At least two Queensland mayors will be automatically suspended when local government reforms passed by state parliament become law.
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Logan Mayor Luke Smith, who is fighting corruption and perjury charges, and Andrew Antoniolli, who stood aside as Ipswich mayor following fraud charges, are among five councillors who will soon be stood down.
Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has told parliament they will be suspended while they deal with the charges levelled against them.
Legislation passed by the Labor government on Thursday grants Mr Hinchliffe the power to sack or suspend elected council officials charged with corruption or integrity offences or where it is deemed in the public interest.
""Regrettably, good government has been lacking at some of Queensland's biggest councils," he said.
"Our reforms are not designed to catch those who make genuine mistakes, but to deal with the tiny minority not living up to community expectations."
The reforms are expected to become law next week, allowing Mr Hinchliffe to move against the Ipswich City Council.
The council has been given 21 days to show cause why it should not be sacked, but Mr Hinchliffe can act sooner once the laws take effect.
Mr Hinchliffe has committed to reviewing the public interest test and automatic suspension to inform further reforms.
Thirteen people, including two mayors and two chief executive officers, are facing a total of 67 charges stemming from the Crime and Corruption Commission's probe into the Labor-affiliated council.
No one has yet been convicted.
Meanwhile, Logan's Luke Smith has refused to stand down in the face of CCC allegations he lied during a hearing relating to Operation Belcarra, which investigated corruption at the 2016 local government elections.
The charges are understood to relate to a speedboat allegedly given to Smith by a Chinese developer, which he later sold.
Measures passed on Thursday include an obligation on councillors to report another councillor's conflict of interest or material personal interest when they believe it has not been declared.
Also, a new code of conduct for councillors will bring them into line with MPs and government staffers, and a councillor conduct tribunal will be set up to hear and determine alleged misconduct.
Property developers will also be banned from making donations to political parties, a measure that will apply retrospectively.
"The Crime and Corruption Commission Chair identified developer donations as a clear and genuine risk," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
"That's why we have acted to remove that risk.
"We were also not prepared to do something at a local government level we were not prepared to do at a state government level.
"That's why we extended these laws to donations at a state level."
The Liberal National Party has insisted it is a blatant misuse of power that will not address actual corruption, but rather perceived wrongdoing.
"The LNP supports tough laws but checks and balances are missing," opposition local government spokeswoman Ann Leahy said.
CCC chair Alan MacSporran has warned of more charges against more councils.
Australian Associated Press
