Mark 10th Birdlife Art Awards More than 280 people gathered to celebrate Hinchinbrook Shire Council’s 10th Birdlife Art Awards at the TYTO Regional Art Gallery on Friday night, 1 August 2025. This milestone event continues to honour the rich birdlife of the Hinchinbrook region through the eyes of talented artists from across Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. It features an impressive 106 entries across various mediums, including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and m
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Sporting and recreation clubs across North and Far North Queensland impacted by early 2025’s severe flooding can now apply for a share in a $30 million funding package to help repair and rebuild their facilities. The Sport and Recreation Recovery Program (SRRG) — a joint initiative by the Albanese and Crisafulli Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) — offers up to $1 million per facility for eligible not-for-profit sport and racing clubs, as well as local cou
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Locally loved artist, Katie Louise, has graced the region once again, painting a beautiful mural on the wall of the infamous Frosty Mango building located 40km South of Ingham along the mighty Bruce Highway. Hailing from Townsville, Katie’s paint brushes have coloured many surfaces across North Queensland where she has artistically captured the unique qualities of several communities including the Atherton Tablelands, Charters Towers, and now Cardwell. Katie’s recent piece within the shi
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Former players, supporters, and families reunited in Ingham over the weekend of 18–19 July 2025 to celebrate the 55-year-long legacy of the Wallaman Rugby League Club, with attendees travelling from across Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and all corners of Queensland. Though no longer active, the Wallaman club holds a proud place in local sporting history. Formed in 1970 under challenging circumstances, the club faced early struggles just getting a team on the field. With determina
Read the full storyAfter years of strongly advocating for Queensland youth offenders, who commit the most heinous crimes, to be sentenced as adults, I was please during last week’s parliamentary sitting to see the state government introduce its latest tranche of Adult Crime, Adult Time legislation.
The new crimes added to this piece of legislation now align with Katter’s Australian Party’s (KAP) original Adult Crime Adult Time policy. I would like to personally thank everyone who joined in to advocate for crimes such as rape and attempted murder to be added to the list. It still baffles me why they were left out of the original Making Queensland Safer laws in the first place.
These changes are a step in the right direction, but until we address the issue of current incarceration methods, any changes to the law will have little effect on the behaviour of youth offenders. We must find a detention method that acts as a deterrent while also being cost effective.
KAP has long advocated for relocation or bush sentencing to be an alternative option for judges when dealing with youth offenders. I am pleased to hear that the LNP government has in part adopted this policy and will soon commence planning and a tender process for their version of it which has been renamed ‘Circuit Breaker Sentencing’.
I am advised that the aim of this program will be to detain youth offenders in remote detention facilities with a combined total of 60 beds. I believe this is the Government’s best chance at really making a difference to youth crime rates and will offer the best avenue for turning around the lives of repeat youth offenders.
But we won’t stop there. I will continue advocating for the introduction of mandatory minimum sentencing and Castle Law to be legislated in Queensland. The kids in this state need to understand that the game is up, and I won’t stop until that message is heard loud and clear.
Contributed with thanks to Nick Dametto MP Member for Hinchinbrook
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