Local Government Elections

MR ENTSCH: The recent Queensland local government elections saw sweeping changes to those who will lead their local communities across my electorate for the next four years. The local government elections saw eight new mayors elected in our various Indigenous communities located across my electorate. They include Wujal Wujal Mayor Bradley Creek, Hope Vale Mayor…

FNQ Exports

MR ENTSCH: All of us in this chamber have seen the effects of the coronavirus on our respective communities. Our live seafood sector was one of the first hit, and it was hit hard, with the majority of orders cancelled overnight. The Australian government acknowledged this and immediately put into place measures to support our…

Cairns Taipans

Mr ENTSCH: It gives me great pleasure to rise this afternoon to pay tribute to the mighty Cairns Taipans, who are one win away from making the NBL’s grand final. What a difference a year makes, after the Taipans picked up the wooden spoon last year. With 16 regular-season wins and finishing third on the table,…

Far North Queensland Cairns Medical and Skin Cancer Centre

Mr ENTSCH: I officially opened the $1 million expansion of the Far North Queensland Cairns Medical and Skin Cancer Centre. The expansion includes a dedicated surgery space with a view to being accredited as a bulk-billing day hospital. In fact, the centre is the only bulk-billing skin cancer centre in our region offering anything from…

Great Barrier Reef

Mr ENTSCH: Recently, in my capacity as Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef, I presented my first report to the Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley. I must say that it has been a privilege to be in a position where I can provide input into the direction of government policy regarding the Great…

Cairns Men’s Shed

Mr ENTSCH: It gives me the utmost pleasure to rise and speak about the Cairns Men’s shed. During the election campaign, the Morrison government made a $1 million commitment to the members of the Cairns shed that would allow the club to purchase its existing premises and undertake further expansion. I’ve worked extremely closely with…

Kapani Warrior Program

Mr ENTSCH: I rise this afternoon to highlight the amazing work of Dr Tim White, one of the founders of the highly successful Kapani Warrior program. The Kapani Warrior program, composed mainly of veterans, and nearly entirely self-funded, was established in 2012 and has become an outstanding success and a beacon of hope for many.…

Martin Tenni

MR ENTSCH: It’s with great sadness that I rise here today to pay tribute to a giant of politics in Far North Queensland who recently passed away. Martin Tenni will be fondly remembered by those who knew him and the broader community as a leader and a person who used his political career to get…

Russell Francis

MR ENTSCH: It’s with great sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to a friend in Cairns, a media personality who recently lost his battle with cancer. Russell Francis was a larrikin, a family man and a well-respected photographer. He had a long and illustrious career with The Cairns Post between the 1970s and…

Sikh Community

MR ENTSCH: This week I had the absolute honour of being invited to celebrate the 550th birthday of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh religion and the first of 10 Sikh gurus. It was the first time this special event has been celebrated in Parliament House. Guru Nanak preached the message…