Redlands2030’s participation in activities surrounding the 2020 local government elections was the subject of some negative commentary on social media which was ill-informed, untruthful and ridiculous.
This post sets the record straight about what Redlands2030 did during these elections, and why.
What is Redlands2030?
Redlands2030 is a community organisation of people who wish to see a higher standard of governance in Redland City.
We are seeking a more orderly and thoughtful execution of an agreed approach to development in the city.
Our template of choice is the Redlands 2030 Community Plan, created in 2010 through a community process involving some 3,000 residents. This long term community plan is still relevant today.
Redlands2030 assists the community by making freely available to the community well-researched evidence-based news of relevance and interest to residents.
We are often the only media outlet that digs deep enough to enable the community to understand what is happening at the local council level of government in Redlands.
Who is behind Redlands2030?
Redlands2030 was founded by three Redlands residents who met while walking their dogs and discovered that they shared deep concerns about the disgraceful manner in which the proposed Toondah Harbour development was being handled by both local and state government.
Their determination to bring about change has resulted in Redlands2030 becoming a large and enthusiastic community group of like-minded citizens with ongoing concern about the lack of transparency and community consultation, particularly at the local council level.
Redlands2030 is an incorporated community organisation and operates under the provisions of the Associations Incorporation Act.
Our members and supporters come with a wide range of perspectives, backgrounds, skills and political interests.
We strive to maintain a good working relationship with all political parties but we have no formal links to any party.
Redlands2030 is not beholden to any individual, organisation or government entity for funding support.
We are an organisation of volunteers – no one gets any pay. Our organisation’s funding requirements are met with small donations from individual supporters, and from the sale of campaign-related merchandise.
We work in alliance with state-wide, national and international environmental groups and many local community organisations.
We arrange and convene events, rallies and monthly meetings. We aim to inform the community of the challenges and issues confronting the City. We investigate and report on the matters of concern to our community through the Redlands2030 website and the popular Redlands2030 Facebook Page.
Redlands2030’s role during the elections
In line with our mission, Redlands2030 set out at the time of the local government election to provide residents with factual information about candidates and their policies.
On a purpose-built website named Redlands Votes, page space was allotted to each and every candidate.
All candidates were invited to speak at one of two public meetings arranged and convened by Redlands2030.
Each speaker was welcomed and accorded an uninterrupted opportunity to make his or her election pitch within a set time – 20 minutes for mayoral candidates and ten minutes for division councillor candidates.
Each speech was recorded, and the video displayed along with other information about the candidate on the RedlandsVotes webpage.
Redlands2030 was at pains to ensure no advantage was given to any candidate. But of course, we could only cater to those who chose to attend one of the meetings.
In addition, a standard questionnaire was sent to all candidates to seek clarity about their position on a series of local issues.
Redlands2030’s “preferred candidates”
We produced a “Preferred candidate” election flyer for the information of voters. This flyer was duly authorised and volunteers distributed the material at polling booths and into letterboxes in some parts of Redlands.
- As required by law, our costs and sources of funding for this activity were fully disclosed to the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ).
- Our expressed preferences were based on our perception of candidates who would deliver the most balanced outcomes for
the Redlands. The template used as a basis for the assessment was the description provided by the Redlands 2030 Community Plan. - Our assessment was based upon past actions and voting behaviour (if available), on the content and thrust of presentations made at our “Meet the Candidates” meetings, and on responses (or lack thereof) to our questionnaire.
- This election flyer was carefully prepared to comply with legal requirements applying to the role of a Third Party having a say during local government elections.
- Redlands2030 did not run a “Ticket”, “Team” or “Group” of candidates. We simply expressed a view about which candidates might be better for the future health of Redland City and its residents.
- We had no prior discussions with any candidate about our plans to publish election material expressing our organisation’s preferences.
Candidate forums for the council elections
The two “meet the candidates” election forums (both open to the public and free and at capacity) were conducted by Redlands2030 (in February and March).
The image at the top of this story shows Cr Paul Bishop talking at the candidates forum held in February 2020.
There were no other opportunities for the community to hear council candidates before the local government elections election at free entry public events.
Many councillors were elected without adequate scrutiny of their records and intentions.
In other local government areas in south east Queensland voters had plenty of opportunities to engage with local council candidates at election forums.
The following statistics provide insight into the value placed by some candidates and representatives on the opportunity to meet and discuss their positions on matters of public interest.
| Candidates: 31 | Accepted | Declined | Nil Response |
| Invited to speak at public meetings | 13 | 6 | 12 |
| Questionnaire | 15 | 2 | 14 |
Our letter to the Redland City Bulletin
Redlands2030 appreciates the opportunity to explain our role during the local government elections in a letter to the the Redland City Bulletin. Our letter appeared in the edition published on 10 June 2020. Here is a slightly longer version.
Dear Editor:
I would like to clarify the role of community group Redlands2030 Inc. in the recent council elections in light of some misleading public comments.
Our group was formed in 2014 by myself and others when Council and the State Government announced the Toondah Harbour mega-development in Cleveland. This later morphed into a residential development of 3,600 units in multiple towers on 100 acres of protected wetlands in Moreton Bay.
Redlands2030 has become a well-supported volunteer advocacy group for residents who feel excluded from the Council’s decision making. We offer a website, social media pages, regular newsletters, events, monthly meetings, petitions, and commentary about Council decisions that we believe are not being communicated transparently by Council. Our group also works in alliance with state, national and international environmental groups. We are not aligned to any political party.
