A weekly re-cap of the events that have made news in Cairns over the past week.

Monday April 9, 2001 9th Edition

In a very wet Cairns week there has mostly been good news. There is hope that the economy is on the mend with the building industry reportedly recovering quickly with Federal Government initiatives, tourist numbers continuing to be strong and showing signs of growth, the announcement of a $20 million dollar ethanol plant and the filming of two major international films commencing in the coming week. All in all the outlook is good.

Parks sell off to reduce Council operating costs
A proposal has been put forward to sell off local parks that are not being used. The Cairns City Council stated that many parks are the result of land donated by developers as part of a subdivision process. As a result of this many parks are not in prime locations and hence use is minimal however upkeep is considerable. The Council have denied that the concept of selling off some parks is a revenue raising project stating that it is more a waste of ratepayers money being spent on maintaining some poorly positioned and poorly used parks.

Ethanol plant tagged for the far north
Plans to develop the first national ethanol plant to utilise sugar cane to produce an alternative fuel has been earmarked for North Queensland. The initial stage is a $20 million plant that is to be built adjacent to the Mossman Mill. The Federal Government is planning to fund the plant which will be run by BP. This announcement has been welcomed by the Sugar Industry who have been lobbying for alternatives to exporting sugar for international consumption. The industry has struggled in past years due to fluctuating sugar prices and bad weather. The plant is expected to employ 15 full time workers and produce approximately 20 megalitres of ethanol per year by 2003.

Major retailer woes hit Cairns
The National retail chain Harris Scarfe has been placed into voluntary administration following reported discrepancies in their financial position last week. As the third largest retail chain in Australia, the actions of the Harris Scarfe board are being closely scrutinised. In Cairns the Harris Scarfe store employs about 70 staff, who at present still have their jobs, but the future is uncertain.

Survivor in trouble with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority are investigating allegations that participants in the latest Survivor series were filmed removing coral from the Great Barrier Reef as well as flying over a sensitive sea bird rookery. The show has been in trouble with various authorities since airing has begun and there has been considerable public debate that the show was not monitored closely enough when it was being produced in Australia.

Top sausages found in the far north
Two far north sausage makers have taken out awards in the annual "Sausage King Competition", a national award that attracts hundreds of contestants from around Australia. The winning butchers were Bayview Butchers, owned by John and Suzie Clarke who were named the "National Gourmet Sausage King" and Ray Kelso of Mossman Butchering Company took second in the "Fresh Continental Section".

Brothers Leagues Club voted number one again
The Cairns Brothers Leagues Club has been voted the best club in North Queensland for the fifth consecutive year. The judging criteria includes club revenue, number of staff, contributions to the community and a on site assessment of the club and the facilities by a judge from 'Clubs Queensland".

Billy Zane comes back to Cairns
Well known actor Billy Zane has been named as the major actor to appear in the film "The Diamond of Jeru", due to start filming in the region south of Cairns within the next week. Billy Zane is no stranger to Cairns having featured in two movies filmed in the area - Sniper and Dead Calm. This means that that there will be two big budget films, with major international stars, being filmed in the region at the same time (Paradise Found is due to commence in and around Port Douglas in the next week also).

Infamous criminal caught and jailed in Cairns
David Jones, a notorious Victorian criminal who once kidnapped a group of 30 students, demanding over $1 million for their release, has a long criminal record involving violent crimes. He was arrested in Cairns as he attempted to steal a yacht and sail it to the Philippines where his wife lives. Jones had stolen a car in Victoria and driven it to Cairns where he had spent several weeks searching for a suitable yacht for the voyage. He was arrested on the morning that he intended to take the boat.

Pair left stranded on island
A Cairns man and his French companion were left stranded on Hinchinbrook Island for three days after missing their ferry ride back to the mainland. The pair survived on sea snake and coconuts for three days before the ferry returned again. The operators of the ferry company have been accused of being negligent because they failed to notify the authorities that the couple failed to board the vessel for the return journey. They argued that it was not their responsibility to make sure that people boarded the ferry for the return journey and people often came back a day or two later than planned.

Banana disease found in the far North
Approximately 400 North Queensland banana growers are expected to be affected as a result of the discovery of a "black sigatoka" infestation in Tully. All affected properties are unable to ship produce for several weeks and many trees will need to be destroyed. The discovery of "black sigatoka" has sent a nervous message to the industry reinforcing the strict quarantine practises that some sectors believe have been too light in recent years.

Cassowaries have breathing space
The endangered southern cassowary has been taken one step closer to survival with the State and Federal Government's purchase of a 1000ha parcel of land to serve as a reserve for the birds. There are four blocks of land in total that will ultimately be combined to form a National Park. Cassowary's are the largest flightless bird in Australia (similar in size to an ostrich) and they are under threat from cars, dogs and environmental pressure as their natural habitats encroach on developing areas.