The new Ipswich City Council has been officially launched, with the first council meeting held since the 16 March election.
Mayor, Teresa Harding said the meeting saw the new councillors hit the ground running with appointments to boards and committees, and the naming of a new Deputy Mayor for the next four years.
“Being elected to serve the city of Ipswich is humbling, and in the mix we have a range of new and experienced councillors ready to serve our community for the next four years,” Mayor Harding said.
“Division 2 Councillor Nicole Jonic was appointed as the city’s new Deputy Mayor, and I look forward to working with Cr Jonic across the term for the benefit of our growing population.
“Our immediate focus will be on delivering a responsible and balanced budget in this cost-of-living crisis, as we are very aware that many of our residents are doing it tough right now.
“Ipswich is one of Queensland’s fastest-growing cities, with more than 250,000 residents already calling our city home. As the new council, we will be prioritising good governance, clear communication with our residents, and responsible service delivery.”
Deputy Mayor, Nicole Jonic said it was an honour to be selected by her fellow councillors for the role, and she would work to be a collaborative leader.
“I believe the role of Deputy Mayor is about being collaborative and harnessing the unique perspectives and skillsets that each councillor brings to the table to find solutions for the benefit of Ipswich,” Deputy Mayor Jonic said.
“It will be my priority to work with all of my fellow councillors to deliver what our city needs.”
Council also made a range of decisions including the dates for the Ordinary council meetings during the 2024 calendar year and January 2025 and appointments to the following boards and committees:
- Deputy Mayor Nicole Jonic and Division 3 Councillor Andrew Antoniolli were appointed to the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
- Division 2 Councillor Paul Tully was re-appointed to be District Representative to the LGAQ Policy Executive.
- Division 3 Councillor Andrew Antoniolli was appointed Chairperson, and Division 4 Councillor David Cullen was appointed Deputy Chairperson, of the City of Ipswich Local Disaster Management Group.
- Mayor Teresa Harding was appointed Chairperson, and Division 4 Councillor Jim Madden was appointed Deputy Chairperson, of the City of Ipswich Local Recovery and Resilience Group.
- Division 1 Councillor Jacob Madsen remains on the Ipswich Rivers Improvement Trust and Division 4 Councillor David Cullen was also appointed.
- Division 4 Councillor Jim Madden was appointed to the Darling Downs – Moreton Rabbit Board
