ADVANCE CAIRNS
Infrastructure Priorities The unusual nature of 2020 has meant that Advance Cairns concentrated more on short term advocacy, connecting and working together with local advocacy and industry groups to pursue increased immediate and ongoing government support for our region that was particularly devastated by COVID-19. At the same time, the 2020 State Election provided a backdrop to secure pledges from both major parties for Advance Cairns’ ongoing infrastructure priorities. Highlights included key commitments for the Cairns University Hospital, Cairns marine precinct and Cairns Western Arterial Road.
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Cairns University Hospital Redevelopment Project highlights
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The Queensland State Government has committed $15 million towards land purchase, $1.5 million for a preliminary business case, as well as an in-principle commitment to the construction of the Cairns University Hospital. The pre-election promise of the State Government to ensure the Cairns University Hospital is built is a great outcome for the region and will be vital to ensuring the health needs of Tropical North Queensland will be met. The transition of Cairns Hospital to university status will allow the hospital to deliver world-class, highquality care to address the critical health challenges facing TNQ and will also enable the hospital to address its current challenges related to hospital capacity, site resilience, workforce attraction and retention, and bringing care closer to home for our community.
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Education and Research Sector highlights
A high profile site has been identified by Cairns Regional Council as the preferred location for a proposed new CQUniversity CBD campus. CQUniversity’s Asia-Pacific Aviation Hub is operational and continues to expand its student intake. Given Tropical North Queensland faces a skills shortage in areas related to health, allied health, aviation and a number of other STEAM professions, several projects have been identified to address these skills gaps and boost educational facilities in the region, but government funding is yet to be secured. These include $50 million for the permanent new CQUniversity campus in the Cairns CBD, and $15 million for Stage 3 of the Asia-Pacific aviation hub.
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Cairns Ring Road highlights
The Federal Government confirmed it would extend the National Highway A1 from its previous termination point near Cairns port out to Smithfield. The State Government committed $60 million to duplicate the Cairns Western Arterial Road between Redlynch Connector Rd and Kamerunga Rd, supporting about 100 local jobs. A combined State and Federal investment of $359 million has been included in the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program for Cairns Ring Road Stage 1 – the upgrading of the Captain Cook Hwy from the CBD to Smithfield. the Federal Government extension of the National Highway A1 will provide much better links between the CBD and the Cairns sea port, Cairns airport, the northern beaches and southern access route. Planning will commence for the Cairns Ring Road (Cairns CBD to Smithfield), jointly funded by the Australian Government and Queensland Government, in 2021.
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Cairns Marine Precinct highlights
Federal Government investment will double the tonnage and treble the complexity of the Navy’s fleet. $28 million has been committed by the State Government to build two new wharves in the marine precinct, providing critical initial infrastructure for future expansion. $2 million has also been earmarked for a business case for the marine precinct. Global ship builder Austal Australia bought one of Cairns’ three shipyards in December 2020 and has ambitions for considerable expansion. As Queensland’s only operational Navy base, Cairns is to be the first of three Regional Maintenance Centres for the Australian Navy, with the others in Perth and Darwin. That project continues apace, with announcements for a Regional Maintenance Provider to co-ordinate RMC activities due mid-2021. As well as 12 new offshore patrol vessels to be put into service between now and 2029, the Federal Government has announced it is to build six new Cape Class patrol boats and a further eight vessels for hydrographic surveys and mine countermeasures.
