Labor makes an education commitment for the 2022 election

CQU reports shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers yesterday announced a $50m commitment for a new Cairns campus.  The university says it has “almost outgrown” its existing site and a new campus will allow it to double capacity to 4000 students.

The CQU Cairns campaign started in 2016, with then VC Scott Bowman announcing plans to increase subjects and double enrolments on a new site – he just needed $50m. Successor Nick Klomp has kept campaigning and now Labor is on-board (CMM November 11 2016, August 3 2017, July 20 2020 and March 9 2021).

This is a win for the university – putting pressure on the coalition to follow. LNP federal member Warren Entsch was going to retire at the election but in March he decided to run again, which could be good for CQU, Mr Entsch was at a photo-op for a new campus last year (CMM July 10 2020) and he is a strong voice for the city,  in the marginal seat of Leichhardt. In the lead-up to the last federal election both Labor and the coalition committed to expanding James Cook U facilities at the Cairns Hospital (CMM August 25 2020).