Mayors plan dams request
A DELEGATION of mayors from Ingham to Cooktown is persisting with an upcoming visit to Canberra despite recent political upheaval.
Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils chairman Tom Gilmore said it was time to strike while the iron was hot and push for new dams.
“Given the recent CSIRO study on the Mitchell catchment, that should be the one thing members of parliament in Canberra talk about over breakfast,” the Mareeba mayor said.
“It should be the thing that captures their imagination for the future of this country. This work’s been done. Now it’s time to grasp the nettle.
“We want to go down and talk about those things.”
A group of 12 or 13 mayors, including Cairns Regional Council Mayor Bob Manning, leaves on September 17 for three nights in the capital.
The visit appeared to be on shaky ground a fortnight ago when the Liberal Party descended into leadership chaos.
But with a new prime minister and cabinet in place it is going ahead.
“We represent 18 per cent of land area in Queensland, so it is not an insignificant group of people,” Cr Gilmore said.
“We are a long way from the seat of power in Canberra.
“It’s important we get to know the people, meet them, talk one-on-one and express our concerns about issues that affect our communities,” Cr Gilmore said.
Regional advocacy group Advance Cairns has its own Convoy to Canberra with more than 50 delegates making the trip to Parliament House in October.
FNQROC and Cairns Regional Council both rescinded their Advance Cairns memberships last year and vowed to take on a more proactive advocacy role in-house.
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