Karlene Pootchemunka, Zhanna Kawangka, Marlene Landis and Liyana Korkatain feature in Justine Carmady’s prize-winning entry in the 2024 Living in Aurukun photography competition. Turn to Page 4 to see which other snaps impressed the judges.
Culture change
Two years after a report identified widespread bullying, sexual harassment and racism within Rio Tinto, a progress report has shown improvement, however, its CEO has apologised to victims and admitted “unacceptable and harmful” behaviours remain. Read the full story on Page 3.
Date: Thurs December 5 2024
Where: Weipa Bowls Club –Outside Area
Time: 6:30pm Call for nominations to: weipafishingclassic_sec@gmail.com
TUXWORTH & WOODS CARRIERS
Lui lands $42k transition payment for losing seat
By LYNDON KEANE
CYNTHIA Lui is one of 15 former MPs across Queensland who will share more than $636,000 in taxpayer funds to help their “transition” into postpolitical life after losing their seats at the 26 October state election.
Under Parliamentary rules, MPs who have “retired involuntarily through loss of party preselection for reasons other than
misconduct, or through defeat at an election” are eligible for a transition allowance equivalent of 12 weeks’ salary.
The allowance is not payable to former MPs who are able to access a pension or superannuation benefit related to their service in the Parliament immediately after losing their seat.
The Members’ Remuneration Handbook states “the allowance is considered an employment termination payment (ETP) and
taxed accordingly”. The current base salary for an MP is $183,985, meaning the former Labor MP will receive more than $42,000 after losing Cook to the Liberal National Party’s (LNP) David Kempton.
Ms Lui, who was attempting a third term as the Cook MP, received 16 more first preference votes than Mr Kempton, but could not hold on once preferences were distributed.
With Ms Lui and 14 other
MPs failing to be returned to office after voters went to the polls last month, the final taxpayer bill for their transition payments will be $636,871.
All the MPs who lost their seat were Labor politicians except the Greens’ Amy MacMahon, who lost South Brisbane, and Katter’s Australian Party convert Stephen Andrew, who failed to retain the central Queensland seat of Miriani.
Editor’s view – Page 13
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Cape urged to get ready for wet season
IT’S a beautiful place to live, but the weather can take a disastrous turn during the wet season on Cape York.
Approaching one year after Tropical Cyclone Jasper, Cape York residents are being urged to get ready for the upcoming storm season to keep themselves and their families safe.
“We are urging all Queenslanders to give some thought to what they would do if the worst happened and to make a plan today,” Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) chief ex-
ecutive office Major General Jake Ellwood (Retd) said.
“Since 2011, Queensland has been impacted by more than 120 significant disaster events, so it’s not a matter of if but when the next disaster will hit, and we all need to be prepared. Research shows those who have undertaken disaster preparation also recover more quickly.”
Major General Ellwood said Cape York residents could follow three simple steps to ensure they were ready – understanding how severe weather would
impact their life, making a plan, and packing an emergency kit.
He said the easiest way to do that was to follow the QRA’s Get Ready Queensland Household Severe Weather Emergency Plan, which can be found at www.getready.qld.gov.au/plan.
“Using our new online severe weather emergency planning tool, you can collate all the information you need in one place, so you know what to do and who to contact in times of crisis,”
Major General Ellwood said.
“Next time you’re shopping,
we also recommend grabbing a few extra items for your emergency kit, like long-life food, drinking water, toiletries, batteries, a torch, and a battery-powered radio.
“Consider what items your family might need if you were isolated for multiple days.”
Major General Ellwood also said residents should clean up debris around their yards, clear their drains, subscribe to weather alerts, and ensure their insurance coverage is right for them. – story by Chisa Hasegawa
The catastrophic wet weather event of December 2023 reminded Cape York residents about the importance of preparing for the worst.
Free Santa snaps for Cook Shire families
COOK Shire residents can capture Christmas memories in their own backyard after the council announced it would offer free photo sessions with Santa Claus next month.
Cook Shire Council will host the sessions at the Cooktown Library from 8:30am-4:30pm
on 13 December and Mayor Robyn Holmes said the initiative aligned with the organisation’s commitment to support families.
“By offering free photo sessions at the Cooktown Library, we’re giving families a chance to make special holiday memories closer to home,” she said.
Community members will book a 30-minute window that best suits them, and the big guy in red and his team will aim to ensure their five-minute photo session will take place during the window.
Families will receive a free 6x8 printed photo and have the
option to download digital copies or purchase extra prints.
Furry family members are not able to enter the library to be part of the festive season happy snap. To book a photo session, go to www.trybooking.com/events/ landing/1309978.
Rio Tinto apologises as progress report released
By LYNDON KEANE
TWO years into a cultural change program brought about by a damning 2022 report, Rio Tinto has apologised to workplace bullying victims and admitted “unacceptable and harmful” behaviours remain within the organisation.
The mining giant, which employs 57,000 staff in 35 countries, released the Everyday Respect 2024 progress report on 21 November and while it shows progress is being made with “promising signs” of improved workplace culture, harmful behaviours remain a challenge, particularly for women and marginalised groups.
The initial and progress reviews were undertaken by former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, who said she had observed positive change in the two years between reviews.
“I applaud Rio Tinto’s continued leadership and commitment to transparency in driving cultural change,” she said.
“This is a significant undertaking in a global company with a growing and dynamic workforce, diverse roles and complex working environments.
“Two years on, the progress is evident and there is an ongoing commitment to this work. I am not surprised to see some areas where results haven’t improved
– this is a normal part of the cultural change process; with sustained focus from Rio Tinto, we should expect to see the positive change spread over time.”
About 50 per cent of the 10,056 progress review survey respondents reported an improvement in relation to bullying, sexual harassment and racism in the workplace, however, 7 per cent said they had experienced sexual harassment and 39 per cent bullying in the past year.
Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm apologised to victims and said the company would “stay the course” to bring about further improvement.
“People are still experiencing behaviours and attitudes in our
company that are unacceptable and harmful,” he said.
“I am greatly troubled by this and sincerely apologise on behalf of our leadership team to anyone affected.
“I want to thank everyone across our business who has shown the courage to speak up, as your honesty will guide our ongoing efforts to become an organisation where every day is safe, respectful, and productive for everyone. The review … shows that while progress is being made, achieving the sustained change we want to see in our culture will require ongoing focus and effort.
“My message today is that we will stay the course.”
Rio Tinto has released a progress report into a review on the mining giant’s workplace culture and, while positive change is being observed, CEO Jakob Stausholm has admitted “unacceptable and harmful” behaviours still exist.
Shire sets terms for fluoride talk
By LYNDON KEANE
THE terms of reference for consultation about the ongoing fluoridation of Cooktown’s water supply will be unveiled at next month’s council meeting, but one community group opposed to the practice says it will not accept an “outside, unknown entity” undertaking stakeholder engagement.
Cook Shire Council announced last week a report outlining the terms of reference and strategy it is proposing for the consultation which will be presented at its next ordinary meeting on 17 December.
Once the terms of reference are endorsed by elected members, the council will then call for tenders for a suitable proponent to be appointed to undertake the consultation process, which is anticipated to commence in early 2025.
However, the Cook Shire Ratepayers and Residents Association (CSRRA), which has been the most vocal community group opposing the continued fluoridation of the town’s water, says it does not believe an external consultant is the answer, instead pointing the finger at councillors to make a decision and “work for their wages and constituents”.
“CSRRA is opposed to engaging an outside unknown entity to undertake consultation,” CSRRA secretary and spokesperson Toni Leigh told Cape York Weekly
“We are concerned this is Cook
Shire Council, once again, kicking the can down the road and councillors absolving themselves of their responsibility; this extra cost to ratepayers appears to be shifting the decision from the elected, paid councillors, who have the responsibility and duty to make an informed decision.
“They should do their own research – work for their wages and constituents.”
Last month, the group said it
welcomed the council’s decision to reopen the fluoridation debate and would “enthusiastically wait for the information as presented to be reviewed”, but said in an email response to questions on 22 November it was now completely opposed to the mineral being added to Cooktown’s water supply.
“CSRRA’s position is that fluoride be removed from our water supply,” Ms Leigh said.
“We oppose all mass medica-
tion denying choice and informed consent; CSRRA considers adding fluoride chemicals to town reticulated water supply to be a human rights issue.”
Chief executive officer Brian Joiner said the council was committed to ensuring every member of the community had an opportunity to have their opinion on fluoridation heard during the consultation process.
“Our role is to provide a struc-
tured and unbiased consultation process, ensuring every community member has an opportunity to contribute their perspective,” he said.
The sentiment was echoed by Mayor Robyn Holmes, who said she believed the approach outlined in the terms of reference meant “the final decision will reflect the views and concerns of our entire community, not individual preferences”.
Photography competition shines a light on Aurukun
THE stunning beauty of a remote western Cape York community’s people and landscape has been showcased through the lens at its annual photography competition.
Judges have cast their votes in the 2024 Living in Aurukun photography competition, with Stacey Clark claiming overall best photo honours for her effort capturing a vivid sunset over Oban Beach.
Ms Clark proved she was adept with a camera in her hands by also winning the category for best scene with Possum, which depicts Possum Creek, a favourite waterhole for locals.
Skytrans donated the prize for the overall winner, with Aurukun Shire Council providing shopping vouchers for category winners.
2024 Living in Aurukun results
Best
best
Serenity at
photo:
Oban – Stacey Clark;
scene: Possum – Stacey Clark; Favourite Activity: May Kooth of the Paper Bark Swamp – Justine Carmady; Aurukun at Work: Flower Girl – Meg Whiticker;
Aurukun Characters: Welcome to Country Pride – Meg Whiticker; highly commended: The Colours of Kaap – Justine Carmady, Aurukun Mornings – Stacey Clark, Sunday at Bowenda – Arianna Yunkaporta
Opponents to the ongoing fluoridation of Cooktown’s water supply have been a visible presence speaking to community members at the town’s Saturday market.
Stacey Clark’s stunning sunset snap, Serenity at Oban, took out top honours as the best photo in the 2024 Living in Aurukun photography competition.
Well-known Aurukun man Lindsay Owokran was the subject of Meg Whiticker’s winning entry in the Aurukun Characters category.
Packed gallery welcomes book launch
THE second edition of Vera Scarth-Johnson’s book National Treasures. Flowering Plants of Cooktown and Northern Australia was officially launched in front of a packed gallery at Nature’s Powerhouse by Cook Shire Council Mayor Robyn Holmes on 16 November.
Ms Scarth-Johnson moved to Cooktown in the early 1980s, having been captivated by the rich diversity of plants along the Endeavour River.
For the remainder of her life, she lived in Cooktown and created exquisite illustrations of the region’s orchids and wildflowers.
Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery Association president Bev Stone told the launch the well-known Cooktown resident had been known around the world for her eye and talent as an illustrator.
“Vera is recognised across
Australia and internationally as a renowned botanical illustrator,” Ms Stone said.
“Some of her paintings are still on display at Kew Gardens in London
“It was a privilege to have
such a talented artist living in our community, and her generosity will not be forgotten.”
A passionate conservationist, Ms Scarth-Johnson bequeathed her Endeavour River Series –a collection of 110 botanical
paintings – to the Cooktown community in 1994, in the hope greater awareness of the area’s botanical riches would inspire people to “stand up to save it” and protect the local environment.
