Print this pageTownsville Community Cabinet Meeting
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Pimlico State High School String Orchestra entertains the community before the public forum.
On Tuesday 8 December 2009, the Australian Government held its 19th Community Cabinet meeting at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland. This was the fourth Community Cabinet meeting the Government has held in Queensland. On a typically warm Townsville evening, over 200 community members attended a public question-and-answer session with the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers, followed by a series of meetings between individual ministers and members of the public.
The very impressive string orchestra from Pimlico State High School entertained the community in the lead up to the meeting, and students from Kirwan and Pimlico State High Schools welcomed the Prime Minister and ministers as they arrived. The Vice Chancellor of James Cook University, Professor Sandra Harding, welcomed the community to the meeting, and Aunty Virginia (Virginia Wyles) acknowledged the traditional owners of the land. Jemma Laycock of Pimlico State High School delivered a beautiful solo rendition of the National Anthem. Senator Jan McLucas (Senator for Queensland) introduced the Prime Minister to commence the forum.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, opened the public forum by reiterating the Government’s commitment to keep in touch with local communities and engage on local issues directly. The Prime Minister acknowledged Townsville as the capital of North Queensland, and praised the strength of the local economy in the face of the worst global economic recession since the Great Depression. He outlined the Government’s investment in local schools, long term infrastructure and support for families and increased social housing in the region. He also made mention of Townsville as one of the Government’s seven Solar Cities, and the Australian Government’s action for long term protection of the Great Barrier Reef. The Prime Minister announced that Townsville is to receive a retired Caribou aircraft, to be permanently on display at the local RAAF base, in recognition of the Caribou’s connection to Townsville during its 45 years of service to Australia.
The Prime Minister noted that the opening week of the climate change negotiations was underway in Copenhagen, and that the Australian Government continued to support an Emissions Trading Scheme as the best, most efficient way for Australia to tackle climate change.
In the public forum the Prime Minister and ministers answered a wide range of questions. Issues raised included clarification of the Government’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, nuclear energy as a possible option for Australia, increased investment in wind energy, Government support for jobs for Indigenous communities in Queensland, tertiary training for health professionals, and progress on the Government’s National Secondary School Computer Fund program.
Following the forum, ministers moved to 43 pre-arranged one-on-one meetings. These meetings provided individuals with an opportunity to discuss a personal matter or an issue of concern directly with the relevant minister.