Jack Dempsey speaks on federal election rumours

Speculation has been running rife that Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey is throwing his hat in the ring for the federal election. The NewsMail put the question to Cr Dempsey.

He’s been a police officer, state member and mayor.

Is a tilt at federal politics next for Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey?

A source close to the mayor says Cr Dempsey is “bemused” by speculation he could be running at various government levels.

“It’s no secret that Jack advocates strongly for the Bundaberg region,” the source told the Bundaberg NewsMail.

“As mayor, he sees the federal election as a critical opportunity to champion investment in social infrastructure, development of the Port and flood protection.

“He’s bemused by speculation that he’s running for Flynn, Hinkler and the Senate.”

Speculation about Cr Dempsey running for other tiers of government is nothing new.

In 2020, former Bundaberg councillor and mayoral candidate Helen Blackburn was a guest on ABC Radio along with Cr Dempsey and suggested to listeners that he’d planned to run for state.

“Jack, I've heard on the grapevine that you’ll be running for State Government in the upcoming state election, I’m just wondering which suburb that you might live in Brisbane,” she asked.

Cr Dempsey (left) held a number of ministerial roles under the Newman Government before being toppled by Labor’s Leanne Donaldson.

Cr Dempsey responded by saying the spreading of “false, vexatious rumours” said more about the people spreading them than anyone else.

Responding to queries from the Bundaberg NewsMail regarding current rumours of a federal tilt, Cr Dempsey said he would not respond to speculation.

“I’m aware of persistent rumours that I’m going to be running for the next state or federal election,” he said.

“Over the years, I’ve been approached by dozens of people to run for state or federal politics.

“I won’t be responding to rumours while I get on with the job of being mayor of the beautiful Bundaberg region.

“All the best to all candidates in what will be a very important election.”

Cr Dempsey’s interest in federal topics has been evident of late in his online Jack Hammer column, where he has touched on everything from meat labelling through to the gender pay gap – discussion topics far and away from the local government tier.

Speculation also ramped up following an article in weekly publication Bundaberg Today, where it was suggested Cr Dempsey had struck a deal with Labor and would run as an independent in exchange for Labor not running a candidate in Hinkler.

Previous reports in the Fraser Coast Chronicle tipped Hervey Bay Labor advocate Alicia Wade as a frontrunner for the red ticket for Hinkler, but the former council candidate was never officially endorsed.

While Queensland Labor did not reveal who would run for the seat of Hinkler, the party did tell the Bundaberg NewsMail on Tuesday that Labor would not be withholding a candidate.

“Labor will be running a candidate in each seat in the upcoming federal election,” a spokeswoman said.

The question that remains is ‘who?’

Federal member asks for answers

Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said rumours needed to be put to a stop.

“The Bundaberg Mayor has allowed rumours to circulate for months about his possible candidacy in the federal election,” he said.

“He now needs to be up front about his intentions with the ratepayers of Bundaberg and declare that intention immediately.

“The Bundaberg mayor should also clarify if he intends to keep taking his mayoral wage and utilising ratepayer-funded staff, cars and phones, while campaigning for the federal election.

“Bundaberg ratepayers deserve to know if he has lost interest in them because you can’t serve two masters.”