Concerned raised over next Townsville Mayor if by-election called as calls for Troy Thompson to resign continue

Word on the street is Troy Thompson needs to go – but there are concerns held about who could replace the embattled Townsville Mayor if a by-election was held.

Word on the street is Troy Thompson needs to go – but there are concerns held about who could replace the embattled Townsville Mayor if a by-election was held.

Business insiders have raised concerns about who could become the new mayor of Townsville if Mr Thompson is stood down or dismissed as community sentiment around his tenure continues to sour.

An exclusive Townsville Bulletin poll shows that more than 2400 people (91 per cent of those polled) want the Mayor to resign after it was revealed he misled voters during the election with claims about his military service, business background and university qualifications.

On the streets of Townsville, some ratepayers said Mr Thompson needed to step down, while one suggested he needed more time to prove himself.

A Townsville Bulletin investigation found that Mr Thompson’s military records did not match those he touted during the local government election, and a further probe from A Current Affair found that he never graduated from a number of university degrees he had claimed to hold.

Townsville City Council Mayor Troy Thompson. Picture: Evan Morgan

Mr Thompson is currently under investigation by the Office of the Independent Assessor and the Crime and Corruption Commission.

This comes as Mr Thompson‘s moderators continue to block and delete comments from any member of the community who speaks out against him on his social media, creating an echo chamber of positivity that does not truly represent the views of ratepayers.

Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson delivering his address at the 2024 Anzac Day Dawn Service at Anzac Park, The Strand. Picture: Evan Morgan

A number of community members have complained on social media groups that they were blocked for posing questions to the Mayor.

While no one will go on the record, there are also concerns within the business community about who could replace Mr Thompson if he is dismissed or resigns.

Some believe that former Mayor Jenny Hill will return for another bout, however she has declined to comment about her intentions if a by-election is called.

There has been a suggestion Ms Hill will take a tilt at the Senate at number two on Labor’s ticket.

It is understood that some councillors have enjoyed the freedom of no Team Hill and there is an active search underway for a new candidate to lead the city.

Harry Bruce’s cartoon about Troy Thompson.

North Queenslanders polled on the streets were a little coy to share what they thought of Mr Thompson’s actions during the election and first weeks as Mayor, but the majority felt he needed to step down.

Leslie from Mundingburra said people voted him in for change, but he had “lied and should stand down”.

Townsville mayor Troy Thompson on A Current Affair. Image: Channel 9

Sharon, from Kirwan, said he was copping a lot of heat and had not handled it well.

Mikaylah, also from Kirwan, said: “I don’t pay a lot of attention to that stuff but he doesn’t seem to be the right man for the job.”

However, Phil from Belgian Gardens was willing to give him a chance.

“He hasn’t been in long. Maybe he just needs some time to prove himself, it’s still early days,” he said.

Liam, from South Townsville, however, said Mr Thompson “shouldn’t have been Mayor in the first place”.

The story of Mr Thompson misleading voters had even made it to Brisbane with traveller Mel revealing she saw it on the news: “it’s pretty concerning”.

Originally published as Concerned raised over next Townsville Mayor if by-election called as calls for Troy Thompson to resign continue