Gary Gardner donates councillor salary to Toowoomba Base Services

A newly-elected councillor has committed his pay to an important Toowoomba charity that supports the city’s homeless population.

Gary Gardner, Louise Hamilton, Tiff and Nat Spary as BASE Services launches fundraising campaign Homeless for a Week 2024. Picture: Christine Schindler

A newly-elected Toowoomba councillor and prominent businessman has committed his entire first-year council salary to a charity committed to helping the region’s homeless.

The donation came as Toowoomba’s BASE Services launched its annual Homeless for a Week fundraiser, where the organisation set an ambitious $1m fundraising target.

Councillor Gary Gardner said he would donate the gross salary of his first year in council, roughly $10,000 a month, to the cause. 

That roughly equates to the gross salary for a sitting Toowoomba councillor, which was about $123,000 in the 2022/23 Annual Report.

Mr Gardener declined to suggest other councillors should donate their salary, but said he encouraged businesses to get on board and match it.

“Their training program for young kids is very important to me,” he said.

Justin, Lawrence McCarthy, Teddy, Tiff Spary, Jonathon Welk, Mutaz Aldekhil, Nat Spary and Malakai Cummins BASE Services launches fundraising campaign Homeless for a Week 2024. Picture: Christine Schindler

Mortgage Choice also presented a cheque of $10,000 to the co-ordinators.

Now in its 10th year running, BASE Services co-ordinator Nat Spary will sleep rough for a week in August to raise funds and awareness for homelessness in the city.

“Ten years ago I started the homeless campaign and made it visible, sleeping on the streets for a week,” Mr Spary said.

“Back then people would say, “hey, there’s no such thing as homelessness in our community’ and you know, I used to get fed up with that.”

The BASE Services operates the Basement Soup Kitchen on Neil St which is open during lunch every weekday and provides a nutritious meal as well as swags, food hampers, clothing, hygiene packs and support services to anyone in need.

The organisation also runs 2nd Shot, a social enterprise that offers traineeships and employment pathways to people experiencing homelessness.

As the rental and cost-of-living crisis continues to grip the state, the not-for-profit charity has had to respond.

“We have no room,” Mr Spary said.

“We give over 20 trainees an opportunity to break the barriers of employment and there is no room.

“We have over 100 guests every day at the soup kitchen.

“It’s actually time that we look ahead and look for a purpose-built soup kitchen.”

Mr Spary will be sleeping rough for a week between August 5-11, 2024 and invited others to join him on the first night.

To find out more about the BASE Services visit baseservices.com.au.