Independents’ fury

Olds claims ‘I’m not allowed to do my job’

INDEPENDENT Cairns regional councillors feel ripped off and railroaded after an extraordinarily divisive meeting earlier this week – and they have vowed to fight back.

“We didn’t take the donations – they did,” Division 9 Cr Brett Olds said.

“Now through no fault of my own, I’m not allowed to do my job.”

The Unity Team on Wed- nesday succeeded in blocking independent councillors from voting on issues even when they had no conflict of interest.

Presented with the option to form subcommittees comprising a majority of non-conflicted councillors – those who did not receive a collective $200,000 in donations last election under Unity – or the CEO, the majority group opted for the bureaucrat.

Cr Olds said he was disgusted and embarrassed by the whole affair.

“By their actions, they’re saying they don’t trust Cathy (Zeiger), Linda (Cooper) or myself to make decisions of council,” he said.

Reviewing audio of the meeting it is clear Cr Olds was first to move the motion in question, which should allow him to make amendments.

Acting mayor Terry James instead gave that honour to Unity cohort Cr Brett Moller.

Cr Olds believes the matter only came up because he, out of courtesy, notified the council he would call for a change to the CEO-centric delegation system. “I was railroaded,” he said. “Up until yesterday, all of my angst was with the State Government, the Local Government Department and the minister Stirling Hinchliffe, because they’re the ones who have taken the voice away from the community for the last nine months.

“We had a chance to rectify that … but my fellow councillors basically looked me in the eye and said we don’t trust you.

“That’s why I’ve always had problems with teams or parties in local government.”

Cr James yesterday refused to answer questions, including why Cr Olds was not allowed to move the motion, as per meeting rules.

A council spokesman simply said: “Cr James’ position is a matter of public record.”

Mayor Bob Manning, currently on a delegation to Canberra, did not respond to calls.

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