David Crisafulli seeks Crown Law advice over Troy Thompson, Townsville mayor
Premier David Crisafulli has sought Crown Law advice over embattled Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson’s future at the helm of the city.
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Premier David Crisafulli has sought Crown Law advice over embattled Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson’s future at the helm of the city.
A spokeswoman for Mr Crisafulli confirmed the latest developments on Wednesday, just two days after the former Townsville City Council deputy mayor was officially sworn in as Queensland Premier.
It follows what Mr Thompson described as “a large document” with 23 pages and 35 “documents of evidence” sent in response to the Labor government’s show-cause notice of why he should not be suspended for 12 months, issued on October 1.
The mayor is currently under investigation by the Crime and Corruption Commission for misrepresenting his military, university and business qualifications, as well as a number of donations to his election campaign connected to property developers.
It is understood the CCC is also investigating a lengthy email sent by Mr Thompson to his 10 councillors in June, demanding they agree to a list of demands and threatening to ask then-Local Government Minister Meaghan Scanlon to dissolve the entire council if they did not comply.
Mr Crisafulli has repeatedly stated Mr Thompson’s position was “untenable” and that he would work with former Premier Steven Miles in collating the information in progressing any further disciplinary action.
“It hurts to see the city’s name put in disrepute,” Mr Crisafulli said about the mayoral saga last month.
Despite reports he had cleared his mayoral office of personal items on the weekend of October 19-20, Mr Thompson this week said he did not expect to be going anywhere anytime soon.
“(My response) was quite detailed, and in fairness to the new Queensland Government it will take the department some time to look at the 23-page plus submission by my team,” Mr Thompson told the Bulletin on Tuesday.
“As there is a CCC investigation, it’s important to let it run its course and not comment at this time.”
Crown Law’s team of solicitors represents and advises the Queensland Government in all areas of law affecting the state.
It is not yet known if the LNP’s shadow minister for local government Ann Leahy will take on the official ministerial position when Mr Crisafulli’s cabinet is announced in the next week or so, but it is understood Ms Leahy has already had discussions with Mr Thompson regarding his tenure.
Mayor lays low amid CCC investigation
Radio silence on social media and his mobile phone numbers switched off, Townsville mayor Troy Thompson has refuted suggestions he has been quietly removed from Walker Street amid a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation.
CCC investigators arrived in Townsville last week, ramping up their investigation and reportedly having private meetings with the mayor and council staff.
In the wake of the Liberal National Party’s victory in the state election, community members are questioning what’s next after new Premier David Crisafulli pledged to work with the outgoing government in disciplining Mr Thompson, whose position Mr Crisafulli says is “untenable”.
This week in Brisbane, George Street experiences a power transition between the two major parties, including the basic administration like changing email addresses and offices, with the documentation of the Townsville mayor’s 23-page defence against alleged misconduct and misrepresentations having to be transferred to a cabinet and parliamentarians that have not yet been sworn in.
One of the last actions of the outgoing Labor leadership before the government was put into caretaker mode was to send a show-cause notice to Mr Thompson, giving him three weeks to justify why he should not be removed for 12 months while the CCC inquiry was made.
Mr Thompson has not posted on social media since the three-week time frame expired, with his last post being a rant against the Townsville Bulletin’s front pages of the last six months reporting his misrepresentations of his military, education and business history, the intention to sue ratepayers $100,000 on grounds of discrimination, an emailed list of demands to his 10 councillors and opinions of community and state leaders urging him to resign.
On social media Mr Thompson has even neglected his regular ‘Thank You Thursday’ segment in which he delivered cakes or baked goods to a community organisation.
Mobile phone numbers for the mayor were also reportedly switched off for most of last week.
“During the state election my team have taken some time out on our social media, while we refocus, and I have managed to spend some quality time with family,” Mr Thompson told the Bulletin on Tuesday.
“It’s been very good to see our new Premier sworn in, and I’m excited for Townsville having a Premier from North Queensland, it’s long overdue.”
Mr Thompson believed there would be no immediate decision regarding the future of his position because of the government transition and because of the size of his response to the show-cause notice.
“It was quite detailed, and in fairness to the new Queensland Government it will take the department some time to look at the 23-page plus submission by my team,” he said.
“As there is a CCC investigation, it’s important to let it run its course and not comment at this time.”
Incoming Townsville MP Adam Baillie said the timing of the show-cause notice complicated the speed of the issue, because the evidence and documentation gathered had yet to be passed onto the LNP leadership.
Although the new government and its representatives were under pressure to introduce crime measures such as ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’, the new premier is a former Townsville deputy mayor who was well aware of the council’s issues.
Mr Crisafulli said on numerous occasions Mr Thompson’s position was “untenable” and that “it hurts to see the city’s name put in disrepute”.
Mr Crisafulli also promised to examine local government legislation to address the suitability of mayoral candidates.
Mr Baillie said he was aware of his leader’s position, but also conceded there would be short-term challenges to overcome.
“We’ve also got the complication of the previous government starting things off when they knew there wasn’t time for them to necessarily resolve it,” Mr Baillie said.
“So we’ll have to find out where they’ve left that, as well as a whole number of other issues, but yeah, we really need to review that advice and review the response and find out where it all is at.
“We’ve made some pretty ambitious commitments and the community expects us to deliver on those, and we focus on achieving that.”
Division 4 councillor Kristian Price said “everything has sort of gone hush-hush” in Walker Street, but that Mr Thompson had been seen working in his office.
Mr Price urged the new premier to take action but to make sure that the mayor was not still being paid by the ratepayer if he is removed.
“That’s not what council should be about,” Mr Price said.
“Either get rid of him, but I wouldn’t be paying him for the next 12 months, no.
“David Crisafulli needs to realise this is ratepayers’ money that we’re paying for someone to sit at home.”
The council is also due to hold a special council meeting on Friday about a confidential “human resource” issue, but this is not related to Mr Thompson’s employment.
A general council meeting will be held next Wednesday, November 6.
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