Federal Government Priorities
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DECEMBER 2019 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES 1 FEDERAL PRIORITIES FOR CAIRNS OVERVIEW OF KEY PRIORITIES CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL IS CALLING ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COMMIT TO THE FOLLOWING KEY PRIORITIES FOR THE CAIRNS REGION CAIRNS AVIATION CAIRNS GALLERY PRECINCT CAIRNS ROAD NETWORK EXCELLENCE PRECINCT $13.3 million funding commitment towards PROJECTS $20 million funding commitment to the the estimated capital cost ($39.8 million) Extension of the National Land Transport Cairns Aviation Excellence Precinct of the Cairns Gallery Precinct as part of the Network from Draper Street (just south of development. proposed tripartite (Federal, State and Local the Cairns City Centre) to Smithfield and Governments) funding arrangement for this confirmation of the $287 million in Federal iconic cultural and tourism infrastructure funding allocated to enhancements on this project. road corridor. $21 million for a Strategic Assessment of Service Requirements, Preliminary Evaluation and Business Case development for the Kuranda Range Road corridor to address significant safety, capacity and reliability issues on this strategic road link between Cairns, the Atherton Tablelands and beyond. Confirmation of the $180 million commitment from the Federal Government towards the Cairns Southern Access CAIRNS CITY CENTRE CAIRNS UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL Corridor Stage 5 (Foster Road Intersection) MASTER PLAN Confirmation of the $60 million announced project. previously for James Cook University’s Cairns Advocacy support from the Federal $33 million commitment from the Federal Tropical Enterprise Centre (CTEC). Advocacy Government (as part of a $100 million support to help secure $100 million in funding Government to secure an investment tripartite funding pool) over the ten years to from the Queensland Government to establish the of $370 million from the Queensland 2030 for the implementation of the Cairns Cairns Health and Innovation Precinct (CHIP) and Government for the upgrade of the Cairns allocation of 80 additional places within James Western Arterial Road. City Centre Master Plan. Cook University’s Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programs CAIRNS CITY DEAL CQUNIVERSITY CITY CAMPUS DRAPER ROAD WATER Federal Government commitment to sign AND IMPACT PLAN TREATMENT PLANT a statement of intent with Cairns Regional $50 million towards the establishment of Commitment from the Federal Government Council and the Queensland Government a new permanent city centre campus, $25 and/or Queensland Government to a to establish a 10-year City Deal for Cairns million (with a further $20 million to be funding arrangement for the capital cost of based on the priorities outlined in the Cairns sourced from industry) towards Asia Pacific the Draper Road Water Treatment Plant. Region City Deal Proposal Document. Aviation Hub development and $25 million toward the establishment of Queensland’s first University High School. 2 It’s time to invest in the future OVERVIEW OF KEY PRIORITIES of Cairns and the Far North CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL IS CALLING ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COMMIT TO THE FOLLOWING KEY PRIORITIES FOR THE CAIRNS REGION HMAS CAIRNS NULLINGA DAM PRIORITY RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CAIRNS SEAPORT Join Council in advocating to the ZONE FOR CAIRNS AND FNQ $170 million across the forward estimates for Queensland Government for the project Designation of the Cairns and FNQ region program upgrades to the HMAS Cairns naval as a Priority Renewable Energy Zone and base in readiness for the homeporting of four to proceed and a Federal Government new offshore patrol vessels. commitment for the provision of joint implementation of the policy and investment (with the Queensland Government) capital required to support regional renewable Designation of Cairns as a Regional energy development. Maintenance Centre of strategic importance funding to support project delivery. in the delivery of naval maintenance and sustainment services. Funding allocations across the forward estimates for the HMAS Cairns Mid Term Refresh and HMAS Cairns Redevelopment projects. Funding allocations to support Stages 2 and 3 of upgrades to the Cairns Marine Maintenance Precinct. Further policy change to support superyacht industry development and complement the provisions of the recently passed Special Recreational Vessels Bill. POPULATION AND MIGRATION REEF AND RAINFOREST MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Commitment to undertake a detailed Completion of a detailed population and independent review of the Great Barrier migration strategy for the Cairns region to Reef (GBR) and Wet Tropics Rainforest deliver the skilled population base needed (WTR) management