Rhodes Watson could be the next Livingstone Shire councillor

Here’s what he had to say after hearing Thursday afternoon’s shock news.

Rhodes Watson is in line to become the next Livingstone Shire councillor. FILE PHOTO.

"You could have knocked me down with a feather."

That was Rhodes Watson's reaction to the shock news on Thursday afternoon that Cr Tanya Lynch had resigned from Livingstone Shire Council.

Mr Watson is now in line to become the next councillor should the cards fall his way - and he wants the job.

"If I'm offered the position, I will take it," Mr Watson told The Morning Bulletin late on Thursday afternoon.

Cr Lynch departs after less than 12 months in the job.

She secured 8.19 per cent of the vote at the 2020 election to seal the final spot at the council table, just ahead of Mr Watson with 8.07 per cent.

In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, the council explained the process from here.

"The process of filling the councillor vacancy is prescribed at law and councillors will meet next week to decide to either proceed with a by-election or, have the Electoral Commission of Queensland administer a process of reaching out to the runner-up from the last election to determine if they would accept appointment," the council said.

Mr Watson said he had been informed of Cr Lynch's resignation courtesy of a phone call from Livingstone Shire CEO Cale Dendle on Thursday.

Mr Watson, who currently runs Snippets Newspapers, said he was fully committed to the councillor position should it come his way.

"As I said when I was running (for council), I had jobs that I wanted to do, and I still have jobs that I want to do," he said.

Mr Watson would follow in the footsteps of his father John and mother Suzy if he was to secure a seat at the council table.

 

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