WEATHER FORECAST
Cairns: 20-29C max, 5% chance of rain
Port Douglas: 22-28C max, 5% chance of rain
Mareeba: 16-29C max, 5% chance of rain
Innisfail: 19-28C max, 5% rain

TODAY'S TOP STORIES

HIGH RANKING VISIT TO SHOWCASE TNQ TO THE WORLD
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk are in Cairns today as part of a bid to promote the region to the world.
The two are heading up a delegation of about 75 foreign diplomats, with Ms Bishop calling the visit an opportunity for local businesses to sell their products to an influential global market.
“This visit will provide foreign representatives with an insight into the diversity and dynamism of Queensland’s economy, so they can better inform their home countries of the many trade and investment opportunities available,” Ms Bishop told News Corp.

CBWC WOMAN OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED
The co-owner of FNQ Plastics Lesley Van Staveren has been named the Cairns Businesswoman of the Year.
FNQ Plastics is “a custom fabrication specialist with an environmental focus and an end goal of reducing waste into landfills”.
Other winners at the CBWC Woman of the Year Awards include Laurie Pritchard of Small World Journeys (Small Business Owner Award, Julie-Ann Lambourne of EnVizon Group Inc (Indigenous Award), Emma Gelling of Studio 78 (Young Entrepreneur Award), Amy Eden of the Manoora Community Advisor Group (Volunteer of the Year), Jannah Dryden of Album Registry (Sole Entrepreneur Award) and Jenny Ball of Aveo The Parks Earlville (Manager in Business Award).

ARCHITECTURAL AWARDS HONOUR TNQ’S FINEST
The Munro Martin Parklands and Cairns Museum are among five projects hailed by the recent Australian Institute of Architects’ 2017 Far North Queensland Regional Architecture Awards.
The awards showcase and honour exemplary local architecture.
Munro Martin Parklands (CA Architects) were named Regional Project of the Year, while School of Arts (Total Project Group Architects) won the Eddie Oribin Award for Building of the Year.
Other winners include m3architecture’s Cape Tribulation House (House of the Year), Julianne McAlloon Architects’ O’Shea House, Total Project Group Architects’ Haddad Residence,
The winners will now progress to the Queensland State Architecture Awards, to be announced in Brisbane in late June.

SEMINAR TO OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
TNQ businesses interested in contracting to the defence industry are being urged to attend a free Naval Shipbuilding information seminar today.
Open to businesses of all sizes, the seminar will provide high-level updates on two shipbuilding programs and explain how businesses can get involved by registering with the newly-launched Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC).
Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch, who will speak at the briefing, said the seminar would provide opportunities for local companies to enter the supply chain.
The event – held at Cairns Cruising Yacht Squadron at 3pm – is free, but those interested should register here.

LAST CALL-OUT FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES BATONBEARERS
There are only a few more hours left for TNQ residents to nominate a local legend to carry the Queen's baton for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Organisers of the Queen’s Baton Relay said they were on the lookout for inspiring individuals aged ten years and up who had achieved the extraordinary or made a significant contribution to the community.
The baton will arrive in Cairns on March 15, 2018 as part of a record-breaking 230,000 kilometre journey through every Commonwealth nation and territory.
Nominations – open until 11:59pm tonight – can be made here.