Tom Pyne
Encyclopedia
Thomas Alfred Pyne became the Mayor of Cairns
when the Shire of Mulgrave
and the City of Cairns
merged in 1995. He was succeeded by Kevin Byrne.
. He was the youngest of five children board to John Samuel and Katherine Hannah Pyne. His siblings include his brothers Jack and Frank and his sisters Ethel Hunt and Grace Macauley. He was educated at McDonnell's Creel, Bellenden Ker and Hambledon State Schools. For a number of years he lived at Deeral before moving to Edmonton. On July 2, 1955, at the age of 20, Tom married Marion McKinnon. Tom and Marion had two children, Joann Grace and Robert John.
His working life began as a wood machinist with A.H. Kent, a furniture manufacturer in Cairns. He later was employed by Queensland Railways, the Department of Works and Advanx Tyre and Motor Services. He later opened his own business, Tin-Sang and Co, at Edmonton
.
Pyne was a member of the 51st R.O.R. Reserve and attained the rank of Sergeant. His commanding officer, Sir Sydney Williams O.B.E., become a lifelong friend.
at the age of 18. He rose through the ranks and held the positions of President and Secretary of the branch of several occasions. On 2 August 1985 he was presented with a Life Membership by the then Foreign Minister of Australia (and later Governor-General
), Bill Hayden
.
Pyne served as Campaign Director to a number of Federal and State members. These have included Ray Jones, Keith De Lacy, and John Gayler.
, north along the coast and inland to Charters Towers
and Dalrymple
- 21 Councils in all. Tom first became Member of the Local Government Executive in 1982 and was reappointed in 1985, 1988 and 1991.
Prior to the 1995 amalgamation of the City of Cairns and Shire of Mulgrave, Tom Pyne became the Chairman of a group of 20 local authorities known as the Campaign Against Forced Amalgamation. Conversely, in 2007 he was a member of the committee that recommended the amalgamation of the City with the Shire of Douglas
into the Cairns Region.
In 1976, he was elected Deputy Shire Chairman.
In 1979, he was elected unopposed to the Chairmanship of Mulgrave shire council following the retirement of the former Chairman Ken Alley. He was elected to this position unopposed in 1982, 1983, 1988 and 1991. Following the amalgamation of Mulgrave with the City of Cairns
, he was elected as Mayor for a five-year term in 1995.
. Other duties included appointments as the Chairman of the Queensland Electricity Board in 1991 and Committee Member of the Far North Queensland Youth Assistance Inc for 12 years. He was also Deputy President on the Cairns/Mulgrave Water Supply Board, to which he was first appointed to in 1968 and the Wet Tropics Management Authority.
Mayor of Cairns
This is a list of mayors of the Far North Queensland city of Cairns.Cairns was originally established as a Borough with a Chairman from 1885 until 1903, when the Local Authorities Act 1902 transformed it into a Town with a Mayor. The Town achieved City status in 1923. In 1995, when the Shire of...
when the Shire of Mulgrave
Shire of Mulgrave (Queensland)
The Shire of Mulgrave was a Local Government Area surrounding the City of Cairns in the Far North region of Queensland. The shire, administered from Cairns, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 1995, when it was dissolved and amalgamated into the City of...
and the City of Cairns
City of Cairns
The City of Cairns was a Local Government Area centred on the Far North Queensland city of Cairns. Established in 1885, for most of its existence it consisted of approximately around Cairns itself, with much of the metropolitan area being located in the Shire of Mulgrave...
merged in 1995. He was succeeded by Kevin Byrne.
Biography
Pyne was born in January in the town of BabindaBabinda, Queensland
Babinda is a small town 60 km south of Cairns, Queensland. It is located in the Cairns Region.The town is noted for its proximity to two of Queensland's highest mountains Mount Bartle Frere and Mount Bellenden Ker....
. He was the youngest of five children board to John Samuel and Katherine Hannah Pyne. His siblings include his brothers Jack and Frank and his sisters Ethel Hunt and Grace Macauley. He was educated at McDonnell's Creel, Bellenden Ker and Hambledon State Schools. For a number of years he lived at Deeral before moving to Edmonton. On July 2, 1955, at the age of 20, Tom married Marion McKinnon. Tom and Marion had two children, Joann Grace and Robert John.
