July 31, 2020
Toowoomba councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan has been named as an Australian Labor Party candidate for the upcoming State election.
Cr O’Hara Sullivan – who was elected to the TRC for a second term in March – will be challenging the LNP’s Trevor Watts for the seat of Toowoomba North.
If elected at the October 31 poll, Cr O’Hara Sullivan would have to resign as a Toowoomba councillor.
Mr Watts has held the seat since 2012 but has been in the spotlight this year for all the wrong reasons.
The former Opposition spokesman for Police quit his role as a Shadow Minister after being fined for breaching COVID-19 restrictions in April.
At the last election, he secured 42.19 per cent of the vote, ahead of the ALP’s Kerry Shine with 33.02 per cent.
Mr Shine was elected to the Toowoomba Council at the March local government poll.
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If Cr O’Hara is successful in October she would have to vacate her Council role.
An Electoral Commission of Queensland spokesperson said that should a councillor vacancy occur, the CEO would notify the Electoral Commissioner of Queensland, Pat Vidgen.
The Commissioner would then examine the 2020 Local Government Election results to determine the candidate who came eleventh (as there are 10 councillor roles).
If still eligible, that candidate would then be offered the councillor role. If they accepted, they would be duly sworn in.
If they did not accept, then the process would continue through the candidates in descending order until a candidate accepts.
Should no election candidates accept, there would be a by-election.
southburnett.com.au believes candidate Joy Mingay, with 2.94 per cent of the vote, was in 11th position.
[UPDATED]
