Cairns council protest: Calls for Mayor Bob Manning to resign

Tension is mounting at Cairns Regional Council with protesters calling for the mayor’s resignation and appearing to take renewed interest in avoiding potential conflicts of interest.

THE pressure-cooker is heating up at Cairns Regional Council with protesters calling for the mayor’s resignation and appearing to take renewed interest to avoiding potential conflicts of interest.

A group of eight protesters brandished placards at Wednesday’s ordinary meeting in the wake of an ongoing Crime and Corruption Commission investigation into the council.

The CCC has stressed any allegations “should be treated as unsubstantiated until a final outcome is reached” – but protesters including Geoff Holland were out for blood.

They were initially told their placards would not be allowed in the council chambers – although the decision was overturned minutes later.

“We have always been able to have placards and banners in the council meetings,” Mr Holland argued.

A group of eight protesters, including Geoff Holland, descended on the Spence St council chambers on Wednesday calling for Mayor Bob Manning to resign.

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“Today, all of a sudden, we’ve been told that we cannot take placards into the meeting.

“So this is an erosion of our democratic rights and our right to free speech.

“So we are calling out council. We are suggesting, why is Bob Manning getting special treatment?

“Why is it this issue that we are being suppressed in our expression of our dissent?

“It was suggested to us maybe it’s because of Covid. This is ridiculous.”

Rob Pyne was the only councillor to join a protest at the Cairns Regional Council Chambers on Wednesday.

A single police officer was standing in the public entrance of the council offices but did not make any arrests.

The group was allowed into the chambers with their signs, but Cr Manning was not there to see them.

Deputy Mayor Terry James said he was “on holidays”.

Councillors’ intense caution about potential conflicts of interest was on show after a proposal to use Cr Brett Olds’ discretionary fund to carry out $14,000 in upgrades to the Clifton Beach Tennis Club.

A single police officer watched over the protest at the Cairns Regional Council chambers.

It was ratified despite objections from Cr Brett Moller, Deputy Mayor Terry James and Cr Rhonda Coghlan.

Cr Moller said the project should be funded but not through Cr Olds’ discretionary fund since he was a club member – even though he left the room and any final decision would be delegated to the mayor and CEO.

“We’ve all been involved in sporting and community organisations, and quite often we’re asked as councillors … will you join up?” he said.

“My answer to that is I’m better off not being a member, just an attendee at your meeting because if you do come to council for assistance and I’m a member, that may be a conflict … which may be a hindrance.

“In the current environment around conflicts of interest ... we have a duty to avoid conflict where we can.”

Cr Coghlan said she had “pulled out of committees and boards for this very reason” but Cr Cathy Zeiger said she would “never step down” from important volunteer work.

If the mayor were present, he would have had the deciding vote and the outcome may have been different.

Originally published as Cairns council protest: Calls for Mayor Bob Manning to resign