Townsville City Councillors receive pay rise, despite previously opposing the move

Despite some saying they would not accept a pay rise, July 1 marked an increase to the pay packets of all the councillors in Townsville City Council.

Ann-Maree Greaney and Kristian Price previously said they would not accept a pay rise.

A Townsville councillor has doubled down on earlier claims that he wouldn’t accept a pay rise and has now decided he will donate the extra cash to a charity.

The Townsville Bulletin reported on Monday that the council chose not hold a vote against the automatic pay rise, which was recommended for every council outside of Brisbane.

Division 4 councillor Kristian Price stated back in January that they would choose not to receive the extra pay.

Cr Price posted on his Facebook page on January 24 that he would not be accepting ‘any pay rises’.

“With so many families struggling to make ends meet due to the rising cost of living, accepting a pay increase would feel like a slap in the face to those who are doing it tough right now,” he said.

A Facebook post from Division 4 councillor Kristian Price dated January 24.

In the last financial year, Townsville councillors were paid about $130,000, the deputy mayor about $145,000 and the mayor was paid $225,000.

A pay rise of 2.5 per cent will see the Mayor’s pay increase to $230,836, the Deputy Mayor to $156,974 and councillors to $138,501.

Acting mayor Ann-Maree Greaney is still being paid as deputy mayor despite her increased duties.

Last year, a Local Government Remuneration Commission report recommended members of Queensland councils outside of Brisbane receive a pay rise as part of their annual review.

This was then signed off by Local Government Minister Ann Leahy in December.

Councils across the state then had the chance to vote not to adopt the changes before July 1, which would otherwise be automatically added on.

Townsville City Council did not choose to vote on the matter, with the pay rise therefore automatically adopted.

Townsville City Council meeting on December 4, 2024. Cr Ann-Maree Greaney and Cr Kristian Price. Picture: Evan Morgan

When asked by the Townsville Bulletin, suspended mayor Troy Thompson confirmed he would also be receiving a pay rise as a result of the council’s actions, but claimed he would uphold his pledge, made in January, to donate the extra amount to community groups.

He encouraged Townsville councillors to do the same, saying they should not be receiving pay increases during a “cost-of-living period.”

Mr Thompson is still receiving around $225,000, after requesting he be stood down for a year with full pay in November of last year while a number of revelations about inaccuracies in his claimed credentials and military service record were investigated by the corruption watchdog.

The Townsville Bulletin contacted every councillor at Townsville City Council for comment.

Only one councillor, Paul Jacobs, responded saying he would “never vote against a CPI wage increase for any worker”.

“I am a staunch unionist,” he said.

“Being a councillor and putting up with the disruption we have had to endure this term has been challenging.

“But that aside, it maintains parity.”

Councillor Kristian Price directed the Townsville Bulletin to his Facebook page, where he made a statement saying that he had asked for the additional pay to be diverted to a breast cancer charity.

“I want to reaffirm that this remains my position. I have taken the necessary steps to ensure the equivalent amount is deducted from my salary and transferred directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation,” the Facebook post read.

Originally published as Townsville City Councillors receive pay rise, despite previously opposing the move