March 30, 2016
Gympie Division 6 councillor Ray Currie has been defeated in his bid for re-election by just 18 votes.
Mr Currie narrowly lost to rival, Woolooga businessman Hilary Smerdon, after the distribution of preferences.
The election was officially declared at 1:39pm on Thursday.
At the close of counting, Mr Currie had a lead of 273 votes over his nearest rival.
Mr Currie had 1097 votes, or 31.34 per cent of the primary vote in the Division.
However, Mr Currie’s strong lead was eroded when preferences were counted, giving Mr Smerdon, who received 824 primary votes, the victory.
Mr Currie, the former long-serving CEO of Kilkivan Shire Council, was one of two people appointed to Gympie Regional Council in April last year to fill the vacant positions left in the divisional seats of former councillor Tony Perrett (Division 6) and new mayor Mick Curran (Division 7).
Division 6 takes in much of the old Kilkivan Shire, and Mr Currie’s extensive knowledge of the area as well as his distinguished career in local government was seen as an advantage by fellow Councillors.
The appointment of Mr Currie and Gympie teacher Bob Leitch to fill the two vacancies also avoided the need to hold expensive by-elections less than a year out from the 2016 poll.
Mr Smerdon is a fourth generation Gympie resident who has spent most of his life in the area. He runs droughtmaster cattle on his property and owns Miva Tanks, a company that makes concrete tanks and water troughs. He also formerly worked for the DPI.
He was involved in forming the Mary Valley Stags rugby league club and plays for Gympie’s Colts cricket club.
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