‘Pineapple’ accepts, Division 10 in doubt

TOWNSVILLE’S vacant councillor position remains in limbo despite Rockhampton’s Chris “Pineapple” Hooper receiving his mayoral offer from the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

The current Local Government Act requires that a replacement councillor be parachuted into the Division 10 Townsville City Council position within two months.

The position was created when former councillor Les Walker was elected to state parliament on October 31.

Mr Hooper’s position was made available when Rockhampton mayor Margaret Strelow resigned.

Former local government minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the legislation would be repealed and a by-election held, but the ECQ has advised it is still following the current legislation.

Division 10 runner-up Fran O’callaghan says the council needs to follow the current legislation and she should be named councillor, even if it is temporary.

In an open letter to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Ms O’callaghan said the first thing the newly re-elected government did was “sweep aside the rule of law and introduce chaos and anarchy” into local government.

Ms O’callaghan has been speaking with Mr Hooper about the debacle and said the Rockhampton mayor runnerup planned to accept his new position. She said in order for her offer to come in, the council CEO must initiate the offer through the electoral commission. In an email from ECQ, she was told there were no discussions between council and the commission.