Mayor Teresa Harding was elected Ipswich City Council’s 51st Mayor in April 2020 with a mandate to deliver a fresh start.

She brings to Council over 30 years of business, government and not-for-profit leadership insights and over 15 years experience leading large teams, managing complex projects with significant annual budgets and delivering public value.

As the former Director of the Open Data Office for the Queensland Government, she led the coordination of open data policy and initiatives to position the state as a leader in leveraging data for public benefit. Prior to that Mayor Harding worked in the Department of Defence as an IT Project Manager and spent seven years working on the F111 fighter jets at RAAF Base Amberley. Prior to Defence she was a Regional Sales Manager for two IT companies for a decade.

Mayor Harding holds a Masters in Management, Post Graduate Diploma in Management, Post Graduate Certificate in Information Technology, Diploma in Small Business Enterprises and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

She is the first female Mayor in the city’s 160-year history. She and her husband Steven live in Raceview and have three adult children.