Cairns Regional Council has voted to remove the mayoral-minute mechanism from its meeting procedures, according to ABC Far North's 15 October local briefing. All councillors except Mayor Amy Eden supported the change, the broadcaster reported.
Mayoral minutes had allowed the mayor to bring matters before councillors with little notice. Eden said removing them would limit her voice. Council chief executive Ken Gouldthorp described the revised standing orders as a transparency measure, while councillor Anna Middleton said the mayor could still raise business not on the published agenda.
The council's 14 October meeting webcast lists model meeting procedures and standing orders as an agenda item. The two sides differ over what the procedural change means for debate; this article does not adopt either characterisation as fact.
Sources: ABC Far North local briefing, 15 October 2026; Cairns Regional Council meeting webcast, 14 October 2026.
Image disclosure: This is an AI-generated symbolic editorial illustration. It does not show the actual Cairns council chamber, councillors or meeting.
