Our Cairns 2024 survey findings

On a scale of 0-10, how would you rate Cairns in the following areas?

When the 0-10 scale were expressed as mean (i.e. average) scores, Cairns was rated:

• 7.88 out of 10 as a place to visit
• 7.21 as a place to live
• 5.37 as a place to operate a business

What are the three things most important to you to ensure our region meets the needs of the community now and into the future?

• 49% of respondents rated Liveability as one of their three most important themes (compared to 37% in 2016)
• 41% rated Health care a priority
• 37% rated Environmment as a priority (on par with 38% in 2016)

A diversified economy is important for our region. Which industries in Cairns would you like to see prioritised for stimulus and development?

• 43% Healthcare and social assistance
• 40% Tourism
• 32% Education and training
• 31% Food production
• 26% Renewable energy
• 25% Manufacturing

What is your overall satisfaction with the performance of Cairns Regional Council?

On a 1-5 scale, the performance of Council recorded a mean of 3.14.

Overall, how would you rate your interactions with Council?

On a 1-5 scale, interactions with Council recorded a mean of 3.29

Overall, how would you rate the performance of Councillors?

On a 1-5 scale, the performance of Councillors recorded a mean of 3.01.

What is your preferred way to receive information about Council’s activities, decisions, or community engagement opportunities?

Online channels were significantly more popular than traditional media:

• 50% via Facebook (up from 36% in 2016)
• 41% via Council's website (up from 32% in 2016)
• 32% through enewsletters (down from 37% in 2016)
• 29% via the MyCairns app (did not exist in 2016)
• 26% by television (down from 35% in 2016)
• 24% by radio (down from 26% in 2016)
• 16% by newspaper (down from 43% in 2016)

How often would you like to hear from Council?

• 46% when Council has something important to say
• 29% monthly
• 15% weekly
• 8% will seek out information themselves
• 1% daily
• 1% never

Do you support or oppose the addition of fluoride to the city's water supply?

• 48% of respondents either Strongly support or Somewhat support (same as 2016), comprising:
  • 35% Strongly support (down from 39% in 2016)
  • 13% Somewhat support (up from 9% in 2016)
• 37% of respondents either Strongly oppose or Somewhat oppose (down from 39% in 2016), comprising:
  • 31% Strongly oppose (down from 35% in 2016)
  • 6% Somewhat oppose (up from 4% in 2016)
• 15% of respondents were neutral or unsure (on par with 14% in 2016)

Fluoridated Water – Reasons for score

Should Council increase rates on landowners who hold onto undeveloped or underutilised land in already developed areas without making improvements?

• 41% Yes
• 42% No
• 17% Unsure

Should Council charge more to Short Term Accommodation providers such as AirBnBs to help mitigate the housing crisis?

• 49% Yes
• 51% No

Should the Esplanade dining precinct become a shared zone for all vehicles with a daily (7-day) closure from 11am to 11pm, to restrict traffic movements during high pedestrian and dining periods while allowing access for service vehicles?

• 50% Yes
• 35% No
• 15% Unsure

Would you like an additional bin for green waste?

• 60% Yes (compared to 67% in 2016)
• 33% No
• 7% Unsure

How much more would you be willing to pay per annum to have an additional bin for green waste?

• $43 was the mean amount people were prepared to pay (down from $51 in 2016)
• 41% of people responded $0 (up from 26% in 2016)

What would influence or motivate you to reduce your water usage in and around your home and garden?

• 36% of respondents would be most motivated to reduce water usage via financial incentives.
• 28% would be motivated by easier ways to manage their water use through technology
• 17% would be influenced by knowing more about what short-term actions they can take around the house
• 13% would be influenced by having a better understanding of the environmental impacts today and in the future
• 10% supported shorter allowable watering times for outdoor water use
• 24% would not restrict their water usage

To what extent do the following activities enhance liveability/your quality of life in Cairns?

Respondents were asked to what extent they valued a range of 18 different activities. Responses are sorted from highest to lowest mean scores (with “I do not do this” = 0, and “Enhances my life greatly” = 4).

• 3.21 Spending time in public parks and natural areas
• 3.13 Using tracks and shared footpaths for walking/exercising
• 2.89 Going to patrolled beaches and natural waterways
• 2.83 Going to local markets
• 2.70 The sense of community in my neighbourhood
• 2.67 Access to public toilets
• 2.35 Attending arts and cultural events
• 1.96 Visiting a library
• 1.93 Vibrant nightlife
• 1.89 Attending sporting events
• 1.72 Fishing and boating
• 1.66 Swimming in public pools
• 1.58 Going to a playground
• 1.50 Participating in volunteer work
• 1.47 Participating in community sports
• 1.44 Going to dog parks
• 1.41 Mountain biking or cycling
• 0.89 Using skateparks, pump tracks and BMX tracks

How do you rate the following activities?

Respondents were asked to rate the same set of 18 different activities. Responses were also calculated as a mean (with “I do not do this” = 0 and “Exceeds my expectations” = 5).

• 3.16 Spending time in public parks and natural areas
• 2.98 Going to local markets
• 2.97 Using tracks and shared footpaths for walking/exercising
• 2.94 Going to patrolled beaches and natural waterways
• 2.48 Sense of community in my neighbourhood
• 2.41 Access to public toilets
• 2.37 Attending arts and cultural events
• 2.23 Attending a library
• 1.93 Vibrant nightlife
• 1.81 Attending sporting events
• 1.78 Swimming in public pools
• 1.69 FIshing and boating
• 1.59 Participating in volunteer work
• 1.55 Going to a playground
• 1.44 Participating in community sports
• 1.43 going to dog parks
• 1.37 mountain biking or cycling
• 0.89 using skateparks, pump tracks and BMX tracks

In relation to local arts and culture, please tell us which of these (up to four factors) are the most valuable or important to you.

