The images, posted on a community Facebook page, show a person with their head covered, holding what Mr Perkin believes to be a firearm, attempting to gain entry into his property in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Mr Perkin reported that the incident occurred around 3:45 a.m., with two individuals seen in the vicinity of Marshall Rd and Freney St. His security system alerted him to their presence, and he used floodlights to scare them off. The individuals then reportedly fled towards Kookaburra Park.
Photo Credit: Pexels
While Mr Perkin stated that he had informed the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and provided them with the footage, a police spokesperson indicated no formal complaint had been lodged.
The spokesperson also mentioned that while the footage showed the individuals holding an object, there wasn’t enough evidence to confirm it was a firearm.
The blaze, believed to have originated under the bonnet of a Volkswagon involved in a prior crash, sparked a swift response from seven fire crews. Mark Ready, Director of Ready Towing Group, lauded the firefighters’ rapid action, crediting them with saving countless other vehicles stored on the premises.
While Queensland Police also utilises the yard for vehicle storage, no police property was affected. Authorities are investigating the incident, but early indications suggest no suspicious circumstances.
The aftermath will involve meticulous identification of the charred remains and extensive liaising with insurance companies. Ready Towing anticipates resuming operations later today, with the removal of the destroyed vehicles.
The Filipino community across Australia is gearing up for a vibrant celebration of the 126th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day on the 12th of June 2024.
With Filipinos being the fifth-largest immigrant group in the country, events are planned throughout all states and territories, showcasing the rich culture and heritage of their homeland.
On the 9th of June 2024, Rocklea Showgrounds will host the highly anticipated 2024 Barrio Fiesta Brisbane. This well-known event among Filipinos will feature a full day of festivities showcasing Filipino culture, music, food, and community spirit.
However, Queensland is set for a diverse range of festivities to mark the Filipino celebrations.
Kicking off the festivities is the Bayanihan Festival on the 1st June 2024 at the Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct in Kingston. The Filipino Australian Brisbane Society Inc., which is hosting this event, promises a day full of cultural performances, food stalls, and activities.
Following this is a more formal affair: the 126th Philippine Independence Day Celebration on June 1st at the Pullman Cairns International Grand Ballroom in Cairns. The Philippine Cultural Society of Carins, Inc. is responsible for organising this gala event.
The weekend of the 8th and 9th of June has a packed schedule. On 8th June, the Pasasalamat (meaning “thanksgiving”) event will be held at the Auditorium in Meridan Plains.
Event Name
Date & Time
Location
Host
Bayanihan Festival
01 June 2024, Saturday, 11 am – 6 pm
Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct, Kingston QLD
Filipino Australian Brisbane Society Inc
126th Philippine Independence Day Celebration
01 June 2024, Saturday, 6 pm
Pullman Cairns International Grand Ballroom, Cairns
Philippine Cultural Society of Cairns, Inc.
Pasasalamat
08 June 2024, Saturday, 5:30 pm
Auditorium, 70 Springs Drive Meridan Plains QLD
2024 Barrio Fiesta Brisbane
09 June 2024, Sunday, 9 am – 5 pm
Rocklea Showgrounds, Rocklea QLD
Barrio Fiesta Brisbane
National Festivities
Across the rest of the country, similar celebrations are planned. The Australian Capital Territory will see the Philippine Independence Anniversary Ball on the 15th June, while New South Wales will hold the Philippine National Day Ball on12th June.
In the Northern Territory, a special event will be held at Parliament House, hosted by the Honourable Ngaree Ah Kit MLA, Minister for Multicultural Affairs.
Victoria offers a range of events, including a dinner dance in Warrnambool on 1st June, a gala and anniversary celebration in Melbourne on 8th June, and a grand fiesta at the Queen Victoria Market on 30th June.
Western Australia joins the celebrations with a ball in Perth on 8th June and a separate celebration in Mandurah on 1st June.
Tasmania will round out the national celebrations with The Grand Filipino Festival on 8th June.
This year’s Philippine Independence Day promises to be a vibrant and diverse celebration across Australia, showcasing the important contributions Filipino communities make to the cultural tapestry of the nation.
A woman in her 40s is in critical condition after being struck by a forklift at the popular Brisbane Markets in Rocklea early Thursday morning, May 2, 2024.
The incident occurred around 6:15am, when the woman, an employee of one of the businesses operating at the markets, was involved in a collision with a forklift. She suffered serious head and leg injuries in the incident.
Paramedics were called to the scene and the woman was treated before being transported to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a serious condition. However, her condition has since deteriorated and she is now listed as critical, according to the hospital.
Andrew Young, CEO of Brisbane Markets Limited which operates the site, released a statement saying the incident is being investigated by the company, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, and the woman’s employer.
“The collision is being treated as a serious incident,” Young stated. “Brisbane Markets considers the safety of everyone working at the site to be our top priority and reinforces to all businesses the importance of adhering to safe work practices.”
