REDLAND City Council has again recorded the highest number of complaints to Queensland’s councillor watchdog, even as overall complaint numbers fall across the State.
New figures reveal most allegations never progress beyond the initial assessment stage.
Evidence presented to a parliamentary hearing and newly released Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) data show Redland attracted more complaints than any other council between July and December 2025, continuing a trend from the previous financial year when it also topped the State.
At the same time, broader figures show councillor complaints have dropped by about 28 per cent this financial year, with 482 complaints lodged between July 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026.
Despite the decline, scrutiny of councillor conduct remains high, with consistent complaints around behaviour, honesty, misuse of resources and compliance with legislation, and a noticeable uptick in February after several quieter months.
The data also highlights why complaint numbers alone can be misleading.
Across both reporting periods, most complaints – between 81 and 85 per cent – were dismissed or required no further action, often because they did not involve a breach of the Act, lacked sufficient evidence, fell outside jurisdiction or were considered an unjustifiable use of resources.
Acting Independent Assessor Charles Kohn told the Local Government, Small Business and Customer Service Committee on March 4 that matters progressing to formal investigation, typically about 10 per cent, was a more accurate measure of serious conduct concerns.
“The raising of investigations is a more accurate indicator of the complaints that have some substance to them,” he said.
Further material provided to the committee also shows 35 conflict-of-interest complaints were lodged statewide in the first half of 2025-26, with Redland among a group of councils recording multiple cases.
While complaint volumes have eased compared with last year, when the OIA received more than 1000 complaints statewide, the continued flow of allegations and high dismissal rates underline the ongoing tension between public perception, political conflict and the legal threshold required to pursue misconduct claims.
The figures also reinforce that, although fewer complaints are being made, councillor behaviour and accountability remain firmly in the spotlight.
The OIA also confirmed it is increasingly relying on recommendations – such as targeted training or guidance – rather than prosecution, issuing dozens of directions aimed at correcting behaviour before it escalates into more serious breaches.
It comes as new council- by-council data snapshots are rolled out to chief executives, allowing councils to identify recurring complaint themes and address potential conduct issues early through policy changes, education and internal oversight.
