Donna Gates set to lose Deputy Gold Coast mayor role as councillors meet for crucial vote

Donna Gates is fighting to remain Deputy Mayor as the City’s leadership team faces its biggest shakeup in decades. See who is tipped to replace her and when.

Donna Gates is fighting to remain the long-term Gold Coast Deputy Mayor as the City’s leadership team faces its biggest shakeup in decades.

City planning chair Mark Hammel is being considered as a future Deputy with a plan to transition him into the role within the next 12 months, it can be revealed.

“There is a challenge for Deputy Mayor,” a council insider said. “There has been a fair bit of horse trading going on.”

Councillor Gates has been Deputy Mayor and Tom Tate the mayor since 2012 — sparking secret talks about the need for a “transition plan” at some stage during the upcoming four-year term of council.

Closed doors discussions have been held in the mayoral office and private meetings between councillors about how to best undertake a smooth move to a younger leadership group, the Bulletin can reveal.

Mayor Tom Tate and Deputy Mayor Donna Gates at a council meeting. Picture: Jerad Williams.

Cr Gates when asked about her future roles, said: “It’s been a great honour to serve as the City’s Deputy Mayor and I look forward to working with the new council in whatever capacity the council supports.”

The focus on the Deputy’s role was first sparked months before the March 16 poll when there was speculation about whether Cr Gates would stand again in Division 3.

Cameron Caldwell, Hermann Vorster and William Owen-Jones were all regarded as future deputy leaders or even mayors, but they have either left or were leaving by the poll.

The council source said: “We have six new councillors. We’ve had a lot of change. Council is rightly looking to its future.

“Tom, Donna and councillors Bob La Castra, Gail O’Neill and Peter Young - this might be their last term. There are second and third term councillors. You need them to have more experience to be leaders in the future.”

The new councillors are Naomi Fowler (Division 2), Joe Wilkinson (Division 7), Dan Doran (Division 11), Nick Marshall (Division 12) and Josh Martin (Division 13). Shelley Curtis was unopposed in Division 4 in the March 16 poll, after being sworn-in in August last year.

Councillor Mark Hammel at a council meeting. Picture: Jerad Williams.

Councillors at their first meeting this coming Friday as part of normal business will determine who is Deputy Mayor. The meeting will also decide who is Acting Mayor if the Deputy and Mayor are absent from the city.

They will also tick off on the schedule for council and committee meetings along with the committee structure and chairs.

A likely motion to be put to the vote would be Cr Gates remaining Deputy Mayor until April 5 next year when Cr Hammel transitions into the role. If councillors agree, he would also be Acting Mayor in the absence of Mr Tate and Cr Gates.

Cr Hammel when contacted confirmed colleagues would vote on the matters at the meeting.

“The role that the Deputy Mayor plays in the city is an important one. There is a conversation to be had with all councillors about who sits in the chairman roles, the deputy chairman roles and the Deputy role,” he said.

The City in the last 12 months has lost Cr Caldwell, Cr Owen-Jones, Cr Vorster and Cr Pauline Young, all committee chairs, who either retired or sought other political office. Veteran Daphne McDonald did not contest her Palm Beach division. Suspended first term councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden lost Division 7.

The new City chairs have not been finalised but sources have tipped the likely line-up.

Cr Hammel will retain the important role of City Planning chair, and Cr La Castra stay economy, tourism and events chair.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate delivers the 2020-21 budget. Pictured with Deputy Mayor Donna Gates. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach-based councillor Darren Taylor is to be promoted to transport committee chair, previously held by Cr Pauline Young.

Cr Curtis with strong backing of colleagues and the administration would chair the water, waste and energy committee.

Mudgeeraba-based councillor Glenn Tozer is expected to earn a promotion, becoming chair of the lifestyle and community committee, previously headed by Cr Vorster.

Southport councillor Brooke Patterson is one of two councillors being considered for the governance committee, formerly chaired by Cr Owen-Jones.

Southern-based councillor Gail O’Neill is not expected to chair a committee, focusing on her division after a tough poll battle and possibly being appointed to the World Surfing Reserve board.

Mayor Tom declined to speculate about any changes before a council vote.

“I have consulted with all councillors concerning committee placements for the upcoming council term. These are matters for Council’s determination at the post-election meeting and I won’t pre-empt Council’s decisions in these important matters,” he said.

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