Four councillors out of the 14 uncontested: Who is running for the 2024 councillor elections
Councillor candidates have spent more than $20,000 since the New Year with some listing $5 spends on Facebook advertising – and in one instance, $8 for “barbecue supplies”.
Gold Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gold Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Gold Coast is facing a discount poll with at least four councillors unopposed and those in contests against candidates with the lowest ever spend on record.
The Bulletin has searched disclosure records by the Electoral Commission of Queensland and found just more than $20,000 spent by all candidates since the New Year. Some divisional candidates have listed $5 spends on Facebook advertising – and in one instance, $8 for “barbecue supplies”.
Several City political insiders are blaming reforms which will see a cap of $22,950 for divisional candidates and $232,100 for mayoral candidates.
Former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in 2019 introduced the reforms promising “big donations are gone”.
But her efforts to create fairer elections appear to have backfired and instead of ensuring a level playing field, it has stopped quality candidates from putting their hand up.
“We are at a point where there’s less than two months out from people voting and we have four councillors out of the 14 uncontested,” a source said.
“It’s unheard of. With the minimum funding, it’s difficult to beat an incumbent.
“The state government in trying to make it a more level playing field has removed some of the best players.”
The Bulletin has counted 20 serious candidates including councillors and only three mayoral candidates prior to pre-poll and close of nominations.
Candidate nominations open on January 29 and close on February 13. Early voting begins on March 4.
Councillors estimate a proper personally addressed mail-out costs $24,000 – more than the amount that can be spent.
In 2020 Mark Hammel in the north spent $115,268, Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden outlaid $61,905 in Arundel-Parkwood and Brooke Patterson delayed home renovations to invest $52,910 to secure Southport – all divisions vacated by the sitting councillor.
A councillor predicts Naomi Fowler, contesting Division 2 to be vacated by William Owen-Jones, will be the only candidate to spend up to the limit.
Given councillors Owen-Jones, Pauline Young and Hermann Vorster are departing City Hall, there are concerns about the lack of candidates and some arriving late for only a four week campaign tilt.
“No-one is prepared to get away from the keyboard and have a crack themselves,” a councillor said.
Ms Fowler’s expenditure shows about $12,000 but this is because she began her campaign much earlier than any other candidate.
The only benefit from the reforms, candidates argue, is they must knock on doors.
Ms Fowler said her campaign was completely self-funded as she had refused donations.
“When I announced my candidacy late May, I transferred $20,000 of my money to a dedicated campaign bank account for electoral expenditure and have declared any expenses real time since,” she said.
“During my 300-day campaign, I have attended more than 85 community and sporting group meetings and events, knocked on more than 8000 doors and have worn out the shoe leather in two pairs of shoes.
“I always knew I was going to work hard to reach my community and with the cap on campaign spending, a grassroots approach is essential to connect with locals.
“Currently the cap on campaign spending provides candidates with the necessary budget to cover fundamental campaign materials, such as corflutes, T-shirts, flyers, and social media advertising.”
Candidates are being required to make tough choices, on whether to wrap their vehicle with advertising or invest in a campaign video or campaign hats.
“While I support the idea of limiting political campaign spending, as this levels the playing field, the unintended consequence of the State Government’s current campaign spending cap makes it exceptionally challenging to unseat a sitting councillor,” Ms Fowler said.
“I know of several candidates who chose not to run in the election due to the cap on campaign spending but may have if the cap was higher at $30,000.”
The councillors not facing an opponent on March 16 at this point are Mark Hammel, Donna Gates, Darren Taylor and Bob La Castra.
Dr Pandanus Petter, a research fellow at Griffith University’s Centre for Government and Public Policy, said the spending cap would have a “levelling effect” on the candidate field but would also benefit incumbents who already had name-recognition with voters.
“People who do not have access to as much money as they did under previous rules means they cannot have as many corflutes or pay for as many social media ads as they used to,” he said.
“This is a levelling effect which stops someone who has deep pockets from dominating the competition but it can also make it hard for others to get the message out there and this can benefit the incumbent who people know and that gives them an advantage.
“At the same time the cost of living situation means not everyone has a lazy $20,000 to spend or are able to take time off work to run a political campaign.
“This is an ongoing issue in all sorts of ways and it contributes to our political class remaining as it is now, dominated by people of well-off means.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Four councillors out of the 14 uncontested: Who is running for the 2024 councillor elections
‘Keep an eye on warnings’: Storms hit city
Storms have hit the Gold Coast with expected rainfalls reaching a top of 50mm in the wettest parts of the city. FULL DETAILS
City ‘in the mix’ to host Olympic Games 2032 marathon
The Glitter Strip is “in the mix” to host the 2032 Olympic Games marathon according to Gold Coast Marathon powerbrokers.FULL DETAILS