The vacancy for mayor came after Margaret Strelow quit after the Councillor Conduct Tribunal found she had engaged in misconduct when she failed to update her Register of Interests to include a hospitality benefit received from Adani during an official trip to India in 2017.

Hooper, the only other candidate for mayor at the last election, won 30 per cent of the vote and Sportsbet has him at $3 for a win. Fisher is at $2.50.

Under the law at the time of Strelow’s resignation, Hooper would have automatically assumed the job but the Queensland Government quickly moved to change the legislation.

Sportsbet has Division 4 councillor Ellen Smith at $5.50 and Division 7 councillor Donna Kirkland $7.50.

“Had the law not been amended Chris would have been Mayor of Rocky. The beauty for him is that he’s received a massive amount of publicity over the issue and could still take the top job,’’ Sportsbet’s Rich Hummerston said.

A date has not been set for the by-election, but Hooper has said he will be running.

His unusual nickname came from his teenage years when he had a bushy haircut.