Survivors Peter Weston and Bruna McDowell on board the RTM Piiramu with their dog Missy.

By MARK ROY

THE crew of a passing ore carrier plucked a Thursday Island yachtie, his crewmate and dog from the waters off Cape York in a dramatic rescue last week, after their yacht started taking on water en route to Cairns.
Thursday Island retiree Peter Weston, who lives on the boat, said he and Bruna McDowell from Cairns had ‘’lost everything’’ after abandoning the vessel, which ran into trouble just before dawn near Shelburne Bay on Wednesday, January 18.

Read more: Sea dog and co. rescued by Rio Tinto

Councillor Willie Lui from Warraber.

By MARK ROY

FORMER Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) board member Willie Lui is calling for the release of last year’s independent review into the governance of the TSRA.
Cr Lui made the call following a recent move by Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin to endorse the review’s findings, and bring about elections for board positions in September 2012.
Cr Lui, from Warraber, said he thanked Minister Macklin for ensuring the election of TSRA board members would be held separately to the Torres Strait Island Regional Council (TSIRC) elections set down for March 2012.

Read more: Review should be made public: Lui

By MARK ROY

A SCHEME to provide $99 local air fares in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area is to be reviewed amid complaints that it is not effectively meeting the needs of residents.
The scheme, which took off on January 1 this year, is set to run for an initial period of two years.
But passengers in the Torres Strait and NPA say they are struggling to book the subsidised air fares touted by the State Government in October last year.

Read more: Turbulent take-off for air fare scheme