Ipswich mayor Andrew Antoniolli has announced he would stand down, a day after he was charged with fraud. Credit:Samantha Manchee/AAP Cr Antoniolli has resigned as a member of the Labor Party, after on Wednesday being asked to show cause as to why he should not be expelled. Deputy mayor Wayne Wendt will take over as mayor. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there were too many charges levelled at too many officials for anyone to have confidence in the management of the Ipswich City Council. "Enough is enough," she said.

Stirling Hinchliffe: the Ipswich council "can no longer function effectively". Credit:Glenn Hunt "This will stop. I am stopping it. The people of Ipswich deserve better." Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said that following urgent legal advice, the government would start the process of appointing an administrator at the council. "The government has not taken this decision lightly," he said. "However, I have reached the conclusion that the Ipswich City Council can no longer function effectively."

Mr Hinchliffe said when a community lost faith in its elected leaders, as was the case in Ipswich, it was time to act. "The situation we see in Ipswich today is of the gravest concern," he said. "The Ipswich community is reeling. Twelve people, including two mayors and two CEOs, are facing a total of 66 charges. "Frankly the eyes of the Ipswich City Council have been off the ball." Mr Hinchliffe said he would on Thursday ask the council to show cause as to why they should not be dismissed.

Loading Next week, he would ask the cabinet to consider strengthening the legislative powers of the Local Government Minister to dismiss councils when they had lost the trust of their community. "I appreciate this course of action will impact councillors who were only recently elected," he said. "However, I believe this course of action is necessary to restore public confidence in the Ipswich City Council." Ipswich councillors will be given a "reasonable" amount of time* to explain why they should not be sacked.

If councillors are dismissed, administrators will be brought in after then. An Ipswich council spokesman said the council was considering its options and intended to show cause within the required time frame. Ms Palaszczuk said Mr Hinchliffe's actions would begin restoring faith, not just in Ipswich, but in local government everywhere. On Wednesday, Cr Antoniolli issued a statement in which he said it was "with much disappointment and frustration" that he confirmed the charges laid against him. "Let me be clear – I have never been involved in corrupt or criminal activity and I intend to fight these charges," he said.