Local Briefs

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Happy Easter

THE Cairns Local News team wishes our readers and advertisers a happy Easter. Please note our office will be closed from Good Friday and re-opens on Tuesday next week. Today’s edition has been published on a Thursday but we will be back to our usual Friday publication day next week.

l PARK CLOSED RAINTREES Park at Holloways Beach is closed until further notice to allow for emergency repair works. A Cairns Regional Council spokesman said to ensure public safety, a full closure of the park was required. Access to the footpath around the park along Alamanda and Cassia Streets was also restricted. He said heavy machinery was required to undertake the work. “Council apologises for any inconvenience,” the spokesman said.

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Hydrogen Plan

CAIRNS State High School has joined the Hydrogen Gateway to Industry Schools program involving more than 2000 students to be given hydrogen career pathway opportunities statewide. Cairns MP Michael Healy said: “I’m proud that we have a school in Cairns and that these students will have the opportunity to find a great and satisfying career pathway in the hydrogen industry.” l GREEN SCHEME there are different protocols and ways of doing business and understanding language, so when there’s police intervention, we want to know how to support these communities.

“For example, for First Nations people we don’t mention the name of deceased people because it’s part of our protocol, and that goes for different faiths, religions and cultures.

“We want to understand how people live their values and how we can balance those values and expectations out with delivering policing services.”

The PLOs will have a distinctive uniform with yellow epaulettes to differentiate them from frontline officers, and the council has provided a highly visible vehicle decorated with the ‘Look to the Stars’ artwork created by a purpose-built working group representing a cross- section of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and the Queensland Police Service.

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said the CCLU consolidated a strengthening of QPS and the council’s collaborative relationship.

“The first priority of all governments should be the wellbeing and safety of the community, and as the closest level of government to the community, we must play some role in executing this remit,” Cr Manning said.

“Policing remains the jurisdiction of the Queensland Police Service and the State Government, but we are providing support to assist, understand, and address this complex issue.

“Stationing of PLOs at council’s Esplanade office builds on that partnership.”