Low candidate numbers for Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redland

Hefty pay packets and public service no longer seem to be so tempting for our wannabe pollies, at least at the local government level. No less than 12 council divisions will go uncontested at the March 16 poll and one mayor is in a one-horse race.

Judith Kerr

@judithkerr1

2 min read

February 15, 2024 - 12:56PM

Redlands Community News

These are some of the candidates for Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redland in the March 16 local council elections.

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Interest in providing a civic service may be on the wane in southeast Queensland with 12 divisions at next month’s local government election going uncontested and one mayor set to be reinstated without contest.

The incumbents in a dozen Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay and Redland divisions will be unopposed at the March 16 local government polls.

Mayor of Moreton Bay, Peter Flannery, also was faced no opponent.

And residents in five Moreton Bay divisions will not have to vote as their sitting councillor also has no opponent.

Political analysts from Griffith University, Emeritus Professor Ross Fitzgerald and Associate Professor Paul Williams, said the number of candidates for next month’s local elections were lower than expected.

Prof Fitzgerald said the lack of candidates showed Queensland voters were “fed up” with local government and the duplication of many public services.

“I believe there are so many uncontested seats because people are fed up with local government and the three-tiered system,” he said.

“I think this is a trend that will eventually gather momentum, so that one day there will just be a federal government and an amalgam of state and local governments.

“That will wipe out a whole lot of elected local government positions, which people see as unnecessary.

“I believe this lack of candidate numbers is a step towards abolishing local governments altogether – it’s amazing that a local mayor (in Moreton) was reinstated without contest.”

Prof Fitzgerald said it would only be a matter of time before the positions of mayors would be abolished and a state regime put in place.

However, Griffith University political expert Associate Professor Paul Williams disagreed and said the low numbers of candidates and the high rate of uncontested seats was all part of the political cycle.

“Superficially, it does look like local government is on the wane, but it is temporary because it is likely linked to economic malaise and people at this point in time are inward looking because of the cost-of-living crisis,” Prof Williams said.

“Moreton Bay Council is a relatively new city and political entity.

“The local constituency is still looking for its own identity and there would be a lot of new, unenrolled new voters in that area.

“Moreton does not have the same sense of community as Ipswich and Logan, where there are more mayoral candidates.

“The cost of living is biting and people are inward looking at the moment and too busy paying their rent or mortgage to help outside of their own economic sphere.

“But I do not believe that local government is on the way out – it may be that many people tend to think of local government as non-political and therefore less important.”

SOUTHEAST QLD MARCH 2024 LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANDIDATES

MORETON

Mayor: Peter Flannery (Incumbent elected unopposed)

Moreton Bay Council mayor Peter Flannery has been returned unopposed. Picture: The Courier-Mail

DIVISION 1

Brooke Savige (Incumbent elected unopposed)

Moreton Bay councillor Brooke Savige has been returned unopposed. Picture: MBRC

DIVISION 2

Mark Booth (Incumbent) and Gregory Dillon.

DIVISION 3

Adam Hain (Incumbent) and Kerri-Maree Raedel.

DIVISION 4

Division 4 Jodie Shipway (Incumbent elected unopposed). Picture: MBRC

DIVISION 5

Dean Teasdale and Sandra Ruck (Incumbent); Garry Ohlson photograph unavailable.

DIVISION 6

Karl Winchester (Incumbent) and Benita Suckling (photograph unavailable).

DIVISION 7

DIVISION 7: Yonne Barlow (Incumbent elected unopposed).

DIVISION 8

DIVISION 8: Susan Laird; Jim Moloney and Stephen Huxtable. Photographs unavailable for Jamie Walter and Tara Seiffert-Smith.

DIVISION 9

DIVISION 9: Cath Tonks (Incumbent elected unopposed).

DIVISION 10

Andrew Murphy, (photograph unavailable); Matt Constance (Incumbent); Brent McDowall (Photograph unavailable).

DIVISION 11

DIVISION 11: Darren Grimwade (Incumbent elected unopposed).

DIVISION 12

DIVISION 12: Adrian Raedel, Tony Latter; Erroll O’Brien (No photograph available).

IPSWICH

IPSWICH MAYORAL CANDIDATES: clockwise from top left: David Martin; incumbent Tereas Harding; Ken Salter; Peter Robinson; Sheila Ireland; Karakan Kochardy.

DIVISION 1

DIVISION 1: Josh Addison; Pye Augustine; Simon Ingram and incumbent Jacob Madsen.

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 2: Clockwise from top left: Neetu Suhag; Helen Youngberry; incumbent Paul Tully; Nicole Kay Jonic (Incumbent); Steven Purcell. Photo unavailable for Vincent Do

DIVISION 3

DIVISION 3: Clockwise from top left: Tracey Nayler; Marnie Doyle (Incumbent); David Box; Danielle Mutton; Andrew Fechner (Incumbent); Andrew Antonioll.