Media Statement - 12th November 2007
A Rudd Labor Government will invest $1.5 million in the Cairns Multi-Sport Stadium, Simon Crean, Shadow Minister for Trade & Regional Development and Jim Turnour, Candidate for Leichhardt announced today.
The project will be established in Edmonton - a major growth centre for the Cairns region which is expected to house 60,000 people by 2036. The stadium will provide much needed sport and recreation facilities in the fast growing southern Cairns Growth corridor.
‘Jim Turnour has championed this project and worked with the community to make it happen’, Mr Crean said
`He knows that rapid growth creates pressure on infrastructure and a high proportion of young people in this community deserve appropriate sport and recreation facilities to enhance quality of life,’ Mr Crean said.
The project is central to Cairns City Council’s Sport & Recreation Facility Needs Study for Edmonton which has been developed in consultation with the local community, schools, police and young people.
The Study identified that the key need in the community is a multi-purpose facility for young people to be run by Cairns Basket Ball in partnership with the Police Citizen‘s Youth Centre.
The project is being driven by Cairns Basketball Inc which has support from the Cairns City Council.
Federal Labor’s funding commitment will kick-start this initiative which is to include a multi-sport indoor stadium and an indoor multi-purpose youth space.
This important project will be funded under Labor’s new Better Regions program to meet the challenges of this fast growing region, improve liveability and create jobs.
Not since Federal Labor’s Better Cities program, has there been a strategic vision to inject funding into infrastructure to renew and sustain growth corridors.
Today’s announcement is on top of more than $250 million already committed to projects by Federal Labor to help the region plan for future growth, including:
- $150 million for the Cairns Southern Motorway
- $40 million to raise the southern approach to the Mulgrave River Bridge
- $ 8 million for MRI and Chemotherapy Mixer for Cairns Base Hospital
- $ 5 million to construct a GP Super Clinic
- $52.5 million for the James Cook University School of Tropical Dentistry
- $1.5 million for the Cooktown Events Centre
These investments are key to creating a vibrant, diverse and attractive region in Far North Queensland and are yet another example of Labor’s commitment to regional and urban development.