Bob Manning
OAM
Mayor of Cairns Regional Council
In office
May 2012 – November 17, 2023
Preceded byVal Schier
Succeeded byTerry James (mayor)
Personal details
Born
Robert Charles Manning

(1945-10-16) 16 October 1945
Cairns, Queensland
NationalityAustralian
SpouseClaire Manning
Children2
Education
Alma materUniversity of Southern Queensland
Military service
Allegiance Australia
Branch/service Australian Army
Years of servicec. 1968 – 1971
Rank(Temporary) Lieutenant
UnitRoyal Australian Army Medical Corps
Battles/warsVietnam War (1970 – 1971)
Service number1734304

Robert Charles Manning OAM[1] (born 16 October 1945) was the Mayor of the Cairns Regional Council in Queensland, Australia[2] from 2012 until his resignation in 2023.

Early life

Manning was born in Cairns, and attended Edge Hill State School, and Cairns State High School. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from the University of Southern Queensland. Manning served three years in the Australian Army including service in the Vietnam War from 1970 to 1971.[3][4]

Career

Manning's first major position was as CEO of the Longreach Shire Council for eight years.[3] In 1984 he returned to Cairns and became Secretary and then CEO of the Cairns Port Authority (including the Cairns Airport) for eighteen years from 1984 to 2002.[5] After resigning his role at the port [6] as a stand against "bullying tactics" by the Queensland Government,[7][8][9] Manning began consulting work in Jordan[10] and South Korea.[3] In 2004 Manning became the General Manager of NQEA Australia Pty Ltd [11] before heading overseas again to take up the role of CEO of Hermes Airports Ltd (including Larnaca International Airport and Paphos International Airport) in Cyprus until 2008.[12][13]

He has had a lengthy involvement with the Airports Council International from 1993 to 2000 (including president, vice-president and vice-chairman)[5] and was the director/chairman of Tourism Tropical North Queensland (previously Far North Queensland Promotion Bureau) for eleven years from 1986 to 1997.[5]

In 2012, Manning purchased nationally acclaimed company Events NQ.[14] In February 2015, Events NQ was put into liquidation, with staff left without their entitlements and creditors unpaid.[15]

Mayor

In 2012 Manning announced his intention to run for mayor of the Cairns Regional Council with a team of candidates under the name "Unity 2012". Kevin Byrne, a former mayor, had previously run his team under the banner of "Cairns Unity Team". Manning considered the Unity 2012 team to be apolitical and publicly stated that Unity 2012 have no political affiliation and most of the candidates have a business background.[16][17]

After being elected Mayor of Cairns in 2012, Manning borrowed $150,000 the following year from a developer lobbyist while he was facing bankruptcy — which would have automatically disqualified him from office. Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) launched an investigation in February, after the state’s local government watchdog referred the matter as potential corrupt conduct. The lender was Ranjit Singh, a lawyer representing developers in some of Cairns biggest building projects. Authorities found the loan was interest-free, never formally documented and has not been repaid.

Manning announced his resignation, effective immediately, on November 17, 2023.[18]

Family and personal life

Manning is married to Claire Manning and they have two grown children, Mark and Belinda. Bob Manning's father founded Manning's Pies, a local pie shop.[3]

Awards

In 2002 Manning was awarded Cairns Citizen of the Year.[19]

In 2004 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to the community of the Cairns region through the development and promotion of the tourism, maritime and aviation industries".[1][20]

References

  1. 1 2 "It's An Honour". Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "Cairns Regional Election Results". Cairns Post. Archived from the original on 30 April 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "About Bob". Official Vote Unity Website. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ↑ "Service record: MANNING, Robert Charles". Vietnam War Service. Department of Veterans' Affairs. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 "Bob Manning – Mayor of Cairns, Cairns Regional Council" (PDF). Cairns Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "Tributes flow as port boss quits", The Cairns Post, Cairns, QLD, p. 2, 19 April 2002
  7. ↑ "Bob Manning's shock resignation yesterday was the price he paid for standing up for Cairns against the bully boy tactics of State Government ministers." "Brisbane bully boy tactics", The Cairns Post, Cairns, QLD, p. 8, 19 April 2002
  8. ↑ "Bob Manning has claimed he was pushed from office in a move headed by Premier Peter Beattie after he objected to $55 million of port authority money being handed to the state." "'I was pushed...' Former port chief tells court of stoush with government", The Cairns Weekend Post, Cairns, QLD, p. 3, 8 October 2005
  9. ↑ "Mr Manning, who resigned in April last year, said the costs had to be passed on and the loans were a tax on business." Lloyd, Graham (27 May 2003), "State-owned corporations 'misused' as cash cows", The Courier Mail, Brisbane, QLD, p. 2
  10. ↑ "Manning heads on", The Cairns Post, Cairns, QLD, p. 2, 3 August 2002
  11. ↑ "Manning at helm of Cairns ship builder", The Cairns Post, Cairns, QLD, p. 37, 16 October 2004
  12. ↑ "NQEA manager snares plum airport job", The Cairns Post, Cairns, QLD, p. 3, 4 June 2005
  13. ↑ "HERMES AIRPORTS - PASSENGERS - RECORD NUMBER", Cyprus News Agency, Cyprus, 1 August 2011, archived from the original on 3 March 2016, retrieved 6 March 2012
  14. ↑ "Port Douglas News - the Newsport Daily | Manning buys Events NQ". Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "Cairns Mayor Bob Manning's business closes and placed in liquidation | Business News | Business and Finance News | | Cairns Post". Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  16. ↑ White, Tarina (19 January 2012). "Bob Manning's focus on rebuilding Cairns economy". The Cairns Post. Cairns, QLD. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ↑ Council, Cairns Regional (17 November 2023). "Mayor Bob Manning retires from office". Cairns Regional Council. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  19. ↑ "TOP CITIZENS City lauds port chief", The Cairns Post, Cairns, QLD, p. 1, 28 January 2002
  20. ↑ "Award 'going' to wife", The Cairns Post, Cairns, QLD, p. 9, 26 January 2004
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