Advance Cairns has handed over a five-point wish list to local candidates, identifying increased air services, trade with Papua New Guinea, public sector jobs, the defence force and the marine industry as top economic priorities.
The organisation says hundreds of millions of dollars and countless jobs would continue to be lost in the Far North unless action was taken by the next state government to seize emerging opportunities.
Chief executive Stewart Christie said both major parties had made some promising announcements on the campaign trail so far, but more commitments were demanded ahead of the March 24 poll.
"I’d like to see all parties and all candidates get behind this because it’s not just what Advance Cairns is pushing; it’s where the whole region sees its direction and its priorities," Mr Christie said. "There are many low-cost, high-impact initiatives that could be delivered very easily."
The regional priorities include:
DIRECT flights from China and Singapore.
INCREASING the number of public sector jobs in Far North Queensland.
TURBO-charging trade development and investment between FNQ and Papua New Guinea.
LEVERAGING the numerous economic opportunities presented within the marine industry.
EXPANDING the Australian Defence Force presence in Far North Queensland.
Mr Christie insisted there would be no "single bullet solution" and election promises needed to be rolled out simultaneously for any benefit to be reaped.He said many of the regional priorities had been on the Far North’s agenda for a while, but Advance Cairns and local stakeholders had developed fresh focuses in many sectors.
In developing trade with PNG, for example, Mr Christie said the State Government’s existing trade representative position should be axed in favour of luring companies with PNG operations to set up head offices in Cairns. And the State Government’s advocacy for expanded naval operations in Queensland should be concentrated on Cairns, given the Far North was singled out in the ADF’s recent posture review update.
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My observation
This organisation was set up by the Byrne Unity Council to drive the Cairns economy. Has it done that or is it just another quango whose executives funded by the ratepayers like each other company while sipping lattes?
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My observation
This organisation was set up by the Byrne Unity Council to drive the Cairns economy. Has it done that or is it just another quango whose executives funded by the ratepayers like each other company while sipping lattes?
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Drive the Cairns Economy? Look at these demands. They are sitting on their arses demanding the GUVMINT GIVE, that's all they're doing. It's exactly like the tourist operators sitting on their arses whinging and whining that the Government isn't transporting the cruise ship passengers direct to their businesses.
ReplyDeleteWell, Well, Can you believe this? Any candidate worth their salt would not even consider funding this group. Their main function seems to writing reports and P.R. about themselves. Is there anyone out there that can tell us of ONE achievement of this outfit?If this group were in the private sector I reckon they would be charged with taking money under false pretences.
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