Hypocritical on Buy Queensland campaign
Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of Queensland's economy.
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In regional Queensland especially, we need these businesses to grow and create badly-needed new jobs.
But time after time, the Palaszczuk Labor Government has shown it is more interested in creating headlines than creating jobs.
The government's Buy Queensland is meant to give preference to Queensland businesses in the regions when government contracts are awarded.
But when Maleny Dairies on the Sunshine Coast decided to bid to supply hospitals in north Brisbane it lost out to two giant French and Chinese-owned dairy businesses.
Maleny Dairies was strung along by the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
They were encouraged to bid, encouraged to attend Buy Queensland events and they're even featured on the Buy Queensland website.
But when the decision was made, this great Queensland firm didn't get a dollar of business from the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
The Queensland Government is the biggest employer and purchaser in our state and I think it can afford to help businesses like Maleny Dairies.
Especially when it exploits them in its marketing campaigns.
I can assure readers that the LNP won't exploit businesses like Maleny Dairies.
The LNP will back our businesses to the hilt and help create the jobs that Queensland is crying out for.
Michael Hart MP
LNP Shadow Minister for Housing and Public Works
Who are you wearing red for this Valentine's Day?
Shockingly, heart disease kills one Australian every 29 minutes, that's 50 people every single day.
Given that it is the biggest cause of Australian deaths, it would be impossible for almost every Australian to not be impacted in some way.
The simple fact is that research saves lives.
Heart Research Australia aims to reduce the devastating impact heart disease has on families and the community by supporting world-class and emerging researchers to conduct ground-breaking research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
That's why this February, we invite Australians to get involved with Wear Red Day for someone close to their heart to help keep families together for longer.
Whether it's a family member, wife, husband, or that special friend who means the world to them, or in memory of someone they loved who sadly passed away due to heart disease.
Getting in involved as simple as wearing red and donating to Heart Research Australia during the month of February.
To find out more please visit www.heartresearch.com.au/wrd
On behalf of the thousands of Australians impacted by heart disease every year, thank you for your support.
Nicci Dent
CEO, Heart Research Australia
Glaring oddities
There were two glaring oddities in Scott Morrison's speech at the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony in Canberra.
Firstly, he said that Australia is country we call our own. I must point out that we don't own it. Instead, the whole place is owned by a foreign woman on the other side of the world who isn't even an Australian citizen. What's even odder is that Morrison could utter such a silly claim in the ACT, which doesn't even have freehold title.
Second, he blathered happily on all the freedoms we have. But he's a devout Christian and therefore believes that Australia absolutely does not have freedom of religion. That's why he and his government are determined to pass a law which establishes religious freedom here. So that Protestants like the Folau family can slag off Roman Catholics.
Grant Agnew, Coopers Plains
