Latest news with #PalaszczukGovernment
News.com.au
5 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Man claims ‘discrimination' after request for Greek Orthodox funeral for deceased 93yo father denied
A man who claimed he was subject to religious discrimination by the Queensland Government after they refused to pay for his deceased father's Greek Orthodox funeral says he was denied 'natural justice' when his case was thrown out. Angelos Angelopoulos' attempt to take the government to the state's civil tribunal was refused in 2022 after he complained he was subject to discrimination when told a grant of funding for a burial service for his father, Anastasios, would not cover the costs of a Greek Orthodox service required to help farewell the 93-year-old. After appealing the decision from the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT), Mr Angelopoulos this week suffered an additional blow in court when this fresh attempt was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in Brisbane. Anastasios died in hospital on June 23, 2018. His son sought financial assistance from the Palaszczuk-led Labor government under Queensland's Burials Assistance Act (BAA) as he could not afford to pay for the funeral service and burial at the time of Anastasios' passing. But the aid only covered the reopening of a pre-purchased burial plot, a graveside service, the funeral director's fee, a coffin and 'any required preparation of the body and transportation from the morgue to the burial site'. Angelos desired for his father to hold a Greek Orthodox funeral according to Anastasios' strong beliefs, but further financial assistance for this was refused. The Greek community and the Greek Orthodox Church stepped in to fund a church service, but it did not extend to the costs of the private viewing of Anastasios in an open coffin. It was not for another 20 weeks Mr Angelopoulos' father was buried in November 2018. In his submissions to the tribunal, he argued he was discriminated against over the requirement to bury his father 'without his complying with his father's and his own religious beliefs'. 'According to Mr Angelopoulos, a higher proportion of people who are not of Greek Orthodox faith would be able to comply with the term and bury family members without a church service or private viewing,' the Court of Appeal judgment states. The tribunal dismissed Mr Angelopoulos' application in 2022. In her decision, QCAT member Joanne Browne said Mr Angelopoulos was not treated 'less favourably' than any other person because of the decision to grant him funding under the BAA. 'The respondent's conduct is in all of the circumstances reasonable … on the basis that the conduct was necessary to comply with or is specifically authorised by the BAA,' she wrote. Ms Browne noted Mr Angelopoulos was not denied the additional costs associated with a funeral because of his religious beliefs. Under the Act, the government could only make arrangements for the disposal of a body, such as helping with a burial or cremation, and funerals were not covered under the funding arrangement. The Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) also wrote to Mr Angelopoulos informing him the Orthodox service was not part of the scope of their funding arrangement. 'Queensland is a multicultural state with diverse range of cultures and religions. Should DJAG agree to provide a church service and viewing in the current circumstances, then it would be obliged to provide a similar offer to all applicants of all cultures and religion,' the department said, according to the QCAT judgment. 'The cost to the state would be very significant and this would be a huge impost on limited government funds to provide specialised funeral services, as opposed to a simple burial, for each and every culture and religion in circumstances where burial assistance is approved.' A subsequent attempt to appeal the decision through QCAT's own appeals tribunal was also dismissed. Mr Angelopoulos then took the matter to Queensland's Court of Appeal, arguing five grounds. Some of his submissions included that he was denied natural justice due to limited evidence, the tribunal overlooked the Human Rights Act and that there was an error of fact in the respondent's argument. The Court of Appeal judgment states there was 'no jurisdiction' for at least three of the grounds of appeal. 'Leave should not be granted to the applicant given the proposed appeal does not raise questions of law arising from the final decision … in relation to grounds 1-3 and 5,' the judgment states.
Sky News AU
01-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Downer Group warn staff about potential job cuts
A Queensland manufacturing company building trains for the Brisbane Olympics has warned staff of potential job cuts due to reduced workload. Downer Group employs more than 250 people at its Maryborough rail facility, which has operated for more than 150-years in the regional town about 3.5 hours north of Brisbane. A Downer spokesman said on Thursday said 'no final decision' had been made about the potential redundancies. 'Our work on the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program is continuing as expected and we look forward to working with the Queensland government on potential future opportunities,' a spokesman said. 'The consultation we have commenced with our workforce specifically relates to the cessation of a contract with a private freight operator. 'We want to confirm no final decision has been made and we continue to explore opportunities to fill the gap in work in order to ease any impact on our people.' The company signed a $4.6b deal with the Palaszczuk Government in 2023 to build 65 passenger trains for the South East Queensland rail network supporting 800 jobs in construction and manufacturing ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games. Former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made a commitment to Queenslanders that rail manufacturing jobs would be returned to Maryborough when the deal was announced. Manufacturing Minister Dale Last said in parliament on Thursday he recently visited the Maryborough facility and met regularly with the construction contractor Downer. 'The jobs that are being created at the new train manufacturing facility at Torbanlea are secure,' he said. 'They will be secure for the construction of those 65 trains and ongoing under this government.' Minister Last told parliament the government had awarded a new $120m contract to Gold Coast company ADCO to build a new rail maintenance building to maintain passenger trains built under the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program. 'ADCO will build a 20,000 sqm rail maintenance facility that will service and maintain the expanded fleet of 65 new six-car passenger trains being built in Maryborough to service the South-East Queensland rail network,' he said. 'The new contract on the Gold Coast will keep the maintenance of Queensland built trains right here in Queensland, supporting more than 100 jobs during construction and, importantly, around 140 jobs once operational. 'It will play a key role in supporting the growth and maintenance of our public transport network in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.' Originally published as Manufacturer Downer EDI warns staff of potential job cuts
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Manufacturer Downer EDI warns staff of potential job cuts
A Queensland manufacturing company building trains for the Brisbane Olympics has warned staff of potential job cuts due to reduced workload. Downer Group employs more than 250 people at its Maryborough rail facility, which has operated for more than 150-years in the regional town about 3.5 hours north of Brisbane. A Downer spokesman said on Thursday said 'no final decision' had been made about the potential redundancies. 'Our work on the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program is continuing as expected and we look forward to working with the Queensland government on potential future opportunities,' a spokesman said. 'The consultation we have commenced with our workforce specifically relates to the cessation of a contract with a private freight operator. 'We want to confirm no final decision has been made and we continue to explore opportunities to fill the gap in work in order to ease any impact on our people.' The company signed a $4.6b deal with the Palaszczuk Government in 2023 to build 65 passenger trains for the South East Queensland rail network supporting 800 jobs in construction and manufacturing ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games. Former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made a commitment to Queenslanders that rail manufacturing jobs would be returned to Maryborough when the deal was announced. Manufacturing Minister Dale Last said in parliament on Thursday he recently visited the Maryborough facility and met regularly with the construction contractor Downer. 'The jobs that are being created at the new train manufacturing facility at Torbanlea are secure,' he said. 'They will be secure for the construction of those 65 trains and ongoing under this government.' Minister Last told parliament the government had awarded a new $120m contract to Gold Coast company ADCO to build a new rail maintenance building to maintain passenger trains built under the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program. 'ADCO will build a 20,000 sqm rail maintenance facility that will service and maintain the expanded fleet of 65 new six-car passenger trains being built in Maryborough to service the South-East Queensland rail network,' he said. 'The new contract on the Gold Coast will keep the maintenance of Queensland built trains right here in Queensland, supporting more than 100 jobs during construction and, importantly, around 140 jobs once operational. 'It will play a key role in supporting the growth and maintenance of our public transport network in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.'
