Media Releases for Cape York

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Figured this would be a good place to post all 'new' media releases that I get sent from the appropriate departments.

I hope these are of some use to you.....

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Friday March 26 2010

Cook MP Jason O’Brien has announced funding for four Far North Queensland organisations in the final round of the Queensland Government’s Community Memorials Restoration Program.
The four projects, worth more than $75,000, are at Weipa, Mapoon, Thursday Island and Coen.
“These projects help communities express themselves and the values they stand for,” Mr O’Brien said.
“They also help reflect the history of the communities and most importantly the individuals who lived in them.
“I think that although this is a relatively small program in the wider scheme of a state budget of $XX billion, it is one that is extremely important because it goes right to the heart of community life. It helps us celebrate who we really are.”
The Weipa RSL Sub Branch will receive $25,000 form the Queensland Government to help renew and enhance the Weipa War Memorial.
The Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council will receive $25,000 to restore a war memorial built around a Second World War Japanese anti-shipping mine.
The Torres Shire Council will receive more than $11,250 to enhance the recognition of local service men and women through the Torres Strait Veteran’s Memorial on Thursday Island.
The Cook Shire Council will receive more than $14,000 to map, survey and digitise the Coen Aboriginal and European cemeteries and for repair and restoration work.
The Bligh Labor Government said that in 2009-10, Community Memorials Restoration Program grants totalling more than $598,000 had been allocated to 53 restoration projects across Queensland.
Since the program commenced in 2004-05 more than $3 million has been committed towards restoring and repairing more than 290 memorials or icons, restoring historical grave sites and digitising historical cemetery records.

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Friday March 26 2010
The Queensland Government and Cook Shire Council have reached agreement to ensure gravel for road maintenance on the Cape can be undertaken with minimum environmental impact.
Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones, the Member for Cook Jason O’Brien and Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott said today that the Department of Environment and Resource Management and Cook Shire Council were working together to address immediate issues and find long-term solutions.
“Director-General John Bradley and other senior government representatives met with Cook Shire Mayor, Peter Scott and Member for Cook Jason O’Brien in Brisbane to discuss the ongoing maintenance of council roads in Lakefield National Park and other areas across Cape York Peninsula,” Ms Jones said.
Mr O’Brien said: “The meeting was very positive and the council and DERM have an agreed process to resolve the immediate issues for road repairs following the wet season.”
Ms Jones said the council maintained a number of gazetted roads that traversed protected areas, in particular Lakefield National Park, a biodiversity-rich haven with coastal estuaries, mangroves and mudflats, wetlands, vast grasslands and woodlands.
“It’s important that we maintain the roads while taking care of Lakefield National Park, which is a refuge for threatened species such as the golden shouldered parrot, star finch and the red goshawk,” she said.
Cook Shire Council Mayor Peter Scott said that after the wet season, both parties are taking steps on the ground to ensure repairs to damaged roads could progress so that the council could provide safe roads for the upcoming tourism season.
“I am confident that together we can find a solution to this problem,” Mr Scott said.
“Roads closures are a big problem in this part of the world and while we can’t control the elements, I believe we can arrive at viable solutions on how we maintain our roads.
“We must work quickly and cooperatively to come up with sustainable solutions as the demand for gravel and water resources to maintain our roads increases every year and the extraction arrangements we have in place are no longer sufficient.”
Ms Jones said that Cook Shire Council had advised that heavy rain and severe flooding this wet season has led to significant damage to both council roads and the highway.
“The problem has arisen where the amount of gravel in road reserves where council historically sourced materials to maintain the roads has been depleted and it is important that council find environmentally responsible long-term solutions.
Ms Jones said the agencies would work co-operatively to address longer-term access to materials for road maintenance, while ensuring environmental considerations are adhered to and the biodiversity values of the area are not damaged.
“Historically the council has maintained the roads by sourcing gravel from within the road reserve corridor but as gravel pits on these sites have been depleted we need to look at options that ensure the Cape remains accessible in an environmentally responsible manner.”
DERM and Cook Shire Council will liaise with other state government agencies as well as the Aboriginal Councils to address the issue.

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Friday March26 2010
Cook MP Jason O’Brien said today work on improving the Peninsula Developmental Road would resume as soon as it was dry enough for roadworks equipment.
The major works to be done this dry season include the sealing of a four-kilometre section and construction of a bridge at Carols Crossing over the Laura River and the sealing of a one-kilometre section and construction of a bridge at Ruths Creek.
A total of $17.6 million is allocated for these projects in the 2009-10 financial year.
“These works are the last major items for this particular section of the PDR, which is between Lakeland and Laura,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Safety and improved travelling conditions for motorists have been dramatically improved through this work.
“Every improvement to the PDR also cuts transport costs for local residents and businesses, and makes the Cape more accessible for tourists.”
At the end of June 2009, a 25-kilometre section was sealed between Lily Creek and Crocodile Gap, south of Laura. An additional two-kilometre section east of Lily Creek was sealed in August using cost savings from the original $21 million funding allocation.
The Bligh Labor Government contributed $11 million to the project and the federal government contributed $10 million.
Mr O’Brien said the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ current aim for the road is to provide sealed overtaking opportunities at regular intervals to improve safety, and to complete the bitumen seal between Lakeland and Laura by the end of next year.
The department is well on track with this work. Sealed overtaking opportunities are now located no more than 40 kilometres apart.
In addition, hard surfaces have been laid in most creek crossings, which has improved access during the wet season. This includes works completed in late 2009 at Sandy and Lakes Creek, north of Laura, the Archer River causeway north of Coen and at Merluna, south of Weipa.
While there is no funding currently available for further upgrades, the department is progressing with planning, and additional projects are currently under discussion with the federal government as part of the Nation Building Program.
“The Peninsula Developmental Road is the social and economic lifeline for communities in the Cape York Peninsula Region,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The state and federal governments will continue to work together to improve this vital road link.
“The road is in better condition than ever because of our cooperation and our joint commitment to regional and rural infrastructure.”