Aaron Harper takes on likely new Townsville mayor Troy Thompson in state parliament

A state MP has delivered an emotional address to parliament, accusing Townsville’s likely new mayor of harassing and intimidating his family and urging him to “come clean” on a number of issues.

Aaron Harper has made stunning claims against mayoral candidate Troy Thompson in state parliament.

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper has delivered an emotional address to state parliament, accusing mayoral candidate Troy Thompson of harassing and intimidating his family.

“I have to deal with the fallout of the local government election of mayor, in particular, not declared yet but Troy Thompson, who was the former disendorsed One Nation candidate for Thuringowa in 2020, who was found in contempt for his disgraceful behaviour against me, the harassing intimidation, and the horrible election campaign,” Mr Harper told state parliament.

“I’ve gone through three elections, but nothing quite like this.

“There is an unwritten rule in this place, that you don’t bring family into it. You can disagree with my party and my politics, but don’t bring family into it.”

Mr Harper said his wife had been affected by what happened during the 2020 election, which included Mr Thompson placing his campaign material on the state MP’s door and led to him being banned from the parliament precinct.

“To this day, (my wife) feels physically ill being around Mr Thompson,” Mr Harper told parliament.

“At least the Member for Mirani (Stephen Andrew) had the decency to personally apologise to me. (Mr Thompson) never has.

“I don’t know how we’re going to have a working relationship. I do get on with the other councillors, but my goodness me. Leave family out of it.

“We have been through hell.”

Troy Thompson on the campaign trail with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, which disendorsed him. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Mr Harper tabled the ethics report that detailed the reasons why Mr Thompson was banned from state parliament.

“He’s accused me now that I am the reason he’s banned from this place ... it is indeed the speaker that made that ruling and he needs to come clean on that,” he said.

“(And Mr Thompson) needs to come clean on his disendorsement.”

Mr Harper then tabled a letter signed by One Nation state executive member and candidate co-ordinator Neil Symes in response to Mr Thompson’s repeated claims he was not disendorsed by the party.

Troy Thompson disendorsement letter.

The tabled letter from One Nation dated Monday, September 21 says that on September 20, 2020, following a state executive meeting, the party found that Mr Thompson had “failed” to disclose his role as a director of iPro Solutions before it was placed into the hands of administrators, that he did not disclose an insolvency report that stated “Troy Thompson would be liable for any insolvent trading claims for the period of your directorship”, and that he failed to disclose that he had been known by a different name, ‘Troy Joseph Birnbrauer’.

The letter says this “breaches” the “strict guidelines for candidacy” and that his candidacy was “revoked, effective immediately”.

“Come clean,” Mr Harper told state parliament.

“If you’re going to run for a seat, I think you need to be honest with people.

“If you’re going to run for mayor, be honest with people and upfront. But leave family out of it.

“I love my family. I’ll protect them fiercely. I will resolve every day to make sure they are protected from individuals and behaviour that is displayed.”

Originally published as Aaron Harper takes on likely new Townsville mayor Troy Thompson in state parliament