A Queensland anti-drink driving advocate is calling on her mayor to quit after she crashed a council car while allegedly under the influence.
Redland Mayor Karen Williams has taken unpaid leave as she prepares to face drink driving charges in court next month.
The 55-year-old was allegedly more than three-and-a-half times over the limit when she crashed a council car through a fence and into a tree east of Brisbane earlier this month.
The Liberal National Party mayor is an anti-drink driving campaigner, and just hours before had hosted an online meeting with three families whose loved ones had been killed in accidents involving drink drivers.
Local mother Judy Lindsay, whose daughter Hayley was killed in a crash involving a drink-driver in 2009, was at that meeting.
"She's supposed to be doing the right thing, she needs to resign from her job," Ms Lindsay told ABC Radio on Monday.
"She needs to resign, to stand up, be accountable."
More than 6000 people have signed Ms Lindsay's state parliament petition for Ms Williams to resign, and LNP federal and state MPs also say she should go.
Redland Councillor Paul Bishop on Saturday night called for the mayor to go to prevent "further possible erosion of public trust" in the council.
Ms Lindsay said she is still shocked that the mayor had spoken out against drink driving with her and other families before she was charged.
"I'm just in disbelief. I'm just probably more insulted for me, the loss of my daughter's life, for everybody has lost someone due to drunk driving," she said.
Deputy Premier and Local Government Minister Steven Miles said he had been advised it would be inappropriate to take action against Ms Williams before her court case.
He sought advice on the weekend, but said her decision to stand aside was "what many many people thought she should have done".
Mr Miles said he would get further advice about the mayor's role after her court case has been finalised.
"There are obviously different degrees of penalty that can be applied," he told reporters on Monday.
"The court takes many many things into account including driving history, that kind of thing, so it's not possible to really pre-empt all of the hypothetical outcomes there."
The Local Government Association of Queensland has warned Mr Miles not to sack any mayor unless the circumstances are "serious" such as corruption, and voters should decide Ms Williams' fate.
However, Ms Lindsay said the mayor's position would be untenable if she worked in the private sector.
"I can't understand why she's still there," she said.
Ms Williams is due to face Cleveland Magistrates Court on August 1.
Australian Associated Press
