Brisbane City Council Meeting – 28 November 2023

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Councillors, please stand. Almighty God,  we, the representatives of the citizens   of the City of Brisbane, are assembled here to  strive and care for the welfare of our city and   all its people. Lord, we ask that you to guide  us in the decisions we make here today. Amen. 

We acknowledge and respect—sorry, Brisbane  City Council acknowledges this country and   its traditional custodians. We acknowledge  and respect the spiritual relationship between   traditional custodians and this country,  which has inspired language, song, dance,   lore, and Dreaming stories over many thousands of  years. We pay our respects to Elders, those who  

Have passed into the Dreaming, those here today,  those of tomorrow. May we continue to peacefully   walk together in gratitude, respect and kindness,  and in caring for this country and one another.  Please be seated, Councillors. I declare the meeting open.  Do we have any apologies?  No? We have no apologies. 

Moving on, Councillors, we have a motion of  appreciation before us. Councillors, I draw   your attention to the motion of appreciation. LORD MAYOR, could you please move the motion?   As this is the last Council meeting of the year,  I move that Brisbane City Councillors thank all  

Council staff for their hard work and dedication  in making Brisbane an even better place to live,   work and relax in 2023. Seconded. It has been  moved by the LORD MAYOR and seconded by Councillor   CASSIDY, as this is the last Council meeting of  the year, Brisbane City Councillors thank all  

Council staff in their hard work and dedication  to making Brisbane an even better place to live,   work, relax in 2023. Is there any debate? LORD MAYOR. Yes, thank you, Mr Chair. Well,   the end of this week is December, believe  it or not. The year has gone by in some ways  

Incredibly quickly, and in other ways, it’s  been a long year. But the time of year that   we are entering now is a time for many things,  but particularly, it’s a time for gratitude,   and it’s a time in particular when we express  our thanks and gratitude to the incredible  

Council staff that do so much to make our city  a better place. Now, the 27 Councillors in this   Chamber obviously have a really important role  in setting strategy and providing guidance on   the direction of the city, but it is the  Council staff who implement that strategy,  

Who implement the work that needs to be done,  and this city ticks along because of the great   work that they do, always out and about across the  city, talking to the residents of Brisbane. They   also appreciate the work that Council staff do and  they also agree that this city does tick along. 

Things get done. Things happen, and there’s so  much across so many different areas of Council   which just happens, whether it’s our staff that  are manning the award-winning contact centre 24-7,   whether it’s those driving the buses, maintaining  the buses, managing our fleet of cars and trucks,  

Maintaining the roads, footpaths,  parks and reserves. The planners,   assessing DAs and developing future plans  to accommodate more housing and jobs. Those   working to identify and spray mosquitoes and  gear up our pest management programs across   the city. Those staffing our libraries. Those  planners and designers, designing all kinds of  

Upgrades from the biggest infrastructure upgrade  to the local drainage or minor improvement. To   those preparing for natural disasters, and  a particularly relevant thing in our city in   the past and also, sadly, in the future. For  those keeping our streets and parks clean. To  

The administrators. To those working in ICT. To the staff that are specialists in all kinds   of interesting and unique areas, whether it’s  those working in the Botanic Gardens—and we   have three of those, and I met just the other day  some specialists in bonsai at our bonsai house.  

They are passionate about it, and we have one of  the largest bonsai collections in Australia. It   just goes to show the vast range of things that  this organisation does and its staff do. In fact,   I started listing different types of jobs,  but there are more than 300 different kinds  

Of jobs. These are different types of  jobs, 300 different kinds of jobs in this   organisation across so many different fields,  including a lot of specialist areas, as well.  We appreciate every single one of our staff  members. We are grateful for every single  

Thing that they do. We also know that they  share an incredible passion for this city.   They work for this organisation not because it  is just a job, but because they care about our   city and they also want to see the city progress.  They also want to protect the great things about  

Our city, and they do it for so many other  reasons, other than just a job. For that,   as I said, we say thank you. We are grateful. It always strikes me, as well, that there are   two sets of awards that I’m involved with with  our staff each year. The first is the Dedication  

To Brisbane or Long Service Awards, and then the  second is the Lord Mayor’s Excellence Awards. In   the first, it’s very clear that there are a  significant number of people who have built   a long-term career in this organisation. They  absolutely love this city. They love Brisbane City  

Council. They love working for it and they love  achieving for our community. It is regular that   we award people who have been working here for  35 years, 40 years, and even 45 years. In fact,   our longest-serving Council officer is over 50  years of service to the City of Brisbane. So,  

That’s a regular thing we do a couple of  times each year. It just goes to show that   this organisation is built on people who  care about the city, they care about the   organisation and they love working for it. Secondly, the Lord Mayor’s Excellence Awards  

Really, really showcase innovation and dedication  in a range of fields. The examples that we   see showcased in the Lord Mayor’s Excellence  Awards are absolutely incredible. Just the last   edition we had, there was a single, particular  officer whose work in financial accounting and  

Asset management has saved this organisation  over $60 million. Just one officer and their   dedication and the work that they had done,  that one officer has saved this organisation,   and hence ratepayers, over $60 million. That example is one of so many of dedication,  

And we celebrate also the officers that  develop new ways of doing things, as well,   that make life safer or easier for other  officers, and there are countless examples.   We also celebrate some of the groundbreaking  projects that are delivered here, and last year,  

The winning project or the winning team in the  Lord Mayor’s Excellence Awards were those that   delivered Australia’s first koala bridge on  Boundary Road at Whites Hill, just one of the   many examples of officers doing wonderful things. So, as we head into this Christmas festive season,  

As we head into the time of year where we give  gratitude, we say thank you to each and every   officer in this organisation. We appreciate your  work. We thank you for what you do. We certainly   hope that is a lowkey summer period when it comes  to the challenges that Brisbane sometimes faces  

Over summer, but we know that whatever we face,  our organisation, our staff will be ready for   what might arise, but we do certainly wish them  a lowkey Christmas and an opportunity to have   a bit of a break. We certainly look forward to  working with them again in the New Year. Thank  

You, Mr Chair. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. Councillor CASSIDY. Thanks very much,   Chair. I rise to contribute to this motion of  appreciation. I’m thankful for the incredible   work that Council’s employees and Council’s  contractors and Council’s labour hire workers  

Do every day to support us here in this place,  in our wards and serving the people of Brisbane   every day of the week. The 2022 flood event was a  very defining moment in our city’s recent history,   and the impact that that had on people’s  lives is still being felt. I visited people  

Just recently who, only just in the last  month or two, have moved back into their   homes. Some now are just in the process of  razing their homes, as well, in my community.  The response to the flood showed us what  we can achieve when we all work together,  

Of course, and it confirmed that Council isn’t  always just the three Rs. Sometimes it’s about   care and compassion. It’s about support and it’s  about being there for each other. So, to those of   you who are still working on the city’s recovery  from the February 2022 floods, we appreciate your  

Commitment to this mammoth effort that continues.  Our city will be better and more resilient for it   in the future, thanks to your hard work. While the world around us starts to feel   like it once did again, we understand that there  are a different set of challenging circumstances  

That our Council workforce is facing. Some of  the stories we’ve heard from Council employees   are worrying, and they have said they are  fearing for their future and for their jobs.   Being told they have nothing to worry about is  cold comfort for most of them. We have seen that  

LNP approach before. It never ends well for  workers. We have heard those who aren’t at   risk of losing their jobs directly right now  are concerned about having to do more work   next year with less staff, and this is a reality  across Council’s indoor and outdoor workforce. 

I’ve talked a lot recently about the political  decisions we’ve seen here and the impact they   can have, and the impact by cutting staff by this  Administration, choosing not to backfill leave,   for example, makes it harder for our  workers to feel safe to take a break,  

Which, to be fair, is hard at any time of  the year, but at Christmastime, that’s just   plain unkind. Suggesting workers are lazy and  reducing the hard work of labour hire workers,   who’ve been with Council for 10 or 20 years,  as simple numbers on a spreadsheet tells me  

That this LNP Administration are just like  the LNP at every other level, unfortunately.  In thanking you, our workers, for your hard work  every day, I also want to assure you that our   Labor team in here hears you, we value you, and  we want you to know we have your back and will  

Continue to fight for you. You are the heart of  this organisation and you are what makes it tick.   We thank you for all your effort and dedication  that you have shown over this last year, whether   it’s library staff, road crews, mosquito sprayers,  those frontline employees with boots on the  

Ground, those working in compliance or finance,  transport planning or asset services or out in   the community daily, we thank you very much. For  our city bus drivers, we’ll never stop fighting   to keep you safe, and continue to fight for a  safer work environment, more barriers, more clean  

Rest stops and more toilet facilities. I can’t  believe we’re still talking about that in 2023.  I just want to make a special mention to those  contractors who have been co-opted into doing   basic, ongoing Council work, too. These people  are bearing the brunt of this Administration’s  

Political decisions at the moment. We value  you and we value the work that you do. For us,   you are valued and you’re doing a fantastic  job. We want to see you protected in safe   and secure employment within Council. So, there’s also the staff here in City  

Hall that we would be nowhere without in  doing our duties here, as Councillors,   once a week. You’re here to help us early  in the morning, late into the evening,   always with smiles on your faces. Thank you to  Helma, Lucja, Milica, Aiena, Billy, of course,  

And Raymond, who we occasionally see, not as often  as the others, working a different shift. Thank   you for making us feel so supported in your work. I want to especially thank and congratulate Lucy,   who will be retiring after 30 years with Council  next week. Lucy tells me she started over at  

69 Ann Street, not long after she arrived in  Australia. She started work on her birthday,   so on 12 November this year, she counted 30  years with Council. I’d like to say thank you   from the bottom of my heart for your dedication  to your work. Spending that long around Council,  

You’ve seen some changes and some changing  faces, including five Lord Mayors and dozens   of Councillors come and go. I certainly hope  you enjoy your travels in the new caravan.  To the IT team, Aaron, Craig, Hope, James, you  do a tremendous job in keeping this place and  

These meetings running smoothly, and our ward  offices, as well, and to the clerks here in   the Chamber and others we see in the committee  rooms and up on level 23. Thank you for your   work in going above and beyond, week after week,  in supporting the work that we do as Councillors.  

You will have been tested at times during  this year, but we appreciate your stewardship   and advice. To Daemon and your team up there in  councillor support and the whole team up there,   your support is invaluable again to us as local  Councillors in the work that we do in representing  

Our communities to the best of our abilities. I’d also just like to thank my staff, as well,   ward office staff firstly. I know every Councillor  in here understands and appreciates the work that   those staff do every day of the week. It’s  not just a nine to five job. There’s a lot  

Of other effort and work that goes in. They get  us here, they help represent our communities in   this place and also serve our communities out in  the suburbs. Residents come to them with concerns,   complaints, ideas, and also to ask for help. They  wear many hats and each one of them is dedicated,  

Compassionate, driven, and work tremendously  hard. So, thank you to all the ward staff,   and particularly Jen and Quinn in my office. Our team here, Labor team, is also supported   by a small but hardworking team in City Hall.  Thank you to Tom and Kyrsten and Daniel and  

Jess for what you do to keep our team on track,  and the support that you give to us, as well.  To all those staff, no matter how you are spending  the festive season this year, I do wish you all  

A peaceful and relaxing time, filled with the  things that make you most happy. Our Labor team   thanks you for the invaluable work that you do  and we look forward to working with you again next   year. Thank you, Councillor. Further speakers? Councillor LANDERS. Thank you, Chair. We all know  

That it takes a team to get things done, and we  certainly have the best team of Council officers   in Brisbane City Council. I know that Councillors  on the other side of Brisbane were very sad to   see the northside Councillors gain Tom McHugh as  our outcome manager, but we make no apologies.  

Thank you very much, Tom, and also to Tristan  Macrae, for all that you do and the passion and   the commitment that you bring to this job every  single day. We know you love delivering for our  

Community and making Brisbane even better. I know  you have a team of people that you work with, too,   that make this happen, but you are our conduit to  them and we couldn’t do our job without you all. 

I think all our parks officers who look after  our parks, our family spends so much time   enjoying our greenspaces, and it’s never been  more important than this time for them to have   access to free activities for families to stay  active and to spend time together. I know that  

Councillor PARRY and former Councillor Hammond  would also want me to thank Andrew Ensbey. He   is our northside treasure, and responsible for  creative additions to our parks. The new Bradbury   Park opened this year in Marchant Ward has been  such a fantastic addition and destination park  

For northsiders, and I believe everyone else  in Brisbane too have certainly been to check   that out, so thank you, Andrew. Our TPO officers, Kevin Simon,   who has recently been replaced by  Ben, and Jared. Jared has been there,  

Supporting me over the last four years, and I know  that they are very passionate about what they do,   too. We thank them all for assisting us to improve  our community. I know Councillor DAVIS wanted to   thank Damian Soper for the Keona Road project.  We thank Nick Herson and Melvin Boh, as well. 

Thank you to Jim Lynch, who has filled the role  vacated by Shirley on her retirement in the grants   team. This is such a busy but important area in  Council, and I know my fellow Councillors would   agree that we value their support immensely.  Recently, Dave Armanelli took over from Daemon  

Hughes as our CARS officer, and all our CARS  officers do such a great job, but thank you for   that, and thank you to Daemon for his work in that  role and now, of course, in councillor support.  I want to thank Cinnamon O’Shanesy, our sport  and community officer, who manages our club  

Leases and ensures that clubs continue to function  smoothly, that our kids can be involved in sport,   in Scouts, Girl Guides, boxing. There are endless  people whose lives you enrich through this role,   Cinnamon. Thank you to our library staff, who not  only run our beautiful libraries, but who also  

Get out and about in our communities. The Bracken  Ridge Library staff have attended School is Out on   the Green, Backyard Bonanza, NAIDOC celebrations,  St Joseph’s school fête, just to name a few.  I want to particularly thank Pam. Pam, we will  farewell you this Friday from Bracken Ridge  

Library. You have been a librarian for 38 years,  working in public libraries across your career   in New Zealand and Australia. You are recognised  for your strong commitment to community engagement   and outreach, and increasing awareness of  library services and inspiring literacy   and learning for all ages. Pam championed many  Indigenous perspectives into library programming,  

Including the very successful Jarjum  storytime at Bracken Ridge Library.  She also established the Park Things collection  of sports equipment at Bracken Ridge Library this   year, and together, we have worked to engage our  local youth. Pam, you have been so wonderful to  

Work with and I’m really going to miss having  you next door, but I can understand that you   are about to have a sea change and that is going  to be absolutely wonderful, so we thank you for  

Your dedication and wish you well for your move. I know the Everton Park Library staff in McDowall   Ward have been continuing to support locals  from their temporary digs at Fallon Cottage,   and they’re looking forward to moving  into an amazing new library when it’s  

Completed soon. Thank you for continuing our  wonderful library services during the build,   and thank you to Susan Bain, the team leader,  and all of the team there at Everton Park.  I also want to thank our mosquito spraying teams  who, on the northside with our vast wetlands that  

We have there, they are out every week spraying.  We know we’re coming into our busiest season,   but you are consistently working hard  there and we really appreciate you.  I want to thank my team in the Bracken Ridge  Ward, Michelle, Helen, Louise and Kayla. Your  

Empathy for people and always striving to provide  service for our residents, you always go above and   beyond and your extra efforts certainly don’t  go unnoticed. I’m so very blessed to have your   support, as the residents of Bracken Ridge  Ward are. I know all our northside Councillors  

Feel the same about their teams, and for the  support that they do and going above and beyond.  I just want to quickly mention Natalie Costanzo  and team from the Downfall Creek Bushland Centre   in Councillor DAVIS’ ward for all that you do,  and of course Gayle Smith in Sports and Community.  

I know there’s quite a few people. It is very  hard to remember everyone. I also want to thank   the IT team, Billy, Brodie, Aaron, Hopewell and  Craig, our award-winning call centre operators,   our clerks, and, of course, Billy, who is always  looking after us here in the Chamber. We thank  

All of you for your dedication and passion for  our city and for making Brisbane even better.  I know Chairs will talk about our amazing  officers citywide, like Paul and Alan from   the litter team and Simon Alexander, of course,  for bringing our seniors’ concerts, in particular,  

But many, many other things. On behalf of  the northside Councillors, I thank you all   for another incredible year of service. I do  hope you manage some downtime with family and   friends over the coming weeks. Further speakers? Councillor COLLIER. Thanks, Chair. I too would  

Like to rise to support this motion and thank the  hardworking staff of Council. You work tirelessly   every single day for the residents of Brisbane, so  if you work in the call centre, out in the field,   if you are a public space liaison officer, if  you are part of the wasteSMART team, if you’re  

Staff here in City Hall or you’re taking people  where they need to go as a Council bus driver,   no matter what you do, please know it  makes a real difference what you do and   we appreciate it probably more than any of  us are ever going to be able to articulate. 

There’s a few specific people that I’d really  like to acknowledge, and I’ve had the pleasure   of working with you over the past few months.  Specifically, I’d like to mention Sara,   who is the Morningside Ward’s outcomes manager.  Thank you so much for your work supporting my  

Community. It’s been a real privilege and a  pleasure. I’d also like to acknowledge and   thank Andrea and Matt from community facilities,  who have done outstanding work and continue to   support a huge amount of community and sporting  groups in the Morningside Ward and afar. Thank  

You so much for what you do. The entire team,  of course, at the beautiful Bulimba Library,   led by Kylie. You are all incredible. I really  just can’t tell you how much you mean to our   local community. Thank you so much. Finally, I want to acknowledge and  

Thank the Morningside Ward office staff who  do an outstanding job every single day for   the residents of Morningside Ward. My staff  turn up to work eager to make a difference   and live their values. I and the Morningside  Ward residents appreciate you so much. I’m  

So proud to know and work with you, Courtney  and Phoebe. I also want to acknowledge Troy,   as well. Thank you for everything you have done  to support our beautiful community. Thank you   to all Council staff for everything that you  do, not just today but every day. Thank you,  

Councillor COLLIER. Further speakers? Councillor HUTTON. Thank you,   Mr Chair. I rise to speak on this motion of  appreciation to share our gratitude for the   incredible work carried out by our dedicated  officers within Brisbane City Council. I want   to express my sincere thanks on behalf of the  entire community for their remarkable efforts  

And your continued passion to make Brisbane  an even better place every single day. In   every corner of our beloved city, the tireless  commitment of our officers shines brightly,   but they are particularly bright in the west. From maintaining our parks and greenspaces to  

Ensuring the smooth functioning of bus networks,  each one of you play a crucial role in shaping the   vibrant and thriving city that is Brisbane. It  is easy for us to take for granted the seamless   operations of our city, the cleanliness of  our streets, and the countless events that  

Bring us together as a community. Yet, behind  these daily conveniences and joyful gatherings,   there exists a team of individuals who  work diligently, often behind the scenes,   to make it all possible. Today, we take a moment  to shine a spotlight on those unsung heroes. 

While it’s a dangerous thing to do, I want to  particularly acknowledge a few officers who,   over the past year, have gone above and beyond  in their roles. This includes Mitch Barlow,   for your flood recovery efforts at Jindalee  Bowls Club and Centenary Rowing Club. We  

Couldn’t have done it without you. John, Alvin  and Kurt, and the PPI team for your efforts,   particularly in keeping our Centenary Memorial  Gardens and Edenbrooke Parklands looking fabulous.   Matt Larney and the entire compliance team for  the incredible work that you do. Peta Harwood,  

Margaret Orr, Emma Mezzina, and the development  services teams for your ongoing support   and answering our hundred questions. Dion and the public space liaison team,   you guys do an incredible job and provide  an incredible amount of support for our   community. Liz Denning and the entire staff  at our Mount Ommaney Library, and also the  

Library staff at Inala, Corinda, and Kenmore.  Luke Manley, Kris Chadwick, Mark Theobald,   and the CPO team for your efforts, particularly  in bringing our active transport networks and   our pontoons back online. Damian Soper and the  TPO team for your ongoing efforts in keeping our  

Roads safe. Wesley DeMuth for your energy,  passion and love for our local environment.  Our local officer Stu, who sprays mosquitos  in our local area every week, and the entire   pest control team. Peter Laz and Shane Klepper  for always being a fountain of knowledge and  

Support. Thank you also to our team here in the  Chamber, who look after us every single week.   Thank you for always being so warm and welcoming.  I want to particularly congratulate Lucy on her 30   years of service. To our ward staff, particularly  Marty, Ben, Belle, Pip, Sue, PJ and Sarah. This is  

No ordinary job and we appreciate the advice  and support that you provide both us and our   communities. We would be lost without you.  Finally, Grant Murray and Carly Weaver, our   outcome managers, who put their heart and souls  into this role. We really appreciate your efforts. 

As we reflect upon the efforts over the past  year, none of this would have been possible   without the passion, expertise and hard work of  all of our officers. Brisbane has flourished under   your watchful eye, and for that, we are profoundly  grateful. On behalf of the citizens of Brisbane,  

I want to extend my deepest thanks to each  and every one of you. Your dedication does   not go unnoticed and your impact is felt  by all who call this incredible city home.   May you continue to be the driving force behind  Brisbane’s ongoing success and may your efforts  

Inspire others to contribute to the prosperity  and wellbeing of our remarkable city. Thank you   for your outstanding service and for ensuring  that the Brisbane of tomorrow is even better   than the Brisbane of today. Wishing you a very  merry Christmas. Thank you, Councillor HUTTON.  Further speakers? Councillor GRIFFITHS. Yes, thank you,  

Mr Chair. I rise to speak to this motion and, in  particular, to speak to the people who have been   really nice this year. I’ve got a naughty and a  nice list, so I’ll just work through the nice list  

First, then we’ll come to the naughty list as we  go. Here’s the naughty list. Here’s the nice list.  Councillors interjecting. Yes. So, to our  frontline workers, to our bus drivers and   to the RBTU who support them, thank you, and  I’ve spoken to you before. To our library staff,  

Our call centre staff, and overall, to our many  staff who deliver for the residents of Brisbane,   I think out of the three levels of government,  local government is the most important. It’s   the closest to the people and it’s certainly  the one that I believe we, as representatives,  

Have the most contact with residents, as well,  so it’s a very important role in the community.  I would like to acknowledge Lucy, who’s one of the  people who works in the tearooms and supports us   as Councillors. I know in my 21 years here, she’s  been exceptionally polite. She’s always—I think  

She’s witnessed some pretty diabolical meetings,  and she’s been pretty calm and collected about   it all. I think what they witness, they could  write a book about. To Lucy, I hope you have   a wonderful career—not career, a wonderful  time travelling in your retirement years. 

Actually, as one of the senior managers, I’d like  to thank and acknowledge Krysten Booth. Krysten,   you’re one of the few managers in my time  in Council who have actually reached out   to an Opposition Councillor, come and met  with me, and asked me what I think would  

Make Council function better in terms of  PPI. I really appreciate you doing that.   I appreciate you listening and I appreciate  your impartialness in wanting to deliver a   service across the city, so thank you for that. I need to—then, one of the outcomes of meeting  

With Krysten was that we were actually able to,  once again, start meeting with Council officers   again, instead of just one officer. I had meetings  with Alan Rimmer and Jeremy Rowe in relation to   public space operations in City Standards, and  they have been really fantastic in delivering in  

My ward and achieving a lot of things. We’ve  still got a lot to do, but it’s been really   good to be able to speak to the managers who  are delivering, that they can understand what   needs to be delivered and they have gone ahead and  done that. So thank you, gentlemen, for that. To 

Melissa Doherty and Dan Ellice-Flint, public space  operations, for 20 years now, we’ve had an issue   along Ipswich Road where it turns to 80, where  we haven’t been able to clean up litter, where   there’s been a lot of damage and a lot of neglect.  You’ve gone in and solved that problem, and you’ve  

Put a solution in place that’s happening every six  weeks. Residents are noticing it. The 60,000 or   70,000 vehicles that travel along that section  of road are noticing it. I, as a Councillor,   am noticing it. So, thank you for that outcome,  as well. It’s much appreciated and it’s just good  

To see a standard of service across the city. Chris Dailey and Pieter Sytsma, thank you for   working with me on Stable Swamp Creek. We still  haven’t delivered on that issue down there yet.   I understand that’s coming at Christmastime, but  we will be delivering on that and, once again,  

I thank you. For many years, I’ve worked with  you two in delivering for Rocklea residents.   That’s stopped for the last few years. It’s  good to see that’s coming back on track,   and also helping me with the war on Leucaena,  which is a weed species growing all through there. 

Anastasia Browne, to the wonderful—I think  you have a new surname, so sorry about that,   Anastasia. I haven’t remembered that, with your  marriage, but for the trees and boulevarding   you’ve done and your team have done in my  ward. It’s been incredible and I’d like  

To keep working with you. Keep up the good  work. Scott Pointing, operations manager,   construction, keep up the good work. Justin Wells, who was previously with   the teams and was like my go-to person  if I needed something resolved. Justin,   you’re a great employee and Councillors  should be really using your skills more. 

To Chris Jameson and Shannon Clarke, I really  appreciate the way you’ve stepped up and you’ve   responded so quickly to the issues that I raise,  and I have many. I have a big ward, I have a   diverse ward, and that response has really been  noticed. I really can’t thank you enough for that. 

Tom McHugh, we lost you, Tom. Tom, you started  doing some really innovative work in terms   of our waterways out there, many of which are  polluted and can I say someone, a Council officer,   has described as like the Titanic of Brisbane’s  waterways? You’ve actually stepped into that  

Role and started saying, no, we can restore these  creeks, not just so they deal with floodwaters,   but also so that they work for conservation,  as well. Thank you for getting that initiative   started, and I want to keep it going. Deb Sketchley, for the work you and your  

Team do. Thank you for the CARS team.  I know you cop a beating. It’s a very   difficult job you do. Thank you once again  for doing that. I won’t name people there.  Mitch Barlow, Matt Trevor, Nick and Michael,  for all the people in our leasing team once  

Again. Moorooka Ward is a very big ward, lots  of community organisations, not well funded and   not particularly well human resourced, so you’re  working with quite a difficult area, but you’ve   stepped up and are really seeing that need there. Matt De Glas and his team at Toohey Forest,  

Thank you, habitat officer Julie Bates,  and our parks officer that I see regularly,   Josh Griffiths, who is not related to me.  Josh, you’re doing a great everyday job   around the place. I think you work in Councillor  JOHNSTON’s ward, but you do a really good job. 

Now, to my own staff, Lisa, Sue, Tracey and  Therese, I have acknowledged you before and,   of course, we work very well together. What I’d like to do is wish all the staff   a merry Christmas, and now to the naughty  list. Here’s the naughty list. I’m going to  

Let the naughty list go, but there is a naughty  list tonight, anyway, but thank you very much   and I hope everyone has a good Christmas.  Cheers. Thank you, Councillor GRIFFITHS.  Are there any further speakers? Councillor ATWOOD. Thank you, Chair. I  

Also rise today to send my sincere appreciation  to each and every one of our Council staff,   in particular my team at the Doboy Ward office. In  Council, we have almost 10,000 staff and they do   such an incredible job working behind the scenes  each and every day to keep our city looking so  

Beautiful. I just wanted to say a massive thank  you to some, in particular, Council officers, and   those who helped me so much out in the Doboy Ward. To my outcome manager, Shannon Clarke. Thank   you for always being a phone call away and  working so hard to achieve the outcomes that  

My residents desire. This year, we also welcomed  back Chris Jameson to the Outcome Manager manager   role. You escaped Council for a hot second,  but I think we may have lured you back in,   and I am extremely grateful. I recently  spoke to Sam, Chris’ manager, and told  

Him that he’s not allowed to escape this role  anymore, so apologies if you want a promotion,   but not allowed to happen. I also haven’t  forgotten my debt to you, Chris, of 48 Weetbix   slices. That may be your Christmas present. While I don’t have a day-to-day line anymore with  

Brendan Whittaker or Noel Lawrence, every time  I receive an email via Shannon, it always brings   a smile to my face knowing that you are still out  there, working so hard for our city, so thank you. 

To Andrew Ensbey and Helenah Mac, I have been so  lucky to work with the both of you over the last   four years, delivering Paul Conti Park, Colmslie  Beach Reserve, and the Murarrie Recreation Reserve   upgrades. You both want the best outcomes  for our city. You both have an extremely  

Good outlook and innovative look, and it’s been  an absolute pleasure to work with both of you.  In TPO, we have Benny and Brian taking care  of Doboy Ward and helping with the day-to-day   traffic issues, so thank you for taking time  out of your day to come on the tour to Doboy  

Ward office drives with co. They mean  the world to my residents. Thank you   to the staff who work on the much bigger  projects, such as Damian Soper, Andrew,   and Luke. You’ve been such a big help in tackling  some of the bigger issues and helping me fix them. 

In Community Facilities, I have been so lucky to  get to know Matt Trevor and Mitch Barlow so much   better this year, as we build back better  for our community clubs. Your corporate   knowledge is honestly incredible, and I want  to sincerely thank the both of you for going  

Above and beyond in trying to resolve issues  for our community groups and sporting clubs.  To our library teams, thank you, Plantain and  Nina. Last Friday, we held an event outside   the Carina Library, and Plantain set up a  pop-up library area and came out to read  

And interact with our littlest residents.  Every time I go into any of our libraries,   the staff are always so friendly and happy  to help, so thank you for what you do.  In development services, we have Peta and  Rory, who do such a great job. They help  

With the most sensitive issues. Whenever  a new development application is lodged,   and it may be for someone’s backyard, it scares  the heck out of some of our residents. They go   above and beyond to try to help our residents in  answering any of their questions, so thank you. 

