Sunday 16 March 2008

Mayor elect Schier claims victory

At 3:05pm this afternoon, Val Schier officially claimed victory as the Mayor-elect of the inaugural Cairns Regional Council.

The final race was close, as the final pre-polls votes were counted today.

Former Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne has emailed Val, offering his congratulations and wishing her all the best.

3,011 additional pre-poll were counted. Postal and un-enrolled votes, are still to be counted, however this result is substantive for the final decision. Final results:

Val SCHIER 30,279 (46.89%)
Kevin BYRNE 28,854 (44.68%)
Peter SANDERCOCK 1,980 (3.07%)
Selwyn JOHNSTON 3,468 (5.37%)

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

So I guess that means that THE FAT MAN HAS SUNG !!
Good riddance to you Kevin Bully Boy Burned Out Byrne.
Dont bother hanging around in Cairns....you are no longer required.
Congratulations Val.
We as a community look foward to your leadership.
Congratulations to Mike Moore for having the guts to expose Byrne for what he is!

Anonymous said...

Kevin emailed Val?

What happened to the traditional phone call?

Interesting dichotomy to Federal politics where, despite the haters, Howard proved the most magnanimous loser in recent political history.

Similarly in my political memory most losers, with the notable exception of the narcisist Keating, who still cant figure out why everyone shouldn't lick his backside in gratitude.

Geez KB, was a direct call too much to expect?

Anonymous said...

Maybe he was sobbing so much he just couldnt pick up the phone to speak with Val and offer congratulations to her.

Or maybe he is such an arse he wouldnt pick up the phone to offer he congratulations?

Me thinks it would be the latter...dont you?

Anonymous said...

Let me at the outset offer publicly to Val my congratulations on achieving her dream.

There was a defining silence in the air during the last week of the campaign, like the stillness that precedes a monsoonal deluge..a portence of things to come.

A quantum shift has occurred in the body politic of Cairns. The ones that have been left out, marginalised and considered a minority for all intents and purposes, have been given a voice.

There was an obvious shift in the mind of the electors in Divisions 8,9,10 to give voice to these residents and by so doing they have giving hope to the rest of Greater Cairns. These were the Divisions that were treated with distain and written off politically as whingers. But when critical mass reaches its zenith, change is inevitable.

As a dilettante of local politics I am rapt in pleasure, that Val will be giving these ignored people, as well as all of her constituents a voice.

I fervently hope that the elected Independents take heed of Val's mandate and her extended hand of friendship and govern for all the common good.

Yes a new culture will be now be installed....an inclusive partnership will be established with the people of Cairns.

It is to be hoped that this new ethos will permeate through her to her fellow Councillors, the Council bureaucracy, the development industry and all media outlets including the Cairns Post.

Yes there is a 'new order in town' an administration that will enpower the forgotten people.

I wish Val and the Council the best of luck in their deliberations

Anonymous said...

I, too, offer Val hearty congratrulations on a wonderful victory. However, I am wondering just how much influence she will have. With three Unity Councillors guaranteed to be returned along with two former Unity Councillors and some "independents", Val may find a council team more interested in playing power politics and regaining the Mayoralty, than serving the residents of Cairns.
It doesn't look like Val will have more than one or two Cairns 1st Councillors so any moves Val makes may be easily thwarted in the Council Chamber for lack of support. Val has an unenviable task ahead of her, I think.

Anonymous said...

Well said Ross Parisi. Absolute congratulations to Val and her team. KB and Unity simply did not believe the disdain the community had with them, as they lived in their own little worlds of self-importance not giving a shit about residents, consistently treating them with disrespect. I'm sure half the peole that voted for KB couldn't give a stuff who won, they just gave him the nod because he had the biggest campaign.

I can't wait to read and see all media over the next couple of days as Byrne, James, Plath and perhaps Freebody all have to explain their defeats. I have been waiting years for this. I wonder if any of them will admit how crap they have been, and that is why the result is as it is.

To the following, I can't help but think of you now and laugh...

..Dennis and Robyn Quick..ha ha, piss off back to where you came from

..Factman, can't wait to hear from you

..the bloke who used to blog who was so adamant KB was going to win because that was what the bookies indicated. Hope you put some nice dosh down.

..the cairns post for obviously displaying a bias for KB. I hope you see now what the majority wants.

..the developers who gave sooo much money to Byrne, and will now get nothing in return for their thousands. They will be on equal pegging now for council contracts, as it should be.

Finally, to Coops. Well done. I have met you a few times and think highly of you. I was dissapointed you ran under the Unity banner. I trust you will actually get along very well with Val, and not display the arrogant ways of past Unity members. Good luck to you, and all other elected councillors.

Anonymous said...

val got in because the local media, 7 & Win turned to her favour in last week and bit, this turned the event into a momentum based sports' event for the burb masses. Lets wait and see if Val properly thanked those who helped her, I am still waiting for my thank you, even though she has had plenty of opportunity. Beware people that one is only liked when needed and after that we will be treated like shit!! When will Val be jetting off on her first overseas's climate-change research jaunt?

Anonymous said...

u2 mike, wait to see how u feel when u don't get the media job, wake up to reality!

Anonymous said...

Hey Factman where are you, bunkered down in some burrow or are you trapped in the avalanche.

I cant go to sleep tonight until I hear from you. I want to hear your spin...come on be a sport.

Unknown said...

Time to update the masthead. Perhaps a competition is in order but for now, you might replace "mayor Kevin Byrne" with "ex-mayor K. Byrne" ... and keep in sync with wikipedia.

Anonymous said...

Feeling Conned.....you are one bitter and twisted puppy.

Sometimes it is better to give, than receive.

Obviously you have helped Val and now want to take the glory too.

Get a life !!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Kev;

He’ll be back;

To face court proceeding!

The Cairns Post;

It’ll carry on,

Whether it be wrapped around someone’s fish and chips or as a bin liner. One thing will remain constant, it will continue to sell to the highest bidder irrespective the morality or consequences.

Anonymous said...

Maybe somebody should at least acknowledge the years of service Kevin Byrne has offered to Cairns. It cannot be argued that the City of Cairns has not moved forward in the time that Byrne was in office. I think the community owes Byrne a thanks for his determination, drive and passion for our city. But we can also look forward to a fresh change that maybe council needed..?

Time will tell...

JP

Anonymous said...

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!