Ipswich City Council election mayoral, division candidates, policies | Full list
Ipswich City Council Mayor Teresa Harding will be slugging it out again for the top job, facing off against five other hopefuls, while 20 others have put up their hands in the city’s four divisions. We list their policies and experience. FULL LIST
Ipswich
Don't miss out on the headlines from Ipswich. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The March 16 Ipswich City Council election is shaping up as a titanic struggle between familiar faces and a host of newcomers.
We contacted the six mayoral hopefuls and the candidates in each of the four divisions about their policies and backgrounds.
Where they could not be reached or did not respond, we compiled relevant information from radio and other media interviews or statements, official Facebook or campaign website material and publicly available biographical information.
The candidates are listed in order of ballot draw and each of those who responded was given a maximum of 200 words to state their case for election.
Postal vote applications have now closed, but early voting started on March 4 and runs until March 15.
■ TO VOTE EARLY IN IPSWICH: Springfield Central: Brighton Homes Arena Brisbane Lions Stadium, 16 Eden Station Dr. Collingwood Park: St Luke’s, 40 Reerden St. Raceview: Whitehill Church, 219 Whitehill Rd. Ipswich Mall, 22 Nicholas St, Ipswich: Brisbane City Hall, in Adelaide St, from Monday, March 4 to Friday, March 15 from 9am to 5pm each day and 9am to 6pm on Friday, March 15.
Election day voting is on Saturday, March 16, from 8am to 6pm.
MAYORALTY
TERESA HARDING, IND
Although running for her second term as mayor as an Independent, Ms Harding is a LNP member.
She has an extensive list of “sustainable’’ policies in her platform.
There would be 10 free pool and 10 free tip vouchers per household, more street trees planted and a push to make the State Government ensure composting facilities within 10km of residential areas were enclosed.
Part pensioners would continue to get concessions.
Ms Harding would continue Council’s progress on a Ipswich to Springfield Central train line,
Norman St bridge and upgrades for the Amberley intersection on the Cunningham Hwy, Mt Crosby Interchange on the Warrego Hwy and duplication of Ripley Rd.
She would expand bus services within Redbank Plains, continue the voluntary house flood buyback scheme and build a new Rosewood emergency centre.
She vowed to continue her 2020 commitment to set up a Grants Office to support local community, sporting and business groups and continue the Stronger Communities Program.
A Harding administration would push for more opportunities to capitalise on the Brighton Homes Arena facility and having the Brisbane Lions headquartered in Ipswich.
She would incorporate a community office in new libraries and community centres.
She would also boost business investment through continuation of footpath dining levies, attracting more events including a push for V8 supercars in 2025, develop a hotel and short term accommodation plan and publish Council’s “order book’’ 18 months in advance to give local companies more time to tender.
KEN SALTER, IND
Mr Salter last ran for office in 2017 in the election to replace disgraced councillor Paul Pisasale. At the time Mr Salter promised to campaign for better accountability by council.
This time the painting contractor and longtime local is running for mayor on the issue of the future of Redbank Plains Rugby League Club, which he claimed was under threat from revenue losses and loss of players.
PETER ROBINSON, IND
A third generation Ipswich resident, Mr Robinson is an accountant and is campaigning on issues including better financial management.
He said despite a rise in rateable properties the city’s debt now stood at $486 million (total liabilities), which he said had led to an obvious decline in maintenance of infrastructure.
He would tackle this decline by exploring opportunities to grow external revenue sources, reducing debt, increasing the “pace of change’’ and delivering some of the facilities needed across the city.
He has worked at SGIO (later Suncorp), at the Securities Commission (now ASIC) and in private practice as an accountant.
He has been an executive member of a number of local clubs including sports clubs, the Ipswich First Association and Ipswich Workers Community Co-op.
KARAKAN KOCHARDY, IND
Mr Kochardy also ran for mayor in 2020, when he promised to donate his wage to Council projects and “share’’ the mayoralty with the other candidates after he told a candidate forum that they were all honest and hardworking people.
The Hungarian emigrant, whose family came to Australia after the 1956 uprising, said in a 2020 mayoral forum that he deliberately became homeless in San Diego, in the US, to better understand the issue.
He also said in the 2020 forum that he wanted to foster tourism to Ipswich, the speaking of Esperanto and the teaching of phonetics in schools, even though education was a state responsibility.
There was no contact information for him on the Electoral Commission Queensland site and QT could find no mayoral candidacy website, Facebook page or any other information on Mr Kochardy’s policies for the 2024 election.
