Pineapple’s mayoral hopes Chris Hooper looking pureed

Maverick candidate Chris “Pineapple” Hooper has conceded that his chances of winning the weekend’s Rockhampton mayoral election are slim.

Rockhampton Lord Mayoral candidate Chris "Pineapple" Hooper. Picture: Steve Vit

Maverick candidate Chris “Pineapple” Hooper has conceded that his chances of winning the weekend’s Rockhampton mayoral election are slim after momentarily being elevated to the role last year under a little-known Queensland law.

The environmentalist was in third place on Sunday evening, with 80 per cent of the region’s 55,000 votes counted and veteran councillor Tony Williams leading the pack of 17.

Mr Hooper was poised to be automatically sworn in as mayor last November when long-term mayor Margaret Strelow resigned. Under Queensland laws introduced by the Palaszczuk Labor government last year, a mayoral vacancy was to be automatically filled by the second-highest-polling candidate in the previous election.

In the last Rockhampton election for mayor in March, Mr Hooper was the only other candidate. The state government backflipped, however, and introduced changes to the laws, forcing the weekend mayoral by-election.

At the close of counting, Mr Hooper had 12 per cent of the vote, with Mr Williams leading on 25 per cent and council development manager Russell Claus garnering 15.5 per cent.

Mr Hooper said the wide field of 17 candidates could determine the outcome.“It mightn’t be the bloke who got the highest personal vote,” he said.

“If they have to count all the preferences, the second or third person may win the day.

“You gotta wait till the finish because … you don’t know what people have down there. Maybe they will have felt sorry for me and preferenced me.”

The mayoral hopeful, who has built his platform on environmental issues including climate change, has spent less than $500 on his campaign by hand-crafting most of his campaign materials.

“The place needs to shake up … I come up with a lot of different ideas and at the end of the day the council is copying me,” Mr Hopper said. “If Williams does get in, council will be the same old show again.”

The Electoral Commission of Queensland previously warned it may take days for the outcome of the election to be confirmed.

Official ballots carried “Pineapple” in brackets next to Mr Hooper’s name, acknowledging the nickname by which many in the community know him.