Mareeba Aiport Gets Pineappled

[Cactusjack]

Its only a minor news article in the big scheme of things but it once again shows that GA is forever getting kicked in the head. Campbell Newman you are a skid mark.

Mareeba airport funding upgrade ditched

Tony Stickley
Monday, July 30, 2012
© The Cairns Post


MAREEBA airport has fallen victim to the State Government's spending cuts, losing out on about $12 million for redevelopment.
Tablelands Mayor Cr Rosa Lee Long said the project would have to be stopped.
"It is very sad for the area. It was going to be a huge boost for our economy and for local jobs. We are bitterly disappointed, as you can imagine," Cr Lee Long told The Cairns Post.
The previous Bligh administration had promised $13.4 million to upgrade the airport when the Tablelands Regional Council missed out on a subsidy to upgrade Mareeba’s sewage treatment plant.
But Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development and Planning, Jeff Seeney, has wielded the axe saying the Government was being forced to find significant savings.
Part of the project – a design brief and drainage works – would be complete by the end of the year. The Government said it would reimburse the council for that work.
"Projects like this were being paid for with borrowed money by the failed Bligh government which has left the state saddled with $65 billion of debt – a debt bill that is growing every day," Mr Seeney said.
Cr Lee Long said the council was disappointed at the news, because a number of companies had been looking at relocating from Cairns.
"The $13 million that was promised by the Bligh government was actually given to us in lieu of money that they would previously have given to us for the sewage plant in Mareeba," she said.
"Now that they have pulled out of the airport, we feel as though we have missed out doubly here and that is a great blow to our Tableland community but also the Cairns community and Far North Queensland."
Mareeba Chamber of Commerce president Pietro Girgenti said he was disappointed.
He said he understood the state's precarious financial position, but the money was "compensation" for losing out on the sewerage upgrade.
"It is a double kick. Not only do we not get funding for that infrastructure project, but the consolation prize of funding to redevelop the airport has been taken away as well," Mr Girgenti said.
He said there had been substantial interest from Cairns-based general aviation companies which had considered relocating their maintenance departments to Mareeba.
"Obviously, I would dare say that investment is in jeopardy now," Mr Girgenti said.

[Arm out the window]

Bummer.

Still, I'd have thought that with the pressure for GA to get out of CS there would still be some economic sense in going ahead with some works anyway to kick off that investment in the area.

I suppose we have to reduce debt, as long as they make cuts fairly and don't suck all the money back to Brisbane.

[Frank Arouet]

The previous Bligh administration had promised $13.4 million to upgrade the airport

Bligh was writing cheques without money in the bank. That's who owns the skidmark.

There is a lot of this going on in Federal politics today. Note how many of Ms Gillard's "reforms" come on line when one could reasonably expect Abbot will have to deal with these as per Newman.

[rutan around]

Frank Frank Frank.
We're going to disagree on this one. Newman is destructive and arrogant. He's doing what he's doing because he - well - 'Can Do' it, not for any good reason. Why do the Newmans and Abbotts of this world take everything from a few instead of spreading the pain by taking a little from many. Hawke and Keating did this when they introduced Super. With union agreement they kept a lid on take-home wage increases and used the foregone increases to start the superfunds, thus easing pressure on employers.
If QLD had a serious debt problem (it hasn't) wouldn't it make sense to cap wages for a short time for everyone, rather than ruin 20,000 people's lives. I will have no sympathy for the pilots who agree with Newman's tactics when they lose their jobs due to lack of work, because now 20,000 people won't be flying anywhere for work or holidays. The downward spiral begins.
If Newman was fair dinkum about austerity measures why did he pay Costello $4k per day for a challenging 3 day a week job, to come up with a result he was told to find before he started? Why have heads of departments, already on $400k/y, being given $80,000/y increases? No wonder he's not game to let anyone into the public gallery who dares to think differently from him.
To the whinging whining bastards who oppose the NDIS due to cost, just wait till you're stuck without help 24/7 with an incontinent 37 year old vegetable. I thank your invisible friend for Labor's guts in finally introducing this scheme.

