Hard working volunteer puts hand up in what will be the toughest race in Gold Coast 2024 poll
A ‘Melbourne Cup’ field of candidates are lining up to contest the seat held by charged councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden at council elections – with three people already putting their hands up. Here’s what we know so far.
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Council insiders are predicting a ‘Melbourne Cup field’ of candidates for Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden’s Division 7 in next year’s poll.
Speculation about the election race in the division comes as hardworking community volunteer Joe Wilkinson has put his hand up to run.
He joins Edward Sarroff, the son of former City finance boss Eddy Sarroff, as a candidate for Division 7.
Labrador resident and Paws at the Park charity co-founder Jenna Schroeder was the first to start her campaign for the role earlier this month.
Council sources tip Division 7 will be the hardest fought race with at least five candidates ready to run.
It comes amid uncertainty about the political future of Cr Bayldon-Lumsden, who is facing a murder charge.
Mr Wilkinson, 31, on Monday formally announced he was standing after finishing a six-year stint working in Bonney state MP Sam O’Connor’s Labrador office in the heart of the Gold Coast City Council northern division.
“It’s been great with Sam and working with the community. Now you will see me on the street and not in the office,” Mr Wilkinson told the Bulletin.
Mr Wilkinson through his job and volunteering has strong support from community leaders.
“For many years I have served my community through my day job working for our local MP and in my own time as a volunteer for many local organisations,” he said.
“I’m putting my hand up to take this service to another level as our community’s new councillor. The community of Division 7 must have a representative with a strong voice, who stands up for them and advocates in the council chambers on their behalf.”
Cr Bayldon-Lumsden is currently before the courts charged with the alleged murder of his stepfather Robert Lumsden. His lawyers have said he will plead not guilty.
He has been suspended as councillor, raising concerns about representation leading up to next year’s March poll.
Cr Bayldon-Lumsden can stand for re-election in the poll next March, but if his legal case is not resolved will remain suspended.
The council chambers stands to look very different after the 2024 poll with sweeping changes to the current crop of councillors.
Already William Owen-Jones (Div 2), Hermann Vorster (Div 11) and Pauline Young (Div 12) will be relinquishing their positions. Cameron Caldwell after winning the Fadden federal seat vacated Division 4, currently representated Shelley Curtis.
Mr Wilkinson though is firmly focused on the community in his own area, where he and his wife, Annika, bought their first home in Arundel a few years ago.
Their daughter Maisy was born earlier this year joining “our fur babies Lola and Peach”.
“They are my motivation to do more to make our home, suburb and community even better,” he said.
“I know I can hit the ground running in this role because I have built strong relationships with our local Rotary Clubs, Men Shed, schools, Scout and Girl Guides groups, sporting clubs, religious and cultural groups, small businesses and not-for-profit organisations, universities as well as our other elected officials.
Mr Wilkinson vowed to:
* make sure rates and council spendings are kept low.
* improve our local roads and traffic flow.
* Protect our suburbs against overdevelopment and inappropriate development
“This is just a start. I want to hear from locals about what they want their council to address,” he said.
Men’s Shed Labrador Inc secretary Len Thomson said Mr Wilkinson, if elected, would be an “outstanding representative and a hard working, community-minded councillor”.
“Joe is very active in the community and is highly regarded for the work he does from serving the community as a local Justice of the Peace through to serving sausages at Arundel Bunnings to support Rotary Clubs,” he said.
Cr Owen-Jones earlier this month encouraged residents to stand in the council division.
Originally published as Hard working volunteer puts hand up in what will be the toughest race in Gold Coast 2024 poll
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