May-June 2012 10 11 May-June 2012 MEMBER PROFILE: ROB PYNE MEMBER PROFILE: ROB PYNE MAN ON A MISSION FACTFILE flash cab ad here • Name: Rob Pyne • Age: 45 • Born: Gordonvale and raised in Edmonton • Family: Wife Jenny and daughter Katie • Lives: Mount Sheridan • Job: Division 3 representative on Cairns Regional Council • Interests away from politics: Social media and information technology A S the son of a former Mayor of Cairns you would think it was written in the stars that Rob Pyne was destined for a career in politics. The independent Division 3 representative on Cairns Regional Council would have been given quite an insight into the world of local government from his father Tom, who held public office from 1961 until 2000. Despite his father’s career, the truth of the matter is that politics was never really on Pyne’s agenda. Pyne, who sustained quadriplegia from a diving accident in December 1991, admits that he did not really studying and improving my education there was also an information technology revolution going on. That meant I could sit at a desk, research, write reports and do all that sort of stuff at a computer terminal. “I got a good education and access to technology in the workplace.” After completing his studies Pyne took on a number of volunteer roles, including Regional Disability Liaison Officer at JCU, and various positions with disability organisations. He says the experience as a volunteer helped him not only later secure a full-time position at JCU but has also helped him in his political career. “Councillors tend to either come from the business community or community sector,” he said. “Because I had come from the community sector, and had worked with disability organisations, I had a lot of links with not-for-profits organisations. They tend to have their finger on the pulse and know what the problems are in their areas – so I think that having a community sector background was important. “I also worked out of JCU as a Regional Disability Liaison Officer. The voluntary work no doubt helped me get a job at JCU. I also did voluntary work while employed, and later on, because it’s a great link to the community.” Pyne worked at JCU from 2000 until deciding to run for election to the Cairns Regional Council in 2008. So, did the “Force of South Cairns” (as he is affectionately known) achieve what he set out to in his first four years in Council? “I’m happy with a lot of the big projects that have happened but the reason I wanted to do another four years is because of some of those smaller- and medium-size projects,” he said. “There are a lot of projects like that. They might seem unimportant to a lot of people, but these things are important and they are the sort of jobs I am very keen to get finished in this next term. I guess my greatest achievement has been working and doing things with the local schools and grassroots people in the community; whether it’s a tree-planting day or listening to people’s concerns and trying to feed that back in and get Council to do a better job.” With his seat secured for four more years Rob Pyne is ready to face every challenge head-on. That’s not bad for someone who didn’t aspire for a career in politics, is it? have any political ambitions. “No, I don’t think so,” he said. “I think that the injury was a factor for going into politics. “When I was younger I was fairly physical. I used to love doing things like playing rugby league and going to the gym. I also used to love riding bikes and getting out and about. “It [the accident] pushed me into further education and studying. “At university I became president of the Student Association and that gave me a taste of politics. I then became more interested in politics – and that’s the way it’s turned out.” Before the accident, Pyne – who retained his seat in April’s regional elections – worked in a number of jobs and he explained that the nine months spent in the Spinal Injuries Unit at Princess Alexandra hospital in Brisbane forced him to reevaluate his future and focus on education. “It [education] was very important,” said Pyne, who lives in Mount Sheridan with his wife Jenny and daughter Katie. “I knew that I would need to do that to be competitive again in the workplace.” His focus on education not only secured him one degree, but two: a Bachelor of Arts in history and politics at James Cook University (JCU) and a law degree at the Queensland University of Technology. having the drive to succeed after his accident would have brought Pyne many plaudits, but he said that luck also played a part: “People tend to look at themselves as achievers and being self-made – I guess I am just lucky that at the time I was After securing his seat for four more years in April’s regional elections, South Cairns councillor ROB PYNE intends to finish what he has started. OUT IN THE COMMUNITY: (above and right) Rob Pyne meets many members of the public in his role.
