Busselton councilor Richard Beecroft has quit with two years remaining on his term in office. Earlier this year the councilor made national headlines when he called for funding to the city’s annual Pride and Wellbeing Festival to be cut.
The City of Busselton has confirmed his departure saying his resignation was effective immediately. Councilor Beecroft joined the council just 18 months ago replacing former Councilor Sue Riccelli who also cut her term in local government short.
“Cr Beecroft’s departure will result in his position being vacant until the next local government election in October 2025, where the remaining two years of his term will be filled” a spokesperson for the council said.
In June the councilor called for funding to Pride events to be removed.
“The majority of the people in the City if Busselton quite frankly are offended by the Pride movement. They do not like their rates being funneled into this festival. I’d like to have that removed.” he said during a council meeting. His proposal was not taken up by his council colleagues.
Beecroft has given no particular reason for resigning, but has been absent from recent council meetings. He has not responded to media inquiries.
At the 2003 election he only attracted 5% of the vote, but the resignation of two councilors early in their term created a casual vacancy that he filled. As he is departing close to the next poll, his space will be filled at the election.
Rainbow community says scrutiny of candidates in essential
For the local rainbow community in Busselton there particular concern about who is joining the council given the growing number of politicians campaigning against LGBTIQA+ rights in the South West and Great Southern regions.
Spokesperson for Busselton Pride Alliance (BPA), Meeka Smith, said it was a shame that Beecroft decided not to respond to BPA’s invitation to talk to the group before he resigned, but added that anti-LGBTQIA+ prejudice was a much wider than just one individual.
“With Council elections due in two months, we are aware of other anti-LGBTQIA+ individuals in the Busselton community eager to take Mr Beecroft’s place.”
“There are other would-be candidates well known to the local LGBTQIA+ community who gave their strong support to the unsuccessful attacks on the Albany Council Library last year.”
In 2024 there was a prominent campaign in Albany against the city’s annual Pride Festival, and the inclusion of books about sex education and LGBTIQA+ information in the city’s library. In August Premier Roger Cook spoke out against the campaign, and local councilor Dr Thomas Brough.
Smith said BPA is concerned that these same individuals will attempt similar actions in Busselton, and BPA will contact all candidates before the October election to gauge opinions on LGBTQIA+ topics.
“BPA will be issuing an LGBTQIA+ community survey to all Council candidates before October asking about Pride funding, Inclusion policies, and protecting the local library.”
At the last local government elections the Busselton community had to contend with Stephen Wells as a candidate.
Ahead of the election a video of the aspiring politician came to light where Wells made a series of comments which were labelled as transphobic, homophobic, racist, antisemitic and misogynistic.
The video discussion expand upon an article Wells wrote outlining how easy it is for someone to get elected to local government despite holding extreme views because there was less scrutiny than at a state or federal level.
