Federal Budget 26/27 response

 Advance Cairns has welcomed the Australian Government’s prioritisation of the Cairns Western Arterial Road (CWAR) with the allocation of an extra $166.3m in the 2026-27 Budget.

It is a major Budget priorities win for Advance Cairns, the leading independent economic development and advocacy organisation for Far North Queensland.

As part of its Federal Budget submission, Advance Cairns called for the prioritisation of the CWAR over the stalled Captain Cook Highway upgrade to ensure work could be expedited on the only flood-free access route between Cairns, the northern beaches and the Kennedy Highway.

CEO Jennifer Spilsbury said while both upgrades were important, it was essential the region was building towards a more resilient future as quickly as possible.

Advance Cairns proposed money allocated to the Captain Cook Highway be reallocated to the CWAR.

“We commend the Labor Government, Leichhardt MP Matt Smith and Senator for Queensland Nita Green, for listening because we need to be able to withstand heavy rain and natural disasters better. Cyclone Jasper taught us a very harsh lesson,” Mrs Spilsbury said.

“We’re not saying the Captain Cook work isn’t important. It is. But we had a situation where both projects were going nowhere fast and this growing city needs and deserves better than that. We have to get on with it.”

While the construction start date of mid-2027 would frustrate many motorists, a bitumen crisis caused by the Iran War was likely to continue to affect supply chains this year.

In another win for the advocacy body, a $2 billion Local Infrastructure Fund has been introduced to aid in the installation of trunk infrastructure for housing development.

In both its Federal and State government Budget submissions, Advance Cairns called for commitments in spending toward trunk infrastructure to help councils and ease the burden on ratepayers.

Mrs Spilsbury said they supported Cairns Regional Council’s staged approach to delivering housing in the Mount Peter Priority Development Area with the infrastructure fund a welcome initiative which could help unlock more housing in the city’s Southern Growth Corridor.

“Our population is growing and our councils across Far North Queensland need help with the cost of providing essential services,” Mrs Spilsbury said.

“We understand that there is a balancing act when it comes to advocating for big-ticket infrastructure – there is no point having lots of jobs and growth if there’s nowhere for people to live.”

Mrs Spilsbury said the Federal Government had reinforced its commitments to the Far North’s major infrastructure projects baking into the financials cash for the Common User Facility and a High-Performance Centre at West Barlow Park.

“We are pleased to see $255m for the delivery of the CUF and the CQUniversity campus. Both are important projects for the Far North.

“The fact the Federal Government isn’t walking away from its CUF commitment should give some confidence. What we want to see now is tangible progress.”

A total of $15m over three years was committed towards the construction of the North Queensland Cowboys Community, Development and High-Performance Centre at West Barlow Park. However, the project is still waiting for a State Government commitment.

Mrs Spilsbury said Advance Cairns would be looking closely at the extra $53 billion injection into Defence over the next four years with the Far North playing an increasingly more important role in the country’s national security.

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