LGAQ & + A FULL ROUND-UP OF THE COMMUNITY CABINET MEETING PCYC NEWS THE *BEST* FOOTY COVERAGE BOXERS TRIUMPH IN BUNDABERG

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1 Thursday 26 July 2012 Issue 109 Barracudas to play Bowen in Cowboys warm-up game BARRACUDAS rugby league players will compete before what will likely be the biggest crowd any Palm Island sporting side has ever seen when they take on Bowen at Townsville s Dairy Farmer s Stadium on Saturday week (4 August). The game will be a curtain raiser to the North Queensland Cowboys versus Manly Sea Eagles blockbuster as part of the NRL s Closing the Gap round. More than 20,000 people are expected to be there including a large number of Palm Islanders who will travel to Townsville to support them. Not to mention hundreds of Townsville-based family members who will be keen to cheer the Cuddas on. Back in 1928, the first Palm Island rugby team to visit INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Townsville lost to the mainland team in front of 2000 spectators. The bare footed Palm Islanders nearly pulled off an amazing win against the Townsville side whose players wore sand shoes. When you consider a smaller population 84 years ago when compared with that of today, it was a very large crowd. Playing in front of 20,000+ spectators will give the Barracudas footballers a wonderful opportunity to showcase their skills. Pictured above is the Barracudas team who defeated Bowen earlier this year. To ensure the best side was picked, a Barracudas Possibles versus Probables game was held on Saturday 14 July....Continued next page... LOTS OF COUNCIL NEWS INCLUDING LGAQ REPORT (Pic Left: LGAQ Ambassador Shane Webke, Mayor Lacey & Heather Forde at the first post-election LGAQ exec meeting) + A FULL ROUND-UP OF THE COMMUNITY CABINET MEETING PCYC NEWS THE *BEST* FOOTY COVERAGE BOXERS TRIUMPH IN BUNDABERG

2 Barracudas team picked from possible probables...or was that probable possibles?!...from page 1... Scores were deadlocked at 56-all when the final siren sounded after a highly competitive game between Barracudas Possibles versus Probables last Saturday week. For the Probables fullback Gresham Ross and hooker Cooper Kerr each scored three tries, with singles to Michael Noble, Jason Bulsey, Ezra Langlo and Walter Geia. Tough forward Geia booted five goals and Ross snared three. For the Possibles winger Val Fulford, forward Georgie Dabea and utility Anthony Thompson each scored two tries with one apiece to Mickeal Sibley, Caleb Geia, Walter Morgan and Terence Sibley. John Baira booted eight goals. Palm Island Rugby League committee member Genami Geia said a squad would be named from the clash. It will be finalised the week before the game at Dairy Farmer s Stadium taking into account any injuries in club games. Everybody on Palm is looking forward to the game at Dairy Farmer s Stadium and we will have a great side. The Possible versus Probables game was what we needed as we prepare, he said. The Barracudas have played at Allblacks carnivals around North Queensland for many years but will players never in the past have appeared before such a crowd as is expected for the Manly versus Cowboys encounter. The Barracudas and Bowen have already met once this season in the Development League Representative Challenge at Bowen on 21 April. Palm Island dominated that clash winning but can expect a much tougher competition this time. Bowen has a number of Indigenous players in its ranks and picks its side from the club local competition. 2 This is an old device that used to be used for the oyster farm, for putting the pegs in the sand, you can see the oyster farm in the background, Cr Alf Lacey says. It also used to hook the full basket of oysters off the pegs on to the inflated back, and be floated back to the boats. So it was used as a floating device for the oyster farms, that s my recollection of it and I remember it because as kids we used to dive off it. When I saw this in the Palm Island Voice, it certainly brought back some memories in terms of swimming off the jetty to this little floating pontoon thing Us kids used to be a nuisance as we d go and swim on it. From time to time people used to shout at us, particular our older people used to shout at us and tell us to get away. Photo reprinted with permission from the National Archives of Australia Lincoln s pick is for the Bulls! TOUGH utility player Lincoln Poynter jnr feels his Butler Bay Bulls club can take out the Palm Island domestic rugby league competition in Lincoln is pictured above with Bulls supporters Gabriel Poynter, aged 17, (in red) and Tuwanah Parkinson, 20. We have a good team and have been winning lots of games lately, Lincoln said.

