Cairns to the capital: Councillors question Mayor’s multiple trips
Cairns councillors have criticised Mayor Amy Eden for using ratepayer money to fly back-and-forth to Canberra in order to chair an ordinary meeting this week.
Councillors have criticised Cairns Mayor Amy Eden for using public funds to fly back-and-forth to Canberra in order to chair an ordinary meeting this week.
Ratepayers will fork out for extra flights and expenses for Ms Eden after the civic leader
made two trips to the nation’s capital so that she could attend multiple meetings in person.
Cairns Regional Council has refused to declare how much the additional travel cost, who the Mayor met with in Canberra or the purpose of the meetings, confirming only that Ms Eden made the trips to advance “priority projects” for the city.
It is understood the Mayor skipped a scheduled catch up with councillors on Monday afternoon in order to travel interstate where she met with senior departmental staff and politicians before departing on Tuesday.
After chairing Wednesday’s ordinary meeting, she then returned to Parliament House on Thursday morning for scheduled sit-downs.
A request for a meeting with Local Government Minister Kristy McBain in the morning was declined due to scheduling conflicts.
Division Five councillor Rob Pyne said the public purse could have been spared had Ms Eden chosen to stay in the ACT, as first planned, with Deputy Mayor Brett Olds chairing the ordinary meeting in Cairns instead.
“It was a fairly routine council meeting, there were no major issues of concern or debate,” Mr Pyne said.
“There wasn’t going to be a divided vote on anything. I would have been happy for the Deputy Mayor to chair the meeting.”
Burdening the ratepayer with added expenses seemed unnecessary, Division Eight councillor Rhonda Coghlan said.
“That’s what we elect the Deputy Mayor for and that would have been my expectation in these situations,” Ms Coghlan said.
In a statement, the council declined to answer questions related to the meetings with some councillors not learning that Ms Eden would fly back to Canberra until Wednesday morning.
“The trip was scheduled to coincide with confirmed meetings with key federal ministers and advisors to progress funding discussions and ensure Cairns’ major infrastructure and liveability needs remain front-of-mind,” she said.
“Attendance for ordinary and committee meetings is recorded and available for public viewing. It is also recorded in the annual report.
“All travel is undertaken as per guidance set out in the Expense Reimbursement and Support for Elected Members policy, which is also publicly available.”
Strengthening ties and soft diplomacy in the Pacific is believed to be among the topics discussed during the trips.
Mr Pyne said the council may have missed an opportunity to strengthen its ties with neighbouring island nations by failing to host a Rugby League World Cup game at Barlow Park next year.
“I would have loved a World Cup game,” Mr Pyne said.
“Rugby league is good for everything and so is seeing the big stars representing their heritage.”
Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga and Fiji will all field teams in the tournament.
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Originally published as Cairns to the capital: Councillors question Mayor’s multiple trips