He extended well-wishes to the injured woman and her family on behalf of the company.
A spokesperson for Workplace Health and Safety Queensland confirmed their organisation has an open investigation into the incident, but could not provide further details at this time.
The Brisbane Markets at Rocklea are a major produce market supplying fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers to retailers across Queensland. The large site operates around the clock, leading to concerns about vehicle and pedestrian safety if proper protocols are not followed.
Workplace safety advocates are calling for a thorough investigation and review of procedures to prevent similar tragic incidents in the future at one of Brisbane’s industrial hubs.
Have you seen Artforce Brisbane’s traffic signal boxes in the streets of Rocklea? Each piece not only catches the eye but also offers a window into the creative minds and compelling narratives of the artists who have breathed life into them. Here’s the story behind some of the artworks.
“Rocklea Plants on Pink” is an artwork by artist Catherine Pepper, whose inspiration stems from the flora, fauna, and landscapes of Australia. This particular piece captures the essence of roadside cacti flourishing in Rocklea. Ms Pepper’s style is characterised by vibrant and lively paintings that aim to captivate and uplift the viewer. She has a penchant for creating large-scale works, allowing her compositions to make a powerful visual impact.
Location: Ipswich Road & Medway Street, Rocklea
Photo credit: Artforce Brisbane
Rocklea is ‘Carmen’ along/Oxley Common
Luca, Arlo, and Gigi Dickinson’s design encapsulates the essence of Rocklea as a suburb rich with colour, nature, and produce through various elements. Their artwork incorporates a map to provide contextual understanding, whilst a lively and playful homage to Carmen Miranda’s iconic fruit and vegetable hat adds vibrancy to the composition. Additionally, the artwork pays tribute to Oxley Common and the rural landscapes that lie just beyond the road, creating a well-rounded representation of Rocklea’s unique charm.
Location: Sherwood Road & Rocklea Markets & West Entrance, Rocklea
Photo credit: Artforce Brisbane
Bliss
“Bliss,” created by Arielle Hankinson in collaboration with Eloise Ball and Lauren Spriggs, draws its inspiration from Arielle’s cherished memories of visiting markets with her mother on weekends, a time when their bond deepened. The artwork beautifully captures feminine iconography, evoking a sense of motherly love through the figure’s gentle posture and expression.
The motif of strawberries is employed to symbolise the concept of fresh produce, reflecting the vibrant and abundant nature of market experiences. Through “Bliss,” Arielle aims to convey the serene and joyful emotions that she, along with many others, experiences while leisurely strolling through markets.
Location: Sherwood Rd & Martin Taylor Drive, Rocklea
Photo credit: Artforce Brisbane
Photo credit: Artforce Brisbane
Flower Love
Brisbane artist Sue Collins drew inspiration from the Rocklea Markets, (now located across the road from their current location), renowned for their assortment of fresh flowers. Sue Collins incorporated this vibrant atmosphere into their design, capturing the essence of the market.
Artforce Brisbane offers a unique opportunity for residents of all ages and artistic backgrounds to unleash their creativity by designing and painting artworks on traffic signal boxes.The program has already witnessed tremendous success, with over 1200 boxes adorned with unique creations by talented individuals to date.
Brisbane Markets Ltd, the owner of the Brisbane Markets site in Rocklea, is making progress towards a potential listing on the Australian Securities Exchange. The move comes after the company reached a tentative agreement to remove a separate class of industry shares, which had been a key sticking point in the shareholder structure.
The company holds over $259 million in total equity and $512 million in assets, primarily comprising investment properties. Additionally, Brisbane Markets Ltd (BML) has a 44.33 per cent stake in Perth Markets Group Limited (PMGL), having faced resistance from West Australian industry owners over a recent attempt to secure a majority stake.
The issue with the shareholder structure revolves around the Queensland Chamber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries Co-operative Limited, along with other representatives from the supply chain, including growers, retailers, and wholesale industry organization Brismark.
The provision for separate industry shares, established when BML acquired the Brisbane Markets site in 2002, grants the holders the right to appoint a director to the board and veto power over shareholder resolutions.
After two years of negotiations, BML and Brismark have agreed to terms that would pave the way for a stock market listing, subject to shareholder approval. The proposed agreement involves canceling the four industry shares and issuing ordinary shares based on their value at the time of the listing decision.
Both BML and Brismark will engage with their respective shareholders and members to seek approval for the arrangement.
BML’s financial performance has had its ups and downs. In the December half-year of 2022, BML’s operating profit dropped by 6.4 per cent to $7.9 million, primarily due to a $14 million property revaluation cut resulting in a net loss after tax of $4 million.
However, in FY22, the company’s operating revenue remained steady at $46.3 million, and net profit more than tripled to $62.3 million, largely driven by increases in property values at the Brisbane and Perth sites.
The potential ASX listing could value Brisbane’s fresh produce exchange at up to $400 million.
