Myth - Amalgamation with Cairns will bring about better planning.
Reality - Douglas Shire this year won the Planning Institute of Australia’s planning award and is actively participating in the State’s statutory regional plan preparation.
Myth - Amalgamation with Cairns will improve service delivery.
Reality - The Douglas Shire’s water and sewerage services are far superior to those of Cairns where significant capital works are long overdue. The two Shire’s shared waste services was a Douglas initiative.
Myth - Amalgamation with Cairns will deliver better skills.
Reality - There is no evidence Cairns administrative skills are better than those of the
Douglas Shire. Our administrative staff enjoy the respect and gratitude of the community for their professionalism and positive approach to their tasks at every level.
Myth - Amalgamation with Cairns will protect the environment.
Reality - Unlike Cairns, Douglas Shire is nationally and internationally recognised for its conservation achievements and has won Australia’s prestigious Banksia environmental award.
Myth - Amalgamation with Cairns will improve industry engagement.
Reality - Douglas Shire has a proven track record of closer engagement with its two main industries of tourism and sugar than Cairns. It should be noted that both these industries are stridently opposed to this amalgamation.
Myth - Amalgamation will solve poor governance.
Reality - It is the people’s right to solve poor governance - as well we might at the next State election. If the government wishes to use poor governance as part of their amalgamation rationale for Douglas Shire they must be consistent and sack this council immediately and appoint an administrator.
They cannot have it both ways.
