Competing at a national or state level can be expensive for young people and their families, and that’s where the Local Sporting Champions grants can help.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt is today congratulating 23 young sporting champions from across the electorate who have been awarded a $500 grant.

“The Local Sporting Champions grants help ease the financial burden of travelling to and from state, national and international sporting competitions for the families of our young sporting stars,” Mr Pitt said.

The grant can be put toward the cost of travel, accommodation, uniforms or equipment to participate at the nominated championships.

Mr Pitt said the Local Sporting Champions program is aimed at the 12 to 18 age group as research shows this group is where the largest dropout rates occur.

“The program will hopefully lead to lower dropout rates, by providing financial assistance to these sportspeople.

“As well as keeping them fit and healthy, competing in a sport helps build self-confidence and teaches our young people the importance of team work. That’s why we’re helping to make it easier for young people to continue to participate in sport.”

Applications for Round One for 2017-18 are now open and close on June 30, 2017 and Mr Pitt encourages all young Hinkler sportspeople to apply.

For more information: www.ausport.gov.au/participating/local_sporting_champions

Round 3, 2016-17 Local Sporting Champions recipients:

Zoran Fitzek – Little Athletics State Championships

Jayden Douma – National Hockey Championships Under 15 Boys

Andie Staples – Australian U13 National Indoor Hockey Championships

Col Curry – 2017 Australian Youth Triathlon Championships

Keira Stephens – 2017 Hancock Prospecting Australian Championships (Swimming)

Savannah Ritter – Under 15 National Softball Titles

Nicholas Jefferson – Para Championships (Table Tennis)

Leah Scott – Australian Junior Table Tennis Championships

Brett Fourro – 2016 Australian National Junior Table Tennis Championships

Briahna Connolly – Australian Juniors Table Tennis Championships

Ethan Weder – 2017 Sydney International Rowing Regatta

James Stromquist – Football Queensland

Johannes Kirchner – Queensland Hockey State Championships Boys Under 13

Leyton Ey – Australian Junior Table Tennis Championships

Nathan Donaldson – All School Championships

Rebecca Tran – Australian Junior Table Tennis Championships

Bryce Hibberd – Futsal National Championships

Ethan Jones – State Championships (Athletics)

Hayden Moynihan – National Futsal Championships

Mitchell Anderson – National Touch League

Nicholas Chatfield – National Futsal Championship

Patrick Stromquist – Football Queensland

Tyrese Johnson – State Championships (Athletics)

More than 11,500 small and medium sized businesses in the Hinkler electorate will pay less tax under the Coalition Government’s Ten Year Enterprise Tax Plan passed in Parliament last week.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said reducing the tax burden gives business owners the chance to grow and hire more staff.

“When taxes are lower for small business that money is reinvested in expanding a business, hiring more local people, giving them more hours of work and paying them more.

“Small business makes a big contribution to our economy and I am working hard to help it grow,” Mr Pitt said.

Under the plan, Hinkler businesses with turnovers up to $10 million are now defined as small businesses and will pay a lower company tax rate of 27.5 per cent from this financial year, before eventually falling to 25 per cent.

Cutting the company tax rate and broadening the definition of small business also means more local small businesses can now access the instant asset write-off program.

“The Enterprise Tax Plan means more small businesses can instantly write-off new equipment worth up to $20,000 and claim it back straight away,” Mr Pitt said.

“The Coalition Government believes in practical support for small business and this means cash flow is freed up for small businesses, but this program ends on 30 June 2017, so take advantage now.”

Mr Pitt said small business is the economic lifeblood of regional communities like Hinkler.

“Many are family-run businesses, with mums and dads working long hours, taking few holidays and sometimes taking a risk to provide important services and products to our community.

“The Coalition Government is delivering lower company taxes for these businesses so they can continue to grow and provide more opportunities for locals,” he said.

Community groups are joining forces under a Coalition Government plan to deliver targeted local action to help tackle drug use and addiction.

In the latest offensive against the scourge of ice, the first 40 Local Drug Action Teams have been announced to tackle the challenges being faced by their community caused by ice and other drugs.

“One of the Local Drug Action Teams – Stepping Black Indigenous Corporation based in Hervey Bay – will roll out a program in conjunction with Eidsvold State School’s secondary students,” said Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt.

Across Australia, more than 160 partnerships have been formed between local councils, service providers, schools, police, sporting groups and non-government organisations to bring these teams together to prevent and reduce the harms of drugs.

Over the next three years, 220 Local Drug Action Teams (LDAT) will be established across the country and supported by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation to develop locally focused and responsive action plans to reduce the impact of drugs, with a particular focus on the drug ice.

