State Ministers in the Crisafulli Government held their first regional Cabinet in Cairns earlier this week. I was grateful for the opportunity to address Ministers and put forward our priorities, both for Council and our city.

I spoke about two pressing issues facing our city and our residents – crime and the flood prone Bruce Highway – that need to be urgently addressed.

In terms of our priority projects, I put forward:

• Housing in the Mt Peter Southern Growth Corridor
• The masterplan and redevelopment of the Barlow Park and Showgrounds Precinct
• The visitor levy to drive tourism growth and provide cost of living relief to ratepayers
• Our vision to be the premier destination for women’s sport

We’ve got a great collaborative relationship with the new State Government. I thank the Ministers for their time and open ears during a range of formal and informal discussions with Council during their stay in Cairns.