1. Increase indigenous employment pathways within North Queensland Airports
We believe the teams at Cairns and Mackay airports must reflect the diverse communities we serve. We are a customer-driven organisation and rely on the support of our communities.
We are committed to championing employment and career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, which is supported by an Indigenous Engagement Strategy, with specific targets until 2027. We recognise our diverse employee cohort can foster innovation within the organisation and lead to better ways of doing things.
2. Fostering genuine partnerships with First Nations people, for example by involving Traditional Custodians land management activities within the airport precinct
The team at Cairns Airport works closely with Traditional Custodians, particularly in the environmental and land management space.
An example of this is our partnership with Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation. The Indigenous-owned company has been closely involved in key environmental work for the part 8 years and more recently developed a new maintenance team to restore and maintain the Jack Barnes Boardwalk.
3. Being a good neighbour, fostering genuine collaboration with airport neighbours and community groups to minimise impacts of aircraft operations
Cairns Airport aims to continuously develop, improve and implement initiatives that enhance the sustainability of airport operations and address community interests.
The Cairns Airport Community Aviation Consultation Group (CACG) meets every three months and provides a forum for meaningful dialogue between Cairns Airport, Airservices Australian, airline representatives, local community representatives, local government and other stakeholders to address issues which are of concern.
Mechanisms for managing aircraft noise include, but are not limited to:
- Cairns Airport Community Aviation Consultation Group (CACG)
- Noise Abatement Procedures
- Aircraft Noise Exposure Patterns
- Aircraft Noise Fact Sheets
- Operational Procedures and Guidelines
- Helicopter Fly Neighbourly Procedure
- Ground Running Procedures and Guidelines
4. Supporting the North Queensland travel and tourism economy with good domestic and international flight connectivity
Cairns Airport is widely recognised as one of the most significant economic drivers in the Tropical North Queensland region. We are the gateway to the only place in the world where two natural UNESCO World Heritage areas sit side-by-side; the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics, including the iconic Daintree Rainforest.
Pre-COVID, Cairns Airport was the nation’s seventh busiest for passenger movements, welcoming more than five million passengers per year. Cairns is also one of Australia’s most aviation-dependent communities, with more than three times as many passenger movements per resident than that of capital cities.
We have adopted a geographic, market-specific approach to route development. We strive to explore domestic and international opportunities that complement our network, without diluting the commercial sustainability of our partners.
5. Providing a good place to work and being recognised as an employer of choice
Airports are dynamic and exciting environments and there are extensive opportunities for involvement and growth across Cairns Airport. We work hard to create a welcoming, friendly and professional culture.
Cairns Airport is recognised with ‘Great Place to Work’ certification, which recognises employers who create an outstanding employee experience. Certification helps job seekers identify companies that genuinely offer a great company culture. It also gives employers a recruiting advantage by providing a globally recognised and research-backed verification of their commitment towards providing a great employee experience.
6. Ensuring Gender Wage Equality
We are proud that our remuneration is equitable for all our team. Our last Workplace Gender Equality Agency report showed an average total remuneration pay gap of 1.6% (A gap of under 5% is viewed as positive performance). As a company we continue to monitor our remuneration structures to ensure we maintain wage equality.
7. Diversity and Inclusion
NQA has a diversity and inclusion strategy, which includes targets around equal gender representation and other areas of team member diversity. Targets are reflected in leadership KPI’s to ensure we maintain focus in this area. This 4-year strategy encompasses ensuring a fair and equitable recruitment practices, training our leaders in diverse and inclusive practices and supporting flexibility for our team to manage their diverse lives.