Troy Thompson caught using fake name in Townsville Bulletin story comments to back himself, trash former colleagues

Townsville’s embattled mayor has been caught out trashing his former colleagues and defending himself online under a fake name for months, including saying ‘the blokes entitled to his pay’. WHAT HE SAID.

Screenshots comparing Troy Thompson with Barry.

Embattled suspended Mayor Troy Thompson has been caught out trashing his former colleagues and defending himself online under a fake name for months, including comments like “the blokes entitled to his pay”.

As far back as January, Mr Thompson has been commenting under the name of ‘Barry’ on Townsville Bulletin stories about Townsville City Council, his own suspension and targeted attacks against councillors.

Comments made by ‘Barry’ were exposed as Mr Thompson after the name linked to the account changed back to his own.

Mr Thompson, who was suspended from his role as Townsville City Council Mayor in March last year after his short tenure as mayor ended amid a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation.

Troy Thompson's comments on Townsville Bulletin articles.

He became embroiled in controversy after the 2024 Anzac Day service when veterans raised the alarm about his lack of service medals and his military history.

He was criticised over claims he had misled the community about his service record, had been in court on domestic violence charges under a different name and had said he completed university degrees that he did not.

In an interview with A Current Affair following the Townsville Bulletin breaking the story, Mr Thompson defended himself, but it only fuelled the backlash.

After Mr Thompson began commenting on stories about the council as himself, the Townsville Bulletin checked our archive of stories to see where else he had shared his opinion.

This was when his connection to ‘Barry’ was discovered.

The former mayor fiercely defended himself in the public forum, saying that the A Current Affair interview he took part in showed he didn’t lie.

“Did he lie though, the post on his page says he did not, it is a full recording of the actual ACA report, not the edited one, I believe he didn’t, and there was no intent, and I base that on hearing both versions of the ACA report, the full one and the edited one by ACA,” ’Barry’ wrote.

The investiture of newly elected Townsville City Councillors at the council chambers. New Townsville City Council Mayor Troy Thompson. Picture: Evan Morgan

In another comment, he wrote “The blokes entitled to his pay, he hasn’t been found guilty of anything. Imagine if all pollies who are accused without any outcomes, we’d have no one left, given most are under investigation of (sic) something. At least he’s spending it in the community, weekly.”

On a story about Townsville leaders listing what their priorities will be in 2025, Mr Thompson called Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney a “self absorbed fruitcake” and said new Thuringowa MP Natalie Marr “knows very little” and “done even less”. Another post labelled councillor Kristian Price “totally out of his depth”.

Comments from Barry and Troy Thompson compared.

And in response to a commenter speaking favourably on councillor Suzy Batkovic, Mr Thompson wrote: “Suzy is in it for Suzy, a good basketballer in her day, but a poor councillor with an attitude and self-interest. Remember she voted for Greaney, rates rise’s (sic), paid parking, hardly one advocating for our community.

“More paper time for the councillor no one actually elected to be mayor. Bring back TT,” he wrote on one occasion.

Mr Thompson repeatedly backed himself in the comments, while pretending to be ‘Barry’.

“The real mayor should be reinstated, there is no story, the councillors are the problem,” Mr Thompson wrote as Barry.

“Look at what we have now, a 3 term failure leading our council.”

Comments now listed under Troy Thompson, but people can be seen communicating with 'Barry'.

When asked about the comments Mr Thompson had made on the Townsville Bulletin stories, he said he was “entitled to my own personal opinion, and not that of a mayor”.

“Any and all comments I make are my personal opinion, as a member of the public, and I will continue to fight for the people of Townsville,” he said.

“At this point in time I am not looking to be distracted by media hit jobs, I am concentrating on the Dismiss Townsville City Council Petition, and providing State MP’s, Federal MP’s and Senators with briefs to support the need for a Fitzgerald (Inquiry) type investigation.

“I am confident that the briefs of evidence presented will provide clarity the need for the current council to be dismissed, including but not limited to multiple alleged breaches of the local government act, by councillors and executives, past and present, particularly focusing on the misuse of funding and alleged corruption information.”

Originally published as Troy Thompson caught using fake name in Townsville Bulletin story comments to back himself, trash former colleagues