Cairns Councillor speaks out on Mayor Amy Eden-CEO saga

A Cairns councillor says Mayor Amy Eden has had “a couple of bad weeks” as a result of her leaked email scandal, causing community leaders to question her leadership at a critical time for the city’s future.

Cairns Regional council deputy mayor Brett Olds chaired a special meeting for councillors to vote for Ken Gouldthorp to become the council's next chief executive last October. Picture: Brendan Radke

A Cairns councillor says Mayor Amy Eden has had “a couple of bad weeks” as a result of her leaked email scandal, causing community leaders to question her leadership at a critical time for the city’s future.

But the city’s top office holder has pledged to turn her attention to key projects, including dedicated warehousing and storage facilities to improve food security in the region.

Deputy mayor Brett Olds broke councillors’ silence on Ms Eden’s indiscretion, taking to the airwaves on Thursday morning to discuss the latest saga to cause division on Spence St.

Cairns mayor Amy Eden has refused to issue a public apology to CEO Ken Gouldthorp. Picture: Brendan Radke

Speaking on community radio, Mr Olds acknowledged the mayor had sent an email on Christmas Eve attacking chief executive Ken Gouldthorp’s work performance and previous job history.

“The mayor, if she had her time over in the last couple of weeks she might have done things a little bit differently,” he told Cairns FM 89.1.

“It was an unfortunate email that was sent (by Ms Eden) to all of us councillors. If she had her time again she probably wouldn’t have sent that email.”

Cairns mayor Amy Eden and council chief executive Ken Gouldthorp at a Cairns Regional Council ordinary meeting earlier this week. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Olds said the Ms Eden had shown poor judgement at the time.

“When I first got in council back in 2016, I had a couple of mates in state politics who said, ‘Look Oldsy … before you send any emails pretend it’s going to end up on the front page of the Courier Mail,” the northern beaches councillor said.

“Or, when you have a phone call, pretend you’re being recorded’. Maybe it’s a bit of inexperience to send out an email like that.

“She’s made a mistake.”

Cairns Regional Council Mayor Amy Eden and Deputy Mayor Brett Olds together following last year’s local government elections. Picture: Emily Barker.

In response, Ms Eden said she had moved on from the incident with Mr Gouldthorp formally appointed to the role earlier this week.

“The community doesn’t want councillors talking about ourselves,” she said.

“I’m focused on what matters most to the people of Cairns. Right now, that is delivering the water security project now that we’ve secured the extra Federal funding.

“That is dealing with extreme weather events including demanding action on the annual scavenger hunt of empty shelves.”

Supermarket shelves across Cairns were again left empty following yet another round of flooding near Townsville. Photo: Dylan Nicholson

The long-term Division Nine councillor vowed that Cairns wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of the Townsville City Council where disgraced Mayor Troy Thompson was suspended last November.

“We don’t want to be part of a dysfunctional council either,” Mr Olds said.

“It was terrible what happened in Townsville. We’re very acutely aware of what can happen when you’re on a dysfunctional council.

“As long as we keep our focus on positive projects that are coming before us, I think we can start building some positive momentum.”

A fire at the Bedminster Advanced resource Recovery Facility occurred on January 23, shutting down the facility. Picture: Brendan Radke

With internal budget talks set to start next week, Mr Olds said councillors’ attention had shifted to major issues, including replacing the Bedminster Advanced Resource Recovery Facility and keeping rates down.

The waste station was destroyed in a fire late last month.

“We knew that the contract (for Bedminster) was coming up in 18 months but that contract has been brought forward,” Mr Olds said.

“There’s a risk. What’s that going to cost with landfill and everything else?

“But I’ve been through nine budgets. What actually blows your budgets are your operating expenses, not your capital.

“The capital budget for infrastructure like pools and the water treatment plant have an impact. But you can push other projects out.”

Ms Eden’s attacks on Mr Gouldthorp drew the attention of Member for Cairns, Michael Healy and Local Government Minister, Ann Leahy, who have said they will monitor the council over the coming weeks.

Originally published as Cairns Councillor speaks out on Mayor Amy Eden-CEO saga