3 Rain postpones NAIDOC week celebrations Barry Miller s grandparents his mother s parents were brought to Palm Island in 1918, he says. So it s always a great thrill to him to be able to bring his own sons to the Island for NAIDOC, even though during the week they came NAIDOC celebrations were postponed for a week due to bad weather. My mother was born here in 1928; she still holds the record for the heaviest baby on Palm Island, 18 pounds and 7 ounces, he said. My grandparents are buried here, my uncles, my aunties, my grannies they re all buried here, that s all Walsh family. I love coming back here; every opportunity I get I love to come back here and see everyone I ve got grandchildren here now. I brought five boys with me this week, I ve got seven sons, Daniel lives here and my other son lives in Caboolture, he s got a family himself but he likes to get up here, too, with the kids. I used to live here, when I was young before I got married. I was about 18 when I came here in 1978 for my grandfather s funeral and I was supposed to come for two days; I ended up staying two years. I played football here for awhile, a season or two, for the Barracudas, who played in the Townsville competition at the time, in Joshie Geia, Johnny Baira, who s gone now, Joshy Morgan and Lloydy Morgan, who coaches the Butler Bay Bulls now. Me and him and all the Reid boys used to all play around here; it was good. I live in Bundaberg now, 3 Story & Pic by Christine Howes working for Home and Community Care (HACC), I ve been there for the past eight years working for them. I grew up there before I came to Palm Island; so I grew up there in the 70s, in Bundaberg, lived on the beach in a place called Moore Park where I was into surfing, life saving and motorbikes and all that sort of stuff with my cane farmer friends. We all went to school together. Mamu Dancers, that s from my mother s side from the rainforest of Innisfail; that s the dance that they do from there. I have a cousin down in Bowen, he wants to teach them their Birri side, so they ll have both sides of dancing....palm Island Voice expects to have more NAIDOC pics and stories in our next Issue...see p 12 for deadline details...

4 Pictured above is 10-year-old Talita Kennedy, also a talented junior Barracudas rugby league player, was excited to take a ride on Sapphire the camel at the Townsville show earlier this month. Right is Algon Lawrence and partner Tibby Fulford with youngsters, also at the Show. 4

5 Council has been busy but we haven t forgotten about the community since the election, says Mayor Alf Lacey. A lot of stuff has been happening in bringing the new Council members up to speed on the Local Government Act and other requirements that the new Council had to do, he said. Since the elections I m pretty pleased that the Council has certainly hit the ground running with a lot of training and certainly bringing us all up to speed. I m pleased to inform the community that all members of Council have now done our induction and our training and have been sworn in. I have continued to work to lift the profile of Palm, and to advocate and lobby for more funds for the community. We will continue to advocate and support what is the best locally. There s a lot happening in the community and just want to encourage the community to continue working with your Council and Mayor to get good opportunities for Palm. Council is very focussed and wants to see economic development happening in our community. For that to happen, we need the community to support any economic ventures we put forward which will allow us to grow Palm in a sustainable way while at the same time creating more equal, more job and more business opportunities locally in the community. That s the commitment I ve certainly taken to the community. I m going to remain focussed, and I know this Council is going to remain focussed on making sure that are priorities are put to the forefront, and we ve already started doing so. Earlier this month Council had an audience with the Premier and other Ministers at the Community Cabinet meeting in Townsville. We talked about a range of issues that are important to Palm. Economic development was certainly a driving factor of those talks and we continue to advocate for better outcomes for the Shire. We talked with the Deputy Premier and asked for support around our enterprise strategy, which was developed by previous Council and which the new Council has adopted....continued next page... 5

