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Ergon’s Safety Tips For Holiday DIY Dangers

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Ergon’s Safety Tips For Holiday DIY Dangers

If you’re planning to undertake home renovation tasks over the holidays Ergon Energy is urging you to be aware of potential electrical hazards lurking in your property.

This year alone the Queensland Ambulance Service was called to nearly 500 electrical shock and electrocution emergencies, however Ergon Energy’s Community Safety Manager Aaron Smith has a few simple steps that will keep home renovators safe.

“Of all the hazards associated with home renovations, electricity is not only the best concealed, but also the most dangerous,” he said. “So before cutting, drilling or hammering nails into walls, floors and ceilings, home handymen should thoroughly check for electrical wires behind them.

“First and foremost if someone is not confident of locating hidden wires they should always call a licensed electrician. Locating wires in ceilings can be done by first switching off all power at the meterbox then taking a look around the roof space with a torch and visually sighting where the cables run.

“Similarly, electricity cabling underneath timber floors can generally found by getting under the home and tracking the route of wires. But wires in walls are more difficult to locate and are usually found within a metre of light switches, lights and power points.

“However, Ergon always recommends getting a licensed electrician in to locate concealed power around the home, ” Mr Smith said.

And while handymen all over Queensland will be having a go at many DIY jobs around the home this holiday period, Mr Smith said that under no circumstances should they attempt electrical work.

“Putting it simply, electricity is a killer and unqualified people who attempt electrical work are not only taking theirs and other’s lives in their hands, they could kill others and they are breaking the law,” he said.

“So any electrical work at all, no matter how small, should only ever be undertaken by a licensed electrician.”

Submitted by:
Rod Rehbein
Senior Corporate Communications Advisor

 

2017 Christmas Message From Bishop Robert McGuckin of the Toowoomba Catholic Diocese

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2017 Christmas Message From Bishop Robert McGuckin of the Toowoomba Catholic Diocese

A Christmas Message from Robert McGuckin, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba (which covers approximately from Helidon to the western Qld border with NT and SA, and from the Qld southern border with NSW to as far north as Taroom).

We are now well and truly into December. School’s out and the shops are busy. This year in Toowoomba we have more shops than ever to visit. I am thinking of buying some rollerblades so that I might more easily get around the shopping centres!

Certainly we have to make preparations for Christmas: Where will we spend Christmas? Who will we invite? Have we finished our Christmas shopping? Have we forgotten someone? What do we hope to receive?

Over the past few weeks there have been a number of end-of-year school functions. For quite a number of young people their school days are now over but their education continues. In listening to the speeches of many school leavers I have been heartily impressed by the maturity of those young women and men. Our community will surely be the better with their participation. At times we might think that we are the teachers. When all is said and done we can surely learn from these young people who have a passion for social justice and building a better world.

The Catholic Bishop’s Social Statement (2017-18) is titled Everyone’s Business: Developing an inclusive and sustainable economy. Our economy should be one that is founded on justice and offers dignity and inclusion to every person.

Let us welcome new arrivals as we ourselves would like to be welcomed if we were a stranger. May we all play our part in creating welcoming communities where people experience God’s love as something real which brings joy and needs to be shared.

Some weeks ago we had World Day of the Poor with this year’s motto: Love not in word but in deed!  A Christmas gift of financial support to people in need is a meaningful and worthwhile act of charity and speaks louder than words. Donations can be made to Caritas Australia www.caritas.org.au or Vinnies www.vinnies.org.au or some other charity of your choice.

In all our rush and bustle, try to leave some time for relaxation and reflection. Perhaps we could turn off all our gadgets even for a short time and listen to each other.

May we travel safely on our roads and be patient with other drivers. Let us all show respect to others who may hold different beliefs or make different choices in life. Let us value the dignity and life of each person.

May the joy and peace of Christmas be with you and your loved ones now and throughout the coming year.  I wish you a very happy Christmas!

 

Bishop Robert McGuckin

December 2017

Living With Disabilities †A Christmas Conversation!

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Living With Disabilities †A Christmas Conversation!

The CEDAR Centre has been a long time supporter and educator of those with a disability and to end 2017 on the right note, they have organised drinks and canapes and a great line-up to carry on the Christmas conversation †‘Living with a Disability at a Time of Travel and Celebration.