In CARS, we have Shannon. You do an incredible  job. CARS is a really hard area to work in,   so I appreciate what you do and how you go  above and beyond to help our residents in Doboy.  In the councillor support team, we welcome  Daemon this year, and thank you so much,  

Daemon. It has been an absolute pleasure to  get to know you, and I always know you were   there for us to help and support us, so thank  you, but also thank you to Penny and Leonie,   who also worked in the team this year. To our IT services team, James, Benny,  

Craig, and Aaron, you guys are legends. You’re  always happy to jump in the car and come out to   our offices and help us, so thank you. To Kim, from our Carina bus depot,   thank you. You do a great job. You recently  helped one of our littlest residents,  

Sam from Carina’s dream come true when he got to  go on a drive with one of the drivers recently.  Lastly, to Danielle at the Hemmant Cemetery,  losing a loved one is one of the hardest things  

Anyone has to go through, so for you and your  staff, you do such a great job. The feedback   I always receive is how kind and caring you  always are to our residents, so thank you.  As the LORD MAYOR said, we almost have  10,000 employees working over 300 areas,  

Many of whom I haven’t met and will never meet,  but I want to thank each and every one of you   for going out of your way to make our city  so beautiful, to keep running. I just want   to wish you all a very merry Christmas.  Thank you. Thank you, Councillor ATWOOD. 

Further speakers? Councillor MASSEY.   Thank you, Chair. I rise to support the motion of  appreciation. I want to begin by thanking deeply   all the Council staff for all the work they do,  both frontline service and also organisational.   In every department, the tireless work that you  do in delivering for Brisbane is appreciated,  

Not just by myself, but clearly by everyone  in this room, and it’s important for us to   show our appreciation, especially in this  time in Brisbane. I haven’t met most of you,   but to the officers that I have met, I want to  thank you very personally for the friendliness,  

Support, and information that you’ve provided me.  As an appointed Councillor, it’s not always easy,   so I really want to thank those who I’ve met. I want to do a little bit of a shoutout to West   End Library. It’s a small but beautiful space. The  work that you do for community is beyond measure. 

Big shoutout also to Sara. I know I am one  of four Councillors that you take care of.   I like to think that I’m the favourite, but I  know all four Councillors will give you hell,   and that you take it on within stride. To the public space liaison officers,  

Thank you. The work that you do makes  a huge difference, especially right now   where times are very tough for those across  Brisbane. I also want to thank Matt and Phil.  CARS, the team, thank you.  You get lots of calls from me,  

Especially about Dutton Park Primary School.  I really appreciate all the work that you’re   doing in that space. I also want to highlight  Howard, your work in resilience is inspiring.  Thank you to my office staff for your knowledge,  your faith, and your support. Gabe, Taylor,  

Elle and Nick, you’ve been a tremendous help. Then, I would like to finish by thanking Lucy.   Lucy was actually the first person that I met  when I entered these Chambers, and as one of 26,   a welcoming face, a smile and a hug has  made the difference to my time here. So,  

To Lucy and all the support staff, please,  please have a wonderful holiday, and Lucy,   please enjoy your trip around Australia with  your husband, and I know I’ll be seeing you soon.  Again, the most thanks and the deepest thanks to  the staff at Brisbane City Council for making all  

Of this happen. Sometimes, the days are good,  sometimes, they’re bad, but we still do it and   we do it with joy to delivery for our residents,  so much appreciated. Thank you, Councillor MASSEY.  Councillor HUANG. Thank you, Mr Chair. I rise,  too, in support of this motion to express a  

Most sincere appreciation for our dedicated  Council officers and contractors on behalf   of the southside Councillors. Mr Chair, 2023  hasn’t been an easy year for us all. Cost of   living continues to place enormous pressure on  our daily lives, and we all feel the impact of  

Materials and human resource shortages. However,  our Council, led by LORD MAYOR Adrian SCHRINNER,   has been carefully steered. Australia’s largest  local government, supported by our dedicated   Council officers, we have continued  to deliver for the people of Brisbane.  The southside Administration Councillors  have worked closely with our Council staff,  

From the outcome managers to the contractors, to  make sure we deliver the most for our residents.   Just take MacGregor Ward, for example. This year,  we have delivered Rochedale Road and Priestdale   Road intersection upgrade, Lumley Street  Village Precinct Project, Bedser Street Park,  

A new footprint for SAM signs and many more.  Examples like these projects across southside   are delivered by our outstanding team of officers  from the south region and across different parts   of the Council. We sincerely thank you  for being dedicated to a better Brisbane. 

I’d also like to thank all the ward office  staff for their tireless work in serving our   residents. Thank you also to the Council clerks  and IT staff for sticking with us through all   the Council meetings, no matter how late or how  rowdy the meetings became. To you all again, I say  

Thank you. I wish everyone a merry Christmas and  a great 2024 ahead. Thank you, Councillor HUANG.  Further speakers? Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes. I rise to speak briefly   on the motion of support for Council staff. I’d  like to start by also acknowledging Lucy, and just  

Say that she’s given 30 years of distinguished  service to Brisbane City Council. That is to help   democratic process in this Chamber, but also to  support the running of the city and, certainly,   her services to the people of Brisbane. So,  congratulations to Lucy, who’s very proud,  

I think a little bit sad, but very proud and is  looking forward to retirement. I also will thank   all the other staff that look after us here at  Council. They are absolutely wonderful and we’re  

Lucky to have them, because it can be a robust  place and it’s very nice to see a smiling face   and have a cup of tea. So, a big thank you to  all the Council officers here at City Hall.  I would also like to thank my staff  this year, and that is Claire, Camille,  

And Julia, and we had a new addition on the  part-time basis this year, Maddie, who is the   pool between the Gabba office and Tennyson  Ward office that Councillors set up. She’s   been a wonderful addition to the team and works  very quietly along there, so we welcome Maddie. 

It’s been an incredibly busy year this year.  We are still in the process of flood recovery   in my ward, and just this morning, I’ve been told  about a family who finally got buyback at Corinda.   It’s been a really awful process for them over  the past nearly two years, over 18 months now,  

To try and have these issues resolved behind  the scenes, but they’ve been resolved today.   The QRA has finally approved the buyback, and  now Council can move to contract and sale of the   property. Not only is this lifechanging for  that family, it means that no one else will  

Live in this area that floods so badly. So, it’s been an incredibly busy year.   We’ve had every event that you can  think of under the sun in the ward,   and my staff give up their time enormously  to support the work we do in the office,  

To support me, and to support our community and  our city. So, a big thank you to Claire, Camille,   Julia, and welcome and thank you to Maddie. Yes, I also want to thank—and I won’t name them  

All, because they’ve mainly been named here today,  but I want to say thank you to all the operational   staff at Council who work on the frontline. I  particularly want to mention the bus drivers,   the cleaning staff, the waste team, and  there are so many others. Parks, open space,  

CARS. Someone will be left out. So, most of the  people that we work with have been mentioned,   but I will single out Rick. I met Rick this  year as part of the restructure. He’s our   outcome manager over in the south region, and  he’s about to head off on a little bit of leave  

And to get some things sorted out, which  he’s told me about, but I won’t share here.  I have never met somebody so indefatigable.  I thought we might break him, but we haven’t,   and he keeps telling me how much he enjoys working  with me, so I’m like, right, that’s good. I just  

Want to thank Rick. There is no job that is too  big or too small. He is one of the most genuine   people you will ever meet. He is so hardworking. I  know he looks after a number of other Councillors,   as well. He just epitomises, I think,  the spirit of many Council officers,  

And he’s a genuinely good bloke. So, best wishes  to Rick over the next few weeks, and we’ll see   him chipper and bigger and better in 2024. I would also just like to mention the library   staff, as well. Obviously, my office is co-located  with Fairfield Library, and Fung, Gaylene,  

And the team at Fairfield do an amazing job. We’re  so lucky to have them as neighbours. We do things   that neighbours do, which is one, gossip, and two,  share resources. So, we’re very happy that we can  

Support the team at Fairfield Library, and we feel  their support, as well. We’re so lucky to have   that library in the Council pool of libraries. We also want to thank the Corinda Library staff,   as well. There have been some changes to the  team over there, and I welcome the new people  

Who’ve come onboard. I just want to say we are so  lucky to have great libraries in our city. Also, I   want to acknowledge our pool lessees and the pool  staff. They’re about to have a very busy summer,   I suspect. There are two pools in Tennyson Ward  and they’re very valuable community resources. 

I’m sure there’s a lot of other people that I do  need to thank, but I just want to say thank you   to the IT team. We have had some issues during  the year. A big thank you to James and all of  

The team for looking after us. Hopewell, Aaron,  Craig, Billy, they’ve just done an amazing job.   I’m sorry, we’ve left poor James with some more  problems this week which go beyond our office,   but I’m sure he’ll sort them out, no problems  whatsoever. Thank you to all of the staff who  

Help run the meeting and make sure that the  meeting runs along so well. We are incredibly   lucky to have this job, and we are incredibly  lucky to represent the people of our city,   but what I would say is that the way in which  the LNP and the senior executive of Brisbane  

City Council have excluded Councillors  from many of the more important and   significant decision-making processes of  this city is to the detriment of the city.  The delegated decision-making is not necessarily  the best outcome for local communities and for the  

City. That’s not a reflection on the hardworking  Council staff who are doing the job, but I do—as   everybody knows, I think, there’s a bunch of new  Councillors—but the CEO does not have my support.   I think there are very serious problems with the  leadership of Brisbane City Council, both through  

The LORD MAYOR and through the CEO. I certainly  hope that, perhaps after the election next year,   there’s some change. We don’t even know, for  example, how much the CEO of Brisbane City Council   is paid, because it was a secret arrangement made  between the LORD MAYOR and the CEO. That is not a  

Transparent and accountable Administration. So, to all of the hardworking Council staff   out there and my staff, thank you for  your service during the year and have a   wonderful Christmas. Further speakers? Councillor STRUNK. Thank you, Chair. I  

Rise to speak about the motion of appreciation for  Council officers and staff. Let me first kick off   with my outcomes manager, Grant Murray, and his  team, and the planning team, I should say. Grant,   Pieter Sytsma, Chris Dailey, Michael, and Noel  Lawrence. I want to—I started with Grant because  

He came onboard as an outcome manager with the  change of arrangements, and I did lose Tom McHugh   and I was really sad to see Tom move to another  area. I thought I was going to have to start over  

A little bit, I tell you what, Grant has proven me  totally wrong. He was keen as mustard. The first   meeting that I met him, along with his team, I was  convinced that they really had my ward at heart  

And the other wards that they looked after. There has been almost nothing that he hasn’t   been able to achieve on request. It’s just so  satisfying to be able to have myself or one of my   team members ring that office, ring Grant directly  or send emails, in most cases, and have a quick  

Response and have a positive response, as well.  He came from outside of Council, so it just goes   to prove one thing, that you don’t necessarily  have to have a deep knowledge of Council when you   come into these sorts of roles. He obviously—I  think he came in from the logistics industry,  

And he’s really put his stamp on it and I hope  he stays with Council for many years to come.  Others, of course, our Council support manager,  Leonie, of course, for most of the year and,   of course, Daemon Hughes, who’s undertaking that  role now and his team. Very important for us,  

Very important for my team, as well, to be able to  ring them up when they have any issues that arise,   and I just wanted to say thank you very much for  the work that you do. The grants program—and I   said this last year—is probably one of the  hardest, probably, programs to administer,  

I would think. There’s a lot of moving parts  and it’s just—I would imagine it’s one of   the harder ones to actually deal with. Councillor interjecting. Yes, thank you,   Councillor JOHNSTON. Surely, as well,  which I mentioned last year, as—  Councillor interjecting. Yes, I did mention  last year. As I say, it’s an incredible program,  

So people looking for good outcomes,  and they do their best to achieve that.  Transport and planning, Kieran and Rolph—Ralph,  sorry, I keep pronouncing it wrong—Melvin,   Stephanie, Sam and Nick, thank you for the  work you do. there’s been a little bit of  

Work in this area, quite a lot of work in  this area over the last 12 months in my ward,   and they’ve always kept me abreast of what’s  going on and I really appreciate that because   it’s important that we work together where we  can, and they do, and they do it very well. 

Moving on to IT, of course, we all survive this  IT thing because it’s an ever-moving industry   and they’re trying to keep up to date with all  the new systems, like that new telephone system we   had this year. That’s been very challenging, I’m  sure, but Billy and Aaron and Craig and Hopewell,  

And there’s probably a couple of others that I’ve  missed out on, but we really appreciate that,   when we have a problem, you drop everything and  you come running to sort it out because you know   how important it is that we keep abreast of  what’s actually happening within that need. 

Community facilities operations  team, Nick and Matt, again,   I don’t have a lot of facilities in my ward,  but I have enough to keep them very busy,   working with those leaseholders and others to keep  the facilities up and running and informed as to  

What’s available to them through the—whether it  be a grants program or anything else like that.  CARS, just Bill Mansers, thank you very much.  I know that the team is not huge in CARS,   but in most cases, the response time is very  good. It just depends upon the issue and the  

Priority of the issue, of course, but usually  they do get around to even some of the minor   stuff. We appreciate the work you do, as well. Litter prevention, of course, Paul Cusack and   his small team, that I’m sure every one of  the Councillors in this Chamber have used  

His good work in his team to promote litter  prevention right across the city. He came out   recently to one of our larger parks, which is  a skate park, actually, and we had a community   litter pick-up day with one of our community  groups. He was out there to support. He says,  

I don’t know why you’re in this park because this  park’s pretty good. This park’s quite excellent,   actually. Well, by the time 20 people were done,  it was forensically cleaned, I’ll tell you. So,   that says a lot about the work that he’s done with  my office over the last eight years to promote  

Litter prevention in the ward. When you have a  skate park plus a lot of other infrastructure   in the park at DJ Sherrington, it really said a  lot to me when he said that, because he arrives   early and he has a really good look around, and  so he reported that back during the clean-up. 

Animal management, of course, Kat Groves, thank  you very much because we do get a lot of calls   about dogs and cats, but mostly about dogs.  We had some really bad incidents this year in   regards to animal management, and they were able  to respond fairly quickly to what the issue was. 

Library staff, I think if we’re lucky enough  to have a library—and I know poor Calamvale   doesn’t have a library yet, but I’m  sure they’ll get one at some stage,   maybe when Emily Kim becomes Councillor, but  anyways, I just think the libraries, of course,  

Are something that I—and I’ve said this before, I  thought they were something that was going out of   fashion when I first became Councillor. Then,  I could just see what work that they do, what   programs they work with, the reading programs, the  Gold Star and Little Stars program, and all these  

Other programs that I hear happening because  my office is within earshot of the library.  There is a lot of good work that gets done.  It’s a middle size library, the Inala Library,   but I think it’s probably one of the best in  the network. We still haven’t got—I’m still  

Wanting the Chair to maybe come out and have a  look. COVID sort of buggered things up a bit,   back a couple of years ago when it first  opened up, but it’s such a beautiful,   beautiful little—well, I won’t say little library  because it’s medium size, but it’s a beautiful  

Library. You just walk into it and the atmosphere  just says, fun for the kids, which is really good.  Finally, to the ward staff that have supported  me over the last 12 months, thank you very   much. Again, we couldn’t do the work—oh gosh,  honestly, you couldn’t do the work without that  

Support team. I don’t know how they used to do  it in the old days when they just had maybe an   office and just a Councillor in and there was no  support team. I don’t know how they did that work,  

Especially in the—of course, you had to  come in here and do this work, as well. So,   thank you very much to my team, and I’ll leave it  at that. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councillor.  Any further speakers? Councillor WHITMEE. Thank you. I want to thank all  

Council staff who not only live and work in the  Wynnum Manly Ward, but all across Brisbane city,   whether you’re cleaning up seagrass, spraying  for mozzies, fixing our footpaths, resurfacing   our roads, manning our libraries, working in  our contact centre, no matter your role, no  

Matter your role, I thank you. Whether permanently  employed or a contract staff member, I see you,   I hear you, and I know you’re worried about  everything right now. Know that I am here with   you and I’m fighting for you. I appreciate all  the hard work that you do every day. There’s not a  

Single one of you who is underworked or overpaid. To Jen and Carly in my ward office, you both know   how much I appreciate you, but I don’t think  it can be said enough. You keep me sane and   level-headed. You help make all of my wild  ideas become a reality, even when it doubles  

All of our workloads. A special thank you has  to go out to the Council officers who work   with me and my team every day to help fight for  Wynnum Manly. Most Councillors in the room have  

Mentioned all of the amazing staff, and I know  if I tried to list all of them, I’ll forget,   but there are a few I wanted to mention by name. Shannon Tille, no matter how big or small my   issues are, you are always there. You’re  more than willing to meet with residents,  

Talk with me whenever I need you, and I thank  you. Peta Harwood, you are a wealth of knowledge   to a new Councillor. It doesn’t matter what  question I’ve called you with, you’ve come to   me with no judgement, caring and understanding. Brian Nichol and Benny Huang, there really is no  

End to your patience. I have met you both on the  side of the road in blistering heat and torrential   rain, and there’s no stopping you. You are always  at the end of the call. You’re always meeting me  

And my job is just more fun with you around.  Noel Lawrence, the level of communication and   care you put into your job is unparalleled.  If we could have 50 more of you in Brisbane,   we would all be in a much better place. Matt  Trevor, we’ve had a bit of a rocky start,  

But my God, you’ve been amazing. Thank  you. Thank you for everything you’ve done.  Nick Te Tana, you were handed a job that was left  vacant by someone who knew this ward better than   anyone. You’ve taken that ball and absolutely  run with it. No matter what you have been thrown,  

You’ve handled it with dignity, with grace,  with understanding, with everything. We are   in very good hands with you in that role. Shannon Clarke, you are a pocket rocket. You   were built for this job. You’re more efficient  than anyone I’ve ever worked with. You’re honest  

And dependable. You know who to ask, where to  ask, what needs to be done to get the job done.   You’re an asset to Brisbane city. I also wanted  to give one last special mention to Claire Going.  

We only worked with you for a few weeks, but  the advice and insight you gave me in that time   was invaluable and what I still use today. Metro  has gained an asset with you, and we do miss you   still. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor. Any further speakers? No? 

LORD MAYOR, right of reply. No? We will now put the motion.  All those in favour, say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against, say no.  The ayes have it. Councillors, can I remind you that   the motion is up here on the front desk to sign? Councillor HUTTON, confirmation of minutes,  

Please. Mr Chair, I move that the minutes  of the 4,728th meeting held on Tuesday   21 November 2023 be received, taken as read,  and confirmed. Seconded. It has been moved by   Councillor HUTTON and seconded by Councillor  JENKINSON that the minutes of the 4,728th  

Meeting of Council held on 21 November 2023  be received, taken as read, and confirmed.  All those in favour, say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against, say no.  Councillors say no. The ayes have it.  Councillors, I’d like to call on Ms Ashleigh Gray,  

Who will address the Chamber on the intersection  of Hawthorne and Barton Roads at Hawthorne, and   I’d also like to thank Ms Gray for her patience  while we passed our motion of appreciation.  Ms Gray, you’ve got five minutes from the time  that the microphone starts. Please feel free  

To either sit or stand. The floor is yours. Mr  Chair, LORD MAYOR and Councillors, I sit before   you today not just as a resident, but as a voice  for our community, regarding Hawthorne and Barton   Roads. This intersection, a busy crossroads at  the heart of our community, demands our attention.  

The sheer volume of car and pedestrian traffic,  particularly during peak periods, highlights its   growing importance as a crucial pathway for our  children and our community. Unfortunately, it’s   also become a hotspot for accidents, including  a pedestrian injury and numerous near misses.  

As concerned members of this community, we implore  you to prioritise the investigation and design for   safety improvements to this intersection. So, let me paint a clearer picture of the   layout for those who may not be familiar. It’s  a four-way intersection where two roads meet,  

One of which is the major road in and out  of our suburb. On the corner is a local shop   where residents purchase daily essentials.  There are no traffic lights, no crossings,   and the speed limit is 60 kilometres per hour.  To cross the intersection, you need to navigate  

Traffic coming from four different directions.  That’s difficult for an adult, let alone a child.  So, picture this—and I’ve brought a prop—older  primary school children crossing the road   independently, younger children holding their  parents’ hands, many of whom are also juggling  

Prams and bikes. It’s a constant ebb and flow  of pedestrians heading towards two local primary   schools, as well as a number of daycares and  kindergartens. This intersection was once a means   of community connection, and it’s now transformed  into a source of anxiety for many. Not only that,  

It marks the transition from a 40 kilometre  per hour zone to a 60 kilometre per hour zone   on Hawthorne Road, and that shift often catches  drivers off-guard, leading to accelerated speeds   through the intersection. So, for those of us  that drive through, the experience can be pretty  

Nerve-wracking and requires heightened vigilance. Why am I so passionate about this? Because when I   was a new mum, I walked my baby multiple  times a day, trying to get him to sleep,   and I covered a lot of the suburb by foot. Fast  forward two years and I’ll tell you that, after  

Seeing so many near misses at that intersection,  it always makes me nervous, but I’m a grown up.   What about kids that use it every day to get to  the local schools up the road, the corner shop,  

Or the bus stop? How do they navigate crossing  it? I think back to when I was a student at the   local primary school, and I used to cross this  very road to go to school. I also loved the  

Feeling of independence I got from walking to the  corner shop. Our suburb didn’t have the population   density back then that it has now, and as the  suburb grows in population, the infrastructure has   to evolve to support it. It’s our responsibility  as adults to create a safe environment for our  

Children, but I’m not the only one. When we started talking to residents,   a common thread emerged, and everyone had a story  of a near miss or even an accident to recount.   Astonishingly, despite 276 of my neighbours  signing the petition and echoing these concerns,  

The Council asserted that there’s nothing wrong.  One resident expressed the urgency. She said,   it’s a deathtrap, only a matter of time. Another  told a really chilling story. I almost hit a young   boy on his bike there about four weeks ago.  It was one of the scariest moments of my life,  

And the look on his face stays with me. That  could have easily been his last expression.  So, we can’t dismiss the collective experiences  of our community members. There are hundreds   of comments like this on our community Facebook  page, and they emphasise the need for something  

To be done. It goes beyond the call for a road  upgrade. It’s a plea now for a preservation of   life to protect our children, and I really  urge the Council to take action. Please will   you investigate the design and safety of  the intersection in this financial year,  

So that it can be considered in the budget  for next financial year? Thank you, Ms Gray.  Can I now call on Councillor WINES to respond? Councillor WINES. Thanks, Mr Chair, and thank you,   Ms Gray, for coming in and delivering your  point so eloquently. As you well know,  

Hawthorne Road is a very busy road. It’s a key  feeder road for your community and the nearby   Bulimba and Balmoral communities. It has,  I suppose, a sibling road which is Riding   Road. Both of them come to a common point at that  Fiveways Roundabout. We have been—those two roads,  

Riding Road and Hawthorne Road, have been of  interest for us for some time because they   do hold shopping precincts within them. Also,  Riding Road holds two primary schools on it.  I imagine the children you’re talking to would  either go to Bulimba State School or to Saints  

Peter and Paul’s. Those two schools, the students  would, I assume, have to travel to both Hawthrone   and Riding to get to that, and both of them  are roads that are one lane in each direction,   but also, they have both been roads of interest,  so we actually have reduced the speed limit in  

Certain parts of both of those roads in the last  two years, so we dropped them from 60 to 40.  I must concede, it’s a part of town I’m familiar  with. My wife’s family are Balmoral people. We  

Were married at Saint Peter and Paul’s Church only  last year, so we know that area very well. We have   got an interest in that particular zone to make  sure it’s safe for families, safe for shoppers,   and safe for pedestrians. We are reviewing Barton  and Hawthorne at the moment. So, in conjunction  

With the speed limit reduction in those streets,  we’re also reviewing how that intersection works   today, so pre any works that you have called  for. We’re clipping back trees, for example,   trying our best to get a better line of sight for  people who are already on Hawthorne about how to  

Make that pedestrian island more recognisable  to motorists from our current, pre-design work.  The petition was received about five-ish weeks ago  and we are reviewing that formally at the moment,   and we will continue to work to make Hawthorne  Road safer, in conjunction with residents. Thank  

You. Thank you, Ms Gray, for coming in today. Councillors, before we move on to Question Time,   can I please acknowledge the former Councillor for  Hamilton in the gallery, David McLachlan. David,   it’s lovely to see you again back in the Chamber. Councillors interjecting. Well, it’s nicer to see  

Him in the gallery than the car park, I can say  that much. David, thank you for popping in today.  Are there any questions of the LORD MAYOR or  Civic Cabinet Chair of any Standing Committee?  Councillor PARRY. Thank you, Mr Chairman. My  question is to the Chair of the Infrastructure  

Committee, Councillor WINES. Councillor WINES, in March 2022,   the Schrinner Council released its business case  for the north-west transport network to help   reduce congestion in Brisbane’s growing northern  suburbs. This was followed 15 months later by a   similar proposal from the State Government. Can  you please update the Chamber on what was outlined  

In these proposals and how they might differ?  Councillor WINES. Can I thank Councillor PARRY for   her question and her keen interest in making sure  that northsiders can get home sooner and safer?   This Council some years ago initiated a program  where we would investigate the northside to try  

And find a way to get people in the northside home  in a safer and more efficient way. The Federal   Government gave us $10 million to produce a study,  and I can produce that for you now. That is the  

Result of our study, and this is also Council’s  submission that we’ll be making to the QTC or the   QIC in the coming week. This is our work. It is  not, I assure the Minister for Transport, feeble  

Or of low quality. It is a piece of work that  speaks to a number of transport opportunities.  In this, we have a surface Metro option,  we have improved buses, we have improved   pedestrian access, and we have options for two  separate tunnels, what we would call the western  

Alignment and, of course, the eastern alignment.  Now, the eastern alignment looks like this. Oh,   hang on. That’s the state’s plan. Hang on, or it  looks like this. This is our plan. So, for those   who can’t quite tell the difference, I’ll put  them next to each other and you can see a tunnel  

That goes here from—let’s have a look—Kedron  to Carseldine in a straight line, and here   is ours. Kedron to Carseldine in a straight line. Councillors interjecting. The main difference is,   of course, that they have chosen a light blue  scheme for the tunnel with orange roads around,  

But we chose an orange for the  tunnel and light blue roads around.   That’s the principal difference  between the two proposals. Now,   there is a bizarre and embarrassing insinuation  made by northside Labor figures that somehow,   this work is not included in there. I  assure you, that is not the case. They— 

Councillors interjecting. Councillors. The LORD  MAYOR is spot on when he says that the Labor   figures of the northside—we’ll name them,  Bart Mellish, Jimmy Sullivan—never bothered   to open the document, never bothered to read the  papers that said that this was the solution. Now,  

I understand, I read in today’s papers that they  are turning their back on a public transport   solution, but that’s a story for another day. This  proposal is a four-lane, subterranean option that   also speaks to a whole range of surface solutions,  about taking the surface back for the public. Now,  

At no point have we heard the State Government  talk about taking the service back for the public,   but there is one outrageous claim that’s  been made and that is by Mr Bart Mellish,   the Member for Aspley, who says that  we proposed to bulldoze the north-west  

Preservation corridor. That is not true. This— Councillors interjecting. The whole purpose of   this is to save that and to prove that a tunnel  would work. Councillor MURPHY. The whole point   of this work is to prove that a tunnel would work  and then we could save the surface. I would remind  

Mr Mellish that it is his government who is  proposing a two-to-three-lane train line at   the surface through that location that you can  read about in the South-East Queensland Regional   Plan. That is the circumstances. We are trying to  save the surface for the environment, for people,  

And for public transport solutions, while the  State Government is planning to demolish the   north-west transport corridor for a proposed  train, which I assume would not be to the   benefit of the residents of Councillor DAVIS.  I would expect they could watch a train go by  

And hope that there’s a station somewhere  within three or four kilometres of them.  Can I say that we are, as a group, very  happy to see the State Government adopt   our plan? Of course, it’s called the North-West  Transport Network program, option 4B, which is  

Identical to—our subterranean tunnel proposal is  identical to what they are putting forward. So,   what I can say is, I’m glad they got to the  party, even though they were very late. We will   be supporting this tunnel, even if the State Labor  team don’t know quite where they are on this. This  

Is something that we believe in. It’s a key part  and a key missing link in the network to make   sure that the Beams Road intersection, Beams  Road-Gympie Road intersection works together,   and of course, the bane of the vast  amount of northsiders’ existences,  

Gympie Road-Hamilton Road, which is only  going to get worse now it’s Christmastime.   It will be addressed as part of this, too. This is all part of our plan to get people   home sooner and safer. So, we set out to get  another level of government to build this when  

We began. We will be submitting—this is what $10  million of technical work looks like in physical   form. Can I thank the officers who spent two days  printing this? I can assure the clerks we won’t  

Be tabling it so you can scan it. All Councillors  will be able to read this in the summary in the   letter I tabled last week, but this will be hand  delivered by myself to QIC to make sure that this  

Work is included in as part of their work, to  make sure that the outcome is the best that it   can possibly be. Thank you, Councillor WINES.  Do you need a hand getting that off the bench?  Further speakers. Councillor WHITMEE. Yes,  

Thank you. My question is to the Chair of the  Infrastructure Committee, Councillor WINES.  Councillor WINES, you had this to say about the  Lindum level crossing works on 31 October 2023,   and I quote, do not blame it on us. If this  project is at risk, it is because the Federal  

Labor Government is withdrawing their funds. Now,  this is not the case. The Federal Government has   committed the funds, and it turns out the only  ones cutting funding to this vital safety upgrade   is you. Councillor WINES, is that egg on your  face and did you—? Councillor WHITMEE, we have  

A clear—I know it’s a question. We have a clear  outline on the use of that word. Would you care   to withdraw the end of that question and choose a  different word, please? My understanding is that  

The clear direction we have on that word is not  calling someone a—and using it as a verb. No, no.   It’s not. It’s the use of it as a verb, noun, or  any other from. All right. Well, let me rephrase  

The question. Councillor WINES, is that egg on  your face or did you tell a mistruth? Thank you.  Councillor WINES. Councillor interjecting. Thank you,   Mr Chair. Who said that? Can I talk about—  Sorry, hang on, Councillor WINES. Who said   that? Whoever said that—Councillor JOHNSTON.  Point of order, Mr Chair. I believe it was the  

LORD MAYOR that described a Councillor as a liar. Councillors interjecting. I didn’t see who said   it, but whoever said it, be warned. Councillors interjecting. Be very,   very warned. This is a very long  meeting and I have a very short fuse. 

