Nov 1, 2013
Cairnsview would like to thank Denis Walls for allowing the unedited article to be reproduced on this blog.
I have five key points to make about Aquis which I will have to
send as five separate posts because of space limitations. Here is the
first:
First, city,
regional and coastal planning schemes will be overturned if this
development is approved. These plans are the result of lengthy
consultation and reflect community consensus about the nature of
development and where our urban footprint should lie in relation to
varied social, economic and environmental criteria. These plans are
the result, however imperfect, of democracy in action. For example,
the Regional Plan for FNQ 2009-2031 envisages our region as a world
class, ecologically sustainable tourism destination. It is intended
to protect areas with landscape and rural production values like the
northern beaches from incompatible developments such as Aquis. The
construction of a 27 storey tower and three 18 storey buildings at
Yorkeys Knob, on a known flood plain, as proposed by this
development, is inconsistent with the existing local planning scheme
and the regional plan. It will create a dangerous precedent leaving
the door open for further high-rise developments on the northern
beaches.
Second, the cost benefit
analysis of this development for the local economy requires closer
examination. The economic viability of the current development
proposal needs to be demonstrated. There is no published business
plan for its $4.2 billion construction and advertised $2 billion
annual turnover. Nor is any information available regarding the
investors, except Mr Tony Fung who is the sole owner of the proponent
company Aquis Resort at the Great Barrier Reef Pty Ltd. There is a
long history of broken promises and environmental damage as a
consequence of large, failed developments in Far North Queensland.
One need only look to Port Hinchinbrook or False Cape as recent
examples, and both of these are on a scale that pales into
insignificance compared to Aquis.
It is also important to
scrutinise the future of the Chinese tourism market on which this
development depends. Who can guarantee that many thousands of Chinese
visitors will travel long distances to an expensive destination like
Cairns when Chinese-speaking Macau, with its numerous casinos, is
right next door? Cairns has already learnt of the inherent danger of
depending on the Asian tourism market which can be significantly
affected by a wide range of factors including economic downturns, the
high Australian dollar, extreme weather, disease outbreaks and
increasing travel costs. The FNQ regional economic development
strategy has recognised that it is essential to diversify the Cairns
economy, but if Aquis proceeds the local economy will be overly
dependent on one company in one sector of a very risk exposed
industry over which we will have no control.
The assumption
that the development will provide residents with large scale
permanent employment also needs to be questioned. Far North
Queensland’s main training provider, TNQTAFE, is experiencing
sweeping budget cuts and cannot provide quality training for local
jobs’ growth on the scale envisaged by Aquis. In addition, few
locals can speak Chinese and, in consequence, the resort may prefer
to employ Chinese workers. This should not be construed as a
criticism of Chinese workers but raises the question of how many long
term jobs this development will really create for local residents.
Third, the economic and social
impact of the casino, which is the key component of the Aquis
development, is a major concern. Significantly, the current Cairns
casino struggled for many years to break even. Following the recent
state government decision to allow seven casinos in Queensland,
doubts have already been expressed that even Brisbane, with a
population of over 2 million, may not be able to sustain two casinos.
While the Aquis casino is primarily designed for the additional
tourists it will attract, it is reasonable to ask how Cairns, with a
population of only 150,000, could support two casinos. At the very
least it will severely impact on the operation of the existing casino
while employment in businesses in the Cairns Central Business
District may also be affected as jobs move to this mega development
attracted by its range of retail and tourism activities.
Researchers
Francis Markham, from the Australian National University (ANU), and
Martin Young, from Southern Cross University, are among many who have
written about the negative impacts of gambling on communities. “When
locals spend money at casinos, it drains income from other
businesses, or syphons household savings into the pockets of
multinational corporations and billionaires like James Packer” .
They also state: “recent research suggests that poker machines in
casinos are more dangerous than those in clubs or hotels (and) there
is good reason to worry that the expansion of existing casinos and
the development of new ones will only increase the harm gambling does
to the Australian community” . Chair of the Australian Churches
Gambling Taskforce, Tim Costello, emphasises the point. “If you
spend $1 million on gambling, you create two or three jobs, $1
million on hospitality you get 20 jobs, on retail 100 jobs. High
rollers only ever account for 11 per cent in the casino. The rest of
casino profits are accounted for by 'the grind' a term used for
locals, largely playing pokies and tables.” Between $7 million and
$11 million is lost on pokies every month in Far North Queensland
alone . Another significant community concern and potential social
harm of a mega-casino development near Cairns is the fear of
organised criminal activity similar to that reported over the last
two years at Sydney’s Star Casino.
Fourth, there are many
environmental concerns linked to the Aquis development proposal.
Where, for example, will the massive amount of excavated and
potential acid sulphate soil waste be dumped and treated? In
addition, scientific studies and topography point to a possible
change in the course of the Barron River through Thomatis Creek
adjacent to the development site. The latter is the shorter and
steeper route to the sea and conditions already exist for this to
occur in the event of major flooding.
Finally, and most importantly, there will be an inevitable and
detrimental change to the character of Cairns and the Marlin Coast
from a moderately sized eco-tourism destination in keeping with the
environment, to an artificial gamblers’ paradise which will
dramatically increase population and most likely result in more such
high-rise mega-developments. The construction and operation of Aquis
will lead, by conservative estimates including Aquis’s own
projections, to a 25% increase in population over the next five
years. This is quite out of keeping with the nature of development in
Cairns over the last 20 years which has seen steady 2% annual
population growth largely allowing the city to keep pace with
physical and social infrastructure demands.
A population of
around 200,000 by 2018 would place enormous pressures on our
geographically constrained environment. The natural environment and
quality of life that characterise Cairns will be threatened.
Increased population density will require more housing and high-rise
buildings and further widening of highways. Water, waste and sewerage
systems will be severely stretched and more schools and hospitals
will be required. Noise levels, both during construction and
afterwards with the increase in air traffic, will have a significant
impact on locals’ quality of life.
Clearly the Aquis
proposal at Yorkeys Knob merits considerable discussion and review.
Such deliberation is essential before state and local governments
sanction a development which is likely to have irrevocable, adverse,
long term consequences, transforming Cairns and its current
environment and lifestyle forever.
http://theconversation.com/what-are-the-odds-new-casinos-lead-to-social-harm-19161
http://theconversation.com/size-really-does-matter-big-pokie-venues-are-the-most-dangerous-16350
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bushtelegraph/regional-casinos/5046198
It is clearly vital that concerned members of the community
make their voices heard as loudly and clearly as possible given the
headlong rush by local, state and federal politicians as well as News
Ltd into supporting this unknown development behemoth.
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