Cape York Weekly FREE – #136 | Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Editor Matt Nicholls: 0477 450 558 | editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au
INSIDE TODAY
TYEISHA TAKING OFF Kowanyama’s Tyeisha Clark is on the way to achieving her dream of becoming a pilot. She’s already been in the cockpit in Canberra and hopes to be able to fly to her Cape community later this year. Report – Page 11
ROYSTON READY TO COME HOME Page 3
MARMALADES GO GLOBAL Page 4
Picture: Learn2Fly
Biosecurity officers will be moved on
Facility to shut By MATT NICHOLLS
CAPE York Peninsula will soon be left without a physical biosecurity presence, with the Coen facility to be shut down by the Palaszczuk government by June 30, prompting criticism from biosecurity experts. The decision appears to be a cost-cutting measure and it was done without any real consultation. When word spread last year that the Cape York Biosecurity Centre was earmarked for closure, several graziers and growers pushed for it
Cape York Weekly FREE – #102 | Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Editor: Matt Nicholls 0477 450 558 | editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au
Coen facility faces the chop from state govt
Biosecurity blunder By MATT NICHOLLS Cape York Weekly exclusive
to be kept open, only for their desthat the centre’s long-term future LOCALS TO THE RESCUE perate pleas to fallJeremy onEdwards deafand ears. was reviewed. Amos Dick put their local being knowledge to good use last week in the search for missing woman Juliana Castrillon, who spent four When Cape York Weekly broke While its decision has yet to be days lost in the rainforest south of Cooktown. Cape York Weekly’s Sarah Martin spoke to one of the rescuers, who had an inkling about where he the news of the closure in Septemreleased publicly, DAF says it will would find the missing Colombian national. Full story – Page 5 ber, the Department of Agriculture shut the doors to the centre by the and Fisheries would only confirm end of the financial year. GROWERS and graziers are angry their livelihoods could be placed at risk after the state government said it was reviewing the future of the Cape York Biosecurity Centre. “They should be looking at opening it 24 hours, not shutting it down,” said Merluna Station’s Cameron MacLean. Lakeland’s Joy Marriott added: “It beggars belief that they would be thinking about closing it.” Federal MP Warren Entsch said he would fight to keep the Coen facility open. “It’s absolute insanity if they close it. It would be madness,” the Member for Leichhardt said. Cape York Weekly understands there are two reasons behind the push to close the centre – issues with land tenure and cost-cutting. The former was confirmed by the Department of Fisheries and Agriculture on Friday. “The land the CYBC is located on is included in the Cape York United One Claim and DAF is working with Traditional Owners to work through the claim process,” a spokesperson for Biosecurity Queensland said. Mr Entsch said if land rights were an issue for the state, they had to fight to find a solution. “If the state government can’t reach an agreement with the Cape York Land Council they must find another location.” Continued – Page 2
2023
STATE OF
ORIGIN CARDIAC CHALLENGE RIDE – P10 & 11
WEIPA PIG HUNT – 14 & 15
E VER Y THURSDAY 5 – 7.30PM
JAG THE
JOKER
Sources say the government will hand the keys to the facility to the Southern Kaantju Traditional Owners. The land that the centre was built on is in the middle of a Native Title claim. While the Coen centre was a physical traffic checkpoint, its main advantage was having local staff with decades of experience who could also travel the region to monitor for pests and diseases. Those staff will now be moved to other parts of the state. Continued – Page 2
AUSTRALIA DAY CELEBRATIONS Pages 8 & 9 CAPE EXCITED FOR MUSIC ICON Page 7
MAROONS EYE ORIGIN VICTORY Page 22
GAME 1 WED MAY 31 GAME 2 WED JUNE 21 GAME 3 WED JULY 12
JACKPOTS $100 EVERY WEEK UNTIL THE JOKER IS FOUND! T&C apply ~ one ticket per transaction between 5 – 7.30pm
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