David Crisafulli, the Premier of Queensland, officiated at the opening of the new Cook Electorate office in Mareeba last Thursday.  

Cutting the ribbon in an archway of blue and yellow balloons surrounded by about 80 locals, the Premier said Mareeba is the heart of the Cook electorate, and the office belongs here. 

David Kempton Member for Cook opened the first electoral office in the electorate in 2012 as an election promise. The office has traditionally been in Cairns and was opened in Mareeba when Mr Kempton was elected in 2012, and was closed by the ALP member in 2022 when it was moved back to Cairns. 

Joined by his enthusiastic and professional team and standing on a chair to be heard over the gathering, Mr Kempton said he was proud to serve the Mareeba community, and the opening of a permanent office here is a sign of that commitment. 

“The office is right back where it belongs—in the heart of the electorate,” Mr Kempton said. “My team and I are committed to strengthening community connections and making sure the voices of Cook residents are heard loud and clear in Brisbane.” 

“I think the fact that so much is going on up here has not been addressed across a number of issues – crime, cost-of-living, health, roads, and housing – was the reason people wanted the office back in the electorate.” 

Covering a vast 196,836 square kilometres, the Cook electorate is one of the most diverse in Queensland—encompassing vibrant farming communities, the Torres Strait, numerous Indigenous communities, mining interests, an international border, and half of the State’s coastline and the Great Barrier Reef. Mr Kempton emphasised that having the office located within the electorate is essential for effectively representing its unique and diverse population. 

The new Cook electorate office is now open at 64 Rankin Street, Mareeba, where Mr Kempton and his team are ready to assist community members and listen to their concerns.