Cairns Regional Council has welcomed a focus on regional services in the Federal Budget handed down last week.

A $4.3 billion funding pool was announced to improve regional health services, education and roads.

“I’m pleased the Treasurer has acknowledged the need to invest in regional centres as a population alternative to capital cities,” Cairns Mayor Val Schier said. 

“Education in regional areas has done particularly well in the budget and I would hope JCU gets a significant share of the $500 million regional priorities round of the Education Investment Fund for priorities like their proposed Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine.”

Skilling people for employment was a key component of a difficult budget that put a strong emphasis on lowering the national unemployment rate.

“The $558 million National Workforce Development Fund is a positive move that will help our young people become more employable.  The concern is that it’s one thing to focus on training people for employment, but there needs to be jobs for them to go into,” Cr Schier said, 

“In Cairns, we have higher unemployment than most areas of Australia and we need investment in infrastructure construction to create those jobs.  A $36 billion investment in roads, rail and ports is pleasing but we need to look at the detail to make sure some of this will be coming into the Far North".

“In particular, I hope to see funds coming to Cairns through improvements to the Bruce Highway and a Regional Development Australia Fund allocation to the Edmonton indoor sports centre" Cr Schier said she had hoped to see a commitment to expanding the tourism industry. 

“I was hoping to see a big investment in tourism as part of the rebuilding funds from Cyclone Yasi,” she said.

“We're still looking through the details but there doesn't appear to be any new money for the tourism industry in this budget, which is disappointing. Growing Australia’s tourism profile on an international scale is another vital aspect to job creation in our region and beyond,” Cr Schier said.

“This was always going to be a tough Budget, just as the State and Council Budgets will be. There is money available to regional areas – the real challenge is to ensure it is spent wisely and in those areas with the greatest need.”