Long-running outback mayor warns against ‘crazy’ council changes

A North Queensland mayor has slammed a suggestion for councillors to vote in their mayors instead of leaving it to the community — but acknowledges Townsville ‘made a mistake’.

Longest serving Queensland Mayor John Wharton has concerns with proposals for councillors to vote in their own mayor, rather than letting the community directly decide. Picture: Scott Radford-Chisholm

Queensland’s longest-serving mayor has criticised a “crazy” proposal to change the state’s electoral process that would have prevented embattled Mayor Troy Thompson from being elected.

While Mr Thompson is the subject of a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation for misrepresenting the community in his election campaign, he is also now facing a stand-off with his 10 councillors who have declared they have no confidence in his abilities.

He has also caused further unrest by accusing three of his councillors of “misconduct” by accepting gifts.

One of the councillors, Kristian Price, publicly called for an apology from the mayor after the Office of the Independent Assessor cleared him.

While party leaders have said Mr Thompson’s position is “untenable” and he needs to stand down, LNP leader David Crisafulli has promised to examine the Local Government Act for flaws in the election process.

In response, longest-running Queensland councillor Paul Tully, from Ipswich, recommended such changes should include councillors directly voting in their mayor, instead of leaving it to the voter to directly decide.

Mayor Troy Thompson during a Townsville City Council meeting, as he listens to councillor Kristian Price’s calls for a public apology. Picture: Shae Beplate.

This would increase the likelihood of councils working together in the chamber, rather than creating a hostile environment between mayors and the other elected representatives.

But John Wharton — who has been mayor of Richmond since 1997 — said it was not a feasible suggestion and that the entire mayoral election process should not be undermined for the sake of one of the 77 Queensland local governments.

“You cannot legislate everything that happens, and I hope David Crisafulli doesn’t get too excited,” Mr Wharton said.

“And the community has to elect the mayor, don’t be so stupid to let the councillors elect the mayor, that is just crazy.

“We’ve got a good system in Queensland and it works well … we don’t want to change that.”

In terms of vetting mayoral candidates before the election, Mr Wharton questioned who would have the authority to do it, believing bureaucrats in George Street were far removed from the communities’ interests.

“You cannot train councillors to be what you want them to be,” he said.

“I’ll tell you what, once you start training councillors, there’s no point having a council, you might as well put an administrator in and let the government run it.

“They made a mistake maybe in Townsville, I’m not saying they did or they didn’t, but that’s up to them, they made that mistake, don’t change the rest of the laws of Queensland because of one council.”

Mr Wharton said Townsville City Council’s performance would have some effect on the rest of North Queensland, but that he had to focus on his own shire’s growth.

Ipswich Councillor Paul Tully has suggested ways in which the Local Government Act could be adjusted to ensure the right person was chosen as mayor. Picture: Ipswich City Council.

Retired former Townsville councillor Fay Barker, who served alongside David Crisafulli in his first term within the council 20 years ago, also objected to the proposal.

She said people that campaigned for a councillor role might not be suited, or interested, in the mayoral position.

“The mayor is spokesperson for the city, he’s got to represent the city at every level, internationally and nationally, everywhere, we need someone we can be proud of,” she said.

“Somebody aspiring to be a councillor may not have all of those attributes.

“Someone aspiring to be mayor I think should be supported by the community, and not handed over on a plate.

“I think there’s fors and against in terms of how that might actually work out.

“It’s interesting isn’t it?”

Mr Thompson told the Bulletin that Mr Tully’s proposal for councillors to vote in their mayor was “ridiculous” and said that even if a party leader was chosen by his party, the voter knew who they would be voting for as Premier or Prime Minister.

Originally published as Long-running outback mayor warns against ‘crazy’ council changes