REDLAND City councillor Paul Golle has revealed he personally intervened to help former councillor Adelia Berridge secure a compassionate military posting for her son during her battle with stage four cancer, despite what he described as a strained and often difficult political relationship.
The comments come amid renewed scrutiny of Redland City Council’s culture following Ms Berridge’s public claims in an online article in the Brisbane Times that she felt she had “a target on my back” during her term on council from 2020 to 2024.
Cr Golle said while he disagreed with many of Ms Berridge’s political approaches and rejected claims of unchecked bullying at council, he still made “genuine efforts” to support her personally during a difficult period.
“During COVID, she approached me distressed about her son’s military posting. I did everything I could to assist and ultimately helped have that posting changed so he could be based in Brisbane,” he said.
Documents provided by Cr Golle show he formally wrote to then Federal Defence Minister Peter Dutton in October 2021 requesting urgent compassionate consideration for Ms Berridge’s son, Private Michael Berridge, to be posted to South East Queensland instead of Darwin.
In the letter, Cr Golle explained Ms Berridge had stage four cancer and was undergoing treatment, while strict COVID-era border restrictions heightened fears the family may not be able to reunite if her condition deteriorated.
“I am requesting support for the Berridge family, by having the soldier career management section find a suitable posting in Southeast Queensland on compassionate grounds please,” Cr Golle wrote.
The letter stated Ms Berridge was suffering significant emotional stress.
“I (Berridge) was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer this year. I am now on quarterly checks for lymph node tests. I am not to have any stress,” the correspondence said.
“The disease is spreading, and I emotionally need him here.”
Cr Golle, a military veteran himself, said he used his Defence contacts and experience to advocate for the family.
He said Ms Berridge later visited his home personally to thank him.
“I recall her coming to me afterwards extremely emotional and grateful, she embraced me in tears and later came to my home with a bottle of champagne to personally thank me,” he said.
Despite the personal support, Cr Golle said the professional relationship between the pair remained strained throughout the council term.
“I considered Councillor Adelia Berridge to be someone who was deeply passionate about a number of issues,” he said.
“However, over the nearly 15 years I’ve known her, it was difficult to ignore the ongoing personal hostility she held toward former Mayor Karen Williams.”
Cr Golle said he believed much of the dysfunction during the previous council term stemmed from entrenched personal conflicts rather than systemic bullying.
“There have been clear divisions. Some councillors are focused on delivering for the community, while others take a more activist approach,” he said.
“But there’s a difference between robust debate and the allegations being made along the lines of a political narrative of unchecked bullying. That’s just complete and utter rubbish.”
He also questioned the timing and focus of Mayor Jos Mitchell’s recent #RaiseTheBar campaign, saying councillors should instead remain focused on key strategic issues including the budget, Olympics legacy planning and the Birkdale Community Precinct.
Cr Golle said he did not recall lodging complaints against Ms Berridge with the Office of the Independent Assessor, though he claimed she had made multiple complaints against him during her time on council.
“I do recall councillor Berridge lodging plenty of complaints on me that were either unsubstantiated or based on pure hatred because I wouldn’t always see things her way,” he said.
Ms Berridge told Brisbane Times she believed council culture during her term was characterised by disrespect, including the leaking of private medical information to an anonymous Facebook page after she requested leave from council meetings due to health concerns.
