Redland City Council CEO, Andrew Chesterman has released a statement in relation to last week’s car crash involving Mayor, Karen Williams after she had consumed “several” glasses of wine on Council premises, saying it was “business as usual” for the city council.
“This is an upsetting time for many in the Redlands Coast community, including dedicated Redland City Council employees who work every day to make our city a better place,” said Mr Chesterman.
He said Council was aware of the single-vehicle accident involving the Mayor that followed a Council function following the adoption of a $396 million budget for 2022-23.
“A small post-budget thank you event was held in the Councillor Lounge on the afternoon of 23 June.”
“The event, attended by most Councillors and a small number of Council employees, complied with Council guidelines.”
Mr Chesterman said Council employees attended the function for “a short time only”.
“It is business as usual for Council as the organisation continues to deliver its services to the Redlands Coast community,” he said.
Meanwhile, a petition calling for the Mayor’s resignation has been lodged on the Queensland Parliament website.
The principal petitioner listed on the document is Judy Lindsay. Judy is a prominent road safety advocate in Queensland who lost her 20-year-old daughter, Hayley, due to the actions of a drunk driver back in 2009.
Ms Lindsay had been a participant in a Zoom call with other families of victims of drunk drivers that was hosted by the Mayor in the hours prior to the crash.
The E-petition is being sponsored by Member for Capalaba, Don Brown.
“As her local MP, I am proud to sponsor Judy’s petition calling for Karen Williams to be removed from her position as Redland City Mayor,” Mr Brown said.
“I have worked with Judy for some time now and have witnessed her work as a tireless advocate for road safety across the breadth and depth of this state.”
“It is clear that the CEO threw Karen’s core Councillors under the bus with his statement yesterday afternoon about drinking at Council. He knows there is investigation coming and he wants to protect the staff, which is honourable.”
In the 12 hours since the Road Safety Awareness Judy Lindsay petition calling on the Mayor to resign had received close to 1,000 signatures.”
