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With Seniors Week coming up in August, I have launched my annual quest to find the Gaven Electorate's most community-minded senior citizen. Seniors make significant contributions to the community and I want to acknowledge them for their efforts.
The winner will be announced at a community morning tea at my electorate office on Friday, August 17 at 10 am.
Entries close on August 10 and entry forms are available at my office or www.alex4gaven.com.au
I would also like to invite you to the inaugural seniors concert and morning tea at Parliament House, Brisbane, on Monday, August 20. Bookings are limited. Morning tea will be included in the cost of $12 per head. Please call into my office to make your booking. More .....
I am delighted that new laws in Queensland will stop electricity retailers charging early termination fees to customers who want to exit their market contract because of increased electricity charges above the notified price. The Parliament changed the Electricity Act 1994 to let market customers terminate their electricity supply contract without penalty if their retailer increased charges to more than notified prices (like the Tariff 11 price). Click here to listen to my speech to the parliament in support of these new laws: More .....
Parliamentary committees are currently inquiring into motor cycle licensing in Queensland, the operation of the state's workers' compensation scheme, the future and continued relevance of government land tenure, the state's agriculture and resource industries and palliative care and home and community care services. I am encouraging constituents and groups with an interest in these topics to have their say. Most committee meetings, hearings and briefings are at Parliament House
on the Wednesday morning of a sitting week with interested persons and groups encouraged to attend.
Full details of all current committee inquiries and committee contact details are available on the Parliament's web site -
Parliamentary committees.....
Birthdays and wedding anniversaries are important milestones in our lives. Requests for congratulatory messages for those celebrating their 90th and 100th birthdays and 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries can be made to my office. These include a message from the Queen for their 100th, 105th and 110th birthdays and 60th, 65th and 70th wedding anniversaries. Four weeks notification is needed for these messages.
Request for a congratulatory letter
Yours sincerely
Alex
Alex Douglas MP
Member for Gaven
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MP WARNS OF LONG-TERM INTERNET USAGE LINKED TO DEPRESSION
Member for Gaven Dr Alex Douglas has warned State Parliament of the dangers of long term use of the internet, highlighting studies linking excessive internet use to depression.
"With Australia having the fifth highest internet usage in the world, and more than 50 percent of those over 16 using the internet on smart phones, questions have been raised about its affect on people's health, particularly depression," he said.
Dr Douglas highlighted two university studies linking excessive internet usage to depression.
"I urge other MPs to share their concerns with constituents about the effects of long-term internet usage," he said.
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DROP IN OFFENCES AS BOOT CAMP TURNS LIVES AROUND ON THE GOLD COAST
A boot camp for young people with challenging behaviors on the Gold Coast is turning around the lives of participants, Dr Alex Douglas MP has told State Parliament.
Dr Douglas said Project Booyah had resulted in huge drops in criminal offences, missing persons and truancy in a group of 23 aged between 13 to 16 years entering the program.
Since the program started, a police review of nine male participants who had committed 30 offences in six months prior to the program had dropped to one offence in the past four months.
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Alex and VC winner Keith Payne at the finish of the Kokoda Challenge in Nerang. | |
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DR ALEX DOUGLAS MP State Member for Gaven |
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MAJOR EXPANSION OPENED AT JUBILEE SCHOOL, PACIFIC PINES |
Member for Gaven Dr Alex Douglas MP says Jubilee Primary School showcases what can be achieved through partnerships.
Speaking at the official opening and blessing of the Jubilee Centre and stage five at Pacific Pines Dr Douglas said the new facilities would greatly improve an already impressive educational campus.
"Congratulations to the school on the management of the school's growth over the last decade," he said.
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DIABETES EPIDEMIC ON GOLD COAST, DR ALEX DOUGLAS MP WARNS |
More than a quarter of a million people are at high risk of type two diabetes across the Gold Coast, Dr Alex Douglas MP told State Parliament today.
"Those suffering from diabetes are risking their lives largely by over-eating, lack of exercise and risk taking behaviour," he said.
"I want to create public awareness as this week is National Diabetes Week and diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease in Australia.
"There has been a staggering 45 percent increase in the number of people on the National Diabetes Register in the Gaven Electorate in the four years to 2011."
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COMMUNITY GROUPS SHARE FUNDING IN GAVEN |
Grants worth more than $206,230 have been allocated to community groups in the Gaven Electorate.
Member for Gaven Dr Alex Douglas said eight groups would share the grants from round 72 of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund.
Dr Douglas said the organisations were:
* Cardinals Baseball Club, $27,358, purchase ride on mower and equipment;
* Gold Coast Film Fantastic ltd, $6,328, display stand at February film festival;
* Gold Coast Table Tennis Association, $31,818, car park upgrade;
* Guides Queensland, $27,272, renovate Guide hut, Nerang;
* Javeenbah Theatre Company Inc, $32,137, upgrade facilities;
* Park Lake Community Kindergarten, $29,498, purchase resources and equipment
* Queensland Blue Light Association Inc, Nerang; $26,309, purchase custom trailer and equipment
* YMCA Affordable Housing, Melville Place, Nerang, $25,508, install air conditioning.
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Community Group Updates |
If your community group wishes to place an update, notice or event in our newsletter please send no more than 150 words to gaven@parliament.qld.gov.auand we will do our best to include it in our next edition. |
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CHILDREN LYING TO OPEN FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS |
Children are lying about their age to open Facebook accounts, Dr Alex Douglas MP has told state parliament.
"Half the students in years five to seven at Nerang State School admitted during Cyber Safety Week they had been untruthful about their ages to get an account," he said.
"Children must be 13 to legally open a Facebook account, but only one student admitted during a talk by the school's adopt a cop they had legally opened an account."
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