17 Cut cost of water for sugar growers

THEY were cruising along to their best year in more than a decade before COVID wiped them out, now Longboard Bar and Grill hopes the next big set rolls through so they can get back on their feet.

Owner Chris Haddad said the easing of restrictions from one person per 4sq m to one per 2sq m would make the world of difference.

“It would be a completely new business,” Mr Haddad said. “Right now, we’re only open five days a week and we’re usually operating seven days a week. With the no-standing rule, Christmas parties and other large functions we hold throughout November and December won’t be able to happen. That’s our bread and butter.

“Those months are when you get money in the bank before things go quiet in February and March.

“We’re in an iconic location, but with these numbers, we just can’t justify opening seven days a week. Our margins are small and everything is about turnover in this industry.

“With that being limited, it feels like you’re working harder not smarter.”

Mr Haddad said he spent a lot of time telling would-be patrons “no” and “I’m sorry” as the business is restricted to seating 100 people.

“The government is going to open up to more NSW

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the move would free up travel into Queensland for another 152,000 residents in northern NSW.

“These are people who might live in NSW but very often they feel a closer affinity to Queensland,” he said.

“They live closer to Queensland than they do to Sydney. Many of us see these places, like Byron and Ballina, as local places and this means that we postcodes, so I’ll just have to turn more people away.

“There might be seven guys who come down to the bar for a drink after work and if at 5.30pm my dinner reservations are full, I have to kick them out. That’s killing me to do that.

“When you’ve got nearly 10,000 people going to the stadium, nearly 15,000 going to a fight … it’s almost like they forgot about us (hospitality industry).

“You try not to look at the double standards, but it does get to you. And you hear there are some people who aren’t playing by the rules.

“We were on track for our biggest year in 13 years before COVID. Townsville has the ability to support each other.

“I’m just looking forward to telling people we’re back.”

Townsville Enterprise director of visitor economy Lisa Woolfe said restrictions needed to be eased. “Before COVID-19, Townsville’s tourism and hospitality sector was tracking strongly in the right direction, experiencing growth across 2018-19 with an increase in jobs, as well as the industry’s direct economic contribution growing by 2.3 per cent,” Ms Woolfe said.

“This is an industry that prior to … the devastating impacts of COVID-19, supported more than 8000 local jobs and contributed $1.2bn to our regional economy.” will be able to travel there, residents from there will be able to travel here relatively freely for health care, for work, to visit family and/or friends.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was “common sense” to expand the border bubble between Queensland and NSW.

“I think that will just further assist getting people back into jobs and making sure that we live alongside the virus and not have the virus dictate how we live,” he said.

Business and tourism leaders on both sides of the border welcomed the relaxation.

“It’s a ray of sunshine in a grim scenario,” Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind said.

“The case for the full reopening of the border with NSW is strengthening by the day but this is certainly a very welcome first step.”

THE sugar industry has called for permanent irrigation water charges relief ahead of the October state election.

It has been campaigning for a drop in charges for months after the Queensland Competition Authority recommended another increase when the state government’s freeze ends in May next year.

But an industry meeting with state government Natural Resources Minister Dr Anthony Lynham has left the Australian Sugar Milling body feeling optimistic the government may give farmers some relief.

The Liberal National Party and Katter’s Australian Party have already made commitments to cut irrigation water charges by almost 20 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday said the government would consider KAP’S proposal to cut charges by 25 per cent.

ASMC chief executive David Pietsch said a cut to irrigation costs would in turn boost productivity and production and boost the region’s economy.

Mr Pietsch said the cost of irrigation had incrementally risen and it was time for a “reset”.

On average, water irrigation prices have gone up about 4 per cent each year and Mr Pietsch said now was not the time for another increase.

“(Water charges) already too unaffordable for many growers, and why the mills are concerned is obviously if the grower feels it’s too expensive to irrigate, (the farmers) crops will be lower … and that is less cane coming to the mill, which means less activity in the mill which means less jobs which means the economy, regionally suffers,” he said.

Mr Pietsch said he believed the organisation had put forward a compelling case to the minister.

“The minister was certainly sympathetic to the challenges facing the sugar industry now and into the future, however the government has yet to commit to the certainty the industry requires on water charges,” he said.

Wilmar Sugar, which operates the four mills in the Burdekin, has backed the ASMC’S pleas.

“The viability of our mills hinges on a secure supply of sugarcane, and that is directly linked to affordable irrigation,” general manager operations Mike Mcleod said.

“The Burdekin is one of the most productive sugarcane growing regions in the world and water is a key input. Without affordable irrigation water, productivity will fall.

“That would put both the growing and milling sectors under pressure.”

Dr Lynham did not respond to questions by deadline.

LITTLE Judd Cantrill has spent half of his life in hospital more than 230km away from his home in Orange — and he is only two years old.

After struggling with respiratory issues since he was six weeks old, Judd was eventually diagnosed with a rare condition — trachebronchomalacia or TBM. It has caused a collapsed airway, a hole in his heart and malrotation of his stomach and intestines.

And in July last year, Judd stopped breathing and was immediately flown to Westmead Children’s Hospital.

His parents Alana and Josh were devastated and their whole life was “turned upside down”.

For the next 164 nights, the Cantrill family called Ronald Mcdonald House home. Then last month Judd’s health deteriorated and he underwent an operation yesterday.

“At this stage we don’t know how long we are back in Sydney for (because) we weren’t expecting to be back at this time,” Mrs Cantrill said.

Each year Ronald Mcdonald House supports more than 2000 families. To raise money for the service, the family have launched “Ride for Judd”, which will see Mr Cantrill and 14 friends leave the Westmead House on bicycles next month bound for Orange. It follows a similar “Run for Judd” last year which raised $30,000 for needy families.

At their second home Ronald Mcdonald House are two-year-old Judd Cantrill, sister Harper, mum Alana and dad Josh.

Picture: TIM HUNTER