“The Coalition Government is providing $19.2 million funding to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation for the LDAT program,” said Mr Pitt.

“These teams will be focused on delivering local health promotion, community-led education and mentoring programs, early intervention and prevention programs, and providing support for vulnerable people to minimise their risk of alcohol and other drug related harms.”

Federal Member for Flynn, Ken O’Dowd said many in Flynn were concerned about the rise of ice in the bush.

“It used to be that drugs weren’t really a problem in the bush, more of a city problem. With the rise of ice, this just isn’t the case anymore.

“Rural communities are under real stress worrying about how to deal with such an insidious problem and I’m proud to be part of a government helping communities implement programmes to tackle the scourge of ice.

“Stepping Black’s project will work to engage with young people in Eidsvold, using 12 video vignettes created by local high school students to help address the school’s and community’s core principles,” said Mr O’Dowd.

The base content will be around identified areas of concern such as: school attendance; safety, respect, responsibility and learning; alcohol and drugs (“it’s okay to so no”); domestic violence (“not now, not

ever”); behavioural attitudes and bullying; social and personal interactions (“love bites”); solid pathways and deadly choices.

The LDAT initiative is part of the Coalition Government’s investment of $298 million investment over four years to combat illicit drug and alcohol use.

Australians are proportionally using more methamphetamine, including ice, than almost any other country. Conservative estimates suggest there are more than 200,000 ice users in Australia.

“We have already made significant investments in policing our borders and our streets to combat the supply of ice. The AFP has seized over 12 tonnes of methamphetamine since January 2013. This includes 486kg in Queensland.

“But we cannot simply arrest our way out of the ice problem – we must also work to reduce the demand for this drug.

“The rollout of Local Drug Action teams was a key action under the National Ice Action Strategy in response to the recommendations of the National Ice Taskforce, to increase community engagement and action to reduce the harms of drugs,” said Mr O’Dowd.

A new web-based information toolkit will also provide communities with information about ice, including the harms associated with use, and information about accessing services and support.

The toolkit is available online at cracksintheice.org.au and provides tailored information for community groups, families and friends of individuals using ice, parents, teachers and students, as well as frontline service providers.

For more information about Local Drug Action Teams, visit: www.adf.org.au/ldat

For more information about Cracks in the ice, visit: www.cracksintheice.org.au

The Coalition Government is providing free continuous glucose monitoring devices to eligible children and people under the age of 21 years with type 1 diabetes.

This new lifesaving technology will reduce the hassle of the daily finger-prick for people with diabetes who use this new product.

“This will be life-changing for children, young people and their families,” said Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt.

“It will also provide much needed support for the difficult challenge of managing blood glucose levels, particularly in identifying symptoms of hypoglycaemia.

“Eligible young Australians will now be able to access these devices for free through the National Diabetes Services Scheme – saving around $4000 per year.

“The $54 million initiative will help families and children to better self-manage their diabetes, reducing visits to emergency departments and missed school days.”

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that attacks a person’s ability to produce insulin.

Children and young people with the disease have to monitor their glucose levels around the clock.

Mr Pitt said while the finger-prick method is effective and accurate, it can be quite a difficult and upsetting process for some children and their parents, with up to 10 tests needed every day – including several times every night.

“For some families it may require waking a child in the middle of the night or interrupting them during the day at school,” he said.

“In contrast, continuous glucose monitors will alert users or their parents if glucose levels are getting too low without the need for continuous finger prick tests. This helps to reduce stress and anxiety for everyone involved.”

The Coalition Government has worked collaboratively with expert endocrinologists and paediatricians and diabetes educators, as well as Diabetes Australia, the DANII Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

To access continuous glucose monitors products children and young adults will need to consult with an authorised health professional, who will assess the patient’s suitability against specific eligibility criteria, as part of an overall management plan for diabetes.

From today, eligibility assessment forms will be available to download at www.ndss.com.au

Fish and chip lovers in Hinkler are being urged to vote for the best fish and chips in Australia.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said he was looking forward to a fish and chips shop in Hinkler being named the nation’s best in the 2017 Australian Fish and Chip Awards.

“Eating fish and chips is part of our way of life,” he said.

“Of course, everyone knows the best fish and chips are in Hinkler, so let’s make sure the rest of Australia learns that too. Lodging a vote is easy. I encourage all fish and chip lovers to lodge a vote.”

The 2017 Australian Fish and Chip Awards were launched today in Parliament House by Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Anne Ruston. The awards are coordinated by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) in partnership with state and territory fishing industry councils.

