Paying a ‘true cost’ of fines

FINES and penalties will increase by 7.7 per cent next financial year, the State Government announced last week, Treasurer Cameron Dick said the increase was to reflect the need to maintain the deterrent value of punishments in real terms.

However, the Government Indexation Rate (GIR) for fees and charges will be set in line with wages growth at 3.4 per cent.

As a result, the total cost of registration for a standard vehicle will increase by only 2.5 per cent in 2023-24, which is lower than last year’s 3.0 per cent increase, and penalties will be kept at a level that is “fair and affordable for Queenslanders”.

Seniors cop cost of living

New research from National Seniors Australia and Challenger has revealed that 80 per cent of people aged 50 and over are feeling the impact of higher living costs.

The National Seniors Social Survey also found that health costs, energy prices, and groceries are the top three concerns, with housing affordability also a concern in the long term. The survey showed that severe cost-of-living impacts were felt across all income levels and age groups, with renters, low-income households, people in their 50s, larger households, and people in rural and remote areas being hit the hardest.

By Kirra Livingstone

HOME and Away actors Lincoln Lewis and Paul O’Brien are set to star in a locally produced paranormal short film, shot in Kenilworth by Beerwah director Ryan Butler.

‘The Gorge’ starts filming on March 31 and will finish up on April 4, with director Ryan Butler expecting it to take an additional two-month post-production before audiences can enjoy it.

Ryan told GC&M News about the premise of the movie without giving too much away, and why they are filming it locally in the bushlands of Kenilworth.

“It’s a thriller about these five friends who are to survive a night in the woods… but on a deeper surface, it’s an allegory on grief and what it takes to get through it when facing death head on,” he said.

“We are shooting in Kenilworth in the bushland there and at some campsites so that will be pretty good, it’s the perfect location to film this short film for what I am envisioning.”

The Beerwah based director highlighted the importance of filming and producing locally, particularly for independent film directors, and is working with Mooloolaba based company Blink Productions.

“There are so many great places on the Sunshine Coast to film many different genres of films, there’s the beach, the hinterland, there’s small towns to film in, it’s got everything,” he said. Casting for the short film, which will have a run time of roughly 20 minutes, Ryan said it was all about who they knew when finding the perfect five actors and actresses for the project.

“Our producer Matt Young has worked with actor Paul O’Brien on a feature film, and when we offered him the role, he was so excited because he was considering not acting anymore,” he said.

“As for casting Lincoln Lewis, Matt knew him through a makeup artist he knew, but I also used to work with Lincoln’s dad when I was a news editor at Channel Nine News.

“We also casted Sunshine Coast actors Holly Axsentieff as the main lead, Otti, and Nathan Morgan, who is acting for the first time, and Jasmine Barui from Brisbane.”

Lincoln Lewis said he was excited to film a short film in Queensland again, as its his home state and loves any opportunity to come and visit.

“Being Queensland born and bred, I’m always stoked when I get the opportunity to film a project in my home state… it’s something that’s been on my bucket list, to be able to shoot a Sunny Coast project,” he said.

Butler revealed his other short film project, ‘Bin Day’, allowing him to win best script at the Sunny Coast Showdown this year, will be debuted at the Sunny Coast Showdown Festival on June 24.

He is hopeful one day he can produce ‘The Gorge’ into a full feature film from ideas the actors have to expand the storyline, but is currently just a running joke amongst the production team.