ECQ announces by-election date for Ipswich - August 19

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> ECQ announces by-election date for Ipswich

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) will conduct local government by-elections at Ipswich on Saturday, 19 August.

The poll follows the resignation of Mayor Paul Pisasale earlier this month.

ECQ's Director of Elections Wade Lewis said the Ipswich by-election would be a significant event.

"More than 120,000 people are enrolled to vote in the Ipswich council area so we'll have around 350 staff operating 40-plus polling booths on election day," Mr Lewis said.

"Ipswich residents will also be able to vote early at one of the three pre-poll centres that will be open from August 7.

The Electoral Commission is urging people living in the council area to ensure they are properly enrolled to vote.

"Voting is compulsory so anyone who turned 18 or became an Australian citizen since the last election must enrol to vote," Mr Lewis said.

"And people who have changed their name, address or other contact details need to go to ECQ's website or phone us to make sure their enrolment information is up to date."

The official Notices of Election are set to be issued on 15 July 2017.

Timetable for the by-election can be viewed at ecq.qld.gov.au

[ozbob]

2017 Ipswich City Council - Mayoral By-Election

>> http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/current-elections/2017-ipswich-city-mayoral-by-election-old

Election Timetable (PDF, 85.6 KB)

[Stillwater]

Good.  Time to make frequency of services to Ipswich and the train travel pattern an election issue.

[ozbob]

The Ipswich peak timetable, part of the Sector one, June 2011 implementation, is one of the few really outstanding timetable successes of relatively recent times.  Counter peak is shambolic though west of Darra, and off peak clearly needs a boost.  Counter peak - they could layer on Darra <> Ipswich shuttle on the existing services.  There a lot of empties that head out counter peak as well.

If a key counter peak service is cancelled, stranded pax stare in amazement as empties run past heading to stabling etc.   

LM candidate Cr Paul Tully, I note has already mentioned public transport as a key policy area.  This should force the rest to at least give it some lip service.  I would very surprised if Cr. Tully doesn't win, and some what decisively.

Bus reform is a sleeping tiger out these parts though ..

[ozbob]

 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/couriermail/status/880696143151341568

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> MAYORAL RACE: Ken will push for Redbank Plains rail

KEN Salter caught a bus to get to the ballot draw for the 2017 mayoral by-election yesterday.

If he wins office at the August 19 though he plans to catch a train.

A late entrant in the race to decide who will be the next mayor, Mr Salter said he would be pushing hard to find a way for Ipswich City Council to make a financial contribution to the extension of the rail line from Springfield Central to Redbank Plains and through to Ipswich.

The ALP's State Conference committed to the project, but public transport advocate Robert Dow has said he would also like to see the council make a financial contribution.

Mr Salter, who lives at Bellbird Park and has run in previous Ipswich and Moreton council elections, agrees.

"I will be lobbying for that infrastructure and because I live at Bellbird Park I would like to see the rail move up to Redbank Plains.

"As mayor I can push and lobby for it.

"In the 2000 election I lobbied for the back road into Riverview and was criticised by every candidate but two days later Victor Attwood got the money from Peter Beattie.

"The rail line to Redbank Plains will keep cars off the road and the suburb is the centre of development," he said.

"Redbank Plains has been forgotten about.

"The Moreton Bay council made a contribution to the Redcliffe link so I think that is a funding model we need to look at.

"I realise I would have to get the consensus of the people on the council. I would try and get the other councillors with me on it.

"I couldn't get a train here (to the draw) because there is no rail to Redbank Plains so I had to get a bus to the station and then a train up here."

Mr Salter, the founder of the Redbank Plains Junior Rugby League, said he would also be lobbying hard for a second river crossing, the Norman St bridge, and would make that a priority if elected.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/894234320612622336

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/894337208341090304

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/897984702316822529

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/898959633502556161

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> LIVE RESULTS: Rolling coverage Ipswich mayoral election 2017

I think I prefer to have Cr Tully as our division 2 Councillor.  The association with the previous Mayor has not helped at all, no surprise.

