By Jessica Lamb, ABC
Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden had been suspended on full pay since September last year. Photo: Screenshot / YouTube
A Queensland man accused of murder has lost his bid to be re-elected as a councillor.
Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden ran in last month's Queensland Local Government election despite being charged with murder after allegedly killing his stepfather, 58-year-old Robert Lumsden, at his family's home in August 2023.
Bayldon-Lumsden was released on bail with strict conditions one week after he was charged and his lawyers have previously indicated his intention to plead not guilty.
The 31-year-old was serving as the Division 7 representative on the City of Gold Coast council at the time of the alleged murder.
He was allowed to campaign for this year's March election despite having been suspended on full pay, about A$155,000 (approx NZ$160,000) a year, since September last year.
The result in Division 7, which has about 20,000 voters, was finalised today and former LNP staffer Joe Wilkinson was declared the winner in a closely fought three-way race.
'Major concern'
Wilkinson was 581 votes ahead of challenger Jenna Schroeder and 643 ahead of Bayldon-Lumsden, who has been contacted for comment.
Wilkinson said part of the reason he was motivated to run for the position was the lack of representation for the area over the last six months.
Former councillor Margaret Grummitt took on a temporary advisory role for Division 7 during Bayldon Lumsden's suspension but could not vote at council meetings.
"At the end of the day our community deserves to have someone sitting at the table to represent them," Wilkinson said.
"Not to discredit Ryan - [he] did a good job for the time that he was in office.
"I've always stood by the fact that I don't believe that it was right that we just didn't have a representative in the council chamber to represent the community.
"And the uncertainty on that, should he have been elected, was always a major concern.
"I'm humbled to have been elected, I'm grateful for the community to put their trust in me and I look forward to serving them, and to the best of my abilities."
'Close contest'
Griffith University associate professor and political commentator Paul Williams said it was a surprisingly tight contest.
"I think people some people might have been surprised that, given the personal and legal problems that he's facing, that he would choose to stand at all," Wiliams said.
"And then I think a lot people would be surprised that he's done so well and even though he's not won, it was a close contest."
Williams said he could not "draw a parallel" with any other moment in Australian political history.
"Certain candidates build up personal followings, so that's probably explains the outcome in this case on the Gold Coast," he said.
"There's also the presumption of innocence over guilt - the idea that the candidate deserves a fair go.
"But you know, we never can tell how the electorate is going to vote."
There are now six new faces in the Gold Coast City Council, including Wilkinson.
The newcomers include Dan Doran in Division 11, Nick Marshall in Division 12, Naomi Fowler in Division 2, Josh Martin in Division 13 and Shelley Curtis, who ran unopposed in Division 4.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate was re-elected to a record fourth term.
This story was first published by the ABC.