WHILE all eyes are on the looming federal election, two candidates have put their hat in the ring for a different race.
Former Logan Mayor John Freeman and Logan Chamber of Commerce secretary Stewart Fleming have started campaigning to be the next mayor of Logan in 2020.
Incumbent mayor Luke Smith is suspended pending the outcome of corruption and perjury charges.
He continues to fight the charges but it is unlikely he will contest the next election.
Mr Fleming launched his campaign at the Waterford White House on Friday night.
The independent candidate said he would not have put his hand up for the job if not for the controversy which has clouded the council, including allegations of corruption.
"We have been let down by local government which is no surprise," he said.
He said he had a friendly working relationship with some councillors including Laurie Koranski, Lisa Bradley, Jon Raven and Darren Power.
Mr Fleming said he would take a business and community-friendly approach to the job.
"While I am business focused, I understand that is not where the job stops.
"You need a whole range of things in the community to support people who live here," he said.
"I think the issues in (Logan city) are the same as the things in Jimboomba, Flagstone and Yarrabilba.
"That is to have affordable housing, jobs and transportation."
Former mayor John Freeman is also running as an independent candidate.
He has called on all candidates to sign statutory declarations pledging to donate publicly funded election campaign money to local charities.
"I firmly believe that all candidates should endeavor to fund their own campaigns and not rely on the ratepayers of the city as their election expenditure cash cows," he said.
"If the mayor is unable to put away just over 10 per cent of their remuneration over four years to fund their own campaign they are not good money managers...
"The statutory declarations I have sign(ed) are not a stunt they are my legal commitments to the Logan community and should I not carry through with my commitments I can be sent to prison..."
The Crime and Corruption Commission's Operation Bellcarra report recommended public funding of local government election campaigns.
However, Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has hinted that campaign spending caps for publicly-funded local government elections could be delayed until 2024 pending further consultation.
The acting mayor of Logan is Cherie Dalley.