Councillor WINES. Thank you, Mr Chair. Can I thank  Councillor WHITMEE for her question and thank her   for finally getting onboard with this project?  Because it’s taken her a while to get onboard   this rather—you know, the train is coming into  Lindum station, and I’m glad that she’s there to  

Join us because we have been leading this project  for some years. As many Councillors would recall,   there are two elements—well, there are actually  three elements to what’s going on at Lindum.   There’s the initial safety upgrade, which this  Council completed all of the work on that,  

And that is complete. That is, of  course, the new road surface, the   engineered concrete barriers to make sure people  can’t cross against the bars and, of course,   the extended stopping bars to make sure that  people cannot enter when there is a train nearby. 

Then, we go into what we’ll call stage two, which  is what Councillor WHITMEE is talking about, which   is, of course, this one, which is what we call the  perpendicular option or the interim solution. Now,   Councillor WHITMEE has been campaigning  against the interim solution for some time,  

And to suggest that we are not committed to  this project is the mistruth at the heart of   the question, that Councillor WHITMEE has been— Councillor interjecting. Councillor WINES.   —setting herself up— Sorry, Councillor WHITMEE. Sorry, Councillor WINES.  Councillor WHITMEE, you’ve asked a question.  You can listen to it in silence, please. 

Councillor WINES. Councillor WHITMEE has been  setting herself up to be the champion of this   project and, regardless of any circumstances,  she would have made the exact same claim she’s   making now. The truth of the matter is that  the Federal Government’s 90-day review took  

More than 200 days. It got to a point where we  were waiting on confirmation that that project   was coming. We were getting signals from the  Federal Government that it was on the block for   removal by the Albanese Government, and Councillor  WHITMEE was backing that up with her statements in  

This place that the Federal Government was  preparing to walk away from the project.  Councillors interjecting. Councillor  CASSIDY and Councillor JOHNSTON,   we do not call out across the Chamber. Councillor WINES. So, this project is   ongoing and this Council will spend in excess  of $1 million on the work this financial year.  

For those who have not been onsite, we have begun  site preparation. We have begun site preparation.   I appreciate that Councillor WHITMEE is new to  the area and might not know exactly where this is,  

But this is once upon a—this is site prep for  the work that we are going to be doing. There’s a   thing called a SCAs, which is a scheduled closure  of the rail network, where Council went in,   in conjunction with the state, in preparation  for what is going to happen at this location. So,  

To say that the project has been cancelled is the  mistruth here, and that Councillor WHITMEE chooses   to peddle that to her people is very questionable. We also know full well that the State Government   have the authority over the train  line, right? So, to deal with them,  

You’ve got to work with Queensland Rail. To be  able to enter the site, you have to work with   Queensland Rail. It has taken a long time to  be able to get the approvals required for the   interim solution. It has been—if anyone finds our  organisation slow and bureaucratic, I assure you,  

It is the hare to the Queensland Rail tortoise. We  have been working with them. Our skilled officers   have been working with them to try to get this  particular proposal approved through QR. So,   QR has been dragging their feet, the Federal  Government’s shaped to cancel the project— 

Councillor interjecting. For more than 200  days. Now— Just one moment, Councillor WINES.  LORD MAYOR, we do not call out across the Chamber. Councillor WINES. So, what we know is that the   State Government made it harder for us to do  our job. The Federal Government extended the  

Timeframes out. We now, even with the $85 million  allocation against the Lindum line item within the   Minister’s release of last week—that still  actually speaks to a third option, which is   the total removal of the open level crossing, a  large bridge. We are still yet to have Federal  

Government confirmation of the arrangement. For  those who don’t know, it is a three-way funding   arrangement for this project, which includes  25% from Council, 25% from the state, and 50%   from the Federal Government. I am in receipt  of letters from the State Government. They are  

Supportive of our plan and we are supportive of  our plan, and we are still waiting on confirmation   about whether the Federal Government is  going to be coming to the table on this.  So, we know full well that Councillor WHITMEE has  wanted to campaign on this for a long time. She  

Had her emails sitting in the draft outbox before  we even got to this point. Now, we have started   work. Any sane person can see that work has begun  on the site. We have released our plan to the   public. We are spending more than $ million this  financial year in preparation, in anticipation  

That we hope that the Federal Government  will in fact come to the table in reality,   not just in— Councillor WINES, your time has  expired. Thank you. Are there further questions?  Councillor HUANG. Thank you, Mr Chair. My  question is to the Chair of the Finance and  

City Governance Committee, Councillor CUNNINGHAM. Councillor CUNNINGHAM, the Schrinner Council   is working hard to be Australia’s most  small-business-friendly Council. Can you   please update the Chamber on the latest  milestone supporting Brisbane business?   Councillor CUNNINGHAM. Thanks, Mr Chair, and  thank you to my Deputy Chair, Councillor HUANG,  

For the question and for all his support this term  in the Finance Committee. Mr Chair, the Schrinner   Council is indeed committed to being Australia’s  most small-business-friendly Council. A key pillar   of the Schrinner Council’s plan to support and  grow business and industry in Brisbane is our  

Buy local procurement policy. The policy backs  Brisbane businesses, ensuring local suppliers   are given the best opportunity to deliver Council  services and projects. We have set a strong and   accountable target for 80% of Council’s total  procurement budget to be spent with Brisbane  

And South-East Queensland located suppliers. We  increased the local benefits waiting to 30% for   all public tenders and made other changes in  our policy framework to achieve this target.  In the 2017-18 financial year, the proportion of  Council’s spend with local firms was 67%. Since  

The introduction of our targets in mid-2019, we  have delivered on our promise to local business   and industry. Mr Chair, I’m pleased to say  that not only are we meeting the target, we   are beating the target. In the 2021-22 financial  year, our local procurement spend was over 83%,  

Representing a local spend of $1.1 billion. In  the last financial year, though, Councillors,   we did even better. In the 2022-23 year, our  local spend was 87%, made up of a record $1.6   billion spend across more than 3,000 local firms.  Mr Chair, in the first four months of the current  

Financial year, we have already invested over  half a billion dollars with local businesses   and suppliers. In fact, it is over $575 million  that Council has spent with local businesses.   This represents 89% of our spend across all  contracts. I’ll say that again, Mr Chair, 89%. 

We have indeed come a long way over the past  four years, and it has all come under the   leadership of our LORD MAYOR Adrian SCHRINNER.  We hear others talk a big game when it comes   to supporting locals and local industry,  but it was this LORD MAYOR and it was this  

Schrinner Council that took the initiative and has  delivered. The proof, Mr Chair, is in the numbers,   from 67% up to 87% in four years, and we’re  at 89% in this year so far. I always like to   read testimonials from our local suppliers when  talking about our buy local procurement policy,  

Because hearing from suppliers really drives  home the impact of our policy settings. It   shows how we are making a difference in Brisbane. H2flow director Mark Broekman said the opportunity   to work with Brisbane City Council has played a  significant role in the growth and success of his  

Business across South-East Queensland. He says,  in 2004, we started with two sizeable water trucks   plus a small one, but now we have over 100 on the  road. Quote, working with Council has given us the   confidence to continue investing in our business,  our people, and our equipment. As we have grown,  

So has our support network of local suppliers,  Mr Chair, who provide us with key services such   as mechanical maintenance, tyre, fuel supply  to keep the extensive fleet on the road. Mr   Broekman goes on to say, we are very proud to say  we have completed the first contract period as a  

Preferred supplier and have had the contract  renewed, which will take us through to 2029.  Mr Chair, that ends his quote, but when  we say that we want to be Australia’s   most small-business-friendly Council, we on this  side of the Chamber mean it. We’re working every  

Single day to put this into action. In the past  four months alone, we’ve been able to support   2,300 businesses across all industries, like  construction, transport, civil works, waste,   and resource recovery. We have a record  infrastructure spend and it will be locally  

Based suppliers and businesses, large and small,  that will be the driving force behind our projects   on the ground. This would all be put at risk,  Mr Chair, under those Opposite. A Green-Labor   coalition of chaos will undermine local industry.  Councillor CUNNINGHAM, your time has expired.  Further questions? Councillor COLLIER. Thank you, Chair.  

My question is to the Chair of the Finance and  City Governance Committee, Councillor CUNNINGHAM.  The budget review has revealed that the  much-needed new SES depot at Bracken Ridge   has not survived your cuts. Did the Councillor  for the Bracken Ridge Ward, Councillor LANDERS,  

Make any efforts to lobby you to save the depot or  did she sit idly by and accept that her community   would miss out? Councillor CUNNINGHAM, you’ve  got the call. Thank you, Mr Chair, and thank   you to Councillor COLLIER for the question. I had  hoped that the Opposition would ask this question,  

Because what it does and what it will is reveal  some truths. We on this side of the Chamber,   Mr Chair, remain committed to a new SES depot  in Bracken Ridge, but I can’t say the same   about other levels of government. What we are  asking for, Mr Chair, is for the State and the  

Federal Government to also commit to this project.  Council significantly contributes to the operation   of the State—that’s the State—Emergency Service  in Brisbane and is committed to jointly fund the   development of the new facility with the support  of the other levels of government, with the  

Support from the other levels of government. Mr Chair, we applied for co-funding from the   Disaster Ready fund for this project, and that  was clearly set out in the budget. While the   project was scored as a suitable project, it  was not prioritised for funding this year,  

But, Mr Chair, I can assure you and I can  assure Councillor COLLIER that we will try   again next year. Additionally, we remain caught  up in bureaucratic and ongoing correspondence   loops with the State Government. A site has been  identified at the Bracken Ridge TAFE. However,  

The State Government has now actually asked  Brisbane City Council to pay rent. We had asked   for a peppercorn rent and we hope that common  sense, Mr Chair, will prevail. We provide a   peppercorn rent to the state for CBD police beat,  and we’d certainly hope that the state would come  

To the party for the State Emergency Service. We are absolutely committed to this project,   as is the local Councillor, and it’s time for the  State Government to get onboard. If the Opposition   really cared about this, they would pick up  the phone to their colleagues and they would  

Help make it happen, but here they are today,  political grandstanding on it. Thanks, Mr Chair.  Councillors interjecting. Hang on.  Just one moment, Councillor PARRY.   I will acknowledge you in just one second. Councillor COLLIER and Councillor CASSIDY,   we listen to answers in silence. Councillor PARRY, you’ve got the  

Call. My question is to the Chair of the  Transport Committee, Councillor MURPHY.  Councillor MURPHY, I read in the paper  this morning some concerning news about   the Northern Transitway, commonly referred to as  the Band-Aid busway. With the information we have,  

Can you please update the Chamber on the latest  in this issue-plagued project, including the State   Government’s approach to public transport for the  northern suburbs? Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got   the call. Well, thank you, Chair, and thank you  to Councillor PARRY for the question. I know that,  

Since joining the Schrinner Council, Councillor  PARRY has spent a lot of time in her community,   talking to her residents, unlike Darren  Mitchell, who doesn’t seem to know where   Marchant Ward is. Councillor PARRY sure does.  One of the main concerns that Councillor PARRY  

Is hearing from her residents is the state  of congestion on the northside and, Chair,   particularly along Gympie Road. Now, I too was  dismayed to read in the paper about the cuts   proposed to the Northern Transitway, Chair. Now, what is the Northern Transitway? Several  

Years ago, Chair, residents were promised some  relief from congestion when the State Government   promised to deliver this project. What was  it meant to do? It was meant to make public   transport trip times quicker for residents and  to help alleviate congestion. Former Councillor,  

Fiona Hammond, did call this the Band-Aid busway  because it is not a full busway. It’s not a   full-fat busway. This is a skim or trim version  of a busway, a transitway, a lighter touch,   cheaper solution, easier to deliver, but what  happens when it goes from a transitway to less  

Than a transitway, Chair? It doesn’t become  a Band-Aid anymore. It’s not even a Band-Aid.  What the state will deliver here is a sticker.  This is a sticker over one of the biggest,   most gaping, oozing flesh wounds in Brisbane’s  transport network, which is the nightmare that  

Is Gympie Road. Now, instead of extending  the transitway all the way to Hamilton Road,   as promised, the state will now stop the project  short at Rode Road. What was a 2.3-kilometre   transitway is now just 1.4 kilometres, which  leaves residents in Chermside with a very nice,  

Long walk to the bus. Now, Minister Bailey  wants to talk about a feeble project? Well,   Chair, projects don’t get more feeble than this  one. People have been waiting almost a decade   for this infrastructure, and now they don’t  even have certainty on what will be delivered.  

More importantly, they don’t have any certainty  around when this project will be delivered, Chair.  This is nothing short of a scandal, what  has gone on with the Northern Transitway,   and it is a massive betrayal of the residents  of the northern suburbs of the City of Brisbane,  

But it is far from the first scandal that this  project has seen. Now, this project was first   announced by failed Lord Mayoral candidate  Rod Harding. Remember him? Remember him?  Councillors interjecting. He was another  one that they’ve put up over the years. Now,  

This started as a $66 million, 24-7 bus lane from  Kedron all the way to Chermside, so what we wanted   to deliver. In 2017, we saw another Labor election  commitment, this time for a $53 million Northern   Transitway bid to be delivered by the Palaszczuk  Government. Construction of that project was meant  

To start in 2020. It didn’t. Instead, Bart Mellish  scaled back the project to weekday priority bus   lanes after community feedback. By 2021, the  costs of the project had blown out again to   $72 million and works finally started in early  2022. They were meant to finish by the end of  

That year. Of course, as we know now, Chair,  the works are actually far from finished and   construction has been plagued with safety issues,  with residents concerned about unsafe crossings,   with flimsy construction fencing. Just last month,  it was revealed that the project that was costing  

$72 million had blown out. Guess what it had blown  out to? $172 million, so a cool extra $100 million   on top of what it was. You know, Labor, they talk  a lot about workers. Do you know how many workers  

Have been laid off from the Northern Transitway?  Three hundred workers have been laid off from   the Northern—but Councillor CASSIDY hasn’t  mentioned those workers in here. There’s been   no urgency motions. There’s been no votes of— Councillors interjecting. Councillor WINES.  

—motion. I thought they were the party of the  worker, but we’d forgotten about all these   construction workers that were working on that  important infrastructure project that had been   laid off. Chair, it brings us back to today,  Chair, where once again, this project will be  

Scaled back now as a result of Minister Bailey’s  inability to manage and deliver projects. We   have waited six years for a bus lane, and  Minister Bailey has the temerity to have a   go at us about the timeframe for Brisbane Metro,  which he delayed for 18 months, the most complex  

Project this Council has ever delivered, and he  cannot deliver a bus lane in six years? Come on.  Chair, this Northern Transitway was the state’s  attempt to build a cut-price busway system,   but like all of Minister Bailey’s other projects,  the scope gets smaller and smaller and the costs  

Get bigger and bigger and bigger every year.  He cannot manage money. He cannot deliver   major projects. Cross River Rail has blown  out. The Coomera Connector has blown out.   Councillor WINES—Councillor MURPHY— Gold Coast  Rail stage three has blown out. —your time has   expired. Thank you, Chair. Councillor interjecting. Councillor ADERMANN,  

No calling out across the Chamber. Councillor MASSEY. Thank you,   Chair. My question is for the LORD MAYOR. On Saturday, hundreds of community members   from Kangaroo Point, East Brisbane,  Greenslopes, Coorparoo, Woolloongabba   and beyond rallied against the costly and  financially irresponsible Gabba rebuild,  

Which will cost at least $2.7 billion. They vow  to keep fighting both the LNP Council and the ALP   State Government, and their numbers grow citywide  and statewide. Will you now retract your support   for this financially irresponsible, costly, and  community devastating project, and listen to the  

Residents of Brisbane? LORD MAYOR, you’ve got  the call. Well, one thing I won’t be doing is   listening to the Greens because they are the  most dangerous and destructive political party   our city has ever seen. They promised things to  people time and time again they cannot deliver— 

Councillor interjecting. —and  everything— Just one moment, LORD MAYOR.  Councillor interjecting.  Councillor JOHNSTON, we’re   just going to wait until you compose yourself. Councillor interjecting. It doesn’t sound like it.  LORD MAYOR, you’ve got the call. I apologise  for laughing, Mr Chair, laughing very loudly. I  

Apologise, and if any of the LNP Councillors laugh  in future, I’ll make sure to bring that to your   attention. Just one moment, LORD MAYOR. Councillor  JOHNSTON, I consider that you are displaying   unsuitable meeting conduct in accordance  with section 21(4) of the Meetings Local Law,  

And I hereby you request from raising invalid  points of order, if that was a point of order,   because it certainly wasn’t. It just sounded like  a statement. LORD MAYOR, you’ve got the call.   Thank you. As I was saying, the Greens political  party continues to promise things to residents  

That they simply cannot deliver. They also propose  solutions that will make things so much worse,   like new taxes on housing during a housing crisis.  So, I won’t be lectured by the Greens on what they   think is best, because we know they have no  idea and no ability to deliver anything. They  

Are a party of protest. They are only against  things. They are never for things. They want   to stop things. They want to break things down.  Point of order, Chair. They want to scare people,   as well. Just one moment, LORD MAYOR. Point of order, Councillor MASSEY. The  

Question was, would the LORD MAYOR retract  their support for the Gabba rebuild? I don’t   hear an answer. I believe the LORD MAYOR  has plenty of time to answer that question.  LORD MAYOR, you’ve got the call. Thank you, Mr  Chair. Yes, the Greens want to stop things. They  

Want to oppose things. We know they are against  the Olympics. We know they want to stop the   Olympics. We know that publicly and privately,  they have said they do not believe the Olympics   should be coming to Brisbane and South-East  Queensland. Their position is clear. We have  

A different position, but our position when it  comes to the delivery of infrastructure relating   to the Olympics is that it should be done and led  by an independent authority. That is our position,  

Has been from day one. It was what we proposed  to the IOC when we put our bid in. It is our   position to this day. When you get other levels  of government and politicians interfering in the   process, this is what happens, Councillor MASSEY. So, the position remains clear. There should be  

An independent coordination authority that will  plan and deliver Olympic-related infrastructure   and upgrades. That is the only sensible way to  do things. If we see the record of the State   Government in botching major projects left, right  and centre, we know that if it is left to them,  

They will not be able to do what needs to  be done between now and the Olympics. So,   we repeat again, our position is there should  be an independent delivery authority to deliver   Games-related infrastructure and upgrades. That  includes a stadium. We know also that there are  

Different alternatives that can be looked at.  There’s been a lot of discussion in public about   that. Only an independent delivery authority will  guarantee that all of the options are looked at,   they’re looked at thoroughly, they’re assessed  thoroughly. That is our position and it remains   unchanged. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. Further questions? 

Councillor DIXON. My question is  to the Chair of City Planning and   Suburban Renewal Committee, Councillor ALLAN. Councillor ALLAN, the Green-Labor coalition of   chaos and their three new taxes on housing  in the middle of a housing crisis couldn’t  

Come at a worse time. Can you please update the  Chamber on what the Schrinner Council is doing   to help increase supply of housing? Councillor  ALLAN, you’ve got the call. Thank you, Mr Chair,   and through you, I’d like to thank Councillor  DIXON for the question. Mr Chair, as this  

Chamber would be familiar with the facts, the  Brisbane housing crisis is a multifaceted issue   with a myriad of factors contributing to housing  availability and cost. The Green-Labor coalition   of chaos proposal to introduce new taxes and  increase the cost to the building and construction  

Industry is astonishingly ill-informed and would  ultimately, significantly impact to a detriment   housing in this city. It is amateur hour, Mr  Chair, from the Green-Labor coalition of chaos.   Taxes will not create the activity needed.  They have no plan of merit, and what they  

Are proposing is reckless and doomed to failure. For many years, Council has provided a significant   pipeline of latent housing supply available to  those who wish to provide housing. This supply   is achieved through continually  reviewing our planning framework,   giving consideration to precinct planning, urban  renewal, neighbourhood plans, or other planning  

Scheme opportunities. The state’s own Land  Supply and Development Monitoring report from   2021 indicated that Brisbane had nine years of  supply available for approved multiple dwellings,   which is more than double the minimum four years  of supply sought, but we are also committed to  

Providing solutions that meet the evolving needs  of the community and ongoing urban development.   This includes our development services team, who  facilitate high-quality, sustainable development   outcomes for Brisbane through efficient  and professional development assessment.  Mr Chair, this year, the team has approved 471  new material change-of-use applications, resulting  

In a net increase of over 5,600 residential  dwellings. A further 142 new MCU applications   are under assessment, comprising of approximately  9,200 dwellings. Additionally, over 3,300 lots   have been sealed. Finally, Mr Chair, over 540  pre-lodgement meetings and 34 talk-to-a-planner   sessions were held. Mr Chair, in tackling  this housing crisis, action is also required  

To unleash the latent supply and convert it to  housing products and real outcomes on the ground.  Our team will continue to look at every  opportunity and lever available to help   us convert supply to product, whether this is  our incentives for build to rent developments,  

Which provides an option to defer infrastructure  charges to enable long-term rental apartments to   be progressed and constructed, or our housing  supply incentive, which will incentivise   approved development applications to commence  construction and be delivered within four years.   It is important to note that the planning system  is only one contributing factor to housing supply.  

We acknowledge and are acutely aware that there  are many other very significant factors that sit   outside a local government’s planning system that  impact housing supply, such as land ownership and   acquisition, accessing financing and funding,  construction costs and supply chain issues,  

And the public attitude towards development. While Council is doing its part to support   housing, we need both the State and Federal  Governments to create the economic environment   for the increased construction of new homes. This  could be looking further into job creation in the   construction industry, with initiatives  and partnerships with builders, community  

Housing providers, and other groups that could be  established to increase the supply of housing, or   this could be addressing the financial barriers,  such as reviewing stamp duty and land tax,   and even incentives to encourage more investors  back into the market, rather than driving them  

Away. Instead, the Labor team are willing to  increase the costs, or as their state counterparts   have just done, throw money at options that  will only increase the cost of new homes, such   as the increase for the first homeowners’ grant. Mr Chair, we understand the increasing supply of  

Housing will help address affordability and  availability. It will bring down prices for   both rentals and property purchases and add  to available supply. Whilst the Green-Labor   coalition of chaos will find ways to further  hinder the building and construction industry,  

This side of the Chamber will get on with the job  of facilitating more supply and encouraging more   homes to be built. The Schrinner Council will stay  committed to ensuring there is sufficient supply   of well-designed housing in the right locations,  delivering diverse housing options for all stages  

Of life and maintaining and enhancing our  city’s lifestyle. Councillor ALLAN, your   time has expired. Further questions?  Councillor CASSIDY. Thanks very much,  Chair. My question is to the LORD MAYOR.  LORD MAYOR, you’re letting go of 25% of Brisbane’s  prep and paving crews. I’m sure you’re aware these  

Are the teams that fix potholes, resurface roads,  and build new roads. Those workers are devastated   at being sacked, and the workers who remain know  that they now won’t have all of the resources   they need to do these vital jobs. I know for a  fact that their morale is at an all-time low. As  

We head into summer, your cuts to this team mean  potholes will get bigger, cracks will get deeper,   and roads will become more and more unsafe,  costing the people of Brisbane a fortune in the   long run. Why are you trying to keep these cuts  secret? LORD MAYOR, you have the call. Thank you,  

Mr Chair. I’m very pleased to confirm that we  are doing as much road resurfacing this financial   year as we did last financial year, which was a  significant investment in the road network. So,   what has been happening, very clearly, is an  increasing trend of investment over many years  

In roads and footpaths, and we know that when  it comes to the work that Council staff do,   they are continuing to do that work. As we’ve  made it very clear, the Council employees are   continuing to resurface roads. Council employees  are continuing to build and reconstruct footpaths.  

The Council employees are continuing to do  all types of work right across the city.  There’s been a change in the requirements from  agency staff, but what Councillor CASSIDY is   very dishonestly trying to do here is suggest that  there are Council staff that have been let go of.  

That is not the case. In fact, they are agency  staff who are right now working on other jobs   for other people. So, they’re probably working  on one of Mark Bailey’s projects as we speak.  

There’s a lot of extra work that needs to be done  to fill in those extra cost blowouts at the State   Government level. So, there is plenty of work to  go around for everyone on the major projects that   are happening right across the state, and those  agency staff are being redeployed to other jobs,  

So the idea that they are sitting on the  couch and out of work is just not true.  The nature of agency employment is that  sometimes you work for one organisation,   sometimes you work for another organisation— Councillor interjecting. Councillor CASSIDY. —and   that is exactly what is happening  at the moment, but I can confirm,  

In terms of the investment that we continue to  make in roads, last financial year, we invested   $82.7 million on regular road resurfacing. This financial year, we’re investing,   even with the sensible savings that we’ve made,  $84.2 million on regular road resurfacing. It’s  

Actually more than last year. We hear  certain people parroting out this word,   but it’s actually not true. We’re spending  more on regular road resurfacing in this year   than we did last year, and there’s been an  ongoing trend of increasing investment. Now,  

We had proposed to do even more than that,  but guess what? Queensland Reconstruction   Authority said no. They said no. So, there were  $50 million of different funding grants that we   had applied to, to the State Government’s  QRA, Queensland Reconstruction Authority,  

For what we put forward as important betterment  works, and they said no, so $50 million denied.  So, we continue, as part of our regular road  resurfacing program, to do more than we did   last year. Obviously, there’s disappointment that  we have that the QRA said no to a significant  

Amount of funding, including some resurfacing  funding, as well, but we will continue doing   that work. We will continue investing $84.2  million in regular road resurfacing figure,   even despite the sensible savings that we are  making by reducing our expenditure across the  

Budget by 10%. We’ve seen time and time again,  Councillor CASSIDY has made claims in this place   that have been simply untrue. He has tried to  mislead people about the reality of the situation.  On day one, we said that Council permanent  staff had nothing to fear, and week after week,  

It has been proven that that is, in fact,  the case. There’s been changes to our   requirements when it comes to agency staff and  contractors, but our ongoing Council staff who   do resurfacing are still doing resurfacing,  and they’re doing a great job. Thank you,  

LORD MAYOR, and that ends Question Time. Councillors, we move on to— Point of order.   Point of order, Councillor MASSEY. I rise to  suspend standing orders to move an emergency   motion. Okay, we’re just going to move a  motion to suspend standing orders. Well,  

That’s what I’m doing. Yes. It’s my first one.  Thank you. We knew what you meant. We knew what   you meant. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you.  Thank you. Seconded. We have a motion before us,   moved by Councillor MASSEY, seconded by Councillor  JOHNSTON, to suspend standing orders to move a  

Motion. Yes. Three minutes, Councillor MASSEY, to  why— Yes, of course. —you couldn’t submit it by   one o’clock on Monday. Thank you. Absolutely.  Thank you. Just in the questions today,   the LORD MAYOR has made a clear statement that he  supports the outcome of an independent assessment  

On the decision on infrastructure deliveries for  the Olympics, which is why I’m moving this motion   right now. That knowledge didn’t exist. The LORD  MAYOR will then be surprised to know, possibly,   that the Gabba rebuild wasn’t actually a part of  any infrastructure delivery or for assessment,  

And not only that, that the Rural and  Regional Affairs and Transport References   Committee recently in their report, after an  inquiry, a Senate inquiry on the Gabba rebuild,   stated that it would be unwise— Point of order, Mr  Chairman. Point of order—sorry, Councillor MASSEY. 

Point of order, Councillor OWEN. Mr Chairman,  given my previous declarations of a potential   conflict of interest in regard to anything  relating to the Gabba, given that I have a   property close by, I’m going to excuse myself from  the meeting to ensure that I’m not included in any  

Potential vote in regard to this urgency  motion. Thank you, Councillor OWEN. This   is just a procedural motion to suspend standing  orders. It’s not actually a substantive motion.  Councillor MASSEY. Thank you, Chair. As I  was saying, the Rural and Regional Affairs   and Transport References Committee, which  did a Senate inquiry on the Gabba rebuild,  

Stated it may be unwise and inappropriate for the  Government to insist that a redevelopment at the   Gabba to host the athletics for the Games. So,  there are already many, many details out there.  This emergency motion is being moved today because  I’m not sure if the LORD MAYOR knew that, and I am  

Moving this emergency motion because, as the MAYOR  stated just previously, the independent inquiry   would be guided and that information would have  guided the decision of the LORD MAYOR and this LNP   Council. There is a lot of information out there  now about the fact that an independent inquiry  

And also a Senate inquiry says very, very clearly—  Point of order. Point of order, LORD MAYOR. Claim   to be misrepresented. Noted. Councillor MASSEY. —states very,   very clearly that this Gabba rebuild would be  an inappropriate expense for the Government,   and that is why I’m moving this emergency  motion today. Thank you. Thank you. 

Before we take the vote, LORD MAYOR, your  misrepresentation, please. Yes, I just wanted   to clarify. I wasn’t talking about an independent  inquiry. I was talking about an independent   coordination office, which is a different  thing altogether. I think Councillor MASSEY was  

Referring to some inquiry down in Canberra. That’s  not what I was referring to. Thank you. Thank you.  We will now put the procedural motion before us. All those in favour, say aye.  Councillors say aye. Those against, say no. Councillors say no. 

Division called by Councillor MASSEY and I think  it was Councillor JOHNSTON. Ayes to my right,   noes to my left. Clerks, please  ring the bells. Councillors,   Councillors, a bit of quiet in Division, please. Clerks, please read the results. Mr Chair, the  

Noes have it, the voting being two in favour and  24 against. The procedural motion for suspension   of standing orders has been lost. Councillors,  please return to your seats. Point of order,   Chair. Point of order, Councillor HUTTON. Chair,  I move that Council now adjourn for afternoon tea  

For a period of 15 minutes, which commences only  when all Councillors have vacated the Chamber and   the doors have been locked. Seconded. We have  a motion before us for an adjournment for 15   minutes for afternoon tea, moved by Councillor  HUTTON, seconded by Councillor JENKINSON. 

