General News
26 June, 2026
Mayor applies muzzle
A MAMMOTH Cairns Regional Council meeting this week finished – for the third month in a row – with more fireworks between Mayor Amy Eden and councillors.
In a final address to business without notice on Wednesday, Mayor Eden made a public admission on two misconduct findings made against her by the Councillor Conduct Tribunal on 18 June 2026.
“There will be no questions in relation to my statement,” she told a persistent Cr Anna Middleton.
Then to Cr Matthew Tickner she said: “Don’t interrupt me, there will be no grandstanding or politicking in this chamber.
“I have to say that the behaviour by certain councillors today is what I find really disappointing.”
Cr Middleton, speaking after the meeting, said she felt the admissions should have been explained to the public. “The misconduct wasn’t outlined at all, and it was a very much a breezing over, nothing-to-see-here type of response,” she said.
“And I don’t think that was the intent of the ruling. And when you’re someone who runs on transparency and accountability, I think you really need to step up.”
Cr Middleton also wanted to know who was paying for the two training requirements.
The tribunal findings published on its website addressed an incident in January 2022, when the-then divisional five councillor sent confidential information she had received from the CEO (on legal advice relating to funding of a public art project) on to a journalist in early January 2023.
The second misconduct incident in May 2023 was when Cr Eden forwarded to the same journalist an email exchange between herself and the CEO regarding a confidential workshop discussing a former councillor’s legal proceedings.
Deputy Mayor Brett Olds said the mayor’s “aggressive” response to requests to speak to her statement was “disgusting behaviour for someone who claims to be a leader of the city”.
“She just ducked and weaved like you wouldn’t believe,” he said after the meeting.
Cr Olds said the two incidents were of “serious misconduct” and he had since found out “we absolutely could have asked questions” at the meeting from a procedural perspective.
He also found that ratepayers would be paying for Mayor Eden’s conduct training and there was no requirement to report back on it.
“This misconduct was three years ago and the pattern of behaviour has only gotten worse,” he said referring to recent incidents, including secret taping of councillors.
The meeting on Wednesday had been evidence that councillors were working together “courteously” and the Mayor’s aggression was out of step.
Cr Eden said in a statement after the meeting that the two matters were on public record.
“As stated in the chamber, as directed by the orders I have made that admission, it’s not up for debate. I will complete the training and I will be firmly focused on my role as Mayor.”
In the previous two hours and 20 minutes of Wednesday’s meeting, council dealt with 22 agenda items including the approval of a development application which paves the way for a new Cairns University Queensland campus at the old post office site on Hartley Street.
In discussing the proposal, councillors said the process had been a long journey but a collaborative one and would bring about a reinvigoration and vibrancy to the Grafton Street side of the city.
More details in next week’s edition.
