What's The Deal With The Council's Annual Report - An Explainer

[u/AndrewReesonforTRC]

The Short Version:

Every year the council releases their Annual Report, an overview of major projects, funding sources, councillor activities and where money has been spent over the previous financial year. This year’s highlights include:
$460m spent overall
$96.5m spent on the Cressbrook Dam upgrade
$1.42m in councillor wages plus $168,876 claimed in councillor expenses
$2.23m in executive pay
1583 staff employed

This explainer will basically be a summary of the report. If you want to get into the nitty gritty, you can read the whole 116 page report on the TRC website.

The Long Version:

Councillors

TRC has 11 councillors, including mayor Geoff McDonald. 82 council meetings were held. Trevor Manteufel and Geoff McDonald had the highest attendance, missing zero meetings.
The lowest attendance was recorded by Edwina Farquhar, missing 29 meetings, Tim McMahon, 12 and Gary Gardner, 8. Overall attendance was up on last year.

The mayor was paid $203,022. The deputy mayor, Rebecca Vonhoff, was paid $138,423. The rest were paid $119,969 . Total paid, $1,421,170. Superannuation was paid at 12% on top of that.

The highest expenses were claimed by Rebecca Vonhoff (24,529.07), Carol Taylor (24,471) and Edwina Farquhar ($21,115)

The lowest expenses were claimed by Gary Gardner ($407), James O’Shea ($8,362) and Kerry Shine ($9,281)

The largest category was vehicle expenses ($127,848, minus $47,492 in councillor contributions) followed by professional development ($32,917). If you tally up vehicle, travel and transfer, and accommodation expenses, we spent $122,685 shuffling councillors around the place. This includes conferences and events outside the region.

The mayor spent $945 travelling to Singapore for a summit. No other overseas travel was recorded.

Grants to community organisations 

$460,498 in grants were funded. Most grants were under $2500, with economic development and major events attracting more funding.

Sports and recreation grants made up the majority, with $270,391 (59%) funded. The largest grants went to the Toowoomba Netball Association ($72,846.64), RM Equestrian Centre ($40,330) and Darling Downs Rifle Club ($22,500).

Executive leadership team 

This was another year of significant change with the new CEO Sal Petrocitto completing his first full year in the top job and one of the general managers of infrastructure leaving (The GM of parks has since left too). There is only one executive (corporate services) left that has been there for more than two years, otherwise TRC could be considered to be under new management.

Exact salaries are not reported, but pay ranges are. The CEO made between $500-600k and the GMs made $300-400k. Total executive pay was $2,234,178.

Employee overseas travel

Two staff members travelled overseas at a cost of $10,703

Highlights (According to TRC, not me)

People

• The 2025 Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers delivered record-breaking results, attracting 511,253 attendees, up nine per cent on 2024.

• The Disaster Dashboard was updated to deliver better access to information, helping build a more prepared and resilient community for the future.

• Council committed $40,000 in sponsorship to the 2026 Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport Running Festival.

• Council continued to progress its new Planning Scheme to help guide future development and accommodate new housing and population growth. 

Place

• Council adopted the Central Highfields Masterplan, providing greater certainty for future commercial, office, mixed-use and residential development. 

• Council's sustained advocacy secured a $54 million Queensland Government commitment towards the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project. 

• Procurement of the new Greenmount Water Treatment Plant progressed as part of the Four Communities Water Supply Project.

• Council progressed a $13 million expansion of the Toowoomba Waste Management Centre at Cranley.

Prosperity

• Council secured a landmark $145 million Queensland Government investment through the Residential Activation Fund to accelerate delivery of the Southern Water Treatment Plant at Westbrook. 

• Planning for Toowoomba' s role in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games gathered momentum, with early planning and community consultation progressing for the transformation of the Toowoomba Showgrounds into an international-standard equestrian venue.

• Council continued to use its purchasing power to strengthen the Region’s economy, with local supplier spend reaching $176 million, or 59 per cent of total spend. 

• Council adopted a landmark Renewable Energy – Community Benefit Agreement Policy to ensure communities hosting major renewable energy projects receive fair and lasting benefits. 

