Welcome to the end of Autumn!
Even though Easter was filled with sunshine, sweet treats, and ‘egg-cellent’ times, there were also gridlocks, parking woes and more. With over one hundred and fifty traffic infringements issued and twelve positives from over two thousand random breath and drug tests via Operation Sandstorm at Noosa North Shore, our thanks to Queensland Police Service (QPS), Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) for their efforts in keeping everyone safe.
L-R: Tewantin ANZAC Ceremony & Parade
ANZAC DAY 2025
With communities gathering across our electorate and shire at Pomona, Cooroy and Tewantin to commemorate ANZAC Day 2025, we showed our deep respect, love and appreciation for those who have defended and continue to defend our nation with courage beyond comprehension. Thank you to everyone who attended services, as well as those who were unable to, though lit a candle at dawn to remember and give gratitude. Special thanks to all who made this possible, including our RSL Sub Branch members, volunteers including the SES, our schools, and especially our service men and women. May we strive every day to honour those who have sacrificed for our country and our freedoms, as well as always support and care for our veterans and their families. We will never forget.
NOOSA MP FUNDING
Congratulations to Quick Start grant recipients
Projects funded and assistance provided to local not-for-profit groups in the latest round include needed research, equipment and business supports, through to kits for our youngsters to get them involved in sports. Thank you to all who applied, and congratulations to the thirty-one recipients. We look forward to sharing your progress over the coming months! A full list of recipients can be found at www.sandybolton.com/category/mp-funding. Please follow our page or subscribe to our newsletter at www.sandybolton.com/newsletters so you are notified when new rounds open. We would welcome any suggestions to inform the criteria for future applications via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au.
Queensland Day Awards 2025 to celebrate our Noosa volunteers!
Nominations are now open, and I look forward to that part of the ceremony where I can give each one a huge hug to thank them for their tireless work in our community! Until noon on May 19, 2025, local community groups can nominate up to two individuals who have not previously received this award and have volunteered for at least two years providing services to the Noosa state electorate in an unpaid capacity. All successful nominees will be recognised at the ceremony on Friday, 6 June at The J. For information or to complete an online nomination www.sandybolton.com/qld-day-awards.
L-R: Cooroy ANZAC Dawn Service and Gunfire Breakfast
HOT & ‘COOLER’ ISSUES
Noosa River management
The next stage of safety improvements to our river will be implemented on May 31. Vessels over five metres will no longer be able to anchor within thirty metres of the northern shore of the Noosa River from the Noosa Coastal Bar to Lake Cooroibah, including Goat Island, or the southern shore from Lake Doonella to Lake Cooroibah, including Makepeace and Sheep Islands. As a result of our advocacy, the existing trial, which allows an exemption for vessels between five and seven-point-five metres to anchor near the shore for up to two hours a day, will apply to these new areas. Whilst there has been some who question and criticise each stage of these changes, including misinformation that Lake Cootharaba will be used as a ‘dumping ground’, there are also many supportive of the progress, including the responsiveness of MSQ to feedback at each stage. As we travel through these final changes, I ask those with concerns to contact MSQ via sunshinecoast.maritime@msq.qld.gov.au and cc us at noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au to ensure historical issues are addressed in line with community expectations, and we thank those who have already done so.
L-R: Basketball QLD; Health, Environment and Innovation Committee; Compassionate Communities
Tewantin State Facilitated Development (SFD)
Recent media reporting about the Tewantin SFD application, which was revoked due to overwhelming community opposition, have shown there remains some confusion, with an article claiming that I am an LNP member, and had driven opposition to the Tewantin project, both incorrect! However, as all are aware I did oppose the original legislation that created the SFD process in Chamber back in April 2024 due to, amongst other issues, the lack of clarity around ‘affordable’, and there needs to be a realistic eligibility threshold. Recently, to prevent further misleading applications, I requested the new government review and revise the SFD legislation, including around definitions, as we must have clear guidelines that produce genuine, affordable housing. I look forward to upcoming projects in the pipeline being realised where developers are working collaboratively with Noosa Council, including the state-owned Doonella Street site, Noosa Junction and others.
