Community & Business
10 March, 2025
Mareeba councillor by-election set for 5 April
A NEW councillor for the Mareeba Shire will be decided at a poll to be held on Saturday 5 April.
Days out from a deadline to legally fill a councillor vacancy, the council was given Ministerial approval to hold a by-election via postal vote but it will cost $65,000 less than it would have if there were polling booths.
“At the request of the council, I have approved a postal vote for the by-election which will enable all voters to have their say,” Local Government Minister Ann Leahy said in a statement on Friday.
“Importantly, this will also save ratepayers $65,000 compared with a regular in-person election.”
The council paid the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) $141,000 to hold the 2024 election to choose six councillors, but it is unknown what a “normal” by-election for one representative would cost.
On Monday, ECQ revealed the date of the by-election will be 5 April and candidates have only until 18 March to nominate. It is understood ECQ has already appointed a local election manager for the poll.
Under the Local Government Act 2009, a councillor vacancy “must be filled within two months after the office becomes vacant”. If local government does not do so, “the Governor in Council may appoint a qualified person to fill the vacant office”.
The position became vacant after the death on January 14 of Cr Kevin Davies.
Just over three weeks later, council opted to hold a by-election instead of appointing the next in line from last year’s election ballot.
To save on costs, council requested Minister Leahy approve a postal vote instead of making residents head to the polling booths.
The two-month deadline will be up on March 15, about four weeks after council approached the Minister. This theoretically could have given the Minister the legal right to appoint someone.
The by-election decision has caused a public backlash in the community, with local groups, business representatives, and online commentary criticising the move as a waste of time and money, and that no costings were available.
Runner-up Mladen Bosnic had also been critical of the decision, saying it was unnecessary, did not take into account election fatigue (with the state and council elections last year and a federal election looming), and was not in the spirit of the legislation.
He has also confirmed that should it go to a poll he would nominate for the position.
