LNP candidate for Cook David Kempton has joined Mayor Val Schier in backing deamalgamation of the former Douglas Shire should there be sufficient public support and resources to do so.

"If the community at our referendum want it and they can make a case for it then it will happen," Mr Kempton said.

"We've put up a whole lot of policy positions and conditions on that but this is a matter that I'm standing on. It will happen."

He said that despite being aware of internal fighting between Councillors in the previous Douglas Shire Council, the amalgamation with Cairns Regional Council disempowered the region.

"I think the point is their centre of government was taken away without consultation. If you take the centre of governance out of any community you pull the heart out of it.

"That's where I'm headed with it and I can't make promises because we (the State) owe $85 billion," he said. 

One prominent business owner in Port Douglas told The Newsport that there were potential risks to a move to deamalgamate from the Cairns Regional Council.

He said returning to a potentially dysfunctional Council, the high cost of transition, and the funnelling of much needed funds and resources away from vital infrastructure projects were concerns that residents needed to be aware of before any vote was cast. 

In April last year we asked readers via a The Newsport Poll whether you thought Douglas would ever deamalgamate. 105 (42.5%) believed it would while 142 (57.5%) said it wouldn't happen.

We thought it would be timely to ask the question; Do you want Douglas to deamalgamate from Cairns Regional Council? Take part in our poll (left). 

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