All those in favour, say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against, say no.  The ayes have it. LORD MAYOR, Establishment and  Coordination Committee report please. Thank you,   Mr Chair. I move the report of the Establishment  and Coordination Committee meeting held on Monday  

20 November 2023 be adopted. Seconded. It has been  moved by the LORD MAYOR and seconded by the DEPUTY   MAYOR that the report of the Establishment  and Coordination Committee meeting held on   Monday 20 November 2023 be adopted. LORD MAYOR. Point of order. Point of  

Order. I think Councillor JOHNSTON  got in before you, Councillor HOWARD.  Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, thank you. Mr Chair,  I move that—or I request that items B and   K are taken seriatim together for debate  and voting purposes. Let me repeat that,  

B and K together for debate and voting purposes?  Yes, thank you and item L is taken seriatim for   debate and voting purposes. Item L separate for  voting and debate, yes. Thank you. Thank you.  Councillor HOWARD, your point of order. Thank  you, Mr Chair. I have a declarable conflict of  

Interest in both Clause D and M, for Mary. I have  received gifts totalling more than $500, but less   than $2,000, from NuGrow and Howard Smith Wharves  within the relevant period. As such, I will remove   myself from the Chamber for the debate and voting  on these items. Thank you, Councillor HOWARD. 

LORD MAYOR. Sorry, my apologies,   we’re starting on A. We will not be debating  B and K or L at this point in time. Thank you,   Mr Chair. Before I move on, I just wanted  to acknowledge His Excellency Mr Anil Nayar,   who’s the High Commissioner for Singapore  to Australia, who’s in the Public Gallery  

Right now with us. Welcome, High Commissioner. Before I move on—and I won’t go through in the   interests of time the normal lighting up of assets  or other items, but I did want to touch on quickly   this issue of the Lindum open level crossing,  which has been mentioned a number of times in this  

Meeting. I want to make this really, really clear,  we have not removed a single cent of funding   from this project, we have not removed a single  cent. All that has happened is that as a result   of the lack of action of others, the project  has started later than we would have liked,  

That is what has happened. The investment that we  intend on making remains the same and it’s just   the project has been delayed. We heard Councillor  Andrew WINES explain exactly why that is. We know   that the Federal Government’s 90-day review  took over 200 days, that delayed the project. 

We also are still to this very day waiting on  a confirmation from the Federal Government that   they are prepared to put funding towards this  stage 2 project that we have worked on with   the State Government. Now I have a letter here  dated 20 April 2023 from Minister Mark Bailey,  

Who’s confirming that his government supports  stage 2 and will contribute funding. But let me   read from this letter where it says, therefore I  confirm the Queensland Government will provide an   additional $5 million in funding to the  Lindum station level crossing project,  

Bringing the total contribution to a capped $10  million, subject to the Australian Government   providing a further $10 million contribution  to the project, as outlined in your letter.  As Councillor WINES said before, each level  of government has agreed or has been asked to  

Put in some extra money to make stage 2 happen.  The Council has agreed, the State Government has   agreed, but we are still waiting on the Federal  Government to agree. Now what has happened in   this Federal review is that they have said  that the Morrison Government’s commitment  

Of $85 million to the Lindum open level crossing  replacement project remains intact, $85 million.   Now this commitment was actually to eliminate the  open level crossing altogether as part of a joint   project, so they haven’t actually agreed to our  stage 2 project and we are still waiting. Any,  

Any kind of claim that this project has been  reduced in funding by the Council is false.  Any kind of claim that we are not committed to  the project is false and the only people that   we are waiting for at the moment is the Federal  Government to confirm that they will allocate the  

$20 million, thereabouts, towards this project.  That is what we are waiting for right now,   that is the status of the project. I would  also point out that it is only the LNP that   has upgraded any level crossings in the last  20 to 30 years, it is only our side of politics  

That has delivered any open level crossing  replacements in the last 30 years. Labor can   talk about it a lot and they have talked about  it a lot, but they cannot deliver, they just   play politics and it is really disappointing. Item A in front of us is our participation in  

The South East Queensland Climate Resilience  Alliance. This is something we’ve been working   on with partners in Logan, Noosa and the  Sunshine Coast and Ipswich, to develop a   best practice model of regional collaboration.  We’ve been able to deliver great outcomes through   partnerships like Resilient Rivers, Climate  Alliance—sorry, the Climate Alliance will  

Provide a great platform for further regional  collaboration, knowledge sharing and advocacy.  This is the first of its kind partnership in  Queensland and we’re very proud to be part of   it. We’re joining up with nine other councils,  Ipswich City Council, Gold Coast City Council,  

Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Logan  City Council, Moreton Bay City Council,   Noosa Shire Council, Redland City Council, Scenic  Rim Regional Council and Sunshine Coast Regional   Council. They’re all going through their own  approval processes like this one to be part of  

The alliance, but obviously we suspect and hope  that all Councillors will support this item.  Item C is the Moreton Bay Cycleway, Viola Place  to Schneider Road. This one is very frustrating,   it is one that we’ve been working to try and  deliver for many, many years. There have been  

Significant objections and challenges with the  resumption process. We have been working on it   for a number of years. On 8 September we issued  a notice of intention to resume and that was for   an easement for the project. No objection was  received by the landowner, which is a positive  

Step and which was different to the previous  situation. Once with the state, this process   should take around 12 months to be approved and  gazetted. Obviously we get the easement approved   and then we can get on with the construction of  this missing link in the Moreton Bay Cycleway. 

Item D is the Stores Board submission relating  to the contracting plan for organic materials   processing. Obviously we’ve been really gearing up  our efforts when it comes to green waste recycling   and organics processing. We are rolling out  more green bins and in fact since we reduced  

The price of the green bins in the budget, we have  experienced a bit uptake in extra demand for green   bins. That means more green waste will need to be  processed and recycled. Also we announced just a  

Matter of weeks ago that we would be doubling our  pilot program for food and organics recycling via   the green-top bin. We’re adding an extra 5,290  households into that pilot program, which will   bring the total to around 12,000 households. This Stores Board submission will allow us to  

Gear up for that increasing green waste  recycling challenge. We currently have a   panel of providers for managing garden organics,  which is set to expire on 30 June 2026. The new   contract is expected to start on 1 July 2023,  so the middle of next year the new contract  

Will come in place to supersede and add to  that further—that additional arrangement.  Item E is the Stores Board submission for  the cartage of quarry products. The original   SCP was approved by Council on 9 May 2023. The  submission set out a certain price and sought  

Tenders from the market for operators who can  support Council’s quarry transport needs with   our quarries at Mt Coot-tha and Bracalba. This  material gets delivered to our asphalt plants at   Eagle Farm and Riverview to service our ongoing  road construction and road maintenance program. 

Since May, the Stores Board has since reviewed  the tenders received and the submission today   recommends increasing the budget by $11.5 million,  the maximum term of the contract. Obviously this   is over a period of years, but this reflects what  we all know, the cost of building things, the cost  

Of carting things, the cost of labour, the cost of  everything is going up, so we have to amend this   SCP as a result of those inflationary pressures. The item F is a Stores Board submission for   Oracle hardware, software and services. Oracle  supports a number of Council’s business critical  

Applications. The submission seeks approval  via an exemption to place orders with Oracle,   to refresh Council’s Oracle platform under  the Queensland Government’s standing offer   arrangement. This approval is for a maximum  of five-year term and support and maintenance   contracts for Council’s existing Oracle platform  are due to expire on 14 July 2024 and will reach  

The end of their life in February 2025. In coming to this decision, Council sought   independent advice and market analysis. The  proposed refresh of Council’s Oracle platform   includes a hybrid cloud solution, which has  been identified as the lowest cost and lowest  

Risk option. In addition, Council officers  have negotiated savings over the life of the   contract to provide better value for ratepayers. Item G is contracts and tendering for the month   of October 2023. In this report, 41 out of  44 contracts are awarded to local South East  

Queensland suppliers, being 93% of all contracts.  So far year-to-date, as we heard the Finance Chair   mention, we are at 88% of our contracts being with  local suppliers and a total of $575 million worth   of contracts with local suppliers. There are  five separate packages for the demolition and  

Remediation of land through the voluntary home  buyback in this package. There’s also the Solus   Library app. There have been around 160,000  downloads of our Brisbane Libraries app under   this new contract. The app will receive better  features, like push notifications for holds and  

Pickups and overdue notices. It also will have  over 30 different languages for customers to   choose from to meet their needs. LORD MAYOR,  your time has expired. Move for an extension.   Seconded. We have a motion for extension moved by  the DEPUTY MAYOR, seconded by Councillor HUTTON. 

All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. LORD MAYOR, you have the  call. Thank you. Item H is the report of   the Audit Committee that met on 9 November 2023.  The Independent Audit Committee reviews Council’s  

Internal audit reports and assists us on managing  and assessing operational risks and control   measures and also works with the Queensland  Audit Office as well, who attend every meeting.  Item I is the minor amendment to the Brisbane  City Plan, package Q. The proposed amendment  

Will achieve the following outcomes. An  update of planning scheme to reflect the   new Woolloongabba priority development  area. Updated Brisbane standard drawings   in the infrastructure design planning scheme  policy, to align with industry best practice   and Council standards for infrastructure design.  There will be updates to 12 Brisbane standard  

Drawings. If supported and adopted, the proposed  amendment will take effect on 8 December 2023.  Item J is the disposal of land at 55 Headfort  Street in Greenslopes. This one has come to the   Council’s attention before, because it is the  old Red Cross site at Greenslopes. We have been  

Able to secure through our advocacy and Councillor  CUNNINGHAM’s advocacy and also Councillor DAVIS’s   advocacy, the land from the Federal Government  at a below market rate. The deal that was done   was basically that part of the site would be  sold to Legacy to build their new headquarters.  

The remainder of the site, which is more than  50% of the site, will become a public parkland   space. This particular submission allows us to  go forward with the sale of the land to Legacy   and the remainder of the site becoming a public  park. Item K is one of the ones that was seriatim,  

Is that right, Mr Chair? K and L, yes, so we are  speaking on all items except B, K and L. Okay,   so moving on to item M, Howard Smith Wharves  various lease and sublease tenure arrangements.   Howard Smith Wharves has proposed a new  project to improve maritime facilities,  

With a large pontoon to be constructed. This  will boost the local tourism and hospitality   offering by providing a landmark spot for tour  operators, for food and beverage outlets operating   from vessels and also moored facilities such as  barges. Council is facilitating this project by  

Submitting a request to the state to enter into a  wet lease over the area, which Council will then   sublease to Howard Smith Wharves. Leases on the  river are controlled by the State Government, the   State Government has agreed to give us a lease,  we are then subleasing to Howard Smith Wharves. 

The rent payable by Council to the state  will be set at six per cent of the rental   value of the lease area, that’s in accordance  with the Land Regulation 2020. Additionally,   Council is also in negotiated terms for the  sublease with Howard Smith Wharves based on  

A percentage of the turnover, which will see an  income stream coming to the ratepayers of Brisbane   and that will be a good outcome. The lease  for this pontoon and wet lease area will align   with the lease for the remainder of Howard Smith  Wharves and that lease is until 23 October 2068,  

Which is the arrangement for the remainder of the  Howard Smith Wharves precinct. I commend this item   to the Chamber. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. Further speakers?  Councillor CASSIDY, you’ve got the call. Thanks,  Chair. Can I just ask that items—it’s in this  

Group, items G, H, I and M be taken seriatim for  voting, which would then leave A, C, D, E, F and J   in a separate group for voting. Okay, just give me  one second. G, H and I seriatim for voting. And M.  

And M, sorry, separate for voting only. Yes. Then  we have the other items, okay, thank you. Thanks,   Chair, I’ll just run through these in alphabetical  order that are before us at the moment. Clause A   is this participation in the South East Queensland  Climate Resilience Alliance. We know and we  

Believe on this side of the Chamber that climate  change is very real and a very complex challenge   for all levels of government to participate  in and provide solutions to. Labor at every   level of government is committed to acting on  climate change before it is too late. I do want  

To put on my record for this particular alliance  congratulations to Ipswich City Mayor, Teresa   Harding—who is a Member of the LNP, I believe and  certainly has been in the past, I presume still   is—and her council for taking the challenge  head-on in agreeing to be the host council. 

Refreshing to see the Ipswich City Council  forward thinking for that LNP mayor,   certainly not for this one in Brisbane. That  obviously shows leadership and fortitude which   we don’t currently have here in Brisbane. I know  that’s been the case for some time when it comes  

To work on climate change and climate resilience  here in Brisbane under this LNP Administration.   Council did recently do some work around coastal  hazards, the Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy,   which was looking at the increased—the effects  of climate change on our coastal areas,  

My ward of which is one and obviously down  at Wynnum Manly Ward, as well as Northgate.  That was funded entirely by the State  Government and once that money was used up,   the plan just sits there and gathers  dust. There’s no implementation,   no formal adaptation to the effects  of climate change here in Brisbane,  

Because this one like so many others is another  case of where the LORD MAYOR just sort of loses   interest. Gets some funding from another level  of government, does a little bit of work and then   loses interest going forward and those things just  gather dust, instead of doing them properly and  

Planning for them. What we have at the moment is  the Moreton Bay City Council leading in terms of   housing and homelessness to our north. To the west  we’ve got Ipswich leading on climate resilience.  It never used to be that way, of course,  Brisbane used to lead on these things. The  

Proposed outcomes of the alliance are certainly  commendable and we agree that as a collective   these councils will be able to achieve more  together than they ever could separately.   Certainly that’s the case for Brisbane under the  LNP Administration. We look forward to seeing  

This—the vision of this alliance come to life and  be expanded on under a future Labor Administration   after 16 March next year in this place. Clause C is the next one, the Moreton Bay   Cycleway, Viola Place to Schneider Road project. I  first started asking questions about this missing  

Link of the Moreton Bay Cycleway back in 2016.  I raised concerns from members of the public,   cyclists, who were members of BUG groups exposed  to cycling and also just people who lived in my   ward and commuted to the airport for work on a  regular basis and could see this small missing  

Link of the bikeway meaning that instead of  having a direct and safe route to and from work,   they had to traverse some dangerous  roads. It’s a very simple project.  Those questions were through Council here and  Transport Committees, back when they were called  

The Public and Active Transport Committee back  in the day, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER was the   Chair of that Committee at the time, raised that  with each Chair. Then Councillor ADAMS, I think,   for a brief period and Councillor MURPHY as well.  The answer was just always it was all too hard,  

They couldn’t get anyone to agree to do anything.  There were legal fees, the resumption process was   all too hard for the LNP. Every excuse  under the sun and seven years or more,   seven years passed since I’ve been raising this. We’re finally seeing now some movement for this  

Project to proceed. The incredible bit about this  impasse is that we’re talking about 600 metres   here, some of which traverses the TradeCoast land  of which Council is a shareholder in as well,   so some strange and complex arrangements  there around the resumption process which  

Shouldn’t have been so strange and complex,  I think, really, if the LNP really wanted to   get this done, really wanted to do this work. Councillors interjecting. That’s exactly right,   55 lawyers in city legal and millions of dollars  worth of external law firms that this Council  

Engages, you’d think they’d have been able to  do something by now. But I mean they would have   had to cut it anyway, wouldn’t they? It’s like  the North Brisbane Bikeway project and other   bikeway projects, if they had have proceeded  earlier the LNP would have cut it anyway,  

So I guess it’s a zero-sum game when it  comes to the LNP about these projects.  But this path connection will provide a genuine  alternative for cyclists and pedestrians through   there as well. The terms of both amenity but  reduced travel times, but most importantly,  

Most importantly, increased safety for cyclists  through there. I certainly hope that we hear   less whinging and whining from the LNP, blaming  others for the delays in this project, when we   now see it’s actually a pretty simple process  moving forward that we’re seeing here today. 

Clause D is the significant contracting plan for  organic materials. This particular contracting   plan is extremely important, far too important not  to get right. I am concerned in reading through   the attachments here today, the LORD MAYOR  and his LNP team have gone back to the old  

Playbook in creating artificial barriers along  the way. Bringing this item in but making it   all very difficult in the future to implement it  fully. They talk about how difficult something is,   how the market’s saturated, how there are  just too many things to worry about before  

The LNP could act. They throw up their hands  and they say it can’t be done and then they   just wait. They just sit by and wait and  hope to be led by the market, or getting  

Someone else to tell them they have to do it. Then if they do, they follow the path of least   resistance, never showing any leadership,  going back to the first item there,   being led by others all the time. The LORD MAYOR  has shown no leadership when it comes to organic  

Waste and the reduction of organic waste in  Brisbane over the last few years. What we know   on his watch and this LNP Administration’s watch  is that 100,000 tonnes of organic waste is dumped   into landfill each and every year and what is his  great idea at the moment, right now, to solve this  

Waste crisis? Outdated and expensive technology  from the 1980s and the 1990s. Actually I don’t   think that many people were installing them in  the 1990s, but some people were still using them   and that’s of course InSinkErators, Chair. That’s the LNP’s big silver bullet to the  

Organic waste problem, is to give people—during  the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, their   idea is to give people a $200 rebate on something  that will cost thousands of dollars to install in   their homes. This is just incredible, it’s such  an elite solution to a very common problem that  

We’re facing here in Brisbane today. Going back to  the past is not going to solve one of Brisbane’s   greatest challenges of the future, Chair.  It’s time for Brisbane to get with the times,   join the in excess of 100 other councils around  Australia who have managed to implement full  

FOGO organic recycling schemes, and just get  serious about implementing this here in Brisbane.  A permanent FOGO system here in Brisbane is  something that we have long committed to and   will be delivered by a Labor Administration led  by Tracey Price. We’re not going to put up all  

These artificial barriers like the LNP do and  talk about it when it’s convenient to do so and   then never do anything about it in the future.  Instead offer it’s a couple of thousand bins,   which are no protein, half FOGO bins, no  commitment to investing in the jobs of the  

Future, investing in reducing rates for  ratepayers by removing this organic waste   from landfill. The LNP are just trying to  make it all too hard for anyone to do this.  They might be in denial on that side of the  Chamber, Chair, about what a full FOGO scheme  

Would actually mean for Brisbane, but it’s in  front of us in black and white before us today   that if we don’t get on board with a full FOGO  scheme and remove that 100,000 tonnes-plus of   organic material from landfill each and every  year, we are going to put a $600 million burden  

On the ratepayers of Brisbane in the future.  That’s what’s at stake here. If you go slow,   like the LNP are going slow on FOGO, you  put pressure on ratepayers. If they don’t   lead from the front and don’t invest in  FOGO, the LNP are going to increase rates  

By $600 million over the next decade. Under the  LNP, by going slow on removing organic waste,   we’re going to see higher rates and less services.  But what FOGO means— Councillor CASSIDY, your   time has expired. Point of order, Chair. Point of  order, Councillor COLLIER. Move for an extension.  

Seconded. We have a motion for extension moved by  Councillor COLLIER, seconded by Councillor STRUNK.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. Councillor CASSIDY,   you’ve got the call. Thanks very much, Chair.  A full FOGO scheme, full organic recycling,  

Means lower rates, more jobs and it means  less carbon emissions here in Brisbane.   It’s a home-grown carbon reduction scheme and  under Labor this will mean more waste services   and less InSinkErators, that’s a guarantee under  Labor. But what we know and what we see before us  

Today in these papers from the LNP is their deep  conservatism taking hold of this important policy.  They don’t want to really see anything  change, that’s how conservative they   are. They’ve been forced to, because without  FOGO the Council would be in financial ruin,  

Not because it’s about the future of Brisbane but  because they’re stuck in the past. This is such an   important contract and important one to get right  and we’re not confident going forward that the LNP   will do so. But under Labor there is an absolute  guarantee that we’ll see increased waste services,  

Lower rates for people in the future and an  investment in local jobs for generations to come.  Item E before us today is amending a significant  contracting plan. That sounds familiar,   the LNP do that a lot, a lot these days. We hear  lots about blowouts on contracts and every single  

One the LNP does has a blowout, Chair. This  one goes back to June, talk about blowouts,   things that were brought here in June, massive  blowouts, forcing massive cuts. Back in June,   this contracting plan came to Council and I put  my doubts on record at the time. It turns out I  

Was right. Time and time again in this place  we continue to question the contracting plans   by this LORD MAYOR and LNP Council and then  we have to sit here and put up with hollow   lectures from the peanut gallery of the LNP. They got the numbers wrong in this instance,  

Chair, and while I’m sure the excuses will come  thick and fast, it’s embarrassing having these   contracting plans come back to Council to be  amended over and over and over and over and over   again. All of this could have been avoided if the  LORD MAYOR and his LNP Administration could let go  

Of their obsession with needing to outsource every  single basic function of Council. When work is   done in-house it’s done faster, it’s done cheaper  and it’s done to a better standard. But as we’ve   discovered in recent weeks, contractors  are easier to sack for this LORD MAYOR. 

He’s confirmed that again today in what  he said earlier. He just adjusts the time   for these contractors, pays an invoice that  gets sent into Council and they lose their   jobs and he doesn’t care. He treats them as  second-class workers who have adjustable hours,  

That’s the LNP way and they’re doing that to  more and more and more of our basic services   here in Council. The shortsightedness of the  LNP when it comes to contracting out is the   reason that countless staff are facing the  sack between now and Christmas. Whether these  

Contracting plans go ahead is another story,  as we will be debating the horrific state of   the Council budget shortly. This is just another  thing that you cannot trust this LORD MAYOR with.  Item F, Chair, is the contracting plan for  the Oracle hardware and software. Thank  

Goodness this one’s been taken out of the hands  of this LORD MAYOR, in accessing this software,   hardware and associated services is being done  under the Department of Communities, Housing   and Digital Economies’ SOA. We’re probably less  likely to see this one come back for significant  

Contracting adjustments, given every other  contract this LNP Administration have commenced.  Clause G, contracts and tendering, report  of contracts accepted by delegates of   Council for— Just—sorry, my apologies. Yes, sorry, Councillor CASSIDY. Seven   items in, we’re finally getting to some of these  contracts and expenditure here before us today,  

Chair. I’m sure all Councillors look closely over  the contracts that come through here month after   month. We of course—sometimes the LORD MAYOR says  we have control and input over, sometimes he says   he’s totally removed from it, depending on what a  debacle that turns out to be. But these are ticked  

Off and they’re a done deal before us today to  review. There are some contracts in there that are   reasonable, of course, but for the last meeting of  this term of Council there are some real clangers.   We know they’re directly related to the political  decision the LORD MAYOR has made and will be  

Implementing from the review of his budget. Contract 11 is obviously the most interesting,   I think, when it comes to that, in the context  of the LORD MAYOR’s savage cuts and sacking of   staff. That contract is for external contractors  for HR and industrial relations being engaged,  

So I guess if you blow up the budget with two  inner-city mega projects and your solution is   to slash projects and sack staff and try to hide  the fact that you’re doing it, the first thing  

You do is engage IR consultants. That really is  out of the LNP playbook. They don’t put a high   value on secure work and they make sure of that by  bringing in the experts at sacking people when the   LORD MAYOR announces those $400 million in cuts. The report of the Audit Committee again shows  

Us very little in terms of what this Committee  is reviewing and what recommendations they are   making and what actions are being implemented by  this Administration. The LORD MAYOR’s approach to   transparency and information sharing is absolutely  appalling. Too often in this place what we get  

Is a sanitised, redacted, cleansed version of  events or items that we can’t talk about publicly   because the LNP want to keep details secret. This  Committee is extremely important and the work they   do is critical, but we never really ever get the  full story from the LORD MAYOR and LNP though. 

If we as Councillors wanted to speak to members  of the Audit Committee about their work and what   they were reviewing, what recommendations they  were working, we’d be denied. Their audits are   never presented to a Standing Committee.  What we receive is what’s before us today,  

Just a precis of those meetings, a very high-level  version of the minutes and the LNP just want all   Councillors to accept with no question. I’m sure  perhaps Councillor CUNNINGHAM will get up and   speak on it, but no other LNP Councillor can, I  can guarantee you that. They ask no questions,  

They just nod along and get what is given to  them. So would be able to give a much more   full—it would be great to be able to give much  more fulsome response to items like this, but   given the lack of information the LNP are willing  to share with Councillors, it is very difficult. 

Clause I is the amendment to Brisbane  City Plan, the minor amendment, package Q,   which includes the addition of the Woolloongabba  PDA intercity plan as well as changes to standard   drawings. The Woolloongabba PDA area, priority  development area, has the opportunity, we believe,  

To leave a lasting legacy from the 2032 Games,  but the Government must get the legacy right with   this in guaranteeing more affordable housing,  public transport and public space outcomes.  There are challenges when changes this size  come along, but if you’re crystal clear about  

The opportunities and how you can grasp them, the  long-term benefit will be there for everyone. I   would urge the Government to lock in the long-term  benefits for this once in a lifetime opportunity   we have before us before it’s too late and  certainly hope that they get that right. 

Item J is the disposal of proposed lot 2 to be  created at 55 Headfort Street at Greenslopes.   As the LORD MAYOR said, this came through Council  a little while ago. The LORD MAYOR and Councillor   CUNNINGHAM, might have been just before that,  came to Council just after did a—had a great photo  

Opportunity with Legacy back in October. I say  photo opportunity rather than announcement because   that’s all the LNP seem to actually care about,  is the photo opp. The details always come to light   later though. They’ll announce this, do the media  opp, you know, very stage managed and then we find  

Out the details as these things come to Council. Council supported Legacy in securing this site,   of course, what the press release said at least.  It’s disappointing to read in the papers before us   today that the LNP are so desperate for cash  to fill their budget black hole that they’re  

Selling the land to Legacy for $420,000.  Now this is a not-for-profit organisation   that’s doing amazing work for veterans here in  Brisbane and right around Australia and the LORD   MAYOR and Councillor CUNNINGHAM had some great  things to say about that work in the press. But  

In considering this item, there are certainly  some questions I think that do need answering.  Should a not-for-profit organisation  have to pay so much to Council for this,   given the LORD MAYOR made great announcements  about the partnership that he was entering into  

With Legacy? Was this always part of the deal, or  have Legacy had this price tag sprung on them? If   Council were serious about supporting Legacy to  continue their important work, surely there is a   less costly solution for it. If Council’s going to  make Legacy purchase the land for over $400,000,  

Then where is that money going to be spent?  Councillor CASSIDY, your time has expired.   Point of order, Chair. Point of order, Councillor  COLLIER. Move for an extension. Seconded. We have   a motion for extension moved by Councillor  COLLIER, seconded by Councillor STRUNK. 

All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. Councillor CASSIDY, you’ve got the call. Thanks   very much, Chair. We want to know where this  $400,000, or in excess of $400,000 is going to be  

Spent. We know the LORD MAYOR sent Brisbane broke  with Councillor CUNNINGHAM, the local Councillor   being the Finance Chair, watching along as this  disaster has unfolded. But I think they need to   be really upfront about what they have planned  for this cash that they’re demanding from Legacy. 

It should be—if this is going to proceed,  it certainly should be spent embellishing   the park and green space that’s been earmarked  for this site and should be spent on the public   realm elements there as well, that Legacy and the  community are going to have the benefit for. It  

Should not, should not be used to plug the LORD  MAYOR and Councillor CUNNINGHAM’s $400 million   budget black hole. But that does leave some  disappointment to what otherwise was a fantastic   announcement and a great project, in finding out  months later that there’s this huge price tag this  

Not-for-profit is being lumped with. Clause M, the last in this group,   is the Howard Smith Wharves, the leases and  sublease tenure arrangements. There is an awful,   awful lot of bending over backwards here in this  item for an inner-city-focused business deal.  

That’s what it is, this is a business deal. When  you look at that and look at the priority that the   LNP have put on bringing this item through here  and you compare and contrast that to the support  

Or lack thereof that our local community groups  are getting at the moment, it does say a lot about   the priorities of this Administration, I think. This is an incredibly good deal for Howard Smith   Wharves and the operators down there. It’s a  long-term lease, an extremely long-term lease.  

Council’s doing all of the legwork for those  operators down there and as a result of this,   at Howard Smith Wharves, the operators will be  able to park a barge alongside the river to expand   their private businesses. Form the land into the  river and to make—generate a profit for their  

Business. There is a natural conflict there which  we’re all very aware of, in that there is a public   space with a lot of complex arrangements around  the private use on them and private operators,   which has to be carefully managed. But what is missing from this information  

Before us today is who’s regulating  the barge and what happens onsite,   overseeing maintenance of what is proposed to  be there for the next few decades. Is Council   recouping the cost for all the work that has to go  into getting this wet lease and then subleasing it  

Out from those operators down there? Or is the  administration of these leases being covered by   ratepayers? That information is not available for  us today before we make this decision. I’ll bet   in every single one of our wards a community  group has struggled with grants or funding  

Assistance from Council over recent years. I just think of one that’s just popped up   very recently, Aspley Little Athletics out at  Geebung. The power supply pole fell down in a   storm recently. Council discovered there  was some damage to their assets onsite,  

The light poles there, so they ripped them all  out. The replacement cost of that is $400,000,   so they are now without power, without lights on  that site. Council just said apply for a grant,   that was the solution, apply for a grant  to $400,000. There’s no grant available  

To cover that kind of cost, that’s an awful lot  of Bunnings sausage sizzles that community group   now is going to have to fund—to run to fund the  $400,000 upgrade on a Council-owned facility.  It’s a little more than annoying to see  these items that the LNP bring to Council,  

Sort of their pet projects rather than the broad  support for the community that we need. But I   guess it shouldn’t be that surprising, given after  20 years in power they do get very insular, they   lose touch with the reality out in the community  and get very focused on projects that they are  

Personally interested in, given the conflicts  that we’ve seen arise in Civic Cabinet around this   item as well. I guess it just does speak to the  priorities of this 20-year-old LNP Administration   that we see these items coming through today. Our contracts for industrial relations and  

Human resources at a time when the LORD MAYOR  is sacking dozens if not hundreds of staff and   contractors. Contracts and lease arrangements for  private businesses operating in public spaces and   yet nothing for community groups coming  through these items before us today. It  

Speaks volumes about this Administration and  I think change is coming and change will be   very welcome by the people of Brisbane after 16  March next year. Thank you, Councillor CASSIDY.  Further speakers? Councillor DIXON. Mr Chair,   I rise to speak on item C, Moreton Bay Cycleway,  Viola Place to Schneider Road project, easements  

For right of way. I am delighted that Council  is seeking approval from the state for this   resumption, confirming the bikeway’s alignment  to close a known gap in the Moreton Bay Cycleway.   Council wants to solve this problem for  active travellers by providing a shared  

Cyclist and pedestrian section. This section  of the cycleway is a well-known missing link   in the cycling community and is important for  both recreational and community cyclists. This   solution will mean that people can ride their  bikes to work from Hamilton to the airport. 

