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Geebung CEO Champions Equality and Inclusion in Male-Dominated Industry

Pakko, a cardboard goods manufacturing company in Geebung, is led by a CEO who champions equality and inclusion in the workplace. Because of her drive to overlook gender roles, Nina Nguyen shows just how she has risen up to the challenge in this male-dominated industry.

After founding Pakko in 2017, Ms Nguyen has built a workplace where the number of female workers balances the number of male workers in various roles like machine specialists, sales estimators, accounts and managing partners.

In an industry where the operation of machines is seen as exclusively a man’s job, Pakko has been working to evolve and change by providing more employment opportunities, not just for women but for anyone who is a team player and who embraces diversity.

“Our team at Pakko is incredibly supportive of each other. Each of us has a story to tell, whether we are from Australia or arrived here from another part of the world,” Ms Nguyen shared.

“For most of the team, English is a second language. And everything that makes us different; makes us unique, special and keeps us together. Our diversity drives us to compete on a global scale, as we strive to innovate the packaging industry right here in Australia.”

Geebung Pakko — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Pakko’s success in breaking down gender roles under Ms Nguyen’s leadership falls in line with this year’s International Women’s Day theme to #ChooseToChallenge and reflect on the changing roles and perceptions of women.

“Women are brilliant business leaders, compassionate world leaders and exceptional entrepreneurs who have succeeded across a multitude of industries. For International Women’s Day 2021, I choose to challenge the role of gender and employment opportunities within male-dominated industries, such as manufacturing in Australia,” Ms Nguyen said.

In 2019, Pakko merged with Glue4U, a folding and gluing specialist led by its director, Tanya Watkins. Their partnership is opening more doors for women to consider manufacturing as a career path.

Since 2011, International Women’s Day has been celebrated every 8th of March.

Great News! Aspley on First Batch of Suburbs for Covid-19 Vaccines

Photo credit: x3/Pixabay

The Federal Health Minister has provided an initial list of 41 towns, suburbs, and hubs for the COVID-19 vaccine vaccination program that started this week, and Aspley is one of them.

The rollout will give priority to health workers at high risk of exposure, disability care residents and workers. From the media release by the Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, here are all the Queensland towns that will receive the first jab of vaccines:

Albany Creek
Aspley
Bald Hills
Beaconsfield
Birtinya
Bray Park
Buderim
Bundaberg
Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Waters
Carseldine
Cleveland
Glenella
Glenvale
Harristown
Hope Island
Kearneys Spring
Kepnock
Lawnton
Mackay
Meridian Plains
Millbank
Mirani
Mudgeeraba
North Bundaberg
North Mackay
North Tamborine
Palmwoods
Pimpama
Redland Bay
Robina
Sippy Downs
South Toowoomba
Thornlands
Toowoomba
Upper Coomera
Varsity Lakes
Victoria Point
Warana
West Mackay
Woombye

Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine National Rollout Strategy will guide the vaccine rollout and it will be available across additional settings including GP clinic and community pharmacy. The rollout begins with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and following the approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on Tuesday, will include the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine from early March.

“This week the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has arrived in the country and the TGA has approved the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine. These are two outstanding vaccines that will be available to people in Australia free of charge,” said Minister Hunt.

The remaining phases will be rolled out as the number of vaccines grows.

Who can take the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?

WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) noted that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is safe and effective. However, there are specific populations for whom vaccination is not recommended, which includes people with a history of severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine, pregnant women, and children below 16 years of age (even if they belong to a high-risk group).

New Building Proposed For St Paul’s School At Bald Hills

Photo credit: https://pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au/

St. Paul’s School, a leading Anglican school in Bald Hills, has lodged a development application for a new resource centre in the heart of its campus.

Based on a development application lodged with Brisbane City Council, the proposed resource centre is going to be a 1-to 2-storey education building which will provide new resource and collaboration spaces, a senior study centre, hospitality and makers spaces, and flexible learning spaces.

