Behind-scenes jostling starts after Redland mayor eyes federal seat

Jockeying to fill the top position at Redland council has started after mayor Karen Williams announced she intended to run for Andrew Laming’s federal seat of Bowman.

Redland players, clockwise from top left: Andrew Laming; Karen Williams; Julie Talty; Don Brown; Clair Richardson; Henry Pike; Donisha Duff and Wendy Boglary.

Behind-the-scenes jockeying to fill the top position at Redland City Council has started after mayor Karen Williams announced her intention to run for the federal seat of Bowman this week.

Cr Williams revealed she had applied for LNP membership on Monday, signalling her plan launched weeks after disgraced federal MP Andrew Laming announced he would not contest the next federal election.

But before her post becomes available, Cr Williams has to win LNP pre-selection and then win the seat.

Long-serving councillor and deputy mayor Julie Talty would be a contender if a by-election were called for the position of mayor.

The city’s deputy mayor Julie Talty has remained tight-lipped about her intentions but her ambitions have previously extended to contesting the state seat of Springwood at the 2017 poll.

The rumour mill about any succession plan for the mayoral position went into overdrive on the weekend after the Capalaba MP Don Brown posted photos of Cr Talty’s mother, Sharon Burns, at a Labor Party rally outside Mr Laming’s electorate office on Saturday.

ALP candidate for the seat Donisha Duff and ALP Senator Penny Wong organised the rally to call for Mr Laming to resign immediately.

Previous candidates who ran for positions on the council at elections in 2016 and 2020 and who want to remain anonymous, have also reported being contacted and asked if they would consider running in a by-election if Cr Talty’s seat became vacant.

Long-time Redland councillor Wendy Boglary has also declined to reveal if she would be a contender for the post but said if Cr Williams won the Bowman seat, there would be a by-election.

Redland mayor Karen Williams and Cr Wendy Boglary, when she was the city’s deputy mayor.

Cr Boglary said she was disappointed that party politics had entered local government with Cr Williams being forced to join the LNP to be eligible for pre-selection.

“I hope someone who is community-minded with integrity comes forward to give the community a say in council decision making, if it is ever required,” Cr Boglary said.

“We need someone who understands finances too, considering the large number of costly projects we are currently juggling and the amount of infrastructure that needs replacing.

“We need someone who can work with large amounts of debt and is happy to fund projects that are not sexy such as water and sewerage which need upgrading now.”

Sound financial management was also a criteria Capalaba MP Don Brown said had been lacking and evident after a poor result for Redlands in a recent Auditor-General report.

Capalaba MP Don Brown (ALP) said any new Redland mayor should have strong financial acumen after a damning Auditor-General report.

Mr Brown declined to comment on the candidate’s race for the seat but said Redlands needed strong financial management after the report for local government 2020 found the council had the state’s worst operating surplus of -2.92 per cent.

“I am concerned about these red flags that the Auditor-General has given Redland City Council,” he said.

“The council has the worst operating surplus ratio and asset sustainability in southeast Queensland and the report says that this will mean reduced service levels and an increased burden on ratepayers.

“With all these big ticket items that the mayor Karen Williams is proposing, such as with the Birkdale land and Heinemann Rd sporting precinct, the council needs to show how they can afford these projects and if they can’t keep up with their current asset maintenance.”

Redland council said it was in a strong financial position and was looking to find a balance between raising sufficient revenue while being mindful of ratepayers and services.

The council said the operating surplus or deficit was not a net result and did not include all the revenue, which can be seen in the Statement of Comprehensive Income, which is in the black.

Cr Talty was contacted for comment as was Cr Williams.

Along with Cr Williams, other possible contenders for the federal seat of Bowman could include the LNP’s Henry Pike and possibly independent candidate Clair Richardson.