[Donkey_Punch]

All Politicians, Liberal/Labor arer tossers and leeches.

It is a blow for the community in FNQ as well as AMO's wishing to relocate from Cairns airport where in typical aviation style the airport corp bleeds you dry.

[jas24zzk]

All Politicians, Liberal/Labor arer tossers and leeches.

I'm with the ASS!!!!! :ok:

Rutan..

To the whinging whining bastards who oppose the NDIS due to cost, just wait till you're stuck without help 24/7 with an incontinent 37 year old vegetable. I thank your invisible friend for Labor's guts in finally introducing this scheme.

I'm almost with you. The NDIS is a noble concept, but you can bet your A its gunna be screwed over, and the only winners will be the muppets that get to take charge. (refer above)

They want to argue funding for it, pfft, whack medicare up by .5 - 1% and direct the funding directly to the NDIS and a decent medicare dental scheme.
Instant funding, and every one of us contributes.

Problem is, none of our beaurocrats and their benevolent Politicians could organise a good time in a brothel with a fist full of fifties on freebie night!

[gobbledock]

Problem is, none of our beaurocrats and their benevolent Politicians good organise a good time in a brothel with a fist full of fifties on freebie night!True...But they do know how to award themselves payrises, bonuses, excessive remuneration and worldwide jaunts.
Turds

[Frank Arouet]

(sic),none of our beaurocrats and their benevolent Politicians good organise a good time in a brothel

Some Unions do a pretty good job at it.

Frank Frank Frank.
We're going to disagree on this one

As we have been doing for the last 20 years. Just checked my logbook, June 14th 1992. Don't see why we should change now.;)

[aroa]

The Tablelands Council never kicked up a big stink when the "paperwork artisans" in BNE reckoned the $14mill for the sewerage scheme "went missing"...but OH !... look !..it was found again...BUT after that funding scheme was terminated.!! Nice work bureaurats/magicians.

No money huh ?....then looms an election and TRC is chucked $13.3 Mill for the airport...as a thinly disguised bribe from Capn Blight.?

And this is for a Council that busts up folks septic systems without probs for 30 yrs, hooks em up to the town sewerage whether thay like it or not, gives em a big bill...and then complains that there are too many people on the system !!!! You have to wonder about their priorities, since MBA suburbs are growing like Topsy.

So after all the hoopla at YMBA on announcement day...what have we got for yr tax dollars.?..same old strip but with a VERY nice BIG drain.:ok:

And the rainfall records and hydrolgical studies ??if any, showed what ???
So, if you happen turn up on any day, wet or dry, do try not to ground loop/ run off the strip and into the drain.:sad:

[jas24zzk]

Quote:
(sic),none of our beaurocrats and their benevolent Politicians good organise a good time in a brothel
Some Unions do a pretty good job at it.

no need to sic me frank :eek: anomaly repaired :ugh:


LOL

[Frank Arouet]

Sorry Cobber. Obviously digital dysfunction, I suffer from it often.

[diddly squat]

Mr Newman is acting like a out of control virus at the moment.

[feetonthedash]

Bummer :yuk:I had heard the aero club from cns was setting up a big flying school up there:(I wonder if the new aircraft on order can be cancelled:sad:

[Flying Binghi]

.


Stuff the airports and things people actualy need, instead lets piss the money against the wind.

Near Mareeba we have numerous large monuments to colosal government waste and stupidity..


http://www.energex.com.au/switched_on/images/content/power_up_wind_2.gif







.

[Arm out the window]

I had heard the aero club from cns was setting up a big flying school up there

No reason why that still couldn't happen - obviously it's better to have someone else pay for the works, but it's still a good spot.

