What Michelle Stands For

Job Security

I have been working for Capricornia to deliver more jobs for our community. My priority for Capricornia is employment and the delivery of stronger jobs growth. We need our local agriculture, manufacturing and small businesses to prosper so they can create jobs and employment to allow our communities to prosper.

The Liberal National Government’s plan is to help more people relocate outside our cities and will encourage younger people stay in rural and regional areas.

We also need to cut the cost of red and green tape because this will help our local businesses to grow which will boost productivity and jobs growth.

Water Infrastructure

Central and North Queensland needs significant water infrastructure investment to improve water security and open up agricultural opportunities. The Liberal National Government has provided the funds needed to get several water projects moving in Central Queensland such as Rookwood Weir and Urannah Dam.

I have worked hard for Capricornia demanding the Queensland Labor Government agree to accept federal funding and to get these projects started.

Road Safety

Road safety is vital to regional areas for many people like myself who spend most of their professional life driving on regional roads.

The Federal Government announced new road safety upgrades and improvements to be delivered in Queensland thanks to the Australian Government which has allocated $225 million to Queensland under tranche one of the $2 billion Road Safety Program.

There are nine projects in Capricornia that will be receiving funding, including an upgrade intersection along the Peak Downs Highway between Clermont and Nebo on Wolfang Road West and strengthening works on Bee Creek Bridge.

This funding will deliver key lifesaving improvements such as shoulder sealing, rumble strips to alert drivers they are moving out of their lane, median treatments to prevent head-on collisions and barriers to prevent run-off-road crashes and protect against roadside hazards. Additional works under tranche one the $2 billion Road Safety Program are required to begin and finish by 30 June 2021, improving safety and supporting around 950 jobs in Queensland.

Queensland unfortunately saw a 26 per cent increase in road deaths in 2020, despite the falls in traffic due to the pandemic.

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility right through all levels of government to all of us who use the road, which is why the Australian Government is investing heavily in road safety upgrades across Queensland and all of Australia. In total, the Australian Government has committed up to $225 million and the Queensland Government a further $64.6 million to fund the state-wide upgrades. Of this $289.6 million total, $267.4 million has been earmarked for regional Queensland.

The Australian Government’s funding for the Road Safety Program will deliver lifesaving measures on regional roads and to protect vulnerable road users across the Queensland while also supporting local jobs and providing a welcome boost to local economies.

I will continue to work with all levels of Government and fight for funding and initiatives to ensure the roads in Capricornia are as safe as they can possibly be.

For more information on the Australian Government’s road safety initiatives, visit www.officeofroadsafety.gov.au. 

Delivering Regional Services

I believe that all Australians should have access to an affordable, quality health care system, regardless of whether they live in the city or the country. Our local health system desperately needs more doctors.

The Liberal National Government have rolled out a number of initiatives through the Stronger Rural Health Strategy. Some of these are the More Doctors for Rural Australia Program & the Rural Junior Doctor Training Innovation Fund – for more information click here

The Liberals and Nationals in Government have supported regional Australia through recent drought, bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic and the Government considers it more important than ever that we continue to back our regions through targeted support by boosting community infrastructure.

The 2020-21 Budget included $41 million for a Securing Raw Materials Program and a Research Development Program that will broaden the Australian Government’s approach to decentralisation and create regional jobs.

The budget also included announcing Round 6 of Stronger Communities Funding and also Round 5 of Building Better Regions Funding, these two funding opportunities bring so much to the regions allowing community groups to expand or build much needed infrastructure to keep their clubs or organisations running well.

I have also been working hard for Capricornia to improve communications. This includes more and better mobile coverage funded through the Mobile Black Spot Program. Round 6 will be opening soon and I will be fighting for Capricornia to receive our fair share.

Delivering Community Projects

Community Organisations are the backbone of regional communities like ours and we see thousands of people across our electorate volunteering to keep these organisations running.

I work hard ensuring Capricornia gets our fair share and our community organisations are not left behind, here are few of our groups I have helped during 2019/2020 to receive much needed funding:

