Time for Cairns to get fair share of budget

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning has called on the Queensland Government to give the city its fair share of the funding pie in the upcoming state budget.

Cr Manning has submitted a list of investment and infrastructure priorities that were identified in the Cairns 2050 Shared Vision to Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad and has called on the government to put an end to its underfunding trend.

“Cairns has been short-changed in recent years when it comes to state government infrastructure spending,” Cr Manning said.

“At last year’s budget, the Queensland Government allocated just $1715 per capita to infrastructure in the greater Cairns region, compared with an average of $2115 per person across the state.

Cairns’ funding at the last budget was 47 per cent lower than Townsville, which received $3214 per person, and a whopping 60 per cent less than the Toowoomba/Darling Downs region.

“And that seems to be a long-term trend. In the past seven years, our region has consistently ranked near the bottom of the State Government spending heap.

“In fact, if we had received the same per capita allocation as the Toowoomba/Darling Downs region over the past seven years, we could have dredged Trinity Inlet 24 times, built 44 performing arts centres or paid for the Cairns Convention Centre expansion 16 times over.”

Key projects included in Cairns Regional Council’s Queensland Budget priorities include major investment in the Cairns road network, $90 million to establish a research institute at the Cairns Hospital, a commitment toward Nullinga Dam to shore up the region’s future water security, and completion of the Cairns Convention Centre expansion.

“We also look forward to the timely completion of the shipping channel development and the Smithfield Bypass.

“Each of these projects have been supported by all levels of government and major regional stakeholders through the Cairns 2050 Shared Vision,” Cr Manning said.

“This is a crucial time in Cairns’ development as a world-class tropical city. We are simply seeking our fair share to help our region to thrive for years to come.”

The full Cairns Regional Council State Budget Priorities document can be viewed on Council’s website.