[diddly squat]

Maintenance and GA in Cairns was going to relocate to where they are welcome. This Newman git is out of control :yuk:. (& I don't like Labor either)

[nitpicker330]

QLD is basically broke thanks to Labor and some of you blokes need to wake up and smell the DEFICIT.

I guess we could just borrow Billions more? Oh hang on, the Federal Govt is already doing that!!

[jas24zzk]

Borrow it off them then :E

[rutan around]

Nitpicker, you haven't got a clue have you? Queensland's been through the GFC, major flooding and horrific cyclones. It's also had to pick up the debts of a delusional tunneller who is big on ideas but small on financing. Qld still has an assets to debt ratio that most people could only dream of. Its earning outlook and credit rating are so high that the interest on loans is pretty minor, and very very easily managed. Inflation is low and our growth rate is high. Newman has so far sacrificed 22,000 people for his own political glory. But he'll probably get away with it while he's got people like you mindlessly spruiking his BS for him.

[OZBUSDRIVER]

RA, is that justification for Captain Bligh's stewardship of the state government coffers? If Bligh had at least a basic attempt at running the state, she would still be there. Now the other team is in, and in a landslide victory, do not begrudge their attempts to cut away a decade of excess and waste.

Face it, RA. If the Bligh had her way she would have had you drinking your own pee and paying for it to boot.... A pox on them and the manged horse they rode into town on.

[nitpicker330]

So is your head up your ass or in the sand???

[404 Titan]

rutan around

Are you frigging kidding me? It is stagging on any level how quickly QLD’s Debt/Revenue ratio has deteriorated since 2005. In 2005/06 the Debt/Revenue ratio stood at around 10%. By 2011/12 the ratio stood at 104% and if nothing was done to fix this problem it would have reached 150% by 2014/15. The QLD voters overwhelming spoke at the last election for a drastic change in direction and voted in the LNP to do just that.

[rutan around]

NITPICKER OZBUSDRIVER 404 TITAN
Becoming involved in an argument about the financial position of the Qld Govt and it's sustainability or otherwise is pointless as the argument would be fought on political beliefs rather than financial facts.
So let's suspend reality for a moment and imagine your view of Qld finances is correct.
Is the way Bozo Campbo is attempting to correct the problem the best solution? Is dumping 20 or 30 thousand people on the labour market all at once sensible? There IS a lot of dead wood and departments of useless enterprises within the Qld Public Service (often upper management failures) but there are better ways of dealing with the problem than wholesale sackings. Knee jerk reactions always cause pain and disruption to all except the jerk whose knee jerked. Usually they later prove to be needless or useless. eg the live cattle export suspension (LABOR) the Northern Territory intervention (LIBS)
Wouldn't redeployment to worthwhile projects coupled with voluntary redundancies and natural attrition be a better, less cruel, less disruptive solution to the problem? By all means make Public Service jobs no more or less protected than public sector jobs but do it in a measured considered way. NOT "Righto tomorrer yer all sacked".
Newman's attitude and methods reinforce my belief that many upper managers are psychopaths.
"Every man for himself" cried the elephant as he danced among the chickens. This saw is sometimes attributed to Charles Dickens, a man with a strong social conscience whose writings often railed against the social injustices of the Victorian era.
I hope that you three when you get off your ideological high horses have, in reality, more compassion and social conscience than Campbell Newman. I hope you are better than elephants dancing among chickens.
Cheers RA

[Flying Binghi]

via rutan around;

