Criminalise coercion now

By Kirra Livingstone

NEW COERCIVE control laws introduced into State Parliament should go further by criminalising the insidious attacks on victims, according to local domestic violence protection group Speak Up Now. The long-awaited laws aimed at curbing the scourge of domestic abuse were unveiled by the Palaszczuk Government last week. The laws include modernising the offence of unlawful stalking, broadening the definition of domestic and family violence and strengthening the court’s response to cross applications for protection orders. Story page 4

MITCH GAYNOR mitch@gcnews.com.au

JENNIFER KENT jennifer@gcnews.com.au

SONIA ISAACS sonia@gcnews.com.au

KIRRA LIVINGSTONE kirra@gcnews.com.au

Contact Our Team 5438 7445

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From The Editor

THE very first pitch for an Olympic Games in Queensland was that it would be a statewide event that would bring regional centres together beyond the traditional city-focused format.

Indeed it was the SEQ Council of Mayors who in 2016 were the real drivers of what ultimately became a successful bid for the 2032 Games.

It was a bold tilt to host a global sporting phenomenon that promised to fast-track transport and infrastructure and connect the south east in ways we could only ever have imagined.

But in a very short period of time, with the world clawing its way out of the Covid pandemic, money becoming more expensive the reality of the ‘real’ cost of the Olympics is being laid bare.

Mitch Gaynor

$2.7bn - and that’s before a single yellow seat has been removed.

And let’s think about the increase in costs. It’s remarkably close to the $1.6bn that the state government is yet to commit to the Beerwah to Maroochydore rail line.

Is the money that would otherwise have gone to the rail line been diverted into a stadium?

Just for the record a 50,000 seat stadium costing $2.7bn prices each seat at $54,000 per seat. Seems like an awful lot of money for a bucket seat.

TINA GRIEVE tina@gcnews.com.au

LEWIS KWARCIANYI lewis@gcnews.com.au

Mignonette Tamayo Tracy Mellors

Tracy provides compassionate in-person and online mental health and wellness support to individuals and groups. She has two university degrees and is a student of Life. Alongside private practice, Tracy has 20 years of experience working with people within government-funded programs such as Family Support and Disaster Recovery Counselling in addition to her cherished role as a social worker and counsellor at a Women’s Health Centre.

Funding blowouts for an Olympics are no new phenomenon. But as costs increase for apparent non-negotiables - eg The Gabba - the loss to the regions crystalise.

Of course an Olympics host needs a high quality stadium, but the numbers are frightening.

The increased estimate from a $1 billion stadium redevelopment has now hit

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In terms of an Olympic legacy - outside of The Gabba - this railway line should be the big kahuna. The vision is there, the planning has been done (and repeated). The line is needed, regardless of the Olympics, but the state government will never have a better opportunity to deliver on this project in a way that will benefit for generations far beyond a Gabba sellout.

BERNETTE is a Chinese Medicine Practitioner at her business, Acupuncture @ Beerwah. Bernette has embraced the study and practice of Chinese medicine and has

Tracy is passionate about working with people and provides therapeutic counselling support and groupwork across a broad range of topics. These include: depression and anxiety, grief and loss, self-identity and for mental health, healthy relationships, healthy aging and life transitions. evidence-based support aligned with clients’ needs and goals. Compassion and mindfulness-based approaches such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Narrative Therapy are a few examples. Expressive Art Therapy, Walk and Talk Therapy and hypnotherapy are also further support clients’ goals and desired behaviour changes. Tracy provides strength-based, compassion-focused care across all-abilities and within NDIS participants; NDIA-managed, plan or self-managed. Tracy is also a registered ACA supervisor providing professional supervision to counsellors. Ihiligent eosam utatem re ea quatam, sae dolorpo repratur maximet ped quiatat iorempos mo odic totasitate dolupiduntum remporu mquate nonsecum fugiatiat yourwellnessmatters.com.au omnis

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