Toowoomba deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff complaint dismissed by the Office of Independent Assessor

The local government watchdog has dismissed a complaint into Toowoomba’s deputy mayor relating to her involvement in a photo scandal.

Deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Toowoomba’s deputy mayor has been cleared of misconduct by the local government watchdog on the basis that it’s not against the rules to take a photo in council chambers.

Rebecca Vonhoff revealed the Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) had dismissed her own referral over the incident, which has lingered over the council for months and drawn the ire of colleagues, former councillors and the community’s most influential stakeholders.

This was confirmed by the OIA, which said the matter was dismissed as it couldn’t identify a Toowoomba council policy that prevented a councillor from taking a photo during a meeting.

It comes more than a week after Ms Vonhoff admitted to taking a photo of councillor Kerry Shine asleep during a meeting, which was then circulated on social media weeks before the 2024 local government elections in a bid to discredit him.

The photo had been circulating the community since February and had been a major topic of discussion among the region’s stakeholders.

Despite the mayor, councillor colleagues and business leaders calling for the person to step forward throughout several months, it wasn’t until June 10 that Ms Vonhoff admitted she was the photographer.

The deputy mayor has denied sharing the photo outside the chamber, but it remains unclear who leaked it online.

In a statement on social media, Ms Vonhoff said she had been the subject of abusive messages from trolls in the wake of her actions becoming public.

“I have received notice that the OIA has dismissed the complaint as my actions did not constitute a conduct breach or misconduct,” she said. “Over the past week or so, among other things, I’ve been called a b---- and told that it would be better if I killed myself.

“Through it all I showed up to work every day and to every commitment: chairing meetings, attending community activities and speaking at events that I said I would.”

Ms Vonhoff paid tribute to her colleagues, supporters and family for standing by her.

“Thank you to the people who stood by me and supported me, including my colleagues,” she said.

Ms Vonhoff was contacted but declined to comment further.