Film star to run for Whitsunday mayor position

He may have retired from acting some years ago, but Grigor Taylor best known for his role in an early 1970s Australian TV police drama series still want in on the action.

The man who lives in the northern part of the Whitsunday Regional Council electorate is part of a proactive team which is promoting an “amalgamation of the two shires” rather than “a war between them”.

“It’s been gang warfare and it must stop. The joining of shires is the hand the state government dealt us – we simply have to work together,” said Mr Taylor.

Mr Taylor’s team consists of Division five candidate Terry Pilcher - a prominent businessman in Bowen and candidate for Division six Marg Tawse a teacher and trained draughtswoman.

“We have a slogan, which is a bit tongue in cheek but it fits,” laughed Marg … “together we will rebuild the region. Terry and Grigor are both builders and I can read the plans, which not a lot of people can do.”

The trio is promoting a list of promises they will bring into play once they are elected.

The top ones being rates capped in the first year, and never to increase beyond CPI, a complete freeze on selling public land, and a streamlined process where citizens can engage with council.

“When you go into a shop and a product is increased beyond the CPI you can choose not to buy it. With rates you can’t, they’re compulsory. I believe that council’s costs should never go past the community’s ability to meet these costs. We need to live within our means,” Mr Grigor said.

Mr Pilcher says their approach is about common sense and
co-operation.

“We won’t make a decision unless it is in the best interest of the majority – it’s as simple as that,” Mr Pilcher said.

Mr Taylor said his list of promises were designed for the genuine betterment of the community and he would be surprised if there was one candidate for the election that didn’t agree with any of them.

“I would like to see one councillor run their hand down our list and tell us which ones they don’t support. It won’t happen.”

O'Duinns' Irish Pub saints prepare for St Patrick's Day

Guinness beer will be the ale to toast to as Irish festivities sweep through the Whitsundays this weekend.

O’Duinns Irish Pub in Proserpine knows how to celebrate St Patrick's Day in style, and in their homeland's honour, will host two days full of festivities including a family day out this weekend. The local pub has everything in store to celebrate including Irish dancers, live music, promotions and giveaways and of course traditional food on Saturday and Sunday.

All of the Whitsundays is
invited to celebrate this weekend and indulge in the luck of the Irish.

New face of hope leads state-wide relay

Proserpine’s Lulu Simpson is living proof that a cancer diagnosis can change your life.

Ms Simpson was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma when she was 4 years old. Lulu is the Face of Cancer Council Queensland’s 2012 Relay For Life, and is looking forward to taking part in the Relay For Life event which is being held at Proserpine Showgrounds on April 28 and 29.

Relay For Life Coordinator Jeff Hardie said Ms Simpson  was like many cancer survivors who wanted to give something back after cancer had changed their lives.

Surviving cancer can cause you to look at the world in a different light,” said Mr Hardie. Cancer survivors suffer not only physical but financial hardship  and that can put a big strain on families and relationships.

“Fortunately Cancer Council Queensland is here to help support individuals and their families and is able to do this through the success of fundraising events like Relay For Life.”

“Our committee is working hard to create a Relay with great entertainment.

“That Lulu is such an enthusiastic and happy young lady portrays a really good message and we are stoked that she and her family are lining up for this very important community event,” Mr Hardie said.

Ms Simpson said she realised that other people didn’t always have as good outcomes as herself.

“That’s why we have to keep supporting events like Relay for Life; to raise funds so eventually we will find a cure,” she said.

For further information, contact Cancer Council Queensland on 4842 2001 or visit www.relayforlife.org.au.

Peak farming body steps in

No doubt you’ve seen this guy around. He’s usually out in the fields sharing vital research and development information with the Whitsundays’ cane farmers.

He’s an extension officer with the BSES and under a restructure of the organisation that looks after these roles, his position would be wrapped up.

That’s if it wasn’t for the forward thinking of Canegrowers Proserpine the peak farming body in the Whitsundays who have stepped in to fill this vital role that farmers have grown accustomed to over the past half a century.

Canegrowers Proserpine manager Michael Porter said his organisation had an obligation to growers.

"If the BSES is going to close up their operations here … and its vital to have a productivity service in the Whitsundays … then at the very least canegrowers will be putting something in place. We have an obligation to ensure that this service is not lost," Mr Porter said.

In fact, Peter Sutherland is not going anywhere. He might be hard to pick because he won’t be wearing the BSES shirt – but that’ll be the only difference according to Mr Porter.

"This bloke has been here nearly four years. He’s well liked and respected among the growing community who lean on him heavily for advice."

Mr Porter said the BSES which has informed canegrowers that they will close their Proserpine service on June 30 was a backward step and a huge blow to the local industry.

"So we are going to set up our own service here. It might be a subsidiary of Canegrowers Proserpine but it won’t be reliant on membership. The service will be provided directly to growers, it transcends membership … productivity is the most important thing for growers. At the moment we are talking with Sucrogen to see they will fund 50 per cent of the service," Mr Porter said.

Mr Porter said the imperative of the BSES restructure was to make the organisation more financially viable.

