AFTER senior staff resignations, councillor complaints, investigations and perceived deep councillor division, the new mayor’s first job is to make Council look functional, transparent and collegiate again.
How would you address this issue as mayor? Please outline the specific actions you would take to restore trust, improve Council culture, and ensure stable, accountable government.
DON BROWN: Restoring trust in Redland City Council starts with strong leadership from the mayor. Leadership is about setting an example, holding people accountable and most importantly, delivering on the commitments you make to the community. You cannot fix a problem unless you first acknowledge that one exists. I was astonished to hear the Acting Mayor describe Council’s culture as “excellent”, despite senior staff departures, councillor complaints, investigations and ongoing public concerns. That attitude is part of the problem. We need leadership prepared to acknowledge what is wrong and take action to fix it. I am the only mayoral candidate who has put councillors on notice with a proposal for genuine structural reform, reducing the number of councillors from 10 to 6. This reform is about accountability, reducing costs and changing how Council operates. As Mayor, I will lead by example, establish clear expectations of professional conduct, rebuild working relationships between councillors and senior management and ensure Council focuses on delivering for ratepayers and not fighting each other. I will also demonstrate leadership by delivering on the commitments I have made throughout this campaign. Building on my decade of delivering for Redlands. That’s how I intend to fix the mess.
MELISSA MILLAR: Restoring trust and governance is not built with a speech or words. It is rebuilt through behaviour, every week. I understand that everyone processes change differently and at their own pace. I will recognise where people are in that journey and help move them forward. I also know a new team goes through stages before it becomes cohesive. My goal, backed by leadership frameworks, is to guide Council there. As Mayor, I would meet one-on-one with every councillor in my first fortnight and agree on shared priorities. Listen, offer support and keep an open door. Let councillors lead their divisions and the communities they know so well. Respect the CEO’s and staff’s roles in delivering, so good people want to stay. Keep decisions open and publish understandable summaries of what Council decided and why. Report publicly every quarter, so you can hold me to account. I know disagreement is healthy. Disrespect is not. I believe in achieving genuine change and outcomes, not just appearances. A Mayor’s job is to lead the whole team, not one side of it. Under my leadership, everyone has a seat at my table.
JASMINE PERSON: Making Council look functional is not enough—it needs to be functional. Thanks to former Mayor Jos Mitchell, we now have the benefit of an independent external review. This provides a comprehensive basis to assist Council in moving forward collaboratively to meet community needs efficiently. In keeping with transparency, it is important to note that the current councillors running for Mayor voted against this review on March 19, 2025. As Mayor, I would prioritise relationships, establish clear expectations for conduct, improve communication, and strengthen accountability. I will foster an environment where difficult issues can be raised, challenged, and resolved constructively. I do not expect every councillor to agree with me or each other. However, I do expect professional conduct, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to putting the interests of the Redlands community ahead of personal differences. Furthermore, I recognise that a mayor is responsible for ensuring Council properly performs its statutory obligations. If there are serious and ongoing governance failures despite genuine attempts to resolve them, I would not hesitate to raise those concerns with the Department of Local Government and request independent intervention where warranted. My priority is to implement cultural change, transparency, and integrity to ensure all decisions serve the best interest of the community.
JULIE TALTY: Redlands residents deserve a Council that works together, spends their money wisely and gets things done. That’s exactly what I’ll deliver as Mayor. Having served as deputy Mayor and local councillor, I have the experience, relationships, and a clear plan to provide stable leadership from day one. Redland cannot afford to waste another minute. I already have positive professional relationships with all the current sitting councillors. My priority will be bringing councillors together, restoring trust and getting Council focused on what matters to residents. That means respectful meetings, open decision-making and making sure residents know where their rates are going, and why those decisions were made. But restoring trust isn’t just about how Council operates. It’s about what is delivered. My priorities are clear. I will continue to push for the strategic restructure of the organisation. This will cut duplication reducing time and expense across departments, make Council’s budget easier to understand and be available to explain it to the community, and back free, unlimited residential green waste drop-off. I’ll push ahead with funded local road upgrades and fight for greater investment in roads and transport, including Brisbane Metro to Capalaba and the Coomera Connector. I’ll also focus on maintaining our parks, playgrounds and foreshores, protecting the lifestyle that makes Redlands Coast special. Residents don’t want political games or more division. They want a Council focused on the basics and delivering results. We don’t have time for more instability or a mayor learning on the job.
ROWANNE MCKENZIE: Public disagreements, instability and ongoing distractions have damaged community confidence in Council. Residents deserve elected representatives who work together, make responsible decisions and focus on results—not internal conflict. As Mayor, I would set the standard for professionalism, respect, accountability and cooperation. My priority would be rebuilding relationships and a more constructive Council culture. Within 30 days, I would meet individually with every Councillor to understand their divisional priorities, find common ground and seek a shared commitment to put the community first. I would also revisit the request for team building and mediation. Opportunities to rebuild relationships outside the chamber can help move beyond old rivalries and foster respect. Robust debate is vital to local democracy, but it must remain professional, policy-focused and free of personal attacks. Councillors agree on more than they disagree on; we should build on that. I would work closely with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to restore confidence in the Mayor’s Office, support staff and respect the proper separation between elected representatives and administration. Councillors provide strategic direction and make decisions; administration must have the authority to implement them without political interference or micromanagement. We must return Council’s focus to reliable services, infrastructure, responsible rates and planning for growth. Trust will be earned through consistent behaviour, transparent decisions, clear information and sound delivery. We do not need unanimous agreement. We need a Council that can disagree respectfully, decide collectively and get on with delivering for the community.
