A group of residents will lodge complaints about Redland City Council planning processes with the state Crime and Corruption Commission.
Redland mayor Karen Williams referred herself and her council to the commission for investigation on Thursday.
The mayor's call for an inquiry followed a September 3 protest and residents' petition calling on state Local Government Minister Jackie Trad to investigate council and the mayor.
The petition also asked the inquiry to delve into political donations, conflicts of interest and developments aligning with the Redlands 2030 Community Plan.
Petition organiser Adelia Berridge said residents would now lodge an official complaint with the Crime and Corruption Commission.
She said she had also sought legal advice about proceeding with the petition following the mayor's referral to the commission.
But Ms Berridge said residents would still invite Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to investigate the council despite the commission's involvement and a council letter to an employer complaining about staff participating in anti-council protests.
On Friday, council admitted filing a complaint with the employer of a resident involved in the petition.
A council spokeswoman said council wrote to an employer to advise them their name, phone number and email was published on social media as the contact for information council regarded as defamatory.
The spokeswoman assured Redland City Bulletin council only contacted the one employer.
Initially an officer told Fairfax on Friday no complaints were filed with employers of those involved in the petition or the September 3 protest outside council.
However, council later told Fairfax Media, on Friday, a mistake was made and said a letter was issued to an employer.
Two other residents involved in the petition have also approached Redland City Bulletin with similar complaints.
One said she was confronted by her employer after council complained she had been involved in an anti-council protest.
The other said she had been wrongly accused of defamation.
Ms Berridge said there was concern with over development and a push for high-density, small-lot housing outside the 2030 Redlands Community Plan.
“The petition is the people’s voice to have their say to a higher authority and make a call for action,” she said.
“When we saw council ignore our petition with 35,000 signatures last year to protect a small koala corridor in Ormiston from being removed for house blocks, we knew then residents were not being listened to.”
