The Polls have been declared and the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has released and published the results of Local Government Elections held on Saturday 16th March 2024. Link to ECQ website https://results.elections.qld.gov.au/2024QLGE The following is a snapshot and commentary on the results together with an analysis of key outcomes and changes to the representation of councils since the previous quadrennial elections. Inter-election comparisons do not reflect the results of any intervening by-elections between 2020 and 2024.
Overview
- The Number of Local Governments in Queensland (77) for 2024 Local Government Elections remained unchanged from 2020.
- Elections were held in all local government areas for 2024, as was also the case for 2020.
- Most of the Local Governments, 54 (70%) conducted their elections on a whole of Council (undivided basis) with 23 (30%) conducting their elections on a divisional basis. This again was unchained from the 2020 Elections.
- All 77 Councils experienced changes in their compositions of Councillors, with the lowest Councillor turnover being 17% (Moreton Bay Regional Council) and the highest turnover being 100% of Councillors (including Mayors) for six local governments:
- Diamantina Shire Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
- Palm Island Aboriginal Council
- Mapoon Aboriginal Council
- Doomadgee Aboriginal Council
- Woorabinda Aboriginal Council
Mayoral Elections
- Thirty-one sitting Mayors (40%), 24 male and 7 female Mayors were returned at these Elections. This compared with 40 sitting Mayors (52%), 30 male and 10 female Mayors returned at the 2020 Elections. This was a reduction of 9 sitting Mayors elected in 2020 who were not returned (6 male and 3 female Mayors) in 2024.
- Of these sitting Mayors returned, 9 Mayors (29 %) (all males) did not face election and were returned unopposed. This outcome compared with 15 (19%) Mayors, 12males and 3 female who did not face election and were returned unopposed at the 2020 Elections.
- New Mayors elected totalled 46 (60%), 27 male and 20 females. This was up on the 37 new Mayors (48%), 26 males and 11 females, elected at 2020 Elections.
- A gender analysis for Mayors elected revealed that 51 (66%) were male and 26 (34%) were female which compared to the 56 (73%) male and 21(27%) females elected in 2020. The latest results continued the trend for an increasing number of female candidates being elected as Mayors (20 in 2024; 11 in 2020 and 10 in 2016.)
- Sitting Councillors challenging for the office of Mayor numbered 12 (7 male and 5 female) were elected as Mayors. This compared with 15 challenging Councillors at the 2020 Elections.
- Only one (male) incumbent Mayor (6%) of the 17 Indigenous Councils was elected at the 2024 Elections. A total of 16 new Indigenous candidates (94%), 13 male and 3 females were elected as Mayors. At the 2020 Elections, there were 4 Indigenous Mayors (24%), 1 male and 3 females elected and 13 new Indigenous Mayors (76%), 9 male and 4 females elected.
Councillor Elections
- For the 2024 Local Government Elections, there were 501 available council positions, 2 more than the 499 positions for the 2020 Elections. Two new Divisions at Logan City were added, with 2 new female candidates being elected in these Divisions.
- Of the 501 available councilor positions, 280 (56%) male and 221(44%) female candidates were elected. This compared with 310 (61%) male and 189 (33%) female candidates (total 499) elected at the 2020 Elections.
- Of these numbers, 230 (46%) sitting members were returned (135 male (59%) and 95 females (41%).
- Overall, 271 new Councillors (54%) were elected, 145 males (54%) and 126 females (46%). This compared with 269 new Councillors (154 males 57%) and (115 females 43%) elected at the 2020 Elections.
- As with the Mayoral Elections, female candidates elected to Councillor positions enjoyed greater success at the 2024 Elections, improving their numbers to 126, from 115 elected in 2016.
This may be reflected in the 12 councils who now have a majority representation of women :
- Brisbane City Council- 17 female Councillors
- Gladstone City Council- 5 female Councillors
- Isaac Regional Council-6 female Councillors
- Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council- 4 female Councillors- 100%
- Mornington Shire Council – 3 female Councillors
- Noosa Shire Council -4 female Councillors
- North Burnett Regional Council- 5 female Councillors
- Northern Peninsula Regional Council- 3 female Councillors
- Richmond Shire Council- 4 female Councillors
- Somerset Regional Council- 4 female Councillors
- South Burnett Regional Council- 5 female Councillors
- Southern Downs Regional Council -6 female Councillors
End note
Eight years ago, when commenting on the 2016 Local Government Election results the Local Government Association announced that: “A new norm appears to have been established with an average councillor turnover rate (50%) resulting in a significant loss of “corporate knowledge” from the ranks of councillors.” This statistical assessment was confirmed by the results of the 2020 Mayoral and Councillor elections. (sitting Mayors 40 (52%) returned and 37 new Mayors (48%) with 230 (46%) returned Councillors, and 269 (54%) newly elected Councillors.
For the 2024 Local Government Elections, the overall results were again above the LGAQs 2016 predictions. That is, only 631 (40%) sitting Mayors returned and 271(54%) newly elected Councillors. Existing and newly elected Female Mayors and Councillors are enjoying improved success across all six Local Government categories, evidenced by this report card. Twenty-six sitting female Mayors were returned compared to 21 in 2020 – an increase of 5 in number or 6%. Of the 9 Mayors (29 %) who did not face election and were returned unopposed all were males. In respect of the 15 Mayors returned unopposed at the 2020 Local Government Elections, 12 of the 15 (80%) were male.
The following table summarises the above statistics.
Graham Webb, PSM – Consultant and Advisor, Reinforcements Pty Ltd
Table of Results for 2024 Local Government Elections