General News
24 August, 2026
‘Hand out the stickers’
CAIRNS Mayor Amy Eden has hit back at a decision to withhold the distribution of the “I Love Cairns” car bumper stickers, calling for residents to sign a petition demanding their release.
In a pithy newsletter item ridiculing the “apparent controversial message” at the centre of the dispute, Cr Eden said it had “taken some ticker” to deal with “all this bicker over a sticker”.
“The stickers have been made. They’ve been paid for. We’re celebrating Cairns’ 150th year. Let commonsense prevail, please,” she said.
The stickers were produced as part of Cairns Celebrates 150 Years promotion, but their distribution was stopped after concerns were raised that the design had not followed council’s branding and approval guidelines.
“Separately, some much more serious allegations were made about my involvement,” Cr Eden said.
“It was alleged that I had directed or influenced council staff in relation to the stickers and misused council resources for electoral purposes, including in connection with their design, production, expenditure and distribution,” Cr Eden wrote.
In particular, the use of the colour pink – which is the signature colour she used in her electoral campaigning and subsequent media and newsletter design – was raised as an issue.
The allegations were referred to the Office of the Independent Assessor which cleared her of misconduct.
At the latest council meeting Cr Eden asked the CEO Ken Gouldthorp to explain the findings of the OIA and whether the stickers would now be available for distribution.
Mr Gouldthorp said the matter had been discussed during a council workshop, the rationale explained and this had been accepted by council.
“We moved on from there,” he said.
“The position remains that the production of those stickers, at the ratepayers’ expense, should not have occurred.
“My understanding is the complaint that was dismissed by the OIA – and I’m cautious about discussing those matters because I’m not sure how much is in the public record … doesn’t change the fact that (the stickers) should not have been produced or ordered at ratepayers’ expense and the decision … remains in place.”
Cr Eden said the 10,000 stickers “sitting in someone’s office in the Spence Street council chambers” should be available to people if they want one.
“I’d rather see them stuck on cars than stuck in storage.”
She encouraged people to sign a petition #FreeTheStickers created by a local resident through the change.org petition platform.
The petition says it is not about who was right or wrong over the stickers, but about waste and asks that they be distributed through libraries, customer service centres, community events and local schools.
