Today in Cairns: Cairns woman nabbed over alleged government grant fraud
A Cairns woman has been arrested after a fraud investigation involving the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training. Plus we have all your latest headlines, events and weather.
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G’day Far Northerners, here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening across the region this week, October 11 – October 17.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
‘Failure and collapse’: Council wants bat tree death warrant
Award-winning butcher’s tips on beating the meat price rise
‘Pain in her heart’: Gang rapists sentenced in Cairns court
More warships targeted for Cairns in naval base expansion
‘Room awash with blood’: Man sentenced for brutal killing
TODAY’S NEWS
Fraud charges
An Edge Hill woman has been arrested after a fraud investigation involving the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training.
Detectives have charged a 46-year-old on allegations she fraudulently manipulated documentation to apply for a grant in both April 2017 and November 2019.
A joint investigation involving the police and the department resulted in the woman’s arrest on two counts of fraud on Wednesday.
She is scheduled to appear in Cairns Magistrates Court on October 29.
Stolen fish statue returned
A 36-year-old Mirriwinni man has been charged after the alleged theft of a $3000 fish statue from an Edge Hill home last month.
Police say the man was conducting business at the home on September 20 when he allegedly found and removed the fish statue from an enclosure pool area.
It will be further alleged the Mirriwinni man has displayed the statue at an open home during the afternoon of September 25 before it was recovered by the owner.
Police charged the Mirriwinni man with one count of stealing on Thursday.
He is scheduled to appear in Cairns Magistrates Court on November 1.
Gordonvale crash
One patient was transported to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition following a single-vehicle crash on Dempsey St in Gordonvale at 7.45pm on Thursday.
Brinsmead snake bite
A woman in her 40s was taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition after a suspected snake bite to the wrist at a private Brinsmead property at 9.58pm on Thursday.
Tinaroo snake bite
A man was taken to Atherton Hospital in a stable condition after a suspected snake bite to the foot at a location off Russell St in Tinaroo at 9.08pm on Thursday.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14
Throwing knife arrest
A 22-year-old Cairns North man has been charged following a disturbance at a Shields St pub about 2.30am on Wednesday.
Police were contacted after the man was allegedly removed by security from the licensed premises after threatening a patron with a knife.
The City Safe Camera room directed first response officers to his location on the Cairns Esplanade.
Police located the man and will allege he had two throwing knives in his possession.
He was arrested and later charged with possessing a knife in a public place.
Bail was refused and he is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Multiple arrests and charges
Officers from the Property Crime Squad took four offenders into custody at various times throughout the day on Thursday which resulted in a combined total of 38 charges.
A 15-year-old Whitfield boy was charged with 16 offences including 11 burglary related offences and five other property related offences.
It will be alleged the boy committed the offences between October 11 and 13 in Whitfield, Edge Hill, Brinsmead and Parramatta Park.
His bail was refused and he is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Children’s Court this month.
A 27-year-old Bungalow man was charged with six offences which included property and traffic related offences allegedly committed between September 18 and October 2nd in Westcourt and Parramatta Park.
He is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on November 2.
A 16-year-old Mooroobool boy will face 10 charges relating to unlawfully entering premises, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing and wilful damage.
He allegedly committed the offence in Earlville, Trinity Beach and Manunda between September 13 and October 2.
He is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Children’s Court later this month.
An 18-year-old Manoora woman was charged with burglary and two counts each of entering a premises and attempting to enter a premises.
It will be alleged these offences occurred in Trinity Park on September 29.
She was issued at notice to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on October 15.
Cairns North crash
A woman in her 50s and a second patient of unknown age or gender were taken to Cairns Hospital in stable conditions after a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Upward and McLeod streets at 10.52pm on Wednesday.
Goldsborough snake bite
A woman in her 40s was taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition following a snake bite to the upper leg at a private residence at 9.53pm on Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13
Skydiver injured
Paramedics transported a woman in her 40s to Tully Hospital in a stable condition following a skydiving incident.
A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said crews responded to the incident about 8.45am Wednesday at Aerodrome Rd, Tully after the woman experienced a “hard landing” and suffered a back injury.
She was later transported to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition.
Highway rollover
One person has been taken to Cairns Hospital after a single-vehicle rollover on the Kennedy Highway near Koah.
Queensland Ambulance said the patient was in a stable condition.
The crash occurred at 1.07pm and the highway was initially blocked in both directions.
The road has since been cleared.
Armed robbery charges
Far North detectives have charged three men and a woman following the alleged armed robbery of a Flying Fish Point business on Monday afternoon.
