Students Shine At Annual Combined Secondary Schools’ Ball On Saturday, 6 September, the Ingham State High School auditorium shimmered with elegance and excitement, as almost 200 students from all secondary schools across the district gathered for the annual Combined Secondary Schools’ Ball. Students from Ingham State High School, Gilroy Santa Maria College, and St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie, came together for a night of celebration, friendship, and unforgettable memories. Representing Y
Read the full storyGilroy Santa Maria College is preparing to mark a major milestone, celebrating 75 years of excellence in education with a special event on Wednesday, 30 October 2025. Originally scheduled for last year but postponed due to severe weather events, this long-awaited celebration will bring together current and former students, staff, and members of the wider community to reflect on the College’s rich history and look ahead to an exciting future. It is a wonderful opportunity to honour the gen
Read the full storyKeeping Queensland Homes Fire-Safe When it comes to protecting your family, a few simple precautions can make all the difference. That’s where Safehome, a free initiative by the Queensland Fire Department (QFD), comes in. Designed to help householders identify and eliminate fire and general safety hazards, Safehome offers personalised advice right where it matters most – in your own home. Upon request, firefighters will visit your property at a time that suits you, inspecting for potentia
Read the full storyCalling all basketball fanatics! The Ingham Basketball Association Inc. have excitingly announced two of the biggest names in Australian basketball are coming to Ingham next Thursday the 25th of September to host an unforgettable She Hoops clinic program! Three-time WNBA MVP and four-time WNBA Champion, Lauren Jackson and former Opals Captain, Tess Madgen will grace the Ingham State School courts from 9am to 10:30am for the community clinic. “These incredible athletes aren’t just passing throu
Read the full storyLast week, I attended the public hearing into Queensland’s sugar cogeneration and bioenergy held in Townsville. Industry representatives from QCAR, Canegrowers, Burdekin Renewable Fuels, Burdekin Shire Council, Hinchinbrook Shire Council, Kalagro and Townsville Enterprise shared their experiences and ideas on how to expand bioenergy production and remove barriers to investment.
Queensland is home to some of the most productive sugar cane land in the world, yet diversification opportunities for the industry were missed by consecutive governments, not allowing sugar to reach its full potential. Many agree that continuing to rely solely on sugar production while ignoring opportunities in bioenergy and the expansion of electrical co-generation means we are not seeing the full potential of our cornerstone crop.
At the hearing, industry representatives put forward a range of options that are worthy of being explored, but importantly, they highlighted the significant barriers to future investment into diversification. Without meaningful government intervention and support, a sustainable biofuels industry has zero chance of ever getting off the ground. I’d like to see the State Government make legislative and regulatory changes that guarantee offtakes for biofuels and incentivise millers and growers to invest in electrical co-generation projects to help produce affordable dispatchable baseload power.
I believe we must address the current flaws in the state’s bio-based petrol mandate. Back in 2022, I introduced the Liquid Fuel Supply (Minimum Biobased Petrol Content) Amendment Bill. It aimed to fix the shortcomings in the mandate, which despite operating since 2017, has failed to create a sustainable market for biofuels. At the time, neither the Government nor the Opposition would support it.
We must take every opportunity to give growers and the industry certainty, back innovation in bioenergy, and take immediate steps if we wish to see a future that isn’t solely reliant on the world sugar price. I look forward to hearing the committee’s findings when they hand down their report and recommendations in December.
Contributed with thanks by Nick Dametto MP, Member for Hinchinbrook