DAVID MARTIN, IND
Mr Martin is a born and bred Ipswich local who has run a handyman business, been a youth worker, high school teacher and teacher at the Wacol Youth Detention Centre.
He is campaigning on a “back to basics, delivered on time’’ platform of better roads and road maintenance, upkeep of facilities, footpaths, kerbing and channelling, park maintenance, rubbish collection and other basic services and infrastructure.
Examples included the “goat track’’ road access to Ripley, which he cited as an example of infrastructure lagging development.
Other key infrastructure that was desperately needed included a Ipswich-to-Springfield rail line, which he said contrasted with Springfield which had its own branch line and station.
He promised to work collaboratively with the state and federal governments on key priorities including: a new synthetic athletics track; Norman St bridge; Sinnathamby Bridge duplication; North Ipswich stadium; Woollen Mills arts precinct; new indoor sports facility; rejuvenation of the Bremer River.
His environment policies ranged from a green waste facility to addressing the ongoing dump issues, recycling and green waste facilities, planting more trees and protecting koala corridors.
If elected he would work to expand Willowbank, support local business tenders and preference local traders at Council functions bring back local offices and foster city pride.
SHEILA IRELAND, IND
The veteran Div 1 councillor announced last year that she would run for mayor because of what she believed was a “toxic culture” in the council and a need for a change in the leadership.
Josh Addison was her running mate in Division 1, under the banner Team Sheila Ireland.
She narrowly lost out by a couple of hundred votes in 2000 to the then deputy mayor before being elected as a councillor from 2004 to 2018, when Ipswich City Council was sacked by the State Government.
She believed she was unfairly dismissed and came back in 2020 to Div 1, saying at the time she did not want to end her political career on a sour note.
A grandmother and fifth generation local, her family owned a local coal mine in the late 1800s.
She said after serving for so long under four mayors and multiple CEOs that she had done her apprenticeship and knew how to take Council in a “different direction’’.
Ms Ireland said she now had a good working relationship with the state government, as well as the federal government and the local senator.
She went to Canberra to advocate for the second business case for an Ipswich-Springfield rail line and, among other policies, would increase the mowing budget in summer months.
DIVISION 1
JOSH ADDISON, TEAM SHEILA IRELAND
A born and bred local from Redbank Plains, the 23-year-old is one of Australia’s youngest parliamentary advisers.
After dropping out of high school at 14 he worked in media and broadcasting including with political heavyweights Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie and the Katter’s Australian Party.
He said there was a lack of strategic direction in Council and priorities were skewed to the CBD and not outlying areas, particularly west Ipswich and Div 1.
Mr Addison said Council had forgotten the established suburbs, along with the people in them. He questioned why there were still unsealed roads in his suburbs when millions were being spent on lifestyle projects in the CBD.
Mr Addison said he wanted to shift the focus back to the basics including job generation, infrastructure, community programs, the needs of seniors and tackling crime.
He has raised traffic on Redbank Plains Rd and the long completion timeline for Ripley Rd as major issues, as well as campaigning to “stop the stink’’ from recycling and waste operations.
Mr Addison has also been vocal on a petition calling for “Vyleen’s Law’’ after a local grandmother was allegedly stabbed to death at Redbank Plains Town Square.
Mr Addison said he would fight for his community not for political interests and make sure no one in his community was left behind.
JACOB MADSEN, IND
In 2022 Mr Madsen was appointed as the city’s youngest deputy mayor, then aged 29.
At 27 he was elected to public office for the first time, to Div 1, when he and another successful candidate for council both became the new, youngest people to be elected to council.
A Labor Party member, he has a Bachelor of Commerce and Arts majoring in political science.
In his first term he advocated for or announced a raft of new traffic lights, road upgrades, sports club facilities and other basic infrastructure projects.
One of his major achievements was securing a low-interest loan to council from the State Government to pay for the upgrade of Ripley Rd between Fischer Rd and the Cunningham Hwy.
Under the scheme, the loan would be repaid via development charges raised on individual homeowners in the fast-growing area.
SIMON INGRAM, IND
Mr Ingram ran third in Division 1 in 2020, but his two-month campaign was cut in half by Covid lockdown and this time he did not have to compete with veteran councillor Sheila Ireland.
The Ripley Valley father has urban planning expertise and currently runs a builders buying group, as well as volunteering with the Rural Fire Service and volunteering with his local P&C.
