Toowoomba councillor Melissa Taylor moves plan to make city aerodrome a controlled entity of council

A Toowoomba councillor has revealed a plan that she believes will secure the future of the city’s aerodrome, which is still under a cloud ahead of an upcoming report.

The Toowoomba City Aerodrome. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The beleaguered Toowoomba City Aerodrome could become a controlled entity of the council in a bid to secure its future, as tenants and business owners call for greater consultation over leases and long-term investment.

Councillor Melissa Taylor’s motion to explore new operating structures for the city’s airport narrowly passed 5-4 at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting, with a report on options to return to the chamber before the end of the financial year.

The aerodrome has been under a cloud for more than 18 months, with tenants fighting the Toowoomba Regional Council to renew longstanding leases and allow further investment on land it had acquired.

This antagonism was fuelled by speculation last year the council was considering selling the aerodrome and moving all businesses to the privately-owned Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport — prompting wild protests outside City Hall in May 2024.

The TRC’s corporate services and finance department is due to return a review of the aerodrome’s services and financial performance back to the councillors next month.

Under Ms Taylor’s plan, the airport would become a “controlled entity” like the Empire Theatre or Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise, which is owned by the council but has its own governance and board.

Councillor Melissa Taylor during a council meeting to discuss the future of Toowoomba City Aerodrome (also know as Toowoomba Airport), Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Speaking in favour of her proposal, Ms Taylor said the concept would allow the airport to balance commercial interests with public sector transparency requirements.

“The Toowoomba Aerodrome is a significant asset for our region, supporting aviation, business and economic growth,” she said.

“However, as it currently operates within the broader local government framework, it faces constraints that limit its ability to be agile, innovative and commercially effective.

“By exploring the possibility of transitioning to a controlled entity or other structure, we can examine ways to improve transparency, accountability and effectiveness in its operations.

“(A controlled entity would allow the airport to be) more responsive and commercially-focused while still ensuring transparency and oversight.”

Ms Taylor received pushback from several of her colleagues, who all argued any exploration of controlled entities should start after the review is returned to the council.

Ultimately, councillors Carol Taylor, Edwina Farquhar, Trevor Manteufel and Tim McMahon voted against the motion on this basis.

Toowoomba City Community Airport president Matt Handley, who was in attendance on Tuesday, said he was open to seeing what the report would look like but urged more consultation with tenants.

Toowoomba City Community Airport group president Matt Handley protests outside city hall before a council meeting to discuss the future of Toowoomba City Aerodrome (also known as Toowoomba Airport), Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“We’re not sure what it means, that’s the biggest thing — there wasn’t a lot of communication about it, so it was a bit of a surprise when it came out and that’s why everyone got a bit antsy about it,” he said.

“I guess we just need more consultation and just reassurance on how something like that would work but it’s all going to come in the report anyway.”

Mr Handley said he was encouraged to learn in the meeting that the council would start negotiating new leases with existing tenants.

It comes just threes weeks after the TCCA was approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to collectively bargain with the council.

Mr Handley welcomed the January 30 decision, which he believed would help secure the tenants a better deal.

“The financial review was going to include lease rates, so we decided to do collective bargaining, so when they do come back with new lease rates, which we feel will be high, we can sit down and bargain for the best rights,” he said.

“Going to the ACCC might sound like a fairly serious thing to do, but four other airfields are doing it.

“Redcliffe Aerodrome took the Moreton Bay Council to the ACCC on similar issues and they were able to get themselves a better deal.

“If anyone wants to stay out of it, they can, but it was done with 99 per cent involvement from leaseholders.”

The council’s submission to the ACCC neither supported nor opposed the TCCA being able to collectively bargain.

Originally published as Toowoomba councillor Melissa Taylor moves plan to make city aerodrome a controlled entity of council