Island whipmaker ditches ‘fake’ Facebook page and mayoral bid to run for state seat of Redlands

The race for a state ALP-held seat south of Brisbane is heating up after a third candidate decided to run after ditching a mayoral bid and a controversial Facebook page.

Candidates for the state seat of Redlands, LNP’s Rebecca Young; sitting MP ALP’s Kim Richards and island whipmaker Gayle Nemeth.

A third candidate for one of the southeast’s most hotly contested state seats has thrown her hat in the ring, after ditching plans to run as a mayoral candidate and closing a controversial Facebook page.

Bay island whipmaker Gayle Nemeth pulled out of the Redland City mayoral race saying she feared her conservative vote would benefit the current mayor Karen Williams’ re-election campaign.

Ms Nemeth said she decided not to run for the top role at Redland City Council as she believed her preference votes would help the current mayor regain her seat.

Instead, she said she would run as an independent candidate for the state seat of Redlands in an effort to topple the Labor Party incumbent Kim Richards.

Her state bid would also pit her against newly endorsed LNP candidate Rebecca Young, a former president of the local Redland Chamber of Commerce, who was once reported to have wanted to have a tilt at running for mayor.

Candidates for the state seat of Redlands, LNP’s Rebecca Young and sitting MP ALP’s Kim Richards.

Ms Nemeth, who was secretary and treasurer of the local Redlands branch of the LNP in 2012, said she had lost faith in the LNP and said running as a mayoral candidate would have advantaged the current mayor and not islanders.

She said she had not spoken with the LNP candidate Ms Young and was not concerned that her bid may split the conservative vote.

She said she had also closed down a Facebook page, called Redland City Council Election 2024 Have Your Say, which Capalaba MP Don Brown labelled as a “fake” page in state parliament last month.

Ms Nemeth said a supporter of Karen Williams gave her the Facebook page “in the hope that I would keep running with that page and advantage Karen Williams and I just couldn’t do that — I can’t do that to the people of the islands who are my friends and family,” Ms Nemeth said.

“ … I haven’t put anything on that page and it’s about to shut down.

“The woman who gave me the page wants it back now after it was mentioned in parliament.

“I have not done anything on that page and I’ve taken everything off the page.”

Mr Brown told parliament that since Redland City Mayor Karen Williams had pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving in August 2022, she had not had her own Facebook page.

“It has been shut down ever since but what has started up is a fake Facebook page called ‘Redland City Council Election 2024: Have your say’,” he told parliament.

“This page started out as impartial and tried to be for both sides, but it has recently gone on the attack, attacking fellow councillors who do not often agree with Mayor Williams, council candidates who are running against them, but also the member for Redlands and me.

“It has gone to the extent of even attacking one of my staff members just because he is a former councillor.”

Screen shots tabled in state parliament last month showing a Karen Williams was a member of a Facebook page called Redland City Council Election 2024 Have Your Say.

Mayor Karen Williams was contacted for comment.

Ms Nemeth said if she won Redlands, once a blue ribbon LNP seat, she would lobby the next state government to sewer the islands and seal all the roads.

She said she would also work to ensure that the ferry company which serviced the islands was held to account after a group of people was “stranded” on the mainland on Good Friday night after the company failed to run the final ferry service for the evening.

A screenshot of people added to a Facebook page.

“Residents of Coochiemudlo, Russell, Macleay, Lamb and Karragarra islands have experienced some of the highest percentage council rates increases in the state over the past four years and yet they still do not have hygienic sewerage systems or a proper sealed road program,” she said.

“If I win, I will also be lobbying the next state government to make sure that there is better mainland parking for island residents and will look at the council issuing parking tickets at the ferry terminal.

“The growth rate on the islands means they are now a burden on the city and can’t be fixed without the federal, state and council working together.

“When it rains and there is a high tide, the grey and black water on the islands bubbles to the surface in some backyards and this is unhygienic and needs to be fixed immediately.”