Occupants of a Manoora home have had a lucky escape after a vehicle ploughed through a fence after speeding away from a police vehicle involved in trying to pull the car over Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535. Monday to Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The roads were slick with rain when 14-year-old Bradley Smith was killed after a stolen Toyota Yaris driven by his teenage mate – who a court later heard was high on speed An inquest will now be held into the Far North Queensland boy’s death Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535 Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) The NOTA was advised by Terry Allen of the Raymond Terrace RSL sub-Branch that WWII veteran Edward ‘Ted’ William Flower Ted Flower went to war in 1941 as a teenager and served on the HMAS Manoora in the Pacific region for five years Ted was a guest of honour at the Grahamstown Public School commemorative ANZAC Day service last week Ted and his daughter Kathleen Pickering delivered a presentation to the school students which highlighted the HMAS Manoora being attacked by a Japanese kamikaze pilot similar to the recollections which have been recorded by the Tomaree Museum Association from veteran Jack Bartlett’s recollections Kathleen Pickering Ted’s daughter told News Of The Area “Ted was seventeen when he enlisted but he didn’t see service until he was eighteen. and as such our family has made a booklet titled ‘ANZAC Ted’ which does include stories from Ted’s service on the Manoora for his grandchildren,” she said Ted has attended a number of ANZAC services at schools in the last few years At Hunter Christian School in 2023 he met a grandson of another Manoora serviceman the whole school community gave Ted a standing ovation which Kathleen said he was very touched by Both Ted Flower and Jack Bartlett are now centenarians Doug Cross from the Tomaree Museum Association (TMA) told News Of The Area “I will make it an urgent priority to meet with Ted Flower and to record his story “I would also like to be a part of bringing Ted Flower and Jack Bartlett together,” he said Cross anticipates that a meeting between the two veterans may well uncover forgotten stories while being a true celebration of the ANZAC spirit Manoora Close and Kanimbla Close in Salamander Bay are named after the two sister ships from WWII There is a memorial to the HMAS Manoora at Port Phillip Bay “HMAS Manoora was commissioned as a landing ship infantry on the 2nd February 1943,” the inscription reads “She was refitted to carry 25 landing craft a crew of 600 and accommodation for 1200 troops and their equipment Manoora began amphibious training in Port Phillip Bay with the American 1st Marines Division participating in dawn landings on Safety Beach “Manoora later became part of the American 7th Amphibious Task Force and took part in eight D`Day assault landings in the South West Pacific.” The NOTA is looking forward to sharing the story of Ted and Jack’s reunion which we are working on bringing about with the assistance of the TMA The NOTA salutes Ted Flower and Jack Bartlett along with all others who have served our nation – Lest We Forget and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Minister for HousingThe Honourable Meaghan Scanlon Units previously used as police accommodation are being transformed into support facilities for Far North Queensland The 18 units in Manoora will be available as supported accommodation vulnerable members of the community The government has prioritised the refurbishment which includes bathroom upgrades replacement of floor coverings and hot water systems as well as roofing repairs and upgrading of fire services The Department of Housing will partner with St Vincent de Paul to manage and provide support Quotes attributable to Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon: “This former police accommodation will very soon be used to help Queenslanders in need “While we get on with our big housing build we’re also refurbishing 18 rooms in Cairns with new whitegoods and kitchenettes we’ll make sure people who will stay here additionally get much-needed wraparound support.” Quotes attributable to Local Member and Assistant Minister Tourism Industry Development Michael Healy: “It is great to see property being used for such a worthy cause “It’s a good result and good to see departments working together using assets and resources to produce a much needed and valuable resource for the community.” Please attribute to Vinnies Queensland CEO Kevin Mercer:  “St Vincent de Paul has a long history of supporting Queenslanders experiencing homelessness and our latest partnership with the State Government will provide needed shelter for Far North Queensland residents in need of crisis accommodation  “The Manoora facility will be more than a safe place to sleep off the streets – our team will be on-site to provide wrap-around support to residents and work with them to help secure long-term housing “We know from experience that our State Government working together with homelessness support organisations like St Vincent de Paul is an effective way to help people escape homelessness “We hope this Manoora facility will become a place of hope and comfort for Far North Queenslanders struggling to find a place to call home.” Anyone who needs housing assistance can contact their local Housing Service Centre during business hours or call the 24/7 Homeless Hotline on 1800 474 753 Media contact: Francis Dela Cruz - 0420 592 078 and Robyn Wuth - 0461 555 208 Please use our complaints and compliments form Link copiedShareShare articleJust hours before Raina Thaiday violently killed her seven children and niece she was ranting in the streets gripped by an acute schizophrenic breakdown In the community she was known as a loving mother but she reached a breaking point nobody saw coming Ongoing mental health issues had never been treated and the financial and emotional pressure of being a single mum had become insurmountable the father of four of the eight children near the Manoora house What set her off that night was that two of her daughters had stayed out past curfew Before Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday ended the lives of the four boys and four girls there were noticeable behavioural changes and she went from church to church seeking counsel Thaiday also decided to ban alcohol and drugs from the house Then the signs intensified in the final days She made proclamations about "Papa God" while out on the street and the family's possessions were tossed in a heap on the front lawn as Thaiday began a process of cleansing the house nobody could have foreseen what was to come next The children were found by their older brother and Thaiday was on the front verandah with about 35 self-inflicted stab wounds More than two years has passed since the killings in their family home in Manoora a suburb in the far north Queensland city of Cairns The house at 34 Murray Street has been demolished Residents line the road as a hearse carrying one of the coffins of the eight children killed drives by Murray Street The last time Raina Thaiday was seen in public she was being wheeled into an ambulance as police swarmed Murray Street a road lined with palm trees and Queenslander-style homes with tin roofs A mother who killed eight children in Cairns will remain in mental health facilities indefinitely On April 6 the case was heard in a Mental Health Court in Brisbane's sleek new court complex It is a place where justice is supposed to be delivered in a contemporary setting but not even Queensland's year-round sunshine brings much warmth to this cold sterile building with a distinct lack of soul and there was only about 20 people inside court 16 Thaiday was brought in by a corrections officer she wore a light covering of makeup and had her hair tied in a bun She sat in the dock and waited patiently for proceedings to start briefly glancing over her shoulder to acknowledge a couple of supporters in the back of the room now at the site where the eight children were killed Several psychiatrists have spent the past two years trying to unpack what was going through Thaiday's head when she went on the rampage She was not on drugs or affected by alcohol She just simply had not understood what she was doing That is why the case has been conducted in the Mental Health Court The lifting of a court-imposed embargo means it can now be revealed that a ruling of "unsound mind" was handed down, meaning Thaiday will never face a trial for her actions. People believed to be relatives of the victims grieve outside the Manoora home. (AAP: Romy Bullerjahn) Psychiatrist Dr Angela Voita told the court the initial diagnosis was of a brief psychotic disorder, but it had become clearer that Thaiday was suffering from schizophrenia. "Her actions related to her delusional beliefs," Dr Voita said. Another psychiatrist, Dr Pamela van de Hoef, said Thaiday had no criminal history and had never received mental health treatment. But Dr van de Hoef said there were signs as early as 2007 that Thaiday had mental health struggles. Police at the Manoora home on the day of the deaths on December 19, 2014. (AAP: Romy Bullerjahn) "This lady looked after eight children, she prided herself on it [but] she had a number of very stressful events prior to her arrest," Dr van de Hoef said. "They included a break-up of