It will mean a safe separated route to travel  through the airport precinct and on to the   northern and southern suburbs too. There  has been significant consultation on this   project and I look forward to the Department of  Resources’ approval, providing the residents of  

Hamilton Ward another vital piece of active  transport infrastructure. While this link is   only approximately 600 metres, the Moreton Bay  Cycleway covers three Local Government Areas,   including Brisbane City Council, Moreton Bay  City Council and the Redland City Council.  This crucial missing link will facilitate the  connection of the Moreton Bay Cycleway all  

The way from Redlands to Redcliffe, so it is  fair to say this link between Viola Place and   Schneider Road may be small but its impact  will be huge for active transport. It’s all   part of the Schrinner Council’s commitment  to providing safe and efficient paths for  

Those who are riding and walking. Thank you, Mr  Chair. Thank you, Councillor. Further speakers?  Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, thank you. I rise to  speak on, I think, the relevant items that are   in this section, A, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J  and M. Correct. I particularly want to just  

Make a few comments about item A. This is just an  artful bit of greenwashing between the councils,   for which Council’s got to pay out fees and  then pay out no doubt money for staff and the   empire will just continue to grow. It will—I  don’t know about the other councils because  

I don’t see what their green initiatives are,  but I know when we debate item B what Council’s   are. This Council has a horrendous track  record when it comes to sustainability and   the report that we’ll get to in B shows that.  The alliance and the deed and money and staff,  

It’s unnecessary. I don’t know why councils can’t  cooperate through the existing measures that they   have, the South East Queensland Council of  Mayors, the local government association,   there’s one other, there’s capital  city—there’s so many, there’s so many.  We don’t need another organisation to  market greenwashing to south-east Brisbane,  

We need actual action. The LORD MAYOR’s exposed  it here today, he knows that major construction   contributes enormously to emissions and  sustainability and yet he’s jumped on   board with the Premier and he is sailing off  into the sunset on the Gabba redevelopment,  

Which was never part of the Olympics plan. Whilst  this LORD MAYOR talks about climate change, he   doesn’t actually do anything substantive and this  is just another greenwashing episode by the LNP   Administration. I would ask that item A is taken  seriatim for voting purposes. Noted, thank you,  

Councillor JOHNSTON. Thank you. Item Q, the minor  amendment to Brisbane City Plan for The Gabba,   adding The Gabba priority development area into— Councillors interjecting. I, sorry. I, I’m sorry,   item I, package Q, yes. Adding the PDA, obviously  this reflects what the State Government is doing  

At the Woolloongabba priority development area,  but it also gives me a chance to say now that   both for Councillor Sriranganathan and Councillor  MASSEY, I’ve made it clear that I believe that   this Council is committing a grievous error  by supporting the demolition of The Gabba and  

The closure of East Brisbane State School.  It’s schools, not stadiums, it should be a   simple proposition for the community, but this  Administration continues to push support for a   project that was never part of the Olympics bid. The twofaced behaviour of the LORD MAYOR today  

In this Chamber, standing up and in answer to  a question to Councillor MASSEY saying well,   we support what we’ve put up in the original  proposal and that was supposed to be for an   independent delivery authority. Well the  LORD MAYOR does not support what was put  

Up in the original proposal, because the original  proposal did not include demolition of The Gabba   and the closure of East Brisbane State School. It was never part of the Olympics package and this   idea that the LORD MAYOR and the Premier, because  they’re both on board, drinking the Kool-Aid,  

Sort of present this as some fait accompli as part  of the Olympics package, it was never part of the   Brisbane 2032 bid. It was never part of the plan.  Every single Councillor should be sitting back   going we shouldn’t be closing a school in an area  where there is huge high-rise development planned,  

Where there are massive infill developments  happening, where there are going to be   thousands of new people. Instead, a beautiful  historic school, East Brisbane State School,   is going to be moved two and a half kilometres up  the road to a swamp, attached to a high school,  

With demountable buildings on it. Now, as we find out, some poor elderly   man’s going to lose his house as well, all  for something that was never part of the   Olympics bid. It just shows you the LORD MAYOR’s  behaviour today in answering this question, oh,  

We support the original plan, which was to have an  independent delivery authority. Well guess what,   no he does not support the original plan because  he supports knocking down The Gabba and he’s made   that clear time after time here. I don’t—I stand  in solidarity with the East Brisbane State School  

Community. I think schools before stadiums  is absolutely the right course of action.  With respect to item M, which is the—I don’t  even know what to say. Pretty much the sale of   Brisbane’s riverfront to a private corporation. I  mean we know that this is what the Administration  

Does. They get into bed with their mates, they  work out a cosy deal with their mates and then   next thing you see, 90-plus year leases for  commercialisation of the Brisbane River. I   don’t support this, I won’t be voting for it  and I ask that item M is also taken seriatim  

For voting purposes. Item M, sorry, Councillor  JOHNSTON. M for Mary, yes. It already is,   Councillor JOHNSTON. On its own? Not on  its own, no. No, on its own? Yes. Yes,   so I’ve asked for A to be taken seriatim— Yes,  correct. —and I’ve asked for M to be taken—just  

For voting purposes. Yes, got it, thank you. So  for those Councillors who weren’t here back when   the Howard Smith Wharves proposal was developed,  I think myself and Councillor David Hinchliffe   were the two that raised concerns about Howard  Smith Wharves and how true that’s turned out to  

Be. My concern at that point was the lack of safe  pedestrian and cycling access through there and if   you are ever down there, it is dangerous and it’s  a miracle no one’s been hurt with the amount of   cars and people. Here we are, this Administration  is planning to jam more commercial development  

Into an extremely constrained and congested site. I doubt there’s been any consultation with any of   the stakeholders down there, other than  with the Howard Smith Wharves company,   who unsurprisingly just got an award from the  LORD MAYOR just last week or the week before,  

So there’s a very cosy arrangement going on here.  This is wrong, this is wrong. A party barge is   going to be parked out the front of a public space  that this Council’s allowed Howard Smith Wharves  

To take over. There is a public space in the  middle of this facility that is now full of tables   for Felons. It is wrong, that is public space, it  was parkland. You used to be allowed to go down  

There and have a picnic and sit outside, but now  it is full of tables for a brewery, full of tables   for a brewery. Wall to wall, jam packed and this  Administration wants to give more public space,  

In this case the river, over to a party barge. Well I don’t think that is right. That area is   too constrained. Does this give us any indication  of what pedestrian improvements are going to be   made? There are none. Any cycling improvements  that are going to be made? There are none. Any  

Additional parking requirements that are going  to be done? There are none. If you try and use   the elevator to go from the top of Kangaroo  Point, New Farm—sorry, to go from the top of   the New Farm cliffs down to Howard Smith Wharves,  you can wait three or four elevator rides before  

You can get on, it’s that congested, it is that— Councillors interjecting. I appreciate the DEPUTY   MAYOR’s discussing this and playing along with  me. If she’s got something to say she should   stand up and say it. But the issue with the lack  of appropriate pedestrian and cycling facilities,  

Including elevator space, is not appropriate.  You are going to jam more people—we don’t even   know how big this space is going to be. Is it  going to block the public view? I’m sure it   will. It won’t block the view for Howard Smith  Wharves and their bar area, it’s going to block  

The public view for sure. We don’t know how big  this facility’s going to be, we don’t know what   improvements are going to happen. There are no  improvements probably going to be made that the   private company’s going to pay for, but here is  yet another example of the DEPUTY MAYOR and her  

Mates doing deals for inner-city businesses. Point  of order, Mr Chair. Point of order, DEPUTY MAYOR.   I know she’s trying to bite me, but she’s also  bullying me. I have nothing to do with this and   I ask that she withdraw that imputed motive. Councillors interjecting. DEPUTY MAYOR,  

We don’t recognise imputed motive. However, I can  ask to withdraw— Point of order. Point of order.   I am very offended by what she’s saying.  This has nothing to do with me. Thank you.   Councillor JOHNSTON, would you care to withdraw  your offensive remarks? I’m very offended by the  

DEPUTY MAYOR gossiping the whole way through  what I’ve been saying here today. Mr Chairman,   the DEPUTY MAYOR is a member of E&C— Point of  order, Mr Chair. Point of order, DEPUTY MAYOR.   The inferences from Councillor JOHNSTON to my  behaviour are inappropriate in this place. I  

Said three words to a colleague. I ask that she  leaves me alone please. Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR.  Councillor JOHNSTON, can you please refrain. Your time has expired. Further speakers?  Councillor DAVIS. Call for extension. Councillor interjecting. I’ll move it.   Seconded. We have a motion for extension— Councillors interjecting. —moved by  

Councillor MASSEY, seconded by Councillor  GRIFFITHS. All those in favour say aye.  Councillors say aye. Those against say no. Councillors say no. The noes have it.  Division called by Councillor JOHNSTON and  seconded by Councillor MASSEY. Ayes to my right,   noes to my left. That is bullying. That is  not bullying, Councillor JOHNSTON. Councillor  

JOHNSTON, if you keep yelling out I’m going to  give you another warning. In fact I’m not even—  Councillor interjecting. Clerks,  please read the results. Mr Chair,   the noes have it, the voting being seven in  favour and 15 against. The motion has passed.   Councillors, please return to your seats. Councillor interjecting. Councillor JOHNSTON.  

Councillor JOHNSTON. Councillor JOHNSTON. I’m  sorry, I don’t have to take that from Councillor   MURPHY. Councillor JOHNSTON. Point of order. Just  one moment, Councillor JOHNSTON, before your point   of order. Councillor JOHNSTON, as you have failed  to comply with the request to undertake remedial  

Action for your unsuitable meetings conduct,  I hereby warn you in accordance with section   21(6) of the Meetings Local Law that failing to  comply with not calling out across the Chamber   may result in a request or order being issued.  Your point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes,  

My first point of order is Councillor MURPHY made  some unpleasant comments to me as he walked past   me and he’s now walking out of the Chamber, which  is why I responded. Mr Chair, I would expect that  

You would take action against him. If we’re not  supposed to speak in this Chamber or call out,   then he certainly did as he passed me and I  don’t think that’s appropriate. So will you   take action against him as well? Councillor  JOHNSTON, I don’t uphold your point of order. 

Further speakers? My second point of order, Mr  Chairman— Sorry— A point of order. —point or   order, yes, thank you. My second point of order  is earlier the DEPUTY MAYOR called me a bully,   which I find to be offensive, unsuitable  meeting conduct and I would ask that you ask  

Her to withdraw. DEPUTY MAYOR, would you care to  withdraw? I won’t withdraw how I feel, thank you,   Mr Chairman. Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR. Further speakers?  Councillor DAVIS. Point of order, point of  order. Just one moment, Councillor DAVIS.  Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, thank  you. Mr Chairman, just on a point of order,  

I feel it is unsuitable meeting conduct to call  somebody a bully, but if Councillor ADAMS thinks   that’s appropriate the only person who’s a bully  in this Chamber is Councillor ADAMS. Councillor   JOHNSTON, that is not a point of order and as  to unsuitable meeting conduct in this Chamber,  

That is decided by me, not you. Further speakers?  Councillor DAVIS. Thank you, Mr Chair.  I rise to speak on items A and J. Item A   seeks approval to join 10 other councils across  South East Queensland in forming the South East   Queensland Climate Resilient Alliance,  or SEQCRA. In 2021, through the LGAQ,  

We identified the need for a multicity partnership  to address the climate challenges that are unique   to our region. Since the 2022 flood event which  impacted every LGA in South East Queensland,   this need has become even more apparent.  Throughout this period we’ve been working with  

The other councils to develop a pilot partnership  which has ultimately led to Queensland’s first   ever Climate Resilience Alliance. We looked to  the model of the Resilient Rivers initiatives,   where we’ve worked together to improve the health  of our regional waterways, which as you know,  

Mr Chair, has been quite successful. The Climate Resilience Alliance aims   to build on this work and leverage the different  skills and capabilities of this group of councils   to respond to shared challenges and to embrace new  opportunities. This is especially important work,  

Mr Chair, because as the LORD MAYOR said,  the State Government has vacated and just   isn’t interested in doing work in South East  Queensland. They’re more interested in big   projects out in marginal seats in Far North and  Central Queensland than us here in the south-east  

Corner, which is particularly short-sighted,  Mr Chair, because together SEQCRA represents   Queensland’s biggest cities. That’s 3.6 million  people, or 65% of Queensland’s population,   for example, there’s so much potential in our  region for more collaboration and to embrace   the green energy transition here in our cities. We’re looking at things like renewable energy,  

Like batteries, solar and power purchasing  agreements, through to joint carbon abatement   projects around Brisbane. I don’t see how that  could be seen as greenwashing, Mr Chair. So to   address some of the assertions made by Councillor  CASSIDY, I can also confirm by way of this  

Partnership we’ll work with every member council  contributing an annual fee to SEQCRA to fund the   coordination of the alliance. In fact, Brisbane  City Council’s contribution will be $40,000, which   is double the amount of money that other councils  have been—have committed to this alliance. It’s  

Scaled by population, of course Brisbane has the  largest population, but still we are committed   to working and taking action on climate change  along with our neighbouring councils here in the   south-east corner and we will continue to do it. I was pleased to hear Councillor CASSIDY speak so  

Highly of Councillor Teresa Harding. Mayor Harding  is a dear friend and colleague and I speak to her   on a range of issues, including opportunities  that we have to deal with climate change. This   is a rotational basis opportunity for Ipswich to  put forward themselves as the coordinator in the  

First iteration, but of course all other councils  will take part in that ongoing. As I said, we’re   looking forward to working with them and others  to scale up the potential of climate resilience   for across both Brisbane and our entire region. Item J is the Headfort Street disposal and it  

Authorises the disposal of a soon to be created  lot at 55 Headfort Street, for the construction   of the new Legacy house. I’m pleased that with  the approval of this submission we are one step   closer, Mr Chair, to delivering a new park in  Greenslopes also. As the LORD MAYOR said, this  

Will be a new home for Legacy Queensland as well.  As you know, Mr Chair, Council has purchased the   former Australian Red Cross site at 51-55 Headfort  Street from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on   an off-market concessional basis for $1 million.  Under the agreement, DVA has assumed the cost  

For the demolition and remediation of the site  and will provide Council with the certification   that appropriate remediation has taken place. Part of the land then will be onsold at cost   to Legacy, which was always part of the deal,  Mr Chair, to construct their new Legacy house  

Facility and the remainder will become, as I  said, public parkland. Under the terms of the   transfer of the land to Council from DVA,  this land is valued on a pro-rata basis,   representing the portion of the land relative to  the concessional cost paid for it to DVA. This is  

An outcome that has taken quite a number of years  to secure and one that will have a long-lasting,   positive impact for our community. I’d just like  to acknowledge Councillor CUNNINGHAM, as well as   the LORD MAYOR, for their strong advocacy for  this project. I know Councillor CUNNINGHAM is  

Very excited to get amongst her community for  the first round of consultation on the new urban   common park that will be at Headfort Street. What I would also say, Mr Chair, is that the   previous Labor Federal Member for the area opposed  it, opposed this project, opposed selling the land  

To Legacy. Well she initially opposed it but had  to come kicking and screaming to the table. Of   course she’s not here anymore, clearly she cared  more about Canberra and not about Coorparoo,   nor the people that Legacy seek to assist. Mr  Chair, again this is a great outcome for the local  

Community and for Legacy and I’m very proud that  we have been able to facilitate this opportunity   for Legacy and to provide a great piece of  open space in the Coorparoo Ward. Thank you,   Mr Chair. Thank you, Councillor DAVIS. Further speakers? 

Councillor MASSEY. Thank you, Chair. I rise to  speak on item I and also item A. Sorry, item I   and— Item I, so Brisbane City—minor amendment  to the Brisbane City— Yes and the other item,   sorry? And M. Thank you, thank you. Thank you,  Chair. Sorry, I didn’t hear it properly. That’s  

All right. My apologies. I should be more clear.  That’s all right, you go. The Woolloongabba PDA,   which is now a whopping 106 hectares. We all  know that PDAs are used often when there is   a controversial development and in this  case it is the $2.7 billion minimum Gabba  

Rebuild. This is what’s driving this PDA,  that is now again a whopping 106 hectares,   it’s massive. What I’m finding as a Councillor of  this area is actually really fascinating, because   of course while the designate of what happens in  this area is now left to the Deputy Premier Miles,  

Already developments across the ward are referring  to it. Maybe there’s a zoning that’s about 15   storeys and they say we’re going to go to 30,  because we think the Gabba PDA is going to be   40 storeys and so it should look fine. This is having a huge effect, not just  

The Gabba rebuild, but also the development’s  uncertainty around what will actually happen in   this 106-hectare PDA. With the Gabba rebuild,  you know, as Councillor—through you, Chair,   as Councillor JOHNSTON stated, this was never part  of the plan and there are other options. Yet here  

We are within this PDA and within this Council  supporting what will be the heart of a community   ripped out and also what is the largest piece  of green space in Kangaroo Point at some point   closed up for an indefinite period of time.  Community members are rightfully, rightfully  

Bitter and outraged by this and they vow to  speak not only to their neighbours, but to family   citywide about this and continue to fight this. But the PDA doesn’t just rip out that community,   doesn’t just make those changes for what will  be intrinsically a temporary athletics track.  

Already now we see backflips on the PDA.  An example would be for the original public   space in the area a commitment to 50% green  space. Since the release of this new PDA,   it is now a commitment to 50% open space and  we all in here know that there is a drastic and  

Dramatic difference between what a green space  is and what open space is. Within this area,   which is public land also, the initial area for  the PDA, it is now available for privatisation.  This is public land and I think we’ll  continue on with that message about  

Privatisation of public land. This is enabling  the privatisation of this public land, right,   this land that could have been 50% green space,  a great park delivery for the community, a great   delivery for the community not only in potentially  community facilities, arts facilities, but instead  

Now is looking to be much like—you know, if we  see what’s happening in something like Howard   Smith Wharves or the casino or elsewhere, what  we’re seeing is a privatisation of public space.  With the PDA too, I think it’s important to make  clear Councillor CASSIDY mentioned earlier the  

Really—the opportunity with the PDA and of  course, you know, the State Labor Government   will go on about affordable housing, but unless  it is actually mandated—again not a single one   of these apartments built within this PDA, within  the 106 hectares will actually be ever affordable  

For anyone. When I’m talking about mandated,  I’m talking about potentially the inclusion of   inclusionary zoning to make sure that there is  a percentage that goes back into public hands.  I’m also talking about the term that’s been  thrown around in the TLPI, which is the 20%  

Of housing affordability, which for most people is  unaffordable. Unless there is commitment to making   sure that average Brisbane that are struggling  today are able to live in these designer towers,   with their reduced park space and reduced  community space, the Woolloongabba PDA is  

Just what it is. It’s an overreach, it’s an  undemocratic overreach that sees again the   LNP Council and also the ALP State Government  in cahoots with the developers, full stop.  I’ll move now to Howard Smith Wharves. Now Howard  Smith Wharves, I mean it’s been a challenge,  

Right, for pedestrians and bike users and  anyone that actually wants to use the public   space that was supposed to be delivered  there for community, right, which is now   all completely commercialised. What we see here  in item M is the continued commercialisation of  

Public space for private developer, for private  developers, for private business. You know,   I’m not here to say that private businesses  shouldn’t have a say. You know, when I talk   about the Gabba rebuild you’d be curious to  understand that there’s lots of businesses  

Within that Woolloongabba area, Logan Road, that  are completely against the Gabba rebuild, right,   and I work with small businesses across the ward. But while we are gifting private businesses public   land, community facilities struggle, community  facilities continue to be unkept, a place like the  

West End Library continues to have no potential  or forward works around becoming—even having an   accessible toilet. There are facilities across the  city that struggle, not only for upgrades but also   for delivery and yet here we are, giving Howard  Smith Wharves more, more—well it’s a wet lease.  

We’ll we’re giving them more, right? We’re giving  them more as we already know that residents in   that area are having challenges with using that  space for free. Public space is supposed to be   useable for people and we’re running out of that  public space. If you think about the heatwaves  

That we’re going to have, where are people  going to like to sit to be cool by the river?  Councillors interjecting. In the river or in the  pub, I’ll take that interjection. Again I will   be voting this down, you know, we have a role to  play for our communities in ensuring that public  

Space is protected and useable by them. Both  these, the PDA and also Howard Smith Wharves   clearly take public land, clearly gives them the  advantage in privatisation and prioritises them   before community use and so I’ll be voting those  things down. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor. 

Further speakers? Councillor MURPHY. Thank you, Chair. Just rise to   speak on a few items in this part of the report,  Moreton Bay Cycleway, Howard Smith Wharves,   et cetera. Firstly, on the Moreton Bay Cycleway,  this submission seeks to grant an approval for  

Us to make an application to the Department of  Resources for the resumption of easements to build   the next leg of the Moreton Bay Cycleway, which is  the Viola Place to Schneider Road project. We’ve   been following a resumption process with the  private landholders and subsequently the State  

Government, who is responsible for approving the  resumption process, as was noted by other speakers   on this item, for the better part of six to seven  years now. This has included two previous notices,   one of which Council rescinded on the basis of  some land tenure complexities and one that was  

Not supported by the Department of Resources. Since this advice, we have spent considerable   time and effort with our technical experts  to resolve objections raised by the State   Government. We also took umbrage with the entire  process with the State Government that it was  

Very difficult for us to resume land for bikeway  purposes, because no such instrument to do this   existed within the Act. We gave clear feedback  coming up on three and a half years ago now to   Minister Bailey that the legislation should be  reformed to allow councils to resume land for  

Bikeway purposes. Currently the only way for  us to resume land is for purposes of road or   easement and bikeway doesn’t exist as a separate  subset. You don’t quite need the amount of land   that you need for a road and you don’t quite need  an easement; you need the land for a bikeway,  

So that doesn’t exist. He said yes, no problems,  we’ll do that, we’re a big supporter of cycling.  Three and a half years later nothing has happened  on that, there’s been no legislation changes. We   have had these land tenure complexities to deal  with in this resumption process. I apologise to  

Those who’ve been waiting for this bikeway for  many, many years and I apologise to that poor   skeleton that was chained up against the fence  that unfortunately disintegrated because it took   so long for us to get this resumption process.  This is one of those sort of Fawlty Towers,  

Bureaucratic moments, Chair, where literally it’s  taken us so long to be able to get the paperwork   right with the various departments. This has  also been challenged a number of times, the   LORD MAYOR mentioned that. The landowners are—like  a lot of bikeway and road projects, the landowners  

Here were not keen to part ways with this land. We did look at a number of other alignments for   this bikeway, none of them work as well. This is  a really good, really direct connection right off   the Gateway Bridge and through the TradeCoast land  to an important connection for the Moreton Bay  

Cycleway which is, as I mentioned, a very critical  link between Redcliffe and the Redlands, 2,607   square metres will be resumed which will allow  us to construct new pathways on the easement.   As I mentioned, Redland Bay and Redcliffe will  be connected via the Gateway Motorway with a  

High quality recreational and commuter cycling  facility. After this is approved, we expect the   process to take about 12 months to be gazetted by  the State Government, as land resumptions often   do. Currently cyclists who want to take this route  divert down Sugarmill Road to Lomandra Drive,  

Which is a great route, Chair. Dominated  by heavy vehicles, no footpath, drainage,   a defence site on one side, not very ideal. To the north, this will connect in with the Kedron   Brook Bikeway and the bikeway underneath the  Brisbane Airtrain line, before continuing further  

North to Redcliffe. To the south it will follow  Schneider Road and Kingsford Smith Drive, before   linking in with the Gateway Bridge and continuing  south towards Redland Bay. We are and remain   committed to constructing this link, we always  have. We have suffered many, many setbacks on the  

Way with the State Government and their lethargy  in getting us good, high-quality feedback on this   and obviously with legislation changes as well.  But we remain committed to the cause of active   transport in our city and we’ll have more to say  about our plans for walking, cycling and scooting  

Over the coming months, as we head towards March. Chair, just, you know, just in response to what   Councillor CASSIDY said about this, he did say  that we said this was all too hard. I actually  

Would agree with him on this. I would say we  have said this is way too hard to do this on   a number of occasions and we’ve said that  loud and clearly to the State Government.   We’ve asked them to change the laws to make  it a lot easier, they’ve not done so, they’ve  

Not done so and I think that is a real pity. Finally, Chair, just on Howard Smith Wharves,   in order to cover off on this because a number of  other Councillors made comments about Howard Smith   Wharves and this sort of idea that public and  open space and how people enjoy themselves within  

Private space, commercialised space like bars and  hotels and things like that, somehow accounts for   less. I just fundamentally disagree with that.  I think if people hated Howard Smith Wharves,   we wouldn’t have some of the problems that  we have down there with so many people trying  

To get in. People don’t become private people  when they go into a private space; that’s the   public that’s using the bars, the facilities,  the open space down there, that’s using the   restaurants and they love Howard Smith Wharves. I don’t think we should ever be—come in here  

And feel denigrated for pushing that development  through when the State Government oppose it, Labor   at a state level oppose it, Labor in this Chamber  opposed it. If the Greens were here, I’m sure they   would have opposed it. But all of those opposite  have opposed Howard Smith Wharves, but what  

Has been delivered for the city is a tremendous  outcome. The complaint we heard from Councillor   JOHNSTON was just laughable. She complained that  it was taking too long for her to get into the   precinct because it was so popular. I mean this  is just the ludicrous— Point of order. —nature of  

Their objections to Howard Smith Wharves.  Just one moment, Councillor MURPHY.  Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON. Claim  to be misrepresented. Noted, thank you.  Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got the call.  Well, you know, I have a quote here,  

I wrote it down because I thought it was so absurd  and ridiculous. Councillor JOHNSTON said it was a   beautiful space and now it’s ruined. What was  it, Chair, before it was Howard Smith Wharves?   It was a depot for the police to tie up their  police boat that they use to patrol the Brisbane  

River and it was some disused, you know, naval  stores and some World War II air raid shelters.   There were chain-link fences— Point of order.  —there was— Just one moment, Councillor MURPHY.  Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON. Claim to be  misrepresented. Noted, thank you. Well that’s why  

I always write down what Councillor JOHNSTON says,  Chair, because you know, it will be some other   thing that she happened to say afterwards, but I  write it down particularly. Councillor MASSEY said   that it was a real challenge for the community.  I wrote that one down too because I thought that  

Was funny. I don’t know, I don’t know, maybe it is  a challenge for a minority within the community,   but the feedback that I have received from the  vast majority of the community has been that   Howard Smith Wharves is one of the greatest  urban redevelopments in this city’s history. 

Those on this side of the Chamber should be  very, very, very proud of what we have achieved   partnering with the private sector to deliver  that. We won’t hear any rot about this being   commercialised land that’s not accessible to the  public. Almost every part of Howard Smith Wharves,  

Other than if you want to go inside the kitchens  and start cooking, is accessible to the public.  Councillor interjecting. It is accessible  to the public and we have seen so many   State Members and Ministers down there, partying— Councillor interjecting. DEPUTY MAYOR. —spending  

Their weekends there, having long lunches.  I won’t name who, LORD MAYOR. We should. No,   we won’t, LORD MAYOR, we won’t, because we do  like him. Just one moment, Councillor MURPHY.   Can I please remind the MAYOR and the DEPUTY MAYOR  that we’re not calling out in the Chamber please. 

Councillor MURPHY. So look, Chair, I’ll  just say it’s been a hit with them,   it’s been a hit with the public. We did  a great job with Howard Smith Wharves and   we won’t hear anything from those opposite, who  never supported it in the first place. Thank you,   Councillor MURPHY. Further speakers? 

Sorry, Councillor JOHNSTON, my apologies, your  two points of misrepresentation. Yes, Councillor   MURPHY claimed that I’d said something about I’ve  not been able to get up and down the elevator. In   fact my comments were about access to pedestrian  and cycling access through the site and the fact  

That people—not me, people have to wait three  or four elevator rides to get up or down. That’s   feedback that people give me, Councillor MURPHY.  Councillor JOHNSTON, Councillor JOHNSTON, your   misrepresentation is not an opportunity for you  to make another speech. Can you please get back  

On point please. Well I believe that I just did.  On the second point, Councillor MURPHY said that I   claimed that it was a beautiful space that Council  had ruined. I didn’t make any such statement to   that effect. Thank you. But certainly blocking  public space with a barge— Councillor JOHNSTON,  

I just advised you that misrepresentation  is not another opportunity for you to make a   speech. You’ve made your point, thank you. But I’m  allowed to correct it, aren’t I? You just did. You   can be seated again, thank you. I, I— Further  speakers please. Mr Speaker, sorry, Mr Chair,  

I’m sorry— No, no, you can resume your seat.  Point of order, point of order. Point of order,   Councillor JOHNSTON. My understanding is I’m  allowed to say what the misrepresentation   was— Correct. —and correct it. Correct. So you  allowed me to say what the misrepresentation  

Was— Yes. —but you did not allow me to correct it.  You had completed that and then we’re moving on to   further basically debating. I was saying what I  said, which is correcting the misrepresentation,   Mr Chair, and I would like to finish my point.  It should be very concise. Thank you. God. What  

I said was that it would be ruining a  beautiful public space if a barge was   parked in front of it. Thank you, that’s  exactly what I’m after, appreciate that.  Further speakers? Councillor MARX. Yes, thank you, Mr  

Chair. I rise to speak on two items, items D and  E. Starting with item D, which is a Stores Board   submission for organic materials processing. The  Schrinner Council is laser focused on improving   the organics recycling rate in Brisbane. I’m  proud that we’ve taken—already taken many steps to  

Enhance organic recycling in Brisbane, including  the reduction in cost of having a green bin. Since   the price of having a green bin was halved, we’re  seeing a doubling of the numbers of households   taking up the service, which is absolutely the  outcome we wanted to achieve, so I thank all  

Those residents who have jumped on board. As the Chamber is aware, last week the   Towards Zero Waste Strategy draft was released for  community consultation and a number of initiatives   such as investing more locations for advanced  community composting harder to service apartments,  

Rolling out of a citywide household food waste  recycling service over the next four years and   the expansion of the food waste recycling service,  which will include more than 5,290 new households   from February next year are also included. The  strategy included a wide range of cutting edge and  

Common sense measures that would help residents  reduce their waste, regardless of whether they   were at home or out in the community. I encourage  all residents and also ask Councillors in the   Chamber to jump online and have their say on the  Towards Zero Waste Strategy. It is open right now. 