Becoming involved in an argument about the financial position of the Qld Govt and it's sustainability or otherwise is pointless as the argument would be fought on political beliefs rather than financial facts.
So let's suspend reality for a moment and imagine your view of Qld finances is correct.
Is the way Bozo Campbo is attempting to correct the problem the best solution? Is dumping 20 or 30 thousand people on the labour market all at once sensible? There IS a lot of dead wood and departments of useless enterprises within the Qld Public Service (often upper management failures) but there are better ways of dealing with the problem than wholesale sackings. Knee jerk reactions always cause pain and disruption to all except the jerk whose knee jerked. Usually they later prove to be needless or useless. eg the live cattle export suspension (LABOR) the Northern Territory intervention (LIBS)
Wouldn't redeployment to worthwhile projects coupled with voluntary redundancies and natural attrition be a better, less cruel, less disruptive solution to the problem? By all means make Public Service jobs no more or less protected than public sector jobs but do it in a measured considered way. NOT "Righto tomorrer yer all sacked".
Newman's attitude and methods reinforce my belief that many upper managers are psychopaths.
"Every man for himself" cried the elephant as he danced among the chickens. This saw is sometimes attributed to Charles Dickens, a man with a strong social conscience whose writings often railed against the social injustices of the Victorian era.
I hope that you three when you get off your ideological high horses have, in reality, more compassion and social conscience than Campbell Newman. I hope you are better than elephants dancing among chickens.

So, rutan around, yer dont dis-agree with 404 Titan then..:hmm:


"...It is stagging on any level how quickly QLD’s Debt/Revenue ratio has deteriorated since 2005. In 2005/06 the Debt/Revenue ratio stood at around 10%. By 2011/12 the ratio stood at 104% and if nothing was done to fix this problem it would have reached 150% by 2014/15..."







.

[OZBUSDRIVER]

Sick of politics! The state government is fast running out of capacity to finance. If it was your company RA you would be cutting out workers to the bare minimum to stabilize your funding. What is mind boggling is how much waste there is in the middle of the best decade ever for exports.....chook raffles? ...houses of ill repute?... Hang on we know one of their number can actually organize that one:E

[Arm out the window]

There's a thread about Aussie politics on Jet Blast - blame whoever you like, the Mareeba grant is down the tubes.

However, there's still pressure crowding GA out of Cairns and, I reckon, scope for significant development at Mareeba as a secondary maintenance, transport and training hub.

Good Wx generally, decent runway, variety of airspace and navaids not too far away, space for expansion if the council and private investors get behind it.

A training academy type thing pitched at overseas students, and Aussies too of course, seems like it might be a goer if done right.

Obviously a significant investment, but if the forecasts of worldwide aviation expansion are right there'll be a need to train aircrew and maintainers somewhere; why not there?

As I've said before, I'm keen to see it because I live fairly close by and want to see more aviation infrastructure near me! But it does make sense, at least at the development study stage.

[OZBUSDRIVER]

AOTW, exactly. Infrastructure investment is long term good thing. Short term timespan is where the feckpu is situated.

Bottom line? A political promise that no one was ever going to honour.

[squarebear]

A few thousand Qld Gvt employees are being made redundant because there is no money in the coffers and guys are complaining about a loss of funding for an airport that is at best a maintenance base, a cheap place to store warbirds and a different place to do circuits.

Priorities?

[aroa]

article in todays Advertiser stating thet tha dollars were never there in the first place. Blight should be prosecuted for fraud.:mad:
The money, for this pre election bribe, was going to have to be borrowed.
It just illustrates that for some politicians and bureaucrats any old BS will do. Never mind the truth and the facts.
YMBA is a good location...hopefully some dev will come to pass as Cairns becomes unsustainable for businesses there.
The sale of, was another Blight BS disaster.:mad:
The loonies really are amok in the asylum. :eek:

[owen meaney]

loss of funding for an airport that is at best a maintenance base, a cheap place to store warbirds and a different place to do circuits.
Is this problem for you. Seems same as many a airfield, Cairns is getting very crowded for GA and training. Mareeba seems a good location.
Owen

[601]

Redeployment does not apply to people on contract. Contracts are either renewed or cancelled. I believe most people that have "left" so far were on a contract that was not renewed.

If your contract comes to its end date and your services are no longer required that is it. Contracts have a finite life.

Welcome to real world.