Toowoomba council elections: Your guide to who is running in 2024
Nearly 30 candidates have put their hands up for a place on the Toowoomba Regional Council in 2024, including an entire family. Here’s who will be on the ballot on March 16:
Toowoomba
Don't miss out on the headlines from Toowoomba. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Toowoomba region residents will finally get the chance to vote for their next 11 councillors, after two ballots of 29 candidates were finalised on February 14.
Returning officers for the Electoral Commission of Queensland ran the ballot draw at their headquarters on Hill Street in Newtown.
Incumbent Geoff McDonald and Oakey man Douglas Doelle will contest the mayoralty on March 16, with the latter’s late nomination ensuring voters will have a choice.
Eight of the 10 current councillors have also announced re-election campaigns, joined up 19 new and returning candidates.
Mayoral candidates (by ballot order): Douglas Doelle, Geoff McDonald
Council candidates: Rebecca Vonhoff, Scot McPhie, Nathan Essex, Carol Taylor, Adam Carney, Tim McMahon, Andrew Reeson, Robert Relvas, Chris Brameld, Ellisa Parker, Melissa Taylor, Leeanne Westgarth, George Westgarth, Paul Wilson, James O’Shea, Angus Westgarth, Bill Cahill, Mark Orford, Martin Hartwig, Edwina Farquhar, Trevor Manteufel, Eakraj Adhikari, Chelle Michelle McIntyre, Kerry Shine, David King, Gavin Mingay, Gary Gardner
Read all the mayoral and councillor profiles below. In collaborations with Triple M Darling Downs, candidates who participated in the station’s profile interviews have also been embedded.
Mayoral candidates
Douglas Doelle
2020 mayoral candidate Douglas Doelle has revealed he is running for the position again.
The Oakey man and former council employee is Mr McDonald’s only challenger in 2024 after submitting his nomination.
Mr Doelle’s previous platform was based around essential services to smaller communities, and he noted his 2024 candidacy would be similar.
“I feel pretty good — it will be hard against Geoff, but if I don’t get in, it’s not the end of the world,” he said.
“My platform is instead of having all this new infrastructure built, what about fixing some of the old infrastructure first?”
“All money seems to be going to Toowoomba and not the small towns.”
Mr Doelle also ran for the vacant councillor spot in August 2023.
Geoff McDonald
Mayor Geoff McDonald says he has done enough to prove he can win a full term as mayor after launching his campaign for the role this week.
This will be the three-term elected official’s first mayoral campaign, having been appointed to the role by his colleagues following the retirement of Paul Antonio last year.
“It’s been my pleasure to serve for nearly 12 years on council, for six months as the mayor and the past four years as chair of finance and business,” he said at the announcement on January 29.
“We have a brilliant community, there is no doubt there are challenges facing us, but they also bring about opportunity.
“We live in a beautiful community, we’ve got another generation of innovators and entrepreneurs coming through and we need to make sure we’re doing our best every day.”
Surrounded by wife Lisa along with his mother Joan and sister Maree, Mr McDonald didn’t outline specific policies or promises but did highlight the “six pillars” of his leadership.
When asked about how he would lead a new council following a four-year term described as “tumultuous” by some members, Mr McDonald boldly declared the working relationships between the 11 councillors were at an all-time high during his tenure.
“We have a brilliant community, there is no doubt there are challenges facing us, but they also bring about opportunity.”
Council candidates
Rebecca Vonhoff
Deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff has confirmed she will seek re-election to the Toowoomba Regional Council.
Ms Vonhoff was first elected to the council in the last election, after securing the most votes.
She said if she is successful at the upcoming March election, water security and natural disaster resilience would be among her top priorities.
“Getting more water for our region is so important and I’ve been able to turn early setbacks into success in 2024,” Ms Vonhoff said.
“We need to capture water when it rains and get ready for drought.
“We need to prepare for disasters. I’ve been successful in making changes to how we backburn, and am grateful for the extraordinary fellow councillors, staff, fire fighters, SES and police who also get it.
“For the first time since 2015 we have a new Disaster Management Plan and have increased our vegetation management.”
