Local government elections 2020: 15 mayors includi...

FIFTEEN mayors across rural Queensland will be elected unopposed after they were the only ones to nominate for their respective councils.

This includes former LNP Leader Lawrence Springborg, who will make his political comeback after being elected unopposed as mayor of the Goondiwindi Regional Council.

After retiring from state politics in 2016, the former Newman government health minister will replace current Mayor Graeme Scheu, who is not seeking re-election.

"After having time with my family, many people kept discussing it with me and in November last year it solidified in my conscience that it's something that I wanted to do and I put my name forward," Mr Springborg said.

The 52-year-old fondly referred to as "The Borg" said he wanted to get into local government, despite offers in the private and public sector interstate.

"People out here want local government to focus on core responsibilities."

Elsewhere, Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor Tanya Milligan will be returning to council.

Cr Milligan has been involved with local government since 2000 and chaired the Human and Social Committee during the 2011 floods.

A familiar face has been elected unopposed in Somerset, with Graeme Lehmann returning as mayor.

After serving as a councillor for a decade, Cr Lehmann started his tenure as mayor in 2004.

Cr Lehmann's family are seventh generation farmers in the Somerset region and he owns and operates a vehicle restoration business at Tarampa.

North Burnett Regional Council Mayor Rachel Chambers is returning for her second term unopposed.

It has been a turbulent time in the region, with the local government election playing out against the backdrop of the state government's proposal to lower the wall of Paradise Dam by five metres.

Banana Shire Council Mayor Neville Ferrier was elected to council in 2004 and has been mayor since 2016.

Central Highlands Mayor Kerry Hayes will return for another four-year term after being elected unopposed.

He captured the mayoralty in 2016, winning 38.14 per cent of the vote.

Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker is also no stranger to local government, starting her time with council in 2007.

She has been the Isaac Mayor since 2012 and is focused on delivering more family housing development and investment in roads for the region.

Quilpie Mayor Stuart Mackenzie has served his local government for 19 years, with three terms as councillor and two terms as mayor - and now has another another four years ahead.

"Before I decided to nominate, I had a lot of community support to continue so I'm very grateful to my community," Cr Mackenzie said.

For returned Boulia Mayor Rick Britton, it has been the support of his whole council staff that has lead to him being elected unopposed.

Cr Britton entered council as Boulia's mayor in a 2007 by-election when Trevor Jones stood down.

He has had competition every other time he has run for mayor.

Six mayors across north, north west Queensland and the Gulf are also standing unopposed.

This includes long standing Richmond Mayor John Wharton, who will return to office for another four years as the only candidate to nominate for the position.

Cr Wharton will mark his 30-year anniversary sitting with the Richmond Shire Council after he was first elected as a councillor in 1991.

The community stalwart was appointed mayor in 1997 and will now hold that position until 2024.

Cloncurry Mayor Greg Campbell has also secured another term in the top job with no competition.

It will be Cr Campbell's second term as mayor after he was elected to the position in 2016.

Prior to being appointed mayor, Cr Campbell served as a councillor from 2004 to 2008 and deputy mayor between 2008 and 2012.

Cr Campbell, who alongside his family operate a beef cattle business, was appointed onto the board of the North Queensland Livestock Industry Recovery Agency in the wake of last year's devastating north west Queensland flood.

Further north in the remote Burke Shire, Ernie Camp has been reinstated for another term.

He was first elected to council as a councillor in 1996 and served as deputy mayor from 2004 to 2012, when he was elected mayor.

Cr Camp's mayoral bid was also uncontested at the 2016 election.

First term Hinchinbrook Mayor Ramon Jayo has secured another stint in the top job, with no-one contesting the position in the northern sugar growing region.

Cr Jayo, who was born in Ingham, owns and operates a cane farm at Macknade.

Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox, who was elected mayor in 2016, will also hold on to the top job uncontested.

Cr Willcox was first elected to council in 2012 and held the position of deputy mayor from 2013 to 2016.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson was elected to his current position in 2016 and will return for another four years with no-one contesting the fifth generation local.

Cr Williamson previously served as mayor for the Mackay City Council from 1991 to 1994 before amalgamation with the former Pioneer Shire Council.

The story Springborg among 15 mayors elected unopposed first appeared on Queensland Country Life.