There’s $3m more for an emergency response centre in Townsville

Labor commits $3m in government for an emergency response and innovation centre (ERIC to its mates) in Townsville, to be run by CQU.

This strikes CQU as a splendid idea with Provost Helen Huntly saying, it would “establish Townsville as a world-leading region within the emergency response sector.”

Professor Huntly adds the promised funding, is, “a major coup for both CQUniversity and the Townsville region.”

They must be thrilled at Townsville head-quartered James Cook U as well. It used to have Cairns and Townsville to itself, until recently retired CQU vice chancellor, Scott Bowman started to expand north.

The money would come in government from Labor’s promised $300m University Future Fund. The Innovative Research Universities lobby is keeping track of commitments from the fund (CMM Thursday), which ERIC will take to $140m.

Last month Labor kicked $10m from the future fund into CQU’s Cairns aviation education hub ( CMM March 13)