Weipa Town Authority Chair Jaime Gane says Premier David Crisafulli and his relevant ministers attending next year’s Western Cape Futures Symposium will allow them “to show their commitment to the people of Cape York”. Photo: Supplied.
Premier David Crisafulli and his ministers responsible for transport and regional development will be big-name attendees at the 2025 Western Cape Futures Symposium if the chair of Weipa Town Authority (WTA) has her way.
With the new cabinet sworn in on 1 November, WTA Chair Jaime Gane said she would now write to Mr Crisafulli, the relevant ministers – including Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie and Minister for Regional and Rural Development Dale Last – and likely Member for Cook David Kempton to ensure they had their tickets booked for the event, which will be held in Weipa on 7-8 May.
“I want to be sure that our new State Government reps have the best opportunity to put the symposium in their 2025 calendar,” Ms Gane told Cape York Weekly.
“The Western Cape Futures Symposium is the perfect opportunity for the new government to get out of their Brisbane offices, come to the western Cape and see first-hand the opportunity that the region presents not only for Cape York, but for the rest of the state.
“It’s also an opportunity for the new premier and his government to show their commitment to the people of Cape York, who support the government’s vision of attracting investment, building a strong economy, and improving roads and infrastructure, all of which our region desperately needs.”
The symposium, co-ordinated by the Western Cape Chamber of Commerce and supported by the western Cape York councils, was an overwhelming success when it was held for the first time in March 2023, something organisers will be aiming to replicate next year.
Ms Gane said attending the symposium would give the premier and his ministers the chance to see the evolution of the region, as well as help solidify relationships between the government, councils, private industry and the not-for-profit sector.
“The symposium is all about highlighting the vast opportunity in Weipa and the western Cape, but we also explore some of the barriers to progress,” she said.
“I would like them to see that Weipa is no longer just a mining town – we have grown to become the unofficial capital of the Cape, and the opportunities that exist here go far beyond just mining.
“We are excited about what our post-mining future looks like, and we want the State Government to support us in our quest for a diverse, innovative and sustainable economy.
“The new State Government ran their campaign with a slogan of ‘a fresh start for Queensland’, so I am very much looking forward to working with them to create a fresh start for the western Cape, and reset the narrative and perceptions about what’s possible.”
The inaugural Western Cape Futures Symposium in March 2023 was an overwhelming success. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
