THE Electoral Matters Committee has commenced a review into the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Real Time Disclosure of Political Donations) Bill 2019.

The bill, introduced to the House of Representatives by Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie, would amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act to require the agent or financial controller of the party, branch or campaigner to advise the electoral commission, within five days, of any donation received by the party, branch or campaigner that meets or exceeds the disclosure threshold of $13,800.

The Committee invites written submissions addressing any or all aspects of the bill.

Prospective submitters are advised that any submission to the Committee’s inquiry must be prepared solely for the inquiry and should not be published prior to being accepted by the Committee.

Submissions are requested by October 21, 2019. Further information about making a submission to a committee inquiry can be found at the following link.

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the ongoing progress on development of the Pembroke Resources Olive Downs coking coal mine, bringing up to 1000 jobs closer.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said Pembroke Resources’ announcement that the project had received its Environmental Authority (EA) for the $1 billion Olive Downs project, near Moranbah, was good news for Central Queenslanders.

“The Olive Downs mine will create up to 500 jobs during construction and up to 1000 once fully operational.  The finalisation of the EA is an important next step to bring this project closer to a reality.

“A clear timetable and a set of milestones for development are important for all resources projects, given the size of each investment and the time needed for planning.”

Mr Macfarlane said Olive Downs will be one of the largest open cut coking coal mines in the world and more importantly a significant contributor to royalty payments which build the vital infrastructure which benefits all Queenslanders.

“This is more good news for Queensland’s coal industry. It’s high-quality coal, close to ports and highlights the wealth of opportunities Queensland can generate from the largest exporting coking coal basin in the world, the Bowen Basin.

“The Isaac region is a heartland for our resources sector, creating so much of the wealth that benefits our state. This project will be another valuable addition to Queensland’s world-leading resources sector.”

Queensland’s resource sector operates within a strict environmental management framework while using only 0.1 per cent of Queensland’s land mass.

www.qrc.org.au

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A MAN charged with 106 offences has been sentenced to five years jail today at the Brisbane District Court after it was found that he lodged 62 fraudulent income tax returns, attempting to obtain over $500,000 in refunds.

Between August 2015 and July 2016, Micah Robby Elstak used the aliases Robert Ketting-Oliver and Ryan McCarthy to orchestrate an elaborate online job scam through various companies, ultimately stealing the identities of 52 taxpayers.

After conducting fake interviews over the phone, Mr Elstak would email applicants to confirm they had been successful in their application for the job. He would also request a scanned copy of their driver’s licence, bank account details, tax file number and shirt size. 

Mr Elstak used this information to fraudulently create myGov accounts, or if they already had an account, he used the information to take over their account and change the details as required. He would then link the myGov accounts to ATO online services where he would lodge false income tax returns in their names. The resulting refunds were credited to one of 63 bank accounts in his control.

Many of the taxpayers reported the scam after they realised the job didn’t exist.

Internal bank anti-fraud measures, in conjunction with efforts by the ATO and Queensland Police Service, resulted in $378,099 of the $565,895 Mr Elstak claimed being stopped before it reached his bank accounts.

Assistant Commissioner Ian Read welcomed the sentence handed down today.

“As demonstrated today, people who try to cheat the tax system will get caught and we will take firm action, including penalties and criminal prosecution”, Mr Read said.

In light of Stay Smart Online week, Mr Read said that this sentencing serves "as a timely reminder for people to be aware of what you share".

“Never give out your personal identifying information unless you are certain of who you are speaking to. If your TFN (tax file number) or other personal information has been stolen, disclosed to or used by an unauthorised person call our Client Identity Support Centre on 1800 467 033," Mr Read said.

“Remember, your employer will only need details like your TFN and bank account through a TFN declaration form once you commence your employment.

“To protect taxpayers’ information, we are also encouraging myGov users linked to the ATO to update their myGov sign-in options and opt to receive a security code by SMS. It’s a quick and secure way to sign in to access ATO online services.

“You can help stop refund fraud. If you suspect someone of being involved in tax fraud, you should report it," Mr Read said.

Reports can be made to the ATO anonymously at ato.gov.au/tipoff.

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AN online survey launched today makes it easy for Australians to have their say about improving question time in the House of Representatives.

Bert van Manen, the chair of the House Procedure Committee, said the survey is part of a parliamentary inquiry into the way question time is run.

"The survey lets you quickly and easily provide your thoughts about what we could do differently during question time," Mr van Manen said. "It takes just a few minutes to do."

Committee Deputy Chair Milton Dick said it is a great opportunity for everyday Australians to get involved.

"We’re open to all ideas and this is just one way that people can provide feedback," Mr Dick said. 

"People can also provide written submissions until the survey closes on October 31."

In its inquiry, the Committee will consider ideas about the format of Question Time, how questions can be asked and the standing orders that govern question time. The behaviour of individual MPs is not part of the inquiry.

The Committee is also consulting MPs and looking at how question time operates in other parliaments.

"We want to get feedback from a broad range of people," Mr van Manen said. "I encourage everyone to have their say."

For more information about this Committee, visit its website https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Procedure.

On the site, people can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings.

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AUSTRALIA'S 2.7 million unpaid carers will be recognised and celebrated during National Carers Week 2019 this October.

The national campaign will officially launch in Brisbane on Friday, October 11, at the Gala Lunch event hosted by Carers Queensland at Hillstone, St Lucia.

National Carers Week runs from October 13- 19 and it helps raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the vital contribution they make to families and communities throughout Australia. 

