A fair Queensland
While Queensland is enjoying great prosperity, not everyone is sharing the rewards. There are still entrenched pockets of disadvantage – from long-term unemployment through to job placement.
- Empowering people at the supermarket check-out – by becoming the first state to commit to unit pricing, which will require major supermarkets to display the price of items per measure, so consumers can compare products and prices to save money.
- Helping our most vulnerable consumers get off the credit merry-go-round – by introducing a 48 per cent cap on pay day lending inclusive of interest, fees and charges on credit loans.
- Reducing the effects of problem gambling – with a two-year moratorium on the release of new poker machines state-wide as part a raft of new initiatives.
- Introduced welfare reform to four Indigenous communities – with the creation of the Family Responsibilities Commission and running an innovative trial that aims to restore social norms and local authority, change behaviours in response to welfare dependency and reduce social dysfunction and economic exclusion in four participating communities.
- Introduced amendments to the Aboriginal Land Act and Torres Strait Islander Land Act – to allow Indigenous people to secure their own home by way of a 99 year home-ownership lease, encourage commercial interest and essential infrastructure to Indigenous communities.
- Introduced major changes to alcohol management in Indigenous communities – with a $100 million Indigenous Alcohol Reform Package.
- Working to achieve greater economic and social wellbeing for Indigenous people – with a new strategy for skills training and alliances with employers.
- Introduced reforms to create a more robust and equitable justice system – including a provision for judge trials in exceptional cases and for majority jury verdicts under certain circumstances.
- Ensuring the needs of victims of crime are being properly addressed – with a comprehensive review of Queensland’s Criminal Injury Compensation scheme.
- Moved to make the justice system easier, more accessible and more user friendly – through the proposed amalgamation of around 23 tribunals into a single Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
- Dealing with sensitive issue of adoption law – by overhauling restrictive legislation to reflect a modern Queensland.
- Living up to our commitment to govern for all of Queensland – by ruling out daylight saving and appointing a senior rural advisor to provide a direct point of contact for Queensland’s rural families and industries with key decision makers within government.
- Putting Queensland at the forefront on Freedom of Information (FoI) – with a range of bold reforms to FoI laws that will make Queensland the most open and transparent Government in Australia.
- Introduced tough new laws on political donations – including a reduction in disclosure timeframes from 20 weeks to eight weeks with reporting to occur every six months instead of 12 months, and a requirement that donations over $100,000 be declared within 14 days.
- Giving rural women a say – more than 120 women from across the State gathered at the inaugural Rural Women’s Symposium in Roma, as a new conduit for rural women to have access to government and its decision-making.
Planning for lifestyle
- Delivered local government reform – to ensure a stronger, more efficient and modern local government system with greater capacity to deliver infrastructure and services.
- Established a Local Government Remuneration Tribunal – to independently set the salary and remuneration of mayors and councillors in the new system of local government.
- Reducing the number of unwanted cats and dogs – with a two-year, $500,000 local government trial to make registration and microchipping of cats and dogs mandatory.
- Our new Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) has staged two back-to-back blockbuster exhibitions – of the works of Andy Warhol and Picasso and his collection, which have attracted almost 400,000 visitors.
- Another international coup has secured the Paris Opera Ballet – one of the finest ballet companies in the world.
A safer Queensland
- Increased police numbers – to nearly 10,000.
- Committing to new and improved police stations and facilities – with $142 million for 35 projects including new station and upgraded facilities.
- Planning for a new Police Academy – to be built at Wacol at a cost of $450 million.
- Introduced tasers – for frontline police throughout Queensland as part of $14 million roll-out.
- Wide-ranging reforms to the Liquor Act – including a new regime for venues which trade between midnight and 5am, fines ranging up to $6,000 for the secondary supply of alcohol to minors and a crackdown on early morning trade.
- Introduced new state-wide laws to confiscate the vehicles of drivers who repeatedly break the law – following a trial in which nearly 1500 vehicles were impounded.
- Announced the doubling of penalties – for the misuse of weapons, tougher knife laws and controls on laser pointers.
- Cracked down on paedophiles – by introducing laws to allow stricter monitoring of them upon their release from jail.
- Launched the One Punch Can Kill campaign – designed to reach young people with the message that one moment of violence can ruin lives.
- Negotiated federal law changes to enable phone tapping by Queensland police – while still protecting the public through a role for the Public Interest Monitor.
- Commenced or completed over $1 billion in prison projects – including Lockyer Valley, Lotus Glen, Townsville, Brisbane, and Arthur Gorrie.
- Worked to reduce the road toll – by introducing random roadside drug testing, unmarked ‘Q cars’ and fixed speed cameras.
Last updated Monday, September 14, 2009
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