Troy Thompson suspension: Cameron Dick lashes David Crisafulli over handling of Townsville mayor saga

State parliament has erupted over the handling of disgraced Townsville mayor Troy Thompson, with the Opposition saying he could and should have been sacked, instead of having “a fully-funded holiday at taxpayers’ expense”.

Mayor Troy Thompson is under investigation by the Crime and Corruption Commission. Picture: Shae Beplate.

• How much Thompson’s sabbatical will really cost ratepayers

Deputy opposition leader Cameron Dick has given an explosive spray at the government’s handling of disgraced Townsville mayor Troy Thompson, saying he could and should have been sacked.

During the first Question Time of the new Crisafulli government, Mr Dick questioned why Local Government Minister Ann Leahy did not dismiss Mr Thompson, instead choosing to suspend him for 12 months on full pay of $225,206.

“The Premier said ‘when I say something it will mean something’ and at a time when Queenslanders are hurting from cost of living pressures, particularly those in regional parts of the state, why did the government agree to the demand of Troy Thompson to be suspended on full pay for a year, so he could take a fully-funded holiday at taxpayers’ expense, when instead, this disgraced falsifier and fraudster could have been sacked?”

Premier David Crisafulli blasted the former government for not stepping in sooner, given all 10 councillors stood up to issue a vote of no confidence in their mayor on May 31 after he went on national television and conceded he misled voters about his military, university and business qualifications.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli takes Questions without notice November 28, 2024. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

It followed weeks of reporting by the Townsville Bulletin, including revealing Mr Thompson’s actual army service record proving he did not serve across three units including the SAS as he claimed.

He is the subject of an ongoing Crime and Corruption Commission investigation, which so far has not made any findings.

“I just know that for 250 days, Councillor Thompson took a full salary for 250 days (and) Councillor Thompson caused chaos and dysfunction at the (Townsville City Council),” Mr Crisafulli said, referring to the time frame between the local government election date and the date Ms Leahy announced Mr Thompson’s suspension.

“For 250 days Councillor Thompson took a full salary and ratepayers wanted a circuit breaker, and the circuit breaker was given.

“And within two weeks of coming to office, barely two weeks, the minister did what the former government would not and provided a circuit breaker.”

Former Local Government Minister Meaghan Scanlon was seen interjecting and accusing the Premier of “choosing the weakest option”.

Former Local Government Minister Meaghan Scanlon Picture David Clark

Mr Crisafulli questioned the wording in the show-cause notice issued by Ms Scanlon on October 1 saying there were “some very interesting things”.

“In fact, one of the paragraphs on page four says, and I quote, in particular, ‘I consider that the proposed dismissal’, well, the reason why that said proposed dismissal is, I would suggest to you that an earlier version of it had a dismissal, rather than a suspension, which is the rest of it throughout,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“I suspect what happened is the former local government minister may have said a dismissal is not possible. And I think there might have been a bit of to-ing and fro-ing at the 11th hour.”

Mr Crisafulli remained steadfast in his government’s decision to accept Mr Thompson’s request for a 12-month suspension with pay.

“What it has done is finally given a little bit of clear air for council to be able to get to work and do what this former government did not allow it to for 250 days,” he said.

In a statement posted to his Facebook page on Saturday, Mr Thompson confirmed the show-cause notice issued by Ms Scanlon “threatened to suspend or terminate” his position.

“I defended every accusation and included much more food for thought. There was no ability to terminate on the grounds alleged,” Mr Thompson claimed.

“Suffice to say it dragged out until a new Premier and Minister were sworn in. The only ability to terminate or suspend in the act was under section s122. This has raised many eyebrows, as it’s a licence for a state government to remove a democratically elected official from office on allegations alone, under the public interest banner.

“There is no fair judicial process. This is why the LGAQ has come out and voice its concern, this throws democracy out the window.”

Mr Thompson further claimed during a meeting with the department of local government, he was “advised” to write to the minister and ask to be paid on suspension for a regulation to be written.

He then claimed the letter was drafted for him by the department to send to Minister Leahy, saying choosing the option of 12 months suspension with full pay “allows me to fight any and all allegations, of which I refute”.

Originally published as Troy Thompson suspension: Cameron Dick lashes David Crisafulli over handling of Townsville mayor saga