Member’s Statement – Buderim Foundation
The Buderim Foundation is a community philanthropic, not-for-profit up in my seat of Fairfax on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Its operating model is simply this: it receives donations and bequests; it invests those funds, generating income; it then…
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Member’s Statement – Father’s Day 2017
Today I am wearing a tie that my five-year-old daughter gave me for Father's Day. While I was flying to Canberra yesterday, Father's Day, it had me thinking. Here we are in Parliament, all of us…
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Supporting funding for Bloomhill Cancer Care
The Federal Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, recently visited Bloomhill Cancer Care in Buderim. The Minister subsequently announced that the Commonwealth would decline an offer from the Queensland State Government help fund…
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Generation Innovation! The 2017 GI Challenge
A challenge for 15 to 25 year olds to start their own businesses. The first of its kind anywhere in the world, the GI Challenge connects budding young entrepreneurs with the marketplace in a way…
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Federal Government funding for Sunshine Coast road upgrades
The Federal Government has committed nearly $2.5 million to upgrade Sunshine Coast roads under the latest Roads to Recovery funding round. The program means funding is provided directly to Councils to assist them with maintaining…
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Fairfax Annual Report 2016/17
I am regularly asked what the Federal Government is doing for Fairfax, and I am always proud to list some of our great achievements from my first 12 months as your Federal Member. My inaugural…
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Fairfax Annual Report 2016/17 – video and full report
I am pleased to present you with my 2016/17 Annual Report for Fairfax. My first year as the Federal Member for Fairfax has been both challenging and rewarding. While I am proud of the achievements…
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LOCAL KIDS BECOME LOCAL DOCTORS
LOCAL students will soon be studying medicine on the Sunshine Coast following an historic Federal Government commitment. The Federal Government has confirmed it will fully fund 50 medical student placements at the Sunshine Coast University…
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Member Statement – Fairfax Electorate Rural and Regional Services
...While almost seven million Australians live outside large metropolitan areas, of the 20 federal electorates with the lowest household incomes in Australia, 18 are located outside our capital cities. We need real solutions to rural…
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GRIEVANCE DEBATE – Environmental Organisations
...Australian taxpayers deserve much greater accountability and transparency concerning the subsidies they provide to politically active environmental organisations than often, and in some cases habitually, engage in criminal behaviour. In this grievance debate, I am calling…
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Member Statement – Sunshine Coast Lighting Netball Team
...I want to talk about last Saturday night, when nearly 9,000 screaming netball fans descended on the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for the climax of the Suncorp Super Netball competition with the Sunshine Coast lightning delivering…
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Private Members’ Business – Energy
...The problems in South Australia and Victoria are well known, but the issue for resource-rich Queensland has to be: how has it come to this? How has the NEM state with by far the richest…
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Private Members’ Business – Queensland Employment
...Queensland ought to be the powerhouse of job creation. We should be, but if you look at the latest data, only South Australia had a higher unemployment rate, of 7.1 per cent to Queensland's 6.3…
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Member Statement – Queensland Schools
...A form of restrictive censorship was recently recommended to the Queensland state Labor government, whereby children were not to speak about Christianity in the school play yard...'
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Private Members’ Business – Renewable Energy
...The climate is almost certainly changing, and we should do what we reasonably can to reduce emissions; however, the level of emphasis that has been placed on renewables in Australia and in other largely Western…
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Private Members’ Business – North Korea
...When it comes to dealing with North Korea and ensuring the peace and stability of our region, I say to China: the United States and her allies, including Australia, are your real friends, and we…
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Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 2) Bill 2017
...In the Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 2) Bill 2017 the measures are, of course, part of the broader range of measures reflected in the government's National Innovation and Science Agenda that the…
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Aged Care and Fairfax Seniors Advisory Committee
...On the Sunshine Coast, where my electorate of Fairfax is based, we have a disproportionately large population of mature-age Australians - 19% of the population. It is why I decided earlier this year to establish…
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Matters of Public Importance – Turnbull Government
...I felt so desperately sorry for the Leader of the Opposition when he tried to present this MPI (matters of public importance) today. He struggled to characterise what the Labor Party stands for. Finally, he…
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Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 1) Bill 2017
...This bill is part of a suite of measures reflecting this government's core commitment to the future of Australia's smart economy as contained in the National Innovation and Science Agenda. That agenda embraces a future…
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Strengthening Requirements for Australian Citizenship
...Australia is bound by a common set of values and we need to ensure that those values are upheld and respected, just as we must ensure the rule of law. What is being proposed in…
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Condolence speech – Concetto Antonio AO
...I say from this side of the House, but probably more personally just from me and maybe also from those whom I went to school with, that we send our greatest sympathies to the Sciacca family.…
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Taxation statement
Taxation - '...The Labor Party will tax households to ensure they pay higher electricity prices. Labor will tax the homeowner through their negative gearing and capital gains plans. Labor will tax the hardworking mum and…
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The Plebiscite on same sex marriage
Thank you to everyone who has contacted me about the plebiscite on same sex marriage, including questions on the process and why people should have a vote. I spoke to the team at Hot 91.1…
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Sunshine Coast cash splash!
My #TeamSunshineCoast colleague, Andrew Wallace MP, Federal Member for Fisher, and I announced $3.5 million of Federal Government funding yesterday for facilities here on the Sunshine Coast. $3 million for significant renovation to The Events Centre…
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$500k Secures Buderim Men’s Shed Future
See the announcement here. The Federal Government has come to the rescue of Australia’s largest Men’s Shed with a grant worth half a million dollars. “The Buderim Men’s Shed found out last year…
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QLD’s first medical cannabis provider establishes business on the Sunshine Coast
Medifarm, Queensland's first licensed provider of medical cannabis, has commenced construction of their greenhouse facility at a secret location on the Sunshine Coast. I saw the facility this week, which is expected to begin providing…
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Fairfax Annual Report Snapshot
Never before has the Sunshine Coast been the recipient of so much Federal Government funding. In the past 12 months, we have achieved wonderful results together - for infrastructure, business, families and transport. This video…
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Funding available for Sunshine Coast Community Groups
Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien is encouraging local community groups to flag any small capital works projects which would benefit from Federal Government funding. The Commonwealth has committed $150,000 in support of up to 20 projects…
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SECURE YOUR SEAT AT THE SENIORS’ FORUM
SENIORS’ health is one issue which will be put under the spotlight when local over 50s come together on Friday, 4 August at a free forum dedicated to Coast seniors. The Fairfax Seniors’ Forum, initiated…
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