Media Release 23 January 2024

An online portal that puts detailed financial and other Council performance data at constituents’ fingertips will be among the first actions of a successful Team Eden following the upcoming Cairns Regional Council election.

Mayoral candidate Amy Eden said a Transparency and Integrity Portal (TIP) would be established to improve public access to council data, including detailed financial reports, governance outcomes, planning and community services.

“We want to make it easier for our community to understand how their rates are being spent, what decisions are being made, and how projects are prioritised,” Ms Eden said. “We’ll be among just a handful of councils Australia-wide that have made this sort of commitment to their communities.

“Other councils to have taken this brave step towards a more transparent operational culture have reported a flow of benefits throughout their organisation and into the community. It sets a platform for more open decision-making and a greater willingness to share information with the community.”

Content published to the TIP may include detailed financial records from Council and its stakeholders, asset management data, and procurement data relating to large purchases and contracts, presented in interactive formats. The range of data available through the TIP will be continually expanded over the next four years.

“It would be designed to allow our community to explore and visualise the data, providing an overview of Cairns Regional Council’s decisions and activities,” Ms Eden said. “This will enable residents to explore, investigate, analyse and evaluate Council’s decision making and business performance.”

“It’s part of Team Eden’s commitment to serving our community with integrity through transparency, accountability and engagement.”

Amy Eden, Team Eden Mayoral Candidate, Cairns Regional Council