Teresa Harding
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Nicole Jonic (2024–present)
Councillor Teresa Harding | |
|---|---|
| 51st Mayor of Ipswich | |
| Assumed office 28 March 2020 | |
| Deputy | Jacob Madsen (2020–2024) Nicole Jonic (2024–present) |
| Preceded by | Andrew Antoniolli |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1969 (age 56–57) Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia |
| Party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations | Liberal National |
| Spouse | Steven Harding |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Politician, project manager |
| Profession | Military officer, public servant |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Australia |
| Branch/service | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Years of service | 2003–2010 |
| Rank | Project Director (civilian equivalent) |
Teresa Jane Harding (born 1968/1969)[citation needed] is an Australian local government politician who has served as the Mayor of the City of Ipswich since 28 March 2020. She is the 51st mayor of Ipswich and the first woman to hold the office in the city’s history.[1][2]
Harding was elected mayor as an independent candidate after running on a platform of restoring integrity to the council following a major corruption scandal in which the entirety of the Paul Pisasale / Andrew Antoniolli led Ipswich City Council were dismissed.[3] A former federal political candidate for the Liberal National Party, she is the first non-Labor-aligned politician to lead Ipswich in over five decades.[4] She won re-election for a second term in 2024.[5]
Harding was born in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, and later moved to South East Queensland.[6][7][failed verification] She attended university in Australia and earned multiple tertiary qualifications, including a Master of Management degree, a post-graduate diploma in management, and a post-graduate certificate in information technology.[2] She also completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course as part of her professional development.[2]
Harding worked in the information technology sector in her early career. For about ten years she was a regional sales representative in the IT industry, a role which involved managing client relationships and business development.[8] In the mid-2000s she began working with the Australian Department of Defence.