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Wednesday, July 22, 2015
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Mareeba and Atherton will go head to head in the local rugby league derby this Saturday, in Atherton. Turn to page 23 for the match preview.
Budget impact By Justin Fris
F
ATHER time will be the only true indicator on the long-term legacies of the Palaszczuk Government’s first State Budget. Handed down by Curtis Pitt (Treasurer and Member for Mulgrave) last Tuesday, the Budget encompasses a wide variety of issues that impact every member of society, regardless of geographical location. Locally, both Cook and Dalrymple electorates are in a rare position this year, as both current
MP’s are sitting on the crossbenches of power. This status has been reflected in allocation of funding for both electorates, which will be a significant boost for the region. Independent Member for Cook Billy Gordon was pleased about the emphasis on families and education within the budget and said: “The Queensland Budget has brought a raft of benefits to Cook, from subsidised air travel and protecting agriculture to road and infrastructure upgrades. “I’m pleased that after two years of lobbying
the government has committed $5.6 million for a 12 month trial for discounted air fares for Torres Strait and Cape York residents. “This will not just make travel more affordable it will have a positive impact on residents’ health and wellbeing. “Banana Producers will benefit from $9.8 million investment to tackle the Tropical Race 4 strain of Panama disease in partnership with the Abbott Government. “This will bring greater peace of mind for regional growers who’ve had a number of scares
this year from the potentially crippling fungus.” Member for Dalrymple Shane Knuth said he was pleased funding was allocated to education within his electorate, specifically within the Moranbah township. “I welcome the upgrades – together the community has been working towards this for years,” he said. “The old air conditioners have contributed nothing in regards to cooling, they just made a hell of a lot of noise and disturbance. CONTINUED PAGE 3
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