Calls for Brisbane city councillor to stand down over federal seat bid
FORMER lord mayor and premier Campbell Newman has joined calls for Brisbane’s planning boss to stand down as he campaigns for a federal seat.
South West
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FORMER lord mayor and premier Campbell Newman has called on council planning committee chairman Julian Simmonds to stand down from council now he has committed to campaigning full-time for the federal seat of Ryan.
“I think it’s important that the LNP always sets high standards of accountability,” Mr Newman said.
“I reflect on 2011. I did the appropriate thing which was to stand down and then campaign as the opposition leader from outside the Parliament, and that’s what Mr Simmonds should now do.
“I don’t think it is good look or consistent with what the LNP stands for, for him to retain his council position now he has made a commitment to campaign full time.”
Mr Newman said Cr Simmonds held an important role in council as planning committee chairman.
“The city deserves a full-time planning chair,” he said.
“He is an ambitious young man who arguably has a good future, and it would not be a good look for him to taint his reputation at this time.”
Mr Newman had previously decried the “rolling” of Ryan incumbent Jane Prentice in favour of Cr Simmonds.
His call followed demands from council opposition for Cr Simmonds to stand down and have his Walter Taylor Ward finances watched.
Opposition leader Peter Cumming made an urgency motion for the planning boss to “do the right thing and stand down, immediately”.
He earlier declared on Twitter Cr Simmonds was “a walking conflict of interest” while he was still planning chair.
“This morning at the meeting of the City Planning Commitee, he refused to rule out accepting donations from developers to fund his campaign,” he said.
“I believe that Cr Simmonds should remove himself from any temptation by resigning as chair of the City Planning Committee, so he’s above any suspicion of using his position as chair to the benefit of his campaign for Ryan.”
He said the “excuse” that Cr Simmonds needed to stay until the Budget was handed down was “not good enough”.
Independent councillor for Tennyson Nicole Johnston called on council to authorise its chief executive officer to audit recent expenses of the Walter Taylor Ward budget and monitor it in the coming weeks.
She said that was to “make sure Cr Simmonds does not use ratepayer funds in his campaign for Ryan”.
The motions were easily quashed.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk stood behind his City Planning chair, congratulating him on his LNP preselection.
“At the end of the day Cr Simmonds will be abiding by the law. In terms of any calls for immediate resignation I again indicate it is my request that he continues on in the E & C,” he said.
Cr Johnston alleged that Cr Simmonds had sent out brochures to his LNP branch promising to raise $80,000 in the first 100 days of his campaign.
She also asked if Cr Simmonds had used ratepayer funds to pay for a billboard, allegedly installed at Toowong, which used the council logo and slogan.
She this afternoon wrote to the chief executive officer demanding him to investigate whether ward funds were used to pay for the billboard.
A council spokeswoman sent through a picture the “billboard”, a poster attached to a phone booth, which was approved in February and been displayed for some time.
“It is in full compliance with council communications guidelines and was approved by council’s CEO office,” she said.
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