The political neighbours that aren’t good friends
LET’S be honest. Some Gold Coast federal and state MPs along with councillors cannot stand each other.
Arrangements are made at functions for their seats to be apart.
Who are they, and what divides them?
The row about the council’s two-hour traffic restrictions put the spotlight on one such stoush.
LNP MP Sam O’Connor, who is in the new seat of Bonney which covers Labrador and Southport, and area councillor Dawn Crichlow are not the greatest of neighbours.
Mr O’Connor, who has to attend numerous public functions with Cr Crichlow, suspected the veteran councillor was not particularly fond of him and his comments about council responsibilities.
Asked about Mr O’Connor wanting to fast-track the removal of the two-hour parking restrictions introduced for the Commonwealth Games, Cr Crichlow fired up.
“I’ve had nothing but trouble from Sam O’Connor,” she told me, her face a similar colour to her hair. “He wants to stick more with his own business, which is state government.”
Just as the pen was put down after a brief pause, she added: “Painful.” She might have said that several times.
But the surprise was when councillor Kristyn Boulton, who previously worked in the same office as Mr O’Connor when they were employed by federal LNP Member for Fadden Stuart Robert, did not hold back either.
“Quite frankly, I think the state member for Bonney should stick to his own knitting and stop playing politics,” she said.
So what’s going on in the suburb fondly referred to as Stabrador? It seems Cr Boulton did not appreciate Mr O’Connor parking his ute with its political colours at community functions.
The pair traded texts when Mr O’Connor became concerned about asbestos at a suspected drug house that had been gutted by fire. Cr Boulton advised him to “redirect these types of council matters-issues through to my office”.
“Texting is not an official channel for such business to be conducted. In fact your office should be directing these inquiries through to my office. Office to office, officer to officer, it’s why we both have offices and staffers,” Cr Boulton wrote.
Mr O’Connor replied: “I understand they have processes they need to follow to capture information, but surely an elected State MP can call or text a councillor or vice versa.”
Each week at Gold Coast schools, charity and sporting groups, someone has to host an MP and a local councillor.
Seating arrangements can be problematic.
Political relationships in Southport are lively, shall we say, but a long way from the worst.
In the Hinterland, Labor’s Meaghan Scanlon gets along well with green-leaning councillor Peter Young at fetes. They posted smiling pictures at a Pacific Pines school upgrade.
Mudgeeraba’s Glenn Tozer, despite being a member of the LNP, gets along with Ms Scanlon, while his relationship with conservative colleague Ros Bates is more challenging.
Farther south, it is doubtful veteran MP Ray Stevens would be sharing a glass of red with Robina-based councillor Hermann Vorster. The politician known as “Mermaid” suspects the former young LNP leader one day will assume his state seat.
But it is in the deep south where the battle lines are drawn.
Burleigh’s Michael Hart is opposed to light rail and fires shots at Mayor Tom Tate’s council.
Drive further down, almost to the border, for a function and take a look at where Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey, McPherson MP Karen Andrews and councillor Daphne McDonald are sitting.
Club organisers say they are quick to separate Ms Stuckey and Ms Andrews after the pair had a public sparring session at a school function some years back.
“They sit them apart. Jann doesn’t really get along with Karen. The relations are very strained between federal, state and local government on the Coast,” a club organiser said.
So watch this space. Given the brief of the new Office of the Independent Assessor, will it be long before an MP makes a complaint about the behaviour of their local councillor?