Photo credit: https://pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au/

A report prepared by Ethos Urban on behalf of the applicant states that the new facility will be consistent with most buildings. The goal is to create an outdoor environment that connects with the indoor spaces allowing learning to extend beyond the walls of the building.

It would be located in the centre of the campus adjacent to the existing Wellbeing Centre and Sutton Building. In order to accommodate IT learning facilities, part of the existing Giese Library will be refurbished. The existing cafe in Sutton Building also needs to be demolished in order to proceed with the construction of a new building.

Heritage Impact

Photo credit: Heritage branch staff – State of Queensland: Queensland Heritage Register: 602346 – Hoop Pines (2009)/ Wikimedia Commons Photo credit: Heritage branch staff – State of Queensland: Queensland Heritage Register: 602346 – Hoop Pines (2009)/ Wikimedia Commons

The new development will be situated approximately 50 metres from two hoop pine trees that are known to have cultural heritage significance.

The hoop pines are indicative of the pattern of Queensland settlement. They’re associated with the evolution of non-indigenous settlement in the Moreton Bay district in the 1850s and with the earliest development of the Bald Hills district in particular.

To alleviate any possible concerns on the heritage impact of the development, a statement has been prepared by Ivan McDonald Architects, assuring the public that there will be no adverse visual or physical impacts on the cultural heritage significance of the place that will result from the proposed development.

“Although not strictly within our area of expertise, it is also noted that the 50m separation between the proposed building and the hoop pines is a considerable distance and is unlikely to have any detrimental physical impact on the health or vigour of the hoop pines,” Ivan McDonald Architects stated in the documents.

Guzman Y Gomez to Build New Restaurant in Boondall

A development application was recently lodged with Council to revamp the foodie corner on Sandgate and Zillmere Roads in Boondall into the Mexican fast-food restaurant, Guzman Y Gomez.

The new eatery will take over the former location of the Turkish family restaurant and shisha bar, Sultans, which closed in October 2020 after 15 years in the business. Pre-social media age, the said corner was also the site of another family restaurant called Bernie’s.

The restaurant will join other eateries such as Hungry Jacks, Noodlebox, Zarraffa’s Coffe at the Boondall Convenience Centre.

Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council

Guzman Y Gomez plans to build an indoor and outdoor dining space with a drive-thru section and an 11-car parking area, including one PWD space. The proposal indicated that the restaurant will be a 24/7 diner.

The developers said that whilst the building will undergo a redesign, its core structures will remain. The emphasis, however, will be given to the drive-thru facility as patrons in suburban Brisbane are more inclined to use this pick-up service, especially during the pandemic.

The development application (DA A005647805) was submitted in January 2021. Council has yet to decide if it’s approved or will need further revisions.

Guzman Y Gomez was founded 15 years ago and has over 135 franchise operations across Australia. It has outlets in Singapore, Tokyo and Illinois as well.

Carseldine Village Terrace Homes Will be 100% Solar Powered

Carseldine Village, the ongoing residential development on Beams Road, will be using 100 percent solar power, enabling the homeowners to cut down on their electricity expenses.

The State Government recently announced that the terrace homes development will be “zero net energy emission homes” and will greatly help Queensland achieve the targetted 50 percent renewable energy by 2030.

“All the Carseldine Village terrace homes and the Oxley Songbird detached residential dwellings homes will come with solar PV, battery storage systems, heat pump hot water systems, WiFi air conditioning and will be electric vehicle charger ready,” Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said. “This could save owners up to $1,600 per year off their power bills.”

The same zero net energy emission system is also being adapted at Songbird Oxley, another government-led residential development in the western suburbs.

A landmark deal between Natural Solar, Australia’s largest solar battery installer, and U.S. tech company, Tesla, was recently signed as well, which will deliver Tesla Powerwall packages to the Oxley homes, saving the residents $2,000 per year.

“Homeowners at Songbird Oxley can expect to save up to $2000 per year, delivering a return on investment in around 5 years. With solar, you typically generate more energy than you need, so by combining it with the Tesla Powerwall, it can be stored and used when needed,” Natural Solar CEO Chris Williams said.

