Up to 200 people rallied against Mount Isa mayor John Molony on Tuesday, with many demanding his resignation over his call for “beauty-disadvantaged” women to move there to make the most of a gender imbalance.

Molony won the wrath of many over the weekend when he suggested that “if there are five blokes to every girl, we should find out where there are beauty-disadvantaged women and ask them to proceed to Mount Isa.” He said he often saw unattractive women in Mount Isa who looked like they were enjoying life in the northwestern Queensland town.

“Quite often you will see walking down the street a lass who is not so attractive with a wide smile on her face,” he said.

“Whether it is recollection of something previous or anticipation for the next evening, there is a degree of happiness.”

He later told national radio that obese women could even lose weight under the gaze of Mount Isa males.

“There’s a great incentive because there’s that much attention focused on them and they become interested in looking better - and in no time they just shed it,” he said.