After serving the Cook Shire community for 20 years, including 16 in the top job, Mayor Peter Scott will not be contesting the local government elections this weekend, and says he is looking forward to spending time with his wife, Sayah, and family. Photo: Supplied.
Residents in five council areas across Cape York and the Torres Strait are guaranteed to wake up to a new mayor on Sunday morning as voters prepare to have their say at the 2024 local government elections.
Long-serving Mapoon and Cook Shire mayors Aileen Addo and Peter Scott are set to celebrate the end of their formal representation of their respective communities, as is outgoing Weipa Town Authority (WTA) Chair Michael Rowland.
Between then, the trio have dedicated almost 50 years’ service to local advocacy and representation of some of the state’s remotest residents.
Jaime Gane will replace Mr Rowland as the new head of WTA, while voters in Cook Shire Council – three nominees – and Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council – four nominees – have plenty of mayoral options to choose from.
Douglas Shire Council will also welcome a new mayor, with incumbent Michael Kerr announcing in late 2023 he would not seek re-election, opting instead to chase Liberal National Party preselection for Cook at October’s state election.
Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Richard Tarpencha is aiming to remain on the council, but has nominated for one of the councillor vacancies.
With 223 candidates having nominated for mayoral and councillor positions in the 14 Cape York and Torres Strait council areas, one current mayor told Cape York Weekly they were nervous about who would make up the new-look council elected to serve until 2028.
“You never know how these things are gonna work out,” they laughed when asked about their chances.
“You think you’ve done a pretty good job for your community, but elections are bloody funny things.”
The hottest mayoral races look to be taking shape in Kowanyama and Hope Vale, with a combined 17 candidates throwing their hat in the ring for two vacancies.
Torres Strait Island Regional Council has claimed bragging rights for the most overall candidates, with 38 – five mayoral and 33 councillor – seeking to represent their communities.
Cape York Weekly will bring you the results of Saturday’s election as they are declared by the Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Aileen Addo is one of five council leaders across Cape York and the Torres Strait not seeking re-election on Saturday. Photo: Supplied.
Mayoral and councillor candidates – Cape York and Torres Strait
* Councils listed in alphabetical order; mayoral and councillor candidates listed as per Electoral Commission of Queensland website order.
Aurukun Shire Council
Mayor: BANDICOOTCHA, Barbara; WALPO, Dereck; TAMWOY, Keri; Councillor: MARROTT, Jayden; YUNKAPORTA, Leona; KOOMEETA, Craig; YUNKAPORTA, Eloise; TAMWOY, Kemuel; ADIDI, Bobby.
Cook Shire Council
Mayor: REID, Kenny; MURRAY, Ian; HOLMES, Robyn; Councillor: GODFREY-ROBERTS, Sam; MOESSNER, Walter; SNIDER, Nash; GOODE, Dave; MORRIS, Marilyn; PEBERDY, Beau; WATKIN, Jayson; DEAR, Gavin; DAVIDSON, Nick; HOOK, Stephanie; LOGAN, Ross; DESSMANN, John; FENG, Hongyu; WHITTAKER, Gregory; MARTIN, Sarah; MARRIOTT, Joy; COVENTRY, Justin; MASDING, Jeanne; PARKER, Melinda.
Douglas Shire Council
Mayor: SCOMAZZON, Lisa; HARATSIS, David; WILKINSON, Stacy; Councillor: REES, Michael; BARBER, Chris; ZAMMATARO, Roy; ALLISON, Bill; WOOD, Peter; MELCHERT, Terry; MULCAHY, Sara; MEADOWS, Damian; MCKEOWN, Peter; NOLI, Abigail; BLOCKEY, Jeremy; MCKEOWN, Pia.
Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council
Mayor: WOIBO, Jason; GIBSON, Bruce; WOIBO, Bruce; MCGREEN, Timothy; PEARSON, June; GIBSON, Trevor; DEEMAL, Presto; BOWEN, Neville; WALLACE, Stephen (Kermit); Councillor: BOUNGHI, Eva; BOWEN, Colin; MCIVOR, Angela; BOWEN, Graham; GIBSON, Lyndell (Lindy); PEARSON, Wesley; HART, Rowan; BOWEN, Harold; BOWEN, Robert (Bobby); GIBSON, Robert; WOIBO, Farzana (Muumba); GIBSON, Russell; GIBSON, Sha-Lane; WOIBO, Clinton; MCGREEN, Elaine; BOWEN, Barry; FORD, Brandon; BOWEN, Charmaine; LUDWICK, Tracey.
Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council
Mayor: DICK, Territa; HUDSON, Thomas; JOSIAH, Jacob (Elroy); YAM, Michael; SANDS, Robbie; TEDDY, Aaron; HOLNESS, Robert; GILBERT, Leslie (Monty); Councillor: JACK, David; BERNARD, Teddy; JIMMY, Michelle; BERMISTER, Dion; LAWRENCE, Coralie; STAFFORD, Richard; MAJOR, Tania; OLDS, Scott; LAWRENCE, Charmaine; WUST, Wendy.
Lockart River Aboriginal Shire Council
Mayor: ACCOOM, Rodney; BUTCHER, Wayne; Councillor: BOWIE, Alistair; HOBSON, Morgan; BALLY, Steven; ROCKY, Kimberly; ACCOOM, Daniel; DEAN, Krystal; KOKO, Karen; HOBSON, Dorothy.
Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council
Mayor: TABUAI, Kiri; DE JERSEY, Daphne; HUDSON, Cameron; GUIVARRA, Ronaldo; Councillor: TABUAI, Allena; LING, Janelle; MCLACHLAN, Linda; TABUAI, Eli; PITT, Maria; REID, Justina; JIA, Sheree.
Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council
Mayor: MOTTON, Janita; CHEVATHEN, Roy; Councillor: ADIDI, Margie; MAIRU, Egito; BURKE, Rex; WEES, Tam; MADUA, Ernest (Jnr); WIGNESS, Robert.
Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council
Mayor: SABATINO (ADIDI), Cassandra; YUSIA, Patricia; POIPOI, Robert; SOLOMON, Michael; SALEE, Dale (Mala); Councillor: Division 1 – SALEE, Tapee; NONA, Gina; BYRNE, Dave; Division 2 – YOELU, Mary; GETAWAN, Dennis; Division 3 – GEBADI, Kitty (elected unopposed); Division 4 – LIFU, Pauline; BOND, Marlene; Division 5 – SUNAI, Kawia; WHAP, Mabelene; MUDU, Sabrina; FULTON, Willie; ELU, Brad.
Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council
Mayor: KENDALL, Ralph; DEAKIN, Vaness; AMBRUM, Stephen; KINGI, Ronald; Councillor: GIBUMA, Budhagi; COLEMAN, Christine; FOOTE, Lucy; COLEMAN, Margaret; YUNKAPORTA, Peter; SIMPSON, Glen; EDWARDS, Romina; BARNEY, Keith; KOO-AGA, Tim; DEAKIN, Janey; TARPENCHA, Devon; TARPENCHA, Richard.
Torres Shire Council
Mayor: SERIAT, Elsie; LOBAN, Yen; Councillor: PASSI, Joseph (Beresford); SEEKEE, Liberty; FUJII, Thomas (Jnr); PEDRO, Thomas (Connie); LOBAN, Thomas; BINJUDA, Georgina; BANI, Gabriel; NAKATA, Toshio; KETCHELL, Allan; BECKLEY, Emma (Doolah; AH WANG, Pauline; ABEDNEGO, John.
Torres Strait Island Regional Council
Mayor: SABATINO, Mario; MOSBY, Phillemon; KRIS, John; TURNER, Regina; STEPHEN, Jerry; Councillor: Division 1 – TOBY, Dimas; ANAU, Suzanne; ANAU, Tanaio; Division 2 – ELISALA, Torenzo (elected unopposed); Division 3 – ATU, Timothy (Wosomo); ANIBA, Chelsea; TABUAI, Conwell; Division 4 – FELL, Keith (elected unopposed); Division 5 – NONA, Timena; WOSOMO, Ranetta; AHMAT, Solomon; Division 6 – TRINKOON, Lama; SAVAGE, Danie; MANAS, Iona; Division 7 – SAILOR, Bana; LEVI, John; Division 8 – DORANTE, Eugene; DORANTE, Seriako; Division 9 – HANKIN, Aggie; DAVID, Charles; Division 10 – BILLY, Lui; TAMU, Kabay; Division 11 – PEARSON, Francis (elected unopposed); Division 12 – MOSBY, Ted; MOSBY, Hilda; Division 13 – STEPHEN, Rocky (elected unopposed); Division 14 – GELA, Jimmy; THAIDAY, Patrick; GHEE, Isaac; MYE, Nixon; Division 15 – NOAH, Aven; KAIGEY, Bob.
Weipa Town Authority
Chair: GANE, Jaime (elected unopposed); Member: SCHARF, Lisa; DUFFY, Deborah; HACKETT, Scott; GORDON, Trent; ROBINS, Geoffrey; SHAW, Gemma.
Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council
Mayor: CREEK, Bradley; GIBSON, Alister; Councillor: JACK-TAYLEY, Nikita; SNYDER-DOUGHBOY, Ava; CREEK, Lucas; GROGAN-DOUGHBOY, Claudia; GREENWOOL, Talika; BLOOMFIELD, Robert.