Born and raised in Toowoomba, Ms Vonhoff went on to study at the University of Queensland, the University of Southern Queensland and Freie Universität, Berlin.
Scot McPhie
Ornithologist and environmental advocate Scot McPhie, who has been an agitator for better local environmental protection laws, said his platform would include CBD revitalisation.
“It will be very similar, mainly around landclearing — I don’t feel there’s enough resolve in the council to bring forward the changes that we need,” he said.
“They’ve had multiple opportunities to do something and they haven’t done it.
“I live near Hampton and we need a general representation outside of the Toowoomba metropolitan area.”
Mr McPhie suggested parts of the city centre could be closed off to create regular evening markets.
“How’s this for an idea? We close off Ruthven Street between Russell and Margaret Street every Friday night, just like the markets at South Bank in Brisbane,’ he said.
“We could have alfresco dining, have musicians playing — I know it’s a different retail and social landscape, but I know how busy it was here back in the 1980s and 1990s.”
Mr McPhie said he would take a “grassroots” approach to campaigning, which would include a network of volunteers and social media.
Nathan Essex and Adam Carney (Say No To Woke)
Toowoomba truck driver Nathan Essex running on a “rates, roads and rubbish” approach to local government.
In his launch, Mr Essex said he would call for the TRC to pull out of the Olympic Games, remove itself from the Council of Mayors Southeast Queensland (CoMSEQ) and drop plans for a new multimillion-dollar council administration building.
“As a lifelong local of the Toowoomba region, I want to see Toowoomba Regional Council return to the essentials of roads, rates and rubbish to deliver value for ratepayers,” he said.
“The ‘voice of the ratepayer’ has been lost in the bureaucracy of council, with the current council focused on the wrong things.
“Dump the new admin building, sort out the $300 million Cressbrook Dam mess and dump bureaucratic waste.”
Mr Essex accused Toowoomba Regional Council of “embracing” a woke agenda, but did not point to a single policy or vote as an example when asked directly about it.
Instead, he said the TRC had “lost touch with residents” and gone away from its core business of roads, rates and rubbish.
“The Toowoomba region is not a woke region! Why should the council be embracing it,” Mr Essex said in a written response to questions.
““Being woke is being out of touch with Middle Australia, reality and common sense values, (while) neglecting the needs and priorities of a healthy functional society.”
He and fellow candidate Adam Carney are running in the same team, dubbed Say No To Woke.
Little is known about Mr Carney, who has not appeared much in public except for the ballot draw and has not supplied an official photo.
Carol Taylor
The Toowoomba region’s most experienced councillor says she is ready to take on another four years, arguing ratepayers needed “steady hands at the wheel” ahead of what is predicted to be a difficult term.
Councillor Carol Taylor is vying for a spot on the next council, which would see her remarkable local government career stretch to 28 years by the end of the term.
Known for her passion for small communities, emphasis on key infrastructure like roads and her sometimes forthright positions around the boardroom, Ms Taylor was a former Cambooya Shire mayor and deputy mayor of the TRC from 2016 to 2020.
She said she still had plenty to offer the council as it entered a new term with significant financial pressures and growing labour shortages.
“It’s going to be a difficult term and I think we’ve all got something to offer,” Ms Taylor said.
“It will be the community’s decision, but I think I have a steady hand.
“We need experience, integrity and we need to care for each other — I am a country girl, I’m embedded in small communities.”
While securing external funding to help pay for the $270m Cressbrook Dam spillway upgrade will be an immediate priority, Ms Taylor said the region’s trunk infrastructure deserve more attention.
“It comes down to pressures, but over the past 10 years, infrastructure has dropped off the radar,” she said.
“You can’t have everything you want (and) your day-to-day people, all they often get from council is a road.
“It’s not just the lack of investment, it’s that infrastructure (like roads) creates jobs and makes life more liveable.”
Tim McMahon
The final person to secure a council spot at the 2020 council election, councillor Tim McMahon has announced his bid for a second term.
The father-of-four and schoolteacher revealed his candidacy on social media, asking for the community’s support for another four years.
“With the blessing of my family, it is my pleasure to announce my candidacy the 2024 local government elections,” he wrote.
