Construction is underway on two major police facilities in Cairns, as part of a $300 million police infrastructure pipeline.
Police Minister Mark Ryan joined Deputy Commissioner Paul Taylor and local MPs Curtis Pitt and Michael Healy to turn the sod on the major projects.
Ryan said the construction projects were part of a $50 million investment in the Far North.
“These two new facilities and the refurbishment of the Cairns City Police Station are part of the biggest investment in policing in Queensland in more than three decades,” Ryan said.
“We are investing more than $600 million to deliver more than 2000 extra police personnel across the state, including a minimum of 150 extra police officers for the Far North.
“Alongside that historic investment we have the $300 million police infrastructure pipeline to ensure an expanding Queensland Police Service has the facilities it needs.”
Deputy Commissioner Paul Taylor said the new police facilities in Cairns would support the work of police to keep communities safe.
“Our priorities will always be about high visibility policing, responding to calls for service and targeting crime trends,” Taylor said.
“And improved facilities will support all of those activities.”
Speaker of the Queensland Parliament and Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said he welcomed the major $11 million expansion of the police complex at Woree.
“The Woree Police facility is strategically placed close to the Bruce Highway, so that vehicles can be deployed quickly to secure fast response times,” Pitt said.
Ryan said police advised that work on the $17 million refurbishment of the Cairns City Police Station was well advanced.
“I am advised that the first phase of major works on the ground floor has been completed and work is now underway on levels one and two, with the project expected to be completed by late September, 2022,” Ryan said.
“This government will always support our world class police officers with the facilities and infrastructure they need.”