Booths open for early voters as council election race heats up in Redland
Don’t fancy queuing at polling booths on election day, March 16? Here is where you can get your civic duty over and done with in Redland. Meet your local candidates here:
Redlands Coast
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Electors across the state can start casting their votes in this year’s local government elections from today, Monday, March 4.
In the southeast, pre-polling stations will open for Redland, Logan, Moreton, Ipswich, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley at 9am.
About 45 per cent of Queenslanders are expected to vote early at around 170 early voting centres statewide with 7 million ballot papers printed.
Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen told voters to bring their Voter Information Cards to booths to help speed up the voting process.
“It’s a big maroon card that is unique to you – simply bring it in, show it to our staff when you arrive and you’ll be marked off the electoral roll quickly,” he said.
“If your email address is on the electoral roll, you will also receive an electronic version of this which you can use in the same way.”
■ TO VOTE EARLY IN REDLAND: go to Victoria Point Community Hall, 140a Link Rd, Victoria Point: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Cleveland Baptist Church, 4 Danielle St, Cleveland: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Capalaba Place Hall, 14 Nielsen St, Capalaba: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
■ TO VOTE EARLY IN LOGAN: go to Hillcrest Early Voting Centre, Logan West Community Centre (Auditorium) 2 Wineglass Dr, Hillcrest: Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. Slacks Creek Early Voting Centre Gracehouse, 125 Paradise Rd, Slacks Creek, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. Beenleigh Early Voting Centre, Beenleigh Showgrounds, Annette & Lionel Mundt Exhibition Pavilion 1/19 Showgrounds Dr, Beenleigh: Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. Yarrabilba Early Voting Centre, The Buzz at Yarrabilba Community Centre (YMCA), 65 Basalt Dr, Yarrabilba: Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. Springwood Early Voting Centre, Springlife Conference Centre, 178 Springwood Rd, Springwood: Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.
■ TO VOTE EARLY IN MORETON: Caboolture Scout Group, 169 Smiths Rd, Caboolture; Clontarf Scout Group, 6 Isobel St, Clontarf; 768-772 Gympie Rd, Lawnton. Kakowan Community Centre, 2 Pine Hills Dve, Bunya. Samford Village Community Church, 44 Mt Glorious Rd, Samford Village. Woodford Scout Group, 40 Canando St, Woodford.
Early voting will be weekdays only, 9am-5pm from Monday, March 4 to Thursday, March 14.
On Friday, March 15 only, it will be 9am-6pm, ahead of election day on Saturday, March 16, when voting is from 8am-6pm.
■ TO VOTE EARLY IN IPSWICH: Springfield Central: Brighton Homes Arena Brisbane Lions Stadium, 16 Eden Station Dr. Collingwood Park: St Luke’s, 40 Reerden St. Raceview: Whitehill Church, 219 Whitehill Rd. Ipswich Mall, 22 Nicholas St, Ipswich.
■ VOTERS from Redland, Logan, Moreton and Ipswich can also cast their votes early at Brisbane City Hall, in Adelaide St, from Monday, March 4 to Friday, March 15 from 9am to 5pm each day and 9am to 6pm on Friday, March 15.
REDLAND
There are three mayoral candidates in Redland. Here are some details about them that is available online as well as other candidates in the Redland race. We asked them all questions about Toondah Harbour, Weinam Creek and whether they wanted the Birkdale whitewater Olympic venue. Some of them responded to our survey and others did not. We got information about each candidate either from them or from their online profiles.
MAYOR
CINDY CORRIE: She has had experience as the founder of an autism school in Redlands, worked at Redland City Council up until last year and has been a past-president of the Redland Chamber of Commerce.
She said her main issues are to get back to basics right through to value for rates, and future-proofing the city through investment in infrastructure, community spaces.
She supports building a whitewater centre at Birkdale. “It will offer an international swift-water rescue training facility, outside the Olympic potential, and will be a legacy community asset with lagoon and recreational water activities.”
