Moreton Bay Regional Council’s deputy mayor resigns

Moreton Bay Regional Council’s deputy mayor has made a shock, tearful resignation announcement. READ HER FULL STATEMENT

Moreton Bay Regional Council’s deputy mayor has stepped down from all duties and tendered her resignation, effective immediately.

Councillor Denise Sims was first elected to Moreton Bay Regional Council to cover part of Pine Rivers in 2016 and became the region’s first woman to be elected as deputy mayor following her re-election in 2020.

In a tearful video uploaded to social media on Tuesday night Cr Sims announced she was resigning, effective from Wednesday October 20.

Moreton Bay Council Deputy Mayor Denise Sims has announced she will resign, effective from October 20, 2021.

Cr Sims said the shock move was due to personal health reasons.

“I am extremely grateful that I have had the privilege to serve you as both a councillor and deputy mayor in the Moreton Bay Regional Council,” Cr Sims said in the video.

“Therefore it is with a heavy heart, some anxiety and a level of distress that I announce my resignation effective Wednesday October 20.

“Please understand that I have given everything, evidently more than I could have to the community and everyone in it.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you to those that voted for me, friends from long ago and more recent and to my family that have not only unwaveringly supported me but sacrificed so much. I am in your debt.

“Together we have accomplished so much. First and foremost creating a kinder, more human, more caring council. Which I hope in turn creates a more family centric Moreton Bay region.”

Cr Sims has helped many projects take shape in her short time with the council including upgrades at Dakabin train station, the region’s first pump track at Murrumba Downs, The Kallangur Dakabin Neighbourhood Plan and numerous upgrades to local park facilities.

Councillor Denise Sims advocated for upgrades to more than 30 parks in her division since being elected in 2016.

“In public life I have always put honesty and compassion into everything I have done. Every fight for what you believe in comes at a cost to you and those you love.

“To be vulnerably honest with you right now, I am currently receiving professional help. Having started this journey I would encourage anyone struggling to do the same.

“For me it started with the question ‘Am I normal?’. The answers aren’t immediate, this is a journey.

“With this in mind I have given a great deal of consideration, along with my beautiful and supportive family to the position I find myself in with relation to the duties of councillors and deputy mayor.

Cr Denise Sims at a council’s organised Teddy Bear’s picnic in 2019.

“My role comes with generous leave entitlements or flexibility but it has been my experience that to serve as a councillor effectively you have to give everything 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You must always be present.

Therefore it is not fair to the community to give anything less than my resignation at this time.

“For the near future I wish for a replacement councillor that will serve and love this community. To the other councillors and mayor I wish you all the best and give every support to you in future endeavours around nurturing a kind or humane council.”

Cr Sims ran unopposed at the 2020 local government elections.

An announcement regarding the process for electing a new Div 7 councillor and deputy mayor is yet to be made.