The peak body representing Queensland’s 77 councils says today’s local government elections will ensure community leadership is in place to see Queenslanders through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local Government Association of Queensland CEO Greg Hallam thanked voters for heeding the health advice of the state’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young and turning out to have their say.
“More than one million voters have voted early in this election and hundreds of thousands more will cast their vote today,” Mr Hallam said.
“There are tough decisions ahead, decisions that need to be made to guide local communities in these challenging times.
“Budgets need to be approved, emergency response mechanisms need to be led and local economic response plans activated and implemented to ensure any stimulus and support is targeted where it is most needed.
“These elections will ensure stability. They will ensure councils can continue to function at a time when their communities need them the most.”
Fifteen mayors and 31 councillors have already been elected unopposed with the remaining 532 positions to be decided after today’s vote including two entirely new councils in Ipswich and Logan.
Other key facts and figures ahead of this election include:
- Ten mayors are stepping down including one who is instead running for a councillor position.
- Of the 367 sitting councillors running again today, 26 are running for mayor.
- Sixteen sitting councillors are challenging incumbent mayors.
- Four former mayors are attempting political comebacks today including former Diamantina Mayor Robbie Dare, who bowed out of the role in 2016, and former Maranoa Mayor Robert Loughnan and former Scenic Rim Mayor John Brent, who were both defeated at the 2016 local government elections. Former Logan mayor John Freeman, who was elected mayor in 2000 and 2004, is in the running to lead the new Logan City Council out of administration.
- The most-contested mayoralty is Brisbane’s where nine candidates are vying to become Lord Mayor, followed by Logan, Hope Vale, Gold Coast and Cherbourg, with eight contenders each.
- Logan and Ipswich both has seven mayoral aspirants while five are contesting the Moreton Bay mayoralty.
Further facts and figures can be found in the Queensland Communities Decide document which is also attached.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Vogler, Media Executive
Local Government Association of Queensland