Whitsunday council to vote on deputy mayor at September 14 meeting

The deputy mayor will take home a salary of $84,000 and take on the mayor’s job if a vacancy arises. But with splits and animosities among councillors, it isn’t clear who will nab the job.

Following the shock victory of former psychic Julie Hall in the Whitsunday mayor’s race, the council is set to choose a deputy mayor.

Whitsunday Regional Council meeting documents show the deputy mayor receives a salary of $84,912 and takes on special responsibilities separate to a regular councillor.

“The deputy mayor acts for the mayor during the absence or temporary incapacity of the mayor, or a vacancy in the office of mayor,” the documents state.

Councillors will vote in an open forum and the winner will be determined by a majority vote, but it is unclear who will emerge as second-in-command.

The mayor’s race exposed splits and animosities within the council, with Councillor Jan Clifford preferencing Mrs Hall ahead of Councillor Mike Brunker, the second-place finisher, helping to swing the election in her favour.

Whitsunday Regional Council 2022 mayoral by-election candidates: Julie Hall (top left), Phil Batty (bottom left), Al Grundy (top right), Jan Clifford (bottom right) and Mike Brunker (right). Not shown: Peter J Hood. Picture: Contributed

Following the election, Mr Brunker claimed there had been a concerted and improper campaign to suppress his candidacy.

“There was a clear first preference of people who wanted me and then of course when you get candidates who join forces and work together it is easy to knock someone off with preferences,” he said.

Mr Brunker said all the candidates “except Al Grundy” helped hand out each other’s how-to-vote cards at different parts of the electorate at pre-poll booths and on election day.

The mayor serves as the key link between the administration and the decision-making body of elected councillors and the September 14 meeting will be Mrs Hall’s first leading the council.

Mrs Hall said she had already met with councillors one-on-one and said whoever was voted in would do “really well” in the role.

“Personally, I would probably like to see a southern deputy because it brings the unity, having a mayor from Bowen and then a southern deputy may bring a little bit more unity in,” she said.

“But that’s just personal, and it is neither here nor there as to whether I can work with someone or not, because I am happy to work with anyone.

“It is not my decision, it is a council decision.

“I am really confident that whoever we get in that mayor chair will work with me professionally and that is all I ask for.”

During the election campaign, Mrs Hall said she would reconsider the influence of the CEO and planning department at the council.

“It seems to be very CEO and planning led,” she said.

“People don’t seem to have a say anymore.

“We need community consultation and we are not getting community consultation.”

She has also pledged to address perceived financial waste at the council.

Mrs Hall has no prior government experience but she said she considered this an “advantage” rather than a problem.

“I do not think coming in blind is a bad thing,” she said.

One Nation's Dawson candidate Julie Hall and One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts at the Coral Cay Motel in Mackay on election night 2022. Picture: Duncan Evans

“Because you are not in the system and so you can often identify things from a different perspective when you are not in the system.”

Before her tilt at the mayoralty, Mrs Hall campaigned for the federal seat of Dawson under the One Nation banner.

She has said her desire to give “people a voice” when “bureaucrats are not listening” would carry over into the council.

“That is something I run with in my federal campaign and it is what I ran with in this campaign and I am not going to change from there,” she said.