her relationship with the father of her younger children, conflict with others, financial pressures, and on the fateful night, some of the girls didn't catch the bus home that they should have. That night, a distressed Thaiday began ranting nonsensically, walking up and down Murray Street, waiting for the two girls to return. At one point, she rang the police, demanding they find the children and bring them home. A woman cries during a memorial service for the children. (AAP: Dan Peled) "She said inconsistent things," Justice Dalton said. "She said she had to kill her kids to save them, she said she didn't mean to do it. "She acknowledged there would be a lot of hatred towards her because of what she'd done. But she said she knew it was right. "She explained her own wounds and in particular the punctured lung by saying she tried to stab herself in the heart for what she had done." A memorial park now stands at the site where the eight children were killed. (ABC News: Kristy Sexton-McGrath) Justice Dalton said Thaiday's "religious delusions" continued while being treated at the Cairns Base Hospital. "These weren't normal religious ideas that fitted within a set of Christian beliefs or even any other set of cultural or Indigenous beliefs," she said. Justice Dalton's assisting psychiatrist Frank Varghese said Thaiday's "apocalyptic delusional state" was one of the worst cases of schizophrenia he had ever seen. "This is schizophrenia at its very depth and its worst in terms of the terror for the patient, as well as the consequences for the individuals killed," he said. Queensland Law Society president Christine Smyth said rulings of "unsound mind" were rare, because of the strict criteria to meet the unsound mind defence. Ms Smyth said people must meet strict criteria to be found of an unsound mind. (ABC News: Kristian Silva) "Did they understand what it is that they were doing? Did they have the capacity to stop themselves from doing it, or did they suffer some kind of delusion? Effectively, did they have capacity, and that's the key criteria," Ms Smyth said. In this case, the answer was a resounding no, according to the judge. Even though the criminal case will be discontinued, Thaiday could spend the rest of her life in the state's mental health institutions. She is currently being kept at the Park Centre for mental health on Brisbane's outskirts, and psychiatrists told the court she had been slow to respond to treatment and was at high risk of relapsing. A court order means she will be kept in a secure ward at the facility, and only granted escorted leave on the property. "So it can be anywhere from a couple of years to a lifetime." Ms Smyth said it was understandable some would feel a lack of "justice" without a trial and a jail term, but the case had now moved to a phase where the focus was on Thaiday's wellbeing. "The measure of a society is how it best treats its most vulnerable — people with mental illness, they're the most vulnerable," she said. Without a criminal trial, key details about this case may never be made public. Namely, how exactly was Thaiday able to kill eight children without any fighting back or any being able to escape? There were several fathers to the deceased children, spreading grief even wider to their families and communities. Three days later the Torres Strait Islander families marched together in a pilgrimage to a makeshift memorial on Murray Street. In heartbreaking scenes, the father of four of the children, Gavin Willie, collapsed, wailing "my babies, my babies!" as he placed a tribute. A week later, grandfather Rod Willie spoke on behalf of the families. "Children are the most vulnerable of our society, whose innocent lives deserve the greatest of love and care. Cherish them," he said, his hand trembling as he addressed reporters. Mourners look at a floral tribute next to the Manoora home. (AAP: Dan Peled) Indigenous community advocate and pastor Yodie Batzke remembers that morning when she heard the news. The four boys and four girls all gone, taken by violence. "People were weeping, just standing where they were. Just crying," she said. "It was one of those things, where if you had a child, you were thinking this could have been mine." More than 4,500 people filled the Cairns Convention Centre the month after the killings to farewell the children in a service called Keriba Omasker, which translates to "Our Children". Balloons tied on the Murray Street sign in Manoora after the children's deaths. (AAP: Dan Peled) Eight white coffins were driven through the city to the children's final resting place at the Martyn Street Cemetery. Eight trees, planted in honour of each of the victims, are slowly growing and taking shape at number 34. Roses and toy figurines are scattered near the base of some, while teddy bears, plush animals and a laminated Bible verse are stuck to the fence. With the house gone, swings were installed so neighbourhood children could play. But they were soon taken out to reflect how the community feels about the site. Tribute message at the memorial park at Manoora. (ABC News: Kristy Sexton-McGrath) Moving on from such a tragedy seems a near-impossible task, but Ms Batzke said that was now what many families were trying to do. "So much has happened," she said. "There's been a lot of deaths within those families not long after the children had passed away so they're not only grieving for their little ones, they're also grieving for other family members that have passed on." Some families moved away, Ms Batzke said, and of those that remained, some were still grappling with how to feel about it all. "The element of shock is still there," she said. "This neighbourhood's not the same, and that's one of the things that has come out of this. "People have become possibly more private in their own lives, but at the same time aware of what's going on." Teddy bears, notes and floral tributes left outside the Manoora house. (ABC News: Allyson Horn) Emergency crews have rushed to a duplex house fire in Manoora Cairns in the early hours of Monday morning Locals want the Murray Street house in Manoora replaced with a memorial Link copiedShareShare articleThe Cairns house where eight children were found dead in December will be razed by the end of the day Work began at the start of this week to tear down the house on Murray Street with workers cleaning and removing asbestos from the fenced-off public housing property earlier this week It was the scene of the alleged murder of four boys and four girls aged between two and 14 by Raina Mersane Thaiday the mother of seven of the children and aunt of one an excavator was brought in to help with the final leg of demolition works The house should be completely knocked down by the end of the day which locals hope will be in place by the anniversary of the children's deaths later this year Some of the ideas for the memorial include a community garden and a playground Earlier this week Community Healing Project director Michael White said residents would be relieved to see the house gone "The majority of people are wanting to see that happen," he said "But it will be a bit emotional too and a sombre moment for the community." Extra counsellors will be at the nearby Manoora Community Centre this week to help locals who might be struggling Thaiday has been charged with eight counts of murder and is due before the Cairns Magistrates court later this month. Eight children found dead at a home in Cairns will be farewelled on January 10 Link copiedShareShare articleA funeral service for the eight children found dead in a home in Cairns in far north Queensland will be held in early January The service will be held on Saturday, January 10 in Cairns for the four girls and four boys aged between two and 14 who were found dead in a house in Manoora two weeks ago. The family was holding meetings to plan the ceremony and would release details once a funeral director had been appointed, community advocate Yodie Batzke said on Monday. Mersane Warria, who is the mother of seven of the deceased children and aunt of the eighth, has been charged with eight counts of murder. Warria, 37, was charged under her full name of Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday. On Christmas Eve, family patriarch Rod Willie said their priority had been offering support to traumatised family members and working through cultural protocols. Plans have been made to demolish the house on Murray Street, Manoora, to make way for a permanent memorial for the children. Four girls and four boys aged between two and 14 were found dead on Friday at a home in Manoora Link copiedShareShare articleA 37-year-old mother has been charged with the murder of seven of her children and her niece after their bodies were found at a home in Cairns The four girls and four boys aged between two and 14 were discovered at a home on Murray Street in the Cairns suburb of Manoora who is the mother of seven of the deceased children and aunt of the eighth has been charged with eight counts of murder Police have said they would not name the children for cultural reasons Warria was charged under her full name of Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday A spokesperson for the Cairns Magistrates Court confirmed she had been remanded in custody "Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday appeared before Magistrate Alan Comans at a bedside hearing at