No contest for half City's seats

Pictured: Mayor Peter Flannery and Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway who are on course to be returned unopposed.

Residents in five divisions of Moreton Bay City Council may not have to go to the polls in next month’s Local Government elections - or elect a mayor.

When nominations closed at noon today, the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) website showed Councillors Brooke Savige (Div 1), Jodie Shipway (Div 4), Yvonne Barlow (Div 7), Cath Tonks (Div 9) and Darren Grimwade (Div 11) look set to be returned unopposed.

Peter Flannery was also the only candidate for Mayor and - at the time of writing - appears set to lead Moreton Bay City Council for a second four-year term.

An ECQ spokesperson said: "All completed nominations will be published progressively on the ECQ website as nominations are finalised.

"If there are any candidate nominations in progress at midday, the ECQ will continue to process and finalise these nominations as soon as possible."

The draw for the order of candidates on each ballot paper will be made at 10am tomorrow (February 14).

Statistics from the ECQ show there were 46 uncontested seats from 532 across the state in the 2020 election.

That uncontested figure was 8.6 per cent of the total, compared to Moreton Bay City Council in 2024 which has 46 per cent its positions uncontested.

Division 8 will see the biggest battle on March 16 with five nominations to replace long-serving councillor Mick Gillam who has retired.

Independents Jim Moloney, Jamie Walter, Stephen Huxtable and Susan Laird have been joined by Greens candidate Tara Seiffert-Smith.

Division 5 sees sitting councillor Sandra Ruck, who joined council in 2020, challenged by Garry Ohlson and former mayoral candidate Dean Teasdale.

In Division 10 will have sitting councillor Matt Constance, seeking a third term, facing Andrew Murphy and Brent McDowall.

Former Councillor Adrian Raedel is looking to reclaim Division 12 from sitting councillor Tony Latter, who was elected in 2020, with Errol O’Brien also nominating.

Karl Winchester, who won Division 6 in 2020, is looking to return and will be up against Greens candidate Benita Suckling.

Sitting councillor Adam Hain, seeking a third term, faces Kerri Raedel in Division 3 and sitting councillor Mark Booth, chasing a second term, takes on Gregory Dillon for Division 2.

Postal vote applications close on March 7.

Early voting will be from March 4-15; Election day is March 16 8am-6pm and the close of return of postal votes is March 26.

Moreton Bay City Council nominations:

Mayor - Peter Flannery

Division 1 - Brooke Savige

Division 2 - Mark Booth, Gregory Dillon

Division 3 - Adam Hain, Kerri Raedel, 

Division 4 - Jodie Shipway

Division 5 - Garry Ohlson, Sandra Ruck, Dean Teasdale

Division 6 - Benita Suckling, Karl Winchester

Division 7 - Yvonne Barlow

Division 8 - Stephen Huxtable, Susan Laird, Jim Moloney, Tara Seiffert-Smith, Jamie Walter

Division 9 - Cath Tonks

Division 10 - Matt Constance, Brent McDowell, Andrew Murphy

Division 11 - Darren Grimwade

Division 12 - Tony Latter, Errol O'Brien, Adrian Raedel