Published Friday, 07 December, 2007 at 10:17 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Study to survey Cairns and Far North’s tropical expertise
A new study will help guide the expansion of the Far North’s niche tropical expertise sector.
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle, also the Member for Cairns, today announced the State Government had commissioned an independent study into the region’s growing tropical expertise sector.
“About half the world’s population live in the tropics and, as populations grow and the regions develop, so too will the need for tropical expertise in all kinds of areas,” Ms Boyle said.
“As one of the few developed regions within the tropics, Far North Queensland is well-placed to take advantage of this growing demand.
“The Far North is already on the way towards becoming an international centre for tropical research, knowledge and innovation, developing products and services for tropical nations and returning economic gains to the State.
“We’ve already developed expertise in areas such as tropical health, tropical agribusiness, environmental management and tourism.”
Examples of tropical expertise in the Far North include:
• Ecobiotics at Yungaburra on the Atherton Tableland is exploring the pharmaceutical properties of North Queensland’s tropical plants and has trials underway into human anti-cancer drugs and the treatment of cancer in horses;
• Mossman Central Sugar Mill Company is working with local growers to trial the development of a local cocoa industry and;
• Cairns Landscaping Industries Cluster, a collective of lifestyle horticulture businesses, have extensive experience in tropical landscape construction and management and form one of the world's largest concentrations of tropical landscape and design skills.
Ms Boyle said the AEC consulting group would provide an overall economic picture of the region’s tropical expertise sector.
The study will identify:
• all businesses, research and educational institutions with tropical expertise;
• how many people are employed across the sector;
• its value;
• markets and;
• the number of exporters and the products and services being exported.
“This information will give us all a much better understanding of the sector and some indication of the best way forward.
“I urge all Tropical Expertise businesses and organisations to participate in the AEC survey so we have an accurate picture of our capability.”
A Steering Committee of key stakeholders, including James Cook University, the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and the private sector, will provide oversight, advice and support to the AEC Group for the study.
The AEC study is part of a major Queensland Government push to establish six regions across the State as Centres of Enterprise, based on each region’s industry strength.
In Cairns and Far North Queensland, the focus is on tropical expertise, aviation and the marine industry.
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2004
AEC Group Senior Economist Gavin O’Donovan: 3831 0577
7 December 2007
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle, also the Member for Cairns, today announced the State Government had commissioned an independent study into the region’s growing tropical expertise sector.
“About half the world’s population live in the tropics and, as populations grow and the regions develop, so too will the need for tropical expertise in all kinds of areas,” Ms Boyle said.
“As one of the few developed regions within the tropics, Far North Queensland is well-placed to take advantage of this growing demand.
“The Far North is already on the way towards becoming an international centre for tropical research, knowledge and innovation, developing products and services for tropical nations and returning economic gains to the State.
“We’ve already developed expertise in areas such as tropical health, tropical agribusiness, environmental management and tourism.”
Examples of tropical expertise in the Far North include:
• Ecobiotics at Yungaburra on the Atherton Tableland is exploring the pharmaceutical properties of North Queensland’s tropical plants and has trials underway into human anti-cancer drugs and the treatment of cancer in horses;
• Mossman Central Sugar Mill Company is working with local growers to trial the development of a local cocoa industry and;
• Cairns Landscaping Industries Cluster, a collective of lifestyle horticulture businesses, have extensive experience in tropical landscape construction and management and form one of the world's largest concentrations of tropical landscape and design skills.
Ms Boyle said the AEC consulting group would provide an overall economic picture of the region’s tropical expertise sector.
The study will identify:
• all businesses, research and educational institutions with tropical expertise;
• how many people are employed across the sector;
• its value;
• markets and;
• the number of exporters and the products and services being exported.
“This information will give us all a much better understanding of the sector and some indication of the best way forward.
“I urge all Tropical Expertise businesses and organisations to participate in the AEC survey so we have an accurate picture of our capability.”
A Steering Committee of key stakeholders, including James Cook University, the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and the private sector, will provide oversight, advice and support to the AEC Group for the study.
The AEC study is part of a major Queensland Government push to establish six regions across the State as Centres of Enterprise, based on each region’s industry strength.
In Cairns and Far North Queensland, the focus is on tropical expertise, aviation and the marine industry.
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2004
AEC Group Senior Economist Gavin O’Donovan: 3831 0577
7 December 2007