Veteran ex-councillor back with a new team

He had four decades’ experience on Ipswich council before getting sacked along with the entire administration. Now he’s back with a new running mate.

SACKED councillor Paul Tully has announced he will contest this month’s Ipswich City Council election as part of a team.

Mr Tully, who served as a councillor for 39 years, will run in a team in Division 2 alongside Goodna accountant Nicole Jonic.

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Together they will run under the banner Your Voice of Experience.

“I’ve still got business to do,” he said.

“I’m reasonably confident we’ll both be elected as a team.

“If we’re both elected, we’ll work together for the good of Division 2.

“Without that, two councillors could be elected who are diametrically opposed on policies.”

Mr Tully joins sacked colleagues Sheila Ireland and David Martin in standing for re-election, 18 months after the previous administration was dismissed by the State Government.

He rejected the suggestion former elected representatives should not stand again.

“(There is) almost 60 years of experience between us,” he said.

“That’s important so you don’t have people who lack completely the knowledge to get the council firing again.”

The 68-year-old ruled out a run for mayor following a failed attempt in the 2017 by-election, after discussions with wife Liza.

He has known Ms Jonic for close to a decade.

“I’ve realised that the best chance of both of us winning is having the experience of myself and the fresh blood on the council,” he said.

Paul Tully and Nicole Jonic. Picture: Cordell Richardson

Ms Jonic, who is the principal of NKT Tax Accountants, has lived in Goodna since 2011.

This will be her first election.

“I’m a public practising accountant so I’m in touch with our community daily,” she said.

“I think the balance between development and conservation is the biggest concern that I’ve got.

“I live, work and play in my division … so I rarely leave. That’s why I’m so passionate about it.

“(Mr Tully) has the history and I’ve got the fresh passion and the drive. It’s a win-win really.”

Although Mr Tully is a member of the ALP, Ms Jonic said she is not a member of any political party.

They would push to introduce a policy of free tip vouchers for Ipswich residents.

“We’re committed to introducing a system such as in Brisbane,” Mr Tully said.

“It would apply to owners and renters.”

The pair said they would be opposed to any more “super dumps” in the city, and push for a fire station for Greater Springfield, more security cameras in parks and other “hot spots” in Ipswich’s eastern suburbs and restore the local mobile library and immunisation clinics.

An unfair dismissal case filed by Mr Tully and six other former councillors, including Mrs Ireland, was dismissed by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission in January.

“They ruled that we were elected members and not employees, which meant our case couldn’t proceed,” he said.

“They heard no evidence as to whether or nor we were actually fairly or unfairly dismissed, so we’ve decided we’re not going to appeal. That will be the end of the matter.”