Marching on to the election

MAYOR Bob Manning and his Unity Team have pulled the pin and launched what promises to be a taxing 10-week march towards the next Cairns Regional Council election.

It is heating up in more ways than one.

Independent mayoral candidate Georgia Babatsikos has fired off her opening salvo with promises of a more inclusive style of governance, a greener council and a plan to open up the CBD by reducing restrictions on traders.

Her biggest problem will be convincing residents there is any need for change when they can look back at the current council’s list of big infrastructure projects, low rate rises, and track record of filling potholes and emptying bins.

It will be a big task, but every council has its problems and they can and should be highlighted.

If Mrs Babatsikos’s campaign launch on Saturday was any indication, she has a dedicated core network of supporters willing to go into the trenches with her.

With Unity forgoing any electoral donations this time around, it should even the playing field for all candidates.

Another independent candidate for mayor, Ian Lydiard, was out yesterday morning getting his campaign portrait photos taken, so it will be interesting to see what the coming days hold for him.

The final contender so far, Jen Sackley, is yet to unveil her promised North Queensland State Alliance team of nine divisional candidates.

They need to show their faces soon if they want to build the name recognition required to make a fist of this campaign — unless they already have, and are simply holding back on announcing their team membership. Chris Calcino chris.calcino@news.com.au