Is Cooktown not a place of shelter, a place of total significance? A place where Cooks men fixed the HM Bark Endeavour?

Question - Discovered in 1770, I wonder what Mr Captain Cook would think about evetything. Captain James Cook, famous navigator and possibly the greatest explorer of the 18th century, is known for his voyages to the Pacific Ocean and his discovery of Cooktown, Australia. Does this not make Cook Shire the first Western administration to have set up camp on the york side of the Endeavour River? Is Cooktown not promoted as the first site, a place where his men shared the fire of/with the local tribes of Indigenous people? Is Cooktown not the place where we learnt the proper way to say Kanga? I think often about what Captain Cook would have done, today, if he and his wife Elizabeth, with all their many childern had settled in the Cook Shire region of Cape York.

 

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___Planming for future genetations

Six pillars in Sustainable Development 1. Development must be made socially just 2. Development must ensure ecological regeneration 3. Development must be economically viable 4. Development should ensure governance becomes politically participatory 5. Development should promote diversity and cultural vibrancy 6. Development that is sustainable must ensure spiritual fulfillment

What is the James Cook - RATEP program? Residents in Cape York need better access to education and the kind of resource infrastructure that would openly support policies aimed at sustainable Learning Communities. Archive "Stolen Generations" Day Australia -plus local comments from local residents

