Gold Coast City Council: Wife of Acting Mayor Cameron Caldwell slams rival councillor Kristyn Boulton

The wife of the Gold Coast’s Acting Mayor Cameron Caldwell has launched a public attack on a female councillor, demanding she “at least be honest” with her constituents.

THE wife of acting Gold Coast Mayor Cameron Caldwell has launched a public attack on a rival councillor set to contest the same division as her husband.

Council colleagues admit they are stunned at Lauren Caldwell’s post on Councillor Kristyn Boulton’s official Facebook, saying it is extremely rare for a spouse to get entangled in local politics.

Councillor Cameron Caldwell and his wife Lauren.

Cr Boulton is Division 4’s councillor, and Cr Caldwell represents neighbouring Division 3.

But under significant boundary changes, proposed in a review, both are expected to run for a new Division 4, which expands north to include Paradise Point and west gaining Coombabah. Labrador and Arundel go to the new Division 7.

Ms Caldwell suggested to Cr Boulton much of her existing division would become part of the new Division Seven including Labrador, where her office was based.

“So at least be honest with your constituents and show them the division 7 map. You are choosing to abandon your current division and chase after another one,” Ms Caldwell wrote.

“You are abandoning key parts of the community you represent, such as Labrador and Arundel. You are choosing to run against another sitting councillor in his division, leaving division 7 nominally vacant. That is your choice, but don’t mislead your community.”

Cr Boulton chose not to respond, but when a resident responded Ms Caldwell defended her right to an opinion.

“It’s unfortunate you come from an era where you think women can’t be educated and opinionated in their own right,” Ms Caldwell. “Cameron is more than capable of making his own comments. These are my own well informed views.”

Cr Kristyn Boulton — “my energies are fixed on the people I represent”. Pic by Richard Gosling.

Cr Boulton told the Gold Coast Bulletin she had yet to announce where she would run in the March 2020 poll and was only updating her residents on the boundary changes like other councillors.

“Disappointingly, I’ve been accused of abandoning my division, which I think is unfair. As I sit in my office today, I feel like my Division 4 has been cut in two,” Cr Boulton said.

“On one side I have lovely Labrador, which falls into the new proposed Division 7, and on the other I have beautiful Biggera Waters which falls into proposed Division 4.”

Cr Boulton admitted she was struggling to make a decision because either way she would lose a large proportion of her constituents.

She estimates 55 per cent of the population in the new Division 4 will be from her existing division.

“My energies are fixed on the people I represent, not on the next election nor playing politics,” Cr Boulton said.

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Acting Mayor and council planning chair Cr Cameron Caldwell. Pic by Richard Gosling.

She said she was surprised Cr Caldwell had not made an announcement on his Facebook page about the proposed new boundaries.

“I will always support our community. I represent people, and I’m not interested in jumping in and out of political puddles just to further my own personal ambitions,” Cr Boulton said.

Cr Caldwell said the Electoral Commission was responsible for the boundary realignment and “I respect whatever the outcome is of their review”.

“The largest portion of the current Division 3 population and geographic area is now contained within the proposed Division 4,” he said.

“Residents do not care about a change in the number of their division, they just care continuing to be served by a strong representative which is what I offer my community.”