“I have found it a great honour to serve the people of Toowoomba region and would like to continue doing so.
“The last four years I have learned a heck of a lot, worked very hard and got my hands dirty. I humbly ask for the community support to run again as councillor in 24.”
Mr McMahon said he would promise to be a team player in a second term, arguing his focus was on developing strong professional connections with his future colleagues.
“Everyone has got their agendas and ideas (in local government), but you’ve got to be able to form a working professional relationship - that’s the key,” he said on social media.
He has also expressed support for exploring reforms in the council’s animal management policies, particularly around the handling of stray dogs after hours.
Mr McMahon was the portfolio leader for environment and community in the previous term, making the creation and upgrade of parks and gardens a focus over the past four years.
It puts an end to weeks of speculation about Mr McMahon’s future, after he told News Corp he was undecided about whether to seek a second term.
Mr McMahon was the portfolio leader for environment and community, making parks and gardens a focus over four years.
He also courted controversy when he called for two children’s books to be removed from the shelves of the Toowoomba City Library, which sparked a significant backlash.
Andrew Reeson
One of the earliest nominees for the 2024 elections is Andrew Reeson, who has been a regular at farmers markets and even organised community events to help spread his platform.
The leather craftsman and small business owner said his campaign platform was based around sustainable development and supporting all communities within the Toowoomba region in practical and tangible ways like better funding and expanding libraries.
“What I’m passionate about is responding directly to people’s needs, particularly within your own community,” he said.
“We need to look after people, our communities and the environment — our society works best when we look after each other.
“When I talk about sustainable development, it means we need to look after the environment — the question is what kind of world are we leaving for our kids?
“I grew up quite poor and daycare wasn’t an option, so the library provides a safe and free place where kids like me could be.”
Growing up in a working-class family in Meringandan, Mr Reeson said he was proud to call Harlaxton home and believed the region deserved a more diverse background of representation.
He also wanted to tap into many community members’ apathy toward council.
“I want people to have better expectations, because what I’ve been told from people is that council doesn’t care about them,” Mr Reeson said.
“The issue isn’t that we’ve got representatives (largely) from just one part of town, the Toowoomba region is very diverse.
“There’s no one from an underprivileged background, and that means even if they’re good people, they can’t understand the issues of everyone.”
Robert Relvas
A current Toowoomba council officer has put forward a “community first” message in his bid to win a seat at the local government elections this month.
Customer service officer and local government veteran Robert Relvas is planning a suite of Q and As, community forums and farmers markets appearance to share his knowledge as a council “interpreter”.
Mr Relvas said he would push for a closer working relationship between the elected representatives and the operational teams led by the chief executive.
He also believed his inside knowledge would allow him to ask the right questions of public servants.
“Being a council worker and being involved with EBA and JCC meetings as a workplace officer, that I’ve been privy of the ins and outs of councils,” Mr Relvas said.
“Staff are overworked, budgets for departments are being cut, the outsourcing of work to firms is hurting jobs.
“There are a lot of problems that councillors are not privy to and when they have those reports and meetings, they can’t ask the right questions.
“As a council officer, I have the insight of the questions I should be asking and the answers we need.”
Mr Relvas said his priorities would be to address the council’s labour shortages, improve delivery time frames for areas like animal management and community requests and continue work on introducing a wards system to council.
“There are over 200 vacancies and it is having an impact on the community — a simple phone call can take 48 hours to get a response,” he said.
“There are too many managers, not enough officers.
“(We need to be) building closer ties between the farming communities and city, as well as working to bring a ward system — that’s something the councillors started last year and I’d like to follow through with it.”
Mr Relvas has earned the endorsement of former Toowoomba mayor Di Thorley, who described him as a “very passionate advocate for the region”.
Chris Brameld
A Crows Nest man who put his life on the line to protect the community now hopes to take that service a step further by fighting for their future, their children’s future, and the prosperity of the Toowoomba region.
Queensland police officer and newly announced Toowoomba Regional councillor candidate, Chris Brameld, said he had always been interested in serving the community through local government, however he only now had the opportunity to do so.
“I have considered this for a while and felt now was the right time,” he said.