the [Cairns Hospital]," the spokesperson said "The matter will next be heard in the Cairns Magistrates Court [on Monday] along with other Arrest Court matters from 9:30am "Thaiday has been excused from attending the hearing "Given the matter is now before the court it would be inappropriate to comment further." Warria remains in hospital under police guard Anyone distressed by this story is advised to contact the following organisations: Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said Warria was "conscious He said there would be a formal hearing on Monday but Warria had been excused from attending Detective Inspector Asnicar said autopsies of the children would be completed on Sunday but no further details would be publicly released "Everybody is entitled to a fair trial - our job is to collect evidence and present it to a court," he said "Our job is not to put false images in peoples heads or speculate "I don't want to see anything go wrong that will affect the court process." police said it was part of the investigation A combined church service to honour the dead was held on Sunday evening at Trinity High School where at least one of the children attended Some of the children also went to a youth group at the school's church People pay their respects at a memorial service at Trinity High School Earlier, there were emotional scenes in Cairns as family members attended a memorial near the home where the children died The families are in the far north Queensland city to begin a traditional mourning period ahead of their funerals walked down the Manoora street toward a makeshift shrine created by local residents The five fathers of the children were among the mourners after police confirmed on Saturday afternoon they had been notified of the deaths just a block away from the house where Friday's tragedy occurred has become a place of mourning and reflection including family and friends of the deceased children gathered for a church service to pray for comfort and healing for the wounded community Church services around the city on Sunday morning also reflected on the tragedy Cairns MP Gavin King said people who wanted to make financial donations to support the family could contact Uniting Care Community on 1800 543 354 or go to their website "In terms of those financial contributions that will go to Uniting Care Community - we will work with the family in terms of their needs," he said The families of the eight children are in Cairns to begin a traditional mourning period ahead of their funerals "That account effectively will be activated early in the morning - we understand after 10:00am (AEST) so that anyone - both locally and across the nation - can call that number or make a donation by the [Uniting Care Community] website." He said he was also working with the family local community and authorities for a permanent public memorial at the site "We'd also like to see some of those financial contributions go towards a public memorial which I'll announce more details of tomorrow morning," he said Mr King said the Salvation Army was also setting up two houses in Cairns for visiting family members who were coming from across the state to stay in the city during this time He said people who wanted to donate household goods for the houses should take items to the Salvation Army depot on Hoare Street in Manunda. "Those two houses require things like lounges and various household items," he said. "Indeed down at the community hub this morning there were a few people who turned up with offers of things like lounges. "The Salvation Army will distribute those goods to those extended family members." Offers are sought for this newly-listed property at 32 Lavender Street The tired adage ‘don’t buy in the M suburbs in Cairns’ is being smashed as buyers recognise value for money and seek to be closer to Cairns City according to Vanessa Robinson of Belle Property Offers are sought for this four bedroom property at 32 Lavender Street It is being marketed by Vanessa Robinson of Belle Property and she said interest in the newly-listed property was strong all three suburbs have some lovely streets and houses and people avoiding them due to the suburb name is a real shame,” Ms Robinson said The median for a house at Mooroobool is $500,000 with 95 sold over the past 12 months to February 2023 Mooroobool is less than 10 minutes drive to Cairns City The median price has risen only 4.2 per cent over 12 months but a whopping 36.2 per cent in three years Indicative gross rental yield is 4.99 per cent Mooroobool has an adjoining parents retreat or granny flat with an ensuite and kitchenette Ultimate ‘renovator’s delight’ on northern beaches Epitome of luxury at $5.25m villa Ultimate shed on offer at Redlynch acreage property Mooroobool is on a 932sq m battleaxe block set back from the street The median price for a house at Manunda is $445,000 and indicative gross rental yield is a highly attractive 5.59 per cent Manoora is the most affordable of the trio with a median house price of $407,000 Indicative gross rental yield is 5.62 per cent Mooroobool was listed on February 28 and has attracted strong interest the median price of a house in the Cairns local government area is $557,056 Mooroobool has some up-market streets and Ms Robinson said she sold a property at the top of City View for more than $1.6m and it was recently valued at more than $2m “So these suburbs are showing real growth – I sold two homes on Summerhill Dr and the buyer pool was almost all local This three bedroom home at 53-57 Hoare Street Manunda has an updated kitchen and bathroom She is marketing a property at 32 Lavender St and said the phones rang hot in the first 24 hours after it was launched we have several buyers wanting to see it and one coming in from Brisbane,” she said Offers in the mid to high $400,000s are sought for this three bedroom home at 53-57 Hoare Street It is being marketed by Andrew Thornton of Champions In Real Estate “These suburbs offer great value and often larger blocks so basically more bang for buck,” Ms Robinson said “When selling 41 Sunflower St last year I noticed a lot of foot traffic on a Saturday “In the old parts of Manoora you will find some beautiful old Queenslanders as you also do in Manunda – I sold a superb Queenslander last year at 90 Little St it was the highest price achieved in the street ever,” Ms Robinson said This three bedroom home at 64 Reservoir Road “Manoora borders Cairns North and Parramatta Park Andrew Thornton of Champions In Real Estate has a three bedroom home at 53-57 Hoare Street on the market with a mid-$400,00s price range Offers from $450,000 are sought for this three bedroom home at 64 Reservoir Road “Manunda is often overlooked because buyers get told they shouldn’t buy in an ‘M’ suburb,” he said “I was born in Cairns and I have heard that saying since I was little “Manunda is about a five-minute drive to the city and Esplanade close to DFO and great schools,” Mr Thornton said “Buyers are seeing amazing value with larger block sizes it gives you an opportunity to add value with sheds Lisa Hunt of Hunt Realty has a three bedroom home on a 572sq m block at 64 Reservoir Road Manoora on the market with offers from $450,000 sought “The stigma surrounding the ‘M’ suburbs in Cairns has been rapidly changing for many years now,” Ms Hunt said features corrugated iron cladding over two levels “I have observed a significant shift in perceptions about Manoora over the past few years.” She said Manoora had undergone a transformation with the redevelopment of older properties and improved infrastructure “Property values in Manoora are still relatively affordable compared to other parts of Cairns “For investors looking to obtain a property still in the early stages of growth third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Relatives help plant one of eight frangipani trees to honour the children found dead a year ago Link copiedShareShare articleAbout 200 people have attended a memorial and tree planting service in Cairns to remember eight children who died in a home in far north Queensland a year ago Yesterday marked one year since the four boys and four girls were allegedly murdered by a woman who was the mother to seven of the children and an aunt to the eighth sent shockwaves throughout the community and the world The home in Murray Street has since been demolished residents and politicians gathered at 11:00am for a memorial service and to see eight frangipani trees planted on the site Bishop Saibo Mabo led the memorial service and performed a cleansing ceremony [we] still feel the sadness of the children's lives being taken away so early," he said we probably have anger in our hearts for the tragic loss of the children "We know the children are in God's hands .. and God will offer forgiveness and peace for those who are still hurting or angry about the taking away of the lives of the children." Bishop Saibo Mabo performed a cleansing ceremony at the memorial service Torres Strait Mayor Pedro Stephen told those gathered that the day was "about connection" I jumped out of my car and saw the frangipani trees - the species that were chosen," he said "I can't help but to look at that tree and congratulate those who have chosen that .. because in the Torres Strait we are at one with the environment and our .. identity comes from the environment around us are the only plant that