Mackay council elections: Jacko’s Team climbs rankings

With 70 per cent of the vote counted, the latest figures show one independent frontrunner slip down the rankings while Jacko’s Team make up over half of the top ten rankings. LATEST

As of 7:30am March 25, early results show that Jacko’s Team - Mackay First, could makeup almost half of the Mackay region’s councillors. Picture: Heidi Petith

Over 70 per cent of the Mackay region’s ballots have been counted and as the final tally draws nearer, it’s clear that Jacko’s Team have received a huge amount of support from the community.

Martin Bella has slipped further behind popular incumbent independent Belinda Hassan, dropping to fourth place behind Namarca Corowa and George Christensen.

Namarca Corowa, as of 7:30am on March 25, proved to be the most popular Mackay First candidate securing more than 22,200 votes.

He was listed on Alison Jone’s how-to-vote card as well as the Mackay First how-to-vote card.

George Christensen is not far behind with 4 per cent of the vote, while Martin Bella sits in fourth place with just 3.9 per cent.

Council newcomer Peter Sheedy has also received a strong level of support from the community with 3.9 per cent of the vote and holding fifth place in the rankings.

Nathenea MacRae has held onto her sixth place ranking and 3.8 per cent tally, while teammate Heath Paton has risen to seventh place beside her.

At eighth place, Ash-Lee Johnson holds on as the only remaining Team Greg Williamson candidate with 3.8 per cent of the vote.

Below her with 3.7 per cent, and in danger of losing her seat on council, is incumbent independent Alison Jones.

At the bottom of the pack, also with 3.7 per cent, Jacko’s Team candidate Melissa Fowler has made the top 10.

Falling from the frontrunners pack is incumbent deputy mayor Karen May.

She is separated from the top 10 by approximately 150 votes.

Preferences are expected to be counted from Tuesday after the deadline for postal votes passes.

Both Fran Mann and Pauline Townsend, incumbent independent councillors, have been knocked out of the top ten list for the moment.

As of 7:30am March 25, only ballots from Victoria Park and Walkerston have yet to be counted.

If current trends continue the next Mackay’s next regional council will include three incumbent independents, five Mackay First candidates, one Team Greg Williamson candidate and newcomer Peter Sheedy.

Excruciating wait to decide Mackay’s next mayor

The identity of Mackay Regional Council’s next mayor may not be known until March 26 as frontrunners begin to emerge in the musical chairs battle to become a councillor.

For incumbent mayor Greg Williamson and his challenger, Lenards franchisee Steve Jackson, the 10 days of waiting to find out the winner are moving at a snail’s pace compared to the breakneck speed of last minute campaigning on election day.

Mr Williamson said while it was an “unfortunately” long waiting game as the ECQ exhausted Laurence Bonaventura’s preferences to resolve the “extremely tight” competition between him and Jacko, that was “democracy at work”.

Jacko meanwhile remains busy as “normal” working at his Lenards store at Caneland Central while keeping one eye on the tally for councillor candidates.

“It was funny, a young lady asked me, ‘What if you become mayor? Who will deliver the chickens?’,” he said.

“I said to her, ‘Well then, you might have the mayor of Mackay delivering your chickens.”

Williamson pushes ahead of Jacko

As of noon Thursday, Mr Williamson still held the lead in the official first preference count with 41.91 per cent of the votes compared to Jacko’s 38.6 per cent, with 2308 votes separating them.

Incumbent mayor Greg Williamson hands out his how to vote cards at the entrance to Northern Beaches State School on election day, Saturday, March 16, 2024. Photo: Fergus Gregg

The competitors had been neck and neck in the first preference count into the late hours of Saturday, March 16, with less than 1 per cent in votes separating them.

But as the clock struck midnight and 79.72 per cent of the votes were counted, Mr Williamson pulled ahead with 42.24 per cent of the vote compared to Jacko’s 38.58 per cent.

From a knife’s edge to a comfortable lead

The change from being on a knife’s edge to holding a somewhat comfortable lead was welcomed by Mr Williamson’s family and friends who had gathered for a barbecue at his home while the initial count kicked off.

Conversely, it was a less pleasant call to bed for Jacko and his crew who had spent hours as scrutineers at the Mackay Showground’s 500 Pavillion where more than 30,000 early votes were cast.