She continued to paint, and donated a further 37 works before her death in 1999, with her legacy now on permanent display at Nature’s Powerhouse.
The publication of the book was a monumental task that involved significant co-ordination and the efforts of many individuals, including three botanists, an ecologist, two local Guugu Yimithirr speakers, and more than 20 community members.
The second edition of National Treasures. Flowering Plants of Cooktown and Northern Australia is now available for purchase by calling Nature’s Powerhouse on 4069 5673.
Students, teachers lose their locks for leukaemia
By CHISA HASEGAWA
FRESH buzz cuts and colourful hair seemed to be the status quo at Western Cape College (WCC) last Thursday as the school took part in the World’s Greatest Shave.
Students and teachers raised more than $3,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation on 21 November during what was described as a “very wholesome” day.
“The kids really got into it –we had a lot of last-minute students who really wanted to participate in the shave and show their solidarity with the cause, so that was really nice to see,” teacher and event organiser Elizabeth Filitonga said.
“We also had the coloured hairspray for the kids as well, and that was really fun.”
Ms Filitonga said she regularly rocked the buzz cut, and decided to bring the event back to the school.
“I think they’ve done [the World’s Greatest Shave] previously, but I think it’s been a few years since they’ve last done it,” she said.
“I actually regularly shave my head, and it’s been suggested to me that I should do it for World’s Greatest Shave, so I thought if I’m going to do it any-
way, I should do it for something that is a good cause.
“It actually started off quite small; I was really just going to raise money and do it just with my Year 7 class, but then Dan Tonon, the principal, he was really excited to make it a whole college event and it kind of snowballed.”
She said the kids had lots of fun with each other while they learned about the Leukaemia Foundation and what it supported.
“There were lots of crazy hairstyles going on, and it was just very good energy,” Ms Filitonga said.
“It was good because we were able to talk about why we were doing this event, how blood cancers affect so many people in Australia, and how the money that we were raising supports people with different blood cancers.
“It was good that we could get that message across, and it was also good in building a real college unity in supporting this event.”
WCC is continuing its fundraising effort with a goal of $5,000, and any community members who wish to contribute to the target can do so at www. worldsgreatestshave.com/fundraisers/westerncapecollege.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Cooktown man,
29, killed
THE Forensic Crash Unit is investigating a fatal vehicle and pedestrian incident involving a Cooktown man in South Mossman on Saturday night.
Emergency services were called to the Captain Cook Highway at about 9.10pm on 23 November following reports a pedestrian had been stuck by a white Holden Colorado utility.
The pedestrian, a 29-year-old Cooktown man, died at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle was not physically injured and rendered assistance to the pedestrian before emergency services arrived.
Forensic Crash Unit investigations remain ongoing. Any witnesses or anyone with relevant dashcam vision is urged to come forward.
Cooktown history AGM
CURRENT, former and prospective members of the Cooktown Historical Society are invited to attend its 2024 annual general meeting this Saturday.
The AGM will be held at 6pm on 30 November at the Cooktown History Centre on Charlotte Street.
All committee positions will be vacated and open for nomination.
“We encourage everyone with an interest in our historical society to attend,” a spokesperson said.
“Please don’t let our history become a thing of the past.”
Volunteering inquiry called
AS community groups across Cape York and the Torres Strait struggle to find local assistance, the State Government has announced a Parliamentary inquiry into the barriers preventing higher rates of volunteering across Queensland.
Volunteering participation has fallen by more than 10 per cent over the past three years, impacting many organisations’ ability to deliver for their communities in times of emergency.
The inquiry will be established before the end of 2024 and Minister for Volunteers Ann Leahy said it would represent the first step in providing greater support to Queenslanders who want to volunteer.
“Volunteers make vital social and economic contributions to our state. I have been engaging with volunteers and volunteer organisations and they’re telling me there are a range of obstacles stopping people from volunteering,” she said.
The inquiry report is scheduled to be provided to Parliament by late 2025.
–
WCC teacher Elizabeth Filitonga (centre) and students proudly rock their freshly shaved heads for a good cause after raising more than $3,000 on 21 November.
Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery Association president Bev Stone (left) and secretary Barb Leys (right) catch up with Cook Shire Council Mayor Robyn Holmes following the launch of the second edition of National Treasures: Flowering Plants of Cooktown and Northern Australia.
Mums’ camp will be a safe space
By CHISA HASEGAWA
A NEW camp for women grappling with the aftermath of a loved one’s suicide is coming to Cape York in early 2025.
Talk About It Tuesday founders Debbie Jackson and Jackie Perry, who both lost their sons to suicide on a Tuesday, started the support group after feeling like they did not have a safe space to open up about their grief.
Now, they will fulfil the longtime dream of providing Cape York women in a similar situation with a grief camp after receiving funding from the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN)
Targeted Regional Initiative for Suicide Prevention program grant.
“When you’re going through the loss of somebody with suicide, it’s a very lonely road, and it’s not only just suicide, it’s grief in general,” Ms Jackson said.
“In all honesty, you really don’t know what they’re going through until you’ve gone through it yourself – you can only imagine, and then times that by 10 or 100 – there are no words.
“I just want to help women get through that – just give them a little bit of space to have like-minded women here with them, so they know they aren’t alone.”
Ms Jackson said when she lost her son Dillon 10 years ago, she struggled to find the time and space to properly deal with her grief.
“Mothers are the nurturers – we go home, and we’ve still got to keep going,” she said.
“For example, when I lost Dillon, I still had to keep functioning as a person, I still had to function as a mother, and it would have been nice to have some tools.
“I just got really busy, and it probably wasn’t a great thing for
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me, because once I stopped being busy, I fell apart.”
