Friday Day 52

This Cairns Council report highlights economic impact on Cairns from COVID-19

·        The unemployment rate is expected to increase to over 12 per cent.

·        More than 13,000 jobs in Cairns will be affected, with 7700 (9.4 per cent) people losing their job and a further 5700 (6.9 per cent) supported by Jobkeeper payments.

·        Cairns’ Gross Regional Product (GRP) in the June quarter is expected to be $386 million (16 per cent) lower than the average quarter experienced in 2018/19. 

·        Cairns will be the second most impacted regional city in Australia for the June quarter.

The Cairns economy is expected to take a $1 billion hit this year with nine out of 10 business impacted as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Before COVID-19, Cairns’ economic growth over the past three years was 3.5 per cent (above the State and National average of 2.2 per cent), and the unemployment rate was 4.3 per cent, well below the Queensland rate of 6 per cent.

Key data from the report about the city's post-COVID-19 economy includes:

“Our economy usually services almost 200,000 people – about 167,000 residents and more than 31,000 visitors – with the collapse of tourism those visitors are no longer here and people have lost their jobs as a consequence, which is why the impact is so severe."

I went into school today for the handover from my job share teacher, as I start face to face with a class of 18 next week. Despite the less than 1.5m distancing, I still have the biggest classroom and I an sick and tired of zoom teaching, so I'll suck it up and get on with it.

I did a private dinner party the other night for a couple's 25th wedding anniversary. Everyone happy; I got paid; I got a tip; and they comped the booking commission. Happy chef.