It will be alleged the group attended the Elizabeth St business at 2.10pm when one of the men produced a replica handgun, threatening an employee and demanded property.
The group then allegedly stole a quantity of money before fleeing the business.
Police arrested a 19-year-old man Innisfail man, a 20-year-old Innisfail man and a 19-year-old South Innisfail woman later that night.
The 19-year-old man was later charged with one count each of armed robbery, burglary, driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle and learning to drive without a supervisor.
He is scheduled to reappear at Innisfail Magistrates Court on November 29.
The 20-year-old man was later charged with one count each of burglary and armed robbery.
He is also scheduled to reappear at Innisfail Magistrates Court on November 29.
The 19-year-old woman was later charged with one count each of burglary and armed robbery and is scheduled to appear at Innisfail Magistrates Court on October 25.
A 31-year-old Innisfail man surrendered himself to police at 2:30pm on Tuesday.
He was immediately arrested, with bail opposed and remains in police custody.
He was later charged with one count each of armed robbery and burglary and is scheduled to appear at the Innisfail Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12
Fire closes Mulligan Highway
A police spokesman has confirmed Mulligan Highway reopened about 6pm after it was closed to all traffic near Biboohra due to a hay paddock on fire.
Police said the road was closed/diverted at Petersen St and Coyle Rd.
Motorists were urged to avoid the area.
Single-vehicle rollover
Emergency services have responded to a single-vehicle rollover which occurred about 2pm on the Bruce Hwy south of Cairns, at Deeral.
At 2.10pm QAS reported crews from Cairns and Babinda were responding.
One injured in Manunda crash
One person has been taken to hospital after a crash on Anderson St this morning.
The crash occurred at 7.48am and affected traffic inbound towards the Captain Cook Highway.
The road has now been cleared.
Queensland Ambulance confirmed the patient was in a stable condition.
Wanted man arrested
A man police wished to speak to following several property and traffic related offences was arrested by officers from the Far North Tactical Crime Squad yesterday.
At 10.20am yesterday morning officers attended a Gordonvale residential unit in search of the man.
The man allegedly attempted to flee the scene however was arrested by attending officers after a short foot chase through nearby properties.
The 22-year-old White Rock man was later charged with one count each of burglary and obstruct police. He was opposed bail and remains in police custody.
He was also charged with several unrelated offences including one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, failing to comply with the requirement to stop a private vehicle, driving without a driver’s licence, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and entering a premise and commit indictable offence.
He is scheduled to appear at Cairns Magistrates Court today
MONDAY, OCTOBER 11
Multi-vehicle crash
Emergency services have left after reports of a multi-vehicle crash along the Bruce Highway at Mount Peter.
A police spokesman said three people were involved and no injuries were reported.
He said they received reports of a three-car crash on the Bruce Highway south of Cairns about 6.30pm.
The Bruce Highway has now been cleared and is open in both directions.
Man dies after remote crash
A 77-year-old man has died in hospital four days after he was injured in a single-vehicle crash on the Gulf Development Road near Croydon.
The man, from Jingili in the Northern Territory, was towing a caravan when the crash occurred at 8.55am on October 4.
Police have confirmed he died on Friday and the Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the crash.
Workplace incident near Port Douglas
A person has been flown from Port Douglas to Cairns in a serious condition after a workplace incident this morning.
Paramedics were called to the Craiglie industrial estate just after 10am to assess a patient with reported burns.
The person was flown by the Rescue 510 helicopter to Cairns Hospital in a serious but stable condition “with burns from the earlier incident”, according to the Queensland Ambulance service.
Craiglie is home to several trade businesses and services on the fringe of Port Douglas.
Multiple stealing charges
Police have charged a 32-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman, both from Bentley Park, over a string of alleged offences in the Cairns and Smithfield areas.
It is alleged the pair forced entry into a closed Clifton Beach restaurant about 11pm on Friday and loaded up a large rubbish bin with bottles of alcohol before removing the cash tray and tip jar.
They allegedly left the restaurant in a vehicle stolen from a Bentley Park workshop two days earlier.
Police in an unmarked vehicle spotted the vehicle in the Bentley Park area and followed it about 1pm on Saturday.
They intercepted the vehicle in a driveway and arrested the man and woman, allegedly finding drug utensils, a knife and a small hatchet on their persons.
Officers also conducted a search of the home and allegedly found the property stolen from the restaurant along with a stash of keys allegedly stolen from a Cairns car dealership in September.
Police objected to the man’s bail and he will face the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday.
The woman was granted bail to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on October 26.