The camp will be built on Ms Jackson’s property at Wolverton Station, near Archer River, with most of the funding to go towards getting mental health facilitators, both from the Cape and externally, for women to “find new tools to help them get through their eve-
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and
ryday life”. Ms Jackson said they were overwhelmed with the funding support from NQPHN for community-led mental health initiatives such as the grief camp.
“We are totally humbled to get the funding; we just threw our hat in the ring, and we didn’t think we’d get anywhere with it, but we did,” she said.
“I’ve always wanted to do something for women in Cape York, because they have all these retreats down south, and there’s nothing like that here. Jackie and I, we’re not speakers, we’re not anything, and yet, who would have thought that us two little old girls in Cape York have got some motions happening.”
Jackie Perry and Debbie Jackson celebrate funding for a new grief camp for women.
As someone who truly understands loss and grief, Ms Jackson said she hoped to be a support beam for women in a similar situation.
Coral IVF helps Great Barrier Reef create new life
By CHISA HASEGAWA
A CUTTING-EDGE coral restoration technique is bringing new life to the Great Barrier Reef after a mass bleaching event caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper and a marine heatwave.
Triggered by the November full moon, the largest annual spawning event on the planet took place on 21 November as corals released trillions of eggs and sperms into the water in a mass breeding phenomenon.
This year, a game-changing technique known as coral IVF was brought to Far North Queensland.
Great Barrier Reef Foundation coral reef restoration director Melissa Rodgers said there was a significant amount of luck
involved in spawns growing into healthy corals, adding the technique would increase the chances by 100-fold.
“Essentially, what we do is when coral spawns and bundles of sperm and eggs are released, we collect those in specifically de-
signed larval pools, and then the sperm and eggs need to meet and become larvae,” she explained.
“In nature, they would float along on currents and develop and settle onto a coral reef, but there’s so much chance involved in that process and that larvae becoming competent at the right time, and then settling in the right place on a reef that doesn’t have algae or sediment in the way.
“The technique we’re using allows the larvae to become ready to settle, and then we essentially direct them to where we want them to settle on the reef.”
New data from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) showed the 2024 mass coral bleaching event caused the largest annual decline in hard coral
cover in the northern Great Barrier Reef since surveys began 39 years ago, with initial monitoring results between Cooktown and Lizard Island revealing more than a third of hard corals had been lost to bleaching.
AIMS’ long-term monitoring program leader Dr Mike Emslie said he had hope the new generation of corals would survive the upcoming wet season, but admitted it was difficult to predict.
“It’s too early to say whether there will be any cyclones across the next few months and how they may impact young corals, however, observations by our team suggest that young corals can sometimes survive cyclones due to their small nature and cryptic habits,” he said.
Top tourism operators recognised
By CHISA HASEGAWA
A CAPE York business says it is revving up to eye for gold next year to complete an impressive tourism trifecta after claiming silver in the Adventure Tourism category of the 2024 Queensland Tourism Awards on 15 November.
The Cape York Motorcycle Adventures team celebrated their second award in as many years at the gala event in Brisbane after taking home bronze in the same category last year.
“We won bronze the year be-
fore, so I had hope that we would at least do the same thing again, but it’s always good to get an upgrade,” company founder Renae Kunda said.
“We were all super excited afterwards; when you get that trophy in your hands, there’s just something special about it and it’s a real honour. The plan is to go for gold next year and get the trilogy.”
As a leader of the motorcycle tourism industry since 1990, Ms Kunda said the eco-certified business provided an unforgettable journey from Cairns to the tip of
Cape York for the most daring of adventurers.
“I think the award lets our customers know that we really care about their experience,” she said.
“I enter the awards to be judged and find out what things I should be doing to have a good company, so it’s kind of my commitment to improve every year.
“I think our customers appreciate that – it shows that we are trying to improve, and that we are being judged and rewarded for the work that we do, so it definitely gives us credibility.”
Ms Kunda said it was inspiring to be surrounded by like-minded people in the business cheering each other on, adding she was already working on ideas to further improve the customer experience.
“I was just enjoying the night and the company, and there was such a buzz in the room that each individual award wasn’t really a main focus; award ceremonies can be a bit like going to the principal’s office sometimes, but this is the tourism industry, so everyone was just having a great time,” she said.
“That’s the beauty of the awards
– it points you in the right direction.
“You’re always developing ideas, and I’m not going to say what they are yet, but they’re already in practice so we’ll definitely be putting those in the submission for next year.”
Cape York Peninsula Lodge also impressed the judges and won gold in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism category and a silver for 4-4.5 Star Accommodation, but did not respond to an interview request from Cape York Weekly
The floating larval pool captured millions of future coral babies on 21 November. Photo: Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
Carly Volke, Sarah Sweeny, Renae Kunda, Deanne Bowd and Laura Russell from Cape York Motorcycle Adventures celebrate their Queensland Tourism Award silver in Adventure Tourism.
Cape York Peninsula Lodge claimed Cape York’s second win at the awards by claiming gold in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism category.
Local residents petition for NPARC CEO’s sacking
By LYNDON KEANE
RESIDENTS in the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) have sensationally launched a community petition calling for the council to terminate the employment of its chief executive officer amid claims of trust breaches and a “severe lack of transparency”.
The Change.org petition asks Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council (NPARC) to sack CEO Kate Gallaway, who was appointed permanently to the role in May 2023, on the basis she and the council’s executive leadership team have eroded community trust by failing to provide information and adequately engage local stakeholders.
The petition was started by Seisia resident Kawia Sunai, who unsuccessfully ran as a Division 5 candidate for the council at the 16 March local government elections and received only 8.96 per cent of primary votes.
“A change in leadership would signal a significant step towards restoring transparency, trust and respect for the community,” Ms Sunai says in the petition.
“It would pave the way for a leadership willing to consult with the community, share documents related to decisionmaking processes and respect our traditional people.
“Therefore, we urge the responsible authorities to remove the current CEO of Northern
Peninsula Regional Council [sic] from office immediately.”
The petition comes on the back of the former state government appointing in August a financial controller and governance adviser to oversee operations for a six-month period in the wake of criticism about NPARC’s strategic, operational and financial management.
In June, the council voted unanimously to adopt an operating loss of more $5.7 million for the 2024-25 financial year.
One NPA business operator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said while they had not signed the petition, they believed it was time to “sweep away” the council’s senior ranks.
“Look around – the community up here is going backward, particularly if you’re trying to operate a business,” they said.
“My own belief is that the CEO and most of the senior staff don’t know what they’re doing and don’t want to listen – there’s been a lot of decisions over the last couple of years where there’s no transparency; it’s either incompetence or nepotism, or both.”
Cape York Weekly asked NPARC Mayor Robert Poi Poi and the five divisional councillors whether Ms Gallaway still had their confidence as CEO, but none responded to inquiries.
At the time this publication went to press, 125 people had signed the petition online.
Students display art talent at exhibition
SECONDARY students have shown off their creative flair and wowed audiences with their annual exhibition to end the visual arts year in Cooktown.
Dozens of residents and visitors converged on Elizabeth Guzsely Gallery on 22 November for the launch of Cooktown School of Art Society’s (CSAS) final exhibition of 2024, ARTLOUNGE24.
Year 7-12 Cooktown State School students create works for the exhibition every year and CSAS president Jane Dennis praised the young artists for efforts that “display an incredible level of creativity, both technically and experimentally”.
ARTLOUNGE24, which runs until 30 November, caps off a big year for the Cooktown gallery, with its RAW, Fly, Swim and Run Youth Exhibition, Archies and 45th Annual Art Award exhibitions also having drawn big crowds keen to experience the artistic talent of the region.
Ms Dennis thanked the student artists and exhibition co-ordinators for making ARTLOUNGE24 a fitting way for the gallery to draw a curtain on 2024.
“As president of Cooktown Art, I would like to congratulate arts Co- Ordinator Jen Scott, Miss Katy Jay and Miss Jen for nurturing these budding artists,” she said.
“Miss Pen-Pen did an awesome job of curating the exhibition.”
NEWS IN BRIEF
Bold $30b ag goal
SOUTHERN Cape York could play a pivotal role in the State Government’s ambitious plan to boost Queensland farm gate output to $30 billion by 2030.
The government announced the goal would be supported by a focus on increasing productivity, expanding market access, and fostering innovation across the agricultural sector.
The plan bodes well for the $1.6b Lakeland Irrigation Area Scheme, which would result in a dam being built on the Palmer River to provide the water security required to crop a forecast 10,050 additional hectares in the Lakeland region.
Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said it was a “fresh start” for the state’s agricultural sector.
“This plan is about unlocking potential, driving investment, and delivering longterm certainty for the sector, and we are committed to putting Queensland agriculture first,” he said.
Australia Day awards
DO you know a member of the Weipa community deserving of having their efforts recognised on Australia Day?
Nominations for Weipa Town Authority’s 2025 Australia Day Awards are now open, with the call going out for submissions in the Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Spirit Award categories.
Nominations close on 6 December and must be submitted via the WTA website.
School holiday program
WITH the approaching wet season set to keep kids indoors, Weipa Town Authority (WTA) has announced its December and January school holiday program to give parents a helping hand.
The program promises fun-filled days of creativity and adventure, and tickets will be available seven days before each week of activities begin.
For more information, visit the WTA website or call 4030 9400.
Cooktown carols
A BIG turnout is expected in Cooktown’s Lions Park when Carols by Candlelight is held on 30 November.
The free event, hosted by the Combined Churches of Cooktown, will kick off at 6:30pm on Saturday with a sausage sizzle, with attendees set to sing the first carols from 7pm.
Attendees are asked to bring their own chairs to ensure they are comfortable.
Year 10 student Violet Snider shows off her work on Friday night.
MAJOR PRIZES DRAWN 14 DECEMBER 2024 4 PRIZES TO THE VALUE OF $10,000 $8,000 holiday voucher $1,000 Cooktown Tyre Service Voucher $500 Marano’s Shell Fuel Voucher $500 Trinity Petroleum Mobil Fuel Voucher PLUS 6 WEEKLY MYSTERY PRIZE DRAWS OF $1,500 PRIZES DRAWN EACH SATURDAY 3 – 6.30PM FROM 2 NOVEMBER TO 7 DECEMBER 2024 Entry ticket for Weekly & Major Prize Draws received from 28 October 24 with every purchase $10 or over in the Bar or Bistro
Entry ticket received for Weekly Smaller Prizes to the value of $500 with any purchase from Club open to 3 pm on the day of the Draw Come into the Club to
WINNERS MUST BE PRESENT AT THE DRAW Unclaimed weekly prizes will jackpot to the Major Prize Draw 14 December 2024 Conditions Apply – terms and conditions available from the Bar or Bistro
New hardware store open in NPA
SUPERMARKET operator Community Enterprise Queensland (CEQ) says the opening of its new hardware and homeware shop in the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) is the start of a plan to “redefine retail” for residents of the remotest parts of the state.
CEQ opened the doors of its Community Home and Hardware (CHH) store in Bamaga on 18 No-
vember, which is located next to its IBIS supermarket.
By leveraging the buying power of leading groups like Mitre 10, Sportspower and Betta Home Living, CEQ said it was able to offer locals and nearby remote communities access to a wide range of products at affordable prices.
The range will include hardware, outdoor and sporting goods,
furniture, whitegoods and electrical appliances, however, one NPA resident told Cape York Weekly they had been “sadly disappointed” by the lack of hardware on the shelves.
