Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to congratulate the Queensland Times, the only daily newspaper in the electorate of Blair, on its new era with the launch of its new-look premises on 28 May 2010. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh joint civic, political and community leaders at the opening of the new QT Centre at West Ipswich. For most of its existence the QT has been based at Ellenborough Street, Ipswich in the CBD.

The Queensland Times has long and proud history as a provincial newspaper in the Queensland community. QT general manager Steve Portas said, ‘A paper like the QT is owned by its community’ and that is absolutely correct. Stuart Sherwin, the editor, was there with many other past editors. Its origins can be traced back to the Ipswich Herald on 4 July 1859. Ever since then it has diligently, ferociously and fearlessly reported the news, sometimes penetrating the Ipswich community in a way that politicians do not always appreciate.

Important events such as the commencement of the railway line from Ipswich in 1864, the Box Flat mine disaster in 1972, the 1893 and 1974 floods were all covered by the Queensland Times. Queensland Times campaigned extensively for the separation of Queensland from New South Wales and also agitated strongly that Ipswich should be the capital of Queensland. A ‘terrible’ event happened when Brisbane was selected as the capital many years ago. (Time expired)

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