Nail-biter: Burton and Johnston locked in battle for division 5
by Janine Hill
Winston Johnston was confident of picking up preferences from Mr Bruinsma.
COUNCILLOR Winston Johnston and seasoned Greens campaigner Tracy Burton were neck and neck in the battle for division five three days after polling closed.
Cr Johnston, on 37.47%, led Tracy Burton, on 35.23%, in the vote as of 11am yesterday.
Both were waiting to see which way preferences flowed from Richard Bruinsma, who had scored 27.30%.
Mr Johnston was confident preferences would go his way, saying “Richard’s people, a lot of them are my people”.
He said pre-polling also tended to favour the incumbent so postal votes, also submitted in advance, were likely to favour him.
A breakdown of votes supported Cr Johnston’s theory, showing he had won pre-pollling at booths such as Maleny.
Tracy Burton, Greens was was proud to have won the primary vote in Maleny, Palmwoods, Montville and Mooloolah.
Ms Burton acknowledged that preferences would decide the election and was watching to see if voters had followed Mr Bruinsma’s suggestion to direct preferences to Mr Johnston.
“I don’t really know what Richard’s people will do. Will they follow Richard’s how-to-vote card?” she said.
This is the second time that an election has gone down to the wire between Cr Johnston and Ms Burton.
Richard Bruinsma managed a healthy 27 percent of the vote.
Ms Burton, who contested a state election in 2017 and a federal election in 2019, ran in the 2020 local government election and was beaten by Mr Johnston by 545 votes.
She pointed out that while this election seemed to be down to preferences, she was proud to have won the primary vote at the key centres of Maleny, Palmwoods, Montville and Mooloolah.
Mr Johnson, 71, said he would be happy whatever the final result.
“The way I look at it, I’m a winner no matter what happens. If I’m successful at this election, I represent the area for another four years and if I lose, I go on with my life and will spend a bit of time with the family.”