“I just want to make sure the community and the lifestyle we have can be maintained along with the growth we are experiencing.”
The father of four said now most of his children had left school, and he was no longer doing shift work, he had the opportunity to fight for community issues he was passionate about – like water security and infrastructure.
“I see the two main areas of concern for our council area as water and infrastructure keeping up with growth,” he said.
“I’m obviously concerned that they’ve been a bit slow, so I want to get involved and make sure we can get plans put in place as soon as possible to start managing it.
“(Especially) with the influx of people into our area – we still have the same water storage capacity.”
Ellisa Parker
The Toowoomba branch of the Queensland Greens has endorsed Ellisa Parker as their nominee for the upcoming council election.
Ms Parker, an academic and Oakey resident, said her campaign would be based on five key areas of homelessness and housing, public transport, banning coal and gas, energy efficiency and supporting resilient rural communities.
“Ellisa has a longstanding passion for advocating for clean air and water, healthy soils, and resilient rural communities,” the party said in her announcement.
“She will not cower to corporate or developer bullies and tirelessly advocates for people/communities before profits.”
Speaking to Triple M Darling Downs, Ms Parker said supporting regional communities was a key pillar of her campaign.
“I am based in Oakey and have been in that area since coming to the region 18 years ago, so I have a few strong connections there,” she said.
“One of my main campaign policies for this election is to support towns to become thriving communities.
“I would hope to get council to faciliate every little community having what they need in terms of services and helping them to become thriving communities.
“It’s a big task but it can be done.”
Melissa Taylor
Prominent businesswoman and first-term councillor Melissa Taylor is running on small business, community infrastructure and local roads as part of her re-election campaign in 2024.
Ms Taylor said she would explore ways to further improve relations between the council and the business community.
“We have a duty to support those in our community who may be at risk, and to do this, we need to strengthen our economy by building a strong business community and encouraging investment by removing unnecessary bureaucracy and creating more opportunities,” she said.
Ms Taylor said the council needed to invest in facilities and services to enriched families, which she said would make the region more attractive over the decades.
“Our region is renowned as one of the best places to live, work and play, and I am committed to ensuring this continues for future generations,” she said.
“We must encourage robust, ongoing investment so our families can survive and thrive, while preserving the green, open spaces and recreational amenity that makes our region such a wonderful place to live.
“We need to do everything possible to encourage families to stay in our region.”
Angus, Leeanne and George Westgarth
It’s not everyday an entire family runs for council, but Oakey-based real estate agents George, Leeanne and Angus Westgarth are getting ready to do just that.
The couple and their son who own and manage Westgarth Realty are hoping to put Oakey and smaller towns more on the council’s radar if one or more of them get elected on March 16.
Ms Westgarth said while they were running as a group, the three were not using the exact same platform.
“We all do have three different points of view — we’re not one group, we’re three individuals,” she said.
“If you’ve ever been at any of our dinners, there’s a spirited debate on things — it’s a good thing.”
While they plan to build their platforms as they spoke to more voters, the trio said housing and development were front of mind from the outset given their proximities to the issue.
“When it comes to housing, I had one occasion where one lady said she needed a rental property in three weeks, so you feel their pain,” Ms Westgarth said.
“Later, I had an employer who pressured me about a worker’s application.
“When it comes to housing, a lot of the properties that were sold in Oakey have gone to homeowners, but that still hasn’t fixed the housing problem.”
George Westgarth said Oakey and the western corridor had been neglected for far too long by the council.
“Currently, the Toowoomba council’s general direction is to develop the north and south, but there’s not been a great plan to develop the west,” he said.
“Yet, Oakey is 27km away, 15 minutes to Charlton and Wellcamp, which is going to be the biggest growth area for jobs.
“It’s the only town that has every single piece of state or federal government infrastructure, a high school, aged care centre, medical centre, hospital.
“Everything that is needed to grow is there – it’s not in Highfields or Westbrook, it’s at Oakey.”
Paul Wilson
Former Toowoomba Citizen of the Year Paul Wilson has thrown his name into the ring in the race for 10 council positions in 2024.
Mr Wilson, a disability advocate and co-ordinator for Toowoomba charity Loads of Love, said he would focus on increasing housing development if he was elected in March 16.
