Qld Police Minister Mark Ryan, Meaghan Scanlon weigh in on Redlands Mayor Karen Williams’ drink-driving admission

State government Minister Meaghan Scanlon says it is “untenable” for Redlands Mayor Karen Williams to stay in the region’s top job. Her comments come after the Police Minister said there should be consequences.

State government Minister Meaghan Scanlon says it is “untenable” for Redlands Mayor Karen Williams to stay in the region’s top job.

It comes after the Mayor admitted she had “several glasses of wine” before she smashed her car just hours after handing down her council’s budget on Thursday.

Ms Williams had held a Zoom meeting with families who had lost loved ones to drunk drivers before she got behind the wheel last week, losing control of her car and crashing into a tree.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon on Sunday said she thought it was untenable for Ms Williams to continue as Mayor “given what has occurred”.

“When you look at the fact that Karen Williams was on the phone to families who had lost a loved one to drink driving and then an hour later got in the car under the influence - that’s pretty untenable,” she said.

Minister for the Environment Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Tara Croser

The Mayor has so far resisted calls to quit, vowing to continue making her community a “safer place”.

Ms Scanlon’s comments come after Police Minister Mark Ryan said there should be consequences for making the wrong choice and that “you got to walk the walk and talk the talk”.

Mr Ryan, who was speaking at a press conference about road safety on Saturday morning, said a police investigation was still underway and Cr Williams had not been charged.

“But I think this reinforces the message we’re saying today, so speaking generally the choices that you make can … be life changing choices, but they could also result in impacts to your career, could also impact on enforcement action by the Queensland Police Service, and could also affect your reputation,” he said.

Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, the Honourable Mark Ryan MP. Picture: Liam Kidston

“So every time someone gets into a car, you’ve got to make the right choice because if you make the wrong choice, you can have significant consequences for yourself and the community more broadly.”

Asked whether Cr Williams should stand down, Mr Ryan said “speaking generally, if someone makes a bad choice, if someone breaks the law there should be consequences.”

The Mayor was responsible for launching a petition calling for safer roads earlier this month in the wake of the “lenient” sentence handed to the drink-driver who killed Matthew Field, Kate Leadbetter and their unborn son Miles in a horror Australia Day smash last year.

Mr Ryan said he believed people would have “pretty strong opinions” following Cr William’s crash and that “you got to walk the walk and talk the talk don’t you.”

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams admitted to drinking ‘several glasses of wine’ before driving and crashing her car. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

“So for people who you know espouse to be advocates for road safety they also have to be road safety responsible people themselves,” he said.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said drink driving “isn’t on”.

“Doesn’t matter who you are or what your circumstances are, you should never get behind the wheel after you’ve been drinking,” he said.

“Full stop, end of story.

“There aren’t excuses for doing it and I think it’s important that we get that message out because it’ll ensure that Queenslanders’ lives are protected.

“It is a really, really important message to get across.”

Capalaba MP Don Brown on Saturday called for Cr Williams to resign and has asked Local Government Minister Steven Miles to investigate the boozy post-budget party held at Redland City Council chambers on Thursday night.

Assistant Police Commissioner Ben Marcus said he couldn’t comment on the investigation and he didn’t know when the blood alcohol results would come back.

“Police are investigating a single vehicle traffic crash in the Redlands, that vehicle hit a tree,” he said.

“We have one person with minor injuries who is assisting and co-operating fully with police.”

Police are awaiting blood analysis before finalising their investigation into the matter. Ms Williams has not been charged.

Ms Williams on Saturday acknowledged she had made a mistake - and said she was “deeply sorry”.