Power outspends ‘cheapskates’ to win mayoral race

Choosing Logan’s next mayor may have been a case of you get what you pay for … the city’s voters were given a smorgasbord of candidates from big spender Darren Power to cheapskate Ben Musgrave, who did not spend a cent.

Logan mayoral candidates Sherry Heath, Brett Raguse, Returning Officer Ray Langler, John Freeman, Stewart Fleming, Paul Taylor, Darren Power and Allan de Brenni.

PICKING Logan’s next mayor may be a case of you get what you pay for.

Eight candidates joined the historical race for the city’s next mayor, after the entire council was dismissed a year ago.

CLAIMS ALP DATA BASE USED

CORONA WREAKS HAVOC WITH SWEARING IN

SEARCH FOR MAN IN POLLING PUNCH-UP

DARREN POWER: LOGAN’S NEW MAYOR

The city’s voters were given a smorgasbord of candidates from big spender Darren Power, who won but spent his first year’s wage in the process, to cheapskate Ben Musgrave, who did not spend a cent.

According to Mr Power’s online ECQ expenditure account he spent $269,600 on his campaign, more than the $228,521 he will earn in his first year in the job.

Darren Power who spent nearly $270,000 and John Freeman who only spent $8693.

Mr Power said all of the money was from his own pocket with the largest of the 261 itemised expenses being $26,537 for four billboards.

Ten days out from the poll, he spent a further $16,500 extending the time the billboards would be displayed.

Other large expenses included $18,323 to mail out flyers to the 190,682 constituents, $17,358 for election signs, $2750 on brand and marketing and $5280 on election items including packs for volunteers.

SPECIAL FREE SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

“It was disappointing that I spent a lot of money on how to vote cards and items for volunteers which I then could not use because of the coronavirus,” he said.

“There were some transfers from my campaign account to my wife Lynne’s company account because I had to use a company car.

“But I followed the rules to a T and included everything that I spent money on and even some items that probably don’t even need to be included because I erred on the side of caution which is why the figure is little bit inflated.

“I knew I would be the front runner and I knew that if I made a mistake on something they would be after me.”

Mr Power said the huge outlay proved he was serious about the job.

Opponent Ben Musgrave, a member of the Motoring Party, spent $250 to register, a fee he will get returned if he scores more than 4 per cent of the vote.

Mayoral candidate Ben Musgrave who took an alternative approach to buying corflutes and spent $0.

“I went in to the election hoping to win but I am a regular guy who holds down a full-time job and I was not ever going to buy corflutes and advertising signs,” Mr Musgrave said.

“I have a lot of business acumen and management skills so it would not have been a problem if I had won.”

According to the ECQ website, Mr Power did not receive any donations other than $191,600 in transfers of his own money from his joint account with his wife Lynne, to pay for the campaign.

His biggest competition came from former Federal MP Brett Raguse who spent $40,062 on his campaign with his biggest expense being $19,790 to send letters to the city’s constituents.

Mr Raguse received $40,347 from 16 donors with the biggest being his own finance company Strategm, which contributed $11,971.

The third contender, Sherry Heath, ran her campaign on a shoestring according to data from the ECQ website.

Logan City Council mayoral candidate Sherry Heath. AAP Image/Richard Walker

Ms Heath, who entered the campaign at the last minute and held 11 per cent after 66 per cent were counted, had not listed any donors and spent a minimal $1028.

Mayoral candidate Stewart Fleming received $30,752 in donations with his largest donor Operait Investment Trust, which contributed $9050 to his campaign, in which he spent $52,949.

Mr Fleming’s largest expense was $9405 for advertising on outdoor billboards.

Former mayor John Freeman, who vowed to slash the mayor’s salary by $100,000 a year, spent $8693 on his campaign.

Logan City Council Mayoral candidate Stewart Fleming spent $52,949. AAP Image/Richard Walker

His biggest expense was for $1782 for election signs and banners.

He had no donors with all his campaign funding of $5835 from his joint account with his wife. Mr Freeman said he would pay the balance.

Stonemason Paul Taylor spent $53,825 on his campaign with his biggest outlay being $10,480 in January for billboards.

At the time of going to print, the father of State MP Mick de Brenni had not posted any expenses or donations.

The final figures will not be known for another 15 weeks and the donations recorded are for those more than $500.

All smaller donations are yet to be declared.