Anna Middleton, Matthew Tickner on track to become Cairns’ newest councillors

While most previous Cairns councillors will be re-elected, two new independent faces are sitting comfortably ahead of their opponents in the latest count. Here’s their first words on the election.

More than 270km worth of doorknocking for one candidate and a two-decade history in their division for another appears to have paid off for two Cairns council hopefuls, who are poised to win over some seasoned opponents.

It comes as results in the local government election on the weekend indicate Cairns will have a new mayor, seven re-elected councillors and two newcomers.

In the southern corridor, Division 2 candidate Matthew Tickner’s victory is almost certain with 35 per cent of the tally on Monday afternoon.

None of his five opponents, including former councillor John Schilling and Unity’s Nikki Giumelli, managed to gain more than 16 per cent of votes.

Division 7 suburbs including Edge Hill, Manoora and Manunda were voting for a new representative on Saturday after former councillor’s Max O’Halloran’s retirement.

It appears that person could be Anna Middleton, who held 31 per cent of the vote on Monday – about five per cent more than Unity’s Matthew Calanna in second place.

Mr Tickner said was feeling humbled by his result.

“I was shocked, I suppose, by the support and the trust that the community have put in me and very appreciative of that,” he said.

“It has been a long eight or nine months, putting in about 270-odd kilometres letterboxing and doorknocking.”

Independent candidates for Division 7 and 2 respectively, Anna Middleton and Matthew Tickner, are ahead in the vote count after Saturday's local government election. Picture: Brendan Radke

The Cairns Chamber of Commerce vice president and father-of-one said he kicked off his campaign in the streets without any volunteers.

“I didn’t want to come in and tell the community what I thought needed to happen. I really wanted to get their feedback for the first six months and then start to put in place some of the priorities that they told me were their key concerns,” he said.

The people of Division 2 suburbs Edmonton, Bentley Park and Mount Sheridan were ready for change, according to Mr Tickner.

He said former councillor Rob Pyne’s decision to run for Division 5 instead left a “sour taste” in some people’s mouths.

“They want someone out here who’s got roots in the ground … a new way forward and some fresh ideas,” he said.

Ms Middleton’s run for council was based on similar values as well as dogged campaigning, something that took “a lot more work” as an independent.

“A lot of the people I spoke to at the polls said I was the only face they’d seen or talked to, and they were already responding to the fact that I was actually living the words and actually getting out and engaging directly,” she said.

While official results are yet to be declared, the likely new councillors say they are keen to get on with the job. Picture: Brendan Radke

“I have a long history of being involved in lots of different areas of our community … a lot of people already had a relationship with me beforehand.”

Like her southside counterpart, Ms Middleton said she was ready to come to the table with a “very long list” of priorities.

“Hopefully we can all sit down and get on with the job. I think bringing in some of the independents will hopefully negate some of that pre-election hoo-ha that seemed to be going on,” she said.

“I’m going to come to the table with the right attitude and the idea of us working collaboratively. There’s some really good energy now.”

Mr Tickner said he was confident Cairns voters made the right choice in other divisions as well.

“I think there’ll be a lot of common ground … and that goes with Amy as well. She’s got a lot of new fresh ideas and I think that’s great.”

Ms Middleton and Mr Tickner are poised to join three other independent councillors in the chamber alongside four Unity re-elects.

Originally published as Anna Middleton, Matthew Tickner on track to become Cairns’ newest councillors