An Opinion Piece by Amy Eden
Renewal is an essential part of life. It signals the letting go of something outdated in order to move forward.
They might say change is as good as a holiday. But holidays end and you are soon forced to return to the regular every-day grind. Whereas renewal is long-term. It’s growth. It’s a new perspective.
I love my job. I love my community. To be elected a Councillor in 2020 was one of the proudest days of my life. Cairns Region Council is a wonderful organisation, with so many dedicated and talented employees who do so much good in the community. But, with renewed leadership, it could be so much better.
It is no secret I was elected as part of the Unity Team in 2020. It is also no secret that I struggled with the direction of the Unity Team and the leadership (or lack of) that became apparent once elected.
I found myself sitting there wondering ‘how can we be making these decisions? This is not what our community wants or needs. Why are we not listening to our community? If we were engaging and listening there is no way we would be taking this direction.’
Things like the proposed tenant tax, increasing parking surveillance as a revenue-raiser, preventing residents from paying for Council services with cash, and hiking up rates instead of tightening our belts in line with other councils. I had to speak up on these and many other issues that I felt were at odds with our responsibility to our community.
Particularly concerning to me were the refusal to commit to an independent review of Council’s management of Cyclone Jasper and the subsequent flood event, and the way non-Unity councillors have been prevented from bringing important matters to the Council for debate. They simply don’t reflect the values of transparency, accountability and engagement that drive me in my role as a Councillor.
Our community deserves better. It is for this reason I have decided to risk the best job I have ever had and put it all on the line to run for Mayor of our wonderful city – to offer a new perspective; to strive to be better.
A reminder that pre-poll opens on Monday 4 March, and election day is Saturday 16 March. I hope you will join me in making the most of this opportunity for renewal.
Amy Eden, Team Eden Mayoral Candidate, Cairns Regional Council