“I went in to see what hardware they were stocking and there was none – not a screw or bolt, nothing,” they said.
“There’s homewares, camping
Jasper fails to impact the success of key reef project
THE uninvited interruption of Tropical Cyclone Jasper has failed to interfere with the successful completion this month of a twoyear project to manage gully erosion in Cape York’s Normanby and Bloomfield River catchment areas.
Ten gullies were remediated across Normanby and Mt Louis stations, which are expected to lead to a reduction of over 7,979 tonnes of sediment runoff each year, which in turn will help improve water quality in Great Barrier Reef catchments.
The project not only reduced gully erosion and improved water quality by reducing sediment runoff, but also provided valuable employment and social opportunities for local landholders, workers and jobseekers.
Reef Assist 2.0 was led by Cape York Natural Resource Management (NRM) as part of the State Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program and project officer Katelyn Greaves said its outcomes could be measured in economic terms as well as environmental.
“Our participants gained invaluable hands-on experience and life skills. We’ve seen fantastic outcomes, with several now employed in local earthmoving businesses or upskilled in their current roles,” she said.
“This project has been transformative for individuals and communities alike.”
Cape York NRM chief executive officer Pip Schroor said the December 2023 natural disaster required some logistical shifts with the delivery of the project but added it had no significant impact on its overall success.
“Midway through this project we had to shift our location and training schedule because of Cyclone Jasper, and then pivot again because of local landholders’ having a different set of needs,” she said.
“Despite all of that, it’s been a very successful project, thanks to the department for enabling us to accommodate those necessary adjustments. Our contingency plans to ensure all aspects of this project were completed to a high standard worked and we are very pleased with the results.”
and tourist stuff, but no hardware.”
CEQ chief executive officer Michael Dykes said CHH Bamaga would act as a concept store to enhance the remote retail experience.
“This new store is a testament to our commitment to supporting remote communities,” he said.
“By utilising our partnerships and buying power, we can offer a diverse range of products at com-
petitive prices, reducing the costs typically associated with shipping goods to Cape York.
“We want local trades doing the deliveries, local trades building the furniture, and local people working in the store, with six new jobs already created for the store opening. This store is part of our broader vision to redefine retail in remote Queensland.”
Have your say on issues affecting the future of the Western Cape!
We are seeking input and comment from residents of Weipa and other western Cape Communities to inform a comprehensive socio-economic impact assessment (SEIA) which will support planning the future of the region.
The study is being undertaken as Rio Tinto considers expansion of the Amrun operation and the closure of the East Weipa mine, where active mining recently finished, and the Andoom mine, which is set to finish active mining later this decade.
The SEIA is being delivered by an independent specialist consultancy called EMM. It will take six to seven months to complete.
Have your say!
Scan the QR code and complete the confidential 10 minute survey.
The Reef Assist 2.0 project has been heralded as an environmental and employment win for south-eastern Cape York.
Staff at the Community Home and Hardware in Bamaga celebrate the store’s first sale on 18 November.
CapeYorkWeekly
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Golden handshake is out of touch
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
IF your employer deemed you unfit to continue in your role, told you so in the most emphatic, public way possible, but then wrote you a cheque equivalent to half the current national average income on your way out the door, I’m going to suggest you’d think all your Christmases had come at once.
The news the 15 former MPs who lost their seats when Queensland had its say on 26 October would be receiving a “transition allowance” equal to 12 weeks’ pay has angered many parts of the community, and rightly so.
With the current base salary for MPs sitting at $183,985, the Parliamentary ruling means the ousted politicians – including twoterm former Cook MP Cynthia Lui – will receive more than $42,000 after failing to convince their constituents they deserved another four years representing them.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Politicians are employed by the people by virtue of our democratic system of government.
Despite what many of our egotistical political types think behind closed doors, that means being an MP is a job, with the people holding the ballot papers – in this case, Queenslanders – acting as a de facto HR department with the power
to hire and fire each election cycle.
What other job allows you to go four years between performance reviews, completely ignore your employers during that period, and then demand a top-up of your bank account when they decide you’re no longer fit for purpose and that your services are no longer required?
If the owners of this publication suddenly decide I’m not the right fit for the needs and ambition of the masthead, I can guarantee you
I’m not entitled to a post-sacking payout of tens of thousands of dollars to assist me with transitioning back to life in the real world.
And that’s what an election loss is if you brush aside the political hyperbole – it’s a sacking at the hands of the people who trusted you to represent them.
They can’t even pretend it’s some sort of redundancy payment, because that would mean an employer – us – didn’t need an employee’s job to be done by anyone.
We absolutely do need it done. We just want it done by someone who is going to take us and the responsibility seriously.
How can politicians purport to understand anything about the cost of living pressures crippling Queenslanders, especially on Cape York and in the Torres Strait, if they are guaranteed a payment equal to 50 per cent of what the average Australian makes in a year for losing their $3,500-per-week job?
Our political leaders are stacking the deck to ensure they will still be rewarded for mediocrity in a big middle finger to their electorates. In fact, the Parliamentary Members’ Remuneration Handbook effectively admits it by providing outgoing MPs with the ludicrously-named transition allowance in cases where they have “retired involuntarily through loss of party pre-selection … or through defeat at an election”. Doing a sub-par job as a politician only to have your constituents give you the flick on election day? No worries, friend, here’s 12 weeks’ pay for failing to do enough to convince your electorate to return you to office. Actually, a loser allowance is probably a more apt description, since there’s no way they could call it a taking-the-piss allowance.
Sadly, former American president Abraham Lincoln’s utopic 1863 vision of a “government of the people, by the people, for the people” is not a reflection of democracy in 2024. It’s hasn’t been for decades. These days, democracy is all about parties helping parties and mates helping mates at the cost of the people.