The SCP before us today is a critical component of  organics recycling, as it will shape what happens   with the materials once collected from households  or community composting hubs. As we build the   frontend collection options for residents, the  focus for Council remains on ensuring there are  

Sufficient downstream processing options to turn  the organic materials into marketable products,   in an environmentally compliant manner.  The current contract arrangement processes   approximately 100,000 tonnes of garden organics  of material per year. The establishment of three   categories in the new SCP acknowledges  the diversity of sustainable solutions  

On offer for all types of organics, including  food organics and food and garden organics.  By establishing their own categories, it allows  industry to present target solutions through   the expression of interest process, which will  begin in January of next year. Brisbane is the  

Biggest council in Australia, which means the  largest number of tonnes we produce per year   presents a unique opportunity, but also presents  challenges for a developing market. Through you,   Mr Chair, I have to say I do agree with the  Leader of the Opposition on one item and that  

Is this is too important to not get right, which  is why we cannot trust or risk the ALP with this.  Those opposite just want to turn on full  FOGO for the city like a light switch,  

With no thought around how it will be collected,  where it’s going to go and what is going to happen   to it. There seems to be a huge disconnect  from reality and industry have a right to be   concerned about what the coalition of chaos will  do to this city. Council’s early engagement of  

The market will assist some suppliers that may  require a year or most lead time to establish   or expand their facilities. Establishing this  panel will ensure diversion of organic waste   from landfill and processing into marketable  products, in an environmentally compliant way. 

I want to highlight a couple of key statistics for  the Chamber in regards to the organic recycling   and resource recovery program. Firstly,  there are over two—sorry, my apologies,   there are over 12,000 residents registered to  the community compost hub across Brisbane and  

I want to thank them for their contribution  to building a better Brisbane and we did see   a few of those people at our Towards Waste  Awards that was mentioned earlier. Secondly,   many don’t realise that there is an established  gas to energy process at Brisbane Landfill that  

Produces over 900 homes worth of power each  month. The green energy is generated by using   the methane gas created by decomposing organic  waste and since it was commissioned in 2004,   has abated more than 5.4 million tonnes  of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. 

This is an example of the types of technology  in the market that have great outcomes for the   residents of Brisbane and something they can  be proud of. It is likely that the technology   solutions will be different for the different  types of organics, so a range of end use products  

Can be developed other than just composting  alone, reducing our market risk. On that note,   I also want to make the comment here about the  fact that our food waste disposal units, generally   known as InSinkErators, was raised, through  you, Mr Chair, by the Leader of the Opposition  

As something for the elite class. Well I live in  a house that’s more than 20 years old and it’s   got one in it and I certainly do not consider  myself to be the elite class. For us, this is  

Just another option that people can choose to  use. Yes, it is old technology, so we’re offering   something that’s old and we’re also offering new  technology, which is a food waste dehydrator.  Councillors interjecting. Councillor COLLIER. Just one moment, Councillor MARX. 

Councillor COLLIER, that was audible from up  here. Show some respect to your colleagues on   the opposite side of the Chamber, or  to your other colleagues in general.  Councillor MARX, you’ve got the call. Thank you,  Mr Chair, I appreciate that. As I was saying,  

I don’t consider myself to be one of the elite  class. I can say right here and now, I came to   this country 37 years ago and lived in Goodna  Caravan Park, so I can tell you I’m certainly not   one of the elite class. This is just another— Councillor interjecting. Councillor COLLIER.  

Councillor COLLIER. Councillor MARX. Thank you, Mr Chair. This, as I   mentioned, is just another option that people have  available to them to deal with their food waste   recycling, should they choose to accept that. Moving on to item E, the amendment to the  

Significant contracting plan for the cartage  of quarry products. The transport of gravel   and other construction materials from the  Mt Coot-tha quarry is primarily to Council’s   asphalt plants at Eagle Farm and Riverview.  Transport of recycled construction material   to Pine Mountain recycling facility for  processing and reuse is also included.  

This is an essential component of the roadmaking  process and this contract allows us to transport   material at a lower financial and environmental  cost when we have no internal capacity available.  This SCP came through—last came through the  Chamber earlier this year, as was previously  

Mentioned. But now that the tender process has  been completed, an amendment to the estimated cost   is required due to price escalations. Through you,  Mr Chair, as has been mentioned many times by both  

This side of the Chamber and the other side of the  Chamber, that is a sad reality of the life that we   now live, where everything is going up in price  and we just have to deal with it. I commend the   items to the Chamber. Thank you, Councillor MARX. Further speakers? 

Councillor STRUNK. Yes, thank you, Chair. I rise  to speak on item D and I just wanted to pick up   on a couple of things that Councillor MARX said  in her remarks. The first one that really stood   out and the only reason I’m standing up here  at this—because our leader—the Leader of the  

Opposition, Councillor CASSIDY, did a good job  summing up on FOGO and on this particular item.   She said it was cutting edge. Well I’m sorry,  Councillor MARX, what you’re doing with FOGO,   what you’re proposing and doing with FOGO and  you’re rolling out that particular type of  

FOGO which I call FOGO-light, which is  without protein, is really not cutting   edge. It’s really doing half the job. There are over 100 councils, I believe,   right throughout Australia now that are doing  what we should be doing as the largest council  

In Australia, that has the biggest amount  of resources, if we didn’t waste them on   the blowouts of some of these big ticket items  that we talked about earlier today. Honestly,   the first time you—and you only actually went  to a FOGO trial kicking and screaming because  

We brought it up and made it very uncomfortable  in this Chamber about what you weren’t doing   and what other councils were doing. Some of  these other councils are very small councils   so they don’t have a lot of resources, but they  decided that the environment was important. The  

Gases that they are not emitting into the  atmosphere because of their FOGO system is   doing a lot of good for Australia and the world. If you had a look at the rollout of the numbers,  

I think the initial one was a few years ago. I  think it was about 1,500 homes and then it got   up to about 3,000 and then it was up to about six  and now the LORD MAYOR is saying it’s another five  

And a half or whatever. At that rate it’s going  to take 40 years before there’s a FOGO system   right across this city. Quite frankly, that is  just appalling, it’s honestly you’re not really   doing anything to—you’re not doing anything  substantial to limit the greenhouse gases into  

The atmosphere by not doing a proper FOGO right  across Brisbane and invest some of that money   that the State Government has made available,  what Ipswich City Council is going to do.  I think it’s just really telling of this LNP  Administration that just because the Opposition  

Brought it up a few years back it’s not a good  idea, or you’re just going to toy with it so   that the media think that you’re doing something,  right, which you’re really not doing much at all.  

Honestly, I would have hoped in this last budget,  right, not the budget review we’re about to have,   but the last budget, that you would have done  something really substantial. Because listen,   there is—most people across Brisbane, once it’s  explained what FOGO is, are right behind it,  

Because they can see the sense in the  amount of greenhouse gases that won’t   be emitted into the atmosphere, that we’re  going to do with landfill, that 100,000   tonnes of landfill in this next 12 months. Councillor MARX, you spin a great story, I give  

You that. You sound very convincing, but really  if you just pick it apart and have a think about   it critically, it really doesn’t add up. I just  wish this Council would get off their duff and do   something substantial for this city and for this  country. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councillor. 

Further speakers? Councillor CUNNINGHAM. Thanks, Mr Chair.   I rise to speak on two items before us right  now. First to item F, which is the significant   contracting plan for Oracle hardware, software  and services. Council requires maintenance of   a fully supported and stable Oracle platform for  a number of business-critical applications that  

Are currently deployed on the platform and used  by many employees. These applications are not   due to be retired or migrated until 2030. Support  and maintenance contracts for Council’s existing   Oracle platform are due to expire on 14 July  2024 and will reach end of life in February 2025. 

Four options were explored by Council officers to  address our ageing Oracle platform and refreshing   Council’s existing Oracle platform with Oracle’s  hybrid cloud solution, as deemed as the lowest   risk option. Also the lowest cost option,  Mr Chair, with minimal change to existing  

Application architecture required. Over the first  four years of the proposed refresh solution,   Council will save approximately $5.5 million when  compared with the cost of continuing to run the   current platform solution and moving to extended  support. The independent industry analysis  

Organisation has advised Council that the offers  that have been provided by Oracle are market   leading and I commend this report to the Chamber. Mr Chair, turning now to item M. This is the lease   and the tenure arrangements to facilitate  a new tourism and hospitality outcome down  

At Howard Smith Wharves and it’s one that I’m  pleased to be able to speak to today. As part of   ongoing activation plans by Howard Smith Wharves,  they’ve proposed a new project that will deliver   improvements to maritime infrastructure and  facilities in the area, through the construction  

Of a large commercial pontoon. The plans are aimed  at increasing tourism opportunities by providing a   landing spot for tour operators, private tour  operators, and for food and beverage outlets   operating from permanently moored vessels there. The area proposed for this purpose is obviously  

Part of the Brisbane River and is not owned or  controlled by Council. As a result, Council has   submitted a request to the Department of Resources  to enter into wet leases over the required area,   which Council can then subsequently sublease  to Howard Smith Wharves. The State Government  

Has provided offers to Council to lease these  areas until 23 October 2068, this being the   date that the current wet lease at Howard Smith  Wharves expires, with rent to be set by the state   at six per cent of the rental value of the lease  area, in accordance with the Land Regulation 2020. 

Subject to Council obtaining approvals,  tenure and consent from the state, the item   before us proposes to grant Howard Smith Wharves  subleases over these areas until 22 October 2068,   which is when Howard Smith Wharves’ current  sublease expires. Importantly—and I want to  

Assure all Councillors—an agreement has been  made for a percentage of turnover from the new   activations to be passed through to Council  in addition to the rent which is payable to   the state. Importantly, Howard Smith Wharves is  solely responsible for all costs associated with  

The construction of the pontoon and associated  infrastructure and the ongoing costs to operate,   maintain, repair and replace the improvements,  Mr Chair. So through you, Mr, Chair, I trust   that this allays Councillor CASSIDY’s concerns.  Council has certainly been focused on seeing  

Our costs recovered at least and Howard Smith  Wharves is solely responsible for those costs.  Now Councillor MASSEY talked in terms of  gifting this public land, Mr Chair. Once again,   for the record, so that Councillors understand. It  is a lease and as to gifting, she is ignoring the  

Revenue opportunities that this will create  for Council to help pay for the nice things   that she wants to deliver for her residents. Howard Smith Wharves is popular with Brisbane   residents, newsflash, it has been hugely  successful to our tourism and hospitality  

Offering in this city. This Administration is  pleased to be able to work with the Howard Smith   Wharves team on this project. This project,  which has also been spruiked and strongly   supported by the Deputy Premier. Thanks,  Mr Chair. Thank you, Councillor CUNNINGHAM.  Further speakers? Councillor ALLAN. Thank you,  

Mr Chair. I rise to speak on item A, the minor  amendment to Brisbane City Plan 2014. So minor   amendment, Package Q. As the LORD MAYOR said,  this proposed amendment will seek to update   the Planning Scheme to reflect the declaration  of the new Woolloongabba Priority Development  

Area and also update Brisbane standard drawings  in the Infrastructure Design Planning Scheme   Policy. To align with industry best practice  and Council standards for infrastructure design.  On 22 September 2023, the new Woolloongabba  Priority Development Area was declared by   the State Government. The new PDA superseded  the Woolloongabba Cross River Rail Priority  

Development Area and as such the change  references the new PDA and relevant   Interim Land Use Plan. Also considered within  this minor amendment package are updates to   12 Brisbane standard drawings. This includes  implementing new drawings to provide clarity   on best practice infrastructure design for  Council delivered infrastructure. It also  

Revises existing drawings to reflect changes to  current standards and availability of materials.  Although these changes may seem minor in nature.  Without updating respective drawings, there may be   more significant flow-on consequences in the  future. For example, one of the new drawings  

Relate to braille for mounted wayfinding signage,  as there was previously no standardised drawing   for this type of signage. Another example is  updating the standard drawing for kerb ramps,   with the preference for these ramps to be  1.5 metres wide and at a minimum 1.2 meters. 

If supported and adopted today, the proposed  amendment will take effect from 8 December   2023. Mr Chair, the City Plan guides  how land in Brisbane can be used and   developed to support economic growth, while  protecting our city’s enviable way of life.   Changes such as this amendment ensures our  Planning Scheme remains robust and resilient  

And able to reflect changes over time, in line  with both community and industry expectations.  Just popping back to the PDA. One of  the points that Councillor CASSIDY   made and one I do agree with, is that the  Government definitely needs to move to lock  

In the benefits that can accrue from this PDA. I also wanted to touch upon some of the points   that Councillor MASSEY made, particularly around  the PDA. A lot of negativity around the PDA.   No real sort of consciousness as to the benefits  that can accrue from this PDA. As I noted earlier,  

This is a State Government PDA. If she wants  something changed in this PDA or wants to give   effect to changes in this PDA, can I suggest she  just talks to her really, really effective Green   Members in the State Government and see what  they can deliver for her. Thank you, Mr Chair. 

Councillor interjecting.  Thank you, Councillor ALLAN.  Are there any further  speakers? I see no one rising.  Right of reply? No right of reply. So Councillors, bear with me. We will now put   item A to the vote. All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no. 

Councillor says no. The ayes  have it. Division. No seconder.  We will now items C, D, E, F and J to the vote. All those in favour say aye.  Councillors say aye. Those against say no. The ayes have it. Division. No,  

Seconder. We will now move on. We will now put items G, H and I to the vote.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors   say aye. Those against say no. Councillor says no. The ayes have it.  Division called by Councillor CASSIDY  and seconded by Councillor COLLIER.  

That was Councillor COLLIER, wasn’t it? Councillor interjecting. Yes, thank you.   Ayes to my right, noes to my left. Clerks,  please ring the bells. Quiet please. Clerk   please read the results. Mr Chair, the ayes have   it. The voting being 17 in favour and  seven abstentions. Sorry, Councillors,  

Those items of the report have passed. Can  you please return to your seats please?  DEPUTY MAYOR, can you please—oh, sorry— Point  of order, Chair. —my apologies, thank you.  We will now put item M. Those in favour say aye.  Councillors say aye. Those against say no. Councillors say no. The ayes have it. 

Division called by, I think that was Councillor  JOHNSTON and Councillor MASSEY. Ayes to my right,   noes to my left. Clerks, please ring the bells. Clerks, please read the results. Mr Chair,   the ayes have it. The voting being 17 in favour,  two against and five abstentions. Thank you,  

Councillors, item M has passed. Point of order, Mr  Chair. Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes,   could I just check item J, when was the voting  for item J? Councillor JOHNSTON we grouped item   J in on the second vote after item A. I’m sorry so  could you just repeat which items they were? Okay,  

We first voted on item A. Yes. Then the second  vote was on C, D, E, F and J. J in the—okay,   thank you. Then G and H and then I forgot  M, until Councillor CASSIDY reminded me and  

We voted on M. So now we’re about to open  debate on items B and K. You with us? Yes.  DEPUTY MAYOR can you please open up debate  on items B and K, please? Thank you,  

Mr Chair. We have item B and K before us in this  second session of the E&C report. Item B is our   annual report to the Federal Government’s  Climate Active program, including our carbon   accounts and our public disclosure statement.  With this item, Brisbane will remain carbon  

Neutral for another year. Despite some real  challenges, we remain in a strong position to   meet our targets of a minimum 30% reduction  in emissions and reach net zero by 2050.  We are one of the first, and we are still the  largest certified carbon neutral public sector  

Organisation in Australia. No State or Federal  Government department or agency is carbon neutral   but we are. This is achieved all by running a  public transport fleet of more than 1,200 buses,   30 ferries, delivering roads, bridges and  infrastructure and operating landfill. 

We have been able to achieve this by taking  practical emission reduction action. Investing   in green infrastructure and embracing innovation  to help offset our remaining emissions. We have   done so without declaring a climate emergency. As the LORD MAYOR has consistently said,  

Right now we are building more than ever before.  This is exactly what this report today confirms   is the case. Overall, our carbon footprint  has increased slightly to 665,419 tonnes of   carbon dioxide, equivalent in 2022-23. Which  is about seven per cent from 2016-17. But when  

We first became a carbon neutral city,  which was in 2016-17, we did have a lot   less on the books to what we are doing now. This is a short-term peak in emissions for   three key reasons. I hope the Opposition  are listening because I’m anticipating  

What we’re going to hear here this afternoon. In 2022-23 we had a massive flood. The damage   bill for Council was more than $300 million. In  the immediate aftermath of that flood there was   a huge cleanup operation. Everybody knows that  and those of us here in the Chamber remember it  

Very clearly. Initially we cleared 3,357 streets  and collected 75,535 tonnes of waste as part of   Operation Collect. So our Resource Recovery  Centres received 29,000 flood waste loads,   more than 26 tonnes of hazardous waste dropped off  by residents following that. Which is more than  

The entire 2021 financial year, the year before.  So the scale of this operation has had a huge   impact on our carbon emissions. We’re going to  keep feeling those impacts for some time to come.  Secondly, as I just mentioned, and the  LORD MAYOR says many times in this place,  

We are delivering unprecedented investment in  city-shaping infrastructure. We are building   more than we have ever had before because  our city is growing faster than it ever has   before. But this is infrastructure which  is going to drastically reduce our carbon  

Emissions in the long term. It’s a little  bit of short-term pain for long term gain.  The third, of course, is cost pressures. A lot  of people don’t realise but under the Federal   Government’s Climate Active methodology, a lot  of emissions are calculated by dollar spend. So,  

For example, every $1 million dollars spent on  road and bridge construction is equivalent to   220 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Even for  our zero emissions, all electric Metro vehicles,   we still have to account for emission costs  of 330 tonnes for every million spent on  

Electric vehicles. So there’s a lot to be said  about the methodology in this space as well.  So if we are spending more because of cost  pressures, even the projects that will actually in   the long run significantly reduce our emissions,  then our carbon footprint increases for a little  

While as well. So delivery of things like the  Brisbane Metro, Green Bridges program, flood   recovery, have seen Council’s capital expenditure  budget increase to more than $1 billion annually   over three years, from 2021 to 2023-24. Driving  a significant increase in construction activity.  

Because we are planning for the future and we are  building for the future of Brisbane. Despite these   realities, this report paints a picture of a city  that has unrelenting commitment to sustainability.  When it comes to item K, Mr Chair. This seeks  the approval to amend the City Plan to create  

The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct. So  the State Government introduced the TLPI for   the Kurilpa Precinct on the 9 October. They  brought it straight through and gazetted it   to unlock the housing supply, affordability  diversity in a very well serviced and connected  

Part of the city. The TLPI will have effect  for a period of up to two years or until   the amendment is adopted in City Plan. It is now proposed to formally commence   the process to amend City Plan to include the  TLPI and any supporting amendments that will  

Result from the precinct planning process,  including full community consultation. What   the actual E&C does in front of us today is  the proposal to send the amendments to the   State Government to take a tailored amendment  process under section 18 of the Planning Act  

Which will facilitate a shortened timeframe and  include early engagement with State agencies.  It’s something that the State Government  have been pushing through the South East   Queensland Regional Plan and this is our  first test case. Somewhere we need to make  

Sure we can get this amendment in. I know the  Opposition are going to support this because   they’ve been talking about tailored amendment  and moving it through quickly. If approved today,   this notice will be given to the Chief Executive  of the Department of State Development,  

Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning  to undertake the amendment under a section 18.  The Chief Executive will then outline  to Council the process of amending the   Planning Scheme under a section 18 because it  hasn’t been done before. So we’re going to be  

Working side by side in the section 18. But  the State Government have already done their   first interest check, they have already done  consultation, they have already Gazetted it.  So we need to work through our process  now of making sure we can talk through  

What the Precinct Plan will look like, go out to  community consultation. Maybe at the same time   as we go through Second Interest State Review.  The State comes back to us on what this process   is going to look like now. But we will confirm  that with the relevant State agencies and scopes  

Of that Interest Review over the coming months as  well. I comment both item B and K to the Chamber.   Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR. Further speakers?  Councillor CASSIDY, you’ve got the call.  Thanks very much, Chair. On Council’s—Clause B,   Council’s 2022-23 annual report to the Climate  Active Carbon Neutral program. The DEPUTY  

MAYOR’s just confirmed something that we have  thought for a very long time. That the vast,   vast, vast majority of Council’s infrastructure  spend, $3 billion is what the DEPUTY MAYOR said,   $3 billion over the last three years has been  spent on those inner-city projects. On Brisbane  

Metro and those Green Bridges, $3 billion over  the last three years on these inner-city projects.  What we know from one of those projects, the Metro  project, is that it’s not increasing any public   transport infrastructure, except for a 200 metre  tunnel. Two hundred metres of tunnel, 200 metres  

Of tunnel under Adelaide Street here, Cultural  Centre remains above ground and they run on the   existing busway and it will increase capacity on  the busway by a couple of thousand seats. A couple   of thousand passengers an hour in peak hour.  That’s what the $3 billion now—I’ll be generous,  

The $2 billion on the Metro is going to deliver.  So if the LNP think that once that project is   complete we’re going to see a massive reduction  in carbon emissions as a result of that, I think   they’re not only trying to kid the people of  Brisbane, they’re trying to kid themselves about  

That. Because what we have seen, as the DEPUTY  MAYOR has rightly pointed out, under the LNP   emissions are rising from Council’s operations,  16% this year. The solution, apparently,   as we’ve heard from the DEPUTY MAYOR, is that once  these inner-city projects come online, apparently  

Emissions are supposed to rapidly drop. What we  know from the actions of this LNP Administration   is that their way of accounting for this, not just  the increase in emissions we’ve seen over the last   year. But also all of the emissions they continue  to refuse to remove entirely, by going slow on  

Organic recycling and going slow on FOGO, are  accounted for by buying overseas carbon credits.  Overseas carbon credits, the LORD MAYOR just  throws money at this problem and hopes that   it goes away. But sadly, that’s not how addressing  climate change in a global context actually works.  

We’ll take this self-assessment that this LNP  Administration do with a grain of salt. Like most   other things that this LORD MAYOR and his LNP team  try to pass off as genuine reports or achievements   on their progress on projects. I mean recent  history tells us that after 12 weeks it won’t  

Be worth the paper it’s written on anyway. Councillors interjecting. If you take their   budget approach, they’ll have to revise it, yes,  yes. So it will be up to a new Administration to   come in and revise it. Because all the figures  will, of course be wrong, Chair, if the LNP’s  

Track record has anything to do with it. We know, it’s well known and well agreed,   I think and even if the LNP won’t admit it. They  know that the only substantial, substantial thing   that a Council can do to reduce its carbon  emissions is to stop dumping 100,000 tonnes of  

Organic waste into landfill each and every year.  As this LNP Administration continues to do. Yet   year after year the LNP are happy to dump that  100,000 tonnes of organic material and continue   to add to Brisbane City Council’s emissions, let  alone the emissions of our residents. Who might  

Like to do something about that by having an extra  bin service each and every week. But are denied   that from this LNP Administration because they  really don’t care about the future of Brisbane.  They care about buying carbon credits to meet this  sort of carbon neutrality on paper. But they don’t  

Actually care what their decision will mean in  the future. They just try and get through the next   week, the next month, the next election cycle. So we know the only substantial thing a council   can do, that we could electrify every  vehicle in the fleet, electrify every  

Bus in the fleet. We could put solar panels  on every square centimetre of roof that we   own. That wouldn’t come close, that wouldn’t  come close to the kind of impact that removing   organic waste from landfill would have. Then the only answer from the LNP and the  

Only contribution we’ve had from the LNP Chair  in charge, is to say that Councillor MARX’s   house has an InSinkErator, therefore nothing  to see here. That’s the level of debate we   have around reducing our emergent emissions. Councillors interjecting. It does defy belief,  

It’s incredible. So you can’t just buy your  way out of this problem, it just doesn’t work   like that. It doesn’t actually reduce our carbon  footprint at all by buying carbon credits from   overseas. If you’re relying on others to do that  hard work instead of actually doing the right  

Thing and the hard work here in Brisbane, we’re  not actually making a dent in the global problem   at all. Which is having local impacts, we’ve  been living through that. The February 2022 flood   disaster, what is happening to our coastlines at  the moment in Brisbane. We’re seeing that. The  

Localised flooding that happens as a result  of increasing tide heights in my community.  We’re seeing that all the time. But by simply  buying some overseas carbon credits from markets   that have been proven to produce dodgy carbon  credits. So this LNP Council uses a market that  

Has dodgy carbon credits, has been exposed.  Those in that market are supposedly having   reforestation projects, that was in fact  bulldozing rainforest in Papua New Guinea.  So we know, we know those issues are well  documented in those markets in which Brisbane City  

Council is engaging in. Obviously the sensible,  long-term thing to do would be presenting a case   for change in the way in which Council does things  in planning for the future and not switching on   FOGO overnight, like Council MARX suggests. But  actually doing some work. They’ve been in power  

For 20 years. They’ve been talking about this and  I know Council officers in the Waste Team have   been talking about this for years and years and  years. The need to plan for this for the future.   What do they get from the political leadership  here in Council? Roadblocks. Roadblock after  

Roadblock because of their conservative ways. So I just don’t think these reports are worth   the paper they’re written on. When you are relying  on carbon credits, when we’re seeing in real terms   an increase in emissions. This Administration has  absolutely no plan to reduce them. Except to say  

That once the Metro is built and the Green Bridges  are complete, they hope and cross their fingers   that it will reduce emissions. With no concrete  plans going forward as to how they will achieve   that over the next five, 10, 20 years. Point of  order, Chair. Just one moment, Councillor CASSIDY. 

Point of order Councillor MURPHY. Will Councillor  CASSIDY take a question? Councillor CASSIDY,   would you care to take a question? Not  from him, no. No. My apologies, Councillor   MURPHY. Councillor— Anyone else, you can pass  it on if you want. —just—Councillor CASSIDY,  

There’s no need for that. You have the call. On  Clause K, Chair, the amendment to City Plan 2014,   the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct. We’ve  just heard from the— Point of order, Chair. Just   one moment, Councillor CASSIDY. Point of— Will  Councillor CASSIDY take a question? Councillor  

CASSIDY, will you take a question  from— On Kurilpa? Yes, on Kurilpa,   absolutely, yes. —Councillor HUTTON? Oh well,  considering you’ve been—the Opposition— Sorry,   just one moment. Was that a yes? Yes, I’m  on— Thank you. —Item—Clause K, so on Kurilpa,   yes. Well we were— Thank you, Councillor HUTTON.  Well, we were actually talking—yes. Would  

Councillor CASSIDY tell us his plans, considering  he’s been the Opposition Leader for the last four   years? On Kurilpa you’re talking about? The last  five years. About what you would do in recycling   and waste. You’ve developed nothing. FOGO. That’s  it? I’ll take a question, Chair. This is important  

Because it does demonstrate to me that Councillor  MURPHY and Councillor HUTTON have absolutely no   idea when it comes to the single biggest thing  and the only thing that Council can do to reduce   carbon emissions on a mass scale. There are  plenty of experts out there in the organic  

Recycling industry that would be very willing  to talk to you, Councillor HUTTON. I don’t know   whether you—Mike Ritchie, for example, has worked  with Council, Brisbane City Council in the past.   MRA Consulting, they do a lot of work in this  space. Have you spoken to him Councillor HUTTON?  

Councillor CASSIDY, you will direct your— Councillor interjecting. Just one moment,   Councillor MURPHY. Just stop, for a second. Councillor CASSIDY, please go through the   Chair. Yes, a question to Councillor  HUTTON and Councillor MURPHY. Have   they consulted with experts in the industry? Councillor interjecting. I guess they haven’t. I  

Guess they haven’t. He laughs and he just giggles  along and says FOGO’s the answer. Well, when you   remove 100,000 tonnes annually of organic material  that is generating—Brisbane’s single biggest   generator of carbon emissions, then yes, that is  the answer. But under this LNP Administration,  

The giggling we have from LNP Chairs, Civic  Cabinet Chairs, about organic recycling and   FOGO tells you everything you need to know, Chair. So we had this Stores Board submission we just   debated and the LNP are apparently on board.  But these are the concerns I just raised, Chair.  

Because when we start to talk about that as the  solution to reducing Brisbane’s carbon emissions,   we’ve got senior Members of the LNP giggling  along and making a joke of it. So there is   the difference. They have just let the cat out  of the bag, Chair. If the LNP are re-elected,  

They’re not going to go down the road of FOGO.  They’re not going to be serious about—they’re   ruling it out. That’s amazing. We’ve just  had the LNP now rule out organic recycling in   Brisbane if they are— Point of order, Chair.  —re-elected at the next election. Just one  

Moment, Councillor CASSIDY. Claim to be  misrepresented. Noted. Councillor CASSIDY,   you’ve got the call. Thanks very much, Chair.  Councillor CASSIDY, your time has expired. Point   of order, Chair. Point of order, Councillor.  Move for an extension. Seconded. We have a   motion for an extension. Moved by Councillor  COLLIER, seconded by Councillor WHITMEE. 

