Mayor Takes Palm Island to The
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Issue 169: 18 December 2014 WARNING! Some images in this Issue may contain deceased persons which may cause distress to some people. Mayor takes Palm Island to the top In a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity Mayor Alf Lacey has met with Prime Minister Tony Abbott and spoken directly with Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey during a trip to Canberra. Cr Lacey travelled with five other Mayors from the region to lobby for economic development and infrastructure spending. The others were Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill, Charters Towers’ Frank Beveridge, Burdekin’s Bill Lowis and Hinchinbrook’s Rodger Bow. The main catalyst was the Northern Australia White paper and all believe the region Cr Beveridge said the region including needs more promotion in future infrastructure spending. Palm Island was moving into the new Asian Cr Lacey said Palm Island needed economic development. Century where the demand for produce and “This was a once in a generation opportunity,” he said. services by our neighbour’s will drive our “Economic development will allow families to start businesses. regions jobs. “We have to continue to strive for that for our future and “Our group was very diverse with Alf Lacey that of our children.” from the Palm Island Council, myself from He said that was vital so Palm Island could move away from a rural/mining council,” Cr Beveridge said. reliance on Government welfare payments. Mayors Bill Lowis and Roger Bow from “There is a lot of unemployment on Palm and we have to coastal, sugar/small crops councils, and have economic development to create jobs – changes are mayor Jenny Hill from the largest city in coming with Centrelink as well,” he said. northern Australia. Whilst in Canberra Cr Lacey also spoke about funding for the “We were a strong diverse group beautification of the Palm Island foreshore. representing over 250, 000 people and believe “We want to have a walking track across from the CBD to the that we got a very good hearing from the sporting ground,” he said. Federal Government.” Congrats to year 12 graduates! The end of 2014 marks a historic and joyous occasion for the Palm Island community as eight students at Bwgcolman Community School recently completed Year 12, with five students completing their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Neil Baira, Kenny Baira and Palm Island in 2007 when these up, that they have got the Cassian Tanner have already students started high school. self-discipline and resilience, landed training positions with Bwgcolman Community School and that they are going places. Mendi Constructions, and principal Jeff Jones said school “At the Year 6 graduation a heartfelt congratulations attendance and performance this week, it was clear that is extended to Christine was gradually increasing with the younger students are Cannon, Alvina Walton, Keanu the number of graduates looking up to these home grown Lowatta-Creed, Retemoi doubling this year compared to role models. Sam and Allan Aden who are the three Year 12 graduates in “The graduation ceremony exploring a myriad of options, 2013 and one student finishing was embraced by the whole ranging from further studies Year 12 in 2011. community and the Bwgcolman at university to working in the “We’re starting to get real family. local school as a teacher’s traction and are clearly moving “It was a very emotional day aide. in the right direction,” he said. because there was a shared The leadership and staff of “Kids are seeing that vision and it’s clear that the Bwgcolman Community the school can provide a community cares deeply and School and the Cathy Freeman viable local alternative to values deeply these students’ Foundation were delighted education and can expand their achievements in school. with this good news because opportunities beyond school. “It was great to join together they have travelled “Attaining their QCE tells a students, staff and community the journey of these students, story about these kids. to celebrate what these kids since CFF began working on “It shows that they will turn have achieved for themselves. L-R Alvina Walton, Keanu Lowatta-Creed, Neil Baira, Kenny Baira and Cassian Tanner 2 Pics courtesy Wayne Quilliam “It was something special.” School and CFF so incredibly the Scholarships program Acting-CEO of the Cathy worthwhile. in conjunction with program Freeman Foundation Jamie “It wasn’t that long ago that partner, Australian Indigenous Howden said the response from Jeff and I sat around a bonfire Education Foundation (AIEF) the community was brilliant. on the beach with community and school on the mainland. He said CFF was immensely leaders and designed a plan CFF also congratulated proud to have played a part suited to creating these kind Moewaiya Youngblutt and in the students’ journey and of results, and we congratulate Jerri Prior-Blackley on their the odds they had overcome to the Bwgcolman Family for resilience and determination to complete Year 12. making it happen. complete Year 12 in 2014. “These students are a In 2015, there are 12 year 11 Ten students from Palm wonderful example of what is students enrolled for Year 12 Island finished Year 12 with possible, and it is inspiring to and another 28 students will be the support of their community see just how proud they are of joining Year 7. On 3 December, in 2014, which they said was themselves and one another,” 227 Starting Block Awards a wonderful way to finish the he said. “There wasn’t a were presented to deserving school year. dry eye on the day of the students at Bwgcolman graduation ceremony, as the Community School and entire Bwgcolman family joined St Michael’s Catholic hands to create an arch way School on Palm Island for students to encounter as for their excellent they took their final strides in Term 4 results in school. Attendance, Behaviour “It was particularly touching and Literacy which to hear one young male also sets the tone for student publically say just how another prosperous much he loved a teacher and year ahead. how grateful for he was for CFF was also proud everything he had learned. to announce two “It’s days like these that additional students make the partnership between from Palm Island Top: 2nd from left Neil Baira, 3rd from left Cassian Bwgcolman Community also finished Year 12 via 3 Tanner, 4th from left Kenny Baira Above: Neil Baira Potential for tourism under discussion Potential development in tourism was the subject of meetings on Palm Island with consultants Tony O’Connor and Allison Rossetto last week, as reported in Issue 168 of the Palm Island Voice. The consultations were part income for the island, especially of work being done with the for the youth, changing the image Queensland Government and the of Palm Island to a positive Council to develop a tourism place, an opportunity to share the strategy and action plan. island’s culture, and opportunities The strategy and action plan for locals to start-up small will explore if and how tourism businesses on the island and to which in turn would help them if should be developed within a small make these and existing businesses they needed to leave the island for business framework. more sustainable – actually the boarding school. The consultations are one part of list goes on” said Ms Rossetto. “Residents also felt that young a three-staged process to receive Residents also had an opportunity people may reconsider their community input about tourism to provide input on a feedback behaviour if there were visitors development – if it is seen as flyer which was still available at present on the island.” desirable and what sort of tourism the Council reception desk. The conversation with residents is acceptable to the community. The benefits of tourism also identified some of the barriers In the first stage consultants development identified by residents to tourism development and talked to key stakeholders on and closely align with the community concerns by a few residents. off the island including businesses, priorities identified in the RJCP Some of the barriers included the government and non-government Community Action Plan (CAP) of need to clean up the Island and organisations and tourism 2014. for residents to take more pride, operators. The top five priorities in the number and care of dogs and The current second stage is the CAP were employment, horses and the lack of start-up focussing on community input, maintaining cultural heritage, small funding to develop small business while the third stage will seek even business development and shops, opportunities. broader community input through infrastructure development and “Concerns about tourism talking with key groups on the school attendance. development are real and we island. “While we saw the close will closely take these into Mr O’Connor (pictured) said the relationship between tourism consideration,” Mr O’Connor said. action plan would focus on short development and employment, “Tourism development needs to term - less than one year actions infrastructure development, help deliver the community’s goals, - and medium to long term actions. maintaining heritage and small not work against them. “The consultations last week business development, we were “We were happy that people felt were really very positive,” he said. somewhat surprised when residents comfortable enough to raise these “We spoke to more than 50 told us that welcoming tourists issues so that we can consider residents and the general message would also help with school what can be done to address was that tourists would be attendance,” Ms Rosetto said. them.” welcomed to Palm Island. “We were told that having Community consultations will “Residents identified many tourists on the Island would help continue into early next year reasons that tourism development young people to learn to interact before a draft strategy and action would be good including jobs and with a broader range of people plan is written.