The Mackay regions’ ballots were being counted under the watchful gaze of Jacko. Photo: Fergus Gregg

The still too-close-to-call standings also cemented the Electoral Commission of Queensland’s need to draw on postal votes and distribute preferences to determine whether the former Penrith Panthers forward could cross the mayoral try line in the last minute of play.

‘Disappointed’ Bonaventura hopes new council pays attention to voters’ wishes

Former councillor Laurence Bonaventura – who had joined the mayoral race on a two-prong platform to scrutinise council spending and scrap team-voting mentalities – conceded defeat on Sunday afternoon.

“While disappointed, I thank the 20 per cent of voters who voted for me and hopefully it’ll make a difference somewhere,” Mr Bonaventura told the Daily Mercury.

“I believe it’s up to the new council to look at the fact that almost 60 per cent voted for change.”

Laurence Bonaventura smiles confidently as he arrives to the Northern Beaches State School to join his competition in greeting voters on March 16, 2024. Photo: Fergus Gregg

As befitting Mr Bonaventura’s pragmatic approach to public service over the past 12 years, he said he accepted the outcome with grace and finally having caught up on sleep, he would weigh up his options before charting his next steps.

Four incumbent councillors could make a return

Half the region’s incumbent councillors could keep their seat at the Mackay council table, if current trends continue.

With more than 38.5 per cent of the region’s 88,861 votes already counted, five familiar faces have ranked in the top 10 candidates likely to win a seat.

Incumbent councillor Martin Bella will likely return as a Mackay councillor in 2024. Picture: Duncan Evans

As of noon Thursday, outspoken Martin Bella leads the tally with 4.31 per cent of the vote, with almost one in two people, or 12,864 out of the 29,389 formal ballots including him as a preference.

Coming in at second position was fellow incumbent councillor Belinda Hassan with 4.18 per cent or 12,463 votes and in third was newcomer Peter Sheedy with 4 per cent or 11,927 votes.

George Christensen a politician again?

They were followed by Jacko’s Team – Mackay First members, former Dawson MP George Christensen at 3.93 per cent and Namarca Corowa at 3.85 per cent at fourth and fifth place.

Mackay First party members hoping to be elected to represent Mackay Regional Council (from left): Ian Christensen, George Christensen, Kylee Stanton, Nathenea MacRae, Steve 'Jacko' Jackson, Lindsay Temple and Namarca Corowa. Absent were Heath Paton, Jeff Keioskie, Keith Hicks and Melissa Fowler. Picture: Heidi Petith

At sixth position was incumbent deputy mayor Karen May at 3.85 per cent at only 37 votes ahead of incumbent councillor Alison Jones at 3.84 per cent.

In eighth position was incumbent councillor Pauline Townsend at 3.77 per cent, only eight votes ahead of newcomer and Team Williamson candidate, Ash-lee Johnson, also at 3.77 per cent.

And rounding out the top 10 was incumbent councillor Fran Mann with 3.75 per cent, who barely holds the spot ahead of Mackay First candidate Nathenea MacRae with 11,183 votes compared to 11,041.

Team Greg Williamson members (from left): Ash-Lee Johnson, Joshua Thornton, Neil Wallace, Greg Williamson, Stephen Cutting, Karen May, Peter Freeleagus and Michelle Green. Photo: Facebook

Mishaps at the ballot box for Team Williamson candidates

But whether Ms Johnson can cling onto eight position remains to be seen with Team Williamson learning of a massive blow to their campaign late on Saturday.

As the count got under way, piles of ballot papers were cast aside as they only had seven preferences instead of the necessary 10.

Many voters on Saturday had selected only the seven councillor candidates making up Team Williamson.

At Mackay Northern Beaches State High School, there were a considerable number of these votes classed as informal and it is understood the calamity was replicated at other polling booths as well as during early voting.

But whether the mishap will leave an indelible mark on candidates’ chances remains to be seen with the ECQ still counting votes cast before March 16 at either the Mackay Showgrounds’ 500 Pavillion or Sarina’s CWA Hall.

So far, 12.81 per cent or 4382 votes were informal, with more than 50,000 ballots still to be counted.