Campaign against alcohol and drugs misuse
Cape York Indigenous Mayors speak to Queenslands State Leader Ms Anna Bligh. Chairperson of the Queensland Indigenous Local Government Association Yarrabah Mayor Mr Vince Mundraby said that the Indigenous Mayors Meeting during Febuary successful. Find out more Mr Vince Mundraby said that the Mayors felt it is not good for local government's to run Alcohol Canteen's. He also said, Indigenous people are not necessarily going to exit their 'homelands,' to cities in great numbers... as many might say. To say they would is a myth. Mr Vince Mundraby said, "Our people have a strong sense of culture and that culture is stronger than alcohol". The plan is to deal with a form of structural change. Utilise our services alongside a management community plan, where we can negotiate with independent Canteen - entities, whose interests are outside the business of Council.
Politics is about eveyday things in every day life. In our Shire we need to be involved more with things that impact on us individually, as families and as a "whole" community Shire. Below is a sample number of topics that have been in the media over previous months.
Far North Queensland Backyard Radio Talk Back podcast and itunes Radio Australia. Relax with Australian Country Music. Listen to Breakfast. Lunch Overnight - 24/7 __Talkback.
People from the Cape have been cut-off from mainstream access roads for more than a month. Local Councillor Mr Wilson says the Laura causeway, connecting the Cape York Development Road to the rest of the Cape York needs an urgent upgrade. We need a bridge. People heve been having to organise small boats to cross the river. Photo's are pouring in showing the extent of the washed-out roads, land slides caused by this years above average wet season rains. Aurukun Council CEO stays after plans to sack him were shelved by Aurukun Shire Council. Mayor Neville Pootchemunka issued a statement saying the council has full confidence in the Mr Bensch as CEO and that he will work with the incoming council. John Bensch was hired last January fell out with councillors because he was too strict with staff. Moves to sack Mr Bensch have stalled because the council is in caretaker mode ahead of this weekend's council elections. WHEN ENOUGH IS ENOUGH TELSTRA: Where the high cost to communicate is transfixed onto each Australian and the wages of Telstra's CEO exceeds vivid imagination. News of latest High Court case | other googled "stories" on Telstra. All this before we even report on the pro or con of broadband quality. Maria Altmann's comment as said on the National Forum "Kids at Risk" is a National Problem and a problem for the "whole" community. SBS TV last Tuesday night aired INSIGHT from victims of Child Abuse and professionals trying to assist from within the system. Cooktown we need to please watch this SBS program INSIGHT. It is important that we all understand more about "why" our kids are at risk before we can ever suggest solutions to help resolve the problem. The TV program Insight was repeated this Monday 3 30 pm. Kerry O'Brien's 730 Report last Thurday reporterd a story on how we might tackle Homelessness and the extent of the problem for Australians. Progressive Forms of HOPE. John Taylor's Stateline (last FRIDAY 7 30 pms) report about LAWYERS taking on boys and boys caught between disadvantage and potential opportunies. Let's see what we can learn from this. It's About Jobs. Tony Delroy discussed the hidden job market on Nightlife last Tuesday, ABC Local. Also "jobs" on Australia Talks last Thursday's program. Both programs can be be downlosded or found on itunes. Life Matters discusses future of Local Councils. Question: Should people be playing more attention to what is happening at their Local Chambers, and interview report in Indigenous Housing. Monday to Friday 9am Ministers gather for primary industries round table.Primary industries ministers from across the country are meeting to discuss issues facing the agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry industries. Mr Burke says stopping the flow of pests into the country through northern Australia is a key issue, along with climate change. Find Out more Good News: Health Ministers say their meeting in Sydney with Ms Roxen, the Federal Minister Friday was a breakthrough. States called for greater transparency. Feedback from the media reflects this meeting also decided on a range of issues that should be included under a new Australian Health Care Agreement. Tourist Competition and trying to understand the dynamic's. Cooktown along with Cairns and other areas says goodbye to the famous 'Reef Endeavour' cruise ship that has been operating for nearly 20 years. Captian Cook Cruises tourist operator have had to revise their opertation strategies and reduce to a smaller scale. "..... Australia needs to be able to address where opportunities exist in the world and they're not necessarily going to be in the same old places we've always played. So we need essentially a new industry strategy. " High Cost of living for Cape York and Torres Strait Island Communities. Quality of Life. New funding strategies required. Anna Bligh is being confronted by Torres Strait Comunities to visit, and to do something now about the unquie circumstances facing the isolation of these islands. Locals say they are feeling the brunt. Chairperson from the Torres Strait Island Regional Transitional Council appeals for immediate action. Rural and Remote Health. Who listens to the Pat Morrish show? Who heard the let's follow the talk interview supporting Rural and Remote Area Nursing. Resources and Funding. Issue's in need for Funding Adjustments, that could widen the scope of experience for working nursing and support practitioners. Brilliant Interview - one that ought to be repeated. Also Indigenous Elder Care in the news. A call for a 'systems of care' approach in rural and remote areas. Bulk Billing back on the table. Better Access.... rural funding streams are too lean, perverse application can make it difficult for patients. (lack of service, transport issues where patients have to go to Cairns, Townsville or Brisbane | Cost to Health consumer's?) Overseas Doctors and quality requirements. How do you access new doctors coming into the country. New doctors are not allowed to come to rural areas straight away in Australia. Makes choice in numbers less. (Dire Straights) Issues for Doctors in Private Practice. We need a solution Queensland. Civic Wellbeing and creating positive strategy alternatives. Do you know that 168,000 people aged between 12 and 17 have drunk alcohol at harmful levels in the past week. Alcohol abuse is a national and local problem. Cook Shire needs to do more as a "whole" community to attack this problem. From Council, I believe there is much we can do. Through a proper community strategy we could plan for the change we need together. Our own youth are slipping through a culture of binge drinking and we do need to do something "responsible" to curb this. Community worker disgusted by Aurukun issues. An ABC news report quoted that "....some children there [in Aurukun] think prison would be a better life than home, on Cape York Peninsula." more Ethical Science questioned. Drug Companys targeting Doctors to increase drug sales under the spotlight. ABC exposes 'sponorship' emails and selling tactics. Listen to radio brief. Arguments over funding transparency and ethical interests of drug companies ...more on Background Briefing Transcipts available and repeated Tuesday. 7pm- ABC. Macro-Micro Nature Based Tourism. What does this mean? Marketing farm industries? Eco-Tourism? Thinking about Market Sustainable Business? Cook Shire Council (07) 40695 444. Ask to speak to Micheal Thompson. More Agressive Action in Shorter Time is required, is the message to Rudds Government over Climate Change. New report out. Australia has the most to lose from climate change says Garnaut Garnaut. Anna Bligh is concerned but confident. Ms Blight says she waits for the finally report, and believes it will be challenging for governments but a chance to sort out where they sit with the issues confronting all Queenslanders. more New Health Reform Commission. Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says a new Health Reform Commission will be invaluable, despite there being no assurance the Government will adopt any of its recommendations. It will have a 18-month time frame. source audio story This is the same day that Mr Rudd says that as a parent he is concerned about the findings and he is promising the Government will act on the issue. "Binge drinking, alcoholism, substance abuse, substance addiction, will become part of chronic disease conditions which will affect the ability for people to lead a productive and happy life, their ability to be employed and produce costs to the overall health system," he said. "We'll have something more to say about this very soon." Indigenous Welfare Reforms to come into four Cape York Comminities, Queensland. The Cape York Institute says the laws will help improve living standards in far north Queensland. Ms Anna Bligh says 'it is different from what is happening in the Northern Territory' that it is a trial and that communities have committed to being part of it. The Australian | The Age | Lawrence Springborg stepped out today on "Housing Affordablity". Lawrence Springborg is making 'housing' a key leadship issue in Queensland. His other issues include climate change, health and economic diversity. Panel on Rent Squeeze. Conference in Sydney - National Picture... too many people and not enough houses. More than //// people will be renting by the year //// say //// reports. Demographic rates to rise in every capital city. 'its about share rooms and sleepout' in some places. Over last ten years rising house prices have displaced renters paying higher rents. Supply problem with excess demand. What is the solution? Housing schemes. Incentive Housing? Moving outside the square. We need alternative models. How do we create a 'housing affordability' scheme or partnerships in housing to solve housing pressures over next decade. We need balance in the long-term. .SUN KING SATURDAY - RADIO EXCLUSIVE interviews Dr Shi Zhengrong or the Sun King is a leading solar scientist is the inventor of 11 patents in Photo Voltaic or solar technology. Dr Shi Zhengrong is the founder and Chief Executive of Suntech Power, China's largest solar manufacturer. FIND TRANSCRIPT
HOUSING and especially INDIGENOUS HOUSING CONDITIONS	Indigenous Housing top issue says the Rudd and Queensland State Government. A new report released - Video and Audio (Rudd NSW) Rudd Visited Flood Area's.Had meeting with Queensland Premier Ms Anna Bligh. Prime Minister Mr Kevin Rudd said, "Up here in Mackay there is some serious stuff going on," he said. "This is real and people - two little kids over here - have had water rush in their house and were fearing for their lives a week ago."

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