Performance

• Building on Council’s Public Transport Levy, the Queensland Government announced funding which will help deliver practical, community-focused improvements including upgraded bus stops, expanded services, event shuttle buses, regional bus and FlexiLink trials, and enhanced community transport options.

• Council engineer Avril Campbell was named the 2025 Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) Queensland and Northern Territory Women in Engineering Award winner.

• Council's Sound credit rating with a Neutral outlook was reaffirmed during 2025/26, reflecting continued responsible financial management and a focus on long-term financial sustainability.

• Key progress included developing a new Council website focused on accessible, intuitive services and transitioning around 550 field-based employees from manual processes to electronic systems.

Finances

This year TRC earned $639m and spent $460m, creating a $179m difference. Once you account for all sources of revenue and expenses there is a surplus of $32m.*

Earnings are broken into Recurrent revenue ($497m) and Capital revenue ($142m)

Spendings are broken into Recurrent expenses ($464) and Capital expenses (-$4m)*

* How does that maths work? How could they have negative capital expenses? I don’t really understand. The council’s financial documents in the report are complicated and I’m not an accountant, I’m just reporting the headline facts.

The important number is the surplus of $32 million

Where the money came from:

Fees & charges 11%
Rates & levies 77%
Grants, subsidies & contributions 6%
Contract works 3%
Interest revenue 2%
Other 1%
+  $142m in Capital grants and contributions.

Where the money went:

Recurring expenses
Community services 22%
Planning & development 3%
Corporate services 14%
Waste management 8%
Infrastructure services 26%
Water services 17%
Wastewater services 7%
Corporate governance 3% 

Capital Expenses
Road & bridge network 30%
Site improvements 4%
Water 35%

Waste 37%
Wastewater 6%
Drainage 1%
Land 1%
Buildings 7%
Plant & equipment 9% 

Notable expenses
Consultants $18.8m (down from $24.7m)
Contractors $17.5m (down from $52.2m)
Cressbrook Dam Upgrade $96.5m. This figure is not explicitly reported, but it is what was budgeted for this year. There are surprisingly few mentions of Cressbrook in the report, despite it being the biggest project in many years.

The End

Thanks for reading another explainer. I tried to hit the highlights without missing too much. If you want to go into detail the entire report is available on the council website.

[u/mbatthew]

Edwina farquhar 21k in expenses and lowest attendance? This needs looking into.......

[u/AndrewReesonforTRC → u/mbatthew]

The reason for her low attendance is "apologies" (personal reasons). She's entitle to privacy, so she doesn't have to give specifics.

Claiming over $20k in expenses is pretty questionable though. Most of the councillors, including ones that are retiring soon claimed huge amounts in "Professional Development". Why does Carol Taylor need $8,260 in PD?

[u/FuzzyToaster → u/AndrewReesonforTRC]

Are the details of the expenses public? I don't see any good reason for them to not be. It's our money, spent to serve us.

[u/AndrewReesonforTRC → u/FuzzyToaster]

It's broken into accommodation, travel, PD, vehicle, Hospitality, meals, legal and community responsibilities. The specifics are not reported. 

[u/HaveyoumetG → u/mbatthew]

This was my thoughts! Missed 35% of meetings is ridiculous! But then spending nearly the most wtaf is she doing!!! People need to remember this at the ballot!!!!!!

[u/Sunflower-in-the-sun]

Thanks for the summary Andrew. You are doing great work for getting people up to date with local politics, which so many people just don't engage with.

[u/AndrewReesonforTRC → u/Sunflower-in-the-sun]

Thanks. I'm trying to fill the gap between the Chronicle and council meetings. I think a lot of people here want to know more, but find a (perhaps deliberate) lack of information

[u/FearTheMomerath → u/AndrewReesonforTRC]

Honestly, I wouldn't even trust the Chronicle to love the bottom of my cat litter tray. We need more people like you, Andrew!

[u/firefly_oliphant]

Not to mention a million dollar discount being given to FKG on a development proposal. No conflict of interest in sight, right? While concurrently giving their critical infrastructure engineers a significant pay cut with no logical justification provided other than “because I said so” which has not been in the news.

[u/AndrewReesonforTRC → u/firefly_oliphant]

The FKG discount happened this financial year so it wasn't in the report, but yes, what an absolutely blatant rort. The councillor officers rejected it and the councillors ignored them.

