Two new mayors at the close of Queensland council nominations

While the Electoral Commission of Queensland website lists 12 pages of mayoral nominees for the 77 shire, city and regional councils in the state, 11 mayors have been returned unopposed and two new mayoral nominees were the only candidates for their council, meaning they become the new mayor by default.

They are Francis Murray, who will be steering the ship for the Diamantina Shire, and Kelly Vea Vea, who takes over from retiring Isaac Regional Council mayor Anne Baker.

Both are deputy mayors for their council at present.

Current Diamantina mayor Robbie Dare's name was absent from the mayoral nominations when nominations closed at noon on Tuesday, instead nominating for one of four councillor positions.

Cr Murray, who operates a Birdsville trucking business, working for the shire, is descended from the Arabana, Dieri, Barngarla and Scottish peoples of South Australia and has done one term as a Diamantina councillor.

Cr Vea Vea has spent most of her life in central Queensland mining towns, growing up in Collinsville and moving to Moranbah with her young family, and was first elected to the Isaac council in 2012.

The mayors who are back for another term of representing their communities include Ernie Camp at the Burke Shire, Barry Hughes in Etheridge, and John Wharton AM at Richmond, who has served as mayor for 27 years.

He's been on the council for 33 years.

Also returning unopposed in the north are Rick Britton, Boulia Shire Council mayor, Mareeba Shire Council mayor Angela Toppin, and Hinchinbrook mayor Ramon Jayo.

In the centre of the state, Tony Rayner had no competition for Longreach Regional Council's top job, and it was a similar story for Nev Ferrier at Banana Shire Council and for Matt Burnett at the Gladstone Regional Council.

Familiar faces wearing the mayoral robes in Queensland's south will be Shaun 'Zoro' Radnedge for the Murweh Shire Council, Lawrence Springborg at Goondiwindi, and Samantha O'Toole, who signed on at the last minute for another term as mayor at the Balonne Shire Council.

There are a number of shires that will have a new mayor, but only at the end of an optional preferential voting contest, the first one being the Barcaldine Regional Council.

Nominating to fill the void left by the resignation of mayor Sean Dillon are former mayor Rob Chandler, current councillor Gary Peoples, and Sharon Broughton.

When Mr Chandler and Ms Broughton contested the same position in 2016, Mr Chandler won with 74 per cent of the vote.

Philip Curr is stepping down as mayor at the McKinlay Shire but current deputy Janene Fegan and Julia Creek grazier Nyssa Currin are the new candidates there.

Mayoral nominees at Quilpie are livestock agent Ben Hall and transport operator Dick Loveday, one of whom will take over from Stuart Mackenzie.

Current Western Downs Regional mayor Andrew Smith faces a challenge from Jandowae mixed farmer Glenn Strandquist, after the mayoralty was vacated by Paul McVeigh.

In Somerset, current councillors Jason Wendt and Sean Choat have nominated for mayor after Graeme Lehmann stepped down, while in South Burnett, Brett Otto's retirement has brought on a four-way contest between current deputy mayor Gavin Jones, councillors Kirstie Schumacher and Kathy Duff, and Kingaroy farmer Tom Wilson.

Some shires are overwhelmed with mayoral candidates - voters in Doomadgee, Hope Vale and Gold Coast councils have a choice of nine nominees each, while eight people have nominated to be mayor for the Kowanyama council.

Some 37 candidates are lined up for 14 councillor positions with the Gold Coast, 20 have nominated for Hope Vale, and 13 for Doomadgee, the latter two having four positions available.

There are plenty of other mayoral contests for voters to decide upon, one being the Maranoa Regional Council position, where sitting mayor Tyson Golder is being challenged by his current deputy Geoff McMullen, current councillor Wendy Taylor, and former councillor David Schefe.

Maranoa is one of the few rural councils that has a team ticket, begun at the last election with Cr Golder at the top.

None of Cr Golders' three adversaries were part of the Unity Maranoa team but Cr McMullen voted largely along the same lines as the team in the chambers.

Not surprisingly, Cr Taylor is campaigning on a platform to end party politics and restore independent local government, saying that in her view, major decisions made by Cr Golder and Unity Maranoa councillors had "significantly undermined council's financial stability and jeopardised the long-term prosperity of our community".

She's campaigning for the return of council portfolios, reviewing council's partnership agreement with Rex Airlines, and removing the gag order that prohibits councillors speaking publicly on council matters.

Reviewing plane services are high on the agenda for Cr McMullen too, saying he would like to have discussions with the state government on increased commercial flights and seats.

He's listed advocating for rail freight, Roma saleyards upgrades to retain it as a prominent selling facility, investigating appropriate renewable energy opportunities, and a review of the rate freeze and removal of capping as his priorities.

Speaking with Maranoa Today, Cr Golder listed affordable rates, free town water allocations, more bitumen roads, and communities that are liveable as his and his team's platform.

The limited free water allocations would be in return for signing up for a tidy yard and footpath mowing incentive.

"I'm hearing people aren't using showers as much because of the cost, so this would be a good thing for the communities of Maranoa," Cr Golder said.

Mr Schefe, a builder, contested the 2022 federal election as an independent Senate candidate.