His working life began as a wood machinist with A.H. Kent, a furniture manufacturer in Cairns. He later was employed by Queensland Railways, the Department of Works and Advanx Tyre and Motor Services. He later opened his own business, Tin-Sang and Co, at Edmonton
Edmonton, Queensland
Edmonton used to be an independent township supporting a sugar mill, but in recent times has become a suburb of Cairns, Queensland, Australia. It is located approximately 10 km south of the centre of Cairns on the Bruce Highway and within the Cairns Region local government area...
.
Pyne was a member of the 51st R.O.R. Reserve and attained the rank of Sergeant. His commanding officer, Sir Sydney Williams O.B.E., become a lifelong friend.
Politics
Pyne joined the Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
at the age of 18. He rose through the ranks and held the positions of President and Secretary of the branch of several occasions. On 2 August 1985 he was presented with a Life Membership by the then Foreign Minister of Australia (and later Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
), Bill Hayden
Bill Hayden
William George "Bill" Hayden AC was the 21st Governor-General of Australia. Prior to this, he represented the Australian Labor Party in parliament; he was a minister in the government of Gough Whitlam, and later became Leader of the Opposition, narrowly losing the 1980 federal election to the...
.
Pyne served as Campaign Director to a number of Federal and State members. These have included Ray Jones, Keith De Lacy, and John Gayler.
Local Government Association of Queensland
As a member of the Local Government Association of Queensland he served as the Division 10 representative. This division covered the Councils of North Queensland from BowenShire of Bowen
The Shire of Bowen was a Local Government Area located in the North Queensland region of Queensland, Australia. The shire, administered from the town of Bowen, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the Shire of Whitsunday to...
, north along the coast and inland to Charters Towers
City of Charters Towers
The City of Charters Towers was a Local Government Area located in North Queensland, Australia, consisting of the centre and suburbs of the town of Charters Towers...
and Dalrymple
Shire of Dalrymple
The Shire of Dalrymple was a Local Government Area located in North Queensland, Australia, and surrounded but did not include the town of Charters Towers, at which its council and administrative centre was based...
- 21 Councils in all. Tom first became Member of the Local Government Executive in 1982 and was reappointed in 1985, 1988 and 1991.
Prior to the 1995 amalgamation of the City of Cairns and Shire of Mulgrave, Tom Pyne became the Chairman of a group of 20 local authorities known as the Campaign Against Forced Amalgamation. Conversely, in 2007 he was a member of the committee that recommended the amalgamation of the City with the Shire of Douglas
Shire of Douglas
The Shire of Douglas was a Local Government Area in Far North Queensland. It was located on the coast north of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Mossman, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1880 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the City...
into the Cairns Region.
Mulgrave Shire Council
In 1961, he was elected to the Mulgrave Shire Council as the Councilor for Division 1 and served continuously, in one form or another, until 2000. He retired from public office in 2000 having never been defeated at an election.In 1976, he was elected Deputy Shire Chairman.
In 1979, he was elected unopposed to the Chairmanship of Mulgrave shire council following the retirement of the former Chairman Ken Alley. He was elected to this position unopposed in 1982, 1983, 1988 and 1991. Following the amalgamation of Mulgrave with the City of Cairns
City of Cairns
The City of Cairns was a Local Government Area centred on the Far North Queensland city of Cairns. Established in 1885, for most of its existence it consisted of approximately around Cairns itself, with much of the metropolitan area being located in the Shire of Mulgrave...
, he was elected as Mayor for a five-year term in 1995.
Other positions in the community
While serving as Chairman of the Mulgrave Shire Council, Tom Pyne also filled a number of other official positions, such as Senior Vice-Chairman of the Local Government Association of Queensland and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the local radio station, 4am4AM (AM)
4AM is a radio station in Atherton, Queensland on 558kHz AM. 4AM is also heard in Cairns. Also they are on 1422kHz AM in Port Douglas.-On air line up:Monday to Friday*5-9am: Terry Siva*9-12am: Greg Cary Morning Program*12-3pm: Mark Hogan...
. Other duties included appointments as the Chairman of the Queensland Electricity Board in 1991 and Committee Member of the Far North Queensland Youth Assistance Inc for 12 years. He was also Deputy President on the Cairns/Mulgrave Water Supply Board, to which he was first appointed to in 1968 and the Wet Tropics Management Authority.
Other references
- Profile - Thomas Alfred Pyne - Cairns City Council Historical Archives - 1991
- Councillor Tom Pyne - Cairns City Council Historical Archives - 1991
- Mulgrave Shire Council Media Realse - Cairns City Council Historical Archives - 4 October 1993