The event is being sponsored by the Newlands Group and The Office and is the first of what is planned to be a series of ‘Conference Conversations’ in 2018.

This session will take place Wednesday, 20th December from 3pm †4.30pm at The Office in Duggan Street, Toowoomba, and people from care organisations, senior and frontline staff, teachers, employers with or planning to recruit staff with a disability, church groups, those interested in seeking employment in the disability sector and individuals and families living with a disability, are all encouraged to come along.

Sharon Boyce

Guest speakers include:

  • Sharon Boyce, founder of Discovering Disabilities and Diversity
  • Anna Nicholls, CEO of CEDAR Centre
  • Jen Shaw, Founder of ‘Emerge’, author and food celebrity
  • Carolyn Hunter, founder of Ben & Co and mum of Ben Hunter
  • Anne Button-Smith, Local Area Coordinator with Toowoomba NDIS

After some short presentations, an open Q & A style discussion will be facilitated, then networking.

Anna Nicholls, CEO of CEDAR Centre said, “This is a busy time of year for everyone, with the stresses even more accentuated in a family with disabilities. We wanted to have a relaxed event that allowed the conversation for awareness to take place and for those in the industry or curious about it, to have a networking opportunity to come along and ask questions.”

Please RSVP to the CEDAR Centre on 07 4512 6770.

Cancer Survivor From Jandowae To Fulfil Dream

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Cancer Survivor From Jandowae To Fulfil Dream

Carmen Duvel’s plan to become a childcare worker is back on track after she successfully secured a grant in the 2017 Redkite and Coles Dare to Dream Scholarship to help fund her course fees and new study resources.  

Carmen, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma at 18 years old and is now in remission with quarterly hospital check-ups, said the $2000 scholarship relieved a significant financial pressure off her and her family.  

“The scholarship has made it that much easier to get on with life. I’m not under financial stress anymore, which I previously found hard to cope with on top of everything else going on. Now I can really focus on my dream of changing young children’s lives for the better and giving them the best start possible.”
Carmen said without the scholarship, completing her studies would be a lot more stressful.  

Redkite has awarded 34 scholarships to young Australians aged 15 to 24 years old who are being treated for cancer or are living with its impact. Now in its fifth year, the Redkite and Coles Dare to Dream Scholarship program encourages teens and young adults to pursue their education, career or life dreams that have been sidelined because of undergoing cancer treatment.  

In addition to the 26 state recipients who each received $2,000, five national finalists have been awarded $3,000 and three national winners received $5,000 to put towards their dream.  

Carmen Duvel from Jandowae

Coles Managing Director, John Durkan, who was a judge on the scholarship panel, said Coles was pleased to support  Redkite’s  scholarship program which gave young people an opportunity to follow their dreams.  “We’re proud to help support inspiring young people like Carmen in cities and towns across Queensland and provide them with an opportunity to pursue their goals and take control of their future,” Mr Durkan said.  

Redkite CEO, Jenni Seton, said the Redkite and Coles Dare to Dream Scholarships could change young lives. “Each year we are inspired by the calibre and strength of the applications we receive. This year we have seen an increase in the number of applications from last year, which demonstrates that there is a real need within the young adult community for career and study support after cancer treatment,” Ms Seton said. 

“Young people tell us that a scholarship is a real vote of confidence in their plans for the future, and we are proud to be able to help them build their best possible education and career pathways.  Thanks to Coles team members and customers, we have been able to continue this important program for five years. We simply wouldn’t have been able to do this without them.”  

In addition to the scholarships, Redkite has provided individual support to more than 330 children, teenagers and young adults this year through its Education and Career Support service which is also funded by Coles. 

Coles’ generous team members and customers have raised more than $27 million for Redkite since the partnership began in 2013.  

About Redkite: Redkite is an Australian cancer charity supporting the emotional, financial and education needs of children and young people with cancer and their families from diagnosis to treatment and beyond. www.redkite.org.au

Submitted by:
Stephanie Atkinson
Account Director
Lighthouse Communications Group

 

Looking Forward To The Holiday season? Burglars Are Too!

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Looking Forward To The Holiday season? Burglars Are Too!
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, around a quarter of a million Australian households are victims of at least one break-in a year – with even more the target of an attempted break-in.