6 ...From previous page... We want to move more quickly on that because economic development was a key factor in this Council s commitment to getting things done. We ve also talked to the Attorney General about a proposed Youth Camp/Boot Camp on Fantome Island. The Youth Camp/Boot Camp issue has been on the community s agenda for the past 20 years, so we are hoping to get some traction from government to put some investment into Fantome Island, which is now Queensland Heritage listed. And we met with the Minister for the Arts, Ros Bates, to talk to her about extra infrastructure needs in terms of the community museum. We ve got a building now, the old kindergarten that we put on the top field here and hopefully this Council will be able to attract some money from Government to turn that into a community museum. We also met with the Minister for Sports and put up a case for a better lighting system at the sports complex. Minister Glen Elmes visited the Saturday before Cabinet Meeting and we gave him the grand tour of Palm Island. He was quite impressed and spoke very highly of Palm at one of his talks in Townsville at a breakfast the following day, before the Cabinet meeting. Indigenous Mayors take three LGAQ policy executive spots The final shape of the policy executive that will govern the peak body for Queensland councils for the next four years reveals a range of experience and new talent says LGAQ President Paul Bell. Cr Bell said the association s new 15 member policy executive is made up of 10 new faces and five returning members. There s a good range of geographic representation on the executive and a mix of experience and fresh perspective that will bring vitality to the LGAQ table Cr Bell said. The inclusion of three Indigenous members, four women also gives us an exciting demographic befitting the diverse landscape of local government in Queensland. Cr Bell and Palm Island Mayor Alf Lacey particularly wanted to congratulate Carpentaria Shire Mayor Fred Pascoe. Cr Fred Pascoe - the first Indigenous man to become the Mayor of a non-indigenous community (Carpentaria Shire) - is now the first Indigenous person to represent a non- Indigenous electoral district on the executive - well done Fred, Cr Bell said. Cr Lacey said Cr Pascoe was elected to his second term as Mayor unopposed. I want to congratulate Fred Pascoe who was elected unopposed in the mainstream Shire of Carpentaria, Mayor Alf Lacey said. He has been elected with myself and Councillor Fred Gela, who is the Mayor of the Torres Strait Regional Council to the LGAQ policy executive. What we take to the table is a level of professionalism and advocacy for all our communities and all the Queensland Councils who have elected us into these positions. What it means in terms of Palm is that once again we are at that high-level, so that also brings a lot of credibility for us. I d say to the community, as always, I will lead from the front and ensure that our issues are always first and foremost in terms of anything to do with our community at Palm and also all our other community and I m excited about it. I look forward to working with the LGAQ over the next four years while I m Mayor, so I can carry on the business of representing our people. This is a great honour that s been bestowed upon me by other communities, so it goes to show the work I have done with the other Councils in the state has paid off in that they have confidence in me in not only leading Palm Island but also leading other communities at a state level. I m look forward to it. The LGAQ s policy executive is responsible for the determination of the Association s policy on behalf of member councils.

7 Queensland Government Ministers & Assistant Ministers July 2012 Premier Campbell Newman MP Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure & Planning Jeff Seeney MP Assistant Minister for Planning Reform Ian Walker MP Treasurer and Minister for Trade Tim Nicholls MP Assistant Minister for Finance, Administration & Regulatory Reform Deb Frecklington MP Minister for Health Lawrence Springborg MP Assistant Minister for Health Chris Davis MP Minister for Education, Training & Employment John-Paul Langbroek MP Assistant Minister for Technical and Further Education Saxon Rice MP Minister for Police & Community Safety Jack Dempsey MP Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie MP Minister for Transport & Main Roads Scott Emerson MP Assistant Minister for Public Transport Steve Minnikin MP Minister for Housing & Public Works Bruce Flegg MP Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry John McVeigh MP Minister for Environment & Heritage Protection Andrew Powell MP Minister for Natural Resources & Mines Andrew Cripps MP Assistant Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Lisa France MP Minister for Energy & Water Supply Mark McArdle MP Minister for Local Government David Crisafulli MP Minister for Communities, Child Safety & Disability Services Tracy Davis MP Assistant Minister for Child Safety Rob Molhoek MP Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation & the Arts Ros Bates MP Minister for National Parks, Recreation, Sport & Racing Steven Dickson MP Assistant Minister for Sport and Racing Tim Mander MP Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business & the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey MP Assistant Minister for Tourism Gavin King MP Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander & Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier Glen Elmes MP Assistant Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs David Kempton MP Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robert Cavallucci MP 7

8 What s News?! From the Manager For those of you not aware, Bernard Mead has left Palm Island and is now managing the Doomadgee PCYC. We wish Bernie well, he will be sadly missed here on beautiful Palm. Programs at the PCYC are continuing to prove popular with the after school program and youth program attracting large numbers. The holiday program was also very successful. Staffing levels are low at the moment and there are vacancies for a Child Care Program Coordinator, Youth Program Assistant, Police Liaison Officer and Radio Station Manager. If you are interested in being part of PCYC to assist in delivering quality programs please come and see me. We have a Sport and Recreation Officer, Milton Thaiday who started work with us a month ago. Over the next month Milton will be setting up a new gym area with hopefully new gym equipment. PCYC membership is $30 per year which includes unlimited gym use. Unfortunately we have been a target for break ins and wilful damage over the past few months. The shade sails were burnt and torn, a rubbish bin set on fire, security screens cut and access has been gained to the kitchen and boxing arena. We are endeavouring to repair damage, however because we have very limited funds you may have noticed windows have been boarded up. This is not conducive to how a PCYC should look but I have had no alternative. PCYC is a community area for the use of all the people on Palm Island. Last week we were busy with NAIDOC celebrations and the PCYC was a hive of activity. Wednesday night we held the Battle of the Bands competition, which was a great success. Winners were Mothers Dust (pictured), with second prize going to Dream Keepers and third to Noel Cannon & the Archers. Thanks must go to Evolution Mining for providing the prize money and Ear Health for the BBQ food. Without them the event would not have been as successful as it was. We encourage you to come up for a visit and see what is happening, and maybe volunteer your time to assist us. Lorraine Munroe, Acting Sergeant 8 What s happening with our young mob? Deniece Geia is the PCYC Youth Development Coordinator and most of her time is spent with young people aged between 14 and 25. All our community volunteers and PCYC staff are holders of Blue Cards for working with children. We run programs 6-10pm Tuesday to Friday. We want to get parents involved in supporting any child who is a regular attendee and we are looking at a monthly parent morning tea. Unfortunately we have had some problems with some young girls and boys who seem to be very disrespectful and won t abide by the PCYC Rules. In recent weeks we have had to suspend a few teenagers from the PCYC until they can start taking responsibility for their actions. Earlier this year, we took some young people to a Youth Camp at Bluewater where they enjoyed themselves immensely. We have also taken some of our young people to Longbeach to sit and yarn about anything they want to. The girls loved it and next month we will be taking a group of young people to Airlie Beach to attend a Happiness Conference. PCYC has also started a Hula Dance group which performed during NAIDOC as well as on the night of the Battle of the Bands. We are currently looking for funds to take these girls to some of the mainland schools to showcase their talent. Yours in youth engagement Deniece Geia (M )

