Cairns Regional Council expended 88 per cent of its total 2021/22 Budget on locally acquired goods and services, according to a recent report tabled with Council.
In total, $383 million was spent purchasing local goods and services, including materials and local contractors for its extensive capital works program.
The investment was estimated to have supported 3,630 jobs.
Of the remaining twelve per cent spent outside of Cairns, five per cent of cases there was no local option, non-local suppliers were used for four per cent of that spend, and three per cent was attributed to government expenditure.
Cairns Regional Council Mayor, Bob Manning, said investing locally equated to a $763 million boost to the Cairns economy.
“That’s $338 million directly invested in the Cairns region last financial year, which importantly created jobs and improved infrastructure for residents,” Mayor Manning said.
“This direct spending creates a ripple effect through links with other businesses and from employees spending money in Cairns, which generated an additional $424 million into the economy.
“When you combine Council’s expenditure and that additional spending, that equates to a $762 million impact on our economy.”
