Cape students keen to create history on PDR

Published Tuesday, 29 May, 2018 at 10:00 AM

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey

Almost 40 Cape York students have applied for Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) Scholarships designed to further their education.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said with large parts of the road now being paved for the first time in history, the successful applicants would be making the Cape a better place for future generations.

She said the scholarships supported local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with a traditional or historical connection to country around the PDR.

“Now in their second year, these scholarships are empowering young Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people with educational opportunities,” Ms Lui said.

“There are five $2250 scholarships for high school students and three $40,000 scholarships for tertiary students.”

One of last year’s scholarship recipients, Mitchell Michael, of Cooktown, is studying a Bachelor of Science at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.

“This scholarship is providing me with an opportunity to pursue my dreams,” Mr Michael said.

“I hope that one day I can make a difference to my family and my community.”

Visiting Lockhart River on Cape York today, Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the scholarships were an important benefit of the Peninsula Developmental Road works.

“Sealing of the PDR is part of the Cape York Regional Package, a $260.5 million program of works jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments to upgrade critical infrastructure on Cape York Peninsula,” Mr Bailey said.

“We are building a single integrated road network that’s more reliable and accessible, connecting remote Cape York communities and regional centres.

“PDR projects have been providing education and employment opportunities for Indigenous and local workers, businesses, suppliers and training providers since 2014.”

An average of 161 direct jobs will be supported through the five-year CYRP, which has three sub-programs:

  • $200 million in works to progressively seal sections of the Peninsula Developmental Road
  • $10 million over four years for sealing works on the Endeavour Valley Road through to Hope Vale
  • $50.5 million for priority community infrastructure works identified by the Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance.

The scholarships are designed to benefit Cape York under the terms of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) between the Queensland Government, Traditional Owners and the Cape York Land Council (CYLC).

They are open to young people seeking a career in fields linked to TMR’s core business (for example, project management, environmental management, engineering, cultural heritage, communications or finance).

This year TMR received 30 secondary and eight tertiary applications – more than double last year’s number – from students in Weipa, Cooktown, Innisfail and Yeppoon.

Successful recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.

To learn more about how these scholarships assist students like Mitchell Michael, watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxZ9Sl0zqhQ.

For further information on the CYRP, please visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cape-York-Region-Package-Peninsula-Developmental-Road.

 

ENDS

Media contact: Dominic Geiger, 0447355565