November 27, 2009
A new State Government jobs plan for Cairns includes a $2.5 million funding injection to help grow the local marine industry.
Premier Anna Bligh announced the funding today while in Cairns to launch the jobs plan and said the money would be used to establish an inshore craft training simulator and maritime safety facility at the Great Barrier Reef International Marine College.
"Construction of the $8 million College, which will be situated in the Cairns Port precinct, will commence in February," she says.
"This extra $2.5 million will ensure that the Marine Training College is a one-stop-shop for marine training for the region, which means more local jobs and more international and national students flocking to Cairns."
Bligh says $1.5 million will go towards a marine safety training resource at the college.
"There is enormous demand for this in Cairns - currently, deckhands and other trainees have to travel to Brisbane or Sydney to do water-based simulated safety training," she says.
"The remaining $1 million is slated to build an inshore craft simulator at the College for training on small boats, barges, catamarans and tourist charters - training that is currently undertaken in Freemantle in WA."
Bligh says the marine sector is vital to Cairns and Far North Queensland with growth opportunities in training and education, defence shipbuilding, port expansion and marina expansion.
"The region, which includes Cairns, Weipa, Port Douglas, Cooktown and the Torres Strait, has enormous competitive advantages for the marine industry.
"It currently turns over $670 million a year and employs almost 4500 people but there is still room for growth.
"Cairns is considered one of Australia's largest marine tourism, fishing and coastal shipping ports and is the marine capital of the country's north.
"Outside of Sydney, it's the most visited port for major cruise ships. It's the major marine training location for Queensland TAFE, has two commercial fishing bases, a naval base, a thriving superyacht industry and the largest concentration of dive tourism industry in the country.
"In establishing the college we skill up a whole new work-force and have the ability to attract students to Cairns from across the Asia Pacific," she says.