Page 44 - Tropic Magazine Issue 26

TROPIC • CAIRNS SURVEY

City directions

OUR CAIRNS
It’s time to have your say in
Cairns Regional Council’s
massive community survey.

Would you like to see single-lane streets
in the CBD?
Should people be allowed to drink alcohol
on the Esplanade, and should Council
start doing suburban security patrols?
Do you think there needs to be more
high-density development, and where
should it go?
Cairns residents now have the
opportunity to voice their opinion on corporate plan, which guides Council
a host of issues as part of the new Our in its decision-making over the next
Cairns community survey. four years and the Our Cairns survey
The Council wants to hear your views provides us with a lot of information
on a plethora of subject matters, that feeds into this document.
including topical issues like whether “Since we did the last survey, our
Cairns needs more police on its streets officers and management refer to the
or if dogs should be allowed in the CBD. views and opinions gathered from
Other questions of interest include the thousands of people who did the
public safety, traffic congestion, survey to guide us in how we consider
disaster resilience, liveability,
diversifying the economy, public
transport, whether Cairns should
host a Schoolies Week, and what the young people being given the chance to
community perceives the health of the It gives us a clear be heard.
Great Barrier Reef to be. indication of what’s “There are a lot of issues that affect
Mayor Bob Manning said the broad youth, yet we rarely get the opportunity
community survey – last conducted in important to our to tell levels of government how we feel
2016 with 6400 respondents – was a community about things such as public transport,
critical exercise for the Council. the availability of events for people our
“The Our Cairns survey seeks to garner Mayor age and how we feel about issues like
the views of our residents on a variety of Bob Manning public safety,” she said.
topical issues as well as questions about Cr Manning said a major concern for the
liveability, the economy and Council’s city was losing the region’s young talent
performance in relation to the delivery new facilities and services because it to larger urban cities in the south.
of services and facilities,” he said. gives us a clear indication of what’s “We want our young people to be able
“We will soon be developing our new important to our community and their to study at university here, access the
main concerns as well.” courses they want and pursue the
For the first time, a special Our Cairns career of their choice without leaving
Youth Survey has been developed to Cairns,” he said. “We need to know
enable young people to tell the Council what prompts them to leave Cairns for
about the sort of city they want to live in higher education so we can retain this
and the facilities and services they need. wonderful local talent.”
“Youth of this city are so important Both surveys can be done online,
because they are the future leaders – it as well as in paper form at Council
is critical to ensure we hear from our libraries and the customer service
young people on a range of issues like centre at 119-145 Spence St, Cairns. The
public transport and safety, and how survey will be available to complete
that affects their lives so we can provide until 5pm October 16.
the things they need to stay in Cairns,
raise a family and pursue a career here,”
Cr Manning said. MORE: cairns.qld.gov.au
Smithfield State High School student
Maddie Canteri was enthusiastic about

44 • Tropic • Issue 26