Tracey Huges wins Division 8

Three new Councillors should augur well for Redlands. It was a rugged campaign but the winners each seemed to each have an edge.
Cr Mitchell was out early and had a lead before others joined the race. An own goal by the incumbent which was poorly timed but well leaked on statewide media. That was a big boost to the challenger, although not enough to get him a first past the post majority.
Cr Golle, golly he must have put in some hard yards. He defeated two Laming protégées but Laming made this his own goal, the Hardman experiment was a failure and you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Voters obviously didn’t want another lemon.
Cr Huges worked hard to defeat a longstanding incumbent. Perhaps the former Deputy Mayor stayed too long but it was a very close affair. Cr Huges was helped by the efforts of the anti Williams community groups to get over the line. The cameo role of a former Councillor seems to have muddied the water…what was that about?
It is looks a good result especially if the new Council (as a whole) can open up decision making and demonstrate transparency. So far the Mayor has said all the right things about a new era of collaboration. It would help if they all showed a commitment to community values that are well documented in the the Redlands 2030 Community Plan.

Had Greg Underwood been better known to the community, feel he could have won having had prior experience as General Manager of Redland Shire, an engineer, knowing lay of the land so to speak, (look at his work in building the waterpark in Cairns, THE place for tourists) by Esplanade. Greg’s signs disappeared overnight, while mayor’s large sized glamour shots mounted on wheels, in places obstructing views of oncoming traffic, Blind Freddy couldn’t miss, were prominent all along Old Cleveland Rd East to Wellington Pt. In spite of Tracey Huges’ signs vanishing along the route, I’m elated, at long last, Deputy Mayor Alan Beard lost his seat to Tracey… one of the Seccombe/Williams Six team.
We are hopeful, in future, with a new council, Mayor Williams, having lost the stranglehold she held, (unless with help by developers doing back room deals a new councillor can be bought) having left 5 councillors in the dark for eight long years, we will be spared witnessing, as in past, a gavel smashing down to silence any local representative speaking on behalf of their constituents, or other disruptions causing distress, by a frustrated mayor. As the saying goes “may there be law and order in the court”. We, the people of Redlands need to know putting an end…once and for all, to back room deals with high profile wealthy developers.