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/898964854727360514

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/qld_times/status/899093970843783170

[ozbob]

The Queensland Times conducted a couple of Mayoral Election forums.  Readers were invited to submit a question.

This was mine submitted to the Editor Ms Shannon Newley

==================

7th August

Dear Ms. Newley,

Well done on the election forums.  Unfortunately I will not be able to attend either.

However I submit this question for your consideration.

Background:

The need for the extension of the railway from Springfield to Redbank Plains South and on to Ripley has been mentioned by a number of candidates for Mayor.  Improved rail services is of course of great importance.  However, we also need to focus on our bus and active transport networks.  Part of the problem with the lack of parking at key rail stations is the result of our poorly designed bus network, with low frequency, poor span and coverage.  For example the feeder bus arrangements for the Springfield railway line are shambolic at best.

The entire Western bus region (Ipswich) needs a major network review with a focus on improving frequency, coverage and span of operation of bus services.  We also need to continue to improve and encourage options for active transport (bicycle and walking).

Question:

As Mayor of Ipswich will you support improvements for our bus network?  Calls from the public and advocates have been ignored for years by TransLink and the State Governments.

Will you support improved active transport options for Ipswich?

Thank you.

Best wishes,

Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/899128791351476224

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Andrew Antoniolli claims victory in Ipswich by-election

A PLATFORM of transparency and accountability in the wake of the controversy surrounding the resignation of Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale's has delivered councillor Andrew Antoniolli the city's top job.

Following Saturday's mayoral by-election Mr Antoniolli was last night about 3500 votes ahead of his nearest rival, fellow Mr Paul Tully, who conceded defeat via text message.

Mr Antoniolli was jumping for joy as the count progressed and declared victory late yesterday.

While it is yet to be officially declared, the likely result means Ipswich voters will return to the polls for a second time this year to fill the void in Division 7 left by Mr Antoniolli.

As at 5pm yesterday, Mr Antoniolli had 32,355 votes (34.7 per cent) compared to 28,801 (30.1 per cent) for Mr Tully.

They were both far ahead of the nearest of the remaining nine candidates, Peter Robinson, who won 6758 votes.

Mr Tully conceded defeat to Mr Antoniolli late yesterday afternoon via text message which said: "Congratulations Mr Mayor".

Both Mr Antoniolli and Mr Tully regularly supported Mr Pisasale during his reign as mayor, with the trio often seen together at public events.

During the campaign, Mr Antoniolli called for change in the way the council was run and promised to "open up the books" at the council and its privately owned companies.

Yesterday he vowed to keep those commitments.

"I think the need for transparency and openness has been around for longer than the past 12 weeks," he said.

"With the campaign I was able to really promote my agenda for openness and transparency and I think people saw my experience and ability to make that happen.

"My role from 8am (today) onwards is to meet with the CEO and the councillors and transition a way forward."

A former policeman, Mr Antoniolli has served on the council for 12 years.

A disappointed Mr Tully issued a short statement to The Courier-Mail yesterday to point out that "65 per cent of voters did not vote for the winner" and that it would only have taken another 1778 votes to have given him victory.

Mr Tully will still be deputy mayor, however that could change if the council votes for a new deputy.

During the election campaign, Mr Antoniolli said Mr Wayne Wendt was his preferred pick as deputy.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

21st August 2017

Ipswich Mayoral Election - comment

Good Morning,

So Cr. Antoniolli will be the next Mayor of Ipswich.  Despite 'promises' I feel much will be the same.

Queensland Times --> Voters show major support for new blood in Ipswich
Couriermail --> Andrew Antoniolli claims victory in Ipswich by-election

During the election campaign the Queensland Times conducted some Mayoral Election Forums. Readers were invited to submit questions.

This was mine (below).  Ipswich (western) region has been neglected for years by State Governments and its somewhat useless public transport agency TransLink.  Will the new broom at Ipswich City Council help push along public and active transport improvements?

Don't hold your breath!

