Community
29 July, 2024
Have your say on city
CAIRNS residents are being asked a host of questions to help guide Cairns Regional Council’s priorities and improve services.
The council has launched the 2024 Our Cairns Survey via the council’s website (www.cairns.qld.gov.au/ourcairns) until the end of August to give residents the best chance to have their voices heard.
Residents will be asked their views on a broad range of issues, including residential green waste collection, adding fluoride to the water supply and security patrols.
Questions include:
How much will you be willing to pay per year to have an extra bin for green waste?
How effective do you think the council’s CitySafe security patrols are in reducing anti-social behaviour in the CBD?
Do you support or oppose the addition of fluoride to the city’s water supply?
Should the council charge short term accommodation providers (such as Airbnb) more to help mitigate the housing crisis?
Should the council increase rates on landowners who hold onto undeveloped or underutilised land in already developed areas without making improvements?
The 2024 survey will build on the success of previous surveys in 2016 and 2020.
It will also feature a tailored Our Cairns Youth Survey through local schools to engage young voices in shaping the city’s future.
Cairns Mayor Amy Eden said everyone had an opportunity to participate, with 3000 responses to date.
“We are committed to giving all residents of Cairns a chance to actively guide (the) council’s priorities for the next four years,” she said.
“We will use the survey results to tackle some of the big issues and guide (the) council’s priorities for the next four years,” she said.
“Once complete, a research report will be published with results set to inform the next corporate plan.
“The launch of the 2024 Our Cairns Survey was a priority listed on my 100-day plan.
“Conducting this survey helps inform our operational planning, ensuring your voices are heard in shaping our city’s future.”
The 2024 survey aims to:
Gather community insights to help shape the new corporate plan, ensuring it reflects the region residents aspire to live in
Collect feedback on various topical issues affecting the community
Obtain information on services provided by other levels of government, so the council can advocate effectively on behalf of residents
Assess the council’s performance in delivering services and facilities, ensuring it meets community expectations
Identify improvement projects within suburbs that would benefit the community
Specifically engage with youth to understand their needs and preferences.
