Cairns will be hosting Queensland Regional Parliament from today through to 11 May. Students from Port Douglas State School have already participated in Youth Parliament events held yesterday. The full program of events includes parliament sitting week, Youth Parliaments, school excursions and cultural and community events. This is a great opportunity for Far North Queenslanders to see government in action and in person. Far North Queensland Regional Parliament will be held at the Cairns Convention Centre from Tuesday 9 May to Thursday 11 May.
As part of a broader program of events during the week, the Premier, Ministers and MPs will participate in events including Regional Cabinet, State Reception, an Advance Cairns business and industry luncheon, Parliament Reception, an afternoon tea with seniors, Path to Treaty breakfast and a Women on Boards event.
Regional Mayors, Indigenous representatives, business and community leaders, and school groups will also be involved with events across the week.
Following a visit to Townsville in 2019, it will be the second time Parliament has ventured outside Brisbane since the Palaszczuk Government’s 2017 commitment to reintroduce regional sittings.
A selection of students from Port Douglas State School’s Year 5 and 6 participated in yesterday’s Cairns Regional Youth Parliament, introducing and then debate a mock Bill or motion on their chosen local youth issue, followed by an Adjournment Debate which allowed students the opportunity to discuss issues of interest to them falling within the jurisdiction of the Queensland Parliament. The Hon Curtis Pitt MP, Speaker of the Queensland Parliament, presided over the event and was joined by other Members of Parliament acting as temporary chairs.
“Queensland is a big state, and we are taking the people’s Parliament to the people….Regional sittings of Parliament are an important opportunity for locals – including our school students – to not only see democracy in action first hand, but to also hear all of the key issues for their area debated….It’s also about engaging and listening to the local community in their own backyard so we can help boost the local economy and provide better infrastructure and services for them,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk
“I’m keen to welcome the Parliament to Cairns as it enables locals to see first-hand Parliament in action…It’s a great opportunity to remind those visiting our city why Cairns is one of the most spectacular tourism destinations, not just in Australia, but around the world….It’s also a great opportunity to have the Premier and Ministers in our region to discuss with locals a wide range of important issues,” Member for Cairns Michael Healy.
Further information
For Far North Queensland Regional Parliament session times and further information, please visit here
- Cairns Convention Centre, Sheridan St & Wharf St, Cairns City, QLD
- Monday 8 May – Friday 12 May 2023
Featured image / Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Credit/ US Department of Defense, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