“Australia produces world-class seafood, sourced from the world’s best managed fisheries,” Mr Pitt said.

“It’s important to recognise the success stories in our seafood industry, and the hard work of our fishers who bring food to our table.

“There are two categories: People’s Choice and The National Fish and Chip Award. Entries will be rated on taste, service, choice, information and labelling. The winner will be announced on 28 September 2017 at the National Seafood Industry Awards in Sydney.

“Let’s make sure there’s strong support for our fish and chip shops in Hinkler.”

For more information and to vote, visit www.fishandchipsawards.com.au.

Tourism figures released today show Hinkler is proving popular for Aussie holidaymakers. 

While 560,000 domestic tourists visited Bundaberg and spent $232 million last year, 596,000 domestic tourists visited the Fraser Coast and spent $269 million, creating local jobs and driving economic growth. 

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said today’s National Visitor Survey was great news for the region’s tourism industry. 

“From the turtles nesting and hatching at Mon Repos to the whale watching in Hervey Bay, there is so much on offer in Hinkler,” he said.  

“It’s fantastic to see more Australians choosing to visit Hinkler as this means more local tourism jobs and a healthy boost to our economy.”

Produced by Tourism Research Australia, the survey shows domestic tourists visiting Bundaberg have increased by 6 percent over the previous three years to December 2016, and an increase of 14 percent for the Fraser Coast in the same period.

Domestic visitors spent 2,040,000 nights in Bundaberg – an increase of 18 percent over the previous three years – and 2,583,000 on the Fraser Coast – an increase of 37 percent – with an average four-night stay.

“The Coalition Government remains focused on tourism, with our vibrant tourism sector forecast to continue its growth trajectory over the next decade,” Mr Pitt said. 

“The survey shows tourism across Australia was worth a record $100 billion in the year ending December 2016 – up 5.6 per cent on the previous year.

“The Coalition Government is supporting further growth in the Australian tourism industry, including by: investing a record $639 million in Tourism Australia to market Australia abroad; negotiating the world’s best aviation access agreements; and introducing visitor visa improvements.”

The National Visitor Survey is available on the Tourism Research Australia website: www.tra.gov.au

Bundaberg will receive a visit from not one, but two of Australia’s top foreign diplomats as part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Global Heads of Mission meeting.

Ambassador to the Netherlands, the Hon Dr Brett Mason and Consul-General in Phuket Craig Ferguson – who grew up in Bundaberg – will meet with local businesses, schools and organisations on Thursday March 30.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt – who is in Canberra for the Parliamentary sitting week – said the opportunity to have two diplomats in the region was a real coup.

“Many people only come into contact with Australian diplomats if they run into trouble while they are overseas, but they play a very important role in explaining how the work they do overseas delivers benefits to all Australians,” Mr Pitt said.

The Ambassador and Consul-General will be speaking about the role of international relations, free trade and most importantly, they will be seeking feedback on how the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can better serve the community.

Mr Pitt spoke to the Heads of Mission meeting today in Canberra ahead of the visits to regional and rural Australia reflecting on the feedback he has received from communities and business throughout Australia as he’s delivered Free Trade Agreement seminars.

Ambassador Mason, who is a former Queensland senator, will visit Shalom College to speak to students, including those from other local high schools, about business and international trade.

He will also meet with the Bundaberg Chamber of Commerce as well as Bundaberg Regional Council and will visit CQUniversity.

Consul-General Ferguson will visit local macadamia and avocado growers, local business AustChilli, as well as his former primary school – Thabeban State School.

Thousands of families across Hinkler are set for child care cost relief and their children will benefit from more early learning opportunities as part of the Coalition Government’s reforms to the system that passed Parliament last night.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said the new reforms would offer relief for families who are finding that fees and expenses put access to child care and early learning increasingly out of reach.

“These are the biggest reforms to child care and early learning in 40 years,” Mr Pitt said.

“We know the cost pressures that families face so we’ve taken action to overhaul a broken system to deliver more affordable, accessible and flexible services for families and children.

“Our changes will inject $1.6 billion of additional investment into the system – with around one million families across the country to be better off – including many of the 6,790 families in Hinkler that use child care and early learning services.

“We’re targeting support to people working the most and earning the least and it’s estimated our reforms will encourage more than 230,000 families to return to the workforce or increase their involvement in paid employment.

“Our approach stands in stark contrast to the Labor Party who don’t have a child care policy, tried to block our reforms every step of the way and stood against the additional investment in our reforms and the relief that will mean for families.”

