It’s been a while since I updated my blog – I’ve been dealing with 2011 Residents’ Association matters and work has been very busy.
As an ex-Brisbanite (and my parents and sister still live there), I take a residual interest in what’s happening in Brisbane. Campbell Newman’s election win as Lord Mayor yesterday was emphatic – 2/3 of the vote is very strong, and unsurprisingly (with such a large vote) the Liberals won a majority of the wards. The election result reminded me of Sallyanne Atkinson’s win in 1988, although the 1988 win was stronger. No doubt the Labor campaign should take a good hard look at itself. From afar, it looked as if the Labor Councillors in Brisbane didn’t properly assimilated the defeat of their Lord Mayoral candidate in 2004 and did a lot of whingeing for a few years. Different times now call for a different approach.
Interestingly, Labor councillors have controlled the Brisbane City Council for at least 35 years with the exception of the six years (1985-1991) when Sallyanne Atkinson was Lord Mayor and now the Liberals will again control it for at least four years.
The stories in the press about the Brisbane result indicating a revivial of Liberal fortunes are a bit over the top – there isn’t much relationship between Brisbane City Council elections and state or national politics.
