Former Ipswich mayor Andrew Antoniolli’s fraud trial has heard the misuse of the Queensland council’s funds was common.

May 9, 2019

A former Ipswich mayor accused of dishonestly used ratepayer funds to buy sporting equipment, artwork, pamper packs and a gym membership from charity auctions, a Queensland court has heard.

Andrew Francis Antoniolli, 48, is charged with 12 counts of fraud and one count of attempted fraud for allegedly using Ipswich City Council money to buy items and services for his own use.

He denies all the charges.

Crown prosecutor Sarah Farnden told Ipswich Magistrates Court Antoniolli had placed successful bids at 12 charity auctions and community events.

“He didn’t use his own money to purchase the items he had bid on but instead requested a payment be made to the organisation from the community donation fund,” she told the court.

“The crown case is that it’s not the donation under the ordinary meaning of that word or under any of the council procedures in place at the time.”

Ms Farnden said after some of the successful bids, Antoniolli’s division seven staff emailed council community donation fund application forms with instructions on how to fill out the document.

Some of the charities and community groups were told not to mention their auction or the bid on the forms, she said.

During a Crime and Corruption Commission interview played for the court, Antoniolli told investigator Detective Sergeant Saskia Toohey he knew the council’s community donations policy was being abused.

“The policy (was) flawed, the policy (had) a very low degree of transparency and accountability,” he said during the interview recorded in 2017.

“We just crept so far away from what is reasonable.”

When asked about the scale of the misuse of funds, Antoniolli said “certain customs and practices by certain people became regular practice”.

Antoniolli said the misuse of the council money became a method for supporting charities and community groups.

Defence lawyer Peter Callaghan SC said some of the items purchased were not collected and others were left at the council chambers or re-gifted to other community groups.

A $5000 bike was found at Antoniolli’s house but it had never been ridden, the court heard.

The trial continues on Thursday.