Democracy at work in Cairns

MAYOR Bob Manning and his Unity Team have a contest on their hands with the launch of a rival team led by politician-hopeful Jen Sackley.

It’s about the third time Ms Sackley has had a tilt at politics in the Far North.

She ran a close second to Labor’s Cynthia Lui after preferences in Cook when she stood for One Nation at the 2017 state election.

She also campaigned for Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party in Leichhardt at last year’s federal ballot.

Now Ms Sackley is contesting a local government election but is bringing state politics to council matters which may go against her.

The North Queensland State Alliance is an organisation dedicated to forming a separate North Queensland state with its own representatives in the Queensland and Australian parliaments.

She has surrounded herself with many unknown candidates in eight divisions.

There are just two familiar names. Andrew Schebella is a former United Australia Party federal candidate for Wide Bay and who unsuccessfully ran for Barron River at the 2017 Queensland election and Trinity Beach personal trainer Cassandra Bishop.

The alliance is contesting all nine divisions as well as the mayoralty except for Division 2 held by John Schilling. Former councillor and state MP Rob Pyne also has thrown his hat into the ring for division 2 as an independent.

It is good to see democracy at work with at least four mayoral candidates at this stage and competition in all divisions.

At least the campaign leading up to the March 28 will be lively. Nick Dalton Deputy editor