Mornings With John Mackenzie

John MacKenzie chats with Nick Dametto, KAP State Member for Hinchinbrook, about the shocking revelation of alleged child-on-child abuse happening within the residential care home system. Nightmarish allegations of children being raped and abused by their peers have come out from workers who fear things will only get worse as juvenile sex offenders are being put in homes with children who in turn become their next victims. Nick Dametto blasted the government by asking questions in state parliament addressing child protection.

John MacKenzie chats with Anna Stanbridge from Redlynch about community groups coming together to fight crime after she was the victim of a home invasion. In anticipation of rising crime, Anna and her neighbours had already formed an action plan to tackle thefts and home invasions in their Redlynch cul de sac. Using a prepurchased airhorn, Anna was able to alert her neighbour in the early hours of the morning, many of whom rallied on the street in a collective effort of support. Each resident was already armed with an air horn to alert one another. Anna advocated for neighbours to get to know each other, keep in touch, and form groups that can tackle crime in their street.

John MacKenzie chats with Kevin Goan, Detective Inspector for the Far North District Crime Group, about the arrest of Rajwinder Singh in India for the alleged murder of Cairns local Toyah Cordingley. Local and federal police worked tirelessly in two countries in an effort to locate person-of-interest, Rajwinder Singh. A reward of $1 million was recently announced if it lead to the arrest of Mr. Singh, who currently sits in custody in New Delhi. Police efforts have been praised by the Cordingley family. In October 2018, the body of 24 year old Toyah Cordingley was discovered murdered at Wangetti Beach.

John MacKenzie chats with Senator Jim Molan, Retired Major General and Chief of Operations in Iraq, about his book titled Danger on Our Doorstep about a potential war with China. The argument is being made that for the first time in many decades, war could soon be on Australia's doorstep with the growing danger of Chinese growth and expansion in the Pacific region. Senator Molan's book looks at the likelihood of war and what it may look like in the 21st century.

John MacKenzie chats with Professor Greg Barton, International Security Expert and Chair of Global Islamic Politics at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, about Defence Minister Richard Marles' meeting with China. Minister Marles spoke with Wei Fenghe, his Chinese counterpart, in Cambodia as a part of the ASEAN meeting to discuss the role of the Australian and Chinese military in the Asian-Pacific area. Professor Barton provided valuable insight into the matter.

John MacKenzie chats with Senior Constable Heidi Marek of the Cairns District Crime Prevention Office, about the recent spate of bicycle thefts, sometimes with force. Traditional and electric bikes and expensive E-Scooters are being stolen across the region, often ending up in what is being called a "bicycle graveyard" where bikes are stripped for parts and then dumped. Some younger people have reported being robbed of their bikes by force with social media reporting daily occurrences.

John MacKenzie chats with Dr. Don Mackie, Executive Director of Medical Services at Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, to gain a local perspective on the latest wave of Covid-19. Cairns Hospital changed its pandemic response from "Green" to "Amber" last week, meaning that no elective surgery has been rescheduled and other limitations are in place. Face masks are recommended when entering a hospital or health service. The fourth wave of covid-19 is expected to cause a disruption to the Christmas holiday season in Queensland.

John MacKenzie chats with David Walton, Owner of Cairns Snake Removals, for some necessary safety advice following the deaths of two pet dogs from a suspected death adder snake. The short and stubby snake found commonly along our eastern coastlines will see increased activity as the weather warms into summer. Mr. Walton provided insight into why dogs and cats are more at risk of snake bites, as well as valuable tips on how to minimise an encounter altogether.

John MacKenzie chats with Ken Harley, Chairman of the Redcliffe Highway Proposal (an alternate tablelands access route), about the current state and safety of the Kuranda Range. The discussion was sparked after two letters to the editor in our local Cairns Post which pointed to the dangers of the road surface, particularly for motorbike riders. The federal government has committed $210 million to spend on upgrades, but many propose that an alternate route to access the tablelands is required for long-term growth.

John MacKenzie chats with Wayne Coutts, Regional Director SES (State Emergency Services), about the best ways to prepare for the upcoming cyclone and wet season. Everyone residing in our beautiful region should be ready with an emergency kit and plan of action for any cyclone, storm, or flooding events that are common in our summer months. Furthermore, there are steps to undertake beforehand to minimise damage, such as cleaning gutters and collecting loose items left outdoors. The SES are volunteers who assist in major weather events and emergency situations. To become a volunteer and support your local community, click on the link below: https://tinyurl.com/4chazxvz

John MacKenzie chats with Lisa from Woree about the Cairns Regional Council's investment property proposed rate increase. Lisa was responding to Councillor Olds and Moller from the previous day, in particular, the story about a collective of ratepayers who successfully sued Mackay Regional Council over the same issue. As a result, the state government changed the law so that the act allows for differing rate charges for non-principal places of residence. With over 30,000 people in Cairns with a non-PPR property, Lisa expects the petition against this proposal, which has nearly 3000 signatures, to garner strong support.