“(I want to be) making it easier for developers to do business in our town — if our bureaucrats say it has all the ticks and then it gets voted down because it’s controversial, it will cost ratepayer money in court,” he said.
“We work with the ratepayers rather than just decline it.
“We need to work our a solution, because we’re growing and we need to make sure we’ve got the infrastructure and water to cover it.”
Mr Wilson also expressed a desire to see the TRC leave the Council of Mayors SEQ (CoMSEQ).
“We have always considered ourselves the gateway to the west,” he said.
“I’m not saying it’s harmed us, but I’m not sure how much good it has done.”
Mr Wilson said he supported councillor Kerry Shine’s proposal for the Toowoomba region to be divided.
I’ve got a reasonably good working relationship with virtually all the councillors, so it puts me in good stead to work with them from day one,” he said.
James O’Shea
Former TV reporter and two-term councillor James O’Shea said financial stewardship would be a cornerstone of the next term of council.
However, he said investing into community facilities like sporting grounds would be among his priorities if elected.
“We must continue investing in our sporting and recreation facilities, with a particular focus on the Toowoomba Region Sports Precinct—a beacon of hope for future generations,” he said.
“Likewise, our thriving arts and cultural community deserves our unwavering support with a particular focus on Connecting Through Creativity – Toowoomba Regional Cultural Strategy.
“Let’s engage, celebrate and activate our local arts scene, nurturing creativity and expression at every turn.”
Mr O’Shea said the next council needed to complete the new planning scheme to guide the future development of the region.
“It is imperative that we foster well-considered development, one that enhances liveability and fosters a sense of connection and belonging,” he said.
Mr O’Shea took on new responsibilities in the 2020-24 term after becoming the chair of the environmental and community portfolio, which also made him the council’s spokesman for the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.
Bill Cahill
Four-term councillor Bill Cahill has indicated he plans to nominate again in 2024, for what he believes will be the toughest in his career.
Referring the financial pressures the council will face over the next four years, Mr Cahill said the ratepayer base needed a mix of experience and new ideas.
“The thing that is consistent over the terms of council I’ve been on is it’s balancing those community needs, between existing and future growth,” he said.
“One of the goals for me personally is around how we advocate for support from other levels of government to accommodate that growth.
“We need support for that critical infrastructure (because) we can’t expect an existing ratebase to bear the full burden of accommodating that future growth.
“It will be a very challenging term (but) I’m quite optimistic about having a good team around the table.”
Mr Cahill said he’d like to see the council’s new planning scheme delivered in the next term and focus on improving environmental protections.
Mark Orford
Former small business owner Mark Orford knows his last name is a well-known one in Toowoomba.
“I’m born and bred in Toowoomba — I was part of Orford Refrigeration and left in 2003 when my father sold his half of the company to his brother,” he said.
“My grandfather and uncle were councillors — it’s in the blood, I’m happy to throw my hat in the ring.”
A self-described conservative, Mr Orford is running a straightforward platform of “road, rates and rubbish” ahead of the vote on March 16.
He said the councillors’ jobs should be as a guiding strategic role, rather than involving itself in the day-to-day operations of council.
“I’m a very frugal person, I believe if you’re going to spend money it has to be spent wisely,” Mr Orford said.
“You can only tinker around the edges — we’ve got a great CEO, there’s a big bureaucracy that I think are doing a good job.
“I’m very conservative, you look at what you’ve got and you move slowly.”
Mr Orford said the cost of both water and rates would be a focus if he got on council.
“Water is an interesting issue, we’re very different because we own all our dams,” he said.
“Toowoomba water rates are very expensive right now.”
Mr Orford argued being a councillor should not be a career, while pointing to his experience in business and trades.
“In my stage of life, I’m in between jobs and I’m young enough to want to be active in my community,” he said.
“One of the reasons I’m happy to run is being councillor should not be a career — it should almost be an honorary job.
“I’ve got life experience, small business life experience, I’ve done a trade, so I know how to use tools and sweat and I’ve got a degree in commerce from Bond University, so I’m educated enough.”
