by Mat Churchill


Mayor Val Schier spoke with The Newsport yesterday while she was at the Botanic Gardens in Cairns to draw attention to the new $4.6 million Visitor Information Centre which has just had its foundations poured.

We raised issues that are close to the hearts of Port Douglas residents and here is what she had to say.


HOT TOPIC 1: INFRASTRUCTURE

The Newsport: How do you respond to comments that there has been a lack of investment in infrastructure in Port Douglas from Cairns Regional Council and Douglas Shire Council previously?

Val Schier: I guess people need to tell us what sort of investment they're talking about, what do people want built that they don't think Council is building?

My Council actually has just done a really detailed plan that is going to transform the entire waterfront and it's such an investment in the future but because it has been so contentious and so complex that's taken a very long time to get agreement.

When I say to them what should we be building, all someone tells me is an evacuation centre. Well an evacuation centre isn't going to create jobs but the lagoon pool. . .all of those things along there in that public space will.

I agree . . there's been no federal investment there for the last decade or more.  I mean Warren Entsch was up there saying that we could have the lagoon pool built by March, and I'm saying well you haven't got a good record of doing things in Port (Douglas).

HOT TOPIC 2: NEW INDUSTRY

TN: With an almost complete reliance on the tourism industry, what can Council do to promote new industries in the region?

VS: New industries are about private enterprise indicating what they would like to do and coming to Council or coming to other authorities and asking for assistance.

Generally local governments don't get in the business of starting up our businesses or industry but we do respond to people who do come in and say can we get some assistance.

But I think one of the things that helps attract industries anywhere is to make sure there are good schools and good health facilities and good cultural facilities and good sporting facilities for their workers.

It's not the business of local government to create industries.

HOT TOPIC 3: COUNCIL RATES

TN: Property prices have reportedly reduced by 20-50% in Port Douglas in the last few years. Why isn't this reduction reflected in people's Council rates?

VS: Our rates are based on the valuations. . .that's supposed to happen in the next couple of months so we'll see what the valuations are. But certainly we need to wait for the State Government valuers.

People have to ask themselves, those people who say that we should drop the rates, is how we're actually going to build the infrastructure that they want if they think we need to reduce rates.

There's increasing demands on government and people saying that local government should be stimulating industry . . .we can't do that by lowering rates.

TN: If property values are deemed to be less than two or three years ago, does that automatically mean that rates will correspond to that lesser value?

VS: No it doesn't mean that at all. The thing is that in terms of the budget  we still need to have that yield that is going to deliver the culverts and the bridges and all those other things, you know, they don't diminish.

HOT TOPIC 4: OUR FUTURE

TN: How do you see Port Douglas changing over the next ten years?

VS: I would like to see that Port Douglas still has its character and laid back lifestyle but that it has been revitalised and refreshed. And I'm hoping that the new owner of Sheraton Mirage will really just give it a facelift there.

I would think it would have a stunning world class waterfront, whilst still retaining its character and charm.