Middlemount Golf Club	Storage Sheds	Middlemount	$                     89,496.00	Move It Aus Community Sport Infrastructure Grant program – Round 2
Cap Coast Netball Association	Build 2 new courts	Rockhampton	$                   330,000.00	Move It Aus Community Sport Infrastructure Grant program – Round 2
Beef Australia	2021 Beef Australia Event	Rockhampton	$3.9 million	Beef Australia Tri-ennial Industry Eposition
Palmyra Dragway	Upgrades to drag club – election funding	Palmyra	$                   120,000.00	Community Development Grants Program
Finch Hatton Emergency Airstrip	Emergency Airstrip – Election funding	Finch Hatton	$                     50,000.00	Community Development Grants Program
Clermont Men’s Shed	Resurface existing concrete floor and additional work stations	Clermont	$                     20,000.00	Tackling Tough Times Together Round 15
Sarina Junior Rugby League	New training equipment and training for volunteers	Sarina	$                        3,000.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Mackay Hurricanes Cricket Club	Sporting Equipment & training	Ooralea	$                        1,500.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Yeppoon Scout Group	Leadership Training	Yeppoon	$                        2,500.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
4RFM Community Radio	New computers and recording equipment	Moranbah	$                        4,470.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Rockhampton Golf Club	New computer and office supplies	Rockhampton	$                        1,000.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Pink Robin Project	RSA training and fuel costs	Rockhampton	$                        2,400.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Rockhampton Australia South Sea Islander	Marquees and fundraising equipment and storage	Rockhampton	$                        4,350.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Pioneer Valley Agriculture Show	BBQ	Finch Hatton	$                        1,600.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Dows Creek Hall	Laptop and software	Mirani	$                        1,770.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Meals on Wheels Clermont	Fuel and insurance costs	Clermont	$                        2,000.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Rossmoya Rural Fire Brigade	Training and equipment	Rossmoya	$                        5,000.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Sailability Capricornia	First Aid Training	Yeppoon	$                        2,000.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Rockhampton Royal Flying Doctor Auxillary	Laptops and office equipment	Rockhampton	$                        2,500.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Yeppoon Men’s Shed	New thicknesser	Yeppoon	$                        3,490.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Cockscomb Veterans Retreat	New power tools and building repairs		$                        5,000.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Rockhampton Foodbank	Part purchase a new fridge	Rockhampton	$                        5,000.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Australian Volunteer Coastguard	Fuel and training	Yeppoon	$                        2,500.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
The Caves Rural Fire Brigade	Television and projector for training	The Caves	$                        3,500.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Nanankin Rural Fire Brigade	Partly fund outdoor learning area	Nankanin	$                        4,800.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Maryvale Rural Fire Services	Water storage tanks	Maryvale	$                        4,780.00	Volunteer Grants 2020
Emu Park Historical Museum Society	Develop a digital interactive presentation to accompany a memorabillia display commenorating local service personnel at the Emu Park Historical Museum	Emu Park	$                        4,000.00	Saluting Services Grant
Cockscomb Veterans Bush Retreat	Renovations and upgrade of old unsafe electrical wiring.	Cawarral	$                     25,586.00	Veteran and Community Grants Program
The Queensland Farmers Federation	Assess options for microgrids to offer a more stable network, increase network utilisation, increase the uptake of on-farm solar energy and cut costs in the rural and irrigation sector.	Pioneer Valley	$                   654,807.00	Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund
Mackay Regional Council for Social Development	Three health and wellbeing workshops, and mentoring and coaching for not-for-profit organisations in the Whitsunday Regional Council area	Collinsville	$                     20,000.00	Building Better Regions
Multicap Ltd	Construct three buildings containing units specifically designed to meet the needs of people living with disabilities and complex needs	West Rockhampton	$                   950,000.00	Building Better Regions
Whitsunday Regional Council	Upgrade the six mega-litre reservoir at Collinsville and equip the Water and Sewage Treatment Plants with a 200 kW on-site solar array	Collinsville	$                   836,786.00	Building Better Regions
Sarina Landcare	Rehabilitation of Lousia Creek Reserve	Sarina	$                     13,812.00	Community Environment Program
Sarina Landcare	Rehabilitation of Carmila Beach Reserve	Sarina	$                     14,345.00	Community Environment Program
Reef Catchments Mackay	Assessing condition of critically endangered beach scrub	Carmila	$                     20,000.00	Community Environment Program
Reef Catchments Mackay	Community Coastcare: helping protect and preserve coasts		$                     19,650.00	Community Environment Program
Cap Coast Landcare	Environlink Office	Yeppoon	$                     20,000.00	Community Environment Program
Sarina Landcare	Tedlands Wetland Fishway Assessment	Sarina	$                     13,445.00	Community Environment Program
Rotary Club Capricorn Coast	Mulambin Beach Park Facilites	Yeppoon	$                        5,150.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
Sarina Rugby League	Grandstand Shading	Sarina	$                     15,647.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
Sarina Surf Life Saving Club Incorporated	Infatable Rescue Boat	Sarina	$                     10,050.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
Centacare CQ	Gym and consultation rooms	Rockhampton	$                     13,590.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
CPL Choice	Upgrades to Centre	Rockhampton	$                        9,444.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
Capricorn Coast Men’s Shed	Capricorn Coast Men’s Shed – Upgrade	Yeppoon	$                        7,000.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
St Vincent De Pauls	Purchase and Installation of a solar power system @ Collinsville retail centre	Collinsville	$                     10,000.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
Suncity Sports Club	Purchase of sports equipment	Rockhampton	$                        3,500.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
Queensland Remote Area Tracking Inc.	Specialised mobile radio and headquarters units to the region	Mirani	$                        9,307.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
Victoria Park Bowls Club	Disability Access upgrades	Victoria Park	$                        2,500.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
The Frenchville Sports Club	Replace Unoperational Equipment	Frenchville	$                     17,890.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
C&K Middlemount community childcare centre	Outdoor Play Equipment	Middlemount	$                     18,026.00	Stronger Communities Round 5
Clermont Men’s Shed	Versatile Tool Box	Clermont	$                        2,500.00	Stronger Communities Round 5

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Priority Projects