Beattie backbenchers seek council spots ...

Excerpt from Brisbane Times:

Beattie backbenchers seek council spots

20 February 2008

Former Beattie governmment backbenchers Cate Molloy (Noosa) and Chris Cummins (Kawana) are seeking to become councillors in the new Sunshine Coast Regional Council.

The new Sunshine Coast mega-council is formed by the merger of Caloundra City, Maroochy and Noosa shire councils from March 15.

Fighting it out to become mayor of the new council - one of the most controversial in the State Government's planned review of local governmments in Queensland - are Noosa mayor Bob Abbot and Maroochy Shire Mayor Joe Natoli.

Cr Natoli was due to launch his mayoral campaign last night, while Cate Molloy, a vigorous and outspoken anti-Traveston Dam campaigner will run as a councillor in the new division 9.

In the other councils in South-East Queensland, former mayor John Freeman will contest the Logan mayoralty against another former Beattie Governmment minister Tom Barton and current councillor Pam Parker, while local business figures Lesley Noah, Andy Rimmington and Steve Shoard are also standing.

In Ipswich, Mayor Paul Pisasale is being challenged by Greens candidate Peter Luxton and Samoan businessman Philip Luafutu.

In the new Moreton Bay Regional Council - to be formed when Redcliffe City Council merges with Pine Rivers and Caboolture shires - Redcliffe mayor Allan Sutherland and Pine Rivers mayor Joy Leishman will go head to head.

Also standing for mayor is Bryan Galvin, the former deputy mayor at Pine Rivers Shire Council, Labor Party member Peter Houston who is standing as an independent and Caboolture councillor John McNaught.

See - Beattie backbenchers seek the council life.