‘Sadie’ the huge python, plus more news
NEWS IN BRIEF
Welcome to Newsport’s News In Brief, where we make it easy to quickly catch up on some of the week’s news.
Big snake
Wonga Beach wildlife enthusiast David White has again captured on camera one of the area’s regular night-time visitors – this time getting up close and personal with a huge python.
Mr White posted a picture of him lying alongside his new found friend – an amethystine, or scrub, python – to show the scale of the reptile by comparison.
“Quite a large Scrubbie, her name’s Sadie,” he wrote. “I’m 6.1 so I’m not sure how large she measured I didn’t want to disturb her, but let’s just call her Sadie the large lady.”
Rent controversy
Suggestions by the Queensland government that it might consider capping rising rents has caused the main real estate group in the state to put out a strong statement calling for the idea to be completely scrapped before it goes any further.
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland’s (REIQ)’s CEO Antonia Mercorella said any suggestion that “the Government would meddle with the market” created uncertainty “and would act as a blazing red flag to Queensland property investors, shattering what little confidence is left and ultimately driving them away,” Ms Mercorella said.
“In the middle of a housing crisis caused by lack of housing supply, it’s beyond belief that the Government is now proposing a measure which innately discourages further supply.”
Newsport recently reported on the lack of rental housing supply in Douglas, and analysis that showed renters in the Shire were spending 47 per cent of their household incomes on rent.
Tourism Awards
The far north was included among winners of the 2022 Australian Tourism Awards announced late last week, which saw Queensland make a national sweep.
In the category for ‘4-4.5 Star Deluxe Accommodation’, the Cape York Peninsula Lodge won the Gold award.
For Tourism Marketing & Campaigns, Tourism Tropical North Queensland QLD took out the Bronze at the awards night in Sydney.
Ergon outage
A power outage in areas of Port Douglas on Sunday caused a little angst for some residents who thought they might have to shelve their footy viewing plans for the evening.
The fault, which Ergon Energy described as “damage needing repairs” was however short-lived – lasting about 15 to 20 minutes and allowing AFL viewers to get back to their game.
Marine infrastructure
Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula area marine infrastructure will be overhauled over the next six year, with a combined $80 million 50-50 funding partnership by the federal and state governments.
Claimed by both to be the “most significant investment in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula area marine infrastructure in 30 years”, the improvement program is hoped to create up to 100 jobs.
It will go towards overhauling jetties, wharves, boat ramps and other assets, and comes after a recent engineering report into the condition of marine infrastructure in the region identified a need for safer, more appropriate and accessible infrastructure.
Repairs and upgrades to infrastructure will happen in a staged process based on engineering priorities and consultation with local communities.
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