Blow the Truth

Dan Andrews The Andrews Labor Government is investing $49.2 million to build 162 new supported independent living homes, ensuring Victorians living with mental illness have the security and stability of a home. Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Housing Richard Wynne today announced $21.1 million to build 62 supported independent living homes across regional Victoria, as part of the nation-leading Big Housing Build. The 62 new homes are being built in four priority regional areas – Seymour, Ballarat West, Drouin and North Bendigo. It adds to the 100 supported independent living homes already announced, with 84 under construction in Pakenham, Mooroopna, Epping and Laverton - including 16 homes that have been completed in Highton. In total, the investment in independent living homes will create around 450 jobs during construction, including almost 100 direct jobs. The homes will provide safe, stable accommodation for people who require support to live independently. Each home will i...

 Aboriginal NAIDOC The Palaszczuk Government has announced funding to help Indigenous communities across Queensland care for Country, building on the success of similar funding last year which saw 25 jobs created as part of Queensland’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan. Making the announcement during NAIDOC Week, Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said applications are open for the Looking after Country program, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations able to share in up to $500,000 for programs aimed at conserving and restoring land and sea. “First Nations communities have played a central and powerful role in caring for environment, culture and heritage for tens of thousands of years,” Minister Scanlon said. “This year’s NAIDOC theme is Healing Country: embracing First Nation cultural knowledge and understanding, which is exactly what these grants are aimed at. “Funding of up to $75,000 will be available to support projects that provide opportunities for jobs an...

Covid Vaccine Injection   While Australians may be focused on the havoc the Delta variant is wreaking on our shores, Delta is in fact driving waves of COVID infections all around the world. With the World Health Organization (WHO) warning Delta will rapidly become the dominant strain , let’s take a look at this variant in a global context. The rise and rise of Delta The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) emerged quietly in the Indian state of Maharashtra in October 2020. It barely caused a ripple at a time when India was reporting around 40,000 to 80,000 cases a day, most being the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) first found in the United Kingdom. That changed in April when India experienced a massive wave of infections peaking at close to 400,000 daily cases in mid-May. The Delta variant rapidly emerged as the dominant strain in India. The WHO designated Delta as a variant of concern on May 11, making it the fourth such variant. The Delta variant rapidly spread around the world a...

Biden 4 July White House Joe Biden:  Today — today we celebrate America  — our freedom, our liberty, our independence.  The Fourth of July is a sacred day in our country — a day of history, of hope, remembrance and resolve, of promise and possibilities.  Before me stands monuments of the greatest and the goodness of our nation — monuments of light and liberty.  There’s a towering memorial to George Washington — the general who led our Revolution and the President who set our nation on its course. There’s a memorial to Thomas Jefferson, whose words about liberty and equality literally changed the world. And across the Tidal Basin from the Jefferson Memorial, there stands Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — his arms crossed, his eyes fixed ahead toward the promised land where equality is not only an aspiration, but a reality.  (Applause.) They helped define who we are, guide what we do, remind us of the work that history has given us in our own time. This year, the...

LGBTIQUEER Image by  Gerd Altmann  from  Pixabay   The Andrews Labor Government is helping LGBTIQ+ Victorians and their families get the support and care they need with a new state-wide counselling service called Qspace. Minister for Mental Health James Merlino and Minister for Equality Martin Foley today announced Drummond Street Services and its community partners across Victoria will receive $2.5 million government funding to run the new service. Qspace will provide specialist family counselling, assistance, online resources and information for LGBTIQ+ Victorians and their families to help foster support and understanding. The aim of the program is to keep families together and make sure LGBTIQ+ Victorians feel safe and valued.  The service will leverage from Queerspace − Drummond Street Services’ existing Melbourne-based LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing support service which provides counselling, peer support and professional development. Qspace will also be ava...

Joe Biden Pride Month Biden:  Well, my name is Joe Biden.  I’m Jill Biden’s husband.   Ashton, thank you.  You seemed awfully comfortable up here.  You were awfully comfortable up here.  I don’t know.  I — I’m not sure I’ll be around, but, you know — (laughter) — if you’re here, just don’t pretend you don’t know me.  Okay?  Your story, your leadership, and your mom is an inspiration.  (Applause.)  Your mom.  If my mother were here, she’d look at you and say, “Honey, God love you, dear.”  God love you — what you do, what you did, what you continue to do. I want to thank Secretary — well, first of all, I want to say to Chasten: Belated happy birthday, Chasten. (Applause.)  If you could hear us inside, we were singing happy birthday to him.  We got a bunch of cupcakes, but not enough for everybody.  (Laughter.)  But — and, Mr. Secretary, thank you.  You are — you’re the best, man. Look, our prese...

Sydney Circular Quay Holiday Destination Photo by Blow the Truth The NSW Government announced major grants packages and changes to the Dine & Discover program to help tens of thousands of small businesses and people across NSW impacted by the current COVID-19 restrictions. The package includes grants of between $5000 and $10,000 for small businesses, payroll tax deferrals for all employers, an extension of the Dine & Discover program to 31 August and the ability for people to use Dine & Discover vouchers for takeaway delivered directly to their home by the venue itself. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the centrepiece of the package was the small business support grants which will help businesses by alleviating cashflow constraints while trading is restricted. This can be used for business expenses such as rent, utilities and wages, for which no other government support is available. “We always said we will do whatever it takes to support businesses and keep people in jo...

Aboriginal Boomerang I mage by  OpenClipart-Vectors  from  Pixabay   The Palaszczuk Government is providing more than $207,000 to help fund arts and cultural projects in nine First Nations communities. In announcing the latest round of funding for the Indigenous Regional Arts Development Fund (IRADF) 2020-2021, Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said funded projects were helping to share stories and culture through various arts forms, including visual arts, music and dance. “These nine projects will make a significant contribution in preserving and sharing the knowledge and cultures of Traditional Owners in Queensland and support employment opportunities for First Nations artists and arts workers,” Minister Enoch said. “Supporting jobs is a key priority as we deliver our plan for economic recovery, and these projects are ensuring vibrant arts and cultural experiences, which are vital in truth-telling of our nation’s history, are shared in all areas of Queensland.” S...

Woolworths Supermarket Photo by Blow the Truth The Queensland Government has taken steps to ensure supermarket shelves remain stocked. Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Steven Miles said there was no need for panic buying following yesterday’s announcement of a lockdown in parts of Queensland.  “The Queensland Government is taking measures to address planning conditions that restrict operating hours of loading docks and distribution centres supplying supermarkets,” Mr Miles said. “This will ensure drivers and retailers can work around the clock to deliver essentials to Queenslanders. “We are not running out of products, but need to get products to supermarket shelves as quickly as possible. “I want to thank our retailers and delivery drivers ensuring we can all get our hands on essentials. “I also want to urge Queenslanders not to panic buy.  “We’ve done this before, we have been through lockdowns and restrictions and togeth...