Martin Hartwig
A manufacturing industry worker who was involved in Toowoomba’s anti-lockdown protests during the pandemic is running for council on a platform of housing, rate relief for working families and Olympic infrastructure.
Martin Hartwig, who was one of the last candidates to announce his run prior to the close of nominations last week, said cutting council expenditure would be among his priorities if he was elected on March 16.
The Toowoomba-born man said he was sympathetic to the anxieties and financial pressures of families during the cost-of-living crisis affecting Australia.
“People are struggling with mortgage rates rises, not even paying off their principle, just their interest,” he said.
“I want to cut unnecessary council expenses with the aim of reducing rates.
“This may be naive and overly ambitious but I’m going to try. This will benefit mortgage holders, investors and renters.”
In terms of future investments, Mr Hartwig favoured planning for Olympic infrastructure, new cycleways to support active transport and even expressed support for a mooted fast rail from Brisbane to Toowoomba.
“It is exciting to see new people in our community from down south and elsewhere, combined with the infrastructure funding injection from the 2032 Brisbane Olympics,” he said.
“A high-speed rail connection from Brisbane to Wellcamp, how exciting.
“If we want to keep traffic congestion down, we need to be planning for infrastructure that is cyclist friendly.”
Mr Hartwig voluntarily disclosed he had been an active participant in the anti-lockdown protests two years ago.
He also told News Corp he was a contributing editor of fringe right-wing website The Unshackled, where he had written articles about vegan activists, climate protests, the transgender community and drag queens.
Along with the articles, Mr Hartwig appeared on podcasts between 2018 and 2020 with the website’s editor Tim Wilms discussing a number of online right-wing topics, including that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, the Pizzagate conspiracy, the circumstances of Jeffrey Epstein’s death and left-wing media bias.
When asked about his involvement in the website, Mr Hartwig said it was “not representative” of his views and life now, but elected to disclose it in the interests of transparency.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to my platform, that was (what) I wrote about five years ago,” he said.
“It’s not representative of me now, I’ve moved on from that chapter of my life — I’m a family man with a baby.
“I can definitively say I’m not a far-right personality and it’s not relevant to (what I would do on council).”
Edwina Farquhar
Small business owner Edwina Farquhar is in the unique position of being a sitting councillor who has never run a campaign before.
“There is so much to learn (so) I’m hoping the community will now vote for me,” the co-owner of the Finch Cafe said.
Ms Farquhar, who was appointed to the council last year following the retirement of mayor Paul Antonio, said she had benefited from the six months in the role and has revealed her desire for a full term.
Aside from the financial pressures faced by the council, Ms Farquhar said she hoped to advance initiatives like active transport infrastructure, higher density living and improved economic viability in the region’s smaller communities.
“What I bring to the table is my business background, my work in small businesses, and also working in large multinationals,” she said.
“I grew up in Goondiwindi — we’re the Toowoomba region, not just the city (and) people in the regions feels like they’ve been forgotten but I want them to know I’ve got their back.
“I’d love to see more active transport in town, like cycle lanes and paths.
“I’d love to see more higher density living in the CBD to help re-energise it, so people can walk to work, be more active.
“Toowoomba has grown from a country town to a thriving city so we need to address the needs for more infrastructure, not just trunk infrastructure but also some more sporting and cultural infrastructure.”
Ms Farquhar also flagged a desire to explore selling off some of the council’s under-utilised assets, pointing to old Toowoomba nursery in Centenary Heights.
Trevor Manteufel
A real estate agent who has lived all across the Toowoomba region is the latest new face to enter the council race, promising to prioritise water security, higher-density living and reducing red tape if elected.
Re/Max Success’ Trevor Manteufel is the sixth new candidate to nominate for the 2024 local government elections, and just the third who has not run at a previous election.
Mr Manteufel said he wanted to see the creation of a new dam, which he called a “common sense” approach to improve the region’s water security.
“Yes we’ve got a trickle coming from Wivenhoe, but we need to implement a new dam,” he said.
“Being in real estate, I see a lot of people coming to Toowoomba, so we need to keep abreast of that before do we do anything else.”
Mr Manteufel was also critical of the council’s approach to development in the previous term, while also making pointed criticisms about the organisation’s chief executive Brian Pidgeon.
