Cairns locals have a chance to guide Cairns Regional Council's priorities and improve services with the launch of the 2024 Our Cairns Survey today.
The survey will be open via Council's website until the end of August to give residents the best chance to have their voices heard.
Council will seek views on a broad range of issues, including topical issues such as residential green waste collection, adding fluoride to the water supply and security patrols.
The 2024 Our Cairns Survey will build on the success of previous surveys completed in 2016 and 2020.
It will also feature a tailored Our Cairns Youth Survey through local schools to engage young voices in shaping our city's future.
The insights gathered from this extensive and detailed community survey, will give Council a deeper understanding of resident perspectives.
Cairns Mayor Amy Eden said everyone will have an opportunity to participate.
"We are committed to giving all residents of Cairns a chance to actively guide Council's priorities for the next four years," she said.
"That starts right here at the Cairns Show where Council staff and your elected members will help people do the survey.
"We will use the survey results to tackle some of the big issues and guide Council's priorities for the next four years."
Once complete, a research report will be published with results set to inform the next Corporate Plan.
"We invite all residents to participate and share their views, helping us create a vibrant and inclusive future for Cairns," Cr Eden said.
"The launch of the 2024 Our Cairns Survey was a priority listed on my 100-day plan.
"Conducting this survey helps inform our operational planning, ensuring your voices are heard in shaping our city's future."
The 2024 survey aims to:
- Gather community insights to help shape the new Corporate Plan, ensuring it reflects the region our residents aspire to live in.
- Collect feedback on various topical issues affecting our community.
- Obtain information on services provided by other levels of government, empowering Council to advocate effectively on behalf of our residents.
- Assess Council's performance in delivering services and facilities, ensuring we meet community expectations.
- Identify improvement projects within suburbs that would benefit the community.
- Specifically engage with youth to understand their needs and preferences, enhancing our services and facilities for this important demographic.
The survey will close at 6pm on 30 August 2024.
Our Cairns Survey questions include:
- How much will you be willing to pay per year to have an extra bin for green waste?
- How effective do you think Council's CitySafe security patrols are in reducing anti-social behaviour in the CBD?
- Do you support or oppose the addition of fluoride to the city's water supply?
- Should Council charge short term accommodation providers (such as Airbnb) more to help mitigate the housing crisis?
- Should Council increase rates on landowners who hold onto undeveloped or underutilised land in already developed areas without making improvements?