She supports Toondah Harbour residential development. “At its core, this project is a marine infrastructure upgrade, transport hub upgrade, and provides community amenity and tourism opportunities Redlands has lacked for some time. My support has always been dependent on the financial and environmental cases.”
She supports working with the Weinam Creek stakeholder and levels of government to ensure adequate parking is provided, that the required state investment is investigated and secured, and that our community has safe and secure protection of their personal assets.”
If elected, she said she would work collegiately with other councillors and the state government on housing, transport, roads and land development.
ANDREW LAMING: He has been a federal LNP MP for the seat of Bowman which takes in Redland City and its islands for 18 years. He played a crucial role in selling some federal land at Birkdale to the local council. He supports the Toondah Harbour development and a whitewater Olympic centre at Birkdale. He has also advocated for a flat water Olympic venue to be built at Leslie Harrison Dam. He said he was the federal MP who originally got the federal land for the Birkdale precinct released starting in 2006.
“If a Mayor gets his reforms into an amended Youth Justice Act – or connects up the city’s CCTV to a real time response room, then they do more for crime than the current State government has. I am hoping to launch a CCTV rapid response room if elected. I would also advocate for a relocation sentencing proposal and this reform is my number one policy to trial in our courts here.
“I believe the land clearing case on Stradbroke Island set a profound national precedent that shows traditional owners can’t do anything they want on Native Title land.
“This is the biggest issue for Redlands but not well understood - and why 71 per cent of Redlanders voted ‘no’ in The Voice. I am the only candidate talking about traffic and not only naming the next commuter road for four-lane duplication, but explaining how a private-public partnership can do it immediately. Freeing up the Leslie Harrison Dam for recreational use is my battle for fishing, boating, sailing and fresh water swimming (and a lakeside complex).
I have been welcoming of a forum for all three mayoralcandidates and I think people enjoy contrasting solutions to front-of-mind issues.”
He is currently appealing penalties in a court case over breaches to the federal Electoral Act for Facebook posts in 2018-19 and has sought a judicial review over Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority claims about $8000 of parliamentary travel expenses, which he called “flawed” and a “witch hunt”. He lives at Ormiston.
JOS MITCHELL: The mother of three, moved to Redland after being a sustainable communities manager at Byron Shire Council from 2010 to 2014. In that role, according to her online resume, she managed division budgets, managed staff, researched and wrote council reports and submissions, managed committees and community engagement and also managed the merger of divisions, along with writing policy. She also spent 11 years as a police officer with the Queensland Police Service in metropolitan Brisbane and Central Queensland. She served as a general duties officer, police prosecutor and, for the last few years of her service, as a regional education and training officer, according to her online CV.
She is on the record for calling for greater transparency over the Weinam Creek overhaul and carpark and is anti-Toondah Harbour and against paying to maintain an Olympic whitewater venue at Birkdale. “Based on the lack of evidence regarding the financial viability of the whitewater centre, and the history of these facilities running at a loss, I do not support the proposed facility. If state chooses to proceed, I will push for state government to shoulder the ongoing responsibility. Toondah Harbour: The vast majority of feedback has been that residents do not want the development in its current form. Most have indicated that some development in terms of ferry terminals and parking needs to occur but they do not want the Gold Coast-style development out into the wetlands and bay. Weinam Creek: It is disappointing that council has not proactively worked with community and state government to try and progress this project sooner. Residents have been affected by the lack of parking for years and I want to see a workable solution reached as soon as possible.”
DIVISION 1
WENDY BOGLARY: Sitting Division 1 councillor since 2008. Running unopposed
DIVISION 2
PETER MITCHELL: Sitting Division 2 councillor Peter Mitchell was elected in 2016. Peter Mitchell spent his early years in Belmont in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs and was schooled at Iona College, Lindum. He obtained a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland in 1985 and went on to a Master in Sports Physiotherapy at Griffith University in 1999. He supports the Toondah Harbour development along with the Birkdale Olympic whitewater centre.
