The Crossing October 7 2020

AUSTRALIANS
URGED TO PREPARE
FOR SUMMER
DISASTER SEASON
Emergency
Management
Australia (EMA) has completed its
annual disaster season briefings
with states and territories and
has urged Australians to properly
prepare for the upcoming summer
disaster season, which officially
commences this month.
Minister for Emergency Management David
Littleproud said that local, state, territory and
federal agencies are well prepared to support
communities through natural disasters,
including from the initial response and relief
phase through to long-term recovery.
“Since the horrific bushfires last summer, the
Government has been working to bolster
Australia’s ability to respond to and recover
from crises including natural disasters and
the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Minister Littleproud
said.
“The next challenge is to make sure we are all
prepared for the disaster risks facing us over
the coming season.
“Significant grass and vegetation growth over
winter combined with higher than average
temperatures across the southern part of
Australia means we are looking at the very real
potential for a bad grass fire season.
“In the north, La Nina conditions risk bringing
a worse than average storm, cyclone and flood
season.”
Over the past two weeks, Emergency
Management Australia has been holding
operational briefings with police, fire
authorities and emergency service agencies
in every State and Territory to prepare for the
disaster season.
“The Australian Government works with
communities to prevent, prepare, respond
and recover from disasters – from disaster
mitigation initiatives, and community
awareness and warning measures, through to
disaster relief and recovery support,” Minister
Littleproud said.
“We have invested more than $2 billion to
help communities recover from last summer’s
bushfires and have already committed
significant funding to better prepare for the
future including in bushfire research, aerial
firefighting and telecommunications.
“We are investing more than $26 million
annually in the National Aerial Firefighting
Centre to improve Australia’s aerial firefighting
capability, and more than $37 million to
strengthen telecommunications resilience
in bushfire and disaster-prone areas so that
communities can stay connected during
emergencies.
“There’s also been an important step in
streamlining aid and support from the
Australian Defence Force ahead of the 2020
2021 summer season with the Department
of Defence and Home Affairs, through EMA,
undertaking a comprehensive review of the
Defence Assistance to the Civil Community
(DACC) arrangements.
“While we can work with authorities to
properly prepare, it’s also critical families,
households and individuals do what they can
to prepare themselves.
“By planning ahead, people can reduce the
risk of injury and damage to property.
“Information on how to prepare for disasters
is available through state and territory
authorities.”
The Royal Commission into Natural Disaster
Arrangements will deliver its Final Report
to government on 28 October 2020, which
we look forward to receiving and carefully
considering as part of our ongoing work to
ensure Australia’s natural disaster capabilities
are as effective as possible.
The Australian Government will invest
more than $9.3 million across 14 vital road
infrastructure projects in Maranoa under
Round 5 of the Bridges Renewal Program
(BRP) and Round 7 of the Heavy Vehicle
Safety and Productivity Program (HVSPP),
Maranoa MP David Littleproud said this
week.
“This vital funding will allow communities
across Maranoa to fast-track their highestpriority
infrastructure projects, providing
a much-needed boost to local jobs and the
economy,” Mr Littleproud said.
“I am pleased to see 14 projects across
Maranoa will receive a total of $9,307,161 to
do exactly that at a time when it couldn’t be
needed more.
“The Bridges Renewal Program has already
delivered a number of stronger and safer
bridges for residents in Maranoa, and this
latest round will support five new projects
to upgrade and replace damaged or
deteriorating bridges.
“Round 7 of the HVSPP will support 9 heavy
vehicle infrastructure projects in Maranoa,
including upgrades to traffic movement and
accessibility at the Roma Saleyards, Blackall
Saleyards and the Western Queensland
Livestock Exchange in Longreach.
“Through the HVSPP, the Federal Government
will also invest $2.5 million into widening
the Barwon Highway between Talwood and
Nindigully, to improve heavy vehicle safety
and productivity.
“These projects are about getting drivers on
our roads home sooner and safer, and making
key freight routes more efficient, while also
boosting local jobs and getting cash flowing
in our regional towns.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for
Infrastructure, Transport and Regional
Development Michael McCormack said these
latest rounds would deliver more than $290
million to support 350 projects across the
nation.
“Now more than ever the continued roll out
of road infrastructure projects is important
to support local jobs, underpin economic
growth and ensure all Australians can
reach their destinations sooner and safer,
and communities can rest assured that’s
exactly what our Government is doing,” Mr
McCormack said.
Cancer Council Queensland is
passing the virtual baton to the
Dalby community as the town
joins in on a statewide virtual
event.
The statewide Relay will be the first in
Queensland’s Relay For Life 20-year history,
where the usual 18-hour event will be
shortened and the favourite traditions of
Relay will be streamed online on October 10,
from 3pm – 7pm.
