ABC News | 6 Februrary 2013
By Sharnie Kim
The Cairns Mayor says he would support the sale of agricultural land to Chinese investors if it was good for the far north Queensland region.
Cairns Regional Council will soon sign an agreement with the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area to increase opportunities for investment, business partnerships and exports.
Mayor Bob Manning says he is open to any ideas that would boost the region's economy.
"That's a matter to be resolved by State and Federal governments but I have no doubt they'll have an interest in agricultural lands," he said.
"I think we have to look at this carefully, there needs to be balance in anything but to me anyway it doesn't pose this threat that can't be overcome.
"It's something which just needs to be dealt with very sensibly, very carefully and explained to the populous generally."
Councillor Manning says while higher tiers of government would have the final say on large foreign investments, he would support proposals that benefit the region.
"Back in the late '80s and the '90s we had lot of Japanese investment in this town," he said.
"Now at that time I think we all wondered, was this the right thing to do, was it not the right thing to do.
"That investment satisfied a tremendous economic appetite for growth and if it hadn't have been for that investment we wouldn't have had that growth, all the assets are still here and they're owned now by other people."
By Sharnie Kim
The Cairns Mayor says he would support the sale of agricultural land to Chinese investors if it was good for the far north Queensland region.
Cairns Regional Council will soon sign an agreement with the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area to increase opportunities for investment, business partnerships and exports.
Mayor Bob Manning says he is open to any ideas that would boost the region's economy.
"That's a matter to be resolved by State and Federal governments but I have no doubt they'll have an interest in agricultural lands," he said.
"I think we have to look at this carefully, there needs to be balance in anything but to me anyway it doesn't pose this threat that can't be overcome.
"It's something which just needs to be dealt with very sensibly, very carefully and explained to the populous generally."
Councillor Manning says while higher tiers of government would have the final say on large foreign investments, he would support proposals that benefit the region.
"Back in the late '80s and the '90s we had lot of Japanese investment in this town," he said.
"Now at that time I think we all wondered, was this the right thing to do, was it not the right thing to do.
"That investment satisfied a tremendous economic appetite for growth and if it hadn't have been for that investment we wouldn't have had that growth, all the assets are still here and they're owned now by other people."
