A PUSH to fast-track cost savings before next year’s budget erupted into a fiery Redland City Council debate, with Cr Paul Bishop the sole councillor to vote against Acting Mayor Julie Talty’s efficiency directive.
The Mayoral Minute, passed at Council’s October 14 meeting, authorises Chief Executive Officer Louise Rusan to identify and progress immediate opportunities to reduce operating costs, improve productivity and streamline services within existing budgets and delegations.
Cr Talty said the move was aimed at easing cost-of-living pressure on residents and avoiding unnecessary rate rises when Council prepares its 2027-28 budget.
But Cr Bishop challenged the need for a separate directive while Council was already undertaking a wider service and efficiency review.
He said the focus should be on long-term, sustainable savings rather than simply finding cuts sooner.
“I think the objective should not simply be to find savings sooner,” Cr Bishop said.
“It should be to achieve sustainable savings that can genuinely benefit our residents.”
He repeatedly asked what specific opportunities the Acting Mayor believed could be brought forward and whether the additional work would create pressure for Council staff.
Cr Talty replied: “Councillor, we can’t afford to wait 12 months.”
As the exchange became increasingly tense, Cr Talty told Cr Bishop she was “not debating” him and that he had the opportunity to ask a question.
The CEO later confirmed Council had already incorporated about $23 million in efficiencies, savings and mitigations into the current financial year’s budget.
Ms Rusan said the new Mayoral Minute would give staff a clear message to pursue suitable short-term savings while the more detailed review continued.
“There are pressures on the budget now impacting on the community,” she said.
“What it does is give the organisation the certainty of a head of power that those measures for cost saving are important to bring forward as soon as we possibly can.”
Cr Jason Colley queried whether the motion was necessary, given officers were already expected to look for efficiencies.
Ms Rusan said it would provide greater clarity to the organisation about Council’s expectations.
Cr Wendy Boglary also questioned the need for the Mayoral Minute, saying the Deloitte-led review had already identified short- and long-term savings opportunities.
“I’m just not understanding what we’re not doing,” she said.
The meeting flared again when Cr Shane Rendalls asked whether the motion simply allowed the CEO to act quickly on “low-hanging fruit”, while more complex changes would still return to councillors for approval.
Cr Talty said the intent was straightforward.
If an efficiency measure listed for action in one, three or five years could be achieved sooner, staff should bring it forward.
“We don’t want to leave it for three years,” she said.
The motion was ultimately carried on division, with Cr Bishop voting against it.
The minute does not allow officers to make material departures from Council’s adopted budget or service levels without returning to councillors for a decision.
