At yesterday’s Council meeting it was voted to allocate a shady spot in City Place for speakers.

Absent for around 8 years, the public speaker’s venue will be reinstated, and will be blessed as Ray Jones Speaker’s Corner.

Acting Mayor, Margaret Cochrane, who chairs the Cultural and Community Services Committee (known on the inside as the SACCSC), said they considered locating Speaker’s Corner in Fogarty Park.

“Fogarty Park is quiet most days and the location did not give individuals a ready audience,” Cochrane said at yesterday’s meeting. “Under the fig trees on the west side of City Place is shady and has a constant flow of pedestrians,” she said.

The Council was quick to record that the approved location will allow public speakers to use the venue in line with the Peaceful Assembly Act, without having to seek formal approval to speak from Cairns Regional Council.

See the full story on Cairnsblog.net.