9 Greetings from Bwgcolman Radio 97.3FM! My name is Robyn (aka Jazz) and I am the acting Station Manager. I worked for five years on internet radio before coming to Palm Island, and I have worked at Bwgcolman Radio for nearly two years. Over the next few weeks there will be some changes to the programming of the station, we will be having some of the Sisters coming in to have a chat, and some interviews coming up include the McClymonts and Graeme Connors. Some of our bigger plans are to upgrade the station s equipment and song library. If you have any questions, a yarn you would like told on radio, song requests or a birthday call out, come on down or give me a call on between 9am and 3pm. Robyn (Jazz) Jones, A/Manager, Bwgcolman Radio 97.3FM The Sport & Rec Lounge Hello and welcome to our first PCYC What s News?! column, I would like to say I am so happy to be working as the new Sport and Rec Officer and looking forward to getting our weekly sport nights started with a range of activities and games for all ages. But first we would like to sit and yarn with the members of the community about volunteers to help run competitions. I have set up a weekly plan so all ages of the community will be able to enjoy with some sort of activity going on such as the OLD TIME GAMES for our older members, the youth sports skills night and Picanini Fitness for the little ones. An info night was held on Wednesday the 25th of July to finalise our draws, volunteers and referees etc. If you would like the opportunity to share your ideas/suggestions please do come and see me. Let The Games Begin! Milton Thaiday, Sports & Rec Officer 9

10 Public & Community Notices POSITIONS AVAILABLE The following positions are currently open for application: Disability Service Coordinator full-time Support Workers x 2 casual (19 hours per week) Lifelong Planning and Support Initiative Community Support Worker full-time Safe Haven Youth Worker part time (20 hours per week) Applications close Monday 6th August 2012 To be considered for these positions, please submit to McCann@picc.com.au: 1. A completed employment application form 2. Written response to the key selection criteria (refer to selection criteria contained in the position description) 3. A copy of your resume Please contact Mark McCann on , or McCann@picc.com.au, for a copy of the Employment Application Form and Position Description/Selection Criteria. Advice on the application process is available on request. *NEW* Advertising & Subscription Rates In order to cut costs and to try to become more self-sufficient, the Palm Island Voice is currently undergoing a process of restructuring. As a result our ad prices have been reviewed and are now: Page Sponsorship (1cm or 18pt banner ad across nominated page): $120 Quarter A4 Page Col: $250 + GST Half A4 Page Col: $350 + GST Full A4 Page Col: $550 + GST Please support us so we can continue to support you! 10 SUBSCRIBE! Individuals & Families: $60 (up to 06/13) Community & NGOs: $120 (up to 06/13) Government: $180 (up to 06/13) Rates will vary according to when the initial subscription is taken out (eg if taken in January 2013 the rate will be half of that listed above to take it to July 2013). Ads are to be booked by no later than 5pm on deadline day (see back page) and material submitted no later than COB the next day. To book an ad or to inquire about subscriptions please contact the Editor, Christine Howes, on or via chowes@westnet.com.au