leaves can fall off "I believe as we gather here today in the marking of this place "But what is really happening around us in our environment that is challenging each and every one of us that we are responsible to tend to that beauty that is right before us." Aunt Thomaseena Jawai said it had been "one of the hardest toughest things anyone could go through" that "you wished upon no-one" "It all went downhill from last year but we've since picked ourselves up and you've got to give glory back to God that we're still alive and the significance of planting trees as a sign of life "I haven't been back for a while because I live in Bamaga - to come back here straight away they had the memories of playing footy in the park with the boys how they climbed the trees - stupid things they did when they weren't allowed to "Running away and hiding under the tree and eating lollies when they weren't supposed to - a lot of good memories." The Gondwana Indigenous Children's Choir prepare to sing at the memorial service Aunt Danessa Willie White said today's service had helped her "I'm feeling pretty much blessed from today's service in that I feel that it was befitting of a service to remember the children," she said She said she would remember the lost children's smiles and laughter their love of family - they were just beautiful little children," she said A public community event was also held at a local park yesterday Cairns pastor James Gela from the Keriba Yadyl Torres Strait Islander Corporation has been helping the families through their ordeal He said he was celebrating his mother's 90th birthday at Thursday Island when he heard the devastating news last year "When you look at that contrast - mum's celebrating her 90th birthday and you have children here that haven't even experienced life yet," he said The woman has been charged with their murders The matter is due to return to court mid next year. THE gentrification of Cairns’ often maligned M suburbs is in full swing with plenty of homeowners renovating cute cottages and charm-filled Queenslanders in the inner-ring locations Far North newcomers often arrive having being warned to avoid Manunda but take a drive down any of the streets these days and the areas are rewriting their futures Champions in Real Estate principal Michelle Champion said every suburb had “good and bad areas good and bad streets and good and bad houses” “In real estate it’s all about location and M suburbs are generally closer to the CBD and this is something that will never change “Most M suburbs are generally older subdivisions and have larger blocks and wider streets “Some of the most expensive real estate has been sold in the M suburbs “There are some amazing areas that are in M suburbs with city and ocean views.” for buyers looking for something with all those attributes here’s a pick of the best M suburb properties for sale right now Perfectly located back from the road and extremely private this exceptional home is only four years old and offers the charm and character of a Queenslander home without the maintenance Inside there are polished timber floorboards with a modern central kitchen complete with high quality Bosch appliances and a fully-covered outdoor deck This new construction by award-winning master builders MiHaven is an architecturally-designed freehold with a sophisticated edge A light-filled open plan layout suits the contemporary executive-style residence which comes with polished concrete floors superior appointments and high quality appliances this home sits high above the city and is immaculately maintained with an open-plan design bathed in natural sunlight Also comes with a renovated kitchen and a tropical in-ground pool with waterfall The discovery of a body in a western suburbs park by a pedestrian has marred the arrival of the new year in Cairns along with several other tragedies across the region Floral tributes located in the park next the home in Manoora in December 2014 Link copiedShareShare articleA mother who admitted killing eight children in a home in Cairns will not face a criminal trial after Queensland's Mental Health Court ruled she was of "unsound mind" when they were fatally stabbed who was the mother of seven of the victims and aunt of the other But the court ruled Thaiday, now 40, was not responsible for her actions because she suffered a psychotic episode, triggered by undiagnosed schizophrenia. The ruling — made last month but only allowed to be published today — meant all charges against her would be dropped and the case discontinued. Under Queensland law, a person who is found to be of unsound mind is declared not to be criminally responsible for their actions and cannot be prosecuted for the offence in future. Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday being taken to hospital. (ABC TV News) Thaiday is currently subject to a treatment order at a high-security ward in Park Centre for Mental Health on Brisbane's outskirts. It is unclear if she will ever be released back into the community. Before the killings, she had no previous criminal history and had never been treated for mental health issues, the court heard. Thaiday sat silently in the dock and showed little emotion while details of the case were read out in court. She stared ahead for most of the proceedings, although briefly acknowledged her adult son Lewis, who found his dead siblings and his mother with self-inflicted stab wounds. Three psychiatrists said it was likely Thaiday's mental state had been deteriorating for months, and in the days leading up to the killings, she believed she could communicate with spirits, threw items from the house into the front yard, and was walking up and down the street yelling. When Thaiday finally acted with violence, she was not under the influence of drugs, alcohol or any other substance, the psychiatrists said. The bodies of four boys and four girls were found in the house in 2014. (ABC News: Josh Bavas) Psychiatrist Dr Pamela van de Hoef said Thaiday was driven by "unshakable false beliefs" and her actions were "shockingly out of character". Another psychiatrist, Dr Jane Phillips, said Thaiday suffered a severe schizophrenic psychosis. "She heard the sound of a bird ... and believed that was a message that she must kill her children in order to save them," she told the court. Justice Jean Dalton said the defence case for insanity was made based on "a very convincing body of evidence". "That is, that she's entitled to the defence of unsoundness of mind — there's just no doubt about that on the evidence, and there's no doubt about the legal conclusion that flows from that." Dr Frank Varghese, one of two psychiatrists assisting Justice Dalton, said Thaiday's "apocalyptic delusional state" was one of the worst cases of schizophrenia he had ever seen. He said it may have been triggered by Thaiday's long-term cannabis usage, which only stopped months before the killings. Justice Dalton allowed Thaiday escorted leave on the grounds of The Park centre, with psychiatrists believing it could help with her treatment. A Cairns family was able to finally farewell their loved one with dignity and grace in Manoora on Friday after a two month ordeal in securing funeral funds for their late breadwinner Flower tributes left near the house where eight children ranging from babies to teenagers were found dead in Cairns on December 19 Link copiedShareShare articleResidents of far north Queensland are in shock after the bodies of eight children were found following a multiple stabbing in a suburban Cairns home were found Friday morning in Murray Street where a woman was also located with chest and neck wounds Police said they believed the 34-year-old was the mother of seven of the children They said she was in a stable condition in Cairns Hospital and was helping with their enquiries Relatives and neighbours were in tears as news of the tragedy spread and police and emergency service workers were visibly distressed by the confronting scene The Premier and Prime Minister both offered messages of support to the local community Look back at how the story unfolded in our blog Dozens of police helped establish a crime scene after being contacted around 11:20am (AEST) Media agency AAP spoke to a woman who said she was a cousin of the woman speaking to police She said a 20-year-old man arrived home to find his siblings dead Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said the injured woman was not in police custody and there were no formal suspects at this stage there's no need for the public to be concerned about this other than the fact that it's a tragic "The situation is well controlled at the moment News of the tragedy has shocked the local community said the adults who lived in the house were his niece and nephew My family just rang because they're worried about our sister," he said "Some of them are my sister's kids "I just got a phone call from my son's mother from down in Mackay because they had seen the news flash down there I'm desperate like everyone else to hear [what happened]." Neighbour Bessie Mareko said she did not know those in the house but would say hello when they were in the street Ms Mareko said she saw the woman and a number of children at 2:00am cleaning up their home and putting unwanted items on the street I just saw her this morning on the verandah with her kids," she said Dozens of residents attended a candlelight