Palaszczuk Government program delivers new wheelchair bus for Napranum

Residents in the Cape York community of Napranum will benefit from a new wheelchair bus thanks to a $509,000 funding boost from the Palaszczuk Government.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said the funding from the Palaszczuk Government’s Indigenous Local Government Sustainability Program 2016-18 (ILGSP) would also enable Council to upgrade its asset and project management systems, human resources system, financial management system and records management systems.

“The existing bus is ageing, costly to maintain, is not air-conditioned and insufficient for the task at hand with a manual wheelchair lift, and only able to accommodate one wheelchair-bound passenger,” Ms Lui said.
 
“This funding will provide a 10 to12 seater bus fitted with seats on sliding rails allowing capacity for up to six wheelchair-bound passengers and an electric wheelchair lift.
 
“It’s a great outcome for the local community and I want to congratulate Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council for advocating for this important new asset.

“These additional funds will ensure the Napranum Aged and Disability Service can better cater for the needs of the local community.”
 
Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said: “ILGSP is there to assist Indigenous councils improve their sustainability through a range of initiatives, and there’s no better example than this grant to Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council.

“This outstanding program is supporting Indigenous local governments throughout Queensland and I look forward to working with stakeholders to ensure it keeps delivering the great results we’re seeing in Napranum.”
 
Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Rex Burke said the funding will make a real difference to the community. 

“The software upgrades were desperately needed to streamline council’s reporting and data management and also to secure and maintain our records,” Mayor Burke said.

“Our community will also benefit through using the new bus as well as hiring it out to other organisations and surrounding councils.”
 
Queensland’s 16 Indigenous local governments have each been allocated more than $500,000 through ILGSP to spend before the end of June 2018.
 
The ILGSP is designed to assist councils to build capacity and capability and contribute to long term sustainability.
 
For more information: www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/ilgsp 

Media contact: Martin Philip 0427 919 548