Mr Ingram, whose campaign was entirely self-funded, said he was running again because the same issues he believed the community were most concerned about had still not been addressed.
These included stopping the stench from compost operators, an upgrade of the Cunningham Amberley interchange and a train line to Deebing Heights.
He said there was still no options analysis for the train line yet, even though it was due by 2030.
He promised to be a “pain in the arse’’ of local state and federal MPs until action was taken on those issues.
He also opposed a drug rehabilitation centre in Wildey St, wanted bigger recycling bins and also e-waste recycling rebates.
He would prioritise upgrades to Ripley and School roads, the two main connector roads through the fastest-growing corridor in Queensland.
PYE AUGUSTINE, IND
Ms Augustine said she had the energy, skills, confidence and motivation to get things done for her city.
She has been actively involved in multiple community and sporting groups for many years.
Ms Augustine has advocated for the establishment of a community safety committee on Council and for more CCTV cameras in high crime areas.
She has acknowledged the impact of the cost of living crisis on people in her division, saying it would be a major focus for her including the introduction of complimentary waste and recycling vouchers.
She would advocate for improved infrastructure such as better roads, public transport and sporting facilities.
Ms Augustine has also promised to be a strong advocate in helping to improve the standards and compliance of the waste industry to reduce odours in affected suburbs.
The proud mum of Tommy, Ebony and Holly (a Brisbane Roar Liberty A League team member), she has long advocated for a boutique stadium at North Ipswich, which the State Government recently pledged $10 million towards.
Next on her sporting wish list is a synthetic athletics track at University of Southern Queensland Ipswich Campus.
DIVISION 2
VINCENT DO, IND
Mr Do said he was running as a fresh, local voice.
The Vietnamese migrant has been involved in volunteering at an executive level for 20 years and has had an interest in politics for two decades as well.
He said it was time to do his bit and support the broader community.
He said the community was tired of flood issues in the Goodna area and safety problems.
If elected he would prioritise flood mitigation infrastructure, empower residents to cope with flooding, improve street lighting and create more vibrant outdoor play and sports areas.
Mr Do said cost of living pressures were causing hardship for most families, so he would strive to keep rates bills down.
He also would push for more support and funding for local organisations, more footpaths and upgrades to existing footpaths and better town planning to reduce the impacts of flash flooding on roads.
Mr Do, an ALP member, has supported Labor’s Margie Nightingale in the by-election for the overlapping state seat of Inala.
HELEN YOUNGBERRY, WORKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Ms Youngberry, from Goodna, wanted to continue her work with Goodna Street Life, an independent charity she set up in 2015 which provided housing and support for the homeless.
She has stepped back from her role running the organisation, along with running mate Steven Purcell, to focus on campaigning for office.
A Div 2 local, she said public office would be a “step up’’ for her.
She was running because she wanted to give people a voice.
She billed herself as a grassroots, underdog candidate.
“We’re proven, we have fresh ideas, great passion,’’ she said in a recent radio interview.
“We want to do what we do best.’’
She would push to fix more footpaths and build more bus shelters, if elected.
Ms Youngberry said many councillors got caught up in big ticket projects, but it was the smaller projects which affected people more.
Working For Our Community’s policies included: sustainable development through innovative, best practice building standards; neighbourhood plans; more parks and green space; more wildlife corridors, habitat protection and eco-tourism initiatives; better accessibility for those with disabilities; building standards to better meet the needs of an ageing population and end-of-life care.
PAUL TULLY, YOUR VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
Queensland’s longest-serving councillor, Mr Tully is standing for his 14th election.
He has served for 43 years and became Ipswich’s youngest councillor since 1860 after his first win in 1979.
A law graduate from the University of Queensland, he said he has come back with “renewed energy’’ after each election.
He is currently the Local Government Association of Queensland Policy Executive representative for the Ipswich/West Moreton region.
His running mate on “Your Team of Experience” is another serving councillor, Nicole Jonic.
They said they would continue to work together as a team if re-elected.
Their major policies included: introduction of free tip vouchers for residents; stopping any more super dumps in Ipswich; more security cameras in parks and other hotspots across Ipswich’s eastern suburbs; restoring the mobile library and immunisation clinics; protecting koala corridors and increasing environmental protection across the city.
A colourful character, among other things he has been a beekeeper for 60 years and is a licensed Australian amateur ham radio operator with the call sign VK4PGT.