The man was charged with:
■ 2 x enter premises
■ 1 x unlawful use of a motor vehicle
■ 2 x stealing
■ 1 x possess dangerous drug
■ 1 x fail to properly dispose
■ 1 x possess Section 8 medicine
■ 1 x possess knife
■ 1 x Police Powers and Responsibilities Act warrant
The woman was charged with:
■ 1 x drive uninsured vehicle
■ 2 x enter premises alternatively receiving
■ 1 x possess utensil
■ 1 x stealing
■ 1 x unlawful use of a motor vehicle
■ 1 x false plates
■ 1 x unregistered vehicle
■ 1 x uninsured vehicle
■ 1 x possess knife
Serious assault police charges
Tully detectives have charged an 18-year-old Kennedy woman after she allegedly interfered with an arrest and assaulted officers on several occasions at a Stony Creek Rd home in Cardwell at about 7.30pm on Sunday.
Officers were at the residence in relation to another matter and were in the process of taking a 17-year-old man into custody when the woman allegedly jumped on the back of a male police officer and put her arm around his neck.
A second officer was allegedly able to pull back the woman and warned her to stay back.
Capsicum spray was deployed when the woman allegedly failed to comply with police directions.
As police were escorting the arrested male down a set of stairs the woman again allegedly jumped on the officer’s back and scratched his shoulders and neck.
She continued to follow officers following a second deployment of capsicum spray and allegedly struck the male police officer several times in the head.
Police were able to secure the arrested male in the police vehicle and returned to arrest the woman who allegedly continued to verbally abuse and threaten them.
She was taken to Cardwell police station and later charged with four counts of seriously assaulting a police officer.
She is scheduled to appear in the Tully Magistrates Court on October 28.
The officer did not require medical treatment.
Hit and run traffic crash
Police are investigating a hit and run traffic crash where a white four-wheel-drive struck a fence at residence at Crater Elbow in Mount Peter at about 12.40pm on Saturday.
Residents heard the crash and spoke to the female driver who refused to provide any details and fled the scene, leaving the white Toyota LandCruiser behind.
The driver was described as aged between 16-17 with brown hair.
The vehicle had allegedly earlier been stolen from a Moroney Ave residence at Edmonton.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Policelink on 131 444 and quote reference QP2101887467.
Police investigations are continuing.
WEATHER
The Bureau of Meteorology is expecting a shower or two on Friday with the chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming north-easterly 15 to 20 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to 23 with daytime temperatures reaching 32.
Across the region
Cairns: Shower or two 23-32C
Atherton: Showers. Possible storm 18-29C
Cardwell: Showers. Possible storm 22-30C
Cooktown: Partly cloudy 23-32C
Innisfail: Showers. Possible storm 21-31C
Mareeba: Showers. Possible storm 20-32C
TRAFFIC
Archer River/ Mission River
Sealing of 10.1km of the Peninsula Developmental Road including drainage provisions at Archer River and Mission River is expected to continue to December 24 2021 with works ongoing Monday to Sunday 6am to 6pm and delays are expected.
Barron/Smithfield/Yorkeys Knob
Construction of the Smithfield Bypass project, which is to be completed in December 2021, could result in some delays during active construction hours. The project will construct a new 3.8km bypass between the McGregor Road roundabout and the Cairns Western Arterial Road and Captain Cook Highway roundabout as an alternative route to the Captain Cook Highway.
Bungalow
A speed reduction is in force on Mulgrave Road at Bungalow due to culvert damage near Brown Street.
Access across culvert in both directions along Mulgrave Road and Brown Street intersection is restricted to vehicles that comply with the general mass and concessional mass limits.
Cape Tribulation / Kimberley
Roadworks have been reported on Cape Tribulation Bloomfield Road at Cape Tribulation / Kimberley
Long delays are expected in both directions towards Wujal Wujal.
Deeral / Gordonvale
There will be roadworks on the Bruce Highway between Mulgrave River Bridge and Lewis Road until December 6.
Motorists are advised to proceed with caution.
Edmonton/Gordonvale
Roadworks are being carried out on the Bruce Highway — Cairns Southern Access Corridor — Stage 3: Edmonton to Gordonvale. Delays expected (during active hours of work), with all lanes in both directions affected. The work is expected to run until June 30, 2023.
Edmonton / Gordonvale / Wrights Creek
Road works on Yarrabah Rd and the Bruce Highway due to the Cairns Southern Access Corridor — Stage 3: Edmonton to Gordonvale are expected to cause motorist delays.
All lanes in both directions are affected and changed traffic conditions are in place.
Gordonvale
Temporary closure of Maher Road intersection with the Bruce Highway in both directions. From 7pm Monday to Sunday 7pm until December 31. Forms part of the works for the Bruce Highway, Cairns Southern Access Corridor.
