Cairns can breathe a sigh of relief that Cairns Ports was a welcome omission from the Queensland Government’s list of State assets set to be sold off to rectify a multi-billion dollar budget deficit.

Advance Cairns, the region’s peak economic development agency, is pleased Cairns Ports has escaped being listed along with five other major state assets, including The Port of Brisbane, that Premier Anna Bligh announced yesterday would be put up for sale to allow for more spending on infrastructure projects.

“We are relieved the government saw sense not to put Cairns Ports up for sale, particularly with the pending change of its structure on July 1 this year when the company takes on responsibility for the regional ports of Cairns, Mourilyan, Karumba, Thursday Island, Quintell Beach, Cape Flattery, Skardon River, Cooktown and Burketown,” Advance Cairns CEO Ross Contarino said.

“It is great for our region that Cairns Ports was not considered for sale, thus providing a light at the end of the tunnel in these uncertain times we find ourselves in. With the hardships being felt by businesses across Tropical North Queensland as a result of the Global Financial Crisis, selling Cairns Ports would have led to another period of uncertainty in a time when the region could do without it,” he said.