Cape York Weekly FREE – #012 | Monday, November 23, 2020
Editor: Matt Nicholls – 0477 450 558 | editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au
HATS OFF TO THESE STUDENTS
It’s been a brutal year for Year 12s, but all 51 students at Western Cape College graduated last Friday. Teachers paid tribute to the young men and women for making the best of a bad situation during COVID. Story and pictures – Pages 5 and 16
Miles won’t make commitment to normalisation
Minister’s silence By MATT NICHOLLS
WEIPA’S long-term future as a town could be in jeopardy after the new Local Government Minister Steven Miles refused to make a commitment to normalisation
Mr Miles, who took on the local government portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle, would not answer questions from Cape York Weekly. Instead, he passed the buck to the local government department. In a statement, a spokesperson
said: “The Queensland government and Rio Tinto are open to a transition of responsibility over time, and commenced formal negotiations in August 2020, to consider the feasibility of establishing a Weipa local government.
“No decision has been made by the Queensland government to progress to a local government. “Both parties are continuing to work with the WTA with a view to examine future local government arrangements for Weipa.”
Weipa Town Authority chair Michael Rowland said he hoped a deal could be struck for the benefit of Weipa’s long-term future. Rio Tinto is also supportive of normalisation and is prepared to make a significant contribution.