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May-June 201210 11May-June 2012
MEMBER PROFILE: ROB PYNEMEMBER PROFILE: ROB PYNE
MAN ON A MISSION
FaCTFile
flash cab ad here
• Name: Rob Pyne• Age: 45• Born: Gordonvale and raised in Edmonton• Family: Wife Jenny and daughter Katie• Lives: Mount Sheridan• Job: Division 3 representative on Cairns Regional Council• Interests away from politics: Social media and information technology
As the son of a former Mayor of Cairns you would think it was written in the stars that Rob Pyne was destined for a
career in politics.The independent Division 3
representative on Cairns Regional Council would have been given quite an insight into the world of local government from his father Tom, who held public office from 1961 until 2000. Despite his father’s career, the truth of the matter is that politics was never really on Pyne’s agenda.
Pyne, who sustained quadriplegia from a diving accident in December 1991, admits that he did not really
studying and improving my education there was also an information technology revolution going on. That meant I could sit at a desk, research, write reports and do all that sort of stuff at a computer terminal.
“I got a good education and access to technology in the workplace.”
After completing his studies Pyne took on a number of volunteer roles, including Regional Disability Liaison Officer at JCU, and various positions with disability organisations. He says the experience as a volunteer helped him not only later secure a full-time position at JCU but has also helped him in his political career.
“Councillors tend to either come from the business community or community sector,” he said. “Because I had come from the community sector, and had worked with disability organisations, I had a lot of links with not-for-profits organisations. They tend to have their finger on the pulse and know what the problems are in their areas – so I think that having a community sector background was important.
“I also worked out of JCU as a Regional Disability Liaison Officer. The voluntary work no doubt helped me get a job at JCU. I also did voluntary work while employed, and later on, because it’s a great link to the community.”
Pyne worked at JCU from 2000
until deciding to run for election to the Cairns Regional Council in 2008. So, did the “Force of South Cairns” (as he is affectionately known) achieve what he set out to in his first four years in Council? “I’m happy with a lot of the big projects that have happened but the reason I wanted to do another four years is because of some of those smaller- and medium-size projects,” he said. “There are a lot of projects like that. They might seem unimportant to a lot of people, but these things are important and they are the sort
of jobs I am very keen to get finished in this next term. I guess my greatest achievement has been working and doing things with the local schools and grassroots people in the community; whether it’s a tree-planting day or listening to people’s concerns and trying to feed that back in and get Council to do a better job.”
With his seat secured for four more years Rob Pyne is ready to face every challenge head-on. That’s not bad for someone who didn’t aspire for a career in politics, is it?
have any political ambitions. “No, I don’t think so,” he said.
“I think that the injury was a factor for going into politics.
“When I was younger I was fairly physical. I used to love doing things like playing rugby league and going to the gym. I also used to love riding bikes and getting out and about.
“It [the accident] pushed me into further education and studying.
“At university I became president of the Student Association and that gave me a taste of politics. I then became more interested in politics – and that’s the way it’s turned out.”
Before the accident, Pyne – who retained his seat in April’s regional elections – worked in a number of jobs and he explained that the nine months spent in the Spinal Injuries Unit at Princess Alexandra hospital in Brisbane forced him to reevaluate his future and focus on education.
“It [education] was very important,” said Pyne, who lives in Mount Sheridan with his wife Jenny and daughter Katie. “I knew that I would need to do that to be competitive again in the workplace.”
His focus on education not only secured him one degree, but two: a Bachelor of Arts in history and politics at James Cook University (JCU) and a law degree at the Queensland University of Technology. having the drive to succeed after his accident would have brought Pyne many plaudits, but he said that luck also played a part: “People tend to look
at themselves as achievers and being self-made – I guess I am just lucky that at the time I was
After securing his seat for four more years in April’s regional elections, South Cairns councillor ROB PYNE intends to finish what he has started.
oUT in THe CoMMUniTY: (above and right) Rob Pyne meets many members of the public in his role.
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