Interns
As part of their studies with the University of Queensland, our three new interns, Emily, Grace and Cameron, will be conducting research projects on important topics, including education and policing in Queensland, as well as bipartisan approaches to delivering effective solutions. We look forward to seeing their research progress over the next two months and their final findings!
Former Tewantin Tafe
As those who have been following know, this has been a long journey. After the Expression of Interest process in 2021, renowned architects, the NRA Collective, were announced as the successful proponents in October 2024. We have now been informed by the Minister for Training that the site will transfer to the NRA Collective this month, so they can commence works. We continue advocacy regarding repurposing for community benefit, as we have done since it was closed by the Queensland Government before I was an MP back in 2014, and we look forward to an update from NRA on progress which we will share with you!
L-R: Suncorp Mobile Disaster Team; Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion; Australia Post Pillowcase
Small business update
Visiting our Noosa ‘biz’ throughout the year provides valuable feedback in order to advocate to state government, and my office recently posted updates to Noosa 360 on progress made on these, including further support for our small businesses. However, more is needed, and we are currently asking for owners and operators to have their say on the Small Business Commissioner’s reducing red tape and small business impact surveys. Links are available on the Noosa 360 link above, and please send copies of any submissions to our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au. A reminder that state government has staff available to discuss any business issues and give individual advice regarding supports or services available – call 1300 654 687 or visit the Department of Small and Family Business website.
L-R: Slow Food Noosa Annual Awards Dinner 2025
Domestic & family violence (DFV) court
We sought confirmation that improvements to the Maroochydore Courthouse to provide greater services to those impacted by DFV will continue as planned, with the new Attorney General (AG) providing reassurances in response and, while a specialist court is not currently planned for the Sunshine Coast, key elements will be introduced in Maroochydore to improve the experience and safety of residents with DFV matters. For specifics on what is being delivered, please head to our latest Noosa 360 update.
Cooroy intersections and overpass
We welcomed the government’s commitment to fund an upgrade business case and designs for both the Myall/Elm and the Diamond/Elm Street intersections. We sought a timeline on delivery, as well as a further commitment to construction funding, with the minister confirming preliminary planning had been undertaken and that the department was in the process of developing project scope and timelines. It is important to note that the majority of Cooroy, including these intersections, are outside the Noosa electorate, however, many of our residents own nearby businesses, traverse the route daily to access essential services and commute to work. The new State Member of Parliament for Nicklin, which includes the Cooroy area, is Marty Hunt MP, who can be contacted with any concerns via nicklin@parliament.qld.gov.au and please cc our office in.
Lake Macdonald Dam improvement project
Seqwater has advised that a larger siphon system has now been installed to assist with the lowering of Lake Macdonald to 42% capacity. This will be operational in May and enable greater control over water releases, with regular environmental monitoring to be conducted throughout the project. The construction of the temporary cofferdam will also commence in line with the lake lowering, to provide a safer work area to demolish the existing dam wall and allow water to remain in the dam during the construction of the new wall. This will assist in minimising impacts on aquatic life and allow some recreational activities to continue where safe and practical to do so. For more information on this project, visit the Lake Macdonald Dam Improvement Project website.
L-R: Rise & Thrive; Plastic Free Noosa – Precious Plastics Pilot Program; Live Life Whole Project
Queensland Procurement Policy (QPP)
The QPP is the state government’s overarching policy for the procurement of goods and services, with the intent of the local benefits test being to evaluate the benefits any supplier would bring to the local area. We have been advocating for reform of this policy due to clear flaws, including a lack of public consultation and inclusion of whole of community impacts. While the policy appears to focus on benefits, procurement choices can cause and impose costs on local communities, such as inappropriate volumes of heavy haulage passing through towns, impacting amenity, infrastructure, wildlife and local businesses, and these effects need to be captured in procurement assessments. The QPP is currently under review, and in their latest response, the Minister for Public Works has confirmed that our advocacy for public consultation and consideration of impacts on the community will be considered.
