Redland City Councillor Paul Gollé has declared the “bad old days” of division at Council are over, claiming councillors are now working together as he launched a stinging attack on the State Government’s handling of the Southern Thornlands PDA.
In a post-meeting video following Wednesday’s general meeting, Cr Gollé said the meeting had been “absolutely successful”, with councillors courteous and constructive despite differences of opinion.
He said claims of dysfunction within the elected body were outdated.
“We are actually confidently working now to turn the ship around,” Cr Gollé said.
“The public have probably seen things in the media where it suggested issues were happening. Those issues are long gone.”
Cr Gollé again voted against extending Mayor Jos Mitchell’s leave, saying his decision was based on Council’s legal obligations and the need for elected members to attend required meetings.
He acknowledged there were personal circumstances surrounding the Mayor’s absence, but said councillors had a responsibility to consider capability and attendance requirements.
While stressing he respected colleagues who voted differently, Cr Gollé said the meeting demonstrated Council could work through disagreements professionally.
“Some of us will agree, and some of us won’t,” he said.
“Either way, there’s a level of respect for all the councillors to say, ‘Hey, we’re getting on with the job’.”
Cr Gollé reserved his strongest criticism for the State Government over the proposed Southern Thornlands Priority Development Area, which could eventually accommodate about 24,000 residents and 8,000 homes.
Council considered its submission on the draft development scheme in confidential session on Wednesday, amid continuing concerns about roads, public transport, health services and other essential infrastructure.
Cr Gollé said landowners were entitled to seek a return on their land, but argued the State Government had failed to properly confront the wider consequences of major development.
“We actually thought, based off a state election, that a new State Government would actually see reason,” he said.
“They haven’t. And as far as I’m concerned, they are out of touch and they don’t understand the complexities.”
He said the State could not simply “silo” Southern Thornlands, promise funding within the development area and overlook infrastructure commitments across the wider Redlands.
“You can’t just silo an area and say, ‘Well, we’re going to meet our obligations’ … but they haven’t actually delivered on anything else that’s been promised over the last 20 years,” he said.
“Things like state road upgrades, other infrastructure, et cetera.”
Cr Gollé pointed to a recent personal experience at Redland Hospital, saying he waited seven hours in the emergency department and saw patients in “absolute agony”.
He said doctors had told him there were not enough beds at the hospital, questioning how the health system would cope with further population growth.
“We’re not talking about infrastructure in the way of, ‘They’re going to whack in a new school and there might be a park and a few new swings’,” he said.
“We’re talking about serious-based infrastructure.”
Cr Gollé praised Cr Rowanne McKenzie for articulating concerns about the PDA during Wednesday’s discussion, saying councillors broadly shared concerns about limited public transport and the risk that promised infrastructure could fail to materialise.
He said Council’s role was to represent residents rather than simply support election commitments or developer-led growth.
“It’s very easy to say, ‘I’m going to sprout a few houses’,” he said.
“But it’s the infrastructure, the ongoing commitment to a community to make sure the community’s safe and solid and it’s got everything it requires.”
Cr Gollé ended his update with a direct response to those continuing to portray Council as divided.
“The first two years have been incredibly challenging,” he said.
“That’s because you had entities out there spreading disinformation and disruption.
“We are not going into that rubbish anymore … We are a good council. We are a good group of people. We’re working very well. There is no dysfunction.
“There’s been challenges in the past, but they’re gone.”
