DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇺 Australia /Crime & Justice

Cairns mayor admits misconduct for sharing confidential information

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Cairns Mayor Amy Eden admitted to misconduct for sharing confidential information with a journalist while she was a councillor.
  • The Queensland government's Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) found she released information she knew or ought to have known was confidential.
  • The Councillor Conduct Tribunal spared her a financial penalty, noting she admitted the allegations early and that no other councillors had been penalized financially for similar breaches.

Cairns Mayor Amy Eden has publicly acknowledged a "tough lesson" after admitting to misconduct for sharing confidential information with a journalist during her time as a councillor. The Queensland government's Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) determined that Mayor Eden released information that was confidential to the local government.

It's a tough lesson to learn.

— Amy EdenCairns Mayor Amy Eden reflecting on the consequences of her actions.

The Councillor Conduct Tribunal found that Eden, while serving as the Cairns Regional Council Division 5 councillor in 2023, shared an email containing an extract of legal advice. This advice pertained to council CEO Mica Martin's findings regarding councillors' use of discretionary funds for a public art project. She also forwarded an email exchange with Ms. Martin that detailed a conversation from a councillor workshop concerning potential council funding for a former councillor involved in legal proceedings.

On one of the particular occasions, I didn't think that I'd done anything wrong.

— Amy EdenMayor Eden explaining her perspective on one instance of sharing information.

Mayor Eden, who became mayor in 2024, stated that on one occasion, she did not believe she had done anything wrong, but acknowledged that "a couple of words I sent in an email were quotes from legal advice." She publicly admitted to the historic misconduct at the conclusion of a council meeting.

Unfortunately, a couple of words I sent in an email were quotes from legal advice.

— Amy EdenMayor Eden clarifying the nature of the confidential information she shared.

The OIA had taken the matter to the tribunal, arguing that Ms. Eden failed to remediate the breach or issue a public correction, demonstrating a "lack of insight." The OIA proposed a financial penalty of $1,669 for the council. However, the tribunal decided against imposing a financial penalty, considering that other councillors found to have released confidential information had not faced similar financial sanctions. The OIA cited "several factors" for the delay in resolving the matter, including Eden's initial contestation of the allegations and the subsequent natural justice processes, noting that delays are common when councillors take extended periods to provide submissions.

The allegations were initially contested by Mayor Eden, requiring a full investigation and the completion of natural justice processes.

— Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA)The OIA explaining the reasons for the delay in resolving the misconduct complaint.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog