Posted on June 8, 2017
By Janessa Ekert, Cairns Post
THE Port of Townsville has been promised $75 million in next week’s state Budget for the $150 million dredging of its shipping channel.
But there has been no similar pledge for Trinity Inlet in Cairns. An Environmental Impact Statement for the inlet is due to be handed to the government for consideration at the end of this month. It is estimated that the dredging cost for Cairns will be about $120 million.
Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the Townsville project’s EIS had already been completed and lodged, so it was more advanced than Cairns.
He said he considered dredging of the Cairns’ channel a priority. “Absolutely”.
“I have consistently and publicly supported the Cairns Shipping Development Project,” he said.
Mr Pitt said he had worked closely with Ports North over the past two years “to progress this important project”.
But Cairns Port Development president Ron Crew labelled the Townsville decision a kick in the teeth for the region.
“Boy have we been left behind,” he said.
“We’re just being used as a bloody cash cow and to the benefit of other places.”
Mr Crew said the Cairns region served a larger population than Townsville.
“Townsville is going to have the ability to take vessels of 300 metres in length and there’s nothing being said about that for the Cairns port,” he said.
“I will put the state government on notice and all political parties for that matter that Cairns will not be one that gets left behind.”
Deputy opposition leader and infrastructure s[popkesomwan Minister Deb Frecklington said it was a slap in the face for Cairns, which “had $35 million cut from the Cairns Cruise Ship Terminal, while Townsville receives this $75 million injection”.
“Once against Cairns has been dubbed … Cairns has been totally forgotten … and keeps missing out on important, job-creating projects,” she said.
Source: Cairns Post