structures and GBR/ to unlock the region’s full potential. WTR funding (quantum and structure) requirements for long term management and preservation of these critical ecosystems. NATIONAL INDIGENOUS HERITAGE CENTRE Funding to support initial concept development and business case preparation for a National Indigenous Heritage Centre located in Cairns. PRIORITY REGIONAL RECYCLING STRENGTHENING AUSTRALIA’S AND REPROCESSING HUB RELATIONSHIP WITH PNG AND Designation of Cairns as a Priority Regional THE PACIFIC Recycling and Reprocessing Hub together Support for a joint PNG/Cairns team entering with funding to support recycling and the NRL competition. Placement of Office processing infrastructure development and of the Pacific personnel in Cairns. Support NORTHERN BEACHES expansion as well as the investigation of further investigation of future potential air LEISURE TRAIL innovative commercial opportunities for the links between Cairns and Lae. Provision of funding towards the estimated use of recycled materials. $20 million to $30 million total capital cost of delivering the remaining connectivity components of the Northern Beaches Leisure Trail. 3 CAIRNS AT A GLANCE HOUSING (JUNE 19) GROSS REGIONAL GREAT BARRIER REEF PRODUCT MEDIAN PRICE (Y/E 30 JUN 18) $418,000 House 1/7 $209,000 Unit $56B One of the seven $200,000 Residential Land natural wonders of 1.8 % Rental vacancy rate the world Economic, social and 2,300 icon value $8.8B $15.4B KILOMETRES LONG Cairns Far North Queensland Covering an area of 344,000 km2 64,000 WATER JOBS Cairns and FNQ region’s water VISITORS run off as a % of: Employment (TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND REGION 1,625 supported Y/E 30 JUN 19) SPECIES OF FISH Queensland’s total 60% (10% of the world’s fish 26% Australia’s total species) Average annual rainfall (Far 1,998mm North Region) $6.4B 2.1m 849,000 ANNUALLY Domestic visitors International visitors 600+ Economic TYPES OF HARD & spending $2.2B spending $1.1B SOFT CORALS Contribution AGRICULTURE (FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND) WET TROPICS RAINFOREST $2.95B Sector value $1.81B Export value 2.0m HECTARES OVER 35% Bioregion area 2,800 CAIRNS of Australia’s Plant Species mammal species PUBLIC HOSPITAL CAIRNS AIRPORT 82,714 Total (PASSENGER MOVEMENTS Y/E 30 JUN 2019) admissions $5.2B (y/e 30 Jun 19) ANNUALLY 40% 60% 686,000 International >6,000 Economic of Australia’s bird of Australia’s Total staff employed 4.2m Domestic Contribution species butterfly species 7th Busiest airport in Australia CAIRNS SEAPORT RESIDENT Cargo movements POPULATION UNEMPLOYMENT (y/e 30 Jun 19) 552,000 tonnes Export 754,000 tonnes Import 306,000 2050 (projected) 4.1% 4.8% 5% 952 165,000 (JUN 2019) (SEP 2019) 9.6% Average annual Total vessel (today) (SEP 2019) growth in cargo arrivals Cairns City Cairns Region (SA4) Youth movements (y/e 30 Jun 19) Cairns City Resident Unemployment Unemployment (last 5 years) Population 286,000 467,000 (today) 2050 (projected) Far North Queensland JCU CQUniversity TAFE (FNQ) Resident Population Students enrolled 3,913 1,684 11,269 9.8% TERTIARY Persons employed 1,213 162 381 Proportion of population EDUCATION that is Indigenous (highest of Number of courses 134 127 180 (CAIRNS CAMPUS) any Australian city) 4 FEDERAL PRIORITIES FOR CAIRNS Foreword A targeted plan to deliver jobs, growth and liveability in Cairns and Far North Queensland airns is the capital of Far North Queensland (FNQ), the largest region in Northern Australia (population circa C286,000) and is a strategic gateway to the Pacific, Asia and beyond. With a resident population of 165,000 people and an average 30,000 additional visitors staying in the city on any given night, Cairns is one of the largest and most dynamic regional cities in Australia. Unique liveability and solid economic fundamentals have seen Cairns experience significant population growth (2.3% per annum in the 15 years to 2016) – well in excess of the national growth rate. Significant private investment and renewed business confidence has also seen the Cairns region unemployment rate reduce significantly in recent years. The region’s unemployment rate currently sits at 4.8% (SA4, Sep 19). A unique combination of economic potential and superior liveability means Cairns is ideally positioned as a growth centre of strategic significance in Northern Australia. But in order to realise this potential, Cairns and indeed the FNQ region, requires investment in the infrastructure, programs and policy that will provide the foundation for future growth. STRATEGICALLY TARGETED STRATEGIC POSITIONED INVESTMENT ALIGNMENT Cairns is strategically positioned to It is recognised that in order to be effective, The Cairns 2050 Shared Vision was support the Federal Government’s regional investment and policy needs to developed in the context of policy and Northern Australia agenda and also has be developed in the context of a broader strategy settings at the Federal, State