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SPOTLIGHT ON INFRASTRUCTURE

(plus highlights from Estimates)
Dear Readers

There is always a lot going on in the Kurwongbah electorate, especially when it comes to infrastructure - transport, health and community.  I've highlighted the following projects in this e-news update:

🔆 Bruce Highway Interchange Upgrade - Deception Bay Road
🔆 Burpengary Train Station upgrade
🔆 Caboolture Satellite Hospital
🔆 Sports field lighting upgrades in Burpengary and Narangba
🔆 North Pine Dam Upgrade

We wrapped up our State Budget Estimates process last week, with the tabling of Committee reports and debate in the Parliament.  As a Parliamentary Committee Chair, I can tell you firsthand there's a lot of work that goes into Estimates preparation, and rightly so - it's the biggest opportunity for Members of Parliament to hold the government to public account on every portfolio, with direct access to every Minister and Director-General.  

Though the media tend to focus on 'sensational', usually negative, stories through Estimates, there were also some really positive announcements this year.  I've included a few highlights below.  As always, I would love to get your feedback on these State Government initiatives.

Shane King MP
State Member for Kurwongbah
 
Send me your feedback

INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES
The Bruce Highway Interchange Upgrade and active transport connections at Deception Bay & New Settlement Roads are now fully open for business! 
Thanks to Senator Anthony Chisholm and Deputy Premier Steven Miles for joining my electoral neighbour, Chris Whiting, and I for the grand opening back in May.
It's full steam ahead at Burpengary Train Station as our accessibility upgrade ramps up.  The site office is well established now (pictured) and station locals will have noticed a significant increase in orange shirts and hard hats.

To ensure the construction is completed as quickly as possible, Burpengary Station will be temporarily closing early next year.  At this stage, we anticipate reopening in September-October once the upgrade is completed.

Queensland Rail (QR) will soon be consulting with the community about the best alternative transport options to put in place during the closure. 

I am particularly interested in how the transport of school students who catch the train to or from Burpengary will be managed, especially with regard to bikes and scooters.  If you or a family member catch the train to or from Burpengary Station, please take the opportunity to have your say.  You can e-mail feedback to stationsupgrade@qr.com.au or send an e-mail to me and I can pass your views on to QR.  

You can also sign up to the project's mailing list here, where a community survey on alternative transport options will also be available from next week.
Send feedback about the Burpengary Train Station closure
The Caboolture Satellite Hospital at 15 Rowe Street is now open!! 
I joined the Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, and neighbouring MPs, Hon Mark Ryan & Ali King (pictured) for a sneak peak earlier this year.  Information about services offered at this fantastic new facility can be found here.
There will soon be a lot happening at the Harris Avenue Sports Precinct in Narangba, with the Demons' lighting upgrade plus the Albanese Government and City of Moreton Bay's joint investment in a new Eagles clubhouse ⚾️⚽️🙌
And works are expected to start later this year on a field lighting upgrade for the Burpengary Jets Rugby League Football Club fields at Burpengary Sports Complex.  With $$ in the latest Council budget complimenting the State's $500,000 investment, the project will also include CCTV installation at the Findlay Street fields - home to Burpengary Jets Netball, the Brumbies Cricket Association, and Narangba Crows AFL 🏈🤾‍♀️🏏🏉🙌
Early geotechnical work will be starting soon on our $12m North Pine Dam Upgrade project.  You can keep an eye out for project updates and watch a clip on the different stages of dam upgrades here.
Last week, I delivered a speech on energy in support of a Transport and Resources Committee Report.  It gives a great overview of our energy achievements and the big energy infrastructure projects on the way.
PS:  Don't forget to check your electricity bill for your first instalment of the QLD Govt Cost of Living Rebate.

That's $137.50 off your bill 👇 or $175 off for vulnerable households!

ESTIMATES HIGHLIGHTS
You might have heard we're making trains in Queensland... but did you hear about these announcements, made during this year's Estimates proceedings:
  • Meningococcal B vaccines will be free from next year - for babies, children under 2 and 15 to 19 year olds.
  • We're conducting a Parliamentary Inquiry into Copper Theft - to look at what other States have done and what we can do in Queensland to stop this dangerous and damaging activity.
  • We've released the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Regional Plan.  You can find out about the updated targets for population growth per Council, plus for the first time the plan sets out diversity and density targets.  The plan also includes reference to social & affordable housing, and industrial land requirements.  Find out more and have your say here before 20 September.
  • We're improving data management and reporting of the social housing register; and limiting property offer knock backs (for reasonable reasons) to two per housing applicant.
  • We’re reporting more health data publicly through a redesigned Hospital Performance website that will allow comparisons of performance across hospital and health jurisdictions in Queensland.
  • New helmets fitted with hands free communications are being rolled-out to Queensland firefighters to improve safety on the frontline.
I'm the Chair of the Transport and Resources Committee and with three Ministerial portfolios to fit in, our Estimates hearing is always a big day.  Top highlights for me this year included finding out more about:
  • Burpengary Train Station upgrade - we've moved into the construction phase now, delivering on this important election commitment.
  • The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan - including how we're smashing our renewable energy targets.
  • The growth of QBuild - which means more jobs and apprenticeships for Queenslanders.
It was disappointing to see some Opposition MPs - most of them not from our Committee - focus more on politics than policy questions, wasting valuable time.  Thank you to my colleagues James Martin and Les Walker (pictured below) who, along with me, gave up some of our question time for others to ask their genuine questions on the day.
You can check out my contribution to the Parliamentary Estimates debate here 👇
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Copyright © 2023 Shane King MP, State Member for Kurwongbah
All rights reserved.

Phone:  (07) 3448 9100
E-mail:  kurwongbah@parliament.qld.gov.au
Mailing Address:  PO Box 39, NARANGBA Q 4504

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