The Federal Member for Hinkler David Batt MP has launched his annual local first campaign.
Mr Batt joined local Chamber of Commerce representatives and small family businesses in Hervey Bay and Childers to mark the beginning of the 2026 initiative.
“For the second year in a row, I’ve launched Local First across various platforms, including social media, billboards and radio,” Mr Batt said.
“We are celebrating all that’s homegrown in Hinkler. It is about supporting local jobs, promoting family businesses, and putting our Hinkler community first.
If we all do our bit and choose “local first” it will go a long way in supporting our economy.”
Mr Batt invites any local business to register and show support to help promote local first.
Local First 2026 will run from November 2 – December 18.
DINE local first; SHOP local first; BUY local first; DRINK local first; VISIT local first; EAT local first; and CHOOSE local first.
Small businesses are at the heart of our plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life.
Businesses can register and support Local First by signing up online: Local First – David Batt MP (davidbatt.com.au)
HERVEY BAY LAUNCH – BUTCHER – SCOTTY’S MAD ABOUT MEATS
- Scott Reid is the owner of ‘Scotty’s Mad About Meats’ butcher in Hervey Bay.
“Locals should support locals, because without small business, you’ll be paying extravagant amounts of money for groceries and it won’t stop [increasing].
“It’s getting tougher with this current government.”
CHILDERS LAUNCH – ISIS HARDWARE – MITRE 10
- James Simms is the brand-new owner of Isis Hardware (Mitre 10) in Childers main street.
“We love being in small business as it’s all about being amongst the community, we love the interaction and the personal service, and you can’t get that in big business anywhere near as much as small business,” Mr Simms said.
“To me Local First simply means we spend our money within our community, and then these feed into other areas of the community. You spend your money here with me, and then I spend that money in another local business or with the footy club, school etc and more than one person benefits.
Two weeks since taking over the business the support from the local community has been outstanding. We have had so many phone calls and visits from people to say G’day, offer support and just be downright nice people. It puts a massive smile on our face every day. We have MASSIVE shoes to fill from the previous owners, Terry and Roxanne as they are Childers institutions!”
- Margaret Smith is President of the Childers Chamber of Commerce.
“Shopping local, loving local and living local is what we do here. It is important that the money recycles itself back into the community for children’s sport, and for people doing it tough.
“The extra support [through this campaign] is really appreciated. We have a great community, and the idea is to keep the money here locally, so that we can all thrive.”