Battle plan is critical for city

MAINTAINING an active construction workforce right now is critical to Cairns keeping its economy in a position it can gradually build back from after this COVID-19 mess is said and done.

We have some big private sector projects happening right now, with The Oaks hotel taking shape on the Cairns Esplanade, Frank Gasparin’s million-dollar building renewal at the corner of Abbott and Spence streets and the Kamsler brothers’ former Sejumi Institute transformation to name a few.

The $176 million Cairns Convention Centre expansion is due to begin in May and keep the building closed until November — probably not such a problem given the current travel circumstances — and Ergon Energy will start work today on a

$42 million upgrade to its inner-city facilities.

These are important projects, but they alone will not prop up a region.

The Local Government Association of Queensland’s COVID19 battle plan sets out a pathway that should lead to quickfire construction, training and job security measures for thousands of workers across the region and the state at large.

Now is the perfect time to pull the trigger on works like the $40 million Cairns Gallery Precinct, and to buckle down and carry out intensive innercity construction jobs while the CBD is relatively empty.

The LGAQ’s push is not a silver bullet but it should help keep things ticking along on projects dictated by the level of government that should and does know its communities best.

And as for the Cairns Aquarium — shame on any government that allows that wonderful tourism asset to suffer without any financial intervention.

Chris Calcino chris.calcino@news.com.au