Cairns council complaints: ‘Toxic’ workplace claims as Pyne, Olds face OIA barrage

Petty infighting at Cairns Regional Council is plumbing new depths as elected officials lodge scores of complaints against each other that are almost exclusively dismissed.

PETTY infighting at Cairns Regional Council is plumbing new depths as elected officials lodge scores of complaints against each other that are almost exclusively dismissed.

The Office of the Independent Assessor has published findings for 48 complaints about the council since 2017.

Only three were substantiated, with the remaining 45 dismissed, afforded no further action or not investigated.

Now a new complaint against Division 2 councillor Rob Pyne has been dismissed.

Division 2 councillor Rob Pyne prepares to face defamation allegations at the Cairns District Court. Picture: Peter Carruthers

MORE NEWS

CCC investigates Cairns Regional Council claims

Iconic Cairns croc bar sells to cashed-up buyer

Huge new retailer confirmed for Cairns centre

“It is alleged you had advised the council that you would be absent from a council meeting for a period including 25 August 2021 in order to attend to personal matters,” the OIA’s letter to Cr Pyne said.

“However, on this date, you were instead participating in a protest located at the council chambers … calling on Mayor Bob Manning to step down.

“It is also alleged that your participation in the protest … and subsequent related media comments breached the behavioural standards imposed on you as constituted under the code of conduct.”

The OIA has copped a barrage of complaints related to Cairns Regional Council. Picture: Brian Cassey

Cr Pyne did attend the pre-meeting protest calling for Cr Bob Manning’s resignation but missed the following meeting to attend court, as he had every day for more than a week.

He is being sued for $2.5m in damages by LGAQ chief executive officer Greg Hallam over a series of allegedly defamatory Facebook posts.

Cr Pyne said the sniping complaints were a blight on the local government.

“I think they’re bulls***. I don’t lodge them about other people because I haven’t got a reason to. Why would you waste everyone’s time unless it was a serious matter?” he said.

The Cairns Post understands other inconsequential referrals included complaints about councillors using swear words and speaking to media.

Cr Brett Olds has been the subject of multiple complaints to the OIA in recent weeks. Picture: Brendan Radke

Members of the public can also lodge complaints, but it is understood the vast majority come from councillors themselves in Cairns.

Division 9 councillor Brett Olds said five complaints had been made against him in the past seven weeks including for swearing at a workshop and a potential conflict of interest for working as an administration officer in Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch’s office.

He has since quit that job.

“It’s toxic. Anyone who thinks this place is not toxic is just ridiculous,” he said.

“We don’t get paid to sit around complaining about each other.”

Independent Assessor Kathleen Florian. Pic Peter Wallis

An OIA spokeswoman said there were 51 current investigations into alleged councillor conduct under way in the Far North as of June 30, with six matters before the Councillor Conduct Tribunal and two matters with the OIA legal team prior to a possible referral to the tribunal.

She said officials and councillors had a legal obligation to report suspected misconduct or inappropriate conduct – and that a “robust three-step process” quickly dealt with improper complaints.

It has not published any findings of frivolous or vexatious complaints made in Cairns, even if the vast majority were unsubstantiated.

A council spokesman said the public, employees and councillors were entitled to make complaints to the OIA.

“If a complaint is made vexatiously or for improper purposes, the OIA can choose to prosecute the complainant under the amended Local Government Act 2009,” he said.

“It is not appropriate for council to comment on OIA investigations.”

Follow @chriscalcino

Originally published as Cairns council complaints: ‘Toxic’ workplace claims as Pyne, Olds face OIA barrage