In recognition of the geographical, health and time challenges that often confront Queenslanders affected by cancer, Cancer Council will facilitate an eight-week mindfulness meditation group via teleconference starting in February. 

Up to one third of cancer patients experience ongoing psychological challenges, such as anxiety and depression, and need support.

The Cancer Council Living Mindfully Telephone Group is a one-and-a-half hour meditation program held on Thursdays from February 16 to April 6 to help those affected by cancer learn to cope with, and navigate through, the challenges that a diagnosis can bring.

This group program, based on a combination of mindfulness meditation and cognitive therapy, is facilitated by health professionals and provides participants with meditation skills and tools to help them live more fully in the moment, rather than being caught up in worries.

Learning new ways to manage challenging situations through mindfulness techniques can be useful for all of us, regardless of life stage or situation.

I encourage all locals who have been affected by cancer, their family and friends, to register by calling 13 11 20 or emailing livingmindfully@cancerqld.org.au.

More information about Cancer Council Queensland’s mindfulness program is available at cancerqld.org.au under ‘Get Support’.

Katie Clift

Executive manager, media and spokesperson

Cancer Council Queensland

Labor’s treatment of country racing has gone from disgraceful to embarrassing with the latest revelations.

These revelations are that their country racing support program was set up to fund the prize money cuts that they made themselves.

The matter deserves its very own episode in Yes Minister – like the hospital with no beds.

Taking with one hand and giving back (but not as much) with the other is not the way you support country racing in Queensland.

Country racing is the social fabric of many regional communities. 

In a response to a Question on Notice, Racing Minister Grace Grace said “the primary purpose of the CRSP (Country Racing Support Package) is to offset the reductions in total funding for country racing in Queensland that were planned by Racing Queensland, in accordance with their Tracking Towards Sustainability financial sustainability initiative.” 

In other words, Labor told Racing Queensland to find savings as part of their slash and burn regime in racing and that meant cutting down on prize money to country racing. 

Ripping off country racing is all part of Labor’s plan.

They will kill off this industry and centralise racing in south-east Queensland just like we saw in the Bentley era. 

It’s a plan for failure in Queensland and one that the Liberal National Party will continually fight against. 

We will be releasing our country racing policy in the coming months.

That policy will outline the LNP’s plan to restore confidence and certainty to the racing industry so that we can get it back on track. 

Jon Krause MP 

Shadow minister for racing