🗑️ Rocky's new bin tax backlash brewing
Qantas cyber attack | Rockhampton TAFE expansion announced | Amazon Prime Day deals | New Zoo Visitor Hub and more
G’day and welcome back to another Rocky News Thursday, it’s July 3rd.
Today's newsletter is 932 words, a 5-minute read.
In today's email:
One Big Thing: Rockhampton faces $2.9m bin tax hike by 2030
Major Qantas cyber incident exposes: Serious data concern
$61m Rockhampton Skills Hub: Set to ease tradie shortage
Trending: New zoo visitor hub at the Rockhampton Zoo
Around the web (Snippets): Rocky Royal Flying Doctor celebrates 30 years, Tassie to host nation’s largest AI Factory, Dinosaur speed myth, child monitoring spyware app warning and more
Upcoming Events
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1. One Big Thing: Rockhampton faces $2.9m bin tax hike by 2030
What’s Happening: Rockhampton households will pay rising waste fees as the State cuts levy offsets, with Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ)’s #BinTheTax campaign calling for a freeze on the move.
Why It Matters: Without recycling infrastructure, essentially, families will bear the higher costs, and Councils have no way to reduce landfill fees.
By the Numbers
$1m extra: Rockhampton ratepayers’ added waste costs this year.
$2.9m by 2030: Predicted annual cost without policy change.
19 councils: Across Queensland hit by levy cuts.
What The People Said:
Mayor Tony Williams said, “I think ultimately we all want the same thing, but the State Government is going about this in the wrong order,”.
“These new charges are going to hit the community at a really difficult time and they will continue to grow out to 2030. For Rockhampton, that means over $1 million in additional costs this year as a direct result of the State Government’s decision. That will grow to $2.9 million by 2030”
What to Look For Next: The Queensland Waste Strategy review for updates on levy policy and recycling plans, and more in the full article below.
2. Major Qantas cyber incident exposes data
What’s Happening: A cyber attack on a third-party Qantas platform exposed data from 6 million service records; the breach was detected and contained without affecting flights.
By the Numbers
6 million: Service records of customers have so far been exposed
1800 971 541: Hotline for Australians
Local Impact: Affected Australians are being contacted by Qantas for support, with advice on identity protection; no credit card or passport data was taken.
What The People Say: “We are working closely with government and cybersecurity experts,” said Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson.
What to Look For Next: The full article below👇
3. $61m Rockhampton Skills Hub set to ease tradie shortage
The Crisafulli Government will invest $61.1 million to build a Rockhampton TAFE Excellence Precinct at CQUniversity’s North campus, with construction running from June 2026 to June 2028.
The facility will train over 350 students each year in high-demand trades, doubling training capacity and helping ease the region’s tradie shortage.
Consolidating training on one site will free the Canning Street campus for Rockhampton Hospital expansion and unlock land for 200 new homes. This project is part of the government’s $201.1 million plan for TAFE Centres of Excellence across Queensland, boosting opportunities for locals to gain practical skills for in-demand jobs.
4. Trending
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5. Around The Web (Snippets)
Rockhampton Zoo and Botanic Gardens has opened its new: $8.9 million Visitor Hub, enhancing amenities and boosting the region’s appeal for locals and tourists
It has been decided that Tasmania will host the nation’s largest: AI facility, with the creation of a world-first AI Factory Zone in the northern part of the island
New research using guineafowl races suggests dinosaurs were: Probably slower than we once thought
Leading equipment provider CEA: has opened new branches in Rockhampton, expanding its Queensland footprint and welcoming former Terrequipe staff to enhance local service
Microsoft will lay off: 9,000 employees, or less than 4% of the company, amid hefty AI bets
A 27-year-old man has died in a machinery incident at: Clarke Creek Wind Farm; investigations are ongoing
Beware of Catwatchful, a spyware masquerading as a child monitoring app that claims: To be “invisible and cannot be detected,” all the while uploading the victim’s phone’s private contents to a dashboard viewable by the person who planted the app
Rockhampton Base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service marks: 30 years of dedicated healthcare, transferring over 2,700 patients annually across 1.5 million kilometres in rural Queensland.
Amazon Prime Day 2025, date and early deals have been: Released with all the latest news on this year's upcoming mega-sale
🕰️ In Case You Missed It:
7. Upcoming Events
🏇 Rockhampton Cup Race Day: July 4–5, 2025, Callaghan Park, Rockhampton.
Enjoy two days of premier winter racing action featuring the $100K Newmarket and $150K Rockhampton Cup, with a total prize pool of $890K.
🪩STREET PARTY!: July 5, 2025, "Annual Event" to the community's calendar. As like last year, FREE kids rides, Live band, food vans and market stalls.
🏉 Rockhampton Brothers Leprechauns vs. Norths Chargers: July 5, 2025, 6:30 PM, Victoria Park, Rockhampton. Catch the Central QRL feeder comp as the Leprechauns face off against the Chargers in a classic Saturday night footy showdown.
🎶 Morning Melodies: Hits from the Great American Songbook: July 7, 2025, 11 AM, Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton. Enjoy timeless American classics in a relaxed concert setting with Angelo Conway’s smooth vocals.
🚵♀️ Rockhampton Outdoors Expo, QLD: July 11, 2025, Showgrounds Rockhampton, In this vibrant town better known as the Beef Capital, the Rockhampton Showground turns up the heat, coming to life with the premier home, lifestyle, and outdoor event this coming July – the 2025 Rockhampton Expo!