More than half of respondents felt that creative activities should be an important part of learning. That and the second-highest response (making for a richer and more meaningful life) show how arts play an important role in quality of life.

• 56% Creative activities should be an important part of learning
• 44% Arts and creative experiences make for a richer and more meaningful life
• 35% Arts and creative experiences help us understand perspectives that are different to our own
• 34% Artists make an important contribution to society
• 33% Understanding our heritage
• 32% First Nations stories and culture are important to preserve history and heritage
• 26% Artists should have freedom of expression
• 26% Arts and creative experiences allow me to connect with others
• 19% There are plenty of opportunities for me to get involved in arts and creative experiences
• 16% Arts and creative experiences are not really for people like me

How satisfied are you with efforts being made by Council in your community to:

The majority of residents – in fact between 69% and 74% for all statements – were satisfied with Council’s efforts. Dissatisfaction sat at 18% to 23% across the four statements. Responses were converted into mean scores (excluding “Unsure”), with all statements scoring above the “neutral” rating of 3.0.

• 3.22 Protect and conserve the natural environment
• 3.21 Provide a socially inclusive environment
• 3.20 Provide a liveable urban environment
• 3.13 Protect character (eg older) places and buildings

How aware are you of the current environmental challenges facing Cairns? (e.g. climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss)?

• 13% Extremely aware
• 27% Very aware
• 36% Moderately aware
• 16% Slightly aware
• 8% Not aware

Would you support the introduction of an environmental levy to fund local environmental projects and initiatives?

• 7% Strongly support
• 17% Somewhat support
• 20% Neutral
• 15% Somewhat oppose
• 41% Strongly oppose

If an environmental levy were introduced, how much extra would you be willing to pay per annum to support local environmental projects?

• Using mid-points, the average for all respondents was just under $16.
• Excluding those 53% saying “nothing”, the mean for the remainder (again using mid-points) was $34.

If an environmental levy is implemented, which of the following areas do you think should be prioritised for funding?

• 58% Waste management and recycling initiatives
• 49% Greening of the city and the suburbs
• 39% Renewable energy projects
• 36% Conservation and biodiversity protection
• 31% Pollution reduction programs
• 19% Community education on sustainability
• 13% Other

How supportive are you of residential development in your suburb to accommodate population and economic growth in Cairns?

44% were supportive vs 27% against, comprising:

• 29% Support
• 15% Strongly support
• 29% Neutral/unsure
• 14% Against
• 13% Strongly against

Rate your agreement/disagreement with the following statements about housing density:

Respondents agreement/disagreement was converted to mean scores (with “Strongly disagree” = 0 and “Strongly agree” = 5). These are ranked from highest to lowest mean score.

• 4.33 Higher density housing should respect the tropical character and streetscapes of the surrounding suburbs and feature tropical design elements including balconies, wide eaves, landscaping and lush foliage
• 3.82 It is important to me to have a large backyard
• 3.79 Higher density housing should occur where it is close to shops, work, recreation areas and other services and facilities
• 3.67 Rural land should be protected for agriculture (e.g. sugar cane) and not be developed into residential estates
• 3.42 All suburbs should feature a mix of housing options including smaller residential lots, houses, apartments, townhouses and duplexes
• 3.35 There is a need to provide higher density housing beyond the CBD (e.g. Smithfield, Edmonton) to reduce the pressure on suburban areas
• 3.10 Higher density housing in suburbs will create more affordable housing options
• 2.93 I would like to see higher density housing built in existing urban and suburban areas

What type of major events do you think Cairns would MOST benefit from having more of?

• 57% Music events
• 52% Festivals
• 47% Sporting events spectator (e.g., Crankworx, AFL, NRL, Cricket)
• 37% Sporting events participation (e.g., Ironman, Seven Marathon)
• 30% High profile film and TV (filming and production)
• 21% Arts events
• 12% First Nations events
• 6% None - I don’t think Cairns would benefit from more major events

How effective do you think Council’s CitySafe security patrols are in reducing anti-social behaviour in the CBD?

• 26% Not effective
• 17% Somewhat ineffective
• 27% Somewhat effective
• 5% Very effective
• 24% Not sure

Does the introduction of Council’s Public Space Safety Patrols make you feel safer in your neighbourhood?

• 13% Yes
• 33% No
• 13% Not sure
• 41% Not aware this was happening

Do you know your storm tide zone?

• 79% Yes
• 21% No

Do you know your flood zone?

• 85% Yes
• 15% No

Do you have a disaster emergency kit at home?

• 66% Yes
• 34% No

Given the recent Tropical Cyclone Jasper and flood events, is there anything that you would do differently next time in an emergency situation? (e.g. purchasing equipment, pre-storm preparation, evacuation plans)

This was an open-ended question. The most common responses are presented below:

• 48% Nothing
• 15% I was/am prepared
• 13% Have back-up power available
• 10% Emergency kit and equipment
• 8% Better warning system and communication
• 8% More storm and flood preparation
• 6% Improve Council response and management
• 5% Better emergency evacuation plans
• 5% Better flood mitigation and town planning
• 5% Prepare more food and drinking water
• 4% Community help and communication
• 3% Was not affected

Which complex question would you most like Cairns to tackle?

Note: This question was asked in 2016, however respondents were not limited to one response, and so it is not comparable to 2024.

• 30% How can we future proof our economy and protect it from shocks to tourism?
• 23% How do we preserve our agricultural lands for the future while providing housing?
• 13% How do we keep our young people and best talent in Cairns Regional Council?
• 11% How do we compete on the global market while keeping our local lifestyle?
• 11% What do we need to do to be an innovative region that makes the most of changing technology?
• 11% How do we make the most of renewable energy resources?