Government to reverse succession laws that could have made Chris Meibusch mayor
The State Government only introduced these laws in June. Just five months later they’ve had a change of heart. Here’s why.
Council
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The Queensland Local Government Minister has confirmed the State Government would move quickly to reverse laws it introduced just five months ago that meant if Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio vacated the role in the first year of this council term, his election opponent Chris Meibusch would become Mayor.
The move comes after Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow was forced to resign this week over misconduct findings.
In years two and three of the council term it would go to a by-election, while in year four the council would appoint a replacement.
That meant her only opponent at the March local government elections, Chris Hooper, would become mayor.
“Once the new parliament is sworn in, the Palaszczuk Government will introduce and pass a bill to retrospectively amend the Local Government Act,” Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said.
“I have received advice that should this be completed at the earliest opportunity, any vacancies to any mayoral or councillor positions that have recently arisen will need to be filled through a by-election.
“This will ensure communities can have a proper vote to determine who represents them.”
Warrego MP and LNP local government spokeswoman Ann Leahy said the laws as they stood were anti-democratic.
“Voters should decide on who will represent them as mayor in an election – it should not be who comes second or third,” Ms Leahy said.
“This mess is entirely Labor’s fault and the new Local Government Minister needs to act fast to fix it.
“The laws were rushed through the parliament this year without any scrutiny by a committee.”
At the March local government elections, Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio received 72.74 per cent of the first preference vote, Chris Meibusch received 19.22 per cent and Douglas Doelle received 8.05 per cent.
At the time the legislation was introduced, Cr Antonio labelled it as “stealing the democratic rights” of residents.
“When someone gets 19 per cent of the primary vote, I don’t think that gives them the right to step into the mayoralty,” Cr Antonio said.
“I don’t mind when you’ve got 30 people running for council and you then pick the 11th person, but where you have a straight-out three-person competition for the mayoralty, it’s very different. It should go to a by-election.”
The mayoral and councillor succession laws were part of a huge election reform bill.
The bill focused on a number of issues including political party funding during elections, how many signs can be placed at polling booths and punishments for cabinet ministers who do the wrong thing.
“Capping political donations will end cash for access once and for all,” Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said at the time.
“And voters will no longer be bombarded at elections with plastic bunting.
“No one will be able to buy an election with donations or advertising.”
Chris Meibusch, who is currently Labor's candidate for the Groom by-election, welcomed the move to remove his possible mayoral succession route.
“I support the decision made by the State Government to fill any Mayoral or Councillor vacancies with a by-election,” he said.
“As the Labor candidate in an upcoming by-election, I know how important they can be to ensuring our community gets a fair go.
“The Groom by-election is our opportunity to hold the current Federal LNP Government to account for ignoring the local community for far too long.
“That’s why I put my hand up to run for the seat of Groom. I want to ensure our region gets its fair share of Federal funding, infrastructure and the services we so desperately need.”
