State Member for Pine Rivers
Cheaper kindy fees for low-income families
The Bligh Government has made kindergarten even more affordable for low-income families, offering cheaper fees for Health Care Card holders.

Families simply need to show their Health Care Card to their Queensland Government approved kindergarten program provider to claim their entitlement.
The subsidy is worth up to $1179 a year to families accessing a kindergarten service. The subsidy is worth $402 a year for families accessing kindy through a long day care service, as these services are also subsidised by the Australian Government.
The Government want to help all children gain a flying start to their education and recognise that some families need extra support to take advantage of the opportunities available to their children.
The funds provided through these subsidies are paid to the kindergarten service and deducted from the out-of-pocket fees payable by parents.
The amount of subsidy is indexed annually each July to help keep pace with inflation.
New waste reforms to cut Queensland's landfill in half
Landmark new laws to slash major amounts of waste going into landfill have recently been passed by the State Government.
The Waste Reduction and Recycling Bill would halve the amount of rubbish directed to landfill within a decade, create thousands of green jobs and see millions of dollars invested into recycling and resource recovery programs.
The waste reform package introduces a landfill levy on non-recycled commercial waste that will fund a comprehensive set of support programs for business, local government and the community.
It is not a levy that will affect households - it is an Industry Waste Levy and it's avoidable.
The levy - which commences on 1 December 2011 - will discourage unnecessary disposal to landfill. Materials that are recovered, reused or recycled won't attract the levy, saving businesses money and benefiting our environment.
The majority of funds raised from the levy will feed directly into the four year $159 million Waste Avoidance and Resource Efficiency fund to help companies avoid producing waste, sort their waste and recycle it.
Councils will also benefit from the $100 million Sustainable Futures Fund to help them better manage waste. To help them become levy-ready, Councils will also receive an $11 million boost for waste management facilities, following earlier assistance totalling $4.1 million to help establish or improve infrastructure such as weighbridges and fences.
Further information is available at www.derm.qld.gov.au.
Investment scams targeting Australians
The Australian Crime Commission had recently reported that criminals were increasingly using the Internet to provide false legitimacy in their attempts to target the retirement savings of Australians.
People looking to invest their savings should be wary of unsolicited cold calls used in association with sophisticated hoax websites to try and legitimise the scam.
Perpetrators of these fraudulent scams are skilled at using high-pressure sales tactics, both over the phone and via email, to persuade their victims to part with their money.
The Queensland Police Service has information available for concerned residents under the E Crime and Fraud sections of their website, found at http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/cscp/.
Some helpful tips for concerned residents include:
Visit www.moneysmart.gov.au or call 1300 300 630 for further information.
Report suspected fraud to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, via www.moneysmart.gov.au or 1300 300 630 or your local police.
Hang up on unsolicited telephone calls offering overseas investments.
Check any company you are discussing investments with has a valid Australian Financial Services Licence at www.moneysmart.gov.au
Always seek independent financial advice before making an investment.
SES Week
5-13 November is National SES and I would like to ask everyone to help honour Queensland's State Emergency (SES) Volunteers, especially in regards to their efforts during the past 12 months.
Local SES volunteers have more than proved their worth earlier in the year during Queensland's summer of storms, floods and cyclones.
During SES Week I urge all Queenslanders to be generous with their thanks for these volunteers. These are people from your neighbourhood and community who work hard to ensure the safety of others.
For more information visit www.ses.qld.gov.au .