Before you head off for a well-deserved holiday break, give some thought to some simple and cost-effective measures to assure your home and property are safe while you are away.

Homes and cars that are unattended over the holiday season are a green light for burglars so it is important to take as many precautions as possible to ensure you don’t return from your holiday to find you’re a victim of crime. 

First National Real Estate’s CEO Ray Ellis recommends these simple yet effective ways to boost your home’s security –

Simple Yet Effective Ways to Boost Your Home’s Security

Create a Lived In Look
While away, make sure your home still looks ‘lived in – leave a pair of shoes at the back door, water in the dog’s bowl and hang some towels on the washing line.  Make sure a trusted neighbour or family member collects the mail and regularly adjusts curtains and blinds.  Ask a neighbour or friend to regularly park in your driveway or outside your home to suggest activity.  
Sensor Lights
Install them at all external doorways – an inexpensive deterrent that remain useful throughout the year.
Turn Down the Phone
An endlessly ringing phone can be a give-away that there’s no one home.  Turn down the volume and make sure the voice message gives no clue that you have gone on holidays.
 Set Timers
Available from hardware stores, timers allow you to switch your TV or radio on at various times throughout the day, as well as lights in the evening.  Tune your radio to a talkback station so there’s the sound of many different voices – if someone is scoping out your property, it will make it harder for them to know if someone is inside the house.  
Secure the Shed and Garage
Put away and secure items like ladders, tools and gardening implements which can easily assist in forced entry and make sure your shed and garage are locked.  Store away valuables such as bicycles and the barbecue.  
Spare Keys
Only leave your spare keys with a trusted family member, friend or neighbour – DO NOT keep them under a flower pot or a door mat where they can be easily found by a burglar.  
Security Alarm
If budget and time allow, install a security alarm as it is one of the best deterrents.  For the majority of burglars, an alarm makes your home too difficult to try and enter.  Be sure to display notices about the alarm system prominently at doors and windows.
Last but not least, 
Lock All Doors and Windows
Sounds obvious but as people head off in a rush, locking doors and windows can be easily forgotten.  If possible fit deadlocks to main doors and windows as these make for a major hurdle for burglars. 

USQ Aviation Students Link Up With QantasLink

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USQ Aviation Students Link Up With QantasLink

USQ aviation students will have extra incentive to fast track into the controls of QantasLink’s turboprop aircraft with the launch of the Qantas Future Pilot Program.

  • USQ partners with QantasLink for new pilot recruitment program
  • “Building the next generation of exceptional pilots from within Australia’s top aviation schools” – QantasLink Chief Executive Officer, John Gissing

Under the arrangement with USQ, the program will provide aviation students with access to experienced Qantas pilots during their degree studies.

USQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie said successful students will be invited to complete an intensive 12 week Airline Transition Course with successful graduates transitioning to employment with QantasLink to become qualified as First Officers flying the airline’s 50-seat Q300s or 74-seat Q400s.

Professor Mackenzie said the opportunity for USQ students to be part of the Qantas Group was an excellent endorsement of the quality of the USQ program being taught from its Springfield campus.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie (right) with USQ Aviation student Mardy Tritton in the launch of the University’s new flight simulator

“The University recently invested heavily in a new state-of-the-art flight simulator based on the Boeing 737-800 airliner that will give students an excellent lead in to the QantasLink program,” she said.

The only one of its type at a Queensland university, the simulator features the most up-to-date equipment and technology in the world.

Capable of replicating an entire flight, the simulator enables training for take-off and landing, day and night flying in normal, abnormal and emergency situations, as well as various weather conditions. “The simulator provides our Aviation students with the most realistic multi-crew simulated training in an aircraft cockpit, putting us at the cutting edge of aviation,” Professor Mackenzie said.

As part of the Aviation program, USQ Aviation students undergo professional development through the Aviation Industry Readiness Scheme (AIRS), to further develop their key competencies such as communication, leadership, teamwork and problem solving that the International Civil Aviation Organisation recommends.

“For our students to have the prospect to extend their skills beyond the classroom and into work-based training through the Qantas Future Pilot Program and be supported by experienced QantasLink pilots throughout their studies is an exceptional and unique opportunity.”