The reforms come into effect from 1 July 2018 and there are three key features:

1. Better support for people working the most and earning the least – The changes simplify the current complicated rebate system by replacing payments with a single, means-tested Child Care Subsidy that boosts the current flat 50 per cent rebate rate to 85 per cent for hardworking families earning up to $65,710 and then tapers down to 20 per cent for families earning more than $250,000 and cuts out for families earning more than $350,000. Our reforms also introduce a three-step activity test with an entry point of four hours a week that gives families eligibility for 18 hours a week of subsidised child care. This will align hours of care with the combined amount of work, training, study, volunteering or other recognised activity being undertaken by parents.

2. Relief from the rebate cap – We will abolish the $7,500 rebate cap to ensure families on incomes of $185,710 or less aren’t limited by a cap on the amount of child care they can access and the cap will be increased to $10,000 for families earning more than $185,710, overall offering relief to the approximately 100,000 families that hit the current $7,500 rebate cap.

3. Downward pressure on incessant fee increases – Our reforms introduce an ‘hourly rate cap’ on the subsidies the Government will pay that will set a benchmark price so Australians have a reference point to hold providers accountable and from which they can expect prices shouldn’t dramatically exceed. We will also slash red tape so services can be more flexible in the hours they deliver instead of the current system where families who routinely need and use only four, six or eight hours of care, are charged for 10 or 12 hours.

“Our reforms also include measures to encourage workforce participation, stronger compliance powers to further stamp out rorting, more flexibility for the hours child care centres open and additional investment for services to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds or with additional needs such as disability.

“I look forward to discussing the reforms with families across Hinkler and to seeing the benefits flow through to help household budgets, boost early learning opportunities and give families the opportunity to work or work more.”

In coming weeks the Government will begin communicating the changes to families and services, and a calculator will be available for families to determine how the reforms will benefit them.

For further information on the reforms, visit https://www.education.gov.au/jobsforfamilies

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt announced today that young people in Hinkler will soon be able to access Employability Skills Training to help improve their chances of finding and keeping a job.

Mr Pitt congratulated the training organisations on their new role and looked forward to the program starting this April.

“The Coalition Government is investing $188.3 million in Employability Skills Training (EST), to help more young Australians into work,” he said.

“This is a great initiative to help our young people get the skills they need to take up a job in the region.” 

Minister for Employment, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, today confirmed that eight Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) will deliver training in the area under Youth Jobs PaTH (Prepare, Trial, Hire), to help young people aged 15-24 years gain the skills employers are looking for when hiring staff in entry-level positions.

These organisations are:

• Australian Employment & Training Solutions Pty Ltd

• Look Now Pty Ltd

• Regional Training Services QLD Pty Ltd

• Steps Group Australia Limited

• Strategix Training Group Pty Ltd

• The Quality Training and Hospitality College Pty Ltd

• The Trustee for Designer Life (Queensland) Trust

• Train Australia Pty Ltd

Minister Cash said the Government has committed $188.3 million over four years to the Employability Skills Training program, which is the ‘Prepare’ element of Youth Jobs PaTH.

“We know that businesses are keen to employ young people but sometimes find that applicants do not have core skills for the workplace,” Minister Cash said.

“Through Employability Skills Training young people will gain that knowledge and be better prepared to take up job opportunities.”

Employers are already able to hire young Australians by accessing a Youth Bonus wage subsidy of up to $10,000 (GST inclusive) per employee. From April, young people will be able to undertake a voluntary internship of 4-12 weeks to gain work experience and further boost their job prospects.

A full list of the successful organisations that accepted the opportunity to deliver Employability Skills Training can be found here:  https://www.employment.gov.au/employability-skills-training-panel-applications.

For more information on Employability Skills Training and other support available for young people under the Government’s Youth Employment Strategy, visit: www.employment.gov.au/youth

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt has congratulated the Buxton Friendship Association on its successful application for funding under the Australian Government Saluting Their Service program.

Mr Pitt said the association had received $3,172 as part of the program to help build a new war memorial in Buxton to commemorate people from the area who have served in all wars and conflicts.

“This project will honour the local men and women who have served, and continue to serve, in defence of our nation,” he said.

“The commitment of organisations like the Buxton Friendship Association ensures our community can preserve and honour our local history.

“The Salting Their Service Community Commemorative Grants program provides up to $4000 for an individual project and is a rolling grants program, so applications are accepted at any time.”

Local community organisations interested in applying for funding under the Saluting Their Service program should contact the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Commemorative Grants team on 1800 026 185 or email commemorativegrants@dva.gov.au.