Melbourne Cup field in election
A RECORD field of about 60 candidates may stand at this month’s Gold Coast City Council poll, when nominations close at 11am today.
Fifty-three candidates stood in 14 divisions at the 2016 election, including six mayoral candidates. For the March 28 poll, at least 51 candidates are standing, including six mayoral candidates.
Electoral Commission of Queensland nominations show Derek Martin Rosborough has put his hand up to be mayor. He joins four others seeking to unseat Tom Tate.
Ahead of the cut off, only councillors Donna Gates (Division 3), Peter Young (Division 5) and Hermann Vorster (Division 11) are unopposed.
At least four new councillors will be elected – in Divisions 1, 6, 7 and 10.
In terms of key dates, the ballot draw will be tomorrow. Pre-polling starts on March 16.
The Gold Coast Bulletin will stage six community forums in which residents can put questions to the candidates, beginning on March 10.
COUNCIL CANDIDATES TO DATE (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
MAYORAL: Virginia Freebody, Mona Hecke, Brett Lambert, Gary Pead, Derek Martin Rosborough, Mayor Tom Tate. DIVISION 1: Renee Clarke, Mark Hammel, Alec Pokarier, Pat Reynolds, Andrew Stimson. DIVISION 2: John Wayne, Cr William Owen-Jones DIVISION 3: Deputy Mayor
Donna Gates.
DIVISION 4: Cr Kristyn Boulton, Cr Cameron Caldwell.
DIVISION 5: Cr Peter Young.
DIVISION 6: Susie Gallagher, Brooke Patterson, Michael Pulford, Jo Sherline, Josephine Tobias, Shaelee Welchman.
DIVISION 7: Ryan BayldonLumsden, Wendy Coe, AminReza Javanmard, Tony Melia, Andre Saint-Flour.
DIVISION 8: Matthew Armstrong, Cr Bob La Castra, Joshua Smith. DIVISION 9: Mary-Anne Hossack, Cr Glenn Tozer. DIVISION 10: Seema Chauhan, Stephen Cornelius, Adrian Johnston, Rowan Panozzo, Eddy Sarroff, Darren Taylor, Mike Winlaw. DIVISION 11: Cr Hermann Vorster. DIVISION 12: Cathy Osborne, Zac Revere, Renee Stewart, Cr Pauline Young.
DIVISION 13: Katrina Beikoff, Cr Daphne McDonald, Scott Wallace, Bern Young.
DIVISION 14: Gloria Baker, Cr
Gail O’Neill.