Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it's timely that I stand and acknowledge some of the amazing champions in my electorate and advocate how beautiful my electorate is: from the Gold Coast Hinterland, bordering up to Robina, Mudgeeraba, Tamborine Mountain, South Nerang, through the amazingly fertile communities of Beaudesert, Boonah, the Fassifern Valley and the Lockyer Valley—one of the top 10 fertile valleys in the world—producing the vegetables for Australian and overseas tables.

Nestled in the heart of that picturesque electorate are some amazing people doing some amazing things. My electorate benefits from many things: natural wonders, such as Tamborine Mountain; the vast grazing and growing areas, from Aratula and the Lockyer Valley; and the amazing sportsmen and women who have grown up in rich towns like Laidley and Gatton. In Wright, we have it all.

I'm happy to say, due to the continual lobbying of my ministerial colleagues, Wright has been the benefactor of some very welcome grants that help our councils and community organisations to uphold the wonders that visitors find so appealing. For instance, I recently announced, under the Building Better Regions Fund, $30,000 for upgrades to the Gatton Hawks football club's amenities. The Gatton Hawks are one of the toughest rugby league teams in the Lockyer Valley, and these funds will ensure that many spectators will enjoy facilities while watching the game. The two primary drivers of the Hawks committee are Judy Schmidt and Anne Bichel, and I acknowledge both of them for their contributions.

The Building Better Regions Fund also made a contribution of just under $260,000 to the Canungra sports and recreation grounds to install adequate sewerage systems to their facilities. Wayne Reither, the 20-year-plus caretaker of these tranquil sports and rec grounds, said it hosts more than 30,000 caravan nomads annually. That figure is rising rapidly. Wayne said that more and more people are stopping off for a few nights to view the wonders that surround this village. If you ever do leave this place, hook a caravan up and decide to travel around Australia, I suggest that Canungra showgrounds is one of the destinations that you should have on your list. It's truly a picturesque locality.

Not to be outdone, the Scenic Rim Regional Council was also successful in receiving a $1.59 million grant to redevelop the town square of Boonah. Both Mayor Greg Christensen and local Councillor Rick Stansfield are excited that the grant would allow the old council chambers to be transformed into a local community arts hub, provide connectivity to the precinct in the main street and help preserve the important heritage and culture of the town centre. This village will be one of the absolute jewels in the Scenic Rim area. Partnering with local council will ensure the success of stage 2 of the project. Our community groups, organisations, and sports clubs play an enormous part in our lives, and that's why this government continues to support, by way of community grants, our grassroots organisations.

Recently, more federal government grants have opened, I strongly urge all interested parties to make applications. The local community has significantly benefited previously from funding rounds of these programs, and I want to encourage all community groups and organisations to make applications. If you can't find them on the internet, simply ring our office in Beaudesert, and I'll have someone help you out—even if it means I have to allocate some of my staff to help fill out the forms for you.

The three programs open for community groups include: the Stronger Communities Program, volunteer grants and the sports infrastructure grant program that goes out to $500,000. This is an opportunity for organisations to be in the running to secure funding for these projects. Over the years, we have witnessed some fantastic outcomes in Wright from the successful applicants. I can't wait to see the benefits delivered from this round when this program is finalised. By ensuring that the government lives within its means, we can continue to invest in these sorts of grants for our community groups and guarantee the essential services that Australians rely on and that my electorate of Wright rightly deserve. I thank the House.