Exactly 12 months from today, voters will choose Redland City’s mayor and ten divisional councillors at local council elections. Anyone considering running for one of these positions should be planning their campaign soon, some people are already doing so.
None of the incumbents have yet indicated any intention to retire at the next election. Elections on Saturday 28 March 2020 will decide if any get re-elected.
Why run for election to public office?
As a councillor, people have the opportunity to represent the community and help shape the future of Redland City.
Local councillors decide on policies, plans and budgets at Council meetings. They also have the opportunity to attend various non-public workshops and meetings where matters concerning council business are discussed confidentially.
Elected officials are required by law to make decisions in the public interest and conduct themselves appropriately. They are subject to close scrutiny by the community, media and regulatory authorities.
Base salary for divisional councillors is about $100,000 per year plus superannuation and reimbursement of travel and other expenses. The Mayor’s base salary is about $170,000 per year. Detailed information about pay and expenses received by councillors and the mayor in 2017/18 are shown at the end of this article.
Who would be suitable for the role of councillor, or mayor?
The skills, knowledge and attributes for being a good councillor are listed in a document published by the NSW government:
- Communication skills, including listening and interpersonal skills, public speaking, respecting different opinions, negotiation, mediation and conflict resolution skills
- Problem solving and analytical skills, in order to get to the core of a problem and come up with good solutions
- Teamwork skills, because councillors need to work together to benefit the community
- Organisational skills, including time management and priority setting
- Understanding of financial and reporting processes, including understanding budget processes and financial reports
- Ability to engage with the community
- Understanding of social justice principles
- Understanding of the role and services of local government
- Ability to understand relevant State Government legislation
- Leadership qualities, such as energy, optimism, motivation, resilience, confidence, assertiveness, strategic thinking, advocacy and networking
- Ethical and accountable behaviour – and a commitment to acting in the best interests of the community as a whole.
Becoming a councillor, or mayor
Some basic information about local government elections is available on the Department of Local Government’s website including:
- Eligibility to nominate
- How to nominate
- The election campaign
- Getting started as a councillor or mayor – what happens after the election
- Your role as an elected councillor or mayor
- Your responsibilities as a councillor or mayor
Prospective candidates should also check the Guide for Candidates published by the Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Reform of local government elections
Following investigations into Queensland’s 2016 local government elections by the Crime and Corruption Commission (Operation Belcarra), changes have been made to laws about the election and behaviour of councillors and mayors.
Political donations laws have been tightened up and the Office of the Independent Assessor has been established to investigate any complaints about councillors and mayors.
The State government is considering further reforms which have been described in a discussion paper published by the Department of Local Government. Changes which could affect candidates for the forthcoming election include:
- Candidates for local government elections will be required to undertake some mandatory training to ensure they understand the obligations of candidates, and councillors
- Strict caps on how much can be spent by candidates on their election campaigns which for Redlands could be about $55,000 for mayoral candidates and $10,000 for divisional councilors campaigns
- Public funding paid at a rate of $1.57 per first preference vote received
- Changing from optional preferential voting to compulsory preferential voting
- Candidates campaigning collectively must register as a group or political party
More information about the Government’s planned reforms is available in a recent post by Redlands2030 or on the Department of Local Government’s website.
Mayor and councillors’ remuneration 2017/18
Redlands2030 – 28 March 2019
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6 Comments
The every man Lance will be nominating for the Mayoral candidacy
Is John Talty Cr Julie’s husband? Her father, ex-Cr John Burns was heavily involved, along with then Birkdale Cr Alan Beard, with the hand over of our Specially Protected Wetland site 29-37 Moreton Bay Rd Capalaba to commercial developer Peter Endacott (grateful for support) who erected towering concrete walls along riparian zone where the sun never shines having created a haven for social misfits tearing up our streets with bins tied to bumper bars, smashing letter boxes along Crotona Rd. The waterway, what’s left of it, is polluted, the boardwalk, built by young unemployed people, is today unused, too dangerous a place to walk through that begins at bridge by Old Cleveland Rd joining up to Crotona Rd path by creek bank to Windemere Rd Alexandra Hills. This is what we lost Mr Talty, so developers along with their helpers, can prosper, walk away, leaving misery in their wake, for the people who once could walk along the creek bank corridor, see local koalas, now but a memory. Those who tried walking through to Capalaba Central were mugged, forced to walk home with groceries along main road. Many left the area because of crime this development brought into the area in which I live. Shame on State/local govt operatives for allowing extensive environmental destruction by approving outsiders to Capalaba, namely, Crs Burns and Beard, to deprive residents, ratepayers, of their happiness and wellbeing…in my view, a dirty, done deal.
Our only hope is that Wendy Bolgary goes for Mayor!
Hopefully – please God – Karen will not run again!
Would appreciate a full breakdown of transport expenditure per Councillor.
Will 2030 be endorsing their preferrred puppets and declaring themselves a political party ?
Might be more cost effective than the existing muppets now in place.