QLD Elections wrap: Council and state by-election results, issues, fallout

Former ETU official Lance McCallum has claimed victory in the Bundamba by-election, but Labor suffered an almost 11 per cent swing against them on the primary vote.

FORMER ETU official Lance McCallum has claimed victory in the Bundamba by-election, but Labor suffered an almost 11 per cent swing against them on the primary vote.

Mr McCallum said it hadn’t been a “straight-forward” process but “sometimes the bumpy roads were the ones best travelled”.

The by-election came after Labor party stalwart Jo-Ann Miller announced her retirement last month.

“The people of Bundamba have once again put their trust in Labor,” Mr McCallum said.

“They have said the working people come first.

Labor's Lance McCallum has claimed victory in the Bundamba by-election.

“They have said that public assets, frontline services and local jobs matter and they have put their trust in someone who is going to fight on their behalf for a fair go.”

According to the ECQ’s website this afternoon, One Nation’s Sharon Bell secured 27.98 per cent of the vote, trailing McCallum’s 42.43 per cent.

Almost 62 per cent had been counted.

Mr McCallum paid tribute to Ms Miller who first won the seat at a by-election 20 years ago.

“I want to publicly pay tribute to Jo-Ann and her amazing legacy,” he said.

“I’ve got really big shoes to fill.

“I want to wish her nothing but the best in terms of happiness and health.”

CITY OF IPSWICH ELECTS ITS’ FIRST WOMAN MAYOR

TERESA Harding has been elected as the 51st mayor of the City of Ipswich, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

Veteran councillor Paul Tully also won his race for councillor of the city’s ninth division, vowing he’ll be back for several more terms if voters choose.

Teresa Harding celebrates winning the mayoral election with husband Steve Voll at Queen's Park. Picture: Rob Williams

Ms Harding today proclaimed victory in a teary Facebook video, thanking residents for their support in her bid to become Mayor of Ipswich.

“I will strive to rebuild our community trust, pride and hope for our great city that I love so much,” she said.

“To be elected Mayor of Ipswich is a significant responsibility – it is a duty that I am proud to take on for the wonderful people of Ipswich.”

Longserving Ipswich councillor Paul Tully also won his 13th election in a row.

Mr Tully told The Courier-Mail he was now ready to contest several more elections after a “genuine break” from council duties, brought about after every Ipswich councillor was sacked mid-term in August 2018.

BUNDABERG MAYOR CLAIMS VICTORY

BUNDABERG mayor Jack Dempsey has claimed victory, becoming the first person leading the regional council to be re-elected to a second term.

Mr Dempsey has secured 64 per cent of first preferences, with almost three quarters of votes counted.

“This is a resounding endorsement and I appreciate the community’s overwhelming expression of confidence,” he said.

Bundaberg mayor Jack Dempsey attends the booth at Kepnock High School to vote.

Mr Dempsey said he would get on with the job of crafting the region’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are fighting an invisible enemy who threatens our lives, jobs and wellbeing,” he said.

Mr Dempsey is the first to be re-elected for a second term as mayor of Bundaberg Regional Council since it was formed in 2008.

Likely-Logan City Council Mayor Darren Power with wife Lynne. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Walker

POWER LIKELY TO BE NEXT MAYOR WITH CORONAVIRUS HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE

WHISTLEBLOWER Darren Power, who is likely to become Logan’s next mayor, says the biggest challenges will be guiding the city through the coronavirus, drafting a budget in weeks and deciding on the next CEO.

It is expected he will return to council chambers with the three councillors who backed him and supported former chief executive Sharon Kelsey.

Preliminary results show former Division 10 councillor Darren Power will take up the post after defeating seven other candidates.

He is likely to be joined by councillors Lisa Bradley (Division 1), Laurie Koranski (Division 4), and Jon Raven (Division 5) who are expected to be returned to their seats after one of the most volatile periods in the city’s history.

Mr Power said his biggest challenge will be to guide the city through the coronavirus but was also aware of having to draft a budget within weeks and help the council select a new CEO.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

PREFERENCES TO DECIDE TWO-HORSE RACE FOR MORETON BAY

LONG-TIME councillor Peter Flannery and local Chris Thompson will most likely need preferences to decide who becomes the next mayor of Australia’s third largest local government.

Peter Flannery.

Mayoral candidate Chris Thompson. Picture: AAP/Image Sarah Marshall

Mr Flannery is currently sitting on 29.6 per cent of the vote, slightly ahead of Mr Thompson’s 28.2.

The three other mayoral candidates are all sitting between 10 and 15 per cent of the vote.

As of 11.40am Sunday, 31.9 per cent of the vote had been counted.

Division 9 is also shaping up as a close race, with former acting mayor Mike Charlton (43.3 per cent) battling to hold his seat against challenger Cath Tonks (42.7 per cent).

At 11.40am, there is less than one per cent separating the two.

BRISBANE LORD MAYOR ADRIAN SCHRINNER WINS DESPITE RESULTS MELTDOWN

ADRIAN Schrinner is confident he has won the race for Brisbane Lord Mayor despite a farcical results fail when the ECQ’s website melted down, revealing barely any of the vote count.

The incumbent mayor was last night declaring his scrutineers had confirmed he had been returned to the Brisbane lord mayoralty in an election night filled with confusion as results slowly trickled in.

Adrian Schrinner, Lord Mayor of Brisbane, in his office on council election night. Picture: Steve Pohlner/AAP

Labor’s Patrick Condren was not conceding defeat though, insisting it was unlikely a result would be known last night and that he remained “positive”.

The latest preliminary count published by the ECQ at 11.30pm showed Cr Schrinner was ahead of Mr Condren on first preferences with 45.65 per cent compared to his rival’s 31.77 per cent.

At close of counting last night, the Electoral Commission had counted less than half the vote (41 per cent) amid “technical issues”.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Originally published as QLD Elections wrap: Council and state by-election results, issues, fallout