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What a plan that Mayor Val Schier, Bill Calderwood, Russell Beer and Jeremy Blockey have come up with in solving the down-turn of Cairns, 4 months plus as a think-tank only to come up with a three point plan ‘the relief, recovery and reform plan’ in The Weekend Post last Saturday 24 October 2009.

What’s already funded locally in relation to this plan by the State and Federal government? How viable is this in benefiting the community when we already have investments in performing arts centres within and around Cairns.

In the idea of creating a luminous volcano shaped performing arts centre, theatres such as Jute that have built-up a solid foundation in multi cultural arts and performance in theatre with strong community, aboriginal and islander support, what happens to these companies if they are replaced by a luminous volcano.

Asking for local State and Federal funding in producing projects that other cities in this state already have indicates that we as a city cannot function as a business district if we have to depend on handouts by not producing financial gain as a viable competitor against southern cities.

Asking for money to assist in building a plaza that is half finished is no business nor any benefit to the State or Federal government, it’s the responsibility of our cities local council to fund not the governments.

Producing employment is guaranteed via this three point plan to lower the 12.5% unemployment rate we already have; how many new jobs can be produced in accordance to the project for locals other then holiday makers via the council not local business investments? How much employment will be lost in the transition of funding this three point plan with the creation or should I say replacement of current cultural centre projects.

Why is a viable inlet directly in-front of the lagoon unmaintained going to waste?, the beach and drainage unmaintained going north of the lagoon, the land to the north of the lagoon that could be developed and designed according to the lagoon theme not being invested in? Why hasn’t parks and wild life been directed to develop and maintain this waterfront? What accomplishment will this three point plan bring in the ways of producing tourism in our city, how does this meet overseas travellers needs and expectations.

Here backpacker and tourism operators have become the backbone in providing the services and entertainment requirements for travellers holding this city together, rather than the council not putting enough support nor backing into small businesses that are drying up and going broke.

Gaining building permits for enterprises wanting to invest, for instance the theme park designated for cairns still stuck in red-tape for over 6 months now seems to drag, the council seems to encourage delay and dicking enterprisers around when it comes to development to the point they pull out, invest and develop elsewhere.

Where is the correct public transport according to the city’s population, not to mention beach access?, there is no natural gas buses for long distance routes such as the rangers, beaches and palm cove etc under the government’s and councils project for a cleaner environment? What’s been done by the council for businesses in our far city over the last two years in the ways of working together in the development of a vibrant city suppling the services required by travellers.

Should the government hand us money to fund these projects when other cities fund their own projects or should our councils committee go back to the drawing board to come up with better strategies in producing better services and income to this city via the base plan of what travellers come here for, The Sun, Tropical Forests, Sea and Entertainment!.

Coming up with viable ideas are great when they are new and different from other cities, these ideas need to be designed with your own city in-mind, the people that come here and image protrude that’s of a positive sense, excitement and the generations that invest (age groups according to percentage of visitors), that supports the us rest.

Brett J Hutton

http://www.bretthutton.bravehost.com