News in brief

Are you 'bushfire prepared'?

High rainfall in summer generates vegetation to fuel spring bushfires.

Each year the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service identifies areas where the level of vegetation or fuel poses a possible bushfire risk. Local firefighters and other agencies then perform controlled burns to lower the risk. 

But firefighters need Queenslanders to do their part by preparing their families and their properties. Every householder should download and complete a Prepare.Act.Survive bushfire survival plan.

For more details visit www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au or www.fire.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 003.

'Fair play' clubs being rewarded

Junior sports clubs are promoting fair play and being rewarded through the Queensland Government’s Positive or it’s Pointless campaign.

The campaign encourages clubs to target poor and unacceptable player, spectator and parent behaviour to make sport fun and safe for all children.

First developed by the Australian Football League, it quickly spread to other football codes.

Clubs which participate can receive funds to help them purchase sports equipment.

For information go to www.communities/sportrec and click on Features.

Buy Smart competition

Schools and community organisations are being encouraged to help young Queenslanders to develop smart consumer skills by getting them involved in the Office of Fair Trading’s Buy Smart Competition 2011.

To take part, participants must research a consumer topic, present their research in a creative way to school classmates or an organisation, then submit their presentation to the competition.

Winners receive cash prizes: up to $500 for themselves and $1500 for their school or organisation. Entries close on 16 September, 2011.

For more information go to www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au and click on buy smart competition.

Green fingers can grab an award

Social housing tenants with green fingers still have time to enter the annual Garden Awards run by the Department of Communities in partnership with regional tenant groups.

Now in their 17th year, the awards give tenants an opportunity to showcase their gardens while providing recognition of the important role these residents play in improving their local community.

Entries close on 1 September and awards will be presented in October at functions organised by regional tenant groups with support and funding from the department.

For more information phone 3227 6650 or go to www.communities.qld.gov.au/housing and click on social housing, then tenant participation and finally Garden Awards.

Navigate the online world

A free online learning program is now available to introduce people to the world of online technologies.

Looking@2.0 is provided by the State Library of Queensland to introduce people to the new and emerging world of Twitter, Facebook and other social media as well as the wireless world of apps, iphones, smartphones and ipads.

Each of the 11 modules in the program provides background information, activities to get participants thinking, a short quiz to test their understanding and a set of links and resources for further exploration.

For more information go to www.slq.qld.gov.au/services and click on learning.