Redland City Council CEO holds urgent meeting as calls for Mayor Karen Williams to resign grow

The CEO of Redland City Council has spoken out following Mayor Karen Williams’ admission to a drink driving car crash last week, as some councillors call for the long-serving politician’s resignation.

The CEO of Redland City Council has spoken out following Mayor Karen Williams’ admission to a drink driving car crash last week, as some councillors call for the long-serving politician’s resignation.

Redland City Council CEO Andrew Chesterman said it was “an upsetting time for many in the Redlands Coast community, including dedicated Redland City Council employees who work every day to make our city a better place”.

“Council is aware of a single-vehicle accident occurring on Thursday evening, 23 June, involving the Redland City Mayor,” Mr Chesterman said.

“Council is not aware of police having laid any charges relating to this accident.

“A small post-budget thank you event was held in the Councillor Lounge on the afternoon of 23 June.

“The event, attended by most councillors and a small number of council employees, complied with council guidelines.

“The council employees attended for a short time only.

“It is business as usual for council as the organisation continues to deliver it services to the Redlands Coast community.”

Earlier, long-term councillor Wendy Boglary and first term councillor Adelia Berridge have both called for Redland City Council Mayor Karen Williams to resign after she admitted to drinking and driving last week.

Cr Williams has resisted calls for her resignation so far despite admitting she drank several glasses of wine before she crashed at the intersection of Queen and Wellington streets in Cleveland, about 9pm on June 23.

The crash came just hours after handing down council’s annual budget and also following a Zoom meeting with families who lost loved ones to drunk drivers.

Redlands Mayor Karen Williams speaking to media after admitting to drinking several glasses of wine before crashing her car on Thursday night. Picture: 9 News Queensland

Cr Berridge also said there was drinking on council premises during work hours and she had lodged a complaint about the drinking with the Crime and Corruption Commission this year.

She called for the mayor to resign, claiming it was a difficult but necessary leadership stand.

That was later backed up by long-serving councillor Wendy Boglary.

The mayor was reportedly a no-show to a high-level workshop meeting at Redland Council’s Bloomfield St chambers today.

At the closed “workshop” meeting, headed by Mr Chesterman, councillors were reportedly told not to speak to the media and warned about defamation ahead of any charges being laid.

It is believed the CEO addressed the meeting and read the riot act about drinking on council premises.

There is no suggestion that the Mayor was drinking on council premises before the incident.

Cr Williams was called to the meeting which discussed the way forward for the mayor.

However, councillors were remaining tight-lipped about any decisions.

“After speaking out, I will be under enormous pressure that could very likely kill my career,” Cr Berridge said.

Mayor

“I felt like I was going to vomit, when making the call.

“I truly love my job but I’m elected to be a leader and speak the truth.

“I think the Mayor needs to resign.

“I will cop unmeasurable backlash for being the councillor who is requesting the Mayor to resign and who has agreed to table any petitions brought to me.

“I’m still a fresh councillor and I require support and guidance in my huge role and I need a leader who deserves respect from ethical decision making.

“If I was involved in a crash and reported as drink driving, I would expect the Mayor to take a difficult but necessary leadership stand and ask for my resignation.

“I feel we have all now been placed in damage control.”

Redlands City councillor Wendy Boglary. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Walker

Cr Boglary called for council buildings to be alcohol-free and said some councillors would drink inside council buildings in a councillor lounge.

“A drinking culture within council has been mentioned — no there isn’t a drinking culture however some individual councillors do have drinks in the councillor lounge,” Cr Boglary said on Facebook.

“I know other councillors, including myself, have expressed this is not suitable behaviour.

“I would like to think the Council buildings could be an alcohol-free building and this includes the councillor lounge.

“I also would ask that Karen Williams resigns as drink driving is not, in any circumstance, acceptable but the events leading to this event make it even more disgusting.”

Redland City Councillor for Division 10, Paul Bishop, also posted on social media Sunday night saying his son saw the crash Cr Williams was involved in.

“My thoughts go out to everybody who is affected by drivers who break the law,” Cr Bishop wrote in the post.

“As an elected community representative, I cannot support defence of people who engage in illegal and dangerous behaviour.”

Former Redland City Councillor Craig Ogilvie empathised with the mayor and said he knew what it was like to have mistakes aired in the media.

Cr Williams called for him to resign in 2016 after she alerted media to him recording porn on a council phone.

“My bad wasn’t criminal, or potentially deadly,” Mr Ogilvie said from his home in Zushi, Japan.

“Her job seems a high price to some but leaders have higher responsibilities than just the law.

“Starting my life afresh was a great life opportunity for renewal.

“I hope she does the right thing. It will be the best for her and them.”

Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner (LNP), also announced on Sunday Cr Williams would no longer serve as a member on the board of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

State Member for Capalaba, Don Brown (ALP), also has called for the Mayor to resign.

Redland City Council CEO Andrew Chesterman was contacted for comment.