Mayor: Voting changes for council ‘repulsive’

TOOWOOMBA Regional Council could be taken over by a major political party like Labor or the Liberal National Party if the Queensland Government’s proposed changes to local government elections is implemented.

The proposed changes would see proportional representation used in undivided councils such as Toowoomba. This is where a group is allocated a certain number of positions based on how many votes they received.

Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio said this could lead to a political party gaining a majority of councillors.

“If there was party politics in Toowoomba you would find the candidates would no longer have that independence that comes with the current system,” Cr Antonio said. “The future of Toowoomba could be determined from elsewhere and that to me is repulsive.”

Currently the council is made up of 10 independent councillors and the mayor, though several councillors are personally members of parties - though they don’t represent that party on council.

“Toowoomba has been particularly well served by the current system where you’ve got the 10 people elected to council who have the confidence of the community and they stand as individuals,” Cr Antonio said.

Other proposed changes that could impact Toowoomba include compulsory preferential voting and the ability for a candidate to run for both a councillor position and mayor.