Community
14 November, 2023
Community first for team
A THIRD team to tackle next year’s Cairns Regional Council elections will have a focus on ‘community first’.
The Community First team will be led by environmentalist and educator Denis Walls with five candidates.
He said the team would not be contesting all nine divisions but those where they would have the best chance.
The candidates are:
Division 3 – Cairns born and bred Liam Smith is a communications paraprofessional with Ergon Energy.
Division 6 – GP Dr Nicole Sleeman, who is passionate about creating healthy communities.
Division 7 – Renee Lees, a community lawyer, active community member and mum of two children.
Division 8 – Phillip Musumeci is a long-term division 8 Caravonica resident and family man.
Division 9 – Carine Visschers, who has has lived in the northern beaches for 28 years and has had a long professional career in the Department of Housing and community organisations, and raised two children.
Mayoral candidate Denis Walls has lived in Cairns for 33 years and is a former education manager and university teacher. He is married and has two adult sons.
Mr Walls said his focus if elected as mayor would be on delivering “open, accessible and accountable local government with sustainable and sensible planning for the future welfare of Cairns.”
He vows to serve full-time in the role.
“I am committed to keeping rates down and basic services up, he said.
“For too long we have been let down by councillors more interested in secrecy, conflicts of interest and short-term planning, increasingly out of touch with the needs of everyday Cairns residents.
“In my experience consulting people, developing a shared vision and making open decisions is the best way to take people with you to get things done.
“Cairns needs a leader who will protect our unique tropical lifestyle and character while continuing to foster sustainable and creative ways of driving the region for the benefit of all.”
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