‘Best interests’: Cairns Mayor lobbies to be council’s sole spokesperson

Tensions within Cairns Regional Council have resurfaced with Mayor Amy Eden rejecting a report calling for Deputy Mayors to have a clearer role within local government.

Tensions within Cairns Regional Council have resurfaced with Mayor Amy Eden rejecting a report calling for the Deputy Mayor and councillors to have more responsibility within local government.

The council voted this week to provide a review of the recently introduced Local Government (Empowering Councils) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 as part of a Parliamentary Inquiry.

Cairns Regional Council Mayor Amy Eden will provide her own submission to a Parliamentary Inquiry. Picture: Brendan Radke

Under the Bill, Ms Eden would be the council’s sole official spokesperson.

But the report noted that several changes within the bill aren’t supported by the council, including an amendment that would limit other councillors and executives from speaking on behalf of the municipality.

“Council has always acknowledged the Mayor’s role as the official spokesperson for Council,” the report said.

“However, in the event the Mayor is unavailable, the responsibility should transfer to the Deputy Mayor.

“Furthermore, the council should retain the discretion through its media policy to enable other councillors to be quoted in its press releases.”

In response, Ms Eden said the bill would give the council “a single, clear spokesperson who is empowered to act in the best interests of the region”.

“It is designed to re-empower councils, re-empower Mayors and remove the internal politics and procedural barriers that too often hinder good governance and slow down the very outcomes that our communities expect of us,” she said.

“Communities elect the Mayor to lead.”

Additionally, the council report has called for the Deputy Mayor to be the default chairperson for ordinary and special meetings, rather than a delegate appointed solely by the Mayor.

Cairns Regional Council’s Division Eight councillor, Rhonda Coghlan, says the council’s suggested feedback to the inquiry was sensible. Picture: Brendan Radke

Division Eight councillor Rhonda Coghlan said the suggested changes were practical and measured.

“All of us are in favour of the Mayor serving as the official spokesperson,” Ms Coghlan said.

“But in some instances, especially when the Mayor isn’t present, it is reasonable for the Deputy Mayor or councillors to speak on behalf of the council, subject to approval.

“Councillors do recognise that they don’t speak on behalf of the council without approval.”

Cairns councillors attend an announcement from LNP candidate for Leichhardt Jeremy Neal at Muddy's Playground on the Esplanade during the Federal election. Mayor Amy Eden was not in attendance. Picture: Kristy Vallely

During the federal election, councillors were forced to stand in for Ms Eden while she undertook a training course with the Australian Institute of Company Directors in Brisbane

A Right to Information request issued by the Cairns Post later revealed that the trip cost ratepayers $11,468.74.

Councillors voted 9-1 in favour of the motion with the Mayor to write her own submission to the inquiry.

The next ordinary meeting will be held on January 28 next year.

Originally published as ‘Best interests’: Cairns Mayor lobbies to be council’s sole spokesperson