John MacKenzie chats with Cr. Brett Olds, CRC Representative for Division 9, about the controversial proposal to increase rates on investment properties. The Cairns Regional Council has sent out letters warning ratepayers of a potential rate increase between 15-40% for non-principal places of residence. Mr. Olds has voiced his concerns and opposition to the proposal stating that it wasn't equitable.  Many ratepayers have called for the revenue-raising idea to be scrapped and have predicted that it will only exacerbate an already struggling rental market.

John MacKenzie chats with Kevin Byrne, Executive Manager of Enterprise North and Former Mayor of Cairns, about the $210 million in federal funding promised to upgrade the Kuranda Range Road. Residents feel not enough is being spent on the notorious range where crashes and hold-ups are commonplace. A Cairns Post survey showed that nearly 90% of their readers support this claim. The $210M is primarily being spent on safety upgrades and will not address long-term efficiency and capacity problems. Mr. Byrne made calls for an additional $600 million to be spent addressing the infrastructural concern.

John MacKenzie chats with Kevin Goan, Detective Inspector for the Far North District Crime Group, about investigations surrounding the death of Toyah Cordingley in 2018. Kevin Goan recently returned from India where he worked productively with local authorities in an effort to locate the person of interest, Rajwinder Singh. The Queensland government has offered a reward of $1 million for information leading to his arrest. 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley was killed and her body was discovered at Wangetti Beach in October 2018.

John MacKenzie chats with John Moore, Former Director of Australian Rugby League, about the 2023 NRL season and cairns hosting a Premiership game. South Sydney is set to return to Barlow Park after five years, which has reinvigorated the calls for Cairns to get its own, world-class sporting stadium. John Moore has long pushed for the government to invest more in quality, sporting infrastructure for our beautiful city. Many feel that a new stadium would attract bigger and better matches, with the ability to be televised.

John MacKenzie chats with David Crisafulli, LNP Member for Broadwater and State Leader of the Opposition, about the troubling rates of youth crime following a recent debate in the Queensland parliament. The debate focused on victims of crime and the negative impact it has made on their lives, with a local Cairns mother's story given airtime during the parliamentary debate. Mr. Crisafulli asked Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk how many more people needed to become innocent victims of youth crime before the government started to act. The Premier explained that their government was listening to the community and addressing the issue.

John MacKenzie chats with Lisa from Woree about the Cairns Regional Council's rate rise for investment properties. The announcement of an approximate 15% increase will come into effect during the 2023/2024 financial year for all non-principal places of residence. Lisa made salient points raging from the pressure this will put on tenants during an already unstable rental market, to the fact that home businesses wouldn't be included yet make more profit than rental returns.

John MacKenzie chats with Dave Ellery, Owner of Urban Wheelz, to better understand the electric scooter market following the recent changes in Queensland law. E-scooters, also known as Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs), are now allowed in bike lanes on roads with speed limits of 50 km/hr or under and are limited to a top speed of 12 km/hr on footpaths.  A range of new fines have also been introduced for speeding, not wearing a helmet, and using a mobile phone. The new penalties and restrictions have not deterred people from purchasing an e-scooter in Cairns. Mr. Ellery confirmed the booming popularity with people of all ages, with no sign of sales slowing down anytime soon.

John MacKenzie chats with Dominic Davies, Managing Director of The Woolshed, about vandalism following an attack and destruction of property at his club. The outdoor seating was destroyed and gang-style graffiti was sprawled on tables, including "F*** the Police" and "4865", which is a reference to a southern suburb postcode. Mr. Davies made a point to juxtapose the success of CBD shopping malls that don't seem to attract loitering and public unwantedness, while the Cairns Regional Council struggles to move people on from CBD locations.

John MacKenzie chats with Linda Tuck, Principal of Property Ladder Real Estate, about a rate increase for investment properties announced by Cairns Regional Council. An increase of 15-40% will come into effect during the 2023/2024 financial year for all non-principal place of residence, meaning any property which is not your main home. Linda Tuck spoke about the struggle for "Mum & Dad" investors already doing it tough and how this move will exacerbate the rental crisis in Cairns.