Gold Coast council election 2020: Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden spending big on Facebook during campaign
Gold Coast council candidates are spending up a storm to try and get elected, with wannabe politicians now buying up social media advertising.
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TEACHER and respite carer Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden is emerging as the biggest spending candidate in a council division after outlaying more than $40,000 on his campaign.
Latest disclosures with the Electoral Commission of Queensland reveal Mr Bayldon-Lumsden has expenditure of $43,111 – his main rival Wendy Coe has spent only $3361.
Ms Coe, an LNP member for eight years who organised State MP John-Paul Langbroek’s last State campaign, was recently forced to defend her decision to have Senator James McGrath as the special guest speaker at her fundraiser.
LNP LINKED TO GOLD COAST COUNCIL POLL
While also admitting to being a member of the LNP, Mr Bayldon-Lumsden wrote on Facebook: “My views, policy and positions are entirely my own.”
In a recent social media post he said he had worked two jobs as a high school science and languages teacher and support worker offering respite care to fund his council campaign.
“I worked 40 hours as a teacher, 48 as a respite carer. I’d finish 3.20pm on Friday afternoon and start at 4pm at the centre,” Mr Bayldon-Lumsden told the Bulletin.
COUNCILLORS SET TO FACE-OFF IN NEW DIVISION
“Week nights I’d volunteer at a hockey centre. So Sunday nights were the only real time I’d have to myself.”
Most councillors from campaign experience suggest a candidate with no public profile would need between $25,000 to $50,000 to win a division.
Mr Bayldon-Lumsden and Ms Coe have the advantage of no councillor running in Division 7 which covers Parkwood and Arundel, and the winner is guaranteed to be one of four new faces at city hall.
“If you’ve got no name in the electorate to begin with, I believe you’d need a minimum of $30,000. But I think more realistic is $50,000,” Mr Bayldon-Lumsden said.
“By the time the campaign is over I may have spent the best part of $10,000 on social media.”
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