CANDIDATE NO-SHOW
McDonald no-show in tight race for Div 13
INCUMBENT councillor Daphne McDonald has created a stir at the latest election forum on the Gold Coast – by failing to front up.
The veteran Palm Beach candidate was a no-show at the Bulletin event last night, surprising rivals Scott Wallace, Bern Young and Katrina Beikoff who all turned up.
Ms McDonald failed to respond to calls or emails. The forum was closed to the public due to coronavirus.
PAUL WESTON, ANDREW POTTS AND BRIANNA MORRIS-GRANT
VETERAN councillor Daphne McDonald has become the first councillor to boycott an election forum staged by the Bulletin after being a shock no-show at last night’s function.
The failure of Cr McDonald to turn up stunned rivals as she faces the fight of her political life to retain her Palm Beach division, which under boundary changes now extends north to Burleigh.
The Bulletin invited Cr McDonald and candidates Scott Wallace, Bern Young and Katrine Beikoff in Division 13, and Councillor Gail O’Neill and candidate Gloria Baker in Division 14.
The forum at the Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park Surf Life Saving Club was a sellout but after Federal Government announcements about COVID-19, the Bulletin decided to close the meeting to the general public.
Several attempts were made to contact Cr McDonald by telephone and email but she did not respond.
Residents were asked to send in questions, and most of them focused on any political allegiances of the candidates, light rail to the border and high-rise development.
Ratepayers wanted to know if council would build a car park at Palm Beach, whether councillors could improve public consultation and whether they supported an environment advisory committee being re-established at City Hall.
In a specific question to Cr McDonald, a resident asked: “What specific steps have you taken to try to improve the City Plan and the individual building outcomes in Palm Beach, other than saying you don’t like them.”
The Bulletin asked the candidates in Division 13 what was their budget, how many volunteers they had, how many homes they had doorknocked and would they do a preference deal.
Mr Wallace from the Animal Justice Party said he began his campaign less than a month ago and was working off a limited budget. Candidates have no preference deals.
“We don’t have huge budgets. I have a total of 10 corflutes,” he said.
Ms Young said she began campaigning on January 20, resigning from the ABC and working on a 10-week plan, which included letter box dropping and doorknocking.
She estimated her total spend would be about $8000 with most of that from “micro donations” under $500.
About 40 supporters had indicated they would hand out how-to-vote cards at booths on polling days on March 28 but coronavirus was likely to have an impact on numbers.
“I don’t want to put my friends in harm’s way,” Ms Young said.
Ms Beikoff estimated she had spent 600 hours doorknocking 400 streets since her campaign started six months ago. Her budget of $10,000 was funded by herself and her husband.
“It’s an incredibly valuable to listen face-to-face as someone explains what their issues are,” she said.
“That’s where the real issues and information comes through.”