No images? Click here Terry James appointed as new Mayor of CairnsCouncillor Terry James is the new Mayor of Cairns. Mayor James, who has served as Deputy Mayor for the past 11 years, said he would ensure Council continues to deliver for the community in the coming months. Mayor Bob Manning retires from officeOn Friday 17 November 2023, Bob Manning advised the Council and CEO that he would be resigning from the position of Mayor immediately. Cr Manning was first elected as Mayor in 2012, and was re-elected in 2016 and again in 2020. Mr Manning holds the distinction of being the city’s second-longest-serving Mayor and has overseen the delivery of numerous noteworthy projects such as:
Write a message to the outgoing Mayor via Council's website at the link below. Nominations open for vacant Councillor positionNominations are open for the vacant Councillor position on Cairns Regional Council, following the recent resignation of Mayor Bob Manning and appointment of Cr Terry James as Mayor. CEO Mica Martin said Council was following the requirements under the Local Government Act 2009 (LGA) to fill the vacant Councillor position for the remainder of the term. Under the LGA there is no requirement to hold an election to fill the vacant office of Councillor as the vacancy is now too close (within 12 months) to the next quadrennial local government election, set for 16 March 2024. Nominations for the vacant Division 4 Councillor position will close 5pm on Monday 4 December 2023. Save the Date - Meet the Buyer 2024When: Wednesday, 1 May 2024 Council will again partner with the Department of Youth Justice, Employment, Small Business and Training to deliver Cairns' hero event on the Queensland Small Business Month calendar. Meet the Buyer 2024 presents small businesses with an opportunity to meet one on one with large public and private sector buyers to present your goods and services for upcoming procurement in Cairns. We're currently accepting expressions of interest from large, tier one businesses who are interested in increasing their local spend in Cairns. Register your interest today by emailing economicdevelopment@cairns.qld.gov.au. Construction Compliance BlitzWorkplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) has launched a state-wide compliance blitz targeting safe work practices within the construction industry. Every Queensland worker has the right to go to work and come home safe, and this blitz will focus on high-risk activities identified using WHSQ data and intelligence. Be advised that your construction site/s may be visited during the blitz which will run until the end of December 2023. Citizen of the Year AwardsCairns Regional Council's annual Citizen of the Year Awards recognise citizens who have made a major contribution to the community. This is your opportunity to nominate a friend, colleague or relative; someone that deserves recognition for their achievements and contributions to the Cairns community. Their contributions could be through their personal involvement in local clubs, sporting groups, volunteering, charity work, business, cultural or youth groups or those who take on an advocating role to speak up for their community. Nominees must be residents of the Cairns Regional Council area who, through their personal efforts, have made a significant contribution to the community. Nominations close Friday 15 December 2023. Council news in briefWater works to help manage population growth Towards 2050 Scenic Preference Survey Cairns scores with 2023 Great Barrier Reef Masters Games (GBRMG) Seeking support for a Major Events Precinct master plan Major events helps boost Cairns economy Council tenders and procurementCurrent opportunities to tender for Cairns Regional Council work and procurement opportunities are listed below.
Businesses or individuals must create an account in Tenderlink to apply for Council contracts or tenders. You will need your Australian Business Number (ABN) at hand. All current public tenders are also listed on our Tenderlink website. Workshops, training and industry eventse-Invoicing – The Future For Small Business eInvoicing is the new, safer, faster way to send and receive invoices directly through your system or software – ready to be approved and paid. Find out why eInvoicing is the future and how it saves you money, time and effort. Cost: Free BCQ Webinar: Understanding New Limits on Fixed Term Contracts From 6 December 2023, new limitations will apply to fixed term contracts of employment. Join Business Chamber Queensland's Workplace Services Advisory Team to understand these changes and help your business be compliant. Cost: $80 per person 2023 Boating Industry Sustainability and Decarbonisation Briefing Join this industry briefing on the international investigation into decarbonisation and life cycle analysis in recreational and light-commercial boating, and to facilitate discussions on implications for the Queensland maritime industry. Introduction to Defence and Defence Industry Webinar This webinar will help you to demystify the complexities around defence and outline the opportunities, covering topics on introduction to a Defence Prime, the Defence environment, capability procurement, maritime snapshot in Cairns and more. e-meet your small business wellness coaches Join this informative virtual event where you'll have the opportunity to meet with the team of business wellness coaches. Cost: Free BCQ Digital Skills Hub – Online Training Business Chamber Queensland's Digital Skills Hub gives you free access to thousands of training courses. Cost: Free BCQ Workforce Evolve Program – Online Training A Queensland Government funded e-learning program designed to help employers think differently about who they hire and how to retain them in the future. Cost: Free Regional and Rural Digital Skills Program – Online Training Access a variety of short course topics such as coding, data analysis, cyber security, digital marketing, design and more via a free subscription to the online training platform. Digital Solutions Program – FREE webinars Events for every business Find government run or government funded events and training for your business. These events can help you improve your business skills, learn about government grants or grow your network. Grants and business supportSmall Business Skills and Training Boost First Nations Arts Business Hub (FNABH) and
Grants First Nations Arts Business Grants of up to $10,000 are available to support Queensland-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait arts and cultural businesses to purchase services that strengthen their sustainability, skills and capacity. Open until 30 June 2024 or when funds are expended. Australian-ASEAN Council
Grants
This round will close at 11.30pm 17 December 2023. Accessible Tourism Elevate Fund
Local Jobs National Priority Fund Made in Queensland (MIQ) Round 6 Manufacturing businesses Backing Business in the Bush Fund Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Grant (MEEG) Program Queensland Business Energy Savings Transformation Program Find a grant Many grant opportunities are provided on grant and support program websites, including: Queensland Government: Australian Government: Industry in focusThis section features a monthly industry overview and key economic data for priority industries identified in Council's Economic Development Strategy.The Healthcare and Social Assistance industry is the largest in Cairns by value added to the economy and employment. Cairns, as the primary service centre in the FNQ region, plays an important role in supporting the continued growth and development of this industry.Meet Maggie (video below) - a medical student training at Cairns Hospital. Maggie lives down the road from the hospital and walks to work everyday. She enjoys the broad experience that comes with working in a regional location. In 2021-2022, the local healthcare and social assistance industry generated $1.8 billion in total economic impact and supported more than 15,973 jobs in Cairns. Industry quick snippets2024–2025 Regional Community Forums – Are you passionate about your community’s needs and priorities? The Queensland Government is seeking expressions of interest for regional community members to participate in the 2024–2025 Regional Community Forum program.
Applications close at midnight on Friday 1 December. Stop wasting, start saving with ecoBizOne of the biggest expenses for business is water, energy and waste bills. But there’s an easy way to save, through ecoBiz. And the best part is, their services are completely free for Queensland small businesses. With the help of an ecoBiz expert, you will be able to develop an action plan to help your businesses save money and increase efficiencies. With over 1000 businesses registered from all over Queensland, 90% of businesses recorded an increase in productivity and savings. By the numbers
Free access to local economic data for CairnsCouncil can provide project-specific data to assist you to quantify economic impact or jobs created. This can be used to support grant applications, business cases for new projects in the region. To find out more, contact Council’s Economic Development team at economicdevelopment@cairns.qld.gov.au. 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 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. Have your business details changed?Find out who you need to notify to make sure you comply with your legal and tax obligations. Find out more. Council business resourcesVisit our Business and Economic Development web pages. 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. Subscribe to Council's e-newsletters. |