Former Gold Coast mayoral candidate Penny Toland charged with perjury by corruption watchdog

FORMER Gold Coast mayoral candidate Penny Toland has been charged with perjury by the Crime and Corruption Commission after her appearance at a probe into last year’s council election.

Penny Toland.

FORMER Gold Coast mayoral candidate Penny Toland has been charged with perjury by the Crime and Corruption Commission after her appearance at a probe into last year’s council election.

The CCC this morning confirmed it charged a 37-year-old Helensvale woman at Southport Police Station following an investigation.

CCC: TOLAND COULD FACE SANCTIONS

Penny Toland at the CCC.

The CCC will allege she knowingly gave false testimony at a public hearing related to Operation Belcarra.

She has been charged with one count of perjury contrary to section 123 of the Queensland Criminal Code and will appear before Southport Magistrates Court on December 13.

She was granted watchhouse bail.

The inquiry was launched after the Gold Coast Bulletin published about 60 reports in three months which revealed an LNP bloc operated during last year’s council election campaign.

Ms Toland unsuccessfully contested the mayoralty last year, coming a distance second to incumbent Mayor Tom Tate.

Acting Mayor Donna Gates issued a statement on the arrest and said: “This is a matter between the CCC and a mayoral candidate in the 2016 election. It has nothing to do with City of Gold Coast.’’