Darren Power

After serving as the Councillor for Division 10 for 22 years, Power and all other councillors for Logan City were terminated by the Queensland Government in May 2019 and a temporary administrator was appointed.[4] The decision followed the Crime and Corruption Commission charging 8 of 12 sitting Councillors with fraud under Section 408c of the Queensland Criminal code one week earlier because of their decision to terminate the employment of probationary CEO, Sharon Kelsey.[5] Mr Power and 3 other Councillors gave evidence to the CCC that could not be supported under later cross examination in court proceedings. These charges were later sensationally dropped due to lack of evidence. The failure of Mr Power and others to substantiate their claims under cross examination and support the CCC charges ultimately led to a public state government enquiry spearheaded by the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee which has oversight over the CCC. The PCCC Committee subsequently tabled a report to Queensland Parliament in December 2021 that found the CCC had over reached their powers and not acted impartially in their actions in charging the 8 Councillors. Despite this outcome Mr Power and the three other Councillors were still given official advisory positions by the Local Government Monister, Stirling Hinchliffe in 2019.[6]

Power was elected mayor of Logan on 28 March 2020, achieving 36.62% of the primary vote and placing first in a field of 8 candidates.[7]

Although elected to the mayoralty as an independent candidate, Power had previously been a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland, the National Party,[8] and the Australian Labor Party respectively.

While the incumbent councillor for Logan City Council's Division 10, Power stood as the National Party candidate for Springwood in the 2001 Queensland state election, as an independent candidate for the Division of Rankin in the 2004 Australian federal election,[9] and was the endorsed Liberal National candidate for Springwood at the 2009 Queensland state election, however resigned as a candidate to avoid having to resign his seat on council.[10]

In 2010, Power announced his resignation from the Liberal National Party, citing the party's treatment of Beaudesert state MP and former party member Aidan McLindon.[11][12]