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Missing The News? April 4, 2012 - The South Burnett's new online newspaper southburnett.com.au officially went live last night! So what does this mean for SBBiz? Well, the news stories that were appearing here will now appear on southburnett.com.au. You will also be able to search SBBiz straight from southburnett.com.au, so we suggest you bookmark the new link. Of course, you can still use SBBiz from this location, too! There will be some other changes to SBBiz coming up - and this page will change shape in future - but please be assured that we'll still be offering the same promise: to list ALL South Burnett businesses for FREE. If you'd like to know more about the exciting changes happening at southburnett.com.au, simply give either Anne Miller or Dafyd Martindale a ring on (07) 4163-6854.

Come Along! We're Hosting the KCCI Meet'n'Greet March 30, 2012 - Come along on Monday night (April 2) to the next Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce Meet'n'Greet and find out all the changes that are happening at SBBiz and South Burnett Online! The Meet'n'Greet will be held from 5:30pm at the South Burnett Enterprise Centre ... and it's free! As well as hearing from us - Anne Miller and Dafyd Martindale - guests will also have an opportunity to see a presentation from Business Coach and BIEDO Business Pilot Trudi Bartlett. For more information, contact the KCCI by email

New Roles Revealed For Local MPs March 30, 2012 - Newly-elected Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington has been appointed Assistant Minister for Finance, Administration and Regulatory Reform in Premier Campbell Newman's new team, announced this afternoon. Member for Gympie David Gibson has been appointed Minister for Police and Community Safety. As previously announced, Member for Callide Jeff Seeney is Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning. All the newly elected LNP MPs gathered in Brisbane on Wednesday this week for their first post-election gathering. Speaking later, Deb Frecklington said it was very exciting but there was a massive task ahead. "(I'm) looking forward to getting into the hard work," she said.

$27,000 Boost For Endeavour's Kingaroy Kitchen March 29, 2012 - Kingaroy Kitchen has received a $27,000 grant from the Tarong Community Partnership Fund to upgrade its kitchen equipment. The Endeavour Foundation enterprise will use the funding to install a new commercial mixer in the Biscuit Kitchen and two new ovens, one in the Fine Food Kitchen and the other in the Gluten-Free Kitchen. This will allow the group to expand its range of gluten-free products as well as allow for cakes and catering products to be cooked at the same time. An Endeavour spokesman said the new equipment would help increase sales and assist the 27 supported employees. It would also improve the experience for the many tourists who drop into the kitchen every year. "This will, in turn, help to publicise Kingaroy and the whole of the South Burnett region," Kingaroy Kitchen manager Hazel Patterson said. "Endeavour Foundation is extremely grateful to the Tarong Community Partnership Fund and the Stanwell Corporation for this incredible support."

Mayor Carter Explains Why He Withdrew His Nomination March 28, 2012 - South Burnett Regional Mayor David Carter, (right), contacted SBBiz today to explain why he had decided to withdraw his nomination to run as Mayor at the April 28 election. Cr Carter said that after 18 years in Local Government, he had decided it was time to have a break. "I had put in my nomination form on Monday but when I got out of bed on Tuesday morning I felt that I was not as committed as I should be and withdrew my nomination," he said. "I am emotionally and physically exhausted and don’t believe that I have the passion to continue for another four years." A proud Cr Carter reflected on his time with the South Burnett council and his achievements as mayor. "I have worked very hard to make the best of the forced amalgamation for the South Burnett," he said. "I came into Local Government to help people and that has always been my aim as a councillor. Being forced to rationalise rates, impose increased animal registrations and waste levies is not what I call helping people. "Subsidies and assistance to local councils has decreased and having to meet State Government regulations and cost shifting has made it very difficult. And of course this has not been easy to explain to ratepayers. "I am proud of what has been achieved. "The council’s financial position has improved dramatically; Yallakool Park on BP Dam has been saved, reopened and is once again being enjoyed by locals and visitors; Coolabunia Saleyards has been maintained and improved; Healthy Communities and Traffic Advisory committees have been instigated and are showing very positive outcomes; after persistent lobbying and mountains of paperwork, the flood reconstruction roadworks have commenced." Download Cr Carter's statement (41kb PDF) Download a full list of candidates for the South Burnett, Gympie and Toowoomba regional councils, and Cherbourg Aboriginal Council (in ballot paper order) (14kb PDF)

Kingaroy's Medicare Office To Shift To Centrelink March 28, 2012 - Kingaroy's stand-alone Medicare office in Kingaroy Shoppingworld will be closing next month. The Federal Government announced yesterday that from April 23 the office would be co-located with Centrelink in Markwell Street. "By the end of 2014, all Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support services will be co-located so Australians everywhere will enjoy the same convenience as people in Kingaroy," Minister for Human Services Senator Kim Carr said. A new credit EFTPOS system will be available at the new location. Customers will be able to swipe their debit cards when a claim is processed and the Medicare rebate will be deposited straight into their bank accounts. * * * The mystery buyer of a 19.83 per cent stake in the Peanut Company of Australia has been revealed as a nominee company, Queen Street Nominees Pty Ltd, although the ultimate beneficial buyer is still unknown. Corporate investor Mariner Corporation secured the PCA holding in February from GPG Nominees, a subsidiary of the Guinness Peat Group, but told the ASX earlier this month that it had now sold it for a $315,000 profit. GPG retained 4.95 per cent but PCA confirmed today this stake has now also been sold, to former PCA Director Ross Burney. In a letter to shareholders, PCA Company Secretary Don Mackenzie said the rapid on-sale by Mariner was consistent with their stated strategy of being an "opportunistic trader". The PCA letter also stated that Queen Street Nominees had paid $475,000 for the PCA shares. Food companies tasty for unknown investor