"Given the small amount of money they get from the government on both levels, it’s not enough under their current structure. The BSES is undertaking this restructure to prove to the government that they have a sustainable infrastructure and maintain their biosecurity obligations - by restructuring it makes them more eligible for funding," he said.

With several research and development funding pledges made recently, Mr Porter said governments always promised a certain level of funding around election time.

"I guess it really depends on whether they are genuine."

Committee to source best candidates for council






The Whitsunday Ratepayers Association (WRA) has sworn five of its most knowledgeable members to work select and endorse the most suited candidates for the council election.

The chairman of the newly formed group known as the Election Advisory Committee (EAC) is Andrew Marshall and his fellow advisors are David Brooks, Sue Dickinson, Russell Cook and Ross Plowman.

Secretary Tony Moscato said the committee has been set up by the nearly 700 members of the WRA to obtain information about candidates for the council elections, the first time this has ever been done.

"This information will be published to its members for them to choose their endorsed candidates," Mr Moscato said.

Mr Marshall said the region needed integrity, transparency and competency in council. "We need to heal the image of the council and restore confidence in its decision making", he said.

"Voters need to think carefully about the candidates to ensure that they don’t allow a group of councillors to suppress other councillors and waste our money for the benefit of a few greedy people", Mr Marshall warned.

Mr Moscato said that the membership of the WRA was growing strongly and its endorsement of candidates would be a significant indicator of public support.

"Voters need to be WRA members to get the revealing facts or look out for candidates endorsed by the WRA," said Mr Moscato, adding, the WRA intended to have a councillor appointed to liaise with the group so that the community had a voice in council and a watchful eye on their proceedings.



Faust's IGA run the race with cancer fundraisers

Faust’s Supa IGA, known for their community spirit, is now collecting a pot of gold which will cast a lucky rainbow over many local groups and organisations from this week.

The local, family owned business has launched the first community fund in the Whitsundays which will support different sporting, charity and community groups through a simple concept.

IGA shoppers now have the opportunity to donate their customer points to the community fund, which will then be converted to dollars and donated to local groups.

Faust’s Supa IGA owner Paul Faust said everyone can benefit by shopping locally and donating points to the fund, which will all ultimately go back into the community.

"It’s a continual pot of gold which grows and grows," Mr Faust said.

"The first is the Relay for Life. They approached us and we wanted to support the once-a-year event."

Mr Faust said the concept is the ‘community helping the community’, and IGA has the tools and a customer base in the thousands to make it happen.

"If you come in and shop, there is the option to donate loyalty points to the fund as a once off or regularly."

"We want to try and help the community that way and it eventually adds up to quite a lot."

For those who don’t have an IGA customer club account, it can be set up in store.

Fausts Supa IGA is also currently running extra specials throughout the store and part of the sale proceeds will also benefit the community fund.

Petition for another pharmacy in the Whitsundays

Young local pharmacist Kate Deambrogio says it has been many years since residents of Proserpine, and surrounding districts have been able to choose between pharmacies for their pharmaceutical services.

"Since the early 90s, there has only been one pharmacy in Proserpine, despite the growth in the district," she said.

In October 2011 the Federal Government introduced New Pharmacy Location Rules with specific guidelines for establishing new pharmacies in one pharmacy towns of sufficient size to sustain both businesses.

The young chemist said at the time the new rules came into force, Proserpine qualified for a new pharmacy.

Ms Deambrogio and her business partner Terry Travers said they had an application to establish a new pharmacy in Proserpine lodged with the Australian Community Pharmacy Authority (ACPA) to be heard at their December meeting.

"We aim to establish a pharmacy in a location convenient to both doctor’s surgeries and with ample car parking. Our proposed pharmacy will stock full pharmacy items – basically, what you would expect a pharmacy to have. We are not going to be a big discounting drug store – we don’t believe that is what the town needs, the town though does need competition and choice which can be achieved through the pharmacy which we propose to establish."

"However a Federal Court appeal lodged prior to the December meeting resulted in a restraint being placed on the ACPA in considering applications for Proserpine. This appeal was submitted by the current pharmacy owner in Proserpine.

"The rules do allow for an appeal and he is within his rights to do this." Miss Deambrogio said.

"It is understood that he is also intending to establish a branch of his existing pharmacy further towards the eastern end of the Main Street of Proserpine towards the Bruce Highway."

Robert McKay who owns Proserpine Family Pharmacy said he did not lodge a federal court injunction against Ms Deambrogio, rather it was to ensure the ACPA processed the orders in which they were received.

"It’s a process that has to take place. My injunction was to ensure the Australian government dealt with things as set out in their own rules. Kate somehow thinks a petition is going to get around the rules," he said, adding he wasn’t considering opening another pharmacy in Proserpine."

However Ms Deambrogio said she was aware of Mr McKay’s application to acquire a second licence. "And the rules do allow this, despite him owning the existing pharmacy in the town. It’s just we, also however, believe we should be entitled the opportunity to have our application heard by the ACPA, and so we are bringing this to the attention of the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing".

Ms Deambrogio said they were half way towards their goal in obtaining enough signatures for the document to be presented to the health minister and they would be at Fausts IGA this morning if people wanted to sign on.

"This is the community's chance to support this campaign as it will create competition," she said.