TRC commits to delivering for communities and advocating for funding
Published on 23 October 2025
Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) remains committed to delivering community-building projects while advocating to the State and Commonwealth Governments for a fairer funding share to achieve these goals, Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald said at today’s (Thursday, October 23, 2024) adoption of Council’s 2024-2025 Annual Report.
“Council is determined to seize on the opportunities that will help us deliver essential services and lifestyle features across our towns, our city and our Region,” Mayor McDonald said.
“Gaining a fairer portion of the financial pie will ensure our communities continue to be places where ambition meets opportunity.
“Council is responsible for managing an asset base of more than $7 billion, which highlights the extent of the financial task before us.
“Our financial management will continue to focus on balancing affordability for residents while delivering essential services. Council’s current credit rating of Sound with a Neutral outlook is assessed by Queensland Treasury Corporation, with the annual review currently in progress. The 2024-2025 results place Council in a strong position to maintain this rating.
“After becoming the first local authority in Queensland to implement the new State financial sustainability framework in September 2023, it is pleasing to report that we received an unmodified audit on our current year financial sustainability ratios from the Queensland Audit Office. Council’s long term sustainability statement indicates we remain sustainable as we plan for the future.
“Council recorded a $639,000 net operating surplus, partly due to the pre-payment of half of the 2025-2026 Financial Assistance Grant from the Australian Government, in addition to achieving a raft of savings across the organisation.
“At the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Annual Conference this week, Council put forward a motion: ‘that LGAQ calls on the State and Federal Governments to seek to ensure that local governments are provided with a five-year rolling annual payment schedule for Financial Assistance grants’. This motion received overwhelming support, with 216 votes in favour and one against.
“Despite many competing demands, this achievement ensures Council retains a long-term financially sustainable outlook which provides business and industry the confidence to invest in our diverse Regional economy and support our jobs market into the future.
“While recording a surplus was a welcome result, it again showed how reliant local authorities are on inconsistent grant payments to fund vital projects.
“It reinforces our call for fair, timely and untied funding from the State and Australian Governments to help us deliver the services and facilities that our growing communities demand and deserve.
“Local governments across Australia face immense pressures to balance growth with liveability, while managing ageing infrastructure across vast road, wastewater and water networks.
“We are no different in this regard, as we look to manage similar demands across our infrastructure networks, including a Council network of nearly 6,700km of sealed and unsealed roads.
“The requirement to complete the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project places additional pressures on our capacity to upgrade existing, ageing infrastructure.
“We’ve always said we can afford to complete the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project, however, as we have also said, without significant state and federal government funding it is having a detrimental effect on our ability to deliver other important community projects.
“This situation highlights that a review of funding for local government is needed urgently. The infrastructure funding cliff that has been mentioned for some time is here.”
Mayor McDonald said one of the most significant milestones in the reporting period was the announcement that the Toowoomba Region will play a pivotal role in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“This opportunity not only places our Region on the global stage, but promises to bring substantial economic, social, and cultural benefits to our community. Our teams are already working hard to prepare, ensuring that our infrastructure and services are ready to welcome the world’s best athletes and visitors,” he said.
“While we are excited to be a Brisbane 2032 venue, we must never forget that this dream began when the South East Queensland Council of Mayors came together with a vision to fast track the infrastructure our growing communities need. That vision still drives us today as we advocate for better transport connections, including future passenger rail between Toowoomba and Brisbane.
“Our signature tourism event, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers continues to prosper. In 2024, the event drew a record 470,000 visitors (which was up 12% on the 2023 figures) and injected more than $29 million into our state’s economy (a 19% increase on the 2023 figures). The 2024 event also achieved 149,538 visitor nights, which was a 9% increase on the 2023 figures.
“In other positive economic news, our Region’s employment figures increased by 11,700 people in the reporting period, representing a 14.3% increase over the year, compared with 3.1% annual employment growth for Queensland. Our Region’s unemployment rate decreased to 2.7%, the third lowest in Queensland (down 1.1 percentage points), compared with Queensland’s annual unemployment rate of 4%. This was complemented by a net increase of 545 registered businesses.
“Council highlighted its support for local businesses and job creation by spending $194.3 million with Toowoomba Region suppliers in 2024-2025.
“Council substantially completed its 2022 Flood Recovery Program, at a cost of approximately $300 million, with financial assistance provided by the jointly funded Australian and Queensland Governments’ Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). The Program delivered repairs to more than 1,500 roads and replaced 119 damaged culverts and floodways across the Toowoomba Region.
“Along with much of southern Queensland, our disaster preparedness was tested in March 2025 by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which affected parts of our Region. While the storm brought significant wind, rainfall and disruption, I am proud of the way our community and Council staff responded.
“I acknowledge and thank my elected colleagues and all Council staff for contributing to another productive year while progressing projects and delivering services across our Region.”
Mayor McDonald said local suppliers and contractors helped Council deliver major projects across 2024-2025, including:
• Completed construction of a new trunk water main through Highfields to the Borghardt Road Pump Station
• Successful 75th Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers display, trade talks held in Singapore (almost 400,000 visitors saw the two-month 850m² pop-up display at the Gardens by the Bay)
• Road Condition and Information Sign installed near Cecil Plains
• Endorsed the Toowoomba Region Road Safety Strategy 2024-2028
• Adopted the Customer Experience – A Three-Year Strategy
• Sod turning with the Queensland Government on the Four Communities water supply project (to supply permanent treated water to Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby and Clifton)
• Presented Keys to the City to 2024 Supercars champion Will Brown
• Opened the $4.35 million Melrose Road Bridge replacement project across the North Branch of the Condamine River (jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, a $2.55 million contribution and Council with $1.8 million
• Opened the $3.66 million Kearneys Spring Recreation Park Clubhouse Upgrade project (jointly funded under the South East Queensland Liveability Fund through the Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, $2.56 million, and Council, $1.1 million
• Council joined the Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) campaign calling on fairer funding
• Launched the Visit Toowoomba Region website listing events, attractions
• Appointed new CEO, Mr Sal Petroccitto OAM
• Endorses Weaving a Collective Future – Intercultural Strategy 2025-2030
• Endorsed a suite of Development Incentive Policies aimed at boosting strategic investment, housing supply, tourism, employment and economic activity
• Opens the upgraded Joseph J Leadbetter skate park, Toowoomba
Council’s 2024-2025 Report, which was adopted at today’s October Ordinary Meeting of Council, also reported Council’s progress against the objectives listed in its Corporate Plan 2024-2029.
For more information and to view a copy of Council’s 2024-2025 Annual Report visit http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/annualreport or contact Council on 131 872.
Caption: Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald (front right and clockwise), Deputy Mayor Cr Rebecca Vonhoff, Cr Carol Taylor, Cr James O’Shea, Cr Melissa Taylor, Cr Bill Cahill, Cr Trevor Manteufel, Cr Kerry Shine, Cr Edwina Farquhar, Cr Tim McMahon and Cr Gary Gardner following the adoption of the 2024-2025 Annual Report.