BRIEFING NOTES BRISBANE and CANBERRA 17-19 SEPTEMBER 2018

October 11, 2018 2 Comments
  1. Cairns Admiralty Island Freight Park. The link to this project is here. http://enterprisenorth.org.au/current-projects/admiralty-island/ A separate hard copy presentation will be provided to support the discussion;
  2. Cairns Marine Maintenance Hub ( Common User Facy). A commitment to the funding of this project was made by the Federal Government in 2016 as part of a package of commitments to guarantee sustainment and maintenance work to the port of Cairns for naval vessels post 2020. Progress thus far is limited to three payments of $8M to individual companies within the existing precinct for agreed asset upgrades. Since the time of the announcement in 2016 there appears to be no agreed plan from Ports North as to how this project might materialise. DSD commissioned a GHD study examining the requirements of a CUF in 2016 which provided some options as to how that might be achieved, however the report has not seen the light of day. There is no clear direction regarding future options for the development of the CUF and whether future commonwealth funding will be available and under what conditions. There is speculation now that in the absence of a planned rollout and commitment to the initial federal funding commitment, including the provision for a syncrolift asset, the maintenance opportunity might be lost to Darwin. The ask: A commitment from both State and Commonwealth Governments to an agreed rollout of marine services upgrade within an agreed ownership and planning framework to ensure the viability of future promised defence marine sustainment contracts as well as the future development of a viable super yacht marine sustainment industry;
  3. Nullinga Dam/Bulk Water Storage. Building Queensland is two years into a Federally funded feasibility and business case study of the project. The issues always get back to the pricing of any off take agreements and the ownership and ongoing operating costs of the end asset. Enterprise North is signalling its support  for ongoing advocacy to ensuring that construction of Nullinga Dam is commenced within the next 5 years. The ask: That the Commonwealth and State Governments commit to funding 100% of the construction costs of the dam and distribution infrastructure;
  4. National Land Transport Network. We encourage the ongoing review of the NLTN and in particular the relationship of this to nationally important intermodal logistic solutions. This is particularly important to our region when read in context with A. above where it is proposed that road and rail terminate together at the Cairns Port. Additionally we see a need for a proper assessment be done on the priorities for Commonwealth expenditure on the question of the national highway extension in Cairns and question the need and emphasis placed on an extension to the Smithfield roundabout as part of the “proposed” Cairns Ring Road project being championed by Advance Cairns and others ahead of more pressing city/regional connectivity priorities viz Kuranda Range Road. On the face of it, it would appear that a continuous rolling upgrade of this vital link to the productive and growing Cairns hinterland would provide greater positive regional economic and social impact. Enterprise North will continue to make the case with the Queensland and Federal Governments that funding resources for our roads are correctly and dispassionately prioritised. The same comments apply to future funding arrangements under the ten year Roads of Strategic Importance initiative (RoSI) for Northern Australia.

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