Mayor Jenny Hill concedes in 2024 local government election to Mayor-elect Troy Thompson

Jenny Hill has conceded the council election, saying while it wasn’t official from the ECQ yet, the city deserved certainty moving forward. Watch the full video.

An emotional Jenny Hill has conceded defeat in the 2024 Townsville LGA election.

Jenny Hill has officially conceded in the election for Townsville Mayor, with Troy Thompson securing about 46 per cent of the vote.

She delivered a tearful speech, remembering the time she had spent at council and the city’s achievements.

Ms Hill, who has been mayor for 12 years and a councillor for 23 years, said at the last vote she was trailing by a little more than 2500 and there were still postal votes to be counted, but she added “there’s no likelihood of bridging that gap”.

“Rather than delay this any further, I want to provide some certainty for the city.”

As of 10.20am Wednesday, Mr Thompson had secured 49,529 votes (46.39%) and Ms Hill 46,787 (43.82%).

Ms Hill congratulated mayor-elect Troy Thompson and wished him well in the role for the next four years.

“I offer my congratulations also to the successful council candidates across the city,” she said.

“I want to especially thank my colleagues on Team Jenny Hill. I know those who have been elected will continue to work hard for the city.

“And for those who didn’t make it, thank you for putting up a great fight.”

2015: Mayor Jenny Hill says if you mess with the Cowboys, you mess with all of North Queensland.

2015: Lara Hill with her mum Mayor Jenny Hill who will both be going to Groovin the Moo. Picture: Evan Morgan

The outgoing mayor said the council had achieved “great outcomes” for the city.

“I simply could never have achieved this without the support of my family – Shane and my kids – and thank them from the bottom of my heart,” Ms Hill said.

“And I could never have done this without the support of the people of Townsville.”

2015: Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill, MP Coralee O'Rourke and MP Scott Stewart over see work on the 4.5m Liberty Drive project. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Ms Hill said it had been a “great honour” to serve the Townsville community.

“For me, the most important achievement was fighting for and securing almost half a billion dollars in funding to construct the Haughton water pipeline to the Burdekin River to drought proof our city, funded by the state government,” she said.

“This project alone means Townsville’s water supply will never succumb to drought and that project will be completed by early next year.”

2023: Local football juniors Milla and Sophie Hannay, 14, with Mayor Jenny Hill at Strand Park where Council are showing the Matildas world cup match this Saturday. Picture: Shae Beplate

She added that purchasing the land that would become the home of Queensland Country Bank Stadium, and fighting for the funding to build it, was also at the top of her list of achievements.

“We saw just how much it contributes to our city last week with the P!nk concerts, and who can forget State of Origin 2021,” she said.

2020: Women's National Basketball League 2020 Season Launch in Townsville. Sydney Uni Flames Alison Schwagmeyer, Canberra Capitals Kelsey Griffin, Townsville Fire Mia Murray, Melbourne Boomers Madeleine Garrick, Mayor Jenny Hill, Adelaide Lightning Stephanie Talbot, Bendigo Spirit Tessa Lavey, Southside Flyers Jenna O'Hea and Perth Lynx Darcee Garbin. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Ms Hill said the city had also been through difficult times under her leadership, including the closure of QNI in 2016, the devastating floods in 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We came though them in typical Townsville passion,” she said.

“We are now the true capital of Northern Australia with the employment opportunities that nine years ago could not have been imagined, with a melding of new industry, and as the chair of the Aviation Attraction working group, new aviation destinations.

2021: Mayor Jenny Hill gets her COVID-19 jab from Registered Nurse Natalie Hardy at the Upper Ross Medical Centre. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I hope I made a difference for the mums and dads out there and that their kids will now have a future in the city.

“I hope that Townsville knows I did my best.”

Answering questions after her concession speech, Ms Hill said about a number of mayors in the North having been toppled: “I don’t know what’s caused it”.

“I think incumbency is an issue, and people in this day and age love change. So we have what we have,” she said.

“I think there’s a very angry cohort of the electorate out there and they’re angry at everyone. I would love to understand why the community is so angry.”

Asked whether she was concerned about key projects, Ms Hill said she hoped to see the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct realised, creating up to 10,000 jobs over the next five to seven years.

She said it was important to have income streams from leasing land, (because) “you only get one opportunity when you sell the farm”.

“That’ll be up to the new council to decide. I mean that whether they’d been elected in and let’s see what, what they can do,” she said.

2015: Regional Mayors Frank Beveridge, Alf Lacey, Jenny Hill and Rodger Bow want more for the North.

“You’ve got a mixed bag of people, some who are experienced and some who aren’t. I hope they do (work together) for the betterment of our city.

When asked about what she would do next, Ms Hill said she was looking forward to spending time with family and relaxing.

“I just want to go back with hubby, catch up with the kids (and) grandkids and be just Jenny Hill, citizen, for a while. I’m going to take a holiday … and have a bit of fun.” Ms Hill said.

“(Careerwise) I’ll figure that out in the next couple of weeks. After 12 years, I would really like a good break and just see what pops its head up.

“I could go back to Queensland Health, maybe, I might ask them if they need a microbiologist. I’m a bit rusty but I’m happy to go back and do some retraining.”

Mayor-elect Mr Thompson, who was previously disendorsed by One Nation during 2020 state election, has issued a blanket ban on engaging with the Townsville Bulletin.

Mr Thompson, who cast himself as an outsider who would deliver ‘local consequences for crime programs’ and transparency about council practices during his campaign, has courted controversy through his association with convicted murder Peter Jason Burdell and his embrace of conspiracy theorist group MyPlace.

He has also pledged to freeze business and personal rates for a period of four years and reduce council debt.

There were three candidates in the race for Mayor, including Mr Thompson, Ms Hill and Harry Patel.

2019: Michael Chugg, Executive Chairman, Chugg Entertainment, Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill and Matthew Lazarus-Hall, Event Producer-Elton John, announce Sir Elton John will be opening Townsville Stadium, February 29th 2020. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Political expert Dr Maxine Newlands attributed the results to anti-incumbent frustration and broader political trends, including state-level politics surrounding crime and cost of living measures to Ms Hill’s loss.

A number of other Team Hill incumbent councillors, including high profile deputy mayor Mark Molachino also lost their seats during the election as a number of outsiders and independents used grassroot campaigns to up-end the local political picture.

Ms Hill took over the mayoralty in 2012, after previously serving as deputy mayor under Tony Mooney, and having unsuccessfully challenged incumbent member Peter Lindsay in the seat of Herbert for Labor at the 2001 federal election.

Originally published as Mayor Jenny Hill concedes in 2024 local government election to Mayor-elect Troy Thompson