Geoff Wilson MP, State Member for Ferny Grove, Minister for Education & Training

Ferny Grove to Benefit from Record State Budget

_{07, June 2005}

It's official! A new $1.03 million ambulance station is to be built at Samford following this week's State Budget announcements. Pictured on the site of the new Ambulance Station early last year, Samford First Responders with pollies Geoff, former Emergency Services Minister Mike Reynolds and Pine Rivers Councillor Bob Millar.

Ferny Grove residents would experience significant benefits from the Beattie Governmentâs best State Budget, the State Member for Ferny Grove, Geoff Wilson, said today.

Geoff Wilson said locals would share in a record $8 Billion capital works program, a major boost to core Government services such as health, police and education and $5 Billion in tax cuts over seven years.

âQueensland is growing and developing at a tremendous pace and it is well rounded Labor Budgets which provide the stimulus to keep the Smart State heading in the right direction,â Geoff Wilson said.

âWe lead the nation in economic growth, our unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in thirty years and we have the best balance sheet in the country.

âThe 2005/06 Beattie Government Budget is about investing in the future with better services, better infrastructure and better living conditions throughout the Smart State.

âAnd I am very happy to say that Ferny Grove has not been left out of the big spending with an excellent range of new projects and initiatives across the electorate.â

Geoff Wilson said on top of the specific electorate projects (listed over the page) Ferny Grove would also share in the extra 352 nurses, 228 police officers, 286 teachers, 70 paramedics and 151 Child Safety staff being employed across the State in 2005/06.

He said other Statewide measures to benefit Ferny Grove included a multi-million dollar land tax relief package and the abolition of several business duties, worth $3.5 Billion over seven years.

âIn 2005/06 people in other states and territories will pay an average of $427 or 25 percent more than Queensland taxpayers,â Geoff Wilson said.

Geoff Wilson said the 2005/06 Budget expenditure for the electorate included:

$5 Million towards Stage 2 of the duplication from 2 to 4 lanes of the Samford Sub-Arterial Road between Cobalt Street and Arbor Street with a total State Government contribution of $11.38 Million.
$1.84 Million towards continued refurbishment and extensions to the North West Community Health Centre at the former Keperra Hospital site with a total State Government contribution of now $7 Million.
$1.03 Million to buy land and continue development of the new Samford Valley ambulance station.
$797,000 to Patricks Road State School to complete construction of 2 classrooms and a music room, including $64,000 for fit out, with a total project cost of $850,000.
$485,000 to Mitchelton State School to complete the construction of additional amenities, including $24,000 for fit out.
$267,000 to community organisations under the Home and Community Care program. This program provides support and maintenance services for eligible people at home to prevent early admission to residential care.
$255,000 towards constructing roads and drainage in the Ferny Grove electorate.
$220,000 to assist people with a disability and their families in the Ferny Grove electorate.
$59,000 for high priority maintenance related to re-flooring at Ferny Grove State High School, Patricks Road State School and Samford State School.
$Approximately $45,000 for school aged care services at Ferny Grove State School, Ferny Hills State School, Mt Nebo State School, Mt Sampson State School, Our Lady of Dolours, Patricks Road State School, Samford State School and St Andrews.
$52,000 under the Triple R Maintenance Program for repainting at Ferny Grove State School, Ferny Hills State School, Grovely State School and Mitchelton State High School.
$48,000 to Grovely State School to complete an electrical upgrade, including $15,000 for fit out.
$40,000 towards an indented bus bay at Ferny Grove State School.

The Ferny Grove electorate will also benefit from:

$100.1 Million for additional rollingstock and infrastructure for the Citytrain MetTRIP initiative. More than $900 million is being spent on the MetTRIP initiative up to 2008-09 to deliver substantial service enhancements to commuters between the Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
$500,000 to begin the Western Brisbane Transport Network Investigation with a total state contribution of $5 Million. The investigation will look at the feasibility of a western bypass of Brisbane.
$248,000 for installation of new air-conditioning at the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service at Brisbane Forest Park in the neighbouring Ashgrove electorate.
$75,000 to the West Arana Hills Rugby League Football Club Inc in the neighbouring Everton electorate to upgrade a field including irrigation for rugby league and little athletics at Leslie Patrick Park, Arana Hills under the Minor Facilities Program 2005.
$35,570 to the Hills District PCYC in the neighbouring Everton electorate to upgrade an existing multi-purpose court and construct a new activity area for boxing at Arana Hills under the Minor Facilities Program 2005.
$40,000 for bikeways in various locations in Pine Rivers Shire with a total State Government contribution of $236,000.
$1.38 Million towards traffic safety improvements at various locations in Brisbane.
$425,000 to continue upgrading signal coordination within Brisbane with a total project cost of $1 Million.
$375,000 to continue placing traffic management devices within Brisbane with a total project cost of $1.12 Million.
$30.82 Million for general upgrades to public housing including kitchens, bathrooms, modifications for disability access and security/insect screens in the Greater Brisbane.
$1.25 Million to upgrade Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rental housing including kitchens, bathrooms, modifications for disability access and security/insect screens in the Greater Brisbane.
$1.2 Million to buy three dwellings for public housing in the Pine Rivers area.
Approximately $318 Million will be invested in almost 20.6 Million hours of training in the Greater Brisbane region.
Approximately $24.4 Million to create an estimated 3,607 jobs through the Government's Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative during 2005-06 in the Greater Brisbane region.
$1.87 Million to manage demand for services in the Prince Charles Health Service District.
$2.78 Million to the Prince Charles Health Service District for medical equipment including anaesthesia equipment, a blood pressure module, patient monitors, physiologic processor and an X-ray machine.
$8.7 Million for a new North Lakes Health Precinct for primary and ambulatory care including a network of public and private health providers with a total project cost of $22 Million
$732,000 to manage demand for services in the Royal Childrenâs Hospital and Health Service District
$2.34 Million to the Royal Childrenâs Hospital and Health Service District for medical equipment including anaesthesia equipment, blood pressure monitors, a CT scanner and a videoscope.
$3.24 Million to manage demand for services in the Royal Brisbane and Womenâs Hospital and Health Service District.
$3.37 Million to the Royal Brisbane and Womenâs Hospital and Health Service District for medical equipment including medical cameras and control units, a haemodialysis unity, surgical lights and sterilisers.

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