Mr Tully said Ipswich was the fastest-growing city in Queensland and the community needed honest, transparent and progressive representation.
NICOLE JONIC, YOUR VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
A Goodna-based accountant, longtime local and registered tax agent, she has the same policy platform as her running mate Paul Tully.
Their major policies included: introduction of free tip vouchers for residents; stopping any more super dumps in Ipswich; more security cameras in parks and other hotspots across Ipswich’s eastern suburbs; restoring the mobile library and immunisation clinics; protecting koala corridors and increasing environmental protection across the city.
She established her own Ipswich firm almost a decade ago and is a member of the Institute of Public Accountants and a Fellow of the Tax Institute Australia.
She has had a high profile as a Div 2 councillor since 2020 and was appointed deputy mayor in 2021.
Ms Jonic, who has moonlighted as a radio announcer, announced last year she would run again but would not go for the mayoralty after “enduring turmoil’’ in her role.
Ms Jonic said she was passionate about the success of Ipswich and wanted all residents to benefit from the region’s growth.
NEETU SUHAG, IND
The Haryanvi Welfare Association in Australia president said she decided to run after years of engaging and volunteering in the community.
She has lived in Div 2 for almost a decade and said she would widely consult with constituents, community groups and businesses.
She would push for more funding to maintain parks, roads and essential services while also working to keep rates affordable.
The environment and more efficient use of ratepayer money would be priorities as well.
She said her ethnic background was an advantage in such a multicultural area.
STEVEN PURCELL, WORKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Mr Purcell is the general manager of Goodna Street Life.
He is also a small business owner with a background in science, business and finance.
“For the past eight years I’ve been committed to supporting the homeless and vulnerable in our community and have fought to improve local access to housing, mental health, domestic violence and AOD recovery services, as well as providing affordable food to our community,’’ he said.
“My passion for helping others is what drives me, which is why I am running with my long-term colleague and dear friend Helen Youngberry, president of Goodna Street Life.’’
He believed in evidence-based policies designed to meet the needs of the community today and create opportunities for tomorrow, delivered in consultation and co-operation with residents and stakeholders.
He said a lot of work needed to be done and changes made. Council also needed to be challenged.
He said the pair did not just pop up at election time and had been there to help people through hard times for eight years.
It was his second time running for council.
Working For Our Community’s policies included: a community resource centre; arts programs; a homeless unit; youth programs, intervention and rehabilitation to help address public safety; early intervention to identify those at risk of homelessness and identification of emergency housing locations.
DIVISION 3
DAVID BOX, IND
A former Qld Times general manager, Mr Box is a Div 3 resident.
He was campaigning on issues including: improving communication between residents and Council; revitalising the CBD and addressing the housing crisis; reducing illegal dumping and waste; better servicing of parks and recreation facilities; improving the efficiency of road maintenance practices; creating a safer community.
He has also raised the idea of repurposing unused parcels of land within parks to create community gardens and also extending council’s free plant program to include fruit trees and vegetable seeds, to be used in these gardens.
This program would reduce the amount of council mowing, deliver sustainable food practices and create a sense of community within surrounding neighbourhoods.
He wanted to restore positivity and pride in the city after previous scandals involving former councillors and state members.
Communication was “super important’’ to him and he said councillors needed to speak more to all residents.
He said he had the business skills imperative to tackling council’s financial issues, an analytical mind and many community and business contacts.
Mr Box said he deliberately did not have a detailed policy program because he first wanted to hear what residents wanted before implementing those wishes.
MARNIE DOYLE, BETTER BRIGHTER IPSWICH
Ms Doyle is running for her second term in Div 3.
A lifetime local, she had a 25-year career in banking and as a finance lawyer before being elected.
“I have enormous passion and belief in Ipswich and I look forward to contributing in my second term in Council,’’ she said.
Ms Doyle was running on her record in her first term, which included fighting for better road treatments instead of spray seals, more kerbing and channelling in older, neglected suburbs and the city’s first domestic violence strategy. It included an inaugural DV summit and closer relationships with specialist providers.
She helped drive the establishment of the Safe City Steering Committee and chaired the Ipswich Redevelopment Committee.
In that role she steered the Nicholas Street Precinct redevelopment in the CBD.
She pushed for a circular, transformative economy and led legal action against waste operators.
Ms Doyle was one of two councillors appointed to the city’s first Audit and Risk Committee and as such transparency and accountability was “central to everything’’ she did, she said.
