Geopolitical tension, Pacific focus providing momentum for $300m marine precinct

Geopolitical tension could add further momentum to “transformational” Cairns Marine Precinct upgrades, as the state government says it’s ready to get to work on the game-changing $300m project.

GEOPOLITICAL tension in conjunction with the recently-elected federal government’s renewed focus on our nearest neighbours could add further momentum to the “transformational” Cairns Marine Precinct project.

An incident which saw a Chinese fighter pilot fly aggressive manoeuvres around an Australian P-8 surveillance plane in international waters has been described by security experts as a “dangerous and deliberate act” that would have been authorised at the highest levels in Beijing.

As the dust settles on the election, the state government says it will soon get to work with the federal government to deliver its combined $300m expansion of the key piece of Far North maritime infrastructure.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said having a federal Labor government matching the state’s investment dollar-for-dollar could only mean good things.

“We’re already working together to ensure that what we deliver at this precinct is absolutely world class,” she said.

“Marine maintenance is a rapidly growing industry here in Cairns.

The state government says it will soon get to work with the federal government to deliver its combined $300m expansion of the key piece of Far North maritime infrastructure. Picture: Supplied

“Prime Minister Albanese and I understand that to create good, honest jobs, we must invest in infrastructure. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”

An inter-agency working group has been established with the Department of Defence to ensure all parties understand scheduling and timing of infrastructure upgrades and expansions for the precinct.

The state is also beginning to engage with the federal agency responsible for administering the funding.

Advance Cairns executive chairman Nick Trompf said the combined $300m pledged by both governments was a “tremendous step forward for what will be a transformational project”.

He said one thing which had been “very obvious” since the election, and that was the new government’s “enormous focus on the Pacific”.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced $28 million in funding to build two new finger wharves in the Cairns marine precinct, and $2 million for a business case into further expanding the city's capacity as a large vessel maintenance hub. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

Drawing a direct link between that emphasis and the marine precinct upgrade and the building of a common user facility, Mr Trompf said that it was highly likely there would be a significant increase in not just Australian naval vessels, but also US vessels operating in the area.

“The capacity for Cairns to be able to provide greater service capabilities to be able to lift out more and larger vessels opens up more and significant opportunities to do work on larger naval vessels,” he said.

But before that can happen, Mr Trompf said the Ports North master plan for the precinct that is due to be released soon would need to provide more clarity around the project.

And he said Labor’s commitment to bring forward the Defence Posture Review, which assesses the strategic positioning of Australian Defence Force assets, would also need to be completed before the design of the proposed Common User Facility.

Mr Trompf said that if the posture review recommended basing more naval vessels in Cairns on top of the four offshore patrol vessels already planned, that “changes the dynamic again”.

More immediately, Mr Trompf said Advance Cairns would be redoubling its efforts to secure from the Federal Government the $24m promised by the LNP during the election campaign for the upgrading of Cairns’ three major shipyards.

A new Cairns marine precinct infrastructure expansion business case has been revealed. Picture: Supplied

The money would be used for immediate works to expand hardstand areas, wharf range and capacity.

“It’s shorter-term stuff but very important because … the yards are under high demand,” he said.

“Our shipyards are largely booked out for significant parts of the year so we need more investment in those in the immediate term.”

Originally published as Geopolitical tension, Pacific focus providing momentum for $300m marine precinct