BRIAN McDONALD: He has been a resident of Cleveland for 33 years. He worked in the electrical engineering supply industry setting up Australian National Industrial company before setting up a local trade and retail office supplies business in Cleveland. He wants to revitalise the Cleveland CBD and has reservations about council’s recent investments in major projects, including the Birkdale whitewater facility.
DIVISION 3
PAUL GOLLE: A councillor since 2016. Widowed in 2010 and is raising four children. He was a commander in the Australian Defence Force and earned awards for service. Regarding Toondah Harbour, he said he opposed its current form and would advocate for a purposefully designed port, emphasising that ports fall under state responsibility, not council. He said Weinam Creek needed upgrading, not as a commuter car park, but as a waterfront area designed for tourism, potentially with a user-pays system to alleviate costs for ratepayers.
He said he was committed to working collaboratively without engaging in political manoeuvres.
LUDY SWEERIS-SIGRIST: The 69-year-old lives in Ormiston and is a musician and a member of the Australian Christians. He does not agree with the Toondah Harbour residential development or building a whitewater Olympic facility at Birkdale. He said there needs to be a continuation of collaboration between the State and the Council to solve parking at Weinam Creek. He said it was already a priority development area, so the funding proposals already in place, including introduction of businesses, should assist greatly in keeping rates down across the city. He said he would work collegiately with other councillors and the state.
TRENT FORD: He said he was a regular family man looking to improve the Redlands and has spent 20 years working as a postman and so has a grassroots perspective of what Redlanders expect from the council. He said in regards to youth crime that prevention was key. He wants better consultation, financial transparency and leadership. Council lacks safe community facilities for youth 13-18 years old.
DIVISION 4
LANCE HEWLETT: First elected to council in 2012. He worked for the CBA Bank at Coorparoo but went to the state government State Stores Board as a procurement officer and manager for 11 years. He then moved into sales positions in the private sector and was Queensland state manager of a 3M master distributor within the graphic and signage industry. Married to Sheena, who is sister to the former councillor and state MP Peter Dowling. He lives at Victoria Point.
He is on the Jos Mitchell ticket and so does not agree with the Toondah Harbour residential proposal or the whitewater centre at Birkdale.
ANGEL CROWDEN: The young mum is standing for value for rates, accountability, cutting red tape, investment in infrastructure. She said she did not support building and maintaining a whitewater centre or a flat water centre in Redland and did not support the Toondah Harbour project. She said she would ensure that Weinam Creek had the “appropriate amount” of parking for island residents and that the state invested in the project. “It has recently been mentioned that there could also be plans to add a Coochiemudlo Island ferry service to Redland Bay as well. If elected, I will strongly advocate against this proposal, it will add extra pressure to Weinam Creek parking.”
DIVISION 5
SHANE RENDALLS: Father of four adult children he was also the founding member of the SMBI Permaculture Group, the Treasurer Bay Islands Multi-Sport and Recreation Association (stepping down Feb 2024), and former President of the SMBI Chamber of Commerce. He said he would form a parking and transport group for island residents to improve mainland and island parking and transport within the community. He said he would vote no to paid parking at Weinam Creek to replace free parking that exists at the moment. He is involved in the Redland Legacy Working group planning the Olympics, appointed by Mayor Karen Williams.
HILTON TRAVIS: Works closely with children 0-8 and their families, people with disabilities, older people, non-profit organisations, business owners and staff. He takes part in the Bayside Housing and Homeless Network, Redlands Disability Network, Redlands Seniors Network, Redlands Children’s Network, and other community groups. As Vice President of the Macleay Island Local Ambulance Committee, he wants to increase ambulance services across the bay islands. He is a member of the Jos Mitchell team and although did not respond to questions on Toondah and Birkdale, would vote along those lines.