“There was a vote in the last term regarding the CEO, and I think he should have moved on,” he said.
“That man has got some issues with all the staff underneath him.
“Some development decisions have been wrong — we’ve got too much red tape within the TRC.
“You go out the Western Downs, and people say how much easier it is (to get projects approved).”
Mr Manteufel said he favoured creating higher-density living rather than continuing the region’s urban sprawl, while noting small lots were achievable if they were “done right”.
“I am in favour of higher-density living within the city, because we can’t keep building just one or two-storey properties,” he said.
“We definitely have to go up — there’s so much we can go up by, and those buyers (of new units) might be retirees who are giving up their four and five-bedroom homes in the suburbs.”
A member of the Labor Party, Mr Manteufel said he was running as an independent.
Eakraj Adhikari
A council candidate in 2020 and a member of Toowoomba’s multicultural community, Mr Adhikari confirmed he is running again in 2024 with a new strategy.
But the Nepalese migrant said he was not changing his platform, which includes improving access to services for social issues like homelessness and domestic violence, and promoting the Garden City as a national model for multi-faith diversity.
Speaking to Triple M, Mr Adhikari said he envisioned the Toowoomba region as a set of thriving communities, something he would argue for on council.
“We are different to what we were many years ago - we have so many opportunities, we are close to Brisbane but we can still keep ourselves as we are,” he said.
“With the changing scenarios, we can make ourselves look like we are highly inclusive, welcoming and thriving.
“We can make the most of the 2032 Olympics and more around entertainment and culture, so the opportunities are enormous.”
Mr Adhikari said youth crime was the main issue residents had spoken to him about, arguing there was a role for council to play on the issue.
“When we see youth crime, that is worrying because that is going to be part of our future, so we need to be really sensitive about that one,” he said.
“We don’t want to be recognised as the capital city for youth crime, so that’s what I’ll be focusing on and see if we can do something different to create a lasting impact.”
Chelle Michelle McIntyre
Horticulturalist, musician and former public servant Chelle Michelle McIntyre (which is how she will appear on the ballot) believes her four-point campaign platform can help her improve on her 2020 election result.
Ms McIntyre, who missed out on a spot four years ago, said her priority was “fighting for Toowoomba’s culture” with a focus on art, transport, community and tourism.
“We’re such a huge city, we’re only getting bigger but I’m feeling like small business isn’t getting a chance, and that’s leading to a very dull city,” she said.
“There isn’t much across town for kids, so people talk a lot about kids committing crimes but we’re not addressing that — we need to foster a bit more action.
“I’m really here for people and Toowoomba’s heart — (I) feel like it’s a little bit broken with the housing prices and the rising cost of living.
“We have so much potential here (but) we need to co-ordinate and really pull this town together through its people.
“It’s always been a big art town, and it’s just gone by the wayside, now there’s nothing — people need enthusiasm and inspiration.”
Ms McIntyre said she would fight to see an event resembling the popular First Coat Festival return to Toowoomba with financial support from the council.
“That was a huge amount of grant writing (for First Coat) to afford it, and council has a lot of resources that could be used for this type of thing,” she said.
“I’ve spoken to First Coat in recent years, and they had a list of 20 businesses who wanted to be involved, so we could look at it again.”
Ms McIntyre also backed Wagner Corporation’s proposal for a new entertainment precinct at Wellcamp.
Ms McIntyre has been spreading her message on TikTok, where she has amassed nearly 2000 followers under the moniker “Chelle Michelle”.
Kerry Shine
Veteran politician and first-time councillor Kerry Shine is backing himself to win another term in 2024, saying he still had unfinished business.
“There have been difficult times in terms of monetary constraints, but you have to be on council and cognisant of the reports about what things cost these days,” he said.
“As a candidate, I had fairly ambitious goals, which I haven’t been able to get majority support, but you need the money to pay for these things.
“There are lots of things that are on the horizon, a lot of work has been done in planning.
“I was fortunate to have (mayor) Geoff McDonald as my finance chair, he has a sound knowledge of it and I think he’ll keep a close eye on that in the future.”