The Gold Class designation is the highest standard for the collision repair industry and ascertains that professionals working on vehicles have received reliable training and are up-to-date with their knowledge and skills to repair and improve a car’s performance.
As technology continues to advance, the Gold Class standard qualifies businesses or repair facilities, as well as its technicians, to meet the challenges of these changes, especially since they also work with insurance businesses.
“The various training delivery options offered by I-CAR worked well for us so as not to disrupt the work day too much,” Michael & Juliette Woodcroft, the owners of Brisbane Collision Centre said.
“Although some staff preferred to train during work hours, it was great to have the flexibility to do it after hours which suited management better. We are very proud of all our staff who have helped us achieve Gold Class, especially for learning with us despite some online training being a bit daunting for them at first! It definitely gave us confidence for more virtual training going forward, allowing us to keep up and adapt to the new technologies and processes that are always being introduced in this industry
“We plan to use our newly found Gold Class status with its annual renewal training requirements to further our business training and stay abreast with industry changes and advances. It will strengthen our high standard of quality repairs, and how we provide customer service.
“These are values that, as a family-owned business, we have held from the very beginning, and will continue striving to keep to.”
More solar-powered, automated flood warning signs will be installed across Brisbane, including two roads along Oxley Creek, to lessen the risk of motorists driving through the flood waters.
On top of the 10 existing automatic flood warning signs found in Bardon, Moorooka, and Kenmore Hills, 12 more will be rolled out in the coming weeks. These locations were picked based on the advice of flood and traffic experts.
The new sites are located at the following locations:
“Too many motorists drive through flooded roads, putting their lives and the lives of others at risk, and these signs automatically turn on once a creek or waterway reaches a certain level,” Mr Schrinner said.
Photo Credit: Facebook/Adrian Schrinner
The new signs are backed by LED lights so they will remain highly visible for motorists, especially in the evening.
The Federal Government allocated $99,000 for this project whilst Brisbane City Council has invested $500,000 so far and will be installing more signs before the year ends.
Priority has been given to sites where there are records and histories of motorists driving through the water despite the “If it’s flooded, forget it!” campaign;
The mayor said that this investment in new automated technology is a “great step forward.”
“Unlike 2011, the record-breaking rainfall in February caused a combination of river, creek, and overland flow flooding right across Brisbane.”
After incurring major damage during the February floods, Bunnings in Oxley seems nowhere near reopening but the Rocklea outlet less than six kilometres away is back in operation with a new format.
Whilst workers at Bunnings Oxley have been reassigned, the Rocklea location has been revamped with a new cafe, new kitchen design area, new bathroom displays, a Trade Desk section and LED lights around the playground for kids.
Jon Fenton, the manager for Bunnings Rocklea, said that the revamping should provide loyal customers with a better shopping experience. He is thankful for the community’s patience as the outlet had to shut down for more than three months so they could make the changes and improvements.
Bunnings Rocklea had two short and simple events for the public last 18 and 19 June 2022 to mark the reopening.
Meanwhile, the future of the Oxley outlet’s reopening is still in the cards but there were projections that it could take a full year to revamp the site. Jason Doyle, the regional manager for Bunnings, said that their utmost priority is the safety and well-being of the workers. Thus, the Oxley store’s revamping will include flood-proofing and other considerations.
Bunnings in Rocklea and Oxley were also impacted by the 2011 flooding and closed for two months. In 2017, the Oxley site also temporarily shut down after the minor flooding.
Martinus Rail, a Rocklea-based family business, has a massive, ongoing hiring program for the large-scale Inland Rail System from New South Wales to Queensland.
In February 2022, the Federal Government confirmed that Martinus Rail will take charge of the $300-million Rail Corridor Program, which will approximately track 570 kilometers.
Following the announcement, the company opened an initial 600 job vacancies and 60 apprentices from TAFE to ensure the timely delivery of the project. The new hires will add to the over 1,000 staff already working in two states.
The hired teams are expected to lay 1.7 million tonnes of ballast and 80,000 tonnes of steel rail, and install nearly 950,000 Australian-made concrete sleepers.
The tracks will cover Narromine to Narrabri in NSW, Narrabri to North Star in NSW (Phase 2), North Star to Border in NSW, and Border NSW to Gowrie in QLD.
“We have a long history of local spending – last year 84 per cent of our spend was with small Australian-owned businesses. We have seen firsthand the benefits of working with local suppliers and manufacturers…and our approach remains the same here,” Martinus Chief Executive and Founder, Treaven Martinus, said.
Photo Credit: MartinusRail.Com.Au
At its peak of construction, the Inland Rail System is expected to create more than 21,500 jobs. Findings from the 2021 Infrastructure Market Capacity Report cite that major public infrastructure activity will double in 2023 and grow from 183,000 people to 288,000.
Incidentally, Martinus Rail is also looking to hire a Recruitment Advisor, a Project Controls Engineer, and a Plant Accountant in its Rocklea headquarters.