DIVISION 6
JASPER EVERY: Jasper Every, an administration officer for Redlands MP Kim Richards is a member of the Labor Party. He is also a member of the Jos Mitchell Team and is expected to vote along the lines of that team on issues such as Toondah Harbour, Weinam Creek and the Birkdale Olympic precinct. “I have the experience and drive to bring a new energy into Redland City Council and ensure that there is an experienced younger voice that is thinking about the future service needs of our city,” he said. “Council needs to be investing to better cater for local growth, as Redland Bay and Mount Cotton have grown rapidly in the last decade with more homes to come.”
JULIE TALTY: She was elected to council in 2012 and was the unsuccessful LNP candidate for the Springwood electorate at the state poll in 2017. She lives in Division 6. Her father John Burns was also a Redland councillor. Advocate for the Toondah Harbour project and the Birkdale Olympic whitewater venue even though we received no response to our questions on Weinam Creek or Birkdale or Toondah Harbour.
DIVISION 7
ROWANNE McKENZIE: With her husband, she owned and operated a small business in Redland for 13 years, according to her online profile. She has worked as a finance officer at Queensland Health and in customer service in hospitality and retail. She did not respond to questions about Toondah Harbour, Weinam Creek or the Birkdale Olympic venue, but has voted for aspects of the projects. In 2021, the first-term councillor denied claims that were aired in parliament about a fake Facebook account under the name of Scarlett Rivers. She vehemently denied links to the account.
MEISHA READ: She is the youngest candidate in the Redlands and possibly in the state. She is a young mother, a First Nations woman and a renter. She does not support the Toondah Harbour project but believed there needs to be a port upgrade. She does not support building a whitewater Olympic centre and believes the money could be better spent in the local community but did not say on what.
MURRAY ELLIOTT: He is a former Redland city Councillor. He was an advocate for those who live in Kinross Rd estate over bay island residents. He was working for ALP State MP Don Brown as an admin officer until announcing his candidacy. In July 2019, he was the only councillor to walk away from the Birkdale Olympic project as no infrastructure or operational costs could be provided.
DIVISION 8
JACK BARTON: Lives in Division 8. He did not respond to questions about Toondah Harbour, Olympic whitewater venue and Weinam Creek. But on his Facebook page he said pension rebates “have been on the minds of a number of residents who I’ve been chatting with. Naturally, I cannot make promises.”
TRACY HUGES: Tracey is a long-term resident of the Redlands and lived in Victoria Point for nine years before moving to Wellington Point in 1999. She did not respond to questions about Toondah Harbour, Weinam Creek or the Birkdale Olympic venue. She was elected in 2016.
DIVISION 9
JASON COLLEY: He said he wants to ensure a future for his children. “We need housing solutions, more recreational facilities and employment opportunities for young people.”
He said he would support the Olympic whitewater centre if he saw a sound business case for it so it would not be a burden on taxpayers. “There are very few recreational options for families in Redlands and a facility like that would be great for attracting visitors. We also have a once in a generation opportunity to capitalise on Olympic funding and hosting the Games would likely provide access to that. If the Federal government provided advice that Toondah Harbour stacks up environmentally and it will be supported by the required transport infrastructure, I would support it. In its current form, it may be excessive, but a landmark development like this could revolutionise our city. “There is no doubt parking is a major problem for SMBI residents. Construction of a multi-level carpark is scheduled to commence next year but we need to ensure it can cater for the growing population. There is no place in Redland City Council for party politics or factions. I am proudly independent and am committed to delivering the best outcomes for my community.”
ADELIA BERRIDGE: The councillor, who was elected in 2016, did not respond to questions on Toondah Harbour, the whitewater Olympic venue and Weinam Creek. However, she is on the record for saying: the biggest challenges the city faced were “Traffic, parking, unsustainable development and the mega Toondah development coming on top of Shoreline which will both bring unprecedented traffic through Capalaba and I see these as the biggest challenges.”
DIVISION 10
PAUL BISHOP: Running unopposed.
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