vigil at Munro Martin Park on Friday afternoon, while others placed flowers outside the house in Murray Street. Colette Petterson organised the vigil to honour the dead children. "I think it's extremely important that people do that especially like this time at Christmas," she said. "It's just so emotional. It's just been the worst couple of weeks." Talitha Power was among those who went to pay their respects. "It was the only way I could see to do something about it," she said. "It's very shocking, especially in a little place like this. It's a little tight-knit community." Early Friday night a church service was held with attendees observing eight minutes of silence for each of the children killed. Detective Inspector Asnicar said the crime scene would be cordoned off for several days for forensic officers to investigate. Specialist officers from Brisbane and Townsville were called in to assist the investigation. "The crime scene is being locked down and that includes from me - nobody goes in there until our forensic people go in there," he said. Emergency responders to the scene were visibly upset while many of the bystanders in the street were in shock and in tears. "These events are extremely distressing for everyone of course, and police officers aren't immune from that. We're human beings as well," Detective Inspector Asnicar said. "However, the police that we have here are very highly trained and professional people and they're going about their job in a way that I would expect them to and the QPS would expect them to. "We are missing nothing as far as conducting this investigation." SES workers put up barriers to cover the scene of the deadly stabbing. (ABC: Isaac Egan) "Police are refusing to identify if anyone is a suspect yet. They are merely saying that they are speaking to a large number of people - family members, neighbours, people who have known the family for a long period of time. "They say it's going to be a painstaking and lengthy investigation, involving police that have been flown up from Brisbane and Townsville, officers with specialist skills and officers who specialise in homicide investigations. People here are absolutely devastated. We saw many people turn up to the crime scene, people who were family of the dead children, so distraught, such confronting scenes of people in terrible grief. "There have also been a large number of people who I guess didn't know the family who have still turned out with floral tributes. Also people who have been waiting around the area of the crime scene, watching to see what's happening. "People I've spoken to have said that it's a terrible and shocking crime, and particularly sad so close to Christmas." Local MP Gavin King said he did not know the family directly but lived nearby. "It's a street that's only a couple of minutes' drive from my own family home, and having been there so many times and attending community concerts in a park across from where this tragedy occurred ... "It's just a tragedy that is really very difficult to come to terms with." Cairns Mayor Bob Manning offered his condolences to the family and friends of the victims and asked the community to "unite and display sympathy for those directly affected by this incident and respect for the police and other authorities who now must go about this difficult work". Premier Campbell Newman said he was deeply saddened and shocked by the tragedy. "My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those concerned," he said in a statement. "I'm also aware of the impact this will have on the emergency service workers and police officers who responded to the scene, and I have asked the Acting Ministers to make sure those individuals are receiving the support they need. "Indeed, the whole Cairns community and the people of Queensland will feel the effects of this tragedy, particularly at a time of year when families come together." Prime Minister Tony Abbott said news of the "unspeakable crime" was "heartbreaking". "All parents would feel a gut-wrenching sadness at what has happened," he said in a statement. "These are trying days for our country. There will be tears and prayers across our country for these children." Family friend Ngatu Tenu visits the scene. (ABC: Isaac Egan) The driver involved in a suburban Cairns crash has reportedly “ran” from the scene as emergency services respond to fallen powerlines food and Christmas presents were among tributes left at the scene on December 20 2014 where eight children were killed in Cairns Link copiedShareShare articleThe mother of seven of the eight children found dead in a Cairns home on Friday has been arrested for murder Cairns Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said the 37-year-old was lucid and awake and speaking with police The bodies of eight children were found following what was believed to be a multiple stabbing on Friday morning. Four girls aged 14, 12, 11 and two, and four boys aged nine, eight, six and five were found in Murray Street, Manoora, where the woman, Mersane Warria, was also located. Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Taylor said charges would be laid when it was "appropriate and everything's completed". He said there were five fathers to the children, and police had been in contact with all five men. "We had the forensic people in the house. The deceased have been removed from the house," Detective Inspector Asnicar said. He said the coroner and a pathologist would be conducting investigations with the assistance of family members. Detective Inspector Asnicar said police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths and were comfortable the community was safe. He dismissed speculation the Manoora house had been the subject of calls from the Department of Social Services. "It's not a problem house, as has been speculated," he said. "This is an ordinary neighbourhood, a lot of good people, a lot of kids in the area. This is something that has caught everybody by surprise." Acting Queensland Premier Tim Nicholls said the police service had made contact with authorities in the Torres Strait. "Certainly we are aware of the family links to the Torres Strait and to the Cape and actions are being taken to ensure those communities are informed and provided with support," he said. Mr Nicholls said he knew the incident was coming at a "terrible cost" to many in the community. "As a father myself with three children under 15, I can only imagine the grief this family is feeling as they come to grips with the events over the last few days," he said. "I'm sure I speak on behalf of all Queenslanders and indeed all Australians when we say we are with you, we are here to support you and we feel with you the grief this community feels." Investigations, including autopsies on the children, continued on Saturday. Police said a number of possible weapons including knives were located in the house. Seven of the children found dead are siblings and the eighth child is a niece of the woman arrested, police said. Police said the suburban Cairns home would be locked down for several days while forensic officers conducted their work. Acting Chief Superintendent Russell Miller said the investigation would take time and officers from Brisbane and Townsville arrived on Friday afternoon to assist with the complex probe. Relationships Australia has set up an office close to the murder scene. Spokeswoman Debra Bennett said the organisation was inviting people in the community to seek counselling there if they felt they needed to speak to someone. "There'll be a whole range of support services so we encourage people to take advantage of that and to encourage other members of their family and the community if they feel they're struggling with this experience. It's really important that people don't try to do this on their own," she said. The devastated mother of a 20-year-old woman killed in a shocking accident has made a heart-wrenching plea after the man responsible for her daughter’s death was sentenced Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time in a united show of grief that rang out across Murray Street About 100 members of the Cairns Torres Strait community walked en masse to the Manoora park adjacent to the home in which eight children were slain sometime on Thursday night or Friday morning believed to be the father of the youngest victims was inconsolable his grief so physically debilitating he was unable to walk without assistance My babies," he wailed as he cried out their names Grief stricken loved ones visit the shrine for the eight children killed in Cairns.Credit: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images The crowd stayed for about 10 minutes before walking back up Murray the Salvation Army organised a memorial service People in distress can telephone Lifeline on 13 11 14 A man believed to be the father of the three youngest victims is overwhelmed by griefCredit: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images My babies,\\\" he wailed as he cried out their names A CAIRNS man who allegedly stabbed an employee at a Manoora takeaway store has been remanded in custody The public housing property will be razed in a fortnight. (ABC News: Mark Rigby) Link copiedShareShare articleA far north Queensland house where eight children were killed last December is set to be demolished to make way for a memorial. The State Government has given the