CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The breathtaking South East Queensland river city of Ipswich is looking for another Mayor, following the second dismissal in 18 months.
But that’s not all, the entire Ipswich City Council, west of Brisbane, will be sacked and administrators appointed.
The announcement came less than an hour after Mayor Andrew Antoniolli said he was standing down, a day after he was charged with fraud by Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).
He is facing seven counts of fraud for allegedly using council money to purchase auction items from charitable organisations over the past six years.
Local resident, Odetta (55, sales) says she can’t wait to see what it’s like to be represented by a local council that isn’t made up of either criminals or alleged criminals.
“It’ll just be so refreshing” she said.
“I heard there are towns where the entire local government is made up of normal community figures without any urges to commit crimes in their elected positions”
Cr Antoniolli is the second Ipswich mayor to be charged by the CCC, with Paul Pisasale still to face court on charges of corruption, extortion, fraud, perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The alleged offences are not believed to be related.