The former state Attorney-General said he would continue a push for a council restructuring that he believed would give residents outside Toowoomba a representative voice.
“From my background in legal and government, I was concerned about the method of representation in the region,” Mr Shine said.
“Realistically, the future trend is country areas that represent 95 per cent of the area won’t have representation.
“The way to remedy that is a division that will guarantee them two councillors at least.”
David King
Mr King, a former One Nation candidate who also ran in 2020, said he was simplifying his platform message to appeal to ratepayers based outside Toowoomba — a cohort he believed was being neglected.
“I’m going for a ‘time for a change’ slogan, and I’ll be talking about upgrading our water storage, improvement of rural roads and relief for rural ratepayers,” he said.
“There is very little representation in the rural areas, virtually none.
“Someone has to pay attention to Pittsworth and Millmerran, it’s time we focused a little bit outside Toowoomba and have a look at the rest of the region.”
Mr King said he would advocate spending more money upgrading the region’s vast roads network and would push for some form of rates relief for rural residents.
“There are people making $80,000 a year and paying $70,000 in rates, so they can’t make a living, so we need to look at some sort of formula or program where they could pay it later on,” he said.
Mr King said he would look to spend up to $8000 on his campaign across a variety of platforms.
“I’m going to be on the billboards, I’m going to be advertising on TV and I’ll have a website up and running and I’ll be doing social media as well,” he said.
“The first time around, I only had two weeks of run-up, this time I’ll be up for the challenge.”
Gavin Mingay
Experienced pharmacist Gavin Mingay has placed housing and council red tape among his priorities if he secures a place on council at the election.
Mr Mingay said the TRC needed to do more to cater for the region’s growing population over the coming years.
“Cost of living is a big issue and all levels of government will suffer because of that,” he said.
“Getting accommodation is a problem – there’s almost a zero per cent rental vacancy rate, so we need more housing and places for people to stay, particularly low-cost housing.
“Council rates are always increasing, so we need to watch the pressure we’re putting on people.
“Everyone would like to see a lot less council red tape — there’s been a lot of developments either canned or delayed because of the costs involved with council as well.
“We need more houses built in the region to accommodate the growing populations.”
Alongside his work in various pharmacies across Toowoomba, Mr Mingay has been heavily involved in not-for-profit group Apex on a national scale.
“I’ve been in Toowoomba for a fair while, I love the place and have done a lot with Apex —
I just like to do it on a much bigger scale.
“I’ve got a lot of experience on boards, so I’ve got some of the skills that could be used on a council level.”
Mr Mingay said he didn’t have a big budget for signs, but would be appearing the various candidate forums across the region over the coming weeks.
Gary Gardner
Business identity Gary Gardner has vowed to tackle what he calls “stifling bureaucracy” at the Toowoomba Regional Council if he is elected on March 16.
The executive chairman of massive Queensland company FKG Group launched his local government bid on Tuesday, describing the move as a “short notice” decision bought out of frustration with the council’s current trajectory.
Mr Gardner, whose family’s firm is now one of the state’s largest private businesses as of last year, said he would focus on increasing development and growing new and current industries within the region if he wins enough voter support next month.
“For too long I’ve witnessed first-hand the stifling bureaucracy hindering our city’s growth,” he said in a statement.
“As a businessman, I’ve navigated the hurdles of council policies that delay crucial development projects. It’s time for real change.”
The move has shocked some in the development sector, with one calling him a “top of the tree” candidate.
A noted businessman and developer, Mr Gardner said he was aware that he would face potential conflicts of interest if elected to council in March.
But he said he would approach each one on a “case-by-case” basis.
“I don’t think I’d be the first or only (councillor), as the issue arises I’ll deal with it,” Mr Gardner said.
“Hopefully I’ll stay out of trouble.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Toowoomba council elections: Your guide to who is running in 2024
Cars collide on busy intersection during peak hour traffic
Emergency services are at the scene of a multi-car collision at a busy Toowoomba intersection.
Read more
Lockyer Valley council opens up lots to ease housing shortage
A regional Queensland council has opened up ready-to-build residential lots in the face of an ongoing housing supply crisis gripping the country.
Read more