go-ahead for the public housing property at Manoora to be razed in a fortnight. Community Healing Project co-ordinator Michael White said with the demolition approved, the next phase of the healing process could begin. "Obviously it's been a constant reminder for those people there and living in that area, particularly for the families," he said. "I know that the people we've been engaging with are very happy with [the decision] and it's one of those things that helps continue that healing journey for those families and community members." Mr White said traditional owners, family and agencies will meet next week to discuss the plans. "Until such time as that is defined and really put in place, Mayor Bob Manning and the Cairns Regional Council are looking to temporarily grass that so it's a bit easier on the eyes in terms of just having a bare patch of dirt there," he said. "We'll take our time with this. We don't want to rush that and we want to make sure we find a fitting tribute to those children." The murder case involving the mother of seven of the children and aunty to the eighth, Raina Mersane Thaiday, is due to return to court late in June. Eight children were killed at the Manoora home in December last year. (AAP: Dan Peled) UPDATED: A “concerning” culture within the youth justice and child safety sectors has been highlighted in the aftermath of a fatal car crash which killed a 14 year old boy in Cairns THE man who was first on scene at the Manoora home where his seven younger siblings and a cousin died has described what confronted him that fateful day Don't miss out on the headlines from Crime and Justice Followed categories will be added to My News Lewis Warria had no way of knowing he was about to walk in on the aftermath of what is alleged to be one of the country’s worst mass killings. It was late morning on December 19, 2014, when the then-20-year-old arrived at 34 Murray St, where his mum Raina Thaiday, four brothers and three sisters had lived for more than three years. Lewis, now 21, said the sight that confronted him when he entered the home was something out of “a scary movie”. Eight children, aged two to 15 years, lay dead throughout the house. “They looked like they were asleep when it happened. That’s the thing that makes me angry,” he said. In shock, Lewis called the police and paramedics while his mother sat silently on the veranda. “I didn’t know what to do. I just came and walked up and down in the yard. Mum was sitting on the veranda. I was just walking up and down like I didn’t know what to do,” he said. His mind was blank, like he was “in a dream” and he said he kept thinking “it’s not real.” The reality of what occurred sunk in the very next morning when he had to formally identify his siblings for police. He was still haunted by the memory. Lewis said seeing their bodies at Cairns Base Hospital was far worse than what had confronted him at Murray St. They were unrecognisable as his siblings. When I shut my eyes I can see their faces,” he said. “I don’t want to remember that. I want to remember the good.” Lewis had been out of jail for three days when the tragedy occurred. He said he’d been jailed for unrelated street-type offending. He had been staying with his father at Woree, which was the address listed on his parole. When he woke on December 19, about 9am, he tried to phone his mum, but the call went straight to message bank. So he caught a bus over to the house. His mother was sitting on a chair on the veranda. He said she gestured to him “come here” and as he walked closer he could see something was wrong. He tried talking to her for about 20 minutes before he walked inside the house. Rather than returning to his father’s house, Lewis had officers drop him at the home of another family member where he could avoid the frenzy that had begun to gather at Murray St. But first they visited his cousin’s mother and he had to tell her that her daughter was dead. Lewis said his grandmother, his mother’s mother, was there as well. “I didn’t know what to say,” he said. Lewis said he just wanted to hide away that day. “My phone was going off but I didn’t answer,” he said. That was until he saw a call from his older sister Norena Warria. They spoke briefly and he told her what happened. She arrived in Cairns from Bamaga that same day. Nightmares disturbed what little sleep he had for about a month after the tragedy. He dreamt that he was at the house trying to protect his siblings. “I think in my dreams I try to put myself there, if I was there what would have happened,” he said. Lewis said he couldn’t stop himself from thinking like that. Every time I go and see them (at their grave sites) I tell them I’m sorry I wasn’t there, sorry big brother wasn’t there to do something,” he said. Lewis often visited their graves at the Martyn St cemetery so he could tell them how he is going. And each time he walks by each grave, places a kiss on the top of each cross and pauses grasping each cross for a moment before walking to the next. For their birthdays he left them gifts and fresh flowers. “I just come here to have a yarn with them. They are someone I can talk to, come let it out here with them. “I tell them how I’m doing, just to let them know what’s going on.” As he leaves he always tells his sister Malili Warria, the next eldest after him, to look after the younger ones and his family. Lewis said he wanted to buy enough flowers so the white sand spread over the top of each grave was hidden from view. Lewis has heard all the rumours about what happened inside the house. And he said he could feel the judgment towards him from people in the community. “I would love to, if they were in my shoes, see how would they deal with it, to walk in the house and look,” he said. He often heard people whispering “oh is that the big brother?”. Being known for the worst thing that’s happened in his life made him frustrated and angry. It also highlighted who his true friends and family were because they were the ones who stuck by him. While there had been many people who offered help right after the tragedy, he said the majority of those offers stopped at only words. “It would be good for a little help, to get a place, to get my life on track,” he said. Lewis was taking positives steps to try to move forward. He hoped to secure fulltime work so he and his girlfriend could find their own place. He’d recently applied for work at Yalara in the Northern Territory because he said it was all that was available. But he really wanted to find fulltime work in Cairns so he could be close to his brothers, sisters and cousin and visit his mother in Brisbane. Lewis wanted to do his younger brothers and sisters proud and make something of his life for them. Right now he was just waiting and hoping that “something good happens or someone gives me a good call”. He said there was a long wait for employment and housing in Cairns. “I get frustrated some days, I want to get out of the house and go work, clear my head,” he said. The Murray St case is due for mention in the Cairns Magistrates Court in July. Update: The “aggressive” alleged assault of a man in a Cairns shopping centre food court which left him with a fractured skull was witnessed by multiple shoppers. A woman accused of killing her partner in a Babinda park was allegedly heard by family saying she would “send you back in a box” after stabbing him repeatedly with a kitchen knife. ABC News News HomeCairns murders: Home where 8 children died to be demolished authorities sayShare Cairns murders: Home where 8 children died to be demolished authorities sayTopic:Homicide The house in the suburb of Manoora may be demolished Link copiedShareShare articleThe home where eight children were murdered in Cairns in far north Queensland will be demolished and a permanent public memorial built on the site Community members united in grief are continuing to lay tributes at a fig tree in the park next to the home in Murray Street at Manoora where four girls and four boys Cairns MP Gavin King said after discussions with the family he believed the public housing home should be demolished He said the State Government would be guided by the family traditional owners and the local community about what form a permanent memorial on the site should take "I started that conversation on Saturday morning down at the site with various family representatives and local residents and various agencies," he said "I've asked the Cairns Safer Streets Taskforce to lead some of that consultation with the community along with the police liaison officers who have been doing a fantastic job down there "They'll consult with both the family and traditional owners and local residents "It certainly won't be the State Government coming in over the top and deciding what that will look like Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Taylor also said the home would be torn down and a public memorial would be built there after investigations were finalised "We're unable to set a timeframe - we'll finish with the house when we finish with it," he said "That's when we'll look at how do we facilitate what needs to be done from the families' perspective and the community's perspective and I think that's important." Mersane Warria, the 37-year-old mother of seven of the children and aunty to the eighth, was yesterday charged with eight counts of murder at a bedside court hearing in the Cairns