‘An embarrassment’: Council repeals decision to reinstate Paul Pisasale Bridge name

Ipswich City Council voted this morning to repeal its unpopular decision to reinstate the name of the now-infamous Pisasale Bridge. Mayor Teresa Harding said the community backlash had been heard “loud and clear.”

Ipswich City Council voted this morning (Tuesday, July 12) to rename a bridge and road bearing the name of the city’s disgraced former mayor, Paul Pisasale.

It comes after a recent successful vote, led by Pisasale’s former deputy Councillor Paul Tully, to overturn the original decision to rename the bridge in December, 2021.

This morning, Council voted on a recommendations that it repeal the decision to reinstate the names Paul Pisasale Bridge and Pisasale Drive and consider the community sentiment and options for renaming the bridge.

It also resolved that the Council CEO should work with the traditional owners to decide on the new names.

Councillors further voted on a recommendation to consider an engagement report, tabled by Councillor Nicole Jonic on June 30, which outlined the community consultation undertaken about the renaming of the bridge and road.

Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale leaves the District Court in 2019. Picture: AAP/Glenn Hunt

Pisasale was arrested in 2017 and ultimately jailed in 2020 for 35 charges, including official corruption and sexual assault.

Two councillors abstained, the rest councillors ultimately voted in favour of the recommendations.

Cr Harding said the “backlash from our community over the last 12 days’' did not surprise her.

“Dismissed councillors naming council assets after themselves was a big election issue in 2020, and I’m still asked every day: ‘when are you changing the names’,” she said.

Cr Harding noted that Pisasale Road in Yamanto had been named after Paul Pisasale’s parents, not the disgraced mayor himself.

“I have no issues with honouring people from our city who have made outstanding contributions to the city,’’ she said.

“What I do take issue with is councillors who use their position of influence to name public assets after members of their own family.

“Over the last 12 days our community has made their views abundantly clear; they do not want the Pisasale name put back up.”

Cr Harding said all the councillors from divisions one to four had been asked about their stance on the Pisasale Bridge during campaign candidate forums.

“In total, six people in this chamber told our community during the election campaign that they would remove the names,” she said.

Cr Tully said it was unfortunate Council voted not to deal with each matter separately, as he was strongly against the wording of the recommendation that the CEO work with traditional owners to decide on new names.

“I don’t believe, given the public interest in this particular matter, that we should delegate our powers to approve names,’’ he said.

“I think it’s very important that we have a final decision made by a full council meeting.”

Cr Madsen also said he was disappointed Council had not voted to deal with each matter separately.

He also said he had no recollection of being asked about the issue at a candidate forum, or of the mayor discussing that with him.

“I think that it’s clear we need to go to some couples therapy,” he said.

Mayor Teresa Harding. Picture: Cordell Richardson

Cr Harding read aloud feedback from residents, including one who said: “We have a moral imperative to show respect and compassion for those who were assaulted and compromised by this man. The idea of having to reinstate his name is reprehensible.”

Another resident wrote that “the decision is an embarrassment and I feel ashamed to be part of a city that would do this”.

Mayor Harding said she wanted to thank every resident who had shared their concerns and that their voices had been heard “loud and clear.”