Gordonvale
Culvert replacement works on the Gillies Range Road will be taking place until at least September 30. Lanes will be reduced as a result and motorists are advised to proceed with caution.
Japoonvale
A 25 tonne load limit has been imposed on the Little Liverpool Creek Bridge between Torrisi Rd and Walter Lever Estate Rd. No delays are expected.
Kuranda
Barron River Bridge on the Kennedy Highway reduced to one lane. Restricted to vehicles that comply with general mass limits. Partial lane closures. Both directions affected and delays expected. Allow extra travel time.
Lake Barrine
Road widening works on the Gillies Range Rd at Lake Barrine are expected to continue to September 2021 and delays are to be expected.
Lake Eacham
Wrights Creek Road is closed to all traffic. Motorists are advised to use an alternative route.
The next road inspection will take place on November 11, 2021.
Mareeba / Walkamin
Road widening works on the Kennedy Highway near Walkamin will take place between May 20 2021 and December 24 2021.
All lanes in both directions are affected and motorists are advised delays expected during active hours. Allow extra travel time.’
Georgetown
Roadworks to widen the Gulf Developmental Road to the east of Georgetown will continue until October 30.
Proceed with caution
Stewart Creek Valley
Road hazard being soft shoulders on Douglas Creek Road at
Stewart Creek Valley has forced a 5 tonne GVM limit.
Heavy vehicles have been advised to use an alternative route.
Boogan / Mourilyan
Pavement widening and rehabilitation is underway on the Boogan Road at Mourilyan.
Works are expected to operate from Monday to Sunday, 6am to 6pm.
Delays are expected, motorists are advised to proceed with caution.
WHAT’S ON
The following Cairns Regional Council services are available:
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
Picnic benches outside of Muddies
Public barbecues
Fitness equipment
Playgrounds including Muddy’s Playground and the Fun Ship Playground
Basketball and tennis courts
Bump tracks and BMX tracks (within parks)
The Esplanade Activity Precinct (skate plaza, bouldering park, beach volleyball courts, multipurpose court)
The Lagoon and Council-run swimming pools
Flecker Gardens
Arts and cultural venues including Cairns Performing Arts Centre, Tanks Arts Centre, the Courthouse gallery
Buy Back Shop
Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre
Barlow Park
Tobruk, Smithfield and Gordonvale pools
Marlin Coast Recreation Centre
Green Space Our Place
TOP EVENTS IN CAIRNS THIS WEEK
Mau Power
A local leader and lyrical storyteller, Mau Power stands at the crossroads of First Nations and hip-hop culture and through his music shares how these two worlds connect.
Where: Tanks Arts Centre
When: Friday October 15, 7.30pm
Cost: Get tickets
Big Talk One Fire 2021
Big Talk One Fire is a free, family-friendly event that brings together a concert with headlining and supporting local Indigenous bands, traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance, and pop-up Indigenous market stalls.
Where: Saturday October 16, 1pm
When: Fogarty Park
Cost: Free
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
The characters make The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert a Starry Night entertainment of outlandish wicked dialogue, wild costumes, and high spirits that won’t be forgotten.
Where: Flecker Botanical Gardens
When: Saturday 16 October, 7.30pm
Cost: Adults – $20 | concession – $15 | Child $10 | Family – $40
Northern Premier League Grand Finals
Welcome to the 2021 Football Queensland North – Northern Premier League Grand Finals
It's the biggest weekend on the football calendar with 11 huge games over two days.
Where: Endeavour Park
When: October 15-16
Cost: $6 entry fee for the two day event
School Strike 4 Climate
We are mobilising thousands of young voters to put direct pressure on the Government and MPs, leading up to the next federal election.
Join us on October 15 to give the Morrison Government their last warning to act on climate.
Where: Cairns Esplanade Beach Volleyball Courts
When: Friday October 15, 9am
Cost: Free
Salt House Food & Wine Festival
Tropical North Queensland’s largest celebration of Food and Wine is back, bigger and better than ever.
Meet the talented tastemakers behind some of your favourite brands and delight in the unexpected experiences that have been uniquely crafted for the festival.
Where: Salt House, Cairns
When: Monday October 12 to Sunday October 17
Cost: Get tickets
Grand Opening Party
Join us for the grand opening party of Vinnies Showground Shopping Centre! To celebrate, there will be special giveaways for shoppers, lucky door prizes and an amazing selection of sweets and cupcakes for shoppers.
Where: 157 Mulgrave Rd, Bungalow
When: Saturday October 16, 9am
Cost: Free
Originally published as Today in Cairns: Cairns woman nabbed over alleged government grant fraud
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