Jobs key election issue in Far North
JOBS and economic development will be the key issues in the crucial electorate of Leichhardt with a federal election expected to be called soon.
After two months of falling unemployment, the jobless rate has risen again from 8.9 per cent in May to 9.8 per cent in June.
The number of Far Northerners out of work last month was 14,600 with 133,600 in jobs.
Big rise in Far North jobs | Expo creates Far Northern jobs
Local employment co-ordinator Peter Doutre said 9.8 per cent was a more realistic figure.
"It's starting to level out a bit. It's not good but it's realistic," he said.
"The second-half of the year will be a lot better."
Advance Cairns chairman Russell Beer said the Federal Government's $40 million commitment to the $240 million cultural precinct was a long-term project.
"We need something in the short-term to turn things around fairly quickly," he said.
Cairns Chamber of Commerce president Jeremy Blockey said the Far North needed to be treated as a special case because the region's unemployment rate is twice the national average.
"The Federal Government needs to redirect some of the stimulus money not needed in other centres," he said.
"We need to revisit the list of shovel-ready projects identified last year and see what have been funded and what needs to be funded."
The LNP's candidate for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, said he would reveal a costed proposal for some short-term job creating projects next week.
He said the community should demand the Federal Government divert a naval landing craft base for Townsville to Cairns, relocate the responsibility for fishing from the Department of Environment to the Department of Fisheries and decentralise and establish in Cairns some major federal or state government offices.
Leichhardt MP Jim Turnour said there were positive signs in the Far Northern economy with domestic and international flights returning as well as a number of economic stimulus projects under way.
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Key battleground: As the unemployment rate rises again in the Far North, experts say unemployment will play a big part in deciding who wins Leichhardt in the federal election.
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