Hospital where she remains in a stable condition under police guard An older brother discovered the bodies of his siblings on Friday A spokesperson for the Cairns Magistrates Court confirmed yesterday that she had been remanded in custody A Cairns magistrate this morning adjourned the matter until a court hearing next month Police said earlier the alleged killer would not appear in court today because of her injuries and state of mind asked for the matter to be referred to the mental health court but that request was refused by Magistrate Alan Comans No plea was entered and there was no indication a bail application would be made at this stage Warria was formally remanded in custody and would not be required to appear when the matter returned to court on January 30 Mr McFarlane said his client had not yet received an official mental health assessment He said the case could not progress until she left hospital Mr McFarlane said he was not sure how long his client would remain in hospital "I'm not a doctor - I think she probably knows what's happened but doesn't realise it - it hasn't sunk in - is my personal opinion only," he said "I'm aware she's been visited by some people - how close a family member they are and how many there are Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said the home in Murray Street remained a crime scene and the investigation was just beginning "We have still got experts there - it's going to be a long hard road from here on in - a great deal of the work starts now," he said "We are not even a tenth of the way through There is a lot more work to be done and we will just keep doing it." He said hundreds of witnesses had given statements to police "That figure is much higher now and will be much higher in a week's time," he said Detective Inspector Asnicar said it had been a difficult time for all involved "All of the family has been advised and it would come as no surprise that this is very raw it's a very emotive time for everybody," he said but the community is pulling together." More services were held across Cairns overnight in memory of the eight children Candles are lit during a memorial service at Manoora in Cairns Churches and private homes across Cairns were filled with family friends and community members wanting to pay their respects Hundreds also attended a memorial gathering last night at the Trinity Bay High School where one the children who died had been a student Pastor Adem Xhafer acknowledged the community's suffering at the service "Today in our hometown of Cairns it's been a most difficult last few days and many hearts are hurting and hard to reconcile the events with normal everyday living," he said "Many are wondering how they're going to get on in the future from today forward - how do we deal with that Yesterday morning there were emotional scenes as family members attended a memorial near the home where the children died Families of the deceased children were continuing to arrive in Cairns from across Australia as part of a traditional mourning period ahead of their funerals Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said the community had conducted itself with great dignity and respect since Friday's tragedy "I think that's been just wonderful - you feel very proud to see our community reacting in that way," he said "There's also been lots of great offers of assistance and help and again that shows a certain level of caring within the community "I think generally speaking the community has acted very properly in this last 72 hours." Mr King said people who wanted to make financial donations to support the family could contact Uniting Care Community on 1800 543 354 or go to their website "We'd also like to see some of those financial contributions go towards a public memorial," he said He said people who wanted to donate household goods for the houses should take items to the Salvation Army depot on Hoare Street in Manunda. Salvation Army Captain Darren Kingston said it was also maintaining a presence at the Manoora site where the children were killed. "We've been able to mobilise some troops to be down there providing coffee and tea and cold drinks and also lunches for the last couple of days - we'll be there for as long as it's needed," he said. "We've actually been able to gather the other churches together as well to be involved in what we're doing so we'll be able to go on as long as we need to go." Thousands of flying foxes have taken a new home after being evicted from the Cairns CBD – but it is not where authorities intended GABBY Millgate is willing to cut a deal with the next owner of her Manoora unit “I’ll fly up to Cairns and say ‘you’re terrible Muriel’ to the person who buys the place “If it closes the deal then I’ll throw it in as something extra.” Ms Millgate is well known for her role as Joanie Heslop in the 1994 Australian film Muriel’s Wedding and in 2008 moved to Cairns after landing a breakfast position with Sea FM The neat two-bedroom unit at 12/36 Springfield Cres caught her eye and Ms Millgate has held on to it ever since “I loved it because it’s on a rainforest pocket and even though it was a simple two-bedroom unit “I just loved how close it was to the CBD – I could ride my bike through lush tropical gardens to get to work every day.” Ms Millgate took a new job with the ABC in Western Australia Her career has taken a completely different course in recent years She now lives in Canberra where she works in the childcare sector but holds many fond memories of her tenure in the tropics I made great friends in Cairns and really love the culture,” Ms Millgate said More than 20 years after the release of Muriel’s Wedding she is still often asked to repeat that famous catchphrase who tell me that ‘they know me from somewhere’,” Ms Millgate said Her Manoora property is listed for $165,000 and open for inspection today from 10.30-11am which gives it some peace and quiet,” he said “And the pool area within the complex is just beautiful.” Mr Thornton expected the Cairns unit market to go “from strength to strength” over the next 12 months “Once the lower-priced stock clears then we’ll start to see prices push up – anything in good condition A CAIRNS mother believed the innocent sound of a bird chirping was a signal from God to begin killing eight children in a brutal massacre that shocked the nation Detectives say the theft of a huge number of cigarettes from a Manoora supermarket was likely a planned and “targeted” crime The resurrection of one of the city’s favourite restaurant has brought a steady stream of customers to Manoora serious engineering maintenance problems were exposed when half a billion dollars worth of maritime defence capability was retired early lost power entering Sydney Harbour and narrowly missed coming aground This failure led to a review (the Rizzo review) that exposed the high level of risk caused by the loss of engineering capability in government agencies It was hardly the first defence review to identify the risk Junked: Amphibious supply ship HMAS Kanimbla and its sister ship were decommissioned prematurely due to maintenance neglect The Coles review, also in 2012, identified substantial problems with submarine maintenance including the failure to retain and develop engineering skills caused by a recruitment freeze with the Sea King (2005) and HMAS Westralia (1998) disasters Fast forward to this year, and the government is embarking on a ''first-principles review'' of defence Yet before the review had been commissioned the government decided to shed 2200 of defence's civilian employees Defence Minister David Johnston memorably said that the workforce was ''a little bit fat and happy'' A useful ''first principle'' might have been to fully understand what the organisation needed to deliver and maintain It is a cat's cradle of inactions that is ultimately unreadable is a persistent reluctance to deal properly with technical skill gaps across the organisation The financial and safety risks associated with failing to address engineering capability are becoming more serious As the Navy Civilian Engineering Workforce Study put it ''sound independent engineering saves money and most importantly lives and reputation'' Yet governments of all colours have continued to erode in-house technical expertise Australia's public services have undergone a dramatic shift in technical Governments employed about 100,000 specialists in these fields three decades ago yet there are now fewer than 20,000 across the public sector It is well established that the tide started to turn in the 1980s when it became fashionable for governments to trim budgets and outsource their technical capacity to the private sector is what this depletion in expertise means today governments around Australia will spend $33 billion on infrastructure Deloitte Access Economics research shows governments waste an average of 12.7 per cent of this type of spending because they lack the in-house capacity to scope design or even oversee the infrastructure they want to build This suggests governments will waste $4.2 billion this year alone The same problems exist in maintaining our public asset base governments can neither manage nor assess what the private sector sells them - they have effectively become cashed-up Taxpayers are being gamed by infrastructure-hungry knowledge-poor governments that simultaneously pump out rhetoric about the