Redland mayor ‘no show’ as council closes ranks over calls for her to resign

The campaign for drink-driving mayor Karen Williams to resign took a bizarre twist in council today despite three community petitions calling for her removal. WATCH THE PROTEST VIDEO

Drink-driving Redland mayor Karen Williams will remain in her elected role with her council colleagues even voting to send her to an LGAQ conference in October.

That’s despite three petitions tabled at a council meeting on Wednesday calling for Cr Williams’ removal.

Ms Williams, who admitted to drinking wine and then crashing her luxury council-owned car, was a no show at the meeting, after taking leave from her $200,000-plus-a-year job following the June 23 incident.

Protester Lee Stapleton outside the council chambers with his placard asking motorists to honk if they wanted the mayor to resign

Dozens of Redland residents gathered outside the council chambers in Cleveland to voice their anger over her refusal to step down after she was charged with a high-range drink driving offence.

Police were called after a supporter of Ms Williams started heckling Lee Stapleton, a Cleveland resident who had a placard asking motorists to “beep if Karen must go”.

The protest was prior to the council meeting, the first since police tests allegedly showed Ms Williams had a blood-alcohol level of a 0.177 per cent, more than three times the legal limit after the crash.

Calls for her resignation from within the council, state MPs and from community road safety advocates have so far not been heeded by Ms Williams.

Deputy Mayor Julie Talty, who has stepped in to the role of acting mayor, tabled petitions for the mayor to resign, another asking the council to dismiss Ms Williams and a third calling on the state government to appoint an administrator.

A fourth petition called for the council to adopt a policy of no alcohol in council workplaces — but only for elected officials.

In a show of support for the mayor, the council also voted to send Ms Williams and Councillor Peter Mitchell to a Local Government Association of Queensland meeting in October.

Councillor Adelia Berridge was at the pre-meeting protest after her attempt to put a vote of no confidence to the test at the council meeting.

However, as it was outside the scope of local government, the notice of motion could not be accepted.

CEO Andrew Chesterman, who was not at the meeting and is also on leave, has not commented.

Dozens of Redland residents gathered outside the council chambers in Cleveland to voice their anger over mayor Karen Williams' refusal to step down after she was charged with a high-range drink driving offence. Councillor Adelia Berridge said she had been threatened since making a statement about the mayor.

Ms Berridge said she had faced intimidation and threats since taking a stance against the mayor, who admitted to crashing the car after drinking wine minutes after holding a zoom meeting with families of those who died at the hands of drink drivers.

“City leaders are expected to have the highest integrity and I am proud to see the people using their democratic right to call for the mayor to resign,” she said.

“In the days since the mayor’s crash, my constituents have expressed their views to me loud and clear.

“The overwhelming majority believe the mayor’s actions were completely unacceptable and not fitting of a person holding a position of high office. I share this view.

“This is not a decision I take lightly, however I believe it is necessary to draw a line in the sand under this matter to allow the Redlands community move on and heal from this ordeal.”

Mr Chesterman has spoken to all councillors including Ms Berridge after she made comments on radio and social media about a perceived drinking culture but was not at Wednesday’s meeting.

Road safety advocate Judy Lindsay, whose daughter died at the hand of a drink driver outside the council chambers.

Also at the protest was road safety advocate Judy Lindsay whose daughter Hayley died at the hands of a drink driver in 2009.

In a statement, Redland City Council said three of the petitions were outside the council’s jurisdiction.

“Mayors and councillors, as elected representatives, are not council employees but are elected the community under the Local Government Act 2009 and cannot be removed by an organisation such as a council.”

Thornlands developer Mike O’Brien addressed the council about its lack of progress on opening up 240 hectares of land at southern Thornlands despite the state government stepping in and issuing a directive in an attempt to alleviate a housing crisis.

The council also held a closed-door meeting to discuss an office of independent assessor investigation into councillors using their email private accounts.

Councillor Lance Hewlett also made a public apology after being found guilty of two counts of misconduct from the state council watchdog, the Office of independent Assessor.