Council spot muddle

Distant second in line may replace Walker on TCC

A CASUAL vacancy in Townsville City Council caused by Les Walker’s win in Mundingburra could be filled by a council candidate that secured less than one in five votes, unless the next state government moves swiftly to undo a vexed law as promised.

Under amendments to Queensland’s electoral laws that only came into effect three weeks ago, a councillor or mayor who resigns or vacates the job in their first 12 months will be replaced by the runner-up.

In Townsville City Council’s case, the elevation of Division 10 councillor Les Walker to state government would mean his spot would be offered to Fran O’callaghan, who secured 18 per cent of the primary vote at the March council election.

By comparison, Mr Walker took 64 per cent of the primary vote, the highest among his colleagues.

The so-called “runner up provisions” have been slammed by councils across the state as undemocratic.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, at the Local Government Association of Queensland conference a fortnight ago, promised that a reelected Labor government would roll back the changes and go back to filling tions.

Under current laws, Townsville City Council would have two months to fill the spot once Mr Walker is officially declared amember of Parliament.

LGAQ chief executive Greg Hallam said the government needed to act “as soon as practicable” and that councils affected by the runner-up rule should be allowed to wait until the law was changed before vacancies were filled.

Still in caretaker mode, the state government has given no indication as to how quickly it will move to put the laws through parliament, with a spokeswoman for Local Governspots through by-elecment Minister Stirling Hinchliffe saying the matter would be determined by the next cabinet.

A Townsville City Council spokeswoman said they would “follow the necessary legislation after any official announcements” and wouldn’t say if the council would lobby the state government for amnesty so it can wait until the laws are changed.

Ms O’callaghan comment.

The Woodstock grazier in September said another tilt at council had been on her mind the moment Mr Walker’s name had been floated as a Labor candidate for Mundingburra. declined to