary Health Network will ensure the people of Bonner are able to access the right care, in the right place, at the right time,” Mr Vasta said.

“The key difference between Primary Health Networks and Medicare Locals is that PHNs will focus on improving access to frontline services, not backroom bureaucracy as we saw under Labor.”

“This is backed by the fact PHNs will deliver improved access to primary care services for local patients, as well as better co-ordination with local hospitals, while at the same time improving the overall operational efficiency of the network by 30 per cent.”

“There’s no doubting that, individually, there were some high-quality Medicare Locals across the country; however there were also plenty that haven’t lived up to Labor’s promise.”

The nation’s 31 new Primary Health Networks will better align with state Local Hospital Networks. 

Mr Vasta said PHNs would work directly with GPs, other primary health care providers, secondary care providers, hospitals and the broader community to ensure improved outcomes for patients.

“In addition to general health, the Abbott Government had also set PHNs six key priorities for targeted work in mental health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population health, health workforce, eHealth and aged care,” Mr Vasta said.

Mr Vasta said the Abbott Government had also added additional checks and balances via the creation of PHN Community Advisory Committees, which will ensure all patients and local communities can provide feedback to, and have direct input into, the PHN to ensure they deliver the localised health care requirements that were unique to their region. 

PHNs were selected following a thorough tender process run at arm’s length by the Department of Health.