Cairns Regional Council mayor Bob Manning demands full-merits review after misconduct findings

The Cairns Regional Council mayor has made an astonishing move after a tribunal upheld 23 allegations of misconduct against him.

Cairns mayor Bob Manning has requested a full-merits review after the Councillor Conduct Tribunal made 23 misconduct findings against him. Picture: Isaac McCarthy

The Cairns Regional Council mayor has attempted to wipe three years of misconduct investigations and findings from his record by demanding a full-merits review.

And the council has refused to rule out if ratepayers will foot the legal bill.

On March 24 the Councillor Conduct Tribunal upheld 23 allegations of misconduct against Bob Manning after campaign donations were made to him and others by a Cairns-based developer.

According to the findings, Mr Manning failed to declare conflicts of interest during relevant council meetings when he presided over contracts connected to the developer which totalled $16.4m.

He was ordered to make a public admission of misconduct within 60 days of the finding.

Mr Manning has not made the admission despite that 60-day window closing on May 23, but instead has requested a full-merits review before the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Bob Manning has made no admission of misconduct after the Councillor Conduct Tribunal’s findings of misconduct on March 24. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Manning has the right to request a QCAT review in accordance with the Local Government Act.

He maintains he has done nothing wrong.

The initial investigations into his conduct by the Office of the Independent Assessor and the subsequent misconduct ruling by the CCTtook about three years to finalise.

Cairns Regional Council refused to disclose the costs involved with those legal proceedings despite demands by councillors.

A QCAT full-merits review would involve the matter being reconsidered before a new judge, where any party could submit new evidence.

But QCAT reviews have been regarded as lengthy and onerous processes that can take years to complete.

Cairns Regional Council CEO Mica Martin has refused, for a second time, to disclose if ratepayers are footing Bob Manning’s legal bills. Picture: Brendan Radke

An October 2022 report from the Queensland Parliament Inquiry into the councillor conduct complaints system stated: “In September 2022, the OIA confirmed that 19 matters regarding 12 councillors and involving 31 allegations were before QCAT awaiting review. No hearings had been conducted and the oldest application was more than two years old.”

Given Mr Manning has said he would not recontest his position at the March 2024 election, it is likely any QCAT decision would be handed down when he is retired.

“The matter is with lawyers who are proceeding with it … there’s nothing to fight,” Mr Manning said.

“Nothing gets under my skin more than this stuff that’s going on.

“This isn’t a one-way street where someone comes down every now and again and whacks me over the head with a cricket bat … and me just standing there.”

When asked, Mr Manning said he did not know who was funding his ongoing legal action.

“All I know is our legal people are handling it,” he said.

“There’s a lot more to it … there’s a fair bit there.”

Originally published as Cairns Regional Council mayor Bob Manning demands full-merits review after misconduct findings