Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience Bridget McKenzie and Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien today met with cane growers in Maryborough to discuss federal assistance to help Wide Bay-Burnett primary producers get back on their feet following the devastating floods.

Extraordinary assistance grants of up to $50,000 are now available for primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations affected by the recent floods in the Wide Bay-Burnett region to help communities get back on their feet.

The Liberal and Nationals Government’s Cultural, Heritage and Arts Regional Tourism program provides community museums, galleries and historical societies with grants of up to $3,000 to help them grow cultural tourism and preserve Australia’s heritage.

Major upgrades to the Sunshine Butterflies disability support facility will be supported by a $135,000 funding injection from the Federal Government, paving the way for more locals to use the service.

Noosa Arts and Crafts Association will receive a digital boost, with Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien announcing a $5,000 grant for new technology.

Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien is encouraging local show societies to apply for a share of $21 million through round two of the Liberal and Nationals Government’s Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days program.

More Wide Bay residents in the South Burnett and Cherbourg who have been hit hard by the current flooding can now apply for financial support from the Liberal and Nationals Government.

Personal Hardship Assistance is now available to support residents of 13 localities within the Fraser Coast and Gympie Regional Council areas, including Maryborough, impacted by the devastating heavy rainfall and flooding associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth from 7 – 10 January 2022.

A range of disaster assistance measures are now available in the Fraser Coast, Gympie, South Burnett and Cherbourg council areas, following the devastating heavy rainfall and flooding associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth from 7 – 10 January 2022.

From Tuesday January 11, 2022, eligible Queenslanders in Gympie, the Fraser Coast and Bundaberg local government areas impacted by the current flooding event can apply for special financial support from the Australian Government.

The Liberal and Nationals Government has committed $1.5 million to fund an extension to Katie Rose Cottage Hospice, expanding access to end of life and palliative care services for people in Noosa and on the Sunshine Coast.

Christmas is a very special time of year when family and friends gather to reflect on the year that was and plan for the year ahead.

Councils within Wide Bay can now apply for a share of $150 million for upgrades to unsealed roads with applications open for the Liberal and Nationals Government’s Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program.

Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien is encouraging local organisations to apply for grants of up to $150,000 for projects to support the wellbeing and mental health of veterans.

As Australia’s arts and entertainment sector continues to recover from COVID-19, Gympie Music Muster will go from strength to strength with a $1 million grant through the Morrison Government’s $200 million Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund.

A concept design for the Tiaro Bypass has now been completed, which shows how a new four-lane section of the Bruce Highway east of Tiaro could look.

The Liberal and Nationals Government is investing in the future of Wide Bay with a further $250 million in funding available under the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF).

Works start today to improve safety along a three-kilometre section of the Bruce Highway at Gootchie, including upgrades to three intersections.

Community groups in Gympie, the Cooloola Coast and Mary Valley will share in grants of $33,618 as Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien recognises the valuable work of Wide Bay’s volunteers.

GP practices in Gympie and Maryborough will have more options for hiring and a larger pool of doctors to recruit from, following changes to the Distribution Priority Area (DPA) classification system.

Bridge piling has now started on the last of the three new interchanges as part of the Bruce Highway Upgrade – Cooroy to Curra, Section D (C2CD) project.

Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien has welcomed a parliamentary inquiry that will put big tech under the microscope as it examines toxic material on social media platforms and the dangers this poses to the well-being of Australians.

Up to $20 million is available for innovative research that addresses priority knowledge gaps in soil health and soil management as a part of the ‘Soil Science Challenge’.

Applications are now open for a further $50 million for priority flood mitigation infrastructure projects across the country, and Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien is encouraging Wide Bay councils to apply.

Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien has welcomed strong action by the Liberal and Nationals Government to shut down scam text messages and block them at their source.

From 1 December 2021, people in Wide Bay with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) will have access to a new treatment option on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) – cutting the cost of life-saving drug Venclexta from more than $88,000 per course to as low as $6.60.

Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien is encouraging local organisations to apply for grants for suicide prevention projects, to help reduce Australia’s suicide rate towards zero.

Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien has welcomed a $22.4 million investment by the Liberal and National Government over five years to establish a Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission.

Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien has welcomed the Liberal and National Government’s world-leading reforms to help protect Australians and business owners from online trolls

Wide Bay local governments have received a share of $4.7 million to deliver services and infrastructure, through the Liberal and National Government’s Financial Assistance Grants program.