John MacKenzie chats with Craig Crawford, State Member for Barron River, about the government's plans to upgrade the Captain Cook Highway between Cairns City and Smithfield.

The plans are out and public comments are being sought about stage one of the $395-Million masterplan for Cairns' north.

New bridges, signal upgrades, and the widening of the road to 6 lanes between Grove St and the Smithfield Bypass are being proposed.

Provide your opinions to the Queensland Government. Click on the link to "Have Your Say" on this project: https://tinyurl.com/3397ut39

John MacKenzie chats with talkback caller, Rossco from Townsville, about the need to educate troubled youth.

Basic mathematics and language skills are not being taught effectively, which sets up young people for future failure in social integration and positive behaviour.

Calls are being made for the state government to do more to help solve the issue of youth crime and recidivism.

John MacKenzie chats with Kevin Byrne, Executive Manager of Enterprise North and Former Mayor of Cairns, about the passing of Senator and former Major General, Jim Molan. 

Kevin Byrne served alongside Jim Molan during his time in Papua New Guinea. 

Senator Molan began his career in the military, graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1971, and eventually rose to the ranks of Major General.

Molan was the Chief of Operations in Iraq during 2004-2005, he released his first book in 2008 and successfully ran for the senate in 2017.

Senator Molan died peacefully this morning, aged 72.

John MacKenzie chats with Locky Bensted, Mareeba Shire Councillor, about a proposed heavy vehicle bypass for the town of Mareeba.

The community is being consulted for their views and opinions on the bypass that would see heavy traffic diverted away from Mareeba's main thoroughfare.

Locky also commented on the juvenile crime emergency and advocates his support for a remote youth program to build skills and education in an effort to curb criminal behaviour.

John MacKenzie chats with Ken Harley, local Crime Emergency Activist, after yet another terrifying home invasion in Cairns.

A woman pretended to remain asleep with her two-year-old while the invaders ransacked her house. 

John MacKenzie chats with Associate Professor Michelle Wykes, Group Leader of Molecular Immunology at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, about breakthrough cancer research in regard to both breast and bowel cancer.

The discovery of a so-called "master switch" is being understood in efforts to potentially turn on vital dendritic cells, which act like the generals of the immune system, to fight particular tumours.

"We're seeing palpable tumours that completely disappear and melt away," Michelle Wykes said.

John MacKenzie chats with Roderick "Roddy" Rees, Sole Director of Cairns Adventure Group and Raging Thunder Adventures, about investing $3 million into his tourism business.

Mr. Rees is building a new depot and office and adding five new buses to his fleet as the return of international visitors is being eagerly anticipated.

"We want to show that confidence to the industry," Mr. Rees said, "We feel really confident that people will be coming back to this area in droves."

John MacKenzie chats with Danny Betros, Managing Director of CBRE Cairns, after his calls for action to curb itinerant behaviour in Cairns by reopening the Quigley Street night shelter.

The 40-bed accommodation centre was an alternative to the watch-house for heavily intoxicated people but was padlocked shut since the start of the covid-19 pandemic.

Mr. Betros is calling on the state government to make any necessary repairs to the complex and reopen it promptly.

John MacKenzie chats with Alan Benn whose daughter's dog was snatched and killed by a known crocodile at Kamerunga Regional Park on Wednesday.

Mr. Benn erected a sign warning visitors, and especially children, of a dangerous crocodile, but callous extremists removed the sign to display their own, pro-dinosaur message.

The Department of Environment and Science removed a 2.4-meter crocodile from the area on the same day after the attack but reported the second sighting of an even larger reptile.

John MacKenzie chats with Margy Osmond, CEO of the Tourism and Transport Forum of Australia, to chat about all-things tourism for Cairns and far North Queensland.

Margy was in town yesterday to announce Virgin's new flights between Cairns and Tokyo to begin June 28, 2023. The daily flights are expected to bring in 30,000 tourists each year.

Furthermore, the Chinese market should rebound in 2023 as their borders are expected to reopen following Covid-19 lockdowns.