Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald recommits to Council of Mayors SEQ after treasurer David Janetzki suggests council pull out of body

It’s a body that is potentially costing Toowoomba businesses an extra $33m a year in state taxes, but mayor Geoff McDonald says he has no plans to pull the council out a key southeast Queensland lobby group.

Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald says he has no plans of pulling the region out of a southeast Queensland council advocacy group, after the state’s new treasurer suggested its membership in it was holding back tax reforms and funding worth millions.

Mayor Geoff McDonald. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr McDonald reaffirmed his commitment to the Council of Mayors Southeast Queensland, a body that kickstarted the Brisbane 2032 Olympic bid and has been influential in the ongoing SEQ City Deal funding proposal — of which Toowoomba has projects included.

But Toowoomba’s membership with CoMSEQ has been criticised by a number of influential leaders, including LNP treasurer-elect and Toowoomba South MP David Janetzki.

When asked during the recent state election campaign about funding commitments for Toowoomba if the opposition was to take power including support for the $270m Cressbrook Dam upgrades, Mr Janetzki said the TRC should consider pulling out of the body.

“I’m a regional Queenslander to the boot straps and want to see the South West flourish,” he said.

“This is one of the main reasons why we should go it alone, leave the South East Queensland Council of Mayors, and provide leadership to our southwest region and the communities beyond.”

This follows Mr Janetzki’s comments at a Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce event in June with now-premier David Crisafulli, where he said the council’s inclusion in CoMSEQ was potentially hindering payroll tax reform for the region’s small business owners.

David Janetzki, Treasurer, Parliament House. Picture: Liam Kidston

The chamber estimated local businesses were $33m worse off currently under the current payroll tax regime, arguing it was unfair to treat it the same as Brisbane or the Gold Coast.

“I do think we need to come to a decision as a region – I do believe we need to position ourselves more strongly in regional Queensland and that has put me at odds with some,” Mr Janetzki said at the luncheon on June 27.

“I struggle to see the merits in us being part of the Southeast Queensland Council of Mayors, because I do think we should position ourselves as a regional centre.”

In response to Mr Janetzki’s suggestions, Mr McDonald said the council’s membership with CoMSEQ and association had no bearing as to how other parts of the government worked, citing current models to plan for population growth.

“I am hopeful that our local members will understand that CoMSEQ is a completely different conversation to the Southeast regional plan,” he said.

“The Toowoomba region sits in two regional plans – we sit in the Darling Downs Regional Plan and the Southeast Queensland Regional Plan.

“That’s a completely separate conversation from a membership into an organisation called CoMSEQ, which is no different to other organisations that councils or organisations are members to.

“If there’s a strong return of investment for our community, then it makes sense for us to be a member of those organisations and certainly CoMSEQ has delivered that in spades over the last decade.”

Toowoomba Chamber chief executive Todd Rohl was contacted for comment.