Toowoomba Regional Council is calling for nominations to fill a vacant councillor position, which must be lodged by 15 August 2023.
Toowoomba Regional Council Acting CEO, Nick Hauser, said nominations for the vacant councillor position are invited from any person who is qualified to be a councillor, and from each person who was a candidate for election at the previous local government election in 2020.
“Notices calling for nominations have been published, including on Council’s website, and former candidates have been individually notified,” Mr Hauser said.
“Council must then meet and formally resolve to fill the vacant office of councillor by appointing one of those nominees within two months of July 21, 2023.”
Following their appointment by Council, Mr Hauser will then swear in the new councillor.
Mr Hauser said individuals who meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the Councillor Nomination form can register as a nominee and be considered for appointment until the end of the current electoral term in March 2024.
Mr Hauser said Council was following the requirements under the Local Government Act 2009 (LGA) to fill the vacant Councillor position for the remainder of the term. The position became vacant following the resignation of former Mayor Paul Antonio in July.
At subsequent Special Meetings of Council, Councillor Geoff McDonald, the former Deputy Mayor, was appointed Mayor of the Toowoomba Region, followed by the appointment of Cr Rebecca Vonhoff as Council’s new Deputy Mayor.
Under the LGA there is no requirement to hold an election to fill the vacant office of councillor as the vacancy is now too close (within 12 months) to the next quadrennial local government election, set for March 16, 2024.
To be considered for this position, nominees must live in the Toowoomba local government area and meet the conditions outlined in Chapter 6, Part 2 Division 1 Qualifications of Councillors, Sections 152-156 of the LGA.