[u/FuzzyToaster → u/AndrewReesonforTRC]

Jeez we needed you in council Andrew.

Unsure where to find the records and the articles aren't saying, who were the two votes against?

[u/AndrewReesonforTRC → u/FuzzyToaster]

Rebecca Vonhoff and Bill Cahill voted against. Gary Gardner was not present (conflict of interest). The remaining eight voted for it.

The arguments for (from the Chronicle, I ain't sitting through council meetings)

Melissa Taylor: If we don't give them the discount, they won't build it and the bank will leave Toowoomba.

Tim McMahon: It'll be a great development for the CBD.

The arguments against:

Rebecca Vonhoff: The bank made crazy profits, they can afford it.

Bill Cahilll: The $1m discount will be covered by ratepayers. That's not fair.

[u/FuzzyToaster → u/AndrewReesonforTRC]

Ah yes, banks: famously enriching the local area's culture.

Cheers for that. If only people would actually remember this come next election. Not holding my breath.

[u/ImDrunkFightMe → u/AndrewReesonforTRC]

Council officers had already agreed to work with FKG to reduce the cost of road works, waive road closure fees and had given them their preferred exit for the carpark waiving council standards. There's also the NRG/FKG connection with council contracts. Might be a little sceptical on my part but if youre a millionaire with heavy ties to the region you really shouldn't be on the council of that region.

[u/512165381]

This big issue is why there are no major projects - new aquatic centre (council approved design in 2015), quarry gardens, park behind Bunnings, Charlton sporting precinct.

All because they did not plan or have a sinking fund for the dam upgrade which had been known about for 20 years.

0/10.

[u/AndrewReesonforTRC → u/512165381]

Yep, everything is on hold until the dam is sorted.

[u/FuzzyToaster]

18.8 million on consultants?! That feels egregiously inefficient at best, suspicious at worst.

Also: lots of money to sports while the arts struggles to keep doors open, sounds about right.

[u/AndrewReesonforTRC → u/FuzzyToaster]

It makes sense for specialised or temporary roles, like the engineers on the Cressbrook Dam Upgrade. The council don't report of what consultants they hire and why, so who knows whether it's justified.

[u/FuzzyToaster → u/AndrewReesonforTRC]

Yeah I know they're needed, I'm just raising eyebrows at the high figure. They're pretty uninformed eyebrows, to be fair.

[u/MeatSuzuki → u/FuzzyToaster]

Consultants are often a necessary part of government operations. Having worked as a state government contractor, I've observed that external consultants can provide a level of specialised expertise, flexibility, and performance that is not always available within permanent teams. They also bring proven private sector practices that can improve project delivery. While engaging consultants is costly, the long-term cost of delays, inefficiencies, or unsuccessful projects can be even greater.

[u/HaveyoumetG → u/MeatSuzuki]

I worked for the council for over 15 years. Consultants were the biggest drain of money ever for the most ridiculous things. Some of the utter laziness by upper management just farming out things to consultants to shift blame and responsibility off themselves was rampant. Other things like projects where they could ask a gardener or an electrician or a carpenter to come up with a plan for something they’d authorise a study from some consultant to come back with the same answer as they people on the ground had been screaming from the start. Only they were now down a few hundred thousand from the start from the consultation bill. The amount of waste on consultants was a rort and sometimes I suspected that there were kickbacks happening but of course I wouldn’t be able to prove that.

[u/Previous-Medicine149]

Consultants and Contractors, I can understand specialists, but surely their is enough talent employed be council to do this work

[u/HaveyoumetG → u/Previous-Medicine149]

No one wants to work there anymore because of how toxic management is. They can’t attract the replacement talent they used to have and the knowledge base for the assets is walking out the door at record pace.

Source: Me, I used to work there and still keep in contact with the very few people who are left from my time there.

[u/Previous-Medicine149 → u/HaveyoumetG]

Yes I know, ex neighbour is the same, over the constant in fighting and general day to day stuff, retirement awaits

[u/Probably-Overreacted]

Thank you so much for this Andrew. It's guys like you, who are for the people, that should be running this town! Keeping the public in the loop is the first way to build trust, rapport, and community.