Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott is backing an upgrade to the RAAF Base Scherger at Weipa to support a more proactive defence capability.
Following suggestions that Cape York be used for the Australian Defence Force’s military training expansion, Cr Scott said the council had for many years been conscious that the Scherger base was being underutilised.
The defence department is targeting prime agricultural land in Charters Towers and Marlborough, by acquisition if necessary, to expand military training operations as part of the $2.5 billion Australia-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
“Scherger sits adjacent to the regional centre of Weipa and is located in the Cook Shire administrative area but is owned by the Federal Government,” Cr Scott said.
“It’s day to day activity is confined to a care and maintenance program that sees it kept in a state of readiness as a reactive forward defence facility.
“Operations are a government ‘closed shop’ and it does not pay rates or contribute significantly to the Weipa or Cape economy.
“The base was used for a limited period as a refugee centre and during that time Weipa gained exceptional benefit from collateral accommodation, service and procurement needs.
“All levels of government are aware of the need to use public assets to generate business and employment and Cook Shire, Weipa and the Cape community would strongly support a upgrading of this facility to a more operational military base that would support both our Cape economy and provide a more proactive defence capability.”