Longtime Moreton Bay Regional Councillor and Deputy Mayor Mike Charlton has lost Division 9
A deputy mayor of one of the state’s largest local council areas has lost his first election in 26 years – by less than 100 votes. The longtime councillor was very humble in defeat.
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The battle for Moreton Bay Regional Council’s Division 9 is over with newcomer Cath Tonks besting longtime councillor Mike Charlton by just 88 votes.
While the results are yet to appear on the ECQ website, former councillor Mike Charlton said the returning officer had declared Ms Tonks the winner on Thursday afternoon, after a lengthy recount on Wednesday.
ECQ announced earlier this week that approximately 30 per cent of the Moreton Bay electors failed to vote.
The Division 9 boundary was also changed in the lead up to the election.
Mr Charlton was first elected as a member of Pine Rivers Council in 1994.
He has served every term since, including after amalgamation and the formation of the Moreton Bay Regional Council.
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In May 2013 he was voted in as deputy mayor.
Mr Charlton was required to step up as mayor for lengthy periods during the last four years due to former Mayor Allan Sutherland being ill and later suspended pending the results of a CCC investigation.
“It has been a blessing and a privilege to serve the community,” Mr Charlton said.
“I think the thing that simply gives me the greatest pleasure is that I have been apart of productive councils, councils that in my opinion have produced well for our communities.”
But he didn’t think it would be as close as 88 votes.
Mr Charlton said his first step was to “rest and recover”.
“It has been a very heavy workload for me for the past four years,” he said.
“Allan’s illness in the first 12 months and all sorts of other things, plus it has been a tumultuous time for local government.
“I put everything I have into every task.”
Mr Charlton said he knew mayor-elector Peter Flannery very well and believed he would do a “good job”.
But he said it was not going to be an easy time ahead for the council.
“It will be a difficult time to start the term, our community is in severe stress as in our nation,” Mr Charlton said.
“The new council will feel the weight of this burden, but I am sure they will rise to the task.
“I would hope the community will give the new council the support it is going to need during very difficult time.”
Due to the ECQ being slow to update results the rest of the new council is yet to be confirmed.
The Herald understands that this is how the new Moreton Bay Regional Council looks at the moment:
Mayor: Peter Flannery
Div 1: Brooke Savige
Div 2: Mark Booth
Div 3: Adam Hain
Div 4: Jodie Shipway
Div 5: Sandra Ruck
Div 6: Karl Winchester
Div 7: Denise Sims
Div 8: Mick Gillam
Div 9: Cath Tonks
Div 10: Matt Constance
Div 11: Darren Grimwade
Div 12: (Unknown)
Cath Tonks was contacted for comment but is yet to respond.
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