Documents obtained under Right to Information laws and reviewed by the ABC show the elected official spending on items such as Apple AirPods, Tommy Hilfiger shirts, and numerous Uber Eats purchases.
Some of the larger charges included a night at Launceston bar Midnight Rambler, where $1,750 was spent on cocktails in December 2023. In November 2024, Cr Garwood settled a $415.08 tab at a Canberra steakhouse, which included almost $200 on steaks, four cocktails and a $52 bottle of cabernet sauvignon.
Spending in November 2025 during a trip to Japan incurred one of the highest sums of nearly $2,500 and included food delivery and transport expenses. Other food delivery orders included a $61.24 expense for KFC, delivered by Uber Eats in September 2025, and $83.75 for a four-person McDonald's bundle meal in the same month. More drink charges appeared in September, including $50 on an espresso martini and a Long Island iced tea.
The City of Launceston's councillor's expenses and resources policy outlines specific rules as to what is acceptable expenditure. Meals are claimable for reimbursement when attending council business such as a conference, function or event where the meal is not provided as part of legislation, or a council event that requires overnight stay and meals are not provided at the venue, the policy states. Each claim must also clearly identify the purpose, in order to make clear the basis of the claim and its relation to the policy guidelines.
Taking to social media, Cr Garwood hit back at the implication he misused council funds, saying context matters. The reported expenditure is covering travel, official functions, meetings, hosting, meals and equipment used in the role, he said. This isn't a secret credit card operating without oversight.
Cr Garwood said the Tommy Hilfiger polo shirts were branded shirts given to delegates for the tour of Japan and that he chose long sleeves to cover his tattoos to be mindful of Japanese culture. The AirPods, also for the overseas tour, were purchased for their translation function, Cr Garwood said. Anything purchased for council business belongs to council, he said.