An electoral redistribution of Redland City’s ten divisions, used to elect local councillors, has been formally initiated. People have until 20 May to make submissions.
Boundary changes are needed because divisions 3 and 6 currently have too many voters. The Local Government Electoral Act requires that Redland City’s electoral divisions have no more than a 10% variation from the average number of voters in a division. Division 3 has 11.6% more than the average and Division 6 has 14.12% above the average.
Details of current and projected voter numbers for all ten divisions are shown in a table below.
Number of voters in Redland City divisions
| Council Electoral Division | Number of voters in 2019 | Number above/below average | % Deviation from average in 2019 |
% Deviation from average by 2024 |
| 1 | 10,590 | -251 | -2.31% | -2.81% |
| 2 | 10,408 | -433 | -3.99% | -0.12% |
| 3 | 12,098 | +1,257 | +11.60% | +11.97% |
| 4 | 10,793 | -48 | -0.44% | -1.48% |
| 5 | 11,164 | +323 | +2.98% | +9.87% |
| 6 | 12,371 | +1,530 | +14.12% | +15.24% |
| 7 | 10,336 | -505 | -4.66% | -7.76% |
| 8 | 13,313 | -528 | -4.87% | -7.92% |
| 9 | 10,103 | -739 | -6.81% | -9.50% |
| 10 | 10,232 | -609 | -5.61% | -7.49% |
| Total | 108,407 | |||
| Average | 10,841 |
Electoral redistribution process
The electoral redistribution process managed by the Change Commission involves the following steps:
- Submissions invited from the public, closing 20 May 2019
- Change Commission proposes new electoral boundaries
- Submissions invited from the public on the Change Commission’s proposal
- Change Commission publishes its final determination
The Change Commission has published a fact sheet to assist anyone interested in making a submission.
The 2015 electoral redistribution was very interesting
Howeston Golf Course – moved from Division 10 to Division 9 during the last electoral redistribution
The electoral redistribution before the 2016 local government elections showed that a small number of people making submissions can very effectively influence decisions by the Change Commission.
In 2015 a handful of councillors, a couple of relatives and a few people connected with the LNP made remarkably similar submissions that Howeston Golf Course, the Birkdale Commonwealth lands and just five voters should be moved from Division 10 (Paul Bishop) to Division 9 (Paul Gleeson).
This was discussed in some detail by Redlands2030 in our March 2016 post:
A murky tale about land development and electoral redistribution in Redland City
Redland City Council requests a postal vote only election
In February 2019, Redland City Council voted to request that the 2020 local government elections in Redlands be held by postal ballot only. The motion was supported by crs Karen Williams, Wendy Boglary, Peter Mitchell, Paul Gollè, Lance Hewlett, Mark Edwards, Julie Talty, Murray Elliott and Paul Bishop. Crs Tracey Huges and Paul Gleeson voted against the motion.
The Council’s decision to request a postal vote only ballot was made without community consultation.
Having an election by postal vote only is likely to favour incumbent councillors. They benefit personally from the propaganda issued regularly by the Council at ratepayers expense. This includes newsletters, news releases promoting councillors and other media issued by the Council which serves mainly to promote incumbent councillors, such as the Our Redlands glossy.
The Minister for Local Government Stirling Hinchliffe has advised the Electoral Commissioner that Redland City Council’s request will be considered in the context of the State Government’s proposed local government reforms.
In its Local Government Reforms information paper published in March 2019 the State Government flagged a preference for local government elections to be held in the traditional way with people voting at polling booths. The Government’s reasoning included:
- Voting in person at a polling booth on election day is an open, transparent and democratic process.
- Postal ballots give rise to issues: ballot security, delayed declaration of election results, lower voting participation (76% compared to 83% for attendance ballots).
If you want Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe to know what you think about how the next Redland City Council elections should be conducted (polling booths or postal vote only) send him an email to: LGRMA@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Redlands2030 – 2 May 2019
Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net
One Comment
Thought it strange finding few years ago notice in mail box stating Alexandra Hills Cr Murray Elliott was now looking after interests of Capalaba ratepayers in housing estate sandwiched between Finucane/Elmhurst Sts to 19 Crotona Rd units on Coolnwynpin Ck bank. Cr Paul Gleeson is councillor for Capalaba. But considering that neither councillor is available to act on issues of importance, such as inadequate play/exercise equipment in this area, only two parks now under Cr Elliott’s Div 7, I call Council direct for assistance. The lovely glossy Redlands Coast colourful magazine normally has Div 7 Cr filling page with pretty photos taken at Indigiscapes repeating what is happening there, the community knows about with updates in local newspaper, internet, etc. hopefully new information will be seen in future editions of Redlands Coast magazine. Brisbane City Council provide park equipment for the whole family to use from tiny tots to grand parents. What I saw in my local park this week was an obese man pushing small child on swing for some time, then having a swing himself for a little enjoyment. RCC has grossly short changed ratepayers in this part of Cr Elliott’s Div 7 in Capalaba.
It is well known Cr Gleeson, Capalaba, Div 9, is close to Mayor Williams having been photographed alone and beside mayor in local newspaper, on Commonwealth land, appearing to be caretaker beside sign in one photograph, which brings me to what is being said about Div 10, Birkdale Councillor having the Commonwealth land transferred to Div 9, Capalaba, even though the land is in Birkdale off Old Cleveland Rd East. We know our local politicians are anxious to fill the land with development…we already hear Member for Bowman Andrew Laming making deals…one being with Alma Park Zoo…when tourism is what we should be pursuing, with our native species dying out in Redlands like the koala, conservationists want to save from extinction, overseas visitors will pay well to see koalas in the wild. They don’t want to see them in cages. Nor do we, the people of Redland City. So yes, it is of great concern, that the land has been switched over to Div 9, where Cr Gleeson does not enjoy a good reputation and has been reprimanded for serious behavioural problems. So we have to be deeply concerned with Commonwealth land being in hands of Cr for Capalaba, and repeat here what Redlands2030 say and I quote: “It’s a murky tale about land development and electoral redistribution in Redland City”!.