State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP said Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Awareness Week, beginning Sunday 1 May, was an opportunity for Queenslanders to learn more about how MND affects those who have it, their families and carers. » more

State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, has warned residents to take steps to protect their personal details after hackers crashed the Sony PlayStation Network last week, affecting more than 70 million customers worldwide. » more

State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, is urging local community members to nominate for a new advisory group of “transport champions” to improve public transport in South East Queensland. » more

State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, today urged Pine Rivers students get involved in this year’s Premier’s Reading Challenge which begins on May 9. » more

As the winter months settle in and flu season arrives Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, is urging Pine Rivers residents living with asthma to get prepared this World Asthma Day on May 3. » more

State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, is urging Pine Rivers residents to get behind the National Heart Foundation’s Heart Week (Sunday 1 May - Saturday 7 May 2011) and take action now to prevent heart disease. » more

Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, said that the Public Trustee is launching the State’s first ever Wills Week to promote the importance of every Queenslander making a Will and keeping it up to date. » more

State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, today announced Pine Rivers residents can now get a free check for type 2 diabetes by visiting their local pharmacy. » more

Carolyn Male MP, Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace, Mary-Anne O'Neill MP

Traffic flow on Gympie Road at Petrie is improving thanks to the Main Road’s updated traffic management policies on the flood damaged AJ Wyllie Bridge.

Traffic was interrupted when the northbound section was severely damaged during the floods. Traffic was diverted to the southbound bridge which now has a lane flowing in each direction.

As planning for the new bigger and better northbound section of the AJ Wyllie Bridge nears its final stages, Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace says the department is working to improve the current conditions for motorists.

“We’ve made changes to the timing of the traffic signals just north of the bridge to better cater to peak-hour traffic along the route,” he said. » more

Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, is urging people to check their barbecues during the Easter holiday period. » more

If you’re an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander from Queensland, Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, would like to invite you to consider being a part of the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program for 2011. » more

State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, encouraged Pine Rivers students to get involved in the 10th annual Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Buy Smart competition. » more

State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, today urged local residents to take care and stay safe on Queensland roads when travelling over the Easter holidays. » more

Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, has welcomed the announcement by Premier Anna Bligh in Parliament that changes to the South-East Queensland Water (Distribution and Retail Restructuring) Act 2009 will allow South East Queensland Councils to take back control of their water retail businesses. » more

Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, would like to make people aware that a new website has been set up to make it easier to find disability information. » more

Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, said that protection for one of Australia’s most treasured icons was today strengthened with the announcement of a new two-hectare Koala Nature Refuge north of Dayboro. » more

Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, said a decision has been made by the Minister for Transport to proceed with the new Caboolture Line train timetable from 6 June this year. » more

I rise to support the Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011, which includes a number of exemptions and concessions that will benefit Queensland taxpayers. For example, special disability trusts are established under the Social Security Act 1991 and the Veterans Entitlement Act 1986 to assist immediate family members of people with severe disabilities to make private financial provision for the future care and accommodation needs of the person with a disability. To qualify as a special disability trust, among other things the trust must have one beneficiary who has an impairment or disability as determined under the relevant Commonwealth legislation and be established primarily to meet the beneficiary’s reasonable care and accommodation needs. Where these requirements are satisfied, gifting concessions under the Commonwealth legislation are available for eligible family members of the beneficiary and an assets test exemption up to a certain level applies for the beneficiary. Transactions that may be undertaken for the purposes of the Commonwealth legislation include the acquisition of a residence by the trustee for use as the beneficiary’s home. These types of transactions may be liable for transfer duty under the Duties Act 2001, being either the transfer or agreement for the transfer of dutiable property, the creation of a trust of dutiable property or an acquisition of a trust interest. To help facilitate these transactions, relief from transfer duty for special disability trusts was announced in the 2010-11 state budget. This exemption is currently operating under an administrative arrangement. The Duties Act 2001 is being amended to give this arrangement prospective legislative effect. I know a number of parents of children who have a disability who will be pleased to have this matter settled. » more

Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers, said that the Queensland Police Service officially inducted its 10,500th officer as part of a ceremony at the Oxley Police Academy today. » more

Four kindergartens in Pine Rivers will be powered by the sun as part of the Bligh Government’s $5.76 million Solar Kindergarten Installation Program, Carolyn Male MP, State Member for Pine Rivers said today. » more