An explainer into what can happen to Townsville’s suspended mayor Troy Thompson

Having been suspended since November, Troy Thompson has continued to find himself in the public spotlight for a number of reasons, causing many to wonder what is likely to happen next with his CCC investigation. EXPLAINED.

Suspended Townsville mayor Troy Thompson Picture: Evan Morgan

Having been suspended as Townsville’s Mayor since November last year, Troy Thompson’s recent exposure as the man behind an online profile trashing his former colleagues and defending himself has sparked renewed interest with regards to his Crime and Corruption Commission investigation and what the possible outcomes could be.

It was announced on November 21 last year by Local Government Minister that Mr Thompson would be suspended as the Mayor of Townsville on full pay, after months of speculation into his military history and university qualifications.

Why was Mr Thompson suspended instead of dismissed?

An ‘impact analysis statement’ filed by the Department of Local Government at the time outlined the reasons behind the decision to suspend Mr Thompson for a year on full pay — $225,206 — rather than dismiss him.

Section 122 of the Local Government Act provides that the Minister may either suspend or dismiss a councillor if the Minister reasonably believes it is ‘otherwise in the public interest’ that a councillor be suspended or dismissed.

Troy Thompson. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“However, suspending Councillor Thompson was deemed the more proportionate option, as it would enable relevant integrity agencies to finalise their investigations of allegations made against Councillor Thompson, prior to any definitive action being taken against him,” the statement read.

“Another option was to suspend Councillor Thompson for a shorter period. However, 12 months was deemed an appropriate suspension period, as it would enable integrity agencies to complete their investigations.”

The statement was signed by Director-General Linda Dobe and Local Government Minister Ann Leahy on November 21, the day they announced that Mr Thompson would be immediately suspended.

How long will Mr Thompson continue to be paid for?

Mr Thompson will continue for at least another five months - up until November 2025.

It is not known if he will continue to be paid after that and depends on what is decided once his 12 month suspension ends.

Will Mr Thompson be dismissed by the CCC and what will be the outcomes?

As the CCC conducts investigations on a case-by-case basis, it is not yet known what the outcomes of the investigation will be and when they will be finalised.

Investigations by the CCC can be a lengthy process, with many process and parameters in place.

Questions from the Townsville Bulletin were put to the state government about their powers to dismiss Mr Thompson under Section 122 of the Local Government Act, whether they would dismiss him and if they believed he should continue to be paid.

Suspended Townsville mayor Troy Thompson has created and formally lodged a petition to dismiss Townsville City Council, saying the city needs a “proper restart”.

A statement from Ms Leahy and Premier David Crisafulli’s offices said that “Mr Thompson has been suspended and is a private citizen with no authority over the running of Townsville City Council.”

“It is critical Townsville City Council continues to focus on delivering for the people of Townsville.”

What has the Premier said about Mr Thompson recently?

Mr Crisafulli, who was in Townsville for the 2025 Anzac Day Dawn Service, said at the time that Mr Thompson was “not part of the council” and “shouldn’t be part of the council” while the current Crime and Corruption Commission investigation continued.

“The change we have made is to remove him from that council while that investigation occurs and I hope that’s given the council the air it needs to get on and govern the city,” he said.

“This city is important to me …”

“It needs strong leadership and Mr Thompson can’t be part of that, certainly not while those investigations are continuing.”

On June 11, Mr Crisafulli vowed to overhaul Queensland’s council watchdog, warning a flood of petty complaints is driving good candidates out of local government and stripping mayors and councillors of their power.

While he ruled out abolishing the Office of the independent Assessor, Mr Crisafulli guaranteed local government reforms to protect councillors from “silly games” and reputational hit-jobs.

When asked by The Courier Mail if he would seek to remove Mr Thompson, if he is clear by the CCC, Mr Crisafulli said he would not speculate.

“But I’ll make this point, and that is that city is yearning for leadership at the moment, and it’s really important to what we want to achieve as a state,” he said.

“And at the moment, I am eagerly awaiting the findings from the CCC.”

Troy Thompson mayor Townsville display

Has there been any findings during the investigation yet?

The Office of the independent Assessor referred Mr Thompson to the Crime and Corruption Commission on May 28.

He is still currently under investigation by the CCC.

It is understood the CCC are yet to make any findings from their investigation into Mr Thompson and no action has been taken.

When asked about the possible outcomes of the investigation and possible next steps, the CCC said it recognised the “important role media plays in promoting transparency and accountability in government and public institutions”.

“The CCC also recognises the need to balance the public’s right to information with the need to protect the integrity of investigations and the privacy of individuals involved,” a spokesman said.

The CCC said it would not confirm, or comment, on any complaint, investigation, or referrals to other agencies or matters before the court.

A spokesman at the Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers said “the CCC is the appropriate entity to investigate the allegations and the Minister will consider the options that may be available once the outcomes of any investigation are known.”

Originally published as An explainer into what can happen to Townsville’s suspended mayor Troy Thompson