Mackay independents not on the same page for how-to-vote cards

A Queensland councillor and ex-NRL player has asked the public to vote him as their 7th choice while a petty how-to-vote clash sees former ‘agreements’ torn up.

Independent candidate Martin Bella has left fellow independents Alison Jones and Justin Englert off of his how-to-vote card despite being present on both of theirs.

A Mackay councillor is asking the public to vote him as #7 on his how to vote card after bumping two incumbent independents off of his card — despite being on theirs.

Mackay councillor and State of Origin Great Martin Bella has set himself apart from other candidates in the election by asking voters to vote 1 Fran Mann.

“The numbers mean nothing,” Mr Bella said when asked why he wasn’t listed number one on his own how-to-vote.

“There’s no preference you’ve just got to vote for 10.”

When this publication reached out to the Queensland Electoral Commission for clarification a spokesman said, “The order in which the boxes are filled has no impact on the outcome.”

“I personally think that when a 10 is as good as 1, asking for 1 is a little pretentious,” Mr Bella said.

Alongside this anomalous listing, two incumbent independent candidates are conspicuously absent from Mr Bella’s how to vote card.

Councillors Alison Jones and Justin Englert are both running as independents in this election and as such made “arrangements” early on in the election process to appear on other independents’ how-to-vote cards.

Mr Englert has previously run as leader of his own team and as part of Team Greg Williamson but is now an independent. Picture: Michaela Harlow

“Being on 11 how to vote cards is an advantage, being on 5 is a disadvantage,” Mr Englert said.

“I thought I was on 10 now I’m only on 9.”

Mrs Jones’ how-to-vote card has one key difference from Mr Bella’s and her fellow independents, it has a member of a team listed on it.

She has listed Namarca Corowa, a member of Jacko’s Team, in the #2 spot.

“Namarca’s a great community person,” Mrs Jones said.

“He does what we need in our community in relation to working with people with mental health issues.”

When asked why she felt she was not present on Mr Bella’s card, Fran Mann’s, Pauline Townsend’s or Les Scott’s, she said she wasn’t sure and that we should “ask them”.

Incumbent councillors Pauline Townsend and Fran Mann have also left Mrs Jones off of their how-to-vote cards. Photo: Heidi Petith

Mr Bella in response said that he had left Mrs Jones of his how-to-vote card due to her accepting donations, which he finds “problematic”.

“As soon as you take more than $5 there’s an expectation,” he said.

“Nothings for free.”

Justin Englert was also unsure as to why he was absent on some how-to-vote cards, feeling he was “behind the eight ball”.

“I made agreements with people to swap those preferences and that hasn’t panned out … I’ve stuck to my guns and put the people on my cards I said I would,” he said.

Mr Englert did not elaborate on which councillor’s preferences “haven’t panned out”.

He has listed Mr Bella on his how-to-vote card, but Mr Bella has not reciprocated.

“We’ve had differing views for a very long time on various different issues,” Mr Bella said when asked about Mr Englert.

“I believe you should be more concerned with principles than with projects.

“Doesn’t mean he’s good, bad or indifferent, I just felt there were nine better people.”