CairnsLife Magazine September 2016

LIFE In Your Opinion
“Since Aquis has shelved its plans for a casino, do you think the region
needs a big ticket tourism project. If so, what would you like to see?”
TONY WILLIAMSON
Broker/Owner
RE/MAX CAIRNS
Like a lot of Cairns people I was shocked
and saddened to see the announcement
that Aquis was not going to happen.
With Cairns in a real estate slumber since
2007, the whole industry looked forward
to Aquis and the flow-on effect that this
new development would have on the
region. The Cairns economy thrives on
tourism and development, and Aquis
ticked all the boxes in the quest for a
buoyant Cairns again.
What now? We need to push on and
show Cairns off to the world. If we can
encourage more private and/or public
investment in Cairns, we will all win.
VOX
POPS
ASHLEY BALDERSON
Director
STATUS PLUS
No one could argue that a major tourism
project would not provide a significant
economic boost for the region.
The international focus it would provide
would re-ignite the attraction to our
region and, given world events and our
dollar, it would seem that we are well
placed for this to happen.
However, some of us in the business
community have been saying for some
time that the vacuum created by the
seemingly perpetual re-announcement
of the various mega projects has a
negative effect on local development and
business.
Whilst we would love to see the skyline
pointed with some tower cranes again,
it is the local development projects that
are keeping the economy moving. The
smaller more modest projects that are
‘real’ don’t seem to get the attention,
and whilst everyone is captivated by
the romantic notion that one of these
mega projects might happen we are
not providing the support for local
development opportunities.
HEATHER GHIDELLA
Owner/Director
MYSTYLE HOMES
Our region would benefit from not only
tourism projects, but any significant
construction project that would generate
business growth opportunities and jobs.
We certainly have licence for additional
infrastructure investment in our region.
For example, The Australia Infrastructure
Plan released this year highlights that
Cairns has been recognised as one of
Australia’s fastest-growing regional
economies and that all levels of
government prioritise infrastructure
investment in regional growth centres,
and particularly highlighted Cairns. It is
projected that by 2031, our region will
be one of the top 10 regional economies
in Australia with $14 billion of gross
regional product, which will create
pressure without further investment.
We are looking forward to seeing the
positive changes coming from projects
like the $50 million Cairns Aquarium,
which is expected to attract over 500,000
visitors per year, and the Mount Peter
Edmonton Business & Industry Park
development, which will be a master
planned employment area of 212
hectares, with the potential to generate
approximately 2804 jobs.
at the Beach
BOTH
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CairnsLife 6 Magazine