The Port Douglas Waterfront project was dealt another blow yesterday as Council voted in favour of the 'Shields Street Heart' project which will now be submitted for Regional Australia Development Funding.

Council's Helius Visser Manager Infrastructure Management, and Bruce Gardiner General Manager Infrastructure Services, recommended the Cairns-based project to councillors, arguing it was more likely to receive millions in RADF funding than the Port Douglas Waterfront, or the Cairns Rectangular Stadium.

In a report to Council the pair maintained "...the Port Douglas Waterfront and the Rectangular Stadium are significant and important projects..." and that "Other funding opportunities will continue to be pursued for the Port Douglas Waterfront and Rectangular Stadium projects."

Councillors agreed, voting unanimously for the project - with the noted exception of Division 10 councillor Julia Leu.

"Unfortunately we can only put forward one. I believe the Port Douglas Waterfront project has the best chance of success for that particular funding program," Cr Leu said.

"If you look at the selection criteria and the accompanying guidelines it very clearly talks about projects that drive economic growth, projects that are well advanced in their design, consultation, business planning etcetera.

"I suppose more importantly, it has to have a strong alignment with the local regional plan."

Cr Leu said a new selection criteria had been introduced by RADF based on feedback received from previous funding rounds, and these new criteria only strengthen the case for the Waterfront project.

"They don't want to have projects that can be funded by local and state governments. They want innovative and creative projects that really strive for tourism infrastructure that will really make a difference, not just something you would normally fund under local and state government.

"We would have had a better chance for success," she said.



Pictured above: An artist's impression of the Cairns CBD project.

Cr Leu suggested there were other funding programs more appropriate for the Shields Street Heart.

"It's a construction of a road. There's bits and pieces of greenery and all the rest around it, but it's state and local government's responsibility," she said.

"With the CBD one (project) it's not as well advanced at all. In fact they were changing the figures today (Wednesday) in the meeting."

But Cr Leu denied that the looming decision by the State's Minister for Local Government on deamalgamation, which could see the former Douglas Shire face a referendum on the issue, was an influencing factor for other councillors.

"I don't think that does have any influence. I think it's purely because the councillors are naturally more focussed on what's happening in Cairns and south of Cairns.

"If we were our own local government authority like Cook and like Hinchinbrook we could put in our own project, and I dare say it would be our top priority.

"Unfortunately I do see that if we remain amalgamated, in the vast majority of cases, Cairns is going to win out. I've got lots of examples of that in every meeting."

Mayor Bob Manning has repeatedly said publicly the Port Douglas Waterfront project was Council's "top priority". But yesterday's decision appears to be a major backflip despite a statement from Council's Deputy Mayor Terry James explaining the reason for the decision.

Cr James said State Government funding for the Port Douglas Waterfront project was reliant upon leases at Port Douglas being converted to freehold status.

“The State has indicated that the proceeds, or part thereof, of the funds that will be generated by the freeholding of the land will be committed to the waterfront project but until this happens, these funds are not available.

“In all cases, Council must weigh up the information at hand and make the decision based on the best possibility of success,” Cr James said.

“This is what Council has done here. It is troubling to read emails and letters to local newspapers drawing a line between Council opting to put forward the CBD project in preference to the Port Douglas Waterfront as some sort of barometer of the commitment of Cairns Regional Council to the Port Douglas/Mossman/Daintree area.

“This is simply not the case and it is troubling to see that some people are attempting to use this decision as a reason to support de-amalgamation.”