After nearly 12 months of work and advocacy behind the scenes, the Albanese Government has backed the Cairns Water Security Stage 1 project with an additional $87.5 million in funding.

This increases the Federal funding contribution to $195 million, matching the Queensland Government’s commitment. Council is contributing $82 million while also covering the project’s annual operating expenses of approximately $12 million.

After so many months of meetings, letters, reports, phone conversations, and a couple of trips to Canberra to meet and lobby all sides of politics, we finally got the win.

The announcement by the Albanese Government is momentous on two fronts.

First, it secures the future of our water supply to meet our growing population.

Secondly, this funding provides massive cost of living relief for our ratepayers.

The $390 million in total funding from the State and Federal Governments now means our ratepayers will save around $400 per household per year over the next 15 years, at a time when it’s desperately needed.

For me, this final announcement demonstrates the power of Team Cairns.

When we work together, great things happen for our city and community.

There’s a long list of people to thank and congratulate, so I’ll do my best to be brief!

Thank you to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek, Senator Nita Green and Leichhardt’s ALP candidate Matt Smith for making this happen.

I also want to thank Councillors and Council staff who have all worked so tirelessly to make it happen.

Importantly and finally, a very big thank you to our residents and broader community.

You got behind this critical project when we needed it most, and contributed to the outcome we’re celebrating today.

Let’s raise our glasses (of water) and continue to work in the spirit of Team Cairns for the good of our city.