No images? Click here Council reaffirms water security as top priorityCouncil has reaffirmed that the Cairns Water Security – Stage 1 project (CWSS1) remains its number one advocacy priority and that additional funding commitments will be sought from the State and Federal Governments. The $472 million project will help meet the future drinking water needs of a growing Cairns population and provide critical disaster resilience for the Cairns Water Network. Council unanimously reconfirmed Cairns Water Security – Stage 1 as its number one advocacy priority. Council also repeated calls for Federal and State Governments to increase their commitments to $236 million each and fully fund the project. Did you Meet the Buyer earlier this month?Around 100 local small business owners came along to our annual Meet the Buyer event on Wednesday 1 May - a speed networking event and business expo to mark the start of Queensland Small Business Month. Presented by Cairns Regional Council in partnership with the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, the event hosted construction companies working on the Cairns Tropical Enterprise Centre, HMAS Cairns upgrades, Cairns Hospital Expansion and Cairns Water Security Stage 1 Project. Small and family businesses in Cairns were given the opportunity to connect one-on-one with large buyers from the public and private sector who regularly buy goods and services. Those who attended were able to identify tender opportunities, understand local procurement needs, increase their business exposure, grow their network and secure new contracts. Queensland Small Business Month 2024 runs from Wednesday 1 May to Friday 31 May and celebrates small businesses that make a vital contribution to our economy. FNQ’s Big Build gets big boost to trainingThe new Queensland Skills Strategy will allow more free TAFE places for Cairns locals who have never been able to afford training to gain new skills to enter or re-enter the workforce. This initiative also means more locals can train and upskill closer to home, rather than having to leave the region to get the skills they need for their career. The Cairns region is predicted to employ more than 142,000 workers by 2025-26 – a 7.5% rise from 2021-22. This training will be critical to meet the demand triggered by $1.7 billion investment for Far North Queensland in the Big Build, which alone is creating an estimated 4900 jobs. What does the Budget mean for your business?The 2024-25 Federal Budget was announced on 14 May. Find out what's available and what it means for your business. From energy rebates to instant asset write-offs, cyber security and AI, you can find more information on the Budget priorities at https://budget.gov.au/. Council news in briefFunding sought to help inner city housingCouncil has applied for $655,000 in Federal Government funding to help deliver a roadmap to guide infill housing in the Cairns CBD. Read more. Economic impact of flooding eventTropical Cyclone Jasper and the associated flooding event is estimated to have had a $390 million adverse impact on the Cairns economy. Read more. Strong focus on regional arts investmentCouncil is looking to enter into a four-year agreement with Arts Queensland worth $960,000 to support for arts and cultural initiatives through the Regional Arts Development Fund. Read more. Council supports Cairns Marine PrecinctCouncil has approved an application from Ports North for the permanent closure of a road reserve to assist with the development of the Cairns Marine Precinct.. Read more. 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 eventsMastering Financial Resilience Workshop Join Ernst and Young for an informative session on bolstering your financial resilience. Learn the essential strategies for collating, safeguarding your financial and business information, how to access vital data, prepare your emergency business kit for unforeseen challenges and much more. Cost: Free Regional Jobs Committee: Marketing Masterclass with Andrew Griffiths Are you a small business owner, in sales or marketing? This marketing masterclass will help you understand how to elevate your brand, define yourself, attract more customers and become an employer of choice. Cost: $25 Write an Effective Capability Statement Workshop This free workshop is designed to guide local businesses with tips on how to create an effective capability statement. Plus, you will get the chance to develop your pitch, so that you stand out from the crowd at an industry buyer events.
Improve Your Chances to Win Work and Deliver Workshop This 1-hour workshop is designed to help your business improve your chances of winning work by providing helpful tips, to prepare and submit well written and conforming tenders, as well as understand the requirements to deliver contracts.
Regional Jobs Committee: Leading RIGHT When you better understand yourself and your leadership style, you can lead with authenticity, articulate your vision to your team, convey your ideas effectively and inspire others to action. Foster a culture of trust, collaboration and mutual respect in your workplace and become an employer everyone wants to work with and for. Cost: $15 Cyber Security and DISP Webinar The Australian Defence Force is committed to working with Australian businesses to help build a strong Sovereign industrial capability. This webinar will provide information to your business on the appropriate cyber security requirements, how to protect your business and what the Defence industry expects of you. Cost: Free Shopify Fundamentals The workshop will be practical and hands-on, and includes eCommerce fundamentals to help make online sales. Cost: Free 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. Click below to visit Business Queensland's Event Calendar. Grants and business supportDefence and Aerospace Industry Development (DAID) Fund Business Basics Program Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Grant (MEEG)
Program Queensland Business Energy Saving and Transformation Rebates Find a grant Queensland Government: Australian Government: 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. |