Mr Miles said that they are hoping more builders and developers will aspire to develop zero-emission homes following these two innovations.

Beams Road Overpass Project to Unveil Business Case in Early 2021

Plans for the construction of a significant local road in Carseldine are moving along as the government expects to unveil its business case for the Beams Road Overpass project in early 2021.

The business case should incorporate feedback from the public and the experts in designing the Beams Road Overpass versus its cost estimates following the end of the community consultation in October 2020.

Workers from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) have done on-site investigations to check if the ideas received during the community sessions are possible.

The preferred design underscores the following benefits and impacts:

completely remove the rail level crossing
includes active transport paths for walking, bike riding and mobility devices.
potential to impact residential properties
will reduce the number of car parks at the existing Carseldine park ‘n’ ride, however, this impact will be offset by the development of a new park ‘n’ ride area on the eastern side of the rail line

The road that will connect the northern suburbs communities aims to improve travel time and safety, as well as ease the congestion for commuters. Once the business plan is completed and released, the TMR aims to start the overpass construction by late 2021.

A commitment of $128 million from the Queensland Government in June 2020 accelerated this project, which will also ental upgrades to the Carseldine park ‘n’ ride. Brisbane City Council and the Australian Government have also set aside funding, rounding up the total investment to $248 million.

For questions and comments about the Beams Road Overpass project, contact the project team on metropolitanregion@tmr.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 3066 4338.

Carseldine Village: Stage 1 Completion Target Set for February 2021

Stage 1 of the Carseldine Village project, fast-tracked by the Queensland Government in mid-2020, could meet its targetted completion date in February 2021, allowing the first set of homeowners to move into the facility by the middle of the year.

Construction of the Carseldine Village Stage 1 includes the 53-terrace residential units, the aged care facility, and road upgrades to three nearby intersections to improve access and traffic flow. The project has brought on over 60 local jobs for the civil works and an additional 50 jobs for the construction of the terrace homes.

The precinct has been dubbed as the “first residential development in Queensland to commit to delivering net zero energy emission homes with energy saving features.”

The terrace homes will incorporate solar power, heat pump hot water systems, smart-phone controlled home airconditioning system and a garage with an electric vehicle charger.

Whilst Stage 1 has been progressing, civil and electric work has begun in December for Stage 2. This next project will add 49 more terrace homes to the village and should be completed by the yearend.

In January 2020, the village opened the four-hectare sports and recreational facility, The Green.

Developed for community use, The Green’s facilities include three soccer fields, two tennis/netball courts, two volleyball courts, half-court basketball, all abilities playground, yoga lawn, fitness equipment, BBQ area, changing rooms with public toilets, shaded seating and 120 car parks.

Carseldine Village is on the former QUT Carseldine campus, which has been closed since 2008. In 2012, the site became a Government Office Precinct but four years later, plans to redevelop the site into a mixed use space with dwellings was lodged with the Council.

Have Your Say on the Draft Strategy for the Bridgeman Downs Neighbourhood Plan

Photo credit: Google Maps

BCC is asking for community feedback on the draft strategy for the Bridgeman Downs Neighbourhood Plan. Be sure to have your say by 16 November 2020.

Council is currently in the process of creating a new neighbourhood plan for Bridgeman Downs. The new neighbourhood plan will help guide future development and coordinate land use and infrastructure at Bridgeman Downs over a 10-year period and beyond.

Council will use the community feedback received on this draft strategy to prepare a draft neighbourhood plan and once completed, will form part of Brisbane City Plan 2014.

According to the feedback gathered during the initial community engagement in late 2019, community members felt that recent housing developments and clearing of native vegetation were not in keeping with the area. Hence, council has identified three key community priorities:

Protecting the environment and greenspaces.
Maintaining suburban neighbourhoods.
Servicing the area with infrastructure.