need for fiscal prudence in hard times Yet mega-waste across governments is just the tip of this iceberg dangers and scale of these problems demands intervention from the highest level without a competent Australian Public Service engineering and technical workforce the probability of materiel failures or unplanned retirements of capability greatly increases Problems are coming to a head that directly threaten operational capacity across the military The first is the challenge that defence faces in managing complex procurements with a reduced workforce Recent reports have revealed that the $8 billion air warfare destroyer project is $500 million over budget and expected to be delivered two years late With the spectre of more cost blowouts and waste to come the government has questioned defence's capacity to manage the acquisition of ships and submarines Yet of the 3000-strong workforce on the destroyer project there is no way engineers and technical specialists can enact effective oversight of such a large project with so few resources most of which will be unable to be tested until the item is received and even then may be unknown until disaster strikes Running down your science and engineering capability at the same time is an irrational approach The 2012 Deloitte workforce review found that 55 per cent of defence engineering vacancies were critical we have had a recruitment freeze and significant actual and planned reductions in engineering and science staffing across defence where the Rizzo review had at least minimised engineering workforce reductions significant cuts are planned for the engineering and technical workforce in the Australian Maritime Warfare Centre At a time the government is spending significantly on new and updated weapon systems it makes no sense to erode your capacity to be a smart customer Cuts to defence's technical workforce may appear penny-wise but they are pound-foolish in the long term Senior defence engineers identified the crux of the problems in a recent survey and painted a powerful picture: ''Professionals are being squeezed out of the decision-making process whereby we are buying off-the-shelf items and no technical integrity is conducted or being conducted by external contractors who may or may not have the defence interest in their best interest Under-resourced projects due to [full-time-equivalent staff] cutbacks will mean that there will be often one engineer working on a large body of work and if they leave or are sick there is no one to pick up the work Corners are being cut due to projects being under resourced.'' scientific and technical expertise have now created dangerous capacity gaps that risk both national security and operational safety Technical specialists - already under immense pressure to do more with less - know this and are extremely concerned said when the Rizzo review was released: ''We have for far too long viewed engineering as an overhead and not as a mission enabler.'' He was a member of the Senate committee that inquired into procurement procedures for defence capital projects in 2012 In response to evidence about the consequences of outsourcing maintenance and deskilling the organisation said the submissions ''highlight the symptoms of what is fundamentally wrong within the organisation'' by freezing recruitment and cutting thousands of jobs the government's approach to enterprise bargaining is likely to have unintended effects on engineering and science capability across defence Enterprise agreements should be workplace enablers rather than ideological straightjackets While the general approach to pay and conditions has rightly made headlines and sends a message to staff that they are not valued other aspects of the approach to bargaining will have adverse effects The government is intent on removing agency-specific work-level standards and related classifications this will undermine the developed engineering and science competencies that underpin classification structures make it difficult to progress agreement approaches that recognise and value expertise These are areas that the plethora of reviews have identified as critical in maintaining and rebuilding engineering and science skills across defence Johnston must act now and exempt defence from this approach to bargaining A succession of reviews have all reached similar conclusions A more secure Australia relies on greater sophistication and specialist expertise pay and conditions will not fill the skills gaps The government must recognise the significant contribution engineering and technical expertise makes to national security and keeping our forces operational This is not a new or an individual view: a chorus of industry voices have called for adequate engineering expertise in the public sector As the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Peter Layton said recently: ''We've been there which the Rizzo review found had in earlier reform programs significantly cut their headquarters engineering expertise saved minimal cash and ended up with poorly maintained amphibious vessels that required much more money to put right The Coles review of submarines was similarly scathing It is time the government acted on the advice before it The team responsible for drafting the next white paper (yet another one) is currently consulting stakeholders across the country One question it is asking is how defence should invest in its people The right answer is back in Griggs's call to stop discarding technical professional staff: instead The wrong answer is further cuts to engineering and science capability and an offensive approach to enterprise bargaining our troops and the liquidity of our taxpayers depends on it David Smith is Professionals Australia's ACT director. dsmith@professionalsaustralia.org.au This failure led to a review (the Rizzo review) that in government agencies the need to rebuild civilian engineering capability was identified in the Navy Civilian Engineering Workforce Study in 2010 Similar issues were identified in a and in a the government decided to shed 2200 of defence's civilian employees Defence Minister David Johnston memorably said that the workforce was ''a little bit fat and happy'' A useful ''first principle'' might have been to fully understand what the organisation needed to deliver and maintain Another useful ''first principle'' might have been to take a hard look at the preceding reviews and to implement relevant recommendations One of the most telling graphics in an Australian National Audit Office's report last year is that which shows defence's mapping of recommendations from major reviews (see the diagram below It is a cat's cradle of inactions that is ultimately unreadable ''sound independent engineering saves money and most importantly lives and reputation'' Australia's public services have undergone a dramatic shift in technical the government has questioned defence's capacity to manage the acquisition of ships and submarines Cuts to defence's technical workforce may appear penny-wise and painted a powerful picture: ''Professionals are being squeezed out of the decision-making process Corners are being cut due to projects being under resourced.'' said when the Rizzo review was released: ''We have for far too long viewed engineering as an overhead and not as a mission enabler.'' said the submissions ''highlight the symptoms of what is fundamentally wrong within the organisation'' the government's approach to enterprise bargaining is likely to have unintended effects on engineering and science capability across defence As the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Peter Layton said recently: ''We've been there The right answer is back in Griggs's call to stop discarding technical professional staff: instead David Smith is Professionals Australia's ACT director The latest aged care facility to open in Cairns has added 182 beds for permanent residents as well as palliative care and other short-stay options CELEBRITY gardener Costa Georgiadis is jumping for joy over how much the Manoora community garden has grown in a mere matter of months Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle Mr Georgiadis made a flying visit to the site yesterday afternoon after spending time on Thursday Island The self-described “half man-half hedge” last visited the site in October 2016 and was amazed to see it now overflowing with chillies they just had these couple of gardens with timber edges and raised beds,” he said the path and the front garden and the fence and the sign too “I think signs are a real sign of a garden growing traction and I always mention to anyone when you put a sign up that’s a statement to the community Community garden co-ordinator Amy Eden said the visit was a good opportunity to get people together to talk about the garden’s planned major projects After suffering two heat strokes in one day railway worker Steve Wesche thought it was time to stop swinging the hammer and instead get behind the till A Cairns clergyman who met the late Pope Francis on two occasions has remembered the religious figure as a beacon of warmth and hope A woman has died following a two-vehicle collision in Cairns overnight which involved a power pole and multiple patients were taken to hospital Motorists are advised to seek an alternative route A Manoora family is counting its blessings after narrowly escaping a house fire yesterday morning