After physical event cancellations due to
COVID-19, the local Dalby Relay For Life
committee have made the decision to
participate in the statewide event and
postpone the local physical event to 2021.
Cancer Council CEO Ms Chris McMillan said
while the local physical event has been
postponed, the statewide event will be an
unmissable experience.
“Relay For Life is organised by passionate,
local volunteers, and each Relay is a special
experience that will stay with you forever,” Ms
McMillan said.
“Although this years’ Relay will look very
different, it will still be all about bringing
Queenslanders together to celebrate,
remember, and fight back against cancer.
The statewide event, hosted in Cairns, will
include an opening and closing ceremony,
survivors and carers from across the state will
Advertise in The Crossing NOW - Call 0411 896 004
$9.3 MILLON TO FLOW TO BRIDGES AND
HEAVY VEHICLE SAFETY PROJECTS IN
MARANOA
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight
Transport Scott Buchholz said 50 per cent
of this funding would benefit communities
impacted by the ongoing drought and earlier
bushfire events.
“$146.97 million in funding through these
rounds will go to councils affected by
bushfires, drought or both – providing secure
work for local construction contractors and
businesses who have felt the cumulative
impact of these events and now COVID-19
while delivering lasting infrastructure that
will benefit the region for years to come,” Mr
Buchholz said.
Projects funded across Maranoa include:
Bridges Renewal Program Round 5 -
•$1,818,487 to replace existing timber bridge
at Bundi Road, Wandoan.
• $264,576 to replace the existing timber
bridge on Muggins Lane, Yuleba.
• $30,000 for structural maintenance repairs
and guard rail replacement on K.T. Peters
Bridge, South Burnett.
• $231,825 to replace the existing culvert
structure on Connolly Dam Road, Silverwood.
• $532,500 to replace the existing floodway
with a dual-lane bridge on Homestead Road,
Rosenthal Heights.
Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity
Program Round 7 -
• $675,000 to extend Primaries Road for users
at the Roma Saleyards Facility
• $667,460 to seal the Hebel Goodooga Road
from Hebel to the QLD / NSW border.
• $157,500 for a heavy vehicle pavement
upgrade on Creek Street, Amby.
• $950,000 for an alternative heavy vehicle
route at the Blackall Saleyards.
• $550,770 to upgrade heavy vehicle access,
loading and unloading ramps, traffic
movement and driver amenities at the
Western Queensland Livestock Exchange in
Longreach.
• $265,000 for upgrades to the Kennedy
Developmental Road Rest Area, Winton
• $54,043 to upgrade the Tomkins Street and
Killen Street intersection in the Inglewood
Industrial Estate.
• $610,000 to widen and reconstruct Curtain
Road, Lyra and Ballandean.
• $2,500,000 to widen the Barwon Highway
between Talwood and Nindigully.
DALBY RELAY FOR LIFE
be celebrated, and the candlelight ceremony
will be broadcast and all participants given
their own candle to take part at home.
“There will be several interactive moments
too, with entertainment, games, and activities
for all participants to get involved with and
bring the fun of Relay to Dalby.
“We know that dressing up and walking are
such fun and important parts of our physical
Relay events, so this year we are encouraging
the Dalby community to do just that.
“The theme of the statewide event is Great
Barrier Reef, and Relayers can dress up and
walk in the lead up to the virtual event to
help with their fundraising, whether that be
around their neighbourhood, or their living
room!
“Every dollar raised at Relay funds our work,
and in turn, provides vital support and care
for all Queenslanders every minute, every
hour, every day.
“Around 2,160 people are diagnosed with
cancer each year in South West Queensland
and Relay For Life enables us to support
those people.
“Cancer doesn’t stop, so neither do we.”
Registration for the Queensland Relay For
Life is free, however, to keep track of where
participants are Relaying from, Cancer
Council Queensland asks all participants to
register with their local Relay For Life.
The No.1 Newspaper in
Dalby & surrounds!
CONTACT US
Email: news@thechinwag.com.au
Office: 0411 896 004
Post: P.O. Box 226, Toogoolawah Q 4313
PAID ADVERTISING
Email: advertise@thechinwag.com.au
Call: 0413 22 52 01
ADVERTISING: Dugald Strachan
EDITOR: Scott Strachan
SUB-EDITOR: Xanthe Strachan
JOURNALIST:
BUSINESS MANAGER: Melissa Strachan
ACCOUNTS: Leanne King
WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA: Savanah Aylward
A publication of...
FREE
in this
paper
Have you got something to
say? Send it to ...
news@thecrossing.net.au
THE CROSSING - Wednesday October 7, 2020 - Page 4