She was also the first city councillor appointed to the Queensland Heritage Council.
ANDREW ANTONIOLLI
Mr Antoniolli, a former police senior constable, was cleared of all charges on appeal following investigations by the Crime and Misconduct Commission into claims of using Council money to buy charity auction items.
The former mayor announced in January this year that he would run in Div 3, saying he was “completely vindicated’’.
Mr Antoniolli worked as an agent for First National Realty Ipswich during that period, in which he always maintained his innocence.
He thanked residents for backing his “integrity and honesty’’.
He said he could bring experience and vision to the role, things he said were lacking in the present Council team which he claimed had “lost its way’’.
“I’ve got a lot of unfinished business. This Council has achieved nothing positive to talk about from the past four years, except to constantly blame the previous council,’’ he said.
“The city has stalled and the momentum built up over many years has ground to a halt.’’
He urged locals not to forget the $72 million “wasted’’, including a $50 million cost blowout, for a cinema development in the CBD.
His priorities included improving community connectivity and participation, as well as greater transparency.
He also wanted to help local community groups and services grow and solve the landfill/waste operation stench, one of the biggest issues in the city.
Mr Antoniolli said the Nicholas Street Precinct was in the hands of a Council which did not understand it.
He would better negotiate with the state and federal governments to ensure Ipswich received its fair share of funding.
DANIELLE MUTTON, THE GREENS
A union organiser, if she won she would become the first Queensland Greens councillor outside Brisbane.
She said her union work had proved to her the power that collective, grassroots organising could deliver.
She would work for transparency and clean up local politics, which she claimed was dominated by business and other powerful interests.
Ms Mutton would take strong action on the climate crisis but work to create jobs in renewables and a healthy environment, while protecting wildlife corridors and native species.
She has made a profile locally on opposing stench-producing industries through her work with community groups IRATE and Stop The Stink.
She would campaign to stop non-compliant, polluting dumps and waste industries.
She would also open a tip shop, repair centre and tool library for residents.
Ms Mutton said truth telling and justice for indigenous people at Deebing Creek was important to her.
Affordability and accessibility would be priorities, as would better services for all including meeting places for community groups.
She would also support community events and festivals and support a vibrant CBD through better active and public transport access.
ANDREW FECHNER, BETTER BRIGHTER IPSWICH
Mr Fechner was first elected to Ipswich City Council in 2020 and was the youngest councillor in the city’s 163 year history.
A business owner, he spent the five years before his election building two successful hospitality businesses in Ipswich Central, providing local jobs and supporting the local community.
With a focus on the environment and sustainability issues, he aimed to be a strong voice for current and future residents.
He said a key focus in his first term had been listening to the people.
As part of that he had 53 mobile offices, a city record, which he said was necessary as the division was huge and included 23 suburbs.
He was proud of standing up on the odour issue despite Council having to spend $6 million in legal fees.
TRACEY NAYLER, THE GREENS
Ms Nayler, who is running with Ms Dutton for the Greens, has been a community campaigner for a decade and an activist for 40 years starting in her teens when nuclear waste dumps were proposed for Ipswich.
She said only 700 people needed to switch their votes for her party to win in Div 3.
If that happened she would push for Council to declare a climate emergency and make all its power usage renewable by 2030.
Her doorknocking revealed housing affordability and cost of living were key issues, so the Greens would introduce significantly higher rates for long-term vacant buildings.
Council staff would not just move on the noticeably higher number of homeless in parks, but assist them.
If elected she would push to actively implement council’s new circular economy.
Any “impactful’’ decisions would be preceded by engagement and consultation.
Her doorknocking also revealed people did not know who their local councillor was, or had not seen them. She said a Greens representative would be more visible.
She believed people-powered movements with representation on Council could help the community thrive, addressing the issues caused by privatisation of social safety nets for health, education, housing, employment and utilities.
Ms Nayler would, if elected, put power in the hands of local people, not developers and corporations.
DIVISION 4
DAVID CULLEN, IND
A Karalee business owner, motor dealer and interstate truck driver, he said there were few business people in Council and they could bring a different perspective.
He said the city needed strong leadership and getting the basics right, such as keeping on top of mowing.
In his area rates had gone up every year but he still had no kerbing and channelling.
He said people complained about what Springfield residents got, but much of that was due to Springfield City Group, while in Ipswich roads had grass growing through them.
“We need to get back to basics and address customer service, economic management, roads and public transport, and be better prepared for the changing climate and environment,” Mr Cullen said.
