More than 520 not-for-profit organisations have shared in a record $17.7million in funding from the Palaszczuk Government's Gambling Community Benefit Fund (GCBF) super round.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Shannon Fentiman announced the winning applicants today during a visit to the Maryborough Woodturners and Woodcraftsmen Guild to congratulate them on their successful bid.
"The Maryborough Woodturners and Woodcraftsmen Guild is just one of the 522 organisations across Queensland to benefit from our GCBF super round funding," Minister Fentiman said.
"The guild will receive almost $51,000 in funding to help them purchase woodworking tools and equipment.
"When I announced the opening of the GCBF super round in February it was my hope that organisations throughout Queensland would take advantage of the increased funding grants of up to $100,000 to undertake special and significant projects.
"It's great to see that 21 organisations received the maximum grant, while 186 not-for profit groups received more than our usual $35,000 in maximum funding.
"I was also pleased to see funding for the Blackall RSL sub-branch to construct a memorial statue of First World War nurse Sister Greta Towner to recognise the contribution Australian women made to the war effort.
"We know having strong representation of female role models is essential in achieving gender equality, and that's why we want to see more real women and girls honoured in our public monuments and statues.
"Funding for this new statue of Sister Greta Towner follows our investment to build a statue of geologist and astrobiologist Dr Abigail Allwood outside the Brisbane Planetarium."
Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders said the increased funding available will allow the guild to purchase a range of equipment, including a sit-down lathe to cater for less abled members in wheelchairs or members who have trouble standing for a long period of time.
"This is fantastic for our local community," Mr Saunders said.
"In the Fraser Coast local government area there are 16 organisations which shared in over $705,000 in funding from the super round."
Maryborough Woodturners and Woodcraftsmen Guild Vice President Lu Wolf welcomed the funding.
"The GCBF funding will make a real difference to our guild members," Mr Wolf said.
"It allows more accessibility for some of our members to use woodturning equipment, supports us to upgrade to newer and safer equipment and will also allow us to produce more wood turned and handcrafted items which we can donate to a range of charitable organisations that we support."
Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing Glenn Butcher said other projects to receive funding included the upgrading and construction of facilities for a number of organisations, purchasing of vehicles and equipment to support organisations to expand their services and to repair sporting facilities.
"The range of organisations that have benefited have been truly diverse - from housing and homelessness services, domestic and family violence prevention organisations, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health services, and sporting clubs.
"The GCBF funding rounds are making a huge difference and creating increased opportunities for our great not-for-profit sector in Queensland," Minister Butcher said.
Please visit the Gambling Community Benefit Funding program website