FROM THE CHAMBER
Electric bikes, scooters and illegal motorbikes
The Noosa community welcomes the announcement on 1 May of a Parliamentary Inquiry by the State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee following our advocacy and call for action last Parliament sitting. We thank the TMR Minister for listening, though are disappointed that an amendment to see this inquiry completed by August this year was voted down, and instead it will be 2026. We have raised the dangers since 2022, and while there had been some action, including new enforcement laws, it has not been enough. On April 1, I stood in Parliament and requested the government implement innovative and proactive solutions to further curb reckless and dangerous electric bike, scooter, and illegal motorbike usage to ensure safer roads and pathways. We also compiled and sent recommendations to the relevant ministers from our first responders, local community groups and residents on what urgent reforms are needed to increase community safety, including enhanced monitoring, awareness and education in schools, and potential licensing and registration for legal e-bikes. May actions that emanate from the inquiry deliver real improvements, and we will post up when submissions are open. See our latest Noosa 360 update for more information.
Parliament Events
We celebrated with the Parliamentary Friends of NRL the 2025 Women’s State of Origin (Go Maroons!), as well as the NRL Magic Round. The Stroke Foundation discussed their latest report on the economic impacts of strokes, whilst Basketball Queensland shared the 96% increase in registered players, hence the need for an extra two hundred courts. We also learnt more about the Braille system with Vision 2020 and met some wonderful guide dogs including Evie! Compassionate Communities Australia representatives, Gillian and Therese, provided an update on burial options for the future and how our land use legislation needs some ‘tweaking’ to accommodate.
Health Practitioner Regulation National Law
This Queensland law is the basis for all other state laws on health practitioner regulation, so recent amendments will affect change across the entire national scheme, including making public information about practitioners who have been deregistered. Key issues raised in my Health, Environment and Innovation Committee included clarification of the definition and threshold of sexual misconduct, as it is currently too broad, and the inadequate time, only three weeks over the Christmas holidays, for consultation on this Bill. This is happening far too often, and in my Parliamentary speech, I called on the government to set a standard best practice for consultation periods.
L-R: Happy Easter from the Office; EnergyFlex; Suncorp Mobile Disaster Hub
Slow Foods Noosa
An opportunity to celebrate our local farmers and producers and taste test their incredible food, which was cooked with love by Park & Cove Noosa Executive Chef Andy Wilcox. Patron Matt Golinski and program pioneer Rod Lees were on hand to present ‘Snail of Approval’ certificates, recognising our local leaders of good, clean and fair food. As part of a global grassroots organisation across 150 countries, the Slow Food movement is helping to sustain and create projects that foster food diversity. Visit Slow Foods Noosa for more information.
And finally…
Travelling to Egypt and Morocco for Shoeys ‘annual’ was an intense learning experience. As we walked, bussed and trained to as many destinations, I was quizzing everyone I could in between working with bad or no internet and phones! With both countries sharing similar issues to Australia of cost of living, population growth and unaffordable housing, prominent was the need for water security with the changing climate. However the differences were palpable, and all I can say, as I always do, how incredibly blessed we are to live in this country, though their strengths of family, intergenerational and alcohol-free living means that homelessness, domestic violence and bad behaviours appear absent? We could learn much from this!
With the federal election upon us, I delivered an MPI speech in Parliament on questions that never seem to get answered in the eternal ‘rock throwing’ between the major parties, and why Australia must move into a mature era of politics, where bipartisan agreements are the norm to ensure the delivery of projects and initiatives that take us into future decades, not a political term. This includes decision making that is evidence based and transparent, where simple questions are answered, even if we may not particularly like the response! All of this is essential to avoid in the future what we are experiencing now, which has come from decades of inefficiencies, short term thinking, ‘band aiding’ and lack of accountability including in the public sector.
Until next month, enjoy the cooler weather, may the rain hold off as we have enough mould!
𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙮
𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙉𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙖
𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘕𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘢. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦
For Emergencies, head to www.sandybolton.com/keycontacts where a comprehensive list of contacts numbers is available to assist.
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