All those in favour, say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against, say no.  The ayes have it. Councillor CASSIDY,   you’ve got the call. Thanks very much, Chair.  So just in summary, the LNP are against FOGO   and Labor is for it. So there’s a big difference  in this election. Point of order, Mr Chair. Just  

One moment, Councillor CASSIDY. Point of order, DEPUTY MAYOR. Claim   to be misrepresented. Noted thank you. Councillors interjecting. Councillor CASSIDY,   you’ve got the call. So on the amendment to  City Plan, Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct,   Chair. The DEPUTY MAYOR has said that the reason  that this is coming through and will now trigger  

Community consultation, although that’s not  included in the amendment before us today. Is   because the State Government is introducing  a tailored amendment process. Which is,   as the DEPUTY MAYOR described in her opening,  all about streamlining the State Interest Check   requirements. It’s not about— Point of order,  Mr Chair. Just one moment, Councillor CASSIDY. 

Point of order, DEPUTY MAYOR. Claim to be  misrepresented. Noted thank you. So it’s   not about engaging in a community consultation  process, the tailored amendment. What that is   about is a quicker State Interest Check  process. So it’s not about the community  

And that’s what we were led to believe from  the DEPUTY MAYOR all those months ago. That   when the Planning Scheme amendment would come  through, there would be a full-blown community   process. Well, that’s not included in the— Councillors interjecting. —amendment before us  

Today. It was apparently, Chair, so urgent in  June that it had to be debated in the Chamber   right there and then, of course when they brought  it, the TLPI. The DEPUTY MAYOR and the LORD MAYOR,   they couldn’t stress enough at the time  about how important the TLPI was for them  

To address the housing crisis. As if that  would have delivered in the last six months,   housing in the Kurilpa precinct. As if the  housing crisis we are in right here and right   now would be addressed by the Kurilpa TLPI. I had my doubts that we would see an amendment  

Come through here, a City Plan amendment before  the election. So I was—when I saw the heading,   thought oh, here we go, this is  the Planning Scheme amendment,   which will include the full-blown process of  around planning of infrastructure. Looking about  

What is going to go where in terms of densities,  all that sort of stuff, in specific locations.  The report before us talks about what the  amendment seeks to do. In very simple terms,   it says it seeks to increase the supply of  housing, it seeks to provide new public space  

And it seeks to increase housing affordability.  But what is the amendment that is before us today?   What is the actual amendment that we’re being  asked to vote on? Because the only attachments   in here, apart from the E&C report is a map. It’s a map with boundaries. So where it says  

In there about the increase of housing supply in  specific locations and public space. The amendment   doesn’t include any of that. It is just lines on  a map. So there’s no mention in that report or   in the amendment itself, which is that map,  of community consultation or an engagement  

Process. Other than through what we’ve heard  from the DEPUTY MAYOR, the tailored amendment   which is around State Interest Checks. So I don’t  actually understand what the big secret is, Chair.   Point of order, Mr Chair. Point of order DEPUTY  MAYOR. Claim to be misrepresented. Thank you. 

Councillor CASSIDY, you’ve got the call. Yes,  thanks very much, Chair. So I don’t know what the   DEPUTY MAYOR is being so secretive about this.  Given in June they were talking—the LNP were   talking such a big game and were so proud of this.  But now they’re keeping all of these details so  

Secret. I guess that is the LNP way. Point of  order, Mr Chair. Point of order, DEPUTY MAYOR.   Claim to be misrepresented. Noted thank you. So  I guess the LORD MAYOR and DEPUTY MAYOR obviously   take the people of Kurilpa and South Brisbane as  mugs. They don’t really care, I think, about what  

They would like to contribute to this amendment  and to what their community will look like after   we see increased densities introduced there. They certainly had a Media strategy and a plan   around sort of winning the day with this and  certainly around keeping developers happy.  

Certainly around increasing the land values and  returns on landholders there, there’s no dispute   about that. Increase the density on that side and  that’s what the DEPUTY MAYOR said back in June.   It would be an incentive for those landholders to  either develop that land or sell it to someone. I  

Don’t think we’ve seen any of that occur in the  last six months. I’m not sure, I could be wrong.  Councillor interjecting. But I’m sure  the DEPUTY MAYOR— DEPUTY MAYOR. I’m sure   the DEPUTY MAYOR will be able to run through a  list of applications that Council has received  

For residential developments in Kurilpa since  the TLPI was introduced. But from the outset   we suspected that it was all a show and it does  certainly appear that way. It appeared that when   they introduced the TLPI and it is now appearing  that way when they’re introducing the so-called  

Planning amendment, which is just a map. The LORD AYOR got caught out very badly,   Chair, on his lack of action on housing. He sat on  his hands for years, I think it was four or five   years, in not producing a Housing strategy that,  not only was he required to do, but it’s something  

He should have done as well, in future-proofing  Brisbane for an oncoming housing crisis that a lot   of people were warning about at the time. But when  he did produce the so-called Housing strategy,   it just basically was one dot point, which was  Kurilpa. They’ve tried to build on that in saying  

They’re going to do this precinct planning. So  they released another map which had a few dots.   One of them was at Carindale, one was down  at Wynnum, one was at Chermside, Lutwyche,   Mount Gravatt. They put a few more dots on maps.  But six months has passed since this so-called  

LNP silver bullet to the housing crisis was  introduced. But it hasn’t fired. What has changed?  What has changed since the LNP introduced  their TLPI? Well in fact it’s got worse,   hasn’t it? So housing supply has reduced, rents  have increased exponentially, as well as the cost  

Of housing. If you listen to the LNP back in  June, they said that this TLPI was the silver   bullet to Brisbane’s housing crisis. Well it’s  turned out—it’s turned out to not be the case.   But when we circle back to what the DEPUTY MAYOR  said back in June. This has also come true and  

Maybe it probably didn’t sink in a lot with LNP  Councillors as it was said. But it is important   to note that the DEPUTY MAYOR said back in June  that it might be years, it may even be a decade  

Away when we start to see the kind of development  that was talked about in this TLPI in the Kurilpa   precinct area. It certainly provides an uplift  in the value of that land for those owners. 

But if, if the LNP knew that any development might  be five or 10 years away in this area and may even   be beyond the Olympics, Chair. This was never  about addressing the housing crisis, clearly it   was never about addressing the housing crisis. If  they were planning for the development to occur in  

10 or 12 or 15 years’ time. You would—if they were  upfront and honest about that at the start, they   would have progressed a Planning Scheme amendment  which would have included the community at every   step of the way. But the LNP decided not to. They decided to proceed with the TLPI,  

Their narrative was— Point of  order, Mr Chair. Just one moment.  Councillor CASSIDY, point of order. Claim  to be misrepresented. Noted, thank you.  Councillor CASSIDY, you’ve got the call. So  if that was the case, if the LNP, they did  

Know that and the DEPUTY MAYOR accidentally let  that one slip out. Why not have just done the   planning properly? Why did the LNP wait? Why did  they, through their actions, concoct the crisis   that we are in now after 20 years in power? It doesn’t add up does it, Chair? I mean  

They’re either totally incompetent or  it’s something worse. But either way,   they might think they were going to gain out  of this. They might think they have won a   little game here with their actions. But I think  they’re going to be bitterly disappointed when  

People cast their judgement on their actions  in March next year. Thank you, Councillor.  DEPUTY MAYOR, your six points of  misrepresentation, please. Oh yes, I have   two of the same. The first one was LNP confirm  they won’t do FOGO. That is absolutely incorrect.  

ALP are for it, LNP against it, that is absolutely  incorrect. It’s all about streamlining the State   Interest Checks he said twice. That is not what  I said, I said that is an opportunity. We still   have to go through an amendment process which  will involve community consultation, it has to. 

Number five. So secret, that they don’t even have  the plans there. The precincts, the densities,   everything, the transport plans are fully Gazetted  online, on the 9 October by the Deputy Premier.   Because the misrepresentation of number six is  it is not our TLPI. The State Government took it,  

Changed it, did it themselves and are now  asking us to do the amendment. Thank you,   DEPUTY MAYOR for keeping your  comments concise, I appreciate that.  Further speakers on items B or K? Councillor MASSEY. Thank you, Chair. I  

Rise to speak on items B and K. Firstly, people of  Brisbane need to know that the greenwashing that   this LNP Administration has been marketing to  them, and that’s what it is, it’s greenwashing.   I said it in June during the budget review.  The problem with emissions offsets is that we  

Aren’t actually reducing our carbon footprint. That’s the problem with offsets. We’re not   actually reducing the carbon footprint.  At the time, we had reduced emissions by   only seven per cent from 2016. Here we  have—there’s a damning, damning report   that shows not only are we not reducing them,  we’re actually increasing them. A 16% increase  

From 2021-22 to 2022-23. Meaning that this  Administration sites achieving carbon neutrality,   has increased emissions by seven per cent. There are certainly plenty of excuses. The   return of pre-pandemic activity, which has  been stated. Recovery response to flooding,   infrastructure investment and construction,  which we all recognise is the most—one  

Of the most significant contributions to  carbon for urban cities. But the truth is,   this LNP Administration hasn’t shown  leadership over the past 20 years to   reduce its emissions enough for foreseeable  increases, due to construction in 2021 and 2023. 

There seems to be a little bit of a pattern,  foreseeable increases that are not actually   seen. While constructing two Green Bridges and  electric buses on the Metro will contribute to   some reduction in emissions in the future. The  trends of waste emissions still staying high,  

Transportation fuel costs increasing from base  levels and purchasing and goods and services are   also growing. Making it clear, making it clear the  LNP target to reduce operational emissions by at   least 30% by 2031-32 is (1) probably a little  too little too late and clearly won’t be met. 

Because it is practically 2024 and  so here seven to eight years away,   this Council actually needs to reduce emissions  by 37%. Remembering that only earlier this year   in June that we had only reduced emissions  by seven per cent in seven to eight years. 

Then, of course we turn to the offsets, the 95%  offsets that are used by Brisbane Council but,   is it Verra? Whose CEO stepped down in May  this year after repeatedly being accused of   approving worthless offsets that could harm  climate commitments. Is that them? Yes by the  

Ones that multiple media outlets have claimed  that are literally doing worthless offsets.  Of course this is the same company that  most recently was a topic of a New Yorker   long read. With the title of The Great Cash  for Carbon Hustle. Offset has been hailed as  

A fix for runaway emissions and climate  change. But the market’s largest firm   sold millions of credits for carbon reductions  that weren’t real. Like that was the company,   they immediately after that exposé did an  investigation because they knew it was happening.  Just as recently as four days ago, the  same company actually publicly said,  

We’ll vow to clean up forest carbon credits. This  is four days ago. This is the company that the   LNP Administration for Brisbane City Council uses.  Dodgy, dodgy. Brisbane needs authentic leadership   that will push forward with decarbonisation  of the electricity grid. Optimising energy  

Efficiency in buildings. Offering residents  low carbon transport options and, of course,   improving how we manage waste. The climate crisis  is upon us and Brisbane will experience extreme   weather events more frequently and more severely. The LNP Council and the LORD MAYOR market a clean,  

Green and sustainable Council fantasy, while  increasing emissions and buying dodgy offsets   from a dodgy company. But, luckily, the  Brisbane—the people of Brisbane are waking   up to this. What they want is true action on the  climate emergency and there are members of people  

Across each and every one of our communities  across Council. They want no more greenwashing,   they want true action on the climate emergency. In relation to item K, which is the amendment to   the Brisbane City Plan 2014, Kurilpa Sustainable  Growth Precinct. For those sitting at home, this  

Amendment is the formal process, as the DEPUTY  MAYOR stated, for the Planning Scheme changes   concerning the State Government mandated and  edited, from pretty much homework done for the LNP   Council. There was only one significant change. The changes to Planning Schemes are supposed  

To take longer. But, as we can see, this  document continues to refer to an accelerated,   tailored Planning Scheme amendment process. I  appreciate that the DEPUTY MAYOR mentioned that   no one’s sure what this process is. I think that’s  you know probably a glaring problem right here. 

You know I’ve talked about the TLPI a  lot, obviously. The lack of infrastructure   investment for the hyper density, the lack of  mandated housing affordability within the TLPI.   We know no one currently sleeping rough in parks  across Brisbane will be able to afford a single  

One of these developments. Certainly not today and  since they’re probably not going to be built any   time soon, what we’ll see is the worsening,  of course, the rental and housing crisis.  Most recently I’ve talked about how this is a  furphy. How even the developers aren’t interested  

In building limitlessly, even after all the  tax cuts they’ve received. Most importantly   I’ve talked through about the undemocratic  overreach that this mandated policy with   blunt tools, without any meaningful community  consultation, input or feedback, delivers.  This is a crucial point because it is terrifying.  Because we do not know what this amendment process  

Will deliver. We do not know the timeframe. We  do not even know if the Local Government will   consider the submissions that are delivered  through the amendment process. Everything is   unclear. However, what is clear is the LNP Council  are continuing to push this TLPI. Even though they  

State very clearly and I acknowledge, that it is  the ALP State Government that has mandated it.  The scary thing, the dangerous thing, is  the process is unknown. That process keeps   constituents in the dark. It keeps us, even here,  the Councillors, in the dark. That is a dangerous,  

Dangerous, dangerous precedent for the  city. Especially when you do have all those,   as Councillor—through you, Chair, as Councillor  CASSIDY said. All those inner-city suburbs that   were tagged for precinct planning. All those  outer city suburbs, Toowong, Indooroopilly,   Mount Gravatt, Chermside onwards, that are  tagged for this sort of hyper development. 

Will communities ever have a say? Will communities  ever have meaningful say at all? Here we are   months, months later, after the TLPI, which was am  emergency measure that this LNP Council used. We   still certainly don’t have anything built in that  area and won’t have any time soon. We still don’t  

Know the process of community consultation. What we see here is a lack of accountability,   a lack of transparency and again, an override of  the democratic process. I’m not just talking about   the LNP Council, I’m also talking about the ALP  State Council. Undeniably going over and above to  

Make sure that there is no democratic process. Not  only with the TLPI but also with the Woolloongabba   PDA. That’s why I’ll be voting both of these  motions down. Thank you, Councillor MASSEY.  Further speakers on items B or K? LORD MAYOR. Yes, thank you,  

I’d like to speak on both items. Firstly, in item  K, the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct. It’s   interesting that the Greens’ Councillor has thrown  around the word dodgy a few times and let’s talk   about that. Because I think it’s particularly  dodgy when you claim, and your party claims,  

To support more housing. But at every  single opportunity you oppose more housing.  It is dodgy to say you care about the environment  when you oppose going up rather than going out.   It is dodgy to say— Point of order, Chair. Point  of order, Councillor MASSEY. Misrepresentation.   Noted, thank you. LORD MAYOR, you’ve got  

The call. It is dodgy to say that you care about  sustainability and climate change when you support   densification of the inner city—when you don’t  support densification of the inner city. Because   you are being dodgy and dishonest if you oppose  urban consolidation. Because the alternative  

Is urban sprawl. The alternative is locking  people into car-dependent communities. This is   how fundamentally dodgy and dishonest the Greens  are. Because they can fundamentally be for more   housing and against more housing at the same time  and not have a problem going to sleep at night. 

They can fundamentally propose measures that will  make housing affordability worse and drive up the   cost of new housing and somehow have no problem  going to sleep at night. When they can make dodgy   claims about supporting renters, when all of their  policies drive up costs for renters. That is dodgy  

Policy, it is lazy policy it is dishonest policy. The Greens Labor Coalition of chaos and their   approach on Kurilpa is the ultimate evidence  of dodgy policy, of dishonesty policy and of   an approach that will actually do the opposite  to everything they claim to believe in. It  

Will create a less sustainable Brisbane, their  approach. It will create a more car-dependent   Brisbane, their approach. It will create the  destruction of more green space, their approach.   It will create homes in places that people have  to drive a long distance to get to anywhere. 

Yet when you make the simple proposal of  effectively expanding the CBD across the   Brisbane River, to allow more homes to be  built and not expanding the CBD for business   purposes but for the purposes of building  new homes, they oppose it. That’s dodgy,  

That’s dishonest. Yet you also have Labor  Councillors who seem to have this divergent   policy to their own Labor State colleagues. That’s  dodgy and dishonest as well. The Deputy Premier,   the State Government, implemented the  Kurilpa TLPI. We proposed it, they took it,  

They said thanks very much, we’ll implement it. Yet Labor Councillors here can’t even accept   that their own State Government has done the  sensible thing. Because they are so wed to   being part of the Labor Green—well the Green  Labor Coalition of chaos. They are so keen to  

Jump in bed with the Greens that they will  even do the extraordinary thing about going   against their own State Government. This is  the first time I’ve ever seen them do that.   That’s how eager they are to jump into bed  with the dangerous and destructive Greens. 

It’s extraordinary. So while we continue to bring  through plans that will deliver more housing,   while we continue to put forward initiatives that  will bring down the cost of building housing.   Everything, the Green Labor Coalition of chaos  does is driving up costs, will drive up costs,  

Will make housing less affordable, they will make  housing less affordable. They will punish renters,   they will cause investors to flee the market and  they will make the situation so much worse. It is   diabolical, these dangerous and dodgy policies  offered by the Green Labor Coalition of chaos. 

Now, let’s talk about the Climate Active report.  This is one of those things where it’s—you read   the report and you’re like well, I’m sure the  Greens and Labor will not be able to resist having  

A crack. Because we own their space, the space  that they claim to own, we own it and we’ve owned   it for two decades almost. We proudly have led the  way and they do silly, virtue signalling things   like oh, let’s declare a climate emergency. They  actually don’t have any real policies, they don’t  

Have any record. They don’t actually do anything.  When they’re given the chance up in George Street,   is the Queensland Government carbon neutral?  Is even one single department carbon neutral?  Councillors interjecting.  No, not a single department.  Councillor interjecting. Councillor  ADERMANN. They have the temerity to  

Question the assessment that is done by Climate  Active, a Federal Government agency. Look,   I can imagine that they would criticise that  when it was an LNP Federal Government. But,   guess what? Chris Bowen is running the show. He’s  doubled down on it, this is his program now. We  

Are certified by the Labor Federal Government as  carbon neutral. Yet, they’ll try and question it.   They’ll try and throw shade on that assessment.  They’ll be like oh, this is greenwashing.  Well, okay if the Labor Federal Government’s  stamp of approval is not good enough,  

How about the UN? Is that good enough? Councillors interjecting. No, no,   apparently that’s not good enough either. What  about if Elon Musk— Councillor— —signed off on it?  Councillors interjecting. Councillors,  just one moment— Well I don’t know what   would keep you happy. Just one moment, LORD  MAYOR. Councillor MURPHY, Councillor MASSEY. 

LORD MAYOR. So, look, they can question the  Federal Government agency that gives us our   carbon neutrality. They can question the UN. But  what we really know is they’re just jealous. They   are just jealous. They are just green with envy.  It is sad. Because you would think that they would  

Be supportive of us leading the way when it comes  to our climate adaptation, our sustainability   agenda. Guess what? This year, this year, on our  balance sheet is included three projects which   have temporarily increased our emissions. What  three projects are they? Building a Metro and  

Building two active travel bridges. Actually it’s  four projects. It’s the flood recovery as well.  So flood recovery, it is what it is. We had—all  of the effort to do that recovery and clean-up   process generated a significant amount of  emissions and a significant amount went into  

Landfill as well. If they want to try an blame us  for that, good luck. That’s a natural disaster,   that was certainly beyond our control and we  stepped up to respond on behalf of the community.   But the other three projects are projects  which will help the community decarbonise. 

It’s an investment now that will allow people  to travel more sustainably and reduce their   carbon emissions, all three of those projects.  So whether it’s catching public transport on   the turn up and go Brisbane Metro. Whether it  is walking, cycling or scooting across one of  

Our new Green Bridges. These are things  that are genuine sustainability projects.  Yes, they involve a bit of concrete  and steel. Yes, in building them,   there are some emissions that have being  generated, significant emissions in building   them. But the emissions in building them allow us  to help reduce our ongoing emissions, not only as  

A Council but as a community, going forward. Yet all these people can do is criticise and   attack. It is sad, it is sad from people that  I would expect would genuinely care about the   environment and climate change. Their approach,  Mr Chair, is just plain dodgy. Thank you,  

LORD MAYOR. Point of order, Mr Chair.  Just one moment, please, just one moment.  There’s Councillor MASSEY’s misrepresentation.  Thanks, Chair. As I have said multiple times,   I support high density as within the City  Plan, multiple times. Thank you. Point  

Of order. Point of order, DEPUTY MAYOR. Can I have  item B and K taken seriatim for voting, please?   Yes, we can do that. Thank you. Point of order,  Chair. Point of order, Councillor JENKINSON. Mr   Chair, I move that the Council now adjourn for  dinner for one hour. Which commences only when all  

Councillors have vacated the Chamber and the doors  have been locked. Seconded. We have a motion for   an adjournment for dinner. Moved by Councillor  JENKINSON and seconded by Councillor WOLFF.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. Thank you. Okay, Councillors, thank you. 

Further speakers and I believe, Councillor  JOHNSTON, you had risen to your feet just   before we went off for dinner. You’ve got the  call. Sorry. No, you’re all right, take your   time. It’s just showing 1.58, I’ll just reset,  thank you. Thank you, Mr Chair, I rise to speak  

On items B and K. It was interesting that the LORD  MAYOR popped in for a few minutes to talk about   these items before us today, because he’s been  missing in action from this Council Chamber for  

Most of the year and certainly most of today. But  I have to say it was one of the more entertaining   displays that we’ve had for some time. Councillor interjecting. Yes, thank   you, Councillor GRIFFITHS. Councillor GRIFFITHS,  can you not interrupt Councillor JOHNSTON please.  

Councillor GRIFFITHS is not interrupting me at  all. I appreciate those words of support that   he is providing. Sorry, Councillor JOHNSTON, I  just thought he might be throwing you off your   track. No, no, as you know, Councillor TOOMEY,  I’m pretty good on my feet, so we’ll keep going,  

Please. But the LORD MAYOR of course trotted  out a few trite lines and I just would like to—  Councillor interjecting. He wrote them down.  Councillor GRIFFITHS. Or perhaps someone wrote   it for him. He trotted out a few trite lines  and I just wanted to talk about those issues  

In relation to the two items before us. Firstly,  Councillor ADAMS and the LORD MAYOR appear to be   in denial about their responsibility for running  the city. One is the DEPUTY MAYOR and one is the   LORD MAYOR. They are the statutory officeholders  and in fact the DEPUTY MAYOR often acts as the  

LORD MAYOR as well. They are the statutory  officeholders who make decisions for the city.  Now Councillor ADAMS of course denies she has  any responsibility for anything, but then she   says everything that happens in the 5K ring of the  inner-city is definitely her responsibility. We  

Know that Councillor ADAMS and the LORD MAYOR  are very proud of their plan for the Kurilpa   peninsula. Tonight of course though they said  it’s not their fault, the State Government made   them do it. Now I know the Labor Party will not  be happy with what I’m going to say either here,  

But the only coalition of chaos and—what’s the  other word? Chaos and—I don’t know, the only—  Councillors interjecting. The only coalition of  chaos that’s going on when it comes to Kurilpa   are the LNP Council Administration and the ALP  State Labor Government. They have sold residents  

In the inner-south literally up the river,  because they have sold residents who live into   the Kurilpa point into years of future misery  and harm. This is an area that is flood prone,   it should not be built on and people should not  be put in harm’s way. It is appalling that the  

LNP Administration have openly supported high-rise  in a known flooding precinct. Now I represent a   ward that floods and I know that we are trying to  buy back houses in areas that flood, but instead   the LNP Administration, in cahoots with the  Palaszczuk State Government up at George Street,  

Are selling residents in the Kurilpa peninsula  up the river, peninsula, sorry, up the river.  The only dodgy and dishonest behaviour that is  actually going on is that from the LORD MAYOR   and the DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor ADAMS, because  they say it’s not their fault that the Palaszczuk  

Government made them do it. Well they brought  forward the TLPI, they have supported 90 storeys,   they are giving the developers a rails run. They  were out there consulting with the developers   prior to the community even knowing about  this. We know all this because they’ve told  

Us and they come in here today and the LORD MAYOR  particularly comes in here today and says oh, no,   the State Government made me do it, that it’s  diabolical what the State Government is doing.  Here’s another quote, the State Government have  done the sensible thing, that’s what the LORD  

MAYOR actually did say in here earlier. They’ve  done the sensible thing by upscaling development   in a flood prone area of Brisbane. I don’t think  that’s a good idea. I do not support the TLPI. It   is a blunt instrument that is going to do harm  to a community, that does not allow planning to  

Happen in a sensible and a consultative way with  the local community. When I started 15 years ago,   this Council was going to go street by street to  consult with residents to develop neighbourhood   plans. Then Campbell Newman came along and  didn’t do what he said he was going to do.  

Then Graham Quirk came along and delivered  the most diabolical piece of planning going,   which is City Plan 2014, which I didn’t vote for. Now this Administration has ceded all power to   Council officers and allows developments to happen  in areas that should not be happening. Oh, and  

A Better Suburbs Board that gives them direction  behind the scene on what to do. So the only people   who are dodgy, lazy and dishonest are the LNP  Administration, who have brought in 90 storeys   in a known flood prone area. This is bad planning,  this is bad policy and I absolutely do not support  

It. I say to the people of Kurilpa fight hard at  your next election. Send the LORD MAYOR a message   that bad planning should not be part of our city’s  planning scheme, nor is accelerated—quote—tailored   planning a good idea. That just means that  you’re going to be ignored in the process,  

Whereby the State Labor Government and the LNP  Council, who like to criticise each other but   are special mates when it comes to planning,  will do you over, because that’s what it means.  Now the other item before us today is item B. Now  we’ve had this discussion previously and it is of  

Course astonishing to me that the LNP is still  standing up and trying to defend what is clearly   an appalling sustainability strategy. This LNP  Administration buys 90% of its offsets from a   disgraced company called Verra, disgraced.  There have been multiple investigations,  

The CEO has stood down and yet this Council  is proud of funding dodgy carbon credits   for rainforests and other projects that don’t  actually deliver any offsets, any real offsets   or any environmental benefits. That is this  Administration’s track record that you heard  

The LORD MAYOR in here saying he’s so proud of  and how did he do it? In the same way he just did   it with the other dodgy issue on the agenda we’re  debating, which is oh, the ALP Federal Government  

Said it was okay, therefore it must be okay. You know the LNP are in real trouble with   their debates when they stand up and they say  the ALP have told me we’re doing a good job,   so we know we’re doing a good job. That was  the LORD MAYOR’s debate here this evening,  

Chris Bowen says I’m doing a good job. Does  anybody think that’s the case? I don’t think so,   I’m pretty sure Chris Bowen would have no idea who  Adrian Schrinner is, but that’s a whole different   issue. What we’ve got is an LNP Administration who  have seen emissions rise by 16%, not the decrease  

That they are working towards but they have risen.  Again we’ve heard the DEPUTY MAYOR and the LORD   MAYOR and others stand up and say it’s not our  fault, we’re building a bus project and the bus   project is short-term pain, long-term gain. Well I’m just wondering where’s the power  

For the buses going to come from. Would it  be, for example, from the electricity grid,   which is largely funded by coal-fired power  stations? Which State Labor Government   might be trying to reduce that that they’re  critical of all the time? This Administration  

Is saying that the uptick in emissions at the  moment is really only a short-term problem,   but longer term we’re creating zero emissions.  That’s because they’re going to buy dodgy offsets   to offset their carbon use of the coal-fired  power station that runs the buses. That’s what  

This LNP Administration’s going to do. Or that  runs the lights, or the telemetry or whatever   it might be on the bridges that they’re going  to set up. That’s this Administration’s record.  They’re not thinking about true sustainability,  reducing emissions, looking at renewable power,  

They’re not looking at any of that. Instead,  they are wedded into this idea that there are—a   brokerage company called Verra will just buy 95%  of our emissions from there. We won’t even try and   reduce emissions any—sorry, our carbon offsets  from there. We won’t even try and reduce our  

Emissions anymore, they’re just going up, we’ll  just blame others for them going up. Meanwhile,   this Administration don’t think about  sustainability as part of their projects. The   greenwashing by the LNP Administration has reached  critical mass. When you stand up and say that  

Our increase in emissions is going to decrease  longer term and then still rely on coal-fired   power to run your new networks, then you’ve got  a problem. When you rely on Verra, a disgraced,   disgraced carbon offset company to say that you’re  meeting your obligations, you have lost the plot.  

Councillor JOHNSTON, your time has expired. Further speakers?  Councillor COLLIER. Thank you, Chair. Well just  on Clause K today, so here we are again looking   at Council’s grand master plan for the future  of Kurilpa, but all it is is a couple of lines  

On a map. It is completely astounding that  this Council refuses to listen to residents,   nor do the real work to forward plan for the  future. Today Council could be bringing the   community on the journey for the next big ideas,  but instead all they bring is some pictures,  

Some excuses and no great detail. They didn’t do  their homework and it is worrying that this is   the way that the LNP think that they can  do things. It is no wonder that this LNP   Council—everything that this LNP Council touches  blows out by millions and billions of dollars,  

Because clearly they’re asleep at the wheel  with no plan or vision for the future.  Instead, what we get from the LNP are kneejerk  reactions, after the LNP finally realised that   they actually have to do something about  housing supply in this city. They should  

Have known the need to plan for growth years and  years ago. This LNP Council definitely shouldn’t   have behind closed doors cooked up a process  that the community clearly doesn’t want. It   deeply concerns me that this is all this Council  has got. The best rhetoric that this LNP Council  

Has is this is solving all the housing woes of  the city. But between now and April next year,   there will actually be no opportunity to  look beyond Kurilpa and talk to communities   about what is going to happen in five  years, or 10 years or 15 years time. 

So when we’re talking about precinct plans—and  the DEPUTY MAYOR mentioned earlier the precedent   is set by what we are doing here in Kurilpa.  For example, the Colmslie precinct master plan   has been pushed off into the never-never and not  one person including the Planning Chair of this  

Council can actually tell me or my community when  it is really going to come. The DEPUTY MAYOR said   earlier there is community consultation  apparently in these precinct plans. Well   community consultation for the Colmslie draft  precinct plan was two sessions on a weekday,  

With no notice, in a place with no public  transport. That is community consultation   apparently, according to this LNP Council. It’s completely tired, it’s completely out   of touch with what communities want. Like Kurilpa,  will there be 90 storeys for Morningside? This is  

The precedent set for planning in the city  by this LNP Council. Through the Kurilpa   experience it is clear that the LNP Council are  completely locked in to a developer-led approach   that absconds themselves of any involvement with a  community. On the other hand, a Labor council led  

By Tracey Price would put the community at the  heart of decision-making. After 20 long years,   this LNP Council have stuffed up planning in  this city, they’re asleep at the wheel and   their only plan for Brisbane is cuts and more  cost blowouts. Councillors, further speakers? 

