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Local News
SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
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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
VOLLIES CRISIS STRIKES REGION
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Role models impress boss Page 3
Volunteers, such as Michele Creecy at the Cairns Museum, are urgently needed at the museum, FNQ Volunteers and other community, charitable and sports groups. FULL STORY PAGE 5 Picture: Cairns Museum
Target: $13bn
l Time Out
Rocketman’s three shows Pages 16
Ambitious strategy to grow region’s economy revealed l CA IRNS REGION | Nick Dalton THE Cairns economy is expected to grow by another $1.5 billion to top $13bn by 2026. The Cairns Regional Council’s 2022-2026 economic development strategy shows the
region’s economic output was currently $11.46bn. The job market is also thriving, with employment up to 88,563 jobs, reflecting nearly an eight per cent increase in jobs since 2020. Cr Matthew Tickner told last week’s council meeting that the report by the council’s economic development and advocacy
directorate was the result of the “a tight, lean and mean fighting machine”. He said the report showed the region was meeting the strategy’s ambitious targets. Cr Brett Moller said the report revealed the region was “positively tracking” towards its goals and that 15,000 new
jobs would be created by 2026. There was a rise in new jobs of 6482 between 2020 and 2023. He said the aim was to become a “smart green economy … it’s the new frontier and an opportunity for investors … we want to lead in this regard”. The report highlighted the significant pipeline of major
projects in the Cairns region in coming years. Councillors have toured the Cairns Marine Precinct in Portsmith, where they saw first-hand how investments in the proposed common user facility, shipyards and defence sector are laying the groundwork for even more growth.
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AFL Cairns seniors’ finals Pages 27, 28
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