Andrew Laming charged over ECQ election conduct, court plea set for July
Former Bowman MP Andrew Laming will return to Cleveland court in July to enter a plea over electoral charges linked to his 2024 mayoral campaign.
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Failed Redland mayoral candidate and former federal MP Andrew Laming will return to court in July to enter a plea on electoral charges.
The brief mention hearing was held at the Cleveland Magistrates Court, where magistrate Deborah Vasta confirmed the matter involved the Electoral Commission of Queensland and Mr Laming, who is facing multiple charges related to electoral conduct during the March 2024 local government elections.
The court heard both prosecution and defence were working to finalise arrangements for the upcoming hearing.
The charges are understood to involve what were described in court as “inadvertent issues such as missing dates and the like” although no formal details were discussed during Monday’s mention.
A representative for the ECQ attended via phone, while Mr Laming’s lawyer, Jarrod Bell, also dialled in with the court able to lock in a July date for a plea, taking into account the Cleveland registry’s heavy caseload.
Mr Bell indicated his client, who works fly-in-fly-out shifts for Queensland Health, had limited weekday availability but would attend in person if required.
Originally, prosecutors had proposed a hearing on Wednesday, July 23, but Justice Vasta advised that date clashed with a court conference of all magistrates.
Earlier options in May and June were ruled out due to juvenile justice sittings or already packed court lists.
Both parties agreed that there were no concerns about a conflict of interest with Magistrate Vasta hearing the plea, despite a past social encounter with Mr Laming more than 20 years ago.
The court confirmed Mr Laming was expected to appear at Cleveland in July giving the ECQ and defence until then to finalise submissions.
Mr Laming, who served as the Liberal National Party MP for Bowman from 2004 until 2022, attempted a political foray into local government during the 2024 Redland City Council elections but was unsuccessful in his bid to become Redland mayor.
More information is expected to emerge once the plea is formally entered.
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