Page 37 - Tropic Magazine Issue 16

INDUSTRY • POLITICS

Prime Minister was less forthcoming.
That’s despite the Federal Government
recently deeming the port a critical
infrastructure asset because of its
defence capabilities. “I’m going to leave
that for down the track,” Mr Morrison
said. “We’ve got expectations of what
Cairns can deliver for us especially in
terms of supporting our offshore fleet.
We’re aware of the constraints that are
there, but so is the State Government
and a lot of the private operators as well.
There’s a lot of partners that will have to
work together.”
With the sushi all gone and the key
year flagged it would alter visas to get topics covered, the PM said his goodbyes
more migrants into regional areas and and was whisked off to the next
out of the population-choked cities of engagement, which included running
Melbourne and Sydney. PM Morrison the country for a few hours from the
has now suggested the issue will be a office of his parliamentary colleague
key election platform, with the original Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch. With
plan to be tweaked according to unique the impending election predicted
regional needs. to be a tough one for the Morrison
“Between now and the election I’ll be Government, the Tropical North can
making that clearer but it is horses for expect to receive many more ministerial
courses,” he said. “The problem with visits - and hopefully election funding
PM visits Cooktown the population debate is wherever commitments - in coming months.
anyone is, they think it’s the same
around the country but it’s just not the
case. Sutherland is different to Cairns.
We’ve got to find out who wants people
to go there because they want the jobs
or have the industries that are looking
for people.”
The Prime Minister said state and
territory governments have been asked
to provide input. “I’ve asked them to
give me an indication of what their
population management plans are and
Queensland’s a critical state for that,
because the economy and the geography
is diverse. Cairns is a regional area that
is growing but the policy will be locally
led and very ear-to-the-ground on Saskia and the PM
where it works and where it doesn’t.”
Of course, services and infrastructure
would have to be able to support
population growth and the Prime
Minister was in Cairns to announce
a $60 million investment to elevate
Cairns Hospital to a level six university
hospital, which will help negate the
need for patients to travel to Brisbane
for treatment.
“The people of Cairns know the
challenges facing the hospital,” he said.
“This will mean world class research and
health facilities for Cairns.“
When asked about a funding
commitment for another major
project, an upgrade to Cairns port, the

37 • tropicnow.com.au