Back to the by-election

VACANCIES TO GO TO VOTE

TOWNSVILLE City Council Division 10 voters will head back to the polls after the state government announced it would repeal Local Government Act changes and reintroduce by-elections.

Under current legislation the runner-up automatically replaces a councillor or mayor who resigns or vacates the job within 12 months of an election.

This decision comes after Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow resigned amid misconduct claims.

Her mayoral position is the second vacancy to come up following the local government elections in March.

Former Townsville Division 10 councillor Les Walker was elected as the Mundingburra MP at the state election and the process to find his replacement has been shrouded in uncertainty.

But on Monday, Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe announced replacements for Ms Strelow and Mr Walker would be picked through a “proper” vote.

“Once the new parliament is sworn in, the Palaszczuk government will introduce and pass a bill to retrospectively amend the Local Government Act,”

Mr Hinchliffe said. “I have received advice that this should be completed at the earliest opportunity — any vacancies to any mayoral or councillor positions that have recently arisen will need to be filled through a by-election.”

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the people should decide who represents them.

“All the local governments will welcome that decision,” she said.

In Townsville’s Division 10, Fran O’callaghan, who secured 18 per cent of the vote at the March election behind Mr Walker’s 64 per cent, had been in line to be the next councillor, but now faces a by-election to gain office.

In a letter to the Townsville Bulletin, Ms O’callaghan said she believed this change would be at odds with the hard stance the state government had on borders.

She said the legislation in its current form would assist in providing further protection amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Any claim that the current legislation is undemocratic is unfounded as it was brought into its very being by a democratically elected parliament,” Ms O’callaghan wrote.