11 Roundup 21 July LATE BLITZ ENSURES JETS STUNNING VICTORY WITH 28 minutes remaining and three players short in the main game at headquarters, reigning premiers Jets trailed Hornets and looked certain to be beaten. But the never-say-die spirit saw Jets footballers fly to greater heights as they scored the last six tries to end up winning Rampaging Jets second rower Costa Sam scored six tries, three of them late in the game. Hector Poynter scored two tries for the high rolling Jets, with singles to champion boxer David Sam, tough as nails forward Jias Geia, Gavin Barry and Steven Lowatta. Gavin Barry kicked four goals and Steven Lowatta one. Full credit must go to Hornets who were aiming for their first win of the season and were also several short of the 13 allowable on-field players. Hornets players and supporters have stuck to their task in season 2012 despite often struggling to field a full team. The bottom-placed Hornets had a mini-army of supporters at the football oval who cheered them on, hopeful of the biggest upset of the season. The prime mover behind Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council is closed every second Friday (Council pay week) for RDO. Hornets great effort was quality five eighth Owen Robertson who scored three tries. Singles went to Shae Palmer, Russell Sarabo, Gene Barry, Tyrone Yasserie and giant forward Victor Courtney. Josh Landers booted three goals and Owen Robertson one. Jets coach Norman Bounghi said it was an amazing comeback from the possibility of defeat. When we were 16 points down it looked like Hornets may win but our boys kept at it, Bounghi said. Mr Bounghi rated Costa Sam, fullback Hosea Murphy, centre Thom Walsh, utility Gavin Barry and young second rower David Sam as big contributors. He was also highly impressed with Hornets Owen Robertson, Shae Palmer and Victor Courtney. JACKS SKIP ABOVE MUNDY BAY GENUINE premiership aspirants Skipjacks scored a hard fought victory over the gallant Mundy Bay Warriors. Ever reliable scoring machine Mickeal Sibley scored three tries playing as a centre and hooker James Sibley chipped in with two. Crafty five eighth Kenny The Wizard Wilson also crossed for two tries and was dangerous as The next RDO is Friday 3 August REMEMBER: the Bank & Post Office now closes each Council RDO (every second week). For emergencies on Friday please call For more information contact Council on he distributed the ball. Veteran Clinton Burns, Gabriel Geesu, Anthony Thompson, Fred Bulsey, his brother Jason Bulsey and Navarone Curley scored a try apiece. It was a wonderful effort for Mundy Bay Warriors which look little chance of playing in the semi finals but still try hard each week. Bench utility player Raymond Noble scored two tries with one each to nippy pivot Morris Watson, Maverick Fox, Phillip Kerr and Ralph Doomadgee. Phillip Kerr kicked three goals and Morris Watson one. NO RAID THIS WEEK STAR studded Mount Bentley Raiders won on forfeit against Bwgcolman Brothers. Butler Bay Bulls had the bye. 11

12 Fantastic results for boxers in Bundy YOU can t beat four out of four and that was the magnificent result achieved by our young Palm Island boxers who all won their bouts last weekend after a marathon 1,110km bus trip to Bundaberg for a Queensland Boxing Association tournament. Marcus Ketchup, aged 13, Thomas Solomon, 14, Levi Baira, 11, Chris Evers jnr, 10, and Billy Isaacs, 9, made the journey with Boxing Club trainer Chris Evers. Billy didn t get a bout because he deemed too young by officials. It was a great effort and the boys did very well, Mr Evers said. Palm Island Voice met the group at 7.30am last Sunday in Townsville after they has arrived home from Bundaberg. They proudly displayed their medals. Marcus weighed in at 39kg and defeated Ethan Law from Caboolture on points to remain undefeated with three wins from as many bouts. Thomas fought at 48kg giving away 4kg to Henry Tolten of Brisbane, winning on points. Thomas won well is what was one of the fights of the night, Mr Evers said. He is very strong and is a boxer with a future. Dynamic boxer Chris Evers jnr gave away 5kg to 32kg Ben Cameron from the Sunshine Coast whom he beat convincingly on points. Levi tipped the scales at 29kg and beat Cian Jones of the Sunshine Coast who fought at 32kg. More boxers had been expected to go however an injury and NAIDOC celebrations on Palm resulted in some scratchings. Thomas Blanket injured a fist while Reggie Palm Island, Patrick Clarke and David Sam didn t go. David Sam scored a try on Saturday for Jets which beat Hornets in local rugby league. It was good experience for the younger members of the local boxing club who are undoubted stars of the future. The triumphant boxers returned to Palm on Sunday s ferry very happy. 12 DEADLINE ISSUE NO PUBLICATION DATE Thursday 2 August 110 THURSDAY 9 August Thursday 16 August 111 THURSDAY 23 August Thursday 30 August 112 THURSDAY 6 September Thursday 13 September 113 THURSDAY 20 September