The end of campaigning is in sight for the council election and Ipswich West by-election. All candidates will be looking forward to a sleep in on Sunday.
There have been no real surprises in how the run up to March 16 has unfolded with a serious amount of vitriol, name calling and pettiness that somehow goes together with Ipswich council elections. The by-election campaign has played out a little more civilised.
I was surprised to hear about security having to be booked at the last minute for a couple of council candidate forums held at Ipswich Showgrounds. This is disappointing on a number of levels. Firstly, we are voting for councillors, not the prime minister or head of the UN. Let’s get some perspective here.
During the same forums I hear some candidates had stooges in the audience attempting to distract their opponents with child-like behaviour. Time to grow up people.
Then there’s the fake Facebook profiles who pretend to be innocent bystanders online but know far too much information. It gives them away, not to mention fake profile pictures which can be exposed with a Google reverse image search.
So how will it play out when booths close at 6pm on Saturday? After all the huffing and puffing we may well end up with the status quo in the council chamber, but with the necessary inclusion of two new councillors owing to vacancies in Divisions 1 and 4.
That’s not to say it won’t be a close run for mayor and in Divisions 3 and 4. As Inside Ipswich goes to print,
I predict incumbents in Divisions 1 and 2 will be safely returned.
It has been interesting to look outside Ipswich at the number of councillors elected unopposed in 2024.
Moreton Bay City Council comes to mind where the mayor and four councillors had no opponents.
With similar growth pressures to Ipswich the voters of Moreton Bay are happy to stick with who they know, while we are still witnessing the dust settle long after councillors were dismissed in 2018, followed by a period of council being run by a government appointed administrator.
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