Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National

Paul Pisasale Bridge and Pisasale Drive to remain as Ipswich City Council reverses decision to rename assets

Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale was jailed over sexual assault, official corruption and fraud. (AAP: Dan Peled)

A bridge in Ipswich, west of Brisbane, will continue to be named after jailed corrupt former mayor Paul Pisasale after a move by his former deputy.

In December last year Ipswich City Council resolved to remove the name from Paul Pisasale Bridge in Springfield and Pisasale Drive in Yamanto, and conducted community consultation to find new ones.

A council meeting today was set to decide on a new name for the assets, but instead Division 2 Councillor Paul Tully moved to leave the names as they are.

Five councillors voted in support of his motion and four against.

Pisasale is serving time in prison after pleading guilty to more than 30 offences including sexual assault, official corruption and fraud.

"I take this as an opportunity to make a decision once and for all," Mr Tully said.

"We're more than two years into this term of office and this matter is still around."

Paul Pisasale Bridge at Springfield Central, west of Brisbane. (ABC News: Anna Hartley)

The councillor was questioned about how leaving the assets would comply with naming procedure, given its namesake is a convicted criminal.

"Council has the right to name anything it wishes, the procedure doesn't bind councillors at a council meeting," he said.

Mayor Teresa Harding, who voted to oppose the motion, told council that Springfield City Group has told her it was pressured by the previous council to name the bridge after Pisasale.

Alternative report shows support for retaining names of assets

The community engagement report tabled included more than 500 contributions received in person, via email, telephone and feedback on the Shape Your Ipswich website.

It found 75 per cent of landholders on Pisasale Drive were in favour of a name change, and responders highest ranked suggestion was to rename both the bridge and drive traditional Indigenous names.

But councillor Nicole Jonic presented an alternative report totalling 6,900 contributions, including analysis of Facebook comments, that she said showed the majority of respondents were against changing the names of assets.

Ms Harding said she rejected any imputation of impropriety, and said she left the decision whether to use social media comments up to the CEO.

"Any inference that I did anything improper I rebuke, absolutely," she said.

"Pisasale's sexual assault victim was a young woman who was 23 years of age, she was assaulted while visiting council chambers.

"As the mayor and as a woman I cannot pretend that this is OK."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.