Delegation Report – Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum

I present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the 25th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum held in Natadola, Fiji, from 15 to 19 January 2017. I was accompanied on the delegation by the member for Paterson, who is across the chamber here, and senators Moore and Williams. The APPF is an…

Applications Open for Community Heritage Grants

Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield, Minister for the Arts and Warren Entsch, Member for Leichhardt are encouraging not-for-profit community organisations to apply for funding through the Community Heritage Grants Program. Grants of up to $15,000 are available for community organisations such as public libraries, museums, historical societies, Indigenous and multicultural groups to help preserve and…

Child care cost relief for Far Northern families

THOUSANDS of families across Leichhardt are set for child care cost relief and the 14,080 children using approved child care will benefit from more early learning opportunities as part of the Turnbull Government’s reforms to the system that passed Parliament last night (THUR). Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said the new reforms would offer relief…

90 Second Statement – Mossman Botanic Garden

My wife, Yolonde, and I are both very proud to be new members of the Mossman Botanic Garden, a unique project in the world of botany and conservation. Mossman Botanic Garden began an incredible journey seven years ago with an idea of a botanical garden run as a not-for-profit organisation situated in a world-class tourism…

Adjournment – All Saints Church, Erub

I rise here today as the member for Leichhardt and the member for the wet tropics in the real tropical capital of Tropical North Queensland-Cairns, of course. I am here to talk about somewhere even further north. The island of Erub is one of the easternmost islands in the Torres Strait and has a population…

Revitalising education in Far North Queensland

The Coalition Government has launched a comprehensive review to boost outcomes for regional, rural and remote students not just at school, but also as they go on to further study, training and employment. Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said the review would hear stories and feedback about regional and rural education from across the…

Private Members Business – Penalty Rates

I am certainly pleased to speak against this motion today. I have long advocated for the reduction of penalty rates, and I refuse to be a hypocrite like the Leader of the Opposition. Leichhardt is the electorate most highly dependent on tourism. It is responsible for 20 per cent of employment, and it is a…

New link opens as Bruce Highway works progress

– Initial section of a service road linking Progress Road to Hargreaves Street now open– An estimated 147 jobs to be created over the life of the project Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch and Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt today officially opened the service road linking Progress Road to Hargreaves Street, as part of the…