The 2020 election offered the community the chance to have their say about Toondah Harbour and other important local issues. Council’s own 2019 community satisfaction survey highlighted its major public performance issues such as poor planning and development, inadequate infrastructure, community engagement, transparency and value for money.
To help the community in their voting decisions, we created a website (redlandsvotes.net) giving all candidates the opportunity to share their policies and background. We asked candidates the same questions and posted their responses. We organised two free ‘Meet the Candidates’ public meetings – and posted unedited video presentations online.
Redland2030 Inc became an authorised Third Party in the election and provided a “Preferred Candidate” voter information sheet. We assessed candidates’ announced policies, past voting behaviour (if applicable), policies in survey responses and public presentations before making voting recommendations. We used the official Redlands 2030 Community Plan as a measure.
As a Third Party, our recommendations fully complied with requirements of the Electoral Commission of Qld.No contact was made with any candidate about our endorsements which only became public when pre-polls began.We did not field a “team”. We simply assessed each candidate on available information, recommending those we believed would be best for the future direction of our City.
It seems that many people don’t understand the role and responsibilities of Third Parties in elections.
This was an election like no other for so many reasons. Because of the impact of COVID-19 on our community, there hasn’t been any real discussion of what the election results might mean.
Redland City’s Mayor was returned by the smallest margin of any councillor. Most locals voted for alternative leadership with significantly different policies.
Our new Council has a challenging time ahead as it transitions through the pandemic impacts. But it also offers an opportunity to respond to the matters the community has so much angst about in better and more inclusive ways.
Redlands2030 has become a voice for many locals who love our part of the world and want to have a say in its future.I am hopeful our new Council will see the benefits of including and respecting their views. After all, we simply want to make Redland City the best it can be.
Steve MacDonald
President – Redlands2030 Inc.
Redlands2030 – 14 June 2020
Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net
8 Comments
The efforts of the team at Redlands2030 in giving voters a voice and a chance to meet the candidates in the last election was commendable. I’m pleased to read how they came up with preferred candidates for their election flyer…and surely they were entitled to express their view. The vexatious allegations made about the group will no doubt continue but those concerned about a healthy democracy will surely say “thanks”.
Its too bad the local offshoots of the mainstream media didn’t do as much during the election…surely they could have managed a candidates forum or even joined the two events run by R2030.
It’s a sad state of affairs that an organisation like Redlands2030 has to defend itself against ill-founded criticism. I would imagine that a self-funded, non-political organisation that exists for the benefit of all who call the Redlands home deserves widespread support.
While in any community there will be differences of opinion or approach, it is a pity that some of our elected officials rather than demonstrating a common commitment to all Redlanders, choose to distance themselves from Redlands2030. This was evident in the lead up to the recent local government election when a number of candidates failed to respond to the Redlands2030 questionnaire or take advantage of the public meetings organised by Redlands2030 to present their policy positions.
I am disappointed that our local council is not taking more notice of the Redlands 2030 Community Plan which was touted as best practice for community involvement. I understand the plan is still a valid document.
Many seniors, living in assisted care, who were looking for improved transparency in Council decision making were not able to vote in the last election because of lockdown with Covid-19 so it was an election like no other. In the circumstances, I believe the incumbents had a distinct advantage. Well done Redlands2030 for providing the community with the opportunity to hear from Council candidates. Shame on those candidates who thought so little of their constituents that they did not respond to Redlands2030 questionnaires or the opportunities they were given to personally present their policies to the community.
None of our elected bodies has made it clear why and how the Toondah ferry terminal upgrade morphed into a massive residential high-rise encroachment on internationally protected wetlands that are an integral part of our envied natural heritage in the Redlands. Redlands 2030 was the only visible community group in town that was prepared to keep asking the questions that no one seemed to want to answer and which still remain unanswered. As the commentary points out, Redlands 2030 copped a lot of flack in the local election campaign for vigorously pursuing this course as a ‘third party’ entity. But here’s the nub: if our elected bodies respected voters as adults who deserve to be openly and fully informed about important issues like Toondah, if they ventured to genuinely trust us as they call on us to trust them, would there even be a need for organisations like Redlands 2030? Until then …
No one from state government or council has ever explained why and how the Toondah ferry terminal upgrade morphed into a massive residential high-rise encroachment on internationally protected wetlands that are an integral part of our envied natural heritage in the Redlands. This outfit Redlands 2030 was the only visible one in town that was prepared to keep asking the questions that no one seemed to want to answer and which still remain unanswered. As this commentary points out, 2030 copped a lot of flack in the local election campaign for vigorously pursuing this course as a ‘third party’ entity. But here’s the nub of it: if our elected bodies respected voters as adults who deserve to be openly and fully informed about important decisions like Toondah, would there even be a need for organisations like Redlands 2030? Until then …
Can the costs and donations be disclosed to Redlands residents please?
Your costs and sources of funding were disclosed to the ECQ….will you show the residents, ratepayers and your followers this information? Since you claim to be factual and transparent….
Redlands2030…your narrative is appreciated, it might help to dispel the attempts to demonise you and your members. However, in my mind what you did, is what you said you did and there was no impropriety.
Perhaps, other third parties who campaigned should do likewise ie “put up” or “shut up”!
Keep up the good work!