Beattie backdown on Council sacking ...

... Council workers allowed to open postal votes without losing their jobs.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Backflip on Council Poll

14 August 2007

A maverick southwest Queensland council has won the right to hold a vote on council amalgamations after a State Government backflip on threats to sack them.

Local Government Minister Andrew Fraser last night backed down on warnings against Warroo Shire Council, allowing them to begin counting hundreds of survey forms at a meeting today.
...

See - Beattie's dictator tactics backfire.