Interested in learning more about aviation at USQ? Visit www.usq.edu.au/aviation.

Jimbour Plains Set To Stage Australian Rock Greats

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Jimbour Plains Set To Stage Australian Rock Greats


Excitement is building for the inaugural Big Skies 2018 event, with the announcement of the stellar line-up of musicians for the ‘Day on the Plain’ rock concert.

  • Western Downs Regional Council is thrilled to announce a line-up of Australian music industry favourites for ‘Day on the Plain’ on Saturday 5 May 2018;
  • Set to take the stage at the stunning Jimbour House amphitheatre are music greats The Eurogliders; Wendy Matthews; Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows; Glenn Shorrock; Richard Clapton; and Frankie J Holden and Wilbur Wilde; and
  • Tickets are now available for purchase through the Big Skies website for $79.

Western Downs Regional Council Spokesperson for Economic Development, Councillor Donna Ashurst said that for ‘Day on the Plain’ to attract musicians of this calibre in its inaugural year has set the reputation for Big Skies early.

“To have these big names all together for the event is incredible, and it’s certainly unprecedented for the Western Downs. We’re really excited to welcome all six acts to our region for a day of world-class music in a world-class location,” she said.

“An event like ‘Day on the Plain’ is amazing for the region: it’s a great opportunity to showcase and celebrate what makes the Western Downs special, all to the soundtrack of live music.”

Tickets to ‘Day on the Plain’ will go on sale just in time for the holiday season, priced at $79 for a festival experience in our own backyard.

“It’s a fantastic excuse to put a ticket under the Christmas tree to a one-of-a-kind local event, promising to be an experience like no other.”

For more information on ‘Day on the Plain’ and other Big Skies events, visit the website or like the Big Skies Facebook page.

Call For Sports Bodies To Be Part Of Major Toowoomba Multi-Sport Development

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Call For Sports Bodies To Be Part Of Major Toowoomba Multi-Sport Development

Expressions of Interest are being called from interested local sporting bodies to be part of a major multi sports complex planned at Toowoomba’s Glenholme Park. Brothers has launched a master planning process to oversee the transformation of the 8-hectare Glenholme Park precinct into a sports and community hub serving Toowoomba.

All interested parties have been invited to an Expressions of Interest night on Thursday, 7 December.

“We see Glenholme Park as potentially becoming a major sporting complex in our city,” Brothers Leagues Club Toowoomba Board of Directors Chairman Gary Palmer said. “Glenholme Park is the home of the Brothers senior and junior rugby league clubs. We’ve now put together a board of directors tasked with the strategic direction of the complex as a whole”.

“We believe the facility has enormous potential for so many sporting groups to use. Our region is expanding rapidly and space for large sporting facilities close to the city is extremely scarce. We have a large complex which has the potential to host multiple sports.”

“We have the capacity to cater for indoor and outdoor sporting facilities. We’ve already had very strong interest from lawn bowls, netball, athletics and soccer. “There’s also potential for sports medical treatment, gyms and hydro-therapy pools – the opportunities are endless.” Mr Palmer said.

“We are now in the consultation phase and are throwing the doors open to anyone through an expression of interest.

The Expressions of Interest night on Thursday, 7 December will enable us to share our vision for the facility with interested participants.

“Likewise this night will be an opportunity for interested sports clubs to talk to us about their vision for the future and how they envisage they could be a part of the Glenholme sporting precinct.

“We are urging all sporting groups in the city that are looking at their long term future and are looking for land to base their club or facility to get in touch with us. This is a really exciting journey and we feel Glenholme Park could become a real jewel in the crown when it comes to local sporting facilities.”

“The outline is already there, now with a collaboration of sporting groups we can make this into a reality and the major benefactor will be the community” he said.

The Expressions of Interest night will be held at the Brothers Senior clubhouse at Glenholme Park on Hursley Road, from 6.30pm on Thursday, 7 December.

For more information, and to register an expression of interest, please go to the website at http://www.glenholmesports.com.au/ and follow the links

For further information please contact

Gary Palmer †President Brothers Leagues Club Board of Directors 0433 265 562

Joe Hannant †Vice-President Brothers Leagues Club Board of Directors 0427 604 036

 

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