If ousted MPs need to fill their pockets with cash in order to successfully transition back to reality after representing those of us who live in it, perhaps they weren’t the right advocates to having battling for our best interests in Parliament in the first place.
•
•
Lyndon Keane says it’s a slap in the face of the electorate that ousted MPs like Labor’s Cynthia Lui will receive a “transition allowance” of more than $42,000
Cape York Weekly Puzzles Page
Quick Workout
Fit the numbers 1-6 once into every hexagon so that where the hexagons touch, the numbers are the same. No number is repeated in any single hexagon.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC ICN 7002
Jabalbina Yalanji Land Trust
When: Friday 6th December 2024
Where: 121 Hartwig Street WUJAL WUJAL
Time: 10:30AM
If you have any questions please contact Jabalbina
Phone: (07) 4098 3552 or 4079 2430
Email: reception@jabalbina.com.au
Office: 15 Sawmill Road, MOSSMAN Q 4873
Postal: PO Box 463, Mossman Q 4873
*Morning Tea & Lunch provided
GREAT RADIO CONNECTING NORTH QLD
2024 TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL
For the wards of Badu Island, Bamaga, Dauan Island, Erub Island, Hammond Island, Iama Island, Kubin, Mabuiag Island, Masig Island, Mer Island,
and
Ugar Island and Warraber Island.
Voting will not take place in the ward of Boigu Island, as only one candidate nominated for this ward, which makes it uncontested.
Saturday 30 November 2024
Who can vote?
You can vote in the TSRA election if you are:
– a Torres Strait Islander or an Aboriginal person
– aged 18 years or over on polling day, and
– enrolled at an address in a TSRA ward by 5pm (AEST) on Friday 15 November 2024
Where to vote
ELECTION DAY If you live in the wards of Bamaga, Port Kennedy, TRAWQ, or Ngurapai and Muralag, you can vote at the following times and locations:
Location Ward Address
Bamaga Bamaga
NPA State College Junior Campus 24 Sagaukaz Street BAMAGA QLD 4876
Port Kennedy Anglican Parish Hall 124 Douglas Street THURSDAY ISLAND QLD 4875
Thursday Island
TRAWQ
Horn Island Ngurapai and Muralag
Tamwoy Community Hall 204 Olandi Street THURSDAY ISLAND QLD 4875
Ngurapai Sports Complex 43 Nawie Street HORN ISLAND QLD 4875
Date and Time (AEST)
30 November 9am – 4pm
30 November 9am – 5pm
30 November 9am – 5pm
30 November 9am – 3pm
EARLY VOTING If you live on one of the 19 contested wards and you cannot attend a polling booth on election day, you can vote early at one of the following locations:
Location Address
Cairns
Australian Electoral Commission Ground Floor, Commonwealth Centre 104 Grafton Street CAIRNS QLD 4870
Thursday Island Anglican Parish Hall
124 Douglas Street THURSDAY ISLAND QLD 4875
Date and Time (AEST)
25-29 November 9am – 5pm
25-29 November 10am – 5pm
MOBILE POLLING: If you live in the wards of Badu Island, Dauan Island, Erub Island, Hammond Island, Iama Island, Kubin, Mabuiag Island, Masig Island, Mer Island, Ngurapai and Muralag, Poruma Island, Saibai Island, Seisia, St Pauls, Ugar Island and Warraber Island, mobile voting teams will come to these islands between 19-29 November.
ABSENT VOTING: you can cast a vote for your ward at any polling place advertised. For locations, dates and times for mobile polling visit the AEC website at www.aec.gov.au/tsra
HOSPITAL & AGED CARE FACILITY POLLING: A polling team will visit the following hospitals and aged care facilities on Thursday Island:
Location Address
Thursday Island
Thursday Island
Star of the Sea Elders Village 121 Waiben Esplanade THURSDAY ISLAND QLD 4875
Thursday Island Hospital
163 Douglas Street
ISLAND
There were smiles all round when 27 eager participants ran, jogged and walked the 5-kilometre circuit in proper build-up conditions for Weipa parkrun #393 on 23 November.
Participants all smiles for weekly Saturday parkrun
EVEN an overnight low of 25.1 degrees could not wipe the smile off Weipa parkrunners when they converged on the starting line for instalment #393 of the weekly event on 23 November.
Twenty-seven competitors laced up to run, job or walk the 5-kilometre circuit as they challenged themselves against true build-up conditions.
Four personal bests were set on the day, including Jenna Edwards, whose PB time of 27 minutes, 6 seconds ensured she was the first female to cross the finish line.
Tyrone Tuckwood, Nigel Tait and Sam
Date and Time (AEST)
27 November 9am – 10.30am
4875 27 November 11.30am – 1pm
28 November 11.30am – 1pm
4875
For further information on this election contact:
Jacqueline McHenry
Returning Officer | Australian Electoral Commission
Telephone: (02) 9375 6366 (extension 4) Email: tsra@aec.gov.au Or visit www.aec.gov.au/tsra
Aschenbrenner also made the most of the testing conditions to stop the clock in PB times.
Chrisden Russ was the first runner to say hello to the timekeepers with a 21:44 effort.
Volunteers Denica Bowden, Michael Collins, Aaron Dorsett, Malama Gray, Judey Haeusley, Donna Jewell, Lisa May, Rose Robins, Ayda Robins and Olive Robins helped the event to run smoothly.
Weipa parkrun is held every Saturday morning from 7am, with participants assembling at the roundabout in Nanum, opposite the hospital.
