DECISION MAKERS AT SHARP END

As the Health Minister implores FNQ residents to get vaccinated ahead of the state border reopening, we reveal which Carins Regional councillors have been jabbed, who hasn’t and why.

THEY’RE out pressing the flesh in communities that have some of the weakest Covid vaccination rates in the country, but just where do our elected local government representatives stand when it comes to getting the jab? With Health Minister Yvette D’Ath (left) again in the Far North this week imploring residents to get vaccinated, the Cairns Post found the majority of Cairns Regional councillors have answered the call.

At FNQ’s regional councils of Douglas, Mareeba, Tablelands and Cassowary Coast, mayors also are rolling up their sleeves.

Of the 10 Cairns councillors, eight said they were fully vaccinated while Cr Brett Olds confirmed he was not and Cr Amy Eden declined to reveal her vaccination status.

At this stage being unvaccinated is not a career-breaker for someone in an elected role despite it involving significant contact with the general public.

CRC chief executive Mica Martin said the organisation did not require staff to be mandatorily vaccinated against Covid19. “As councillors are not employees of Cairns Regional Council, I do not have the authority to mandate councillors are vaccinated,” she said,

“While vaccination is primarily the responsibility of the State and Federal governments, we have and continue to work closely with the relevant agencies on a range of initiatives that encourage all Cairns residents to get the jab.”

Ms D’Ath said mandating vaccination for local government councillors was not her decision.

“We aren’t extending our mandatory vaccination across other workforces at this stage,” she said.

“The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) are more than welcome to come forward and put a proposal to government if that’s what they want.”

LGAQ chief executive Alison Smith said they focused on ensuring frontline council workers were vaccinated to protect the public.

“We are aware that the Victorian Government has mandated vaccinations for essential workers, including council workers,” she said.

Around the regions where there is mixed vaccination success, mayors in those communities are leading by example.

Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said he was “double vaccinated”, and his counterparts Angela Toppin at Mareeba Shire Council, which has one of the lowest rates in the Far North, and Tablelands Mayor Rod Marti, confirmed they were fully vaccinated.

Cassowary Coast Mayor Mark Nolan said he’d had his first vaccination with the second due next week.

“To the best of my knowledge all my fellow councillors have had their first jab at least,” Cr Nolan said.

Where Cairns regional councillors stand Mayor Cr Bob Manning: Vaccinated

“This is a lead-by-example situation,” he said. “While I stress that people have rights, you need to be careful about the facts ... and I follow good science.”

Cr Brett Moller: Vaccinated

“I’m on the board for an aged care centre at Gordonvale,” Cr Moller said.

“We all have to have the annual flu shot so I see this as a similar situation to protect ourselves and the community.”

Cr Rob Pyne: Vaccinated

“I’ve just had a talk to a doctor and he spoke about the viral load of people who haven’t been vaccinated and their chances of bringing it into a workplace.” he said.

“I would feel much more comfortable going in there if I knew everyone had been vaccinated.”

... it will take a few friends to die before people have the vaccination

Cr Cathy Zeiger: Vaccinated

“I want everyone to be able to visit family and friends and stay safe, so vaccination is the solution,” she said.

“It’s important to me to lead by example and it means we can lead a freer life.”

Cr Terry James: Vaccinated

“Covid is coming,” he said. “Unfortunately, it will take a few friends to die before people have the vaccination.”

Cr Amy Eden: Declined to reveal vaccination status

Cr Eden said she encouraged families “to have the conversation about vaccinations as I am sure they do about many things”.

She said she felt the decision to be vaccinated, “is a private matter”.

Cr Kristy Vallely: Vaccinated

Cr Vallely said her family including her husband and two teenage children were vaccinated.

“I think getting vaccinated is bigger than us as individuals,” she said.

Cr Max O’Halloran: Vaccinated

“If you have a choice and something goes wrong with your decision, you don’t let this be everyone else’s problem,” he said.

Cr Rhonda Coghlan: Vaccinated

Cr Coghlan said as deputy chairperson of the Cairns Local Disaster Management Group she was happy to be vaccinated.

“I believe the right choice is to protect the community,” she said.

Cr Brett Olds: Not vaccinated

Cr Olds said he had chosen not to be vaccinated.

“It’s a personal choice. I did my research,” he said. “People should make their own decisions” about vaccination, he said.

DIVISION 3 Councillor Cathy Zeiger is armed and ready when it comes to next month’s reopening of borders.

Cr Zeiger said it had been important to her to show her community that she was there for them.

Cr Zeiger, whose division encompasses Bayview Heights, Mt Sheridan, White Rock and Woree, said she believed rolling up her sleeve was necessary.

“Some of my areas have lots of families and older people, many of whom are vulnerable,” she said.

“I wanted my community to know that I care for them and know that when they meet with me, either at my regular community meet and greet at Mt Sheridan Plaza or the Woree markets, that it safe to do so.

“I meet a lot of older people at these stalls, they often don’t use emails or social media so I need to ensure I am not putting them at risk.”

Cr Zeiger highlighted that vaccination was free, easy to obtain and could literally be the difference between life and death.

Cr Zeiger said she respected the decisions of her fellow councillors. “But personally, I feel as a councillor I have to look after the community I care for,” she said.

I wanted my community to know that I care for them and know that when they meet with me, either at my regular community meet and greet at Mt Sheridan Plaza or the Woree markets, that it safe to do so