Veteran local government politician provides voice of experience on council

For Cr Paul Tully, it might have been easier to walk away from local government after 40 years.

But in his words … “I felt I still had a lot to offer”.

“Besides, there is a limit on how much time you can spend on the internet researching Jack the Ripper or keeping bees,” he added.

Cr Tully has many claims to fame, including those two particular hobbies. He has kept bees for more than 50 years and has one of the biggest book collections in Australia, if not the world, on the unidentified 19th century London serial killer.

“I am writing a book on Jack the Ripper and I will definitely finish it soon,” he said.

Those hobbies, which got a lot of attention over the past 18 months, will be put on hold after a return to his beloved Ipswich City Council at the March 2020 local government elections.

He was Queensland’s longest serving councillor, from 1979-2018.

But that is the past and he is now firmly focussed on the future.

He said the break, in which he completely “switched off” from politics, has given him a new lease for council life.

“I had a really good break. I have come back with renewed energy,” Cr Tully said.

He was encouraged when the new divisional boundaries included his old Goodna stamping ground and he decided late to team up with local accountant Nicole Jonic. Their Voice of Experience partnership was highly successful on polling day with both elected in Division 2.

“We provide that vast council experience and a fresh new voice to local government. I think that is important,” he said.

Cr Tully was previously the youngest elected councillor in Ipswich until this election.

“The people who have been elected across Ipswich, the mayor and the eight councillors, have been given a clear mandate to move things forward,” Cr Tully said.

“We have the fastest growing city in Queensland. We need to resume the economic development and help Ipswich grow. We need to bring back that genuine pride in the city of Ipswich.”

Cr Tully, who moved to Goodna in 1974 just after the floods, was a key member of the community fighting a legal battle last year after the 2011 floods, which impacted his home too.

He said the key to his council longevity had been embedding himself in the local community, with various organisations, and getting to know every bit of the rich history of the eastern suburbs.

“And being fair dinkum with people. If you can help them, help them. If you can’t, be up front and let them know,” he said.

Cr Tully said one of his earliest memories of growing up on Brisbane was being an altar boy at the Holy Family Church in Indooroopilly: “A lot of people would find that hard to believe,” he laughed.

He has a law degree from the University of Queensland and now enjoys legal debate with his oldest son, who is in his last year of a law degree.

And Cr Tully is looking forward to debate across the council chambers for another four years.

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