December 18, 2018
Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio made a formal apology at Tuesday’s Council meeting as part of a penalty ordered earlier this month by the Local Government Regional Conduct Review Panel.
Mayor Antonio was ordered to apologise by the Panel after it ruled he had failed to disclose a material personal interest during dealings about the Melbourne-to-Brisbane Inland Railway project.
He was also fined $15,000 and ordered to undergo counselling.
In 2017, the ABC reported that Mayor Antonio personally paid $4900 to have an alternate route for the Melbourne-to-Brisbane Inland Railway project investigated.
The Mayor commissioned the investigation after many groups – including the Queensland Farmers Federation – said they believed the Federal Government had made the wrong decision about the route for the Yelarbon to Gowrie section of the Inland Rail.
They protested the line would cross 16km of the Condamine floodplain between Brookstead and Millmerran, which would have significant implications for farmers and landholders.
The alternative route proposed by Mayor Antonio avoided this problem, but took the rail line close to a quarry he owned.
At the time, Mayor Antonio said his ownership of a quarry – at the heart of the dispute – was included in his register of personal interests lodged with the Council.
On Tuesday, he said he had accepted the decision of the Panel although he was deeply disappointed.
He said his intentions had never been to serve his personal interests.
“My intention has always been to conduct myself with integrity and honour,” he said.
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Councillors also adopted TRC’s 2017-18 Annual Report at Tuesday’s meeting.
Mayor Antonio said the Gross Regional Product (GRP) had risen to $465 million this financial year.
“The most pleasing aspect is that this is consistent growth we are experiencing and not just a one-off,” he said.
“The average growth has been more than 3.6 per cent per year over the past 10 years.
“Local jobs also increased from 80,730 to 85,343 (up 5.72 per cent), exceeding the State percentage increase for the fourth consecutive year.
“Our population trends tell a story of steady and manageable growth, with 50,000 new residents expected to call our region home by 2031.”
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