SEQ mayor’s family cars attacked three times outside home

3 months ago 18

A south-east Queensland mayor says screws have been drilled into the tyres of her family’s cars outside their home three times since she was elected last year.

Redlands Mayor Jos Mitchell says the screws have been the same each time, and have always been drilled into the back right tyre, furthest from the house.

“A screw was put in my husband’s driver’s side rear tyre. It was a Phillips head screw. Not long after that, my daughter’s driver’s side rear tyre, parked in the same location. Same screw, same tyre,” Mitchell said.

Redlands Mayor Jos Mitchell says the screws are always in the driver’s side rear tyre.

“On this most recent occasion [November 8], same screw, same tyre position in my son’s tyre.”

Mitchell was elected in March last year after long-time mayor Karen Williams decided she wouldn’t run again following a drink-driving scandal that catapulted her into the news.

The race was heated. The former federal member for Bowman, Andrew Laming, also ran for mayor, putting even more of a spotlight on the race.

One of several screws found in cars owned by Jos Mitchell’s family.

Mitchell ran as part of a team calling for council change, eventually winning 52 per cent of the votes for mayor ahead of Laming’s 26 per cent. Cindy Corrie came third with 22 per cent of the vote.

Mitchell said that during the election campaign, her own car was damaged several times, in what she believed were deliberate attacks.

“The first couple, I thought it was just a coincidence. They were smaller bits of damage to the car, like dings,” she said. “However, they increased in regularity.”

These incidents were investigated by police, and this masthead understands the latest tyre episodes are also under investigation.

A January incident, in which a drone allegedly swooped low into the mayor’s yard, was reported to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and was also on the police’s radar.

Mitchell, who was previously a police officer herself, said she believed the acts of damage were meant to intimidate her.

“I believe they are intimidatory tactics because they are small, and they are consistent,” she said.

Mitchell has been the subject of almost 50 complaints to the Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA), which deals with councillor conduct. Last month, she publicly called for changes to the OIA process, which allows people to make complaints anonymously.

Brisbane Times does not insinuate anyone involved in council politics is behind the alleged offences, or that there is a link between the OIA complaints and the incidents at Mitchell’s home.

Jos Mitchell believes the acts of damage are meant to intimidate her.

Queensland Parliament Clerk Neil Laurie has previously spoken about the increase in threats against politicians.

In February, a submission from Laurie calling for state MPs to receive an allowance of $6500 to spend on home security was approved by the Queensland Independent Remuneration Tribunal, but this did not extend to local councillors.

“We have seen, not only around the world and in Australia, but also in Queensland, increasing threats to elected officials – at their offices, in the community, and their personal environments,” he said last week.

Threats against federal politicians are rising too, with the AFP reporting a 63 per cent jump in the past four years. Last month, a man was charged over allegedly threatening to kill Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a Facebook post.

Laurie said he was no expert, but believed social media was the main culprit.

“There is a lot of disinformation online. People tend to believe what they read online without any fact checking,” he said.

“People say things online and interact in conversations online that they would not say in person.”

The online discourse around Redlands local politics is often heated, with derogatory remarks made about councillors and the mayor on Facebook groups from all sides of politics.

“I’ve received my fair share; I’ve told my family not to look at them now, they are quite pointed and quite hateful, and some of them do make you feel unsafe,” Mitchell said.

As a result of the incidents at her home, the mayor said she has had to beef up her own security.

“We’ve installed security cameras. We’re installing more security cameras. So you have to spend money and, unfortunately for councillors at our council, there is no funding to pay for this, so you pay for it at your own expense,” she said.

“I’ve been doing that to beef up the possibility of finding out who’s doing this.”

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.