He said while councils had taken on much more than the basics, they had to get the basics right first before expanding their field of interest.
“I’m a businessperson and I understand that you need to know what your core business is and what your customers want,’’ he said.
He said Council should not be competing with local business and community groups but instead provide the right support, services and systems to enable them to thrive.
He said while city debt was high, Council had to create jobs as well as balance the books.
A road safety advocate, he said Div 4 had some of the city’s worst roads and lacked vital public transport.
He said better community preparedness, flood mitigation and natural disaster management was needed, while protecting bushland and waterways.
SUE DUNNE, IND
Ms Dunne has lived in Ebenezer and Rosewood for almost 30 years and is a life member of Amberley P&C.
She has a community background in P&Cs, sporting clubs (soccer, cricket, rugby league), the Red Cross as an Emergency Service volunteer and the Rosewood Community Emergency Response Team.
A payroll and HR worker in the government and private sectors, she now works at a state primary and a high school.
She said the best way to deal with cost of living was to find alternate revenue sources. Tinkering around the edges with tip vouchers was not enough, she said.
She said Council needed to finish the Nicholas Street Precinct, but then return its focus to core services such as roads including a regular program of rural road upgrades.
She would increase assistance for community groups in basic areas, such as help with grants writing.
Sporting facilities in Div 4 had been left behind more than any other Ipswich Council division, she said.
Rugby league fields at Anzac Park and Blue Gum Reserve, soccer at Caledonian Park and Sutton Park, cricket at Ivor Marsden Oval all had terrible drainage problems, while Little Athletics needed a new home.
Ms Dunne would also advocate for better female change facilities.
She said Ipswich Council needed to improve relationships with state and federal governments to get big projects done such as the Mt Crosby and Amberley interchanges.
JIM MADDEN, IND
Mr Madden said after he first announced he would not be recontesting the seat of Ipswich West in this year’s election, he had received queries about whether he would consider standing as an Independent in Div 4 as its boundaries overlapped with Ipswich West.
“I genuinely love the city of Ipswich, where I was born and raised. I love its people, its
history and its great sense of community,’’ he said.
“With the population of Ipswich expected to double to over 500,000 by 2041, the best possible stewardship by the Ipswich City Council is required.
“As an active, involved and experienced member of the Ipswich community, I hope I may continue to support the city’s decision-making processes as a councillor for Div 4.’’
He said he had also become increasingly concerned about the direction of Council.
He wanted to see Div 4 receive its fair share of the Council Budget.
“I don’t want to see funding allocated to Division 4 diverted to other divisions or projects delayed where current state funding is available now,’’ he said.
“I also want to see progress accelerated with major projects in Div 4, such as the redevelopment of the North Ipswich Reserve and the construction of a Norman Street
Bridge.’’
He said Div 4 residents had told him they wanted a more transparent Council, particularly with regard to the $400 million debt and costs associated with major projects such as the continued redevelopment of the Ipswich City Mall.
He promised to do all he could to make the Council more transparent and honest.
RUSSELL MILLIGAN, IND
The deputy mayor has served on a number of Council committees including: Environment and Sustainability (chair); Governance and Transparency (deputy chair); Growth, Infrastructure and Waste; Ipswich Central Redevelopment.
He has also been deputy chair of the local Recovery and Resilience Group and Disaster Management Group.
Mr Milligan has served in the Army and with the RSL, SES, Rural Fire Brigade and is a Freemason.
His father Bob served on Laidley Shire Council for almost 20 years and his wife Tanya is a long-term councillor and currently mayor of Lockyer Valley Regional Council.
He was campaigning on restoring civic pride, prioritising major infrastructure projects, better safety and public transport, better maintenance and upgrades of roads, particularly on greenfield estates, and better waste management and recycling.
He would support Neighbourhood Watch organisations and foster sporting and social groups for youth.
Mr Milligan said he would press for promised funding for the Yamanto to Amberley upgrade of the Cunningham Hwy.
He said it was unacceptable elected officials “did not know what was going on’’ with waste management.
Wild wind, lightning, rain: Flights stopped as ‘microburst’ smashes SEQ
Parts of Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich have been hit with wild weather as a large band of rain with isolated storms ripped through the Southeast on Wednesday afternoon.
Wanted list: Police on hunt for court no-shows
Named: A Toowoomba court has released a number of warrants for residents’ arrest after they failed to show up to court.