GUNGARDE COMMUNITY CENTRE ABORIGINAL CORPORATION (icn. 148)
92 Charlotte Street, Cooktown QLD 4895 T: 07 4069 5412
POSITION VACANT:
Gungarde Community Centre is seeking applications from suitably qualified people to join our team in the role of Housing Support Worker
Applications close at noon on 29TH November 2024
For further information or to request a copy of the Position Description please contact 07 4069 5412 or swilson@gungarde.com.au
GUNGARDE COMMUNITY CENTRE ABORIGINAL CORPORTATION (I.C.N. 148)
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
All members of the corporation are advised that an Annual General Meeting of Gungarde Community Centre Aboriginal Corporation will be held as follows:
TIME: 11:30AM
DATE: 28 November 2024
PLACE: Gungarde Hall – 92 Charlotte Street, Cooktown Qld 4895
Agenda Items:
• Acceptance of previous minutes 23 November 2023
• Chairperson’s/Director report
• CEO report
• Financial report
• Auditor’s report
Please note this is a non-voting AGM
PHONE: 07 4069 5412 for further information
Ngurapai
Muralag, Port Kennedy, Poruma Island, Saibai Island, Seisia, St Pauls, TRAWQ,
Young boxer keen to put Weipa into the spotlight
By LYNDON KEANE
HE’S rock-hard fit, ready to fight, and only days away from stepping into the ring to make the Australian boxing scene learn his name.
Seventeen-year-old Weipa fighter Jack Barton will make the interstate trip south this week to contest the 2024 Amateur Boxing League National Titles in Gosford from 28-30 November.
When the quietly spoken boxer dons the gloves on the central New South Wales coast, he will be showcasing not only his talent and rising star, but also the depth of one of the remotest boxing clubs in the country.
Barton said he was feeling strong ahead of his national debut, adding he was looking forward to representing Cape York Boxing Weipa in front of some of the biggest amateur competitors, trainers and boxing influencers in Australia.
“It’s an honour,” he told Cape York Weekly ahead of departing for Gosford.
“I get a lot of support from everyone in Weipa, and I’m looking forward to competing against boxers from all over Australia.
“My fitness is good and I’m feeling strong; coaches Dan and Scott have had me sparring
all the seniors, doing up to 10 rounds a session.”
Club founder and coach Scott Wallace described the opportunity for Barton to step onto the national stage at just 17 as “what dreams are made of” and said he believed his fighter would be competitive.
“Words can’t explain it, to get to the big stage with what we’ve got up here – it’s just what dreams are made of,” he said.
“I think we’re in a great position; he’s pretty much up to 79 kilograms now, and he’s not
wasted or fatigued. I think he’s going to have a good crack; we’re just going to go down and do our thing.
“We’re leaving no stone unturned with his preparation and training, the rest of it’s up to the boxing gods.”
Barton, who started in the sport to be as good as his sister, who also trained under Wallace, thanked his coaches, sponsors and supporters, and said he had one eye on potentially turning professional.
“I started boxing to get better
than my sister Megan, who also trained under Scott Wallace –she was feared by all the boys,” Barton said.
“My goal is to keep developing and learning, and see how much I can achieve, maybe even going pro.
“I have people giving me compliments and wishing me all the best in the next fight.
“Hopefully, my work ethic in training will help push anyone wanting to come to boxing; it’s a long process, but it’s very rewarding.”
Medal win an early present for Hatton
CARDING a 1-under nett 64 was enough to give Chris Hatton the winner’s crown when players battled for the Sovereign Resort December Medal at Cooktown Golf Club on 23 November.
Hatton returned to the clubhouse in a solid position with the ever consistent Wal Welsh (nett 66) having to settle for the week’s runner-up jersey, while 2024 medal
muncher Steve Butler rounded out the top three with a nett 68 effort.
Butler secured the nearest to the pin prize on 2/11, with the victorious Hatton capping off a good day on the Walker Bay fairways by adding his name to the measuring cards on holes 14 and 9/18.
This coming weekend is the final opportunity for golfers to use their Race to the
Bay super up and double up cards when they contest a Stableford event from the red tees.
Daniel Biddle currently leads the race on 6,570 points with three of his 24 cards left to use.
In second place is Steve Butler (5,920 points and no cards remaining), while Wal Welsh is sitting pretty in third on 5,820 points with five cards left to play.
SPORT IN BRIEF
Wackers gong for Chan
VIV Chan was the best in a strong field of 19 golfers when they teed off in Wednesday Wackers action at Carpentaria Golf Club on 20 November.
Players attacked the back nine with gusto, but it was Chan who collected the chocolates after carding an extremely handy gross 41 for a winning nett 28.
Rob Richardson returned to the clubhouse with 48 off the stick for nett 29.5 and runner-up honours.
Steve Head and Grant Crossley bagged the nearest to the pin prizes on the 15th and 18th respectively.
Jim Lucas returned home with the weekly Bradman’s award.
Equine Christmas fun
HORSES and riders will reflect on 2024 and get into the festive spirit when the Cooktown Horse Sports Association hosts a Christmas break up event on 7 December.
With a $10 entry fee, the fun will start at the Cooktown Racecourse from 3:30pm, and conclude with a barbecue and drinks when horses have been unsaddled and floated for the final time this year.
Prizes will be on offer across tiny tots, junior and senior club classes for those who dress to impress and match the event’s Christmas theme.
For more information, check out the group’s Facebook page.
Weipa golf club AGM
FULL members of Carpentaria Golf Club are urged to attend the 2024 annual general meeting on 14 December to appoint a new committee for the coming year.
The AGM will commence at 9am at the clubhouse, with all current standing committee positions to be declared vacant. Nomination forms are available at the bar, or members can nominate when they arrive at the meeting.
In addition to selecting a new committee, the AGM will provide an update on the financial position of the club.
For more information, call the club or check out the Facebook page.
COOKTOWN TIDE
Weipa’s Jack Barton is set to fight on the national stage this weekend when he steps into the ring at the 2024 Australian Amateur Boxing League National Titles in Gosford.