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au

Vision

“Bridgeman Downs is a relaxed suburb combining city convenience with bushland beauty. Here, natural habitat and waterways are protected and embraced. Well-designed homes contribute to the local community and are connected to natural habitats. Convenient transport connections make getting to surrounding areas easy and active travel options inspire healthy living, clean air, outdoor recreation and smart travel choices.”

Some of the council proposed strategies include:

Preserve Bridgeman Downs’ natural habitat corridors
Maintain and enhance the waterway corridors and catchments in the area including Cabbage Tree Creek, Albany Creek and South Pine River
Grow our urban forest
Housing design and choice
Mitigate risks to people and property from natural hazards
Mitigate risks to people from nearby industry and powerlines
Protect and celebrate built history
Improve the area’s open space and parks network
Efficient stormwater network
Community facilities
Transport network
Orderly growth and transition

You can have your say on the draft strategy by 11:59 p.m. Monday 16 November 2020 by doing any of the following:

Visit Brisbane City Council website for more information.

Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grants Boost Aspley, North Brisbane Recovery

The economic climate has drastically changed due to the pandemic but businesses in North Brisbane, including Aspley, have gotten a much-needed boost from the Queensland Government through the Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grants.

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman met with nearly 100 Aspley business owners at the Geebung Bowls Club on Wednesday, 19 Aug 2020, to discuss the help extended to small businesses.

So far,15,000 struggling companies were given over $885,000 in grants, including the management of the bowls club. Almost $200 million in grants have been set aside.

Geebung Bowls Chairman Richard Mason said that since the greens have been closed and unused for months during the lockdown, the club had to seek a $10,000 Small Business COVID-19 Adaption grant. The money helped pay for maintenance, electricity and water supply.

Mr Mason, however, said that he’s glad people are slowly returning to the club amidst the relaxation of restrictions.

“We are returning to pre-COVID trade levels and appreciate the support of some very loyal locals and government financial assistance,” the chairman said. “I would also like to thank Minister Fentiman and our Local Member Bart Mellish for their continued support and commitment to our club.”

Aside from the grants to businesses, a Unite and Recover for Queensland Jobs program has been set up to help the unemployed. North Brisbane residents may avail of the following support:

Free online TAFE courses
Free apprenticeships and traineeships for under 21s
Payroll tax relief
Energy rebates for households and small and medium sized businesses
25% procurement target for small and medium sized businesses – $4 billion of support each year.

“We know businesses across the state including here in the North Brisbane region have been doing it tough during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ms Fentiman said in a statement. “Because of the great job we’ve done on the health response to COVID-19, we can now focus on our economic plan for recovery.”

For enquiries about the grants, the job recovery program and other benefits, phone 1300 654 687 or visit Business Queensland.

Aspley State High School Upgrade To Bring 47 New Jobs

Two brand-new buildings will soon rise in Aspley State High School, delivering a new multi-purpose sports hall and a music centre. The project, costing $16 million, is also expected to bring in 47 new jobs for the locals.

On Thursday, 9 July 2020, Aspley MP Bart Mellish and Education Minister Grace Grace gamely turned the sod on the construction site.

Ms Grace said that Broad Construction has been given the contract to build the new centres and the company will provide jobs that will help with the state’s economic recovery, amid this coronavirus crisis.

“This has ensured a pipeline of work has continued to flow throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Education Minister said.

Mr Mellish, on the other hand, said that the music centre was overdue for a replacement after 35 years. The sports facility, on the other hand, will deliver opportunities for the students.

“The $12 million sports hall will feature two sports courts, two general learning areas, a gym, canteen, staff office, storage rooms and a kinesiology lab. It’s part of our $235 million Renewing Our Schools Program, one of 26 state schools benefitting from this funding,” Mr Mellish said. “Meanwhile, the $3.8 million music centre will include visual arts, music, drama and dance classrooms as well as practice rooms and a staff office. I can’t wait to watch these projects come to life.”

Aspley State High School’s new sports and music centres are expected to be completed by March 2021.