The theme for this year’s campaign is ‘Why We Care’ and it encourages Australians to visit the Carers Week website (carersweek.com.au) to share their stories and say why they care.

Jim Toohey, chair of Carers Queensland said Carers Week is an opportunity to raise community awareness among all Australians about the diversity of carers and their caring roles.

“One in eight Australians is a carer. The value of their caring role estimated at $60.3 billion per year and yet carers often experience social isolation and find it harder to maintain employment, enter the workforce or participate in education,” Mr Toohey said. 

“In Queensland, there are 474,300 carers providing 334 million hours of care annually.

“Carers, the people they care for and their families are at the centre of everything we do. We work with them to improve their quality of life,” he said. 

The Gala Lunch event will be attended by carers, State Government representatives and other dignitaries, with entertainment by guest speaker, medical doctor and author Helena Popovic.

During the event, state winners of the Carer-Friendly Business Awards will be announced, acknowledging those individuals and businesses who have made a real difference in the community.

As part of the National Carers Week celebrations, Carers Queensland will also be running a range of events and awareness activities across Queensland for the broader community to get involved and say why they care. 

For more information on Carers Week events or to get involved visit http://carersqld.com.au/carers-week or contact Carers Queensland on 1800 242 636. 

Event Details 
Date: Friday, October 11 2019
Venue: Hillstone, St Lucia
Carawa Street, St Lucia 
Time: 12–3pm. 
Awards presentation at 2pm.

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THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell agrees with RBA Governor Philip Lowe’s view that small business needs support from our financial institutions.

“In cutting the official cash rate to an all-time-low of 0.75 percent, RBA Governor Philip Lowe made several pertinent observations about the credit squeeze affecting the Australian small business sector and how that’s effecting the economy more broadly,” Ms Carnell said.

“Most would agree with Dr Lowe’s comment that we will all be better off if businesses have the confidence to expand, invest, innovate and hire people.

“Dr Lowe says lending standards have strengthened, but the ‘pendulum may have swung a bit too far’ in some areas," she said.

“Vitally, Dr Lowe made it clear that our financial institutions should support small businesses, stating ‘lenders should not be so scared of making a loan that goes bad that they don’t provide the credit the economy needs’.

“The RBA Governor’s advice should be heeded. The overwhelming feedback to my office from the small business community is that a lack of access to funding is their biggest barrier to growth," Ms Carnell said.

“The most recent SME Growth Index revealed one in five SMEs are experiencing cash flow problems due to business loans being rejected.

“Even the Australian Banking Association has acknowledged that small business loan applications have fallen by 33 percent since 2014.

“It’s time we all sit up and listen to the RBA Governor. If our financial institutions change the way they do business with SMEs, it might just give small businesses the confidence they need to grow, which would be if significant benefit the Australian economy.”

www.asbfeo.gov.au

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The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) welcomes the completion of the 60km pipeline that will connect Senex’s Project Atlas gas project (near Wandoan) to Queensland Gas Pipeline at Wallumbilla.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said infrastructure company Jemena built the pipeline which was made possible after the Palaszczuk Government approved Project Atlas for domestic-only gas production in March 2018.

“I congratulate industry for partnering together to deliver more gas to the east coast market and the Palaszczuk Government for helping to put downward pressure on energy prices,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“The Palaszczuk Government has been very proactive in its support of the gas industry but other states must back their own industry and explore for their own gas.

“Queensland manufactures such O-I Australia, CSR and Orora can access this gas to power their businesses which can power further jobs. Already this pipeline project has created around 150-200 jobs."

Mr Macfarlane said last week APLNG sold 61 petajoules of gas (supply for approx. 1.5 million homes per year) to Origin for the domestic market.

“These are more examples of Queensland’s gas industry leading the nation with a forward looking approach to developing its gas reserves.”

www.qrc.org.au

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PEOPLE with a passion for singing are urged to make a date to join the Queensland Choir for its acclaimed biennial Brisbane Sings Messiah in City Hall this December.

The Queensland Choir’s chorus master Kevin Power said singers who may not be regular choristers now have a unique opportunity to perform Handel’s most famous work as part of a 150-voice choir, with professional soloists and orchestra, in one of Brisbane’s most outstanding concert venues.  

“No audition is necessary, but singers must be at least 18 years old and attend six rehearsals, culminating in the Sunday afternoon concert on December 3 in Brisbane City Hall before an expected audience of more than 1000 people,” he said.

“Singing in the choir is fun and a challenge, as the Queensland Choir has a long history of performing Messiah in City Hall to the highest standards. Everything is thoroughly rehearsed, and choir members enjoy being part of a welcoming group sharing a common interest and learning from professional musicians, and each other.” 

Established in 1872, the Queensland Choir performed at the opening of City Hall in 1930 and staged the first Messiah there in the same year. 

“We realise not everyone can afford the time to commit to full-time membership of a choir these days, but it’s thrilling to share the experience of performing this masterpiece with a large choir in such a venue. Brisbane Sings Messiah enables interested singers take part in a full performance with a minimum of commitment.” 

Registrations close once soprano, alto, tenor and bass lists are full, so interested singers should contact the choir now https://qldchoir.com/sing-with-us/ phone 0491 654 134, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

THE QUEENSLAND CHOIR – Brisbane Sings Messiah, Sunday, December 1, 2.45pm-5.15pm, Brisbane City Hall. Tickets: $45-$60; children and full-time students: $15- $25,  book online https://qldchoir.com/events/brisbane-sings-messiah-2019 or phone 3847 1717.

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