No Images? Click here Amendments to CairnsPlan 2016 and new rules for digital signageCouncil recently endorsed amendments to the CairnsPlan 2016, Local Law No. 1 and Local Law No. 4 to incorporate new rules for advertising devices. The changes follow a review which looked at preparing a contemporary policy on advertising devices for the region. The changes, which came into effect on 9 September 2019, allow for digital signs in appropriate locations. Restrictions apply to residential streets, areas with sensitive environments and identified character precincts such as Palm Cove, Edge Hill, Freshwater, Stratford and beachfront areas. The new rules aim to protect the character and amenity of the region, while providing options for businesses and organisations to promote their offerings. Council encourages businesses to take the opportunity to review their advertising signage to remove old or damaged signs to improve the effectiveness of signage for their business. CBD updateCouncil recently appointed a new CBD Place Manager to provide a direct link between city traders, Council management and elected representatives on specific issues, challenges and opportunities in the city centre. The CBD Place Manager will engage with stakeholders and property owners on operational matters ranging from regulatory issues to CBD activation initiatives, as well as major infrastructure projects including delivery of the City Centre Master Plan and Esplanade Dining Precinct. You can
contact the new CBD Place Manager, Mr Dion Eades, by email cbdplacemanager@cairns.qld.gov.au. Cairns, so much more than tourism…While the tourism sector remains vitally important, Cairns’ economy enjoys a diverse mix of major sectors such as Marine, Aviation, Education, Health and Life Sciences, Food and Agribusiness, and Construction and Property. In the next series of newsletters we will provide a small snapshot of each of these sectors, starting with Marine, which does have some overlap with tourism but is a significant sector on its own. Cairns has a thriving marine precinct, including 3 shipyards - BSE Maritime Solutions, Norship, and Tropical Reef Shipyard- as well as HMAS Cairns naval base and Defence contractors within a concentrated footprint close to the city centre. The city is also home to the Great Barrier Reef International Marine College which supplies skills and expertise required to support the sector. To discover more about the Cairns Marine sector, watch the Advance Cairns video and read the Cairns Marine Precinct Capability Profile (prepared by Advance Cairns with support of the Queensland Government). Marine sector key facts
FNQ Regional Projects Forum, 1 OctoberLooking to find out about key projects and opportunities in the Far North Queensland region? The FNQ Regional Projects Forum on 1 October (7am-11am) is your chance to learn about current and upcoming projects and related supply chain opportunities in the region. Hear valuable market intelligence from Robert Sobyra from Construction Skills Queensland as he shares an outlook for the FNQ construction industry. You'll also hear updates on:
Business intelligence and funding opportunitiesCairns Regional Council's Community Services Grant is now open for community-run events, activities and projects being held from 1 January to 30 June 2020. Eligible events, activities or projects include those which celebrate community-themed initiatives such as Youth Week, First Peoples events (eg. MABO Day, Reconciliation Week), multiculturalism and disability. Community programs and projects are also eligible to apply for funding under this grant stream. The Queensland Government's Back to Work program offers payments to employers of up to $20,000 for employing eligible job seekers. The program is available until 30 June 2020, subject to availability of funding. For assistance, contact Bridget Kelly on 07 4037 3813 or bridget.kelly@desbt.qld.gov.au. Arts Queensland's Arts Business Innovation Fund aims to strengthen not-for-profit arts businesses financially and operationally by responding to innovative business ideas that will achieve an organisation’s mission into the future. For more information, contact an Arts Investment Officer on (07) 3034 4016, 1800 175 531 (toll free), or investment@arts.qld.gov.au. The Queensland Arts Showcase Program provides funding to support individuals, organisations or collectives to deliver vibrant and accessible arts and cultural experiences for Queensland. It aims to grow the arts and cultural sector, strengthen connections with new audiences, develop innovative and quality arts and cultural experiences, and create employment and training opportunities for Queensland’s small to medium arts and cultural sector. The Business Growth Fund is now open for applications. Funding of up to $50,000 (excluding GST) may be provided for eligible business to purchase and implement highly specialised equipment to enable them to move to the next stage of growth. Business events and workshop opportunitiesScreen Queensland meetings: 11-12 September Screen Queensland representative, Rowena “Rosie” Billard, will be in Cairns on 11 and 12 September. Please direct meeting requests to rbillard@screenqld.com.au or 07 3248 05217. Indigenous Digital Marketing workshop: 19 September, 9am-4pm Indigenous Business Australia invites you to this one day workshop to improve and build your marketing plan by using the latest digital marketing tools and techniques. Learn how to apply the fundamentals of marketing to improve your business, gain insights into digital marketing and new channels, find out how to use digital technologies to stay competitive, and apply different digital marketing for B2B, B2C and C2C businesses. Find out more and register online: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/indigenous-digital-marketing-workshop-cairns-registration-65381510859 JCU Full Circle, 21 October, 9am-7pm With sustainability at the top of the agenda for the citizens of today and tomorrow, JCU's one-day hackathon will attract thinkers, doers, and innovators to ideate a future embodying the circular economy. Join students, academics, startups, business leaders and everyone in-between to ideate and create a future FNQ with the circular economy as its epicentre. Find out more and register online: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/full-circle-tickets-70462540355 Boosting female founders: consultations Consultations for the Australian Government’s $18 million Boosting Female Founders Initiative are open. The program aims to remove barriers for women’s economic participation in the workforce by providing access to finance for startups led by women. The Australian Government seeks input on program design and criteria. Feedback can be provided via an online survey or at a focus group (dates & locations to be confirmed). If you are interested in being part of a focus group, send your expression of interest to BFF@industry.gov.au. Read more about the Boosting Female Founders Initiative at https://consult.industry.gov.au/science-commercialisation/bff-design/ PNG newsCouncil has provided funding to Tradelinked Cairns PNG Pacific to prepare a business case on the viability of direct air services between Cairns and Lae. Cummings Economics and Compass Research are undertaking this work, which includes a short survey to help ascertain usage of direct air services from Cairns to Lae and help establish its benefits and viability. If you travel to and from Lae (or intend to in the future), you can take the survey online: http://www.cairnslae.asku.me/. Young Chamber's 365 day challengeThe Cairns Young Chamber encourages local businesses, big and small, to celebrate home-grown talent. Their #cairns365day challenge is a social media campaign where businesses can share their achievements in the last 365 days, as well as positive messages and information about what's important to you in business. The Black Business Finder (BBF) is Queensland's online Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business directory. Commissioned by the Queensland Government's Industry Capability Network, the BBF connects project owners to Indigenous suppliers of goods and services. Share in local dollars?Did you know ... ? Council injected $381 million directly into the Cairns economy last financial year through materials, services and employment. Council advertises tenders, expressions of interest and Requests For Quote in The Weekend Post and on our tenders web page. Free economic dataNeed sound data to keep abreast of key economic changes and make business decisions? Make use of Council's FREE Cairns Economic Profile tool. Powered by economy.id®, it presents easy-to-use data on local industry and economic performance, industry sectors, employment characteristics, infrastructure and assets. Want more Council news? Subscribe now!Keep up to date with all of Council's news and find out about what's happening in your community by subscribing to Council's e-newsletters. We'd love your feedbackWe’re always interested in improving our communications and welcome your feedback on what you’d like to see more or less of. Email us with your thoughts! |