Former Gold Coast mayoral candidate in court
Penny Toland outside the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission earlier this year. (Image: AAP)
Former Gold Coast mayoral candidate Penny Toland has made a brief appearance in court after being charged with perjury.
Ms Toland appeared in Southport Magistrates Court today after she was charged in November.
The 37-year-old is accused of providing false or misleading evidence to Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission at an inquiry in June.
The allegations arose following Ms Toland's evidence during a CCC investigation into several 2016 southeast Queensland council elections in June.
It's alleged Ms Toland made false claims during the hearing, including that she was not aware of advertising for her campaign on buses.
During today's court appearance Ms Toland's lawyer Chris Nyst successfully varied his client's bail, removing a condition preventing her from contacting several witnesses including her former campaign managers.
Magistrate Mark Howden said he could see nothing to suggest Ms Toland had or would try to influence or affect the witnesses' evidence, before varying her bail.
The matter has been adjourned until Thursday for a committal mention.
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