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

=================================

7th August

Dear Ms. Newley,

Well done on the election forums.  Unfortunately I will not be able to attend either.

However I submit this question for your consideration.

Background:

The need for the extension of the railway from Springfield to Redbank Plains South and on to Ripley has been mentioned by a number of candidates for Mayor.  Improved rail services is of course of great importance.  However, we also need to focus on our bus and active transport networks.  Part of the problem with the lack of parking at key rail stations is the result of our poorly designed bus network, with low frequency, poor span and coverage.  For example the feeder bus arrangements for the Springfield railway line are shambolic at best.

The entire Western bus region (Ipswich) needs a major network review with a focus on improving frequency, coverage and span of operation of bus services.  We also need to continue to improve and encourage options for active transport (bicycle and walking).

Question:

As Mayor of Ipswich will you support improvements for our bus network?  Calls from the public and advocates have been ignored for years by TransLink and the State Governments.

Will you support improved active transport options for Ipswich?

Thank you.

Best wishes,

Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/899308219662606337

[aldonius]

Couriermail --> Andrew Antoniolli claims victory in Ipswich by-election

A disappointed Mr Tully issued a short statement to The Courier-Mail yesterday to point out that "65 per cent of voters did not vote for the winner" and that it would only have taken another 1778 votes to have given him victory.

My understanding is that all Mayoral elections in Queensland are supposed to be conducted under optional preferential voting. The ECQ doesn't appear to have published any sort of preferential count yet, so something's gone weird.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/899723240066564096

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Annastacia Palaszczuk likened to Joh Bjelke-Petersen by Jo-Ann Miller

RENEGADE Labor backbencher Jo-Ann Miller has ­likened the State ­Government to the corrupt Bjelke-Petersen era in Parliament, claiming the Premier and her deputy turned a blind eye to corruption allegations against former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale.

In an explosive speech during a debate about political donations, Mrs Miller – who was dumped as police minister in December 2015 – claimed she'd told Ms Palaszczuk and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad about corruption allegations against Cr Pisasale "on numerous occasions".

"The state secretary Evan Moorhead and the state president Dick Williams of the ALP also knew, as did many ALP branches in Ipswich, trade unions and loyal and honest ALP branch members," she said.

"I was the only MP, state or federal, to call out the alleged corruption in Ipswich."

However a spokesman for the Premier said Mrs Miller had told Ms Palaszczuk about her concerns when Labor was in Opposition.

"The Premier urges all Members to take any allegations of corruption to the CCC for it to independently and thoroughly investigate," he said.

"That is what the Premier said when Member for Cairns Rob Pyne tabled allegations of corruption in State Parliament this month."

A spokesman for Ms Trad said Mrs Miller's concerns were appropriately referred to the CCC.

Mrs Miller claimed ALP figures turned a blind eye to Cr Pisasale's alleged corruption because of his popularity and it reminded her of the Bjelke-Petersen Government – which saw police corruption flourish under its watch.

"I also raised matters like money changing hands, like suspicious trips all over Australia and internationally – only to be rebuffed because the former mayor was popular and an ALP member," Mrs Miller said in Parliament.

"It reminded me of another era in this Parliament, the Sir Joh era, when he too was popular and there was also murmurings about dodgy money.

"To walk past corruption is a corrupt action in itself.

"To walk past corruption is a value statement of one's very low value system. I never wavered, I called it out and I resigned."

The police graft in the Bjelke-Petersen era was the catalyst for the Fitzgerald inquiry, which also found minister Russ Hinze to be corrupt.

Mrs Miller said when she raised issues about Cr Pisasale she was told to "fix it" – "which was code for directing the Police Commissioner under the Police Service Administration Act".

"I refused to do it. The Premier stood by an allegedly corrupt former mayor and got rid of an honest police minister."

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said the Government's claims of accountability were in tatters.

"This is beyond serious; these allegations shine a bright light on the murky world of Labor's ... twisted priorities," he said.

Despite her comments, senior ALP sources said it was unlikely Mrs Miller would face suspension from the party.