Paul Pisasale Bridge and Pisasale Drive to remain as Ipswich City Council reverses decision to rename assets

An Ipswich councillor who previously served as disgraced former mayor Paul Pisasale’s deputy has been successful in a bid to overturn a council move to rename assets named after Pisasale and his family.

In December last year Ipswich City Council resolved to remove the name from Paul Pisasale Bridge in Springfield and Pisasale Drive in Yamanto, and conduct community consultation to find new ones.

A council meeting today was set to decide on a new name for the assets, but instead Division 2 Councillor Paul Tully moved to leave the names as they are.

Five councillors voted in support of his motion and four against.

Pisasale is serving time in prison after pleading guilty to more than 30 offences including sexual assault, official corruption and fraud.

“I take this as an opportunity to make a decision once and for all,” Mr Tully said.

“We’re more than two years into this term of office and this matter is still around.”

The councillor was questioned about how leaving the assets would comply with naming procedure, given its namesake is a convicted criminal.

“Council has the right to name anything it wishes, the procedure doesn’t bind councillors at a council meeting,” he said.

Mayor Theresa Harding told council Springfield City Group has told her it was pressured by the previous council to name the bridge after Pisasale.