Page 28 - Tropic Magazine Issue 25

TROPIC • ECONOMY

10 Vision to double FNQ's high
value food exports by 2030
It’s been talked about ad infinitum.
Yes, there’s a renewed push to ramp
up our agricultural exports out of
8 $50 million CQU Cairns Cairns Airport. At least now there’s
campus a comprehensive strategy document
This is a no-brainer. Despite the with a view to making it happen.
barrage of COVID-related hits to the In a recent report titled Export 2030
– delivering fresh food fast authored by
6 Cairns Maritime university sector in recent months, KPMG, with the input of
the growth of CQUniversity over the
Precinct upgrades past eight years has been bold and FNQ business leaders, key enablers
There’s a lot of potential for growth impressive. The just-released plan have been identified to help double
in the Cairns maritime industry. for a purpose-built campus at the high-value FNQ food exports from
Cairns Airport to $120 million by
From upgrades at HMAS Cairns old Post Office site on Grafton St will
to significant investments by cater to more than 4000 students 2030. The strategy calls for some
obvious, long touted enablers: secure
companies like BSE Maritime by 2030 and support more than 300 new flights and new airlines, utilise
Solutions, there’s a lot for the city to jobs. CQUniversity Vice-Chancellor
look forward to on the waterfront. As Professor Nick Klomp said the existing and future airport facilities
and improve regional infrastructure
Justin Parer from BSE puts it: “BSE “major infrastructure project would
is extremely optimistic about the inject over $500 million into the such as water and roads. Now, to
manifest the words in a report into
future of the Cairns Marine Precinct. Cairns regional economy over the tangible results.
We have invested heavily already next 10 years, in the form of jobs,
and are looking at the next stage of local procurement and student
expansion which will deliver over $50 expenditure”. Now, we just need the
million of infrastructure. When built, Federal Government to stump up the
that infrastructure will need skilled $50 million in cash.
trades people to support it and we are
going to be investing in our people.
It is easily conceivable that we will
quadruple in staff size and be directly
employing over 400 people here in
Cairns. Exciting times.” Cairns also
needs to get louder about being
Northern Australia’s leading strategic 11 Biggest capital works
naval port in light of escalating expenditure in Cairns
territorial tensions in the South Regional Council history
China Sea. The Federal Government 9 Re-opening of Cairns
says the total committed spend for Convention Centre Despite some financial woes caused
HMAS Cairns is $635 million over the by COVID-19 pandemic, Cairns
next decade. Bring it on. Putting aside some controversy over Regional Council’s 2020-21 Budget
this project, the $176 million upgrade contained a record $181 million
7 Local home building boost to the Cairns Convention Centre capital works program, the biggest
By all accounts, the home building looks splendid. Delivering an extra in its history. The spending includes
industry has ticked along at 10,000 sq/m of meeting, banquet and $60 million for water and waste
a reasonable rate during the exhibition space, the redevelopment infrastructure, $43.5 million for
coronavirus pandemic. Stimulus will be delivered in two stages. First improvements to the city’s transport
spending to encourage new home stage: a refurbishment of the existing and drainage network and $28
builds has been a massive help. Centre, including the Auditorium, million for the Esplanade Dining
Eligible first home buyers can access Arena and existing meeting rooms. Precinct project, among other
up to $45,000 in grants until the end Second stage: This is the expansion projects. Council says approximately
of the year. Vacancy rates remain phase, with new spaces available to 90% of its capital works expenditure
tight in Cairns and interest rates will event planners in early 2022. They say is spent locally on employment,
stay at record lows, so there should it’ll bring 20,000 extra visitors to the materials and services, so it’s a
be a pipeline of people needing new region and inject up to $50 million significant economic boost over the
homes over coming years. into the local economy annually. next 12 months.

28 • Tropic • Issue 25