s n r i a C
Local News
OCTOBER 13, 2023
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Poll gives ‘no’ vote big lead
Cairns Youth Council candidates (back row, from left) Sofia Hoorn, Molly Ben Ezra, Olivia Morris, Lani Baker, Jake-Ryan Paiaro, Noah Solomon, Antonije Dimitrijevic. (front row, from left) Serah Joju, Yazmin Rivett, Delilah Jedynak, Alexis Shield, Aiden Senaratne, Braydon McCormack, Lana Kandakji, Vince Torrisi, Marishka Van Der Velde and Lucy Seaton. Picture: Isabella Guzman Gonzalez
l FAR NORTH | Nick Dalton
Our future l CAIRNS REGION | Isabella Guzman Gonzalez TWENTY-THREE teens from across Cairns have started campaigning for 12 positions on the region’s youth council with the long-term goal of becoming future community leaders.
At the top of their agendas are protection of the environment, better public transport, activities for young people to slow down youth crime, as well as inclusivity. As part of the Cairns Regional Council and Foundation for Young Australians’ (FYA) Young Mayors Program, a youth council of 12 members,
aged 13-17, will be democratically elected from October 30 to November 3, when 11–17-yearolds will be able to cast a vote in their schools. Last Monday, 17 out of the 23 candidates introduced themselves and their ideas to the public at the council’s ‘Meet the candidates’ event where they answered questions from other
Youth prepare for their leadership roles
youth on how they would address the city’s different problems in their 18-month term from 2024-25. Aspiring to make one of the 12 seats, Trinity Anglican School year 8 student, Noah Solomon, 13, is hoping his prior leadership experience and passion for sustainability will earn him the support of his peers. "I
have an environmental focus. If we could get public transport to be subsidised, we could get more people to use it and help pollution,” he said. “I’d like to regulate or ban certain sunscreens that are bad for the Reef and ban single-use plastic bags in shopping centres.” CONTINUED PAGE 3
A POLL run by Cairns Local News newspaper on the 2023 Referendum was overwhelmingly against the proposed law: ‘To alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice’. Running for more than two weeks, 72 per cent voted ‘no’ and 28 per cent voted ‘yes’. The poll closed at 9am on Friday, October 6. After nearly a year of hearing from both sides of The Voice debate, tomorrow is the day Australia will decide. Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers is encouraging voters to plan their vote for the first referendum Australia has had since 1999. “Federal referendums are in-person events just like elections – this is the first time the country is coming together in nearly a quarter of a century to have their say on potential Constitutional change,” he said. “If you can vote on October 14, then that’s what you should do. Remember, it is compulsory to vote for all enrolled Australians.” To find the nearest polling booth visit: https://www.aec. gov.au/referendums/voting.htm#start
Kindergarten Information Evening! TOPICS INCLUDE:
*Kindergarten curriculum & extra curricular activities. *Learning Outcomes. *Preparing your child for Prep. *Working together with our families. *Fees, Subsidy, and funding.
THURSDAY 26TH OF OCTOBER FROM 5:30PM TO 7:00PM You are invited to come and meet our Bachelor Qualified Teachers and learn all about our 2024 Kindergarten program.
10 Hardy Road, Mount Sheridan