Advocacy

Far North Queensland, the most populous region in Northern Australia and boasting one of the most diverse regional economies nationwide, continues to play an outsized role in contributing to the prosperity of Queensland.

No region in Australia is more internationally connected than Cairns and Far North Queensland; our geographic proximity and unique connections to the Asia Pacific and beyond are what truly makes Cairns Australia’s most global regional city1. It is this proximity which provides the opportunity to capitalise on our world class produce and exports as well as advances in aviation technology, further deepening and strengthening these international connections.

Tropical North Queensland’s unique advantages brings with it increasing population pressures requiring strategic investments into health, regional connectivity and food, water, and housing security that will sustain us to 2034 and beyond. The priorities outlined below enable the region to enhance its liveability, sustain a growing population and foster economic growth while continuing to play host to millions of national and international tourists. By 2032, the region will require an additional 65,000 beds to provide for tourists alone. And tourists and residents alike depend on secure and safe water supply, reliable connectivity and access to health services.

The recent record-breaking flooding highlighted the vulnerability of the region from an infrastructure and transport perspective. How we invest and plan for our future is critical to ensure a prosperous, climate resilient future.

These priorities, supported by government, will be fundamental in delivering a prosperous future for the Far North Queensland region.

Focus areas

The Cairns Marine Precinct is a critical enabler of the Far North Queensland economy and is central to building a sustainable, diversified future for the region. A leading maritime maintenance, repair and overhaul destination for vessels nationally and internationally, the precinct is home to a large and diverse marine sector including Defence and Border Force, a world-renowned tourism-reef fleet, commercial fishing and shipping, specialist boat builders and an active cruising yacht squadron, while also playing host to superyachts and cruise liners visiting the region. The precinct also offers education and training pathways delivered by the TAFE Great Barrier Reef International Marine College which are building the workforce for the future as well as playing a key role in capacity building across the Pacific.

Projects:

Maritime Common User Facility

TAFE Queensland Great Barrier Reef International Marine College

Cairns Shipyard Investment

Defence and Defence Industry

An integrated and efficient road transport network is critical for economic stability and growth in Far North Queensland, a region of 380,000km² which includes some of the nation’s most remote communities. The region’s inland roads and Cairns’ access to the northern beaches and Tablelands play a vital role in enabling the productivity of northern Australia and the contribution to the national economy through improved connectivity to southern markets. The disruption and dislocation to these road networks in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper have underpinned the importance of these links to the region and indeed, to the nation. Growth in population, employment, tourism and freight volumes coupled with the increasing importance of food security, means safety and capacity requirements will only be exacerbated. Investment in FNQ’s road connectivity is crucial to avoid nationally significant productivity losses, to connect rural and remote communities and to ensure continued regional and state economic development.

Tableands Access Projects:

Kuranda Range Road

Barron River bridge upgrade – Kennedy Highway (Cairns to Mareeba)

Palmerston Highway

National Land Transport Network

Cairns and Northern Beaches Access Projects:

Captain Cook Highway, Cairns CBD to Smithfield 

Cairns Western Arterial Road (CWAR) 

Other Projects:

Savannah Way (Gulf Section)

Kennedy Developmental Road

The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service’s operations extend across Far North Queensland to some of the most remote communities in the state, with a population increasingly experiencing complex, chronic conditions at a level above national average. Cairns Hospital is the only major referral hospital in FNQ, also providing care to patients from across Cape York and the Torres Strait. Expanded health services, clinical research and education are critical to meet the health needs of FNQ’s growing population. Significantly, the region also supports a growing current visitor population of close to three million a year. Our region’s Hospital and Health Services, supported by the Northern Queensland Primary Healthcare Network, James Cook University (JCU), CQUniversity, TAFE Queensland and other tertiary institutions, are working to ensure that Cairns grows its own medical, nursing and allied health workforce, to expand its clinical services and translate research into practice to improve health outcomes for FNQ communities. Embedding research and expanding education will enable CHHHS to provide best-practice healthcare and support Cairns Hospital’s transition to tertiary hospital status within the next six years. This will allow both the hospital and JCU to attract and retain researchers and specialists, deepening health service delivery. With more than 2,000 health related student placements in 2023 alone, JCU is a major strategic partner with a growing investment into the Cairns region, such as the recent opening of a medical school allowing students to complete their full six-year training locally, and the construction of JCU’s Cairns Tropical Enterprise Centre which will provide facilities for clinical teaching, training and research.

Projects:

Cairns Health and Innovation Centre

Cairns Hospital Acute Services Building

Regional and Rural General Practitioners

Cairns’ General Aviation Precinct is a major contributor to the regional economy, and is home to more than 100 businesses including major maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) businesses, education and aeronautical skills training providers, freight consolidation services, tourism operators, and rescue and charter flights.

Cairns Aviation Skills Centre and CQUniversity produce highly skilled aircraft engineers and pilots who are then employed in well paid jobs in the local economy. These organisations are already delivering on some of the aspirations outlined in the recently released Aviation White Paper – Towards 2050. Together, they have the potential to deliver so much more with targeted support. The key themes are:

·  Address industry demand
·  Enhance safety
·  Support workforce development
·  Promote innovation
·  Connecting regional Australia
·  Regenerating general aviation

Far North Queensland’s MRO sector is vital to the region’s connectivity, servicing fixed wing and rotary aircraft that ply the Cape, Torres Strait, Papua New Guinea and the wider Asia-Pacific. These services ensure emergency and humanitarian aid as well as FIFO flights and provide critical connectivity to areas where it matters most.

Projects:

Common User Hangar

Cessna Caravan Simulator

Water and food security have become priority national policy issues on the back of record drought periods in Australia, as well as disruption to supply chains through COVID-19 and recent flooding events. The ability to meet increased demand for fresh Australian produce from Far North Queensland is at major risk due to the lack of a long-term water implementation strategy. Agricultural exports are vital to FNQ with the industry sector output currently valued at $2.7bn[i], constrained mainly by factors such as irrigation and access to market. Urban demand also continues to increase with Cairns’ population growth averaging 1.9% per annum over the past 10 years[ii]. This, combined with a long-running history of three million tourists visiting FNQ annually, means an effective and multi-faceted water supply strategy is required to ensure the growing needs of the region can be met.

Projects:

Cairns Water Security – Stage 1

Lakeland Irrigation Area Scheme

Etheridge Shire Agricultural and Irrigation Precinct Project

North Johnstone Diversion

Projects:

Mount Peter Priority Development Area

Accommodation for Students

Cairns stands at the geographic nexus of Australia’s multilateral engagement with the Pacific in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. Australia’s engagement with our near neighbours has deepened significantly in recent times, building understanding of the increased capacity of Far North Queensland, the nation’s northern gateway, to play a greater role in enhancing and building our strategic and people-to-people ties with the Pacific. Cairns has the geographic adjacency, structures, business, defence, capacity building, education and cultural ties, and relationships to become the operational base to deliver many of the programs related to our nation’s Pacific engagement.

Projects:

Office of the Pacific

Submissions & publications