s n r i a C
Local News
NOVEMBER 17, 2023
100% LOCALLY OWNED & INDEPENDENT
cairnslocalnews.com.au
COV E R I N G M O S S M A N TO T H E C A S S OWA RY COAS T
l Cairns
l Inside
l Sport
Dogs to be allowed in CBD after law axed
How to prepare for coming storm season
Club expansion can now handle 1000 gymnasts
Page 3
20-PAGE BOOKLET
Pages 27, 28
$70M HANGAR AIMS FOR TAKE OFF
Mill’s call for vital funding l MOSSMAN | Nick Dalton
Plans for a new $70 million maintenance hangar (as pictured), an $8m aircraft simulator and a $10m student accommodation building at Cairns Airport have been revealed. Artist’s impression: Gabbert Design FULL STORY PAGE 5
Barlow Park blast
MP slams council’s progress on venue’s 2032 Olympics upgrade l PARRAMATTA PARK | Nick Dalton CAIRNS MP Michael Healy has blasted Cairns Regional Council over the lack of progress, communication, liaison, and consultation over the redevelopment of Barlow Park into an Olympic-stand-
ard stadium for the 2032 games being hosted in Queensland. He said little had been done apart from the start of new lighting since the proposal for a multi-purpose boutique stadium was endorsed by councillors in September last year. Mr Healy said there had been limited
communication and consultation by the council with key stakeholders nor further requests for state government funding for additional improvements. He said $43 million had been provided for high quality broadcast lights and extra seating but it was now up to the council to lobby and present submis-
sions for more money for extra enhancements. Mr Healy said the community wanted to know what was going on. He said several stakeholders had held meetings with him wanting further information about the future of the facility. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
MOSSMAN Mill’s board and senior management are urgently looking at several options to fund the 2024 crushing season after board chairman Rajinder Singh warned growers that the business’s viability next year was “not assured”. However, mill general manager Bronwyn Dwyer said the 2024 crush had to go ahead as the crops were already in the ground and growers had already been notified of pricing for next year. She said the mill currently employed between 130-150 employees within the milling operation and supported about 500 indirect jobs in the local community. There were about 85 growers with cane contracted to Far Northern Milling (FNM). “The reduction in the tonnage and CCS (Commercial Cane Sugar content of cane) from the original 2023 season forecast will result in a drop of around 10,500 tonnes of sugar which has placed the operation of the mill for the 2024 season in jeopardy,” Ms Dwyer said. “It is imperative that the mill is operational for the 2024 season as growers have forward priced sugar and planted and fertilised the crop for next season,” she said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4