Councillor MURPHY. Thank you, Chair. Just on B and  K, I have to follow on from Councillor COLLIER,   who said we should have known that there was  going to be a need for housing in this city.   I agree with you, Councillor COLLIER, which is  why over the last 15 years we brought so many  

Neighbourhood plans through this Chamber and  do you know what Labor’s voting record was on   those neighbourhood plans which provided supply  of housing into our city? They voted against 80%   of them. Not only did they vote— Councillors interjecting. Just   one moment, Councillor MURPHY. Councillor COLLIER and Councillor CASSIDY,  

Enough. One more, you’ll get a serious warning. Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got the call. Thank you,   Chair. They voted against 80% of neighbourhood  plans, which have delivered the latent supply   that the city has, that the city has used in order  to provide extra housing. But that wasn’t enough,  

Not only did they oppose those neighbourhood  plans when they came through the Chamber, they   opposed them in the communities out there in the  suburbs. They spent years building up resentment   and creating grief and mayhem when it comes to  providing housing in this city. Councillor COLLIER  

May not have done a lot of that admittedly, but  her predecessor certainly did and her predecessor   certainly did and Councillor CASSIDY has done it. He voted against his own neighbourhood plan in his   own area, he wouldn’t have even a modest increase  in density in his own area and his predecessor did  

And Councillor GRIFFITHS has for every single  neighbourhood plan in his area. Councillor   STRUNK, I don’t know, hard to say, he’s one of  the better Councillors on their side. Councillor   WHITMEE, I will say this about, Councillor  WHITMEE has not had a neighbourhood plan yet,  

But Councillor CUMMING was the only— Point  of order. Just one moment, Councillor MURPHY.  Councillor JOHNSTON— Relevance. —your  point of order? Yes, relevance. This   is about the Kurilpa plan. We’re talking  about neighbourhood plans. Just one moment,   Councillor MURPHY. I realise that. Councillors interjecting. No,   no. Councillor COLLIER brought Colmslie  neighbourhood plan into the debate. 

Councillor MURPHY— Councillors interjecting. No, Councillor COLLIER.  Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got the call. Councillors interjecting. Thank you, Chair,   and I was about to— Just one moment, Councillor  MURPHY. Point of order then. Just hang on,   Councillor JOHNSTON. I’ll get to you in a minute. Councillor COLLIER, I consider that you are  

Displaying unsuitable meeting conduct and in  accordance with section 21(4) of the Meetings   Local Law, I hereby request that you refrain from  calling out across the Chamber. Point of order,   Chair. Just one moment please. Councillor  JOHNSTON had a point of order before you. 

Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, so you’re just ruling  that that was not—that Councillor MURPHY’s being   relevant? That’s your ruling, is it? Because  you didn’t make a ruling on what I said. You   just said something about Colmslie. I don’t uphold  your point of order. Sit down. No, no— Councillor  

COLLIER. —Councillor— Just one—Councillor. I’m  sorry, waving your hand at me is not appropriate,   number 1. But number 2, I made a relevant point  about relevance and you ignored it. Councillor   MURPHY is taking about every neighbourhood plan by  every other person, which is not relevant to the  

Kurilpa plan, so I’d like a ruling on my point  of order. No, Councillor JOHNSTON, Councillor   JOHNSTON, I don’t uphold your point of order. Councillor COLLIER. So— Don’t, Councillor   JOHNSTON. Point of order. Just one moment. I’ve  already ruled— I move dissent in your ruling.  

Seconded. Right, finally we get something done  right. There’s a ruling of dissent in my order,   moved by Councillor JOHNSTON and  seconded by Councillor MASSEY.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  Councillors say no. Thank you, the noes have it. No seconder. Now,  

Where was I? Just one moment, Councillors. Councillors interjecting. Just one moment, please.  Councillor COLLIER, can you just resume your seat  for a second. I will get to you, I do apologise.  Councillor JOHNSTON, as you continue to fail to  comply with my request to take remedial action for  

Your unsuitable meeting conduct, in accordance  with section 21(8) of the Meetings Local Law,   I hereby make an order reprimanding you for your  conduct. Your conduct and this reprimand will be   noted in the minutes of this meeting. Councillor COLLIER, your point of   order. Chair, just on what you— Councillors interjecting. Councillor  

JOHNSTON, do not go there. Sorry, Councillor COLLIER. Earlier   you said that I spoke of neighbourhood plans and  that’s not the case; I spoke of precinct plans,   which are different. Thank you, thank you.  So sorry, you said that, so would you care to  

Correct that? Because I didn’t say neighbourhood  plan. No, I don’t uphold your point of order.  Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got the call.  Thank you, Chair, and I might add, Chair,   that you’re tougher on me in this Chamber than  almost any other Councillor and I think everyone  

Here knows that. I think everyone can see that,  Chair. Councillor MURPHY, I will give you a   warning. Sure, Chair, and look, I’ll get back  on to the topic. We’re talking about Kurilpa,   but I think it’s really important, because we’re  about to have a voting record on this next,  

You know, this next planning effort, this next  plan. I think it’s important to reflect on the   other neighbourhood plans, the many of which that  have come before this Chamber and their voting   record on it. I know why they’re interjecting and  I know why they’re point of ordering me, Chair,  

Because their voting record is shameful. Point of  order, Chair. Just one moment, Councillor MURPHY.  Councillor— I’d just like a question. This  isn’t—the TLPI is not a neighbourhood plan;   it’s a temporary local planning instrument. I  called it a planning instrument. Just one moment,   Councillor MURPHY. I’d just like  a decision about the fact that  

Neighbourhood plans are being brought  up. I’ll take it as a point of order,   even though Councillor MASSEY didn’t say it.  It’s okay, it’s all right, it’s Christmas, right?  I don’t uphold your point of order. Councillor MURPHY,   please continue. Thank you, Chair, and look— Councillors interjecting. Point of order. —this  

Is a planning instrument. Point of order. The  TLPI is a planning instrument. Point of order.   Councillor JOHNSTON. Mr Chair, you are required  under the Brisbane City Act and under the Meetings   Local Law to make a ruling on a point of order.  Councillor MASSEY has raised a point of order  

About relevance and you ignored her. Councillor  JOHNSTON, I don’t uphold your point of order. Will   you please make a ruling, as you are required  to do. Councillor JOHNSTON, I made the ruling,   you clearly were not listening. I  don’t uphold your point of order. 

Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got the call. Okay,  we’re going to talk about planning instruments,   Chair. We had the South Brisbane neighbourhood  plan, we sent that off to the state. We didn’t   hear back from them for seven years and  we tried to increase density in that area,  

So that’s why we have a temporary local planning  instrument, one that’s supported by the State   Government. But again, I understand why  they’re angry, I understand why they’re   trying to shut me down and silence me, Chair,  because all of a sudden they’ve realised about  

18 months ago there’s a housing crisis. People are finding it very precarious out   there at the moment and their voting record is  abhorrent on housing. They have voted against   so much housing in the last eight years in  this place that their record is 80% against  

Neighbourhood plans that have created housing  in our city. If that was my record and then   I stood up and tried to tell people oh, we’re  for housing, we support people in more housing,   I’d be humiliated and embarrassed as well. I’d  feel that I needed to be extremely aggressive  

To the Administration in order to counter that and  that’s what you see is happening right now. That’s   why they’re so upset, it’s why they’re so angry. Now let’s talk about the climate active carbon   neutral policy. Now, I wonder, Chair, where  they would like us to buy our carbon credits,  

Because we know we can be a lot less effective in  terms of reducing our carbon emissions if we buy   them solely in Australia. We have a mix of what  we do, but we know that we can in fact have a  

Much greater carbon impact in projects outside  this country. That’s the reality, that’s the   reality that every organisation, every government  in the world is in. But if the Labor Party have a   different policy, then it’s incumbent on them to  tell the people of Brisbane what that policy is. 

Of course they haven’t, they’ve talked about  FOGO as if FOGO is the solution to everything.   We know waste makes up 28% of the city’s total  emissions, so what are they doing about the   remaining 60%? What’s their plan for transport?  What’s their plan for construction? It’s nothing,  

It’s crickets. Listen, Chair, you can hear the  plan, can you hear it? It’s nothing from them.   They’ve had five years to develop a policy on  carbon neutrality and they’ve done nothing.   They say FOGO as if that’s it. That’s one part  of it and that’s just one part of the many  

Things that this Council is doing. What about  Visy? Sold to the state, sold to the state. I   mean come on, there are so many things, Chair. Councillor MASSEY said emissions have increased   by seven per cent and that’s true. Well let  me ask you a question, through you, Chair,  

To Councillor MASSEY, what does she think about  the State Government’s energy and jobs plan? A $62   billion infrastructure and green energy plan to  transition our state away from coal-fired energy   towards renewables. Do you think we can do that  without building anything? Or do you think we  

Have to build a hell of a lot of transmission  infrastructure, generation infrastructure? Do   you think we have to build a lot of storage? Yes, yes, we do, so emissions in this state   will go up as we build the infrastructure to  allow us to decarbonise the economy. Unless  

Councillor MASSEY, through you, Chair, you  believe all that’s bad and all that’s wrong,   then you should say so. Or is it just  because we’re Liberals that are doing it   you don’t like it and you would do it better?  Because yes, our emissions have increased by  

Seven per cent, can I tell you, for us to decrease  our emissions by 38%, as you said we’d have to   return the city to like the pre-industrial age. Councillor interjecting. Councillor MASSEY. We’d   have to ask people to get horses and— Councillor interjecting. Yes,  

She said—I’ll take the interjection from  Councillor MASSEY, she said that’s right.  Councillor interjecting. She said that’s  right. That’s what the Greens want, Chair.   Point of order. Just one moment, Councillor—  That’s what the Greens want. Councillor MURPHY.  Councillor MASSEY, your point of  order. Point of order, that was not  

My like—misrepresentation. Thank you. Councillor MURPHY. Okay, Chair,   well I will take Councillor MASSEY at her word  that she didn’t say that. But understand that to   reduce the city’s emissions by 40% next year,  that is stopping everything and that includes  

Building housing in our city. The impacts of  the things that you want, Councillor MASSEY—  Councillor interjecting. Councillor MASSEY. Yes,  look, it’s hard, it’s hard being in government.   You can’t just glue yourself to roads and expect  to change policies. You have to actually make  

Difficult decisions and we’ve made many of them— Councillor interjecting. —and that   includes— Councillor MASSEY. Just one moment,   just one moment, Councillor MURPHY. Councillor interjecting. Yes, Councillor MASSEY,   you are next, you are next. Councillor MASSEY,  I consider that you are displaying unsuitable  

Meeting conduct and in accordance with section  21(4) of the Meetings Local Law 2001, I hereby   request that you stop calling out across  the Chamber. I believe that’s your first,   Councillor MASSEY, please don’t make it a second. Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got the call. Chair,  

I must be the most interjected on Councillor  here tonight and I don’t understand why,   because all I’m spitting are the facts. All  I’m telling is the truth when it comes to their   policy record in this place on housing, on the  environment, on decarbonisation, on transport.  

This stuff is all true, it’s all true, it all  happened. I’ve been here for now 11 years, a long   time and not as long as Councillor GRIFFITHS but  a pretty long time, Chair. Over that time you get  

To see the policy flavour come through, rises  to the top and we’re not seeing honest policy   from Labor or the Greens when it comes to housing  particularly, or the environment, two issues which   are being debated here tonight in these items. I  just wanted to highlight for the Chamber some of  

Their voting record on these things and I think  I’ve been successful in doing that. Thank you,   Chair. Thank you, Councillor MURPHY. Are there any further speakers?  Sorry, Councillor MASSEY, my apologies, your  misrepresentation. Yes, I think Councillor MURPHY  

Suggested my intersection was after one year that  we’d have to reduce emissions by 40% and that I   said—and that he would have to go—we’d have to go  back to wind it all the way back. I said I didn’t  

Agree, I actually disagreed, because no one is  expecting emissions to go down by 40% in one year.   Thank you, thank you, Councillor MASSEY. Are there any further speakers?  Councillor DAVIS. Thank you, Mr Chair. I rise to  speak on item B, which is Council’s annual report  

To the Australian Government’s Climate Active  program. Mr Chair, we bring this report through   every year and as part of that we publish  information on Brisbane’s carbon emissions,   our emissions reduction progress and of course the  offsets that we purchase to negate our remaining  

Emissions. Every year those opposite ride into the  Chamber on their very high horse and repeat the   same baseless assertions about carbon offsetting  and reducing Council’s emissions. Mr Chair,   it must be very hard to read the report  from that high horse, because it actually  

Contains all the information in there to  show very clearly that those opposite have   absolutely no idea what they’re talking about. Everybody out there in the real world, whether   it’s business or other levels of government and  even other councils, know that carbon offsetting  

Is the responsible, practical thing to do. It’s  a very legitimate way to help contribute to   lowering global emissions and this is because  we need to build roads, bridges, tunnels and   run buses and ferries. This means unavoidable  emissions which we offset and those have been  

Spoken about by other people contributing to  this debate. Purchasing reputable, accredited   carbon offsets is recognised by the United  Nations, the State Labor Government, the Federal   Labor Government and other local governments,  including those run by Labor councils, as the   only practical solution to unavoidable emissions. The State Government’s climate action for councils  

Policy even goes so far as to say buy offsets to  reduce your council’s carbon emissions, so we do,   Mr Chair, and we’re very proud of the way that we  do it. We have an incredibly stringent integrity   criteria that we apply to carbon abatement  projects that we invest in and it’s contained in a  

Corporate policy document which I’ve spoken about  before, but for the benefit of those opposite they   might like to read it. It’s available at any  time and that’s CS6 carbon offset purchasing   policy. All of our offsets are registered with  a recognised global standard and accredited by  

The Federal Government’s Climate Active program. We publish an annual public disclosure statement   through Climate Active, with details of all  offsets that we purchase each year and where   they are from. These offsets are purchased through  an independent broker and are annually audited and  

Assessed by Climate Active. We don’t invest in  the kind of international offsets we have seen   reported in the media for exactly that reason.  Instead, the projects that we do invest in are   vetted for the highest integrity, as well as  social and economic co-benefits and they’re all  

Detailed in that report. When we do buy overseas  offsets, we invest in projects like solar farms,   landfill gas capture, wind farms and waste  water treatment and biogas utilisation projects.  These projects have measurable scientific impacts  on carbon reduction or avoidance, as well as the  

Benefit of providing clean energy and drinkable  water in the developing world. I don’t think   anyone would suggest that providing energy and  clean water in the developing world would not be   a noble pursuit. We also apply these standards to  domestic projects that we invest in and in 2022-23  

We supported two projects in Western Queensland to  regenerate degraded habitat into a thriving native   forest. An innovative cattle management project  which embraces sustainable regeneration of the   land and savanna burning at the Piccaninny  Plains wildlife sanctuary in Cape York. 

As well as delivering carbon capture outcomes and  improving the health of the land, these projects   will also support employment in remote First  Nations communities. As I said, Mr Chair, we are   very proud of this work and also on the emissions  reduction work we’re proactively undertaking under  

Our emissions reduction strategy. We actually  receive great feedback from Climate Active   themselves that Brisbane is a national leader  in this space. Our reporting is comprehensive   and includes a lot of scope 3 emissions  that other councils don’t even bother with. 

But we do, because we committed to integrity and  transparency and we just don’t talk the talk;   we walk the walk. In 2022-23 we  permanently removed over 44,000   tonnes of emissions from Council’s carbon  footprint through the installation of solar,   upgrading energy systems to be more efficient and  using recycled materials in our road resurfacing.  

This asphalt is actually recycled right here in  Brisbane at the Pine Mountain quarry site. All   of this is without counting the obvious carbon  abatement benefits of the tens of thousands of   trees we plant and hundreds of hectares of  natural environment we restore every single  

Year. Even at our Rochedale landfill we found a  way to take harmful fugitive gas emissions and   turned it into renewable power for 17,000 homes  and Councillor MARX spoke about that earlier.  In 2022-23 our carbon footprint did increase  slightly and that is directly linked to our  

Unprecedented investment in infrastructure, as  well as feeling the effects of flood recovery.   As you know, Mr Chair, this was a huge job  and our first priority was to clear waste,   repair damaged assets and make the city safe  again. Naturally that meant we saw a spike in  

Carbon emissions and of course we’re continuing  to deliver construction across the city. Building   things produces emissions, it’s as simple as that.  The more that you build and the bigger you build,   the more emissions that you produce. This is  unfortunately unavoidable, which is why we offset  

And look to reduce our emissions in other areas.  But for Australia’s biggest local government,   the only way to completely avoid emissions is  to do nothing. Stop building roads and bridges,   stop running buses and ferries, stop collecting  waste and stop work on our flood recovery  

Projects. Well that, Mr Chair, is not an option. Over the long term, our emissions are forecast to   decrease in line with our commitment to reduce by  30% by 2031, 2032. But our modelling shows that   the only way to get there without drastically  cutting suburban projects is for the State  

Government to get on board with decarbonising  the public transport fleet. This is critical to   reducing one of Brisbane’s largest emission  sources and it’s the State Government’s own   policy, but their dithering is putting their  targets and local bus manufacturers at risk.  

So instead of sitting here and sniping at  us for actually delivering projects across   suburban Brisbane, perhaps Councillor CASSIDY’s  time would be better spent trying to convince   his mates in George Street to put their money  where their mouth is and join us in trying to  

Reduce emissions while still delivering  a world-class public transport sector.  Because while Brisbane City Council is carbon  neutral, Mr Chair, as the LORD MAYOR said, not one   State Government department or agency is the same,  is carbon neutral. In the meantime, Mr Chair,  

We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing to keep  Brisbane the most sustainable city in Australia   and a leader in emissions reduction. Mr Chair,  there are also a couple of assertions Councillor   CASSIDY has put forward that I think need to  be addressed. He suggested that if Brisbane  

Were to embrace—quote—full FOGO, by which he means  slashing red-top bin collection and leaving dirty   nappies and old fish rotting in people’s bins for  weeks, our city would become truly carbon neutral.  Now I’m sure Councillor MARX could talk about  the work we’re doing to explore ways, again,  

To make organic waste recycling feasible in a  city the size of Brisbane, but I want to address   this from an emissions perspective. First, we are  carbon neutral. We have been certified as carbon   neutral by the Federal Government’s Climate Active  program every year since 2016-17 finance year. As  

Part of that process, we submit a comprehensive  report, before us today, which is subjected to   rigorous scrutiny by both Federal bureaucrats  and independent auditors. So the claim Councillor   CASSIDY continues to repeat, that Brisbane  is not carbon neutral, is simply not true. 

Second, I have no faith that Councillor  CASSIDY’s figures of 100,000 tonnes of   organic waste are correct, because I haven’t  seen anything from him to back that up. But   let’s assume that they are for a minute. Councillor interjecting. Councillor CASSIDY.   Because by Councillor CASSIDY’s own estimation,  full FOGO wouldn’t even come close to negating  

Council’s carbon footprint. Point of order,  Chair. Just one moment, Councillor DAVIS.  Point of order, Councillor CASSIDY. Claim to be  misrepresented. Thank you. Councillor DAVIS. Thank   you, Mr Chair. When we talk about our entire  footprint as the second largest carbon neutral  

Organisation in Australia, our footprint is more  than 665,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.   That is literally in this report before us on page  11, if Councillor CASSIDY is interested in looking   at it. Even with some back of the napkin maths,  if we assume Councillor CASSIDY’s figures are  

Correct we are still left with 565,000 tonnes  of carbon dioxide equivalent to offset. Those   are emissions from building infrastructure,  running public transport systems, providing   public service and pretty much everything else  that we do. What is Councillor CASSIDY’s plan to   reduce these emissions? Has he even looked  at Council’s emission reduction strategy  

Or the item before us? The only alternative to  offsetting at this stage is cutting projects and   services and we will not be doing that. Thank  you, Mr Chair. Thank you, Councillor DAVIS.  Councillor CASSIDY, your misrepresentation  please. Thanks, Chair. Councillor DAVIS  

Suggested I made up the figure of 100,000  tonnes of organic waste being dumped into   landfill each and every year. I in fact got  that figure from the LORD MAYOR, your leader,   Councillor DAVIS. Thank you, Councillor CASSIDY. Further speakers? I see no one rising. 

DEPUTY MAYOR, right of reply. Thank you, Mr  Chair. I am very happy to stand up and sum   up on the debate tonight, because I can assure you  after listening to the debate on items B and K,   that team Schrinner are a loud and proud  Administration of a clean, green and sustainable  

City. We are the largest carbon neutral government  in Australia. We have gold certification for that   fact by the UN-Habitat and we’re at the forefront  of the largest infrastructure build in this city’s   history that will support our growing city  to the decades to come. We have a plan and we  

Have vision, that is very, very clear difference  between us and the other side of this Chamber.  As for Kurilpa, it is a State Government  TLPI that we are talking about and yes,   we did the work and they took the credit, but  we’re happy that at least the State ALP have  

Seen the light on what needs to be done  for this city’s future. Let me be clear,   because I was misquoted many, many times tonight,  I said this plan would encourage industrial sites   to move out of that area, industrial sites that  are not suitable more—just under one kilometre  

From the CBD and they are. The Visy site, bought  by the State Government, it’s doing exactly what   we want to see, the movement of old industrial  sites. We want to see renewal like we see at the   Gasometer at Newstead over the last 15 years. The precinct plan in its finest detail has been  

Gazetted by the state and can be seen online by  anyone who wants to see it. The plan put forward   the E&C put through today was a generalised map of  the area that is going up for the commencement of  

The section 18. It is there for everyone to see  and I can tell you right now that there will be   full community consultation on this project,  as all statutory amendments require. We are   the clean, green and sustainable local government  Administration, we are carbon neutral and we are  

Growing up, not out. But let me warn you, for  all those playing at home and watching on TV,   beware, beware of the Green-Labor coalition of  chaos, because we still don’t know their vision.   We do not know their vision because they have no  vision. We don’t know how they’re going to deal  

With growth, but I can assure you they’re coming  to a suburb near you. Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR.  We will now put the items to the vote. We’re going to start with item B first.  All those in favour of item B say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no. 

Councillors say no. The ayes have it. Division called by the DEPUTY MAYOR and   Councillor MURPHY. Ayes to my right, noes  to my left. Clerks, please ring the bells.  Clerks, please read the results. Mr Chair, the  ayes have it, the voting being 19 in favour,  

Two against and five abstentions.  Councillors, item B has passed.  We will now put item K to the vote. All those in favour say aye.  Councillors say aye. Those against say no. Councillors say no. The ayes have it.  Division called by the DEPUTY MAYOR and  Councillor JOHNSTON. Ayes to my right,  

Noes to my left. Clerks, please ring the bells. Clerks, please read the results. Mr   Chair, the ayes have it, the voting being 19  in favour, two against and five abstentions.   Councillors, item K has now passed. Could  you please return to your seats and we will— 

Councillors interjecting. Councillors,  we will open the debate on item L.  LORD MAYOR. Thank you, Mr Chair. Item L, which  is what I flagged in advance last week and spoke   at length about, this is about making sure that  we can keep pressure down on rates in the future  

While continuing to deliver the record investment  in infrastructure that’s occurring and record   investment in the suburbs that’s occurring. The  principles that we’ve used in bringing together   this budget review are keeping rates down in the  future, supporting the provision of new housing  

Without our infrastructure charges incentives, to  bring down the cost of new housing and to support   new housing being built. To continue investing  in the infrastructure our growing city needs,   particularly that infrastructure that makes  life easier for people getting around the  

City and the improvements around the city  that are being made. Finally, to continue   our record level of investment in the suburbs. We are achieving all of those things through   this budget review and we know that our suburbs  first guarantee is that we will spend at least  

80% of the entire Council budget in the suburbs.  When I delivered the budget in June, our ambition   and aim was 87% of the budget will be spent in  the suburbs. As a result of this budget review,   it will be 86% of the budget will be spent in the  suburbs. Obviously record investment continues,  

Even while we find savings to make sure that  we can keep the costs down for residents.  We also have made sure that we continue to deliver  our cost of living package, the $80 million cost   of living package which sees us maintaining  the cheapest residential rates in South East  

Queensland, which sees us supporting initiatives  such as half price green bins, $2 summer dips,   free travel for seniors in off-peak periods and  a whole range of other low cost and affordable   initiatives. We’re seeing many of those available  to the residents of Brisbane as we speak. 

Now in terms of the context of what’s  happened since we formulated the budget,   as I mentioned last year—sorry, last week, we base  our budget calculations on figures from the March   quarter each year. The budget is finalised in May,  it is released in June, but at that point it is  

Based on figures from the March quarter. What’s  changed since March? Well inflation has remained   higher for longer than it was forecast and that  is a fact, there is no disputing that fact. We   have seen a further interest rate increase  as well just on Melbourne Cup Day. We have  

Seen significant above-forecast rises in costs. We have seen $50 million worth of applications   to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority  denied, so a loss of revenue of $50 million   into our budget. We have seen a reduction in  infrastructure charges as a result of lower  

Than expected building activity of $60 million.  We’ve seen an almost $6 million decline in rates   revenues as a result of properties being  transferred from investment properties to   owner-occupier properties, as Labor and the  Greens continue to scare investors out of the  

Marketplace and drive up rents for people. We’ve  seen $12 million less in parking infringements—  Councillors interjecting. Councillor JOHNSTON. Sorry, LORD MAYOR, just one moment.  Councillor JOHNSTON, do not  call out across the Chamber.  Councillors interjecting. Councillor  MASSEY, please don’t call out across  

The Chamber, the same goes for you too. LORD MAYOR. When Labor and Greens politicians call   investors greedy parasites, what do you think the  investors end up doing? They think well, I’m going   to put my money somewhere else and that drives up  rents even further. So take a bow, you’ve really  

Done well here, you’ve really done well. Point of  order. Point of order, Councillor MASSEY. Would   the LORD MAYOR take a question? LORD  MAYOR, would you care to take a question?  No, not at this time, Councillor MASSEY. LORD MAYOR. You target people who invest  

In property and help provide more—in normal  times help provide more accommodation and   look what happens. They leave the market  and there’s a shortage of accommodation,   rents go up even further. This is the implications  of Labor and Greens policy playing out as we speak  

And it impacts on the Council as well. Almost $6  million in rates revenue lost as a result of the   transfer from investors to owner-occupiers.  $12 million less in parking infringements.  Councillor interjecting. Councillor  GRIFFITHS is laughing about $12   million less in parking infringements. Councillor interjecting. Councillor GRIFFITHS.  

Higher than budgeted wage increases to Council  workers. The Moggill Road corridor project,   which has experienced significant cost pressure  and escalation, in particular relating to   underground service locations, relocations. An  extra $9 million to Telstra, an extra $1.8 million  

To the gas company, an extra $1.2 million to  Energex. These are costs that can’t be negotiated,   these are costs that we don’t have a choice  about and are obviously placing pressure on   projects like Moggill Road. $56 million in bring  forwards for Brisbane Metro and the green bridges. 

Having said that, we’ve worked hard to make sure  we find savings in a sensible manner across the   organisation, including the $70 million in savings  in IT contracts, back office efficiencies, fleet   replacements, consultancies, contractors, catering  and travel. Also $1.5 million in savings through  

Ward offices and ward office upgrades and ward  office budgets. $1 million advertising reduction,   $3 million that was saved during the dry period  on grass cutting without impacting on service   standards. We also confirmed that the $80 million  cost of living package would not be impacted,  

That bin collections and kerbside  collections would not be impacted   and the bus services and ferry services would  not be impacted. That permanent Council staff   have nothing to fear and we also made sure  that we continue to support our incentive  

Policy to bring down the cost of new housing. These initiatives come, as I said last week,   in a way that’s been dealt with in a sensible  manner, to relieve the pressure on ratepayers   but also make sure we can keep doing the  things that are really important. They also  

Come against the background where we have seen  the Federal Government remove $33 billion worth   of infrastructure funding from their budget, $33  million. The Labor Federal Government has removed   $33 billion of infrastructure funding, just  last week in fact. We see even tonight on the TV  

Minister Bailey, Minister Bailey’s greatest hits.  We know that his tally to this point were budget   blowouts in excess of the size of the Council  budget and in fact the Council budget is $4.3   billion, the Council budget is $4.3 billion— Councillors interjecting. Councillor CASSIDY.  

The Council budget is $4.3 billion and— Councillors interjecting. The Council budget is   $4.3 billion—yes, yes, yes, yes. Minister Bailey’s  blowouts tallied up to $4.5 billion, but that   was until tonight when an extra $3.1 billion  blowout was revealed in a press conference. 

Councillors interjecting. Councillor ADERMANN.  That makes up about 72% of the entire Council   budget in one project, in one project. When  Labor Councillors get up and say what’s changed,   what’s changed since the budget, a lot has  changed. Every other level of government knows it,  

The other two Labor governments that we have  at the Federal and state level are experiencing   similar pressures. They’re dealing with it in  very different ways, the Federal Government is   taking the scissors to infrastructure. In fact  we’re doing the opposite, we’re making sure that  

We can build more infrastructure. We’re building  a record of $1.7 billion worth of infrastructure   this year and that is our commitment. The Federal Government is cutting infrastructure   projects, the State Government, I don’t know what  their strategy is, they’re just sort of—it’s like  

An out of control train. It is rolling forward,  no one’s at the wheel and there’s no expenditure   control, there’s no control of projects, it  is extraordinary. The level of cost overrun   at the state level would be able to pay for the  Brisbane City Council budget a number of times  

Over. It is quite clear that we are in challenging  times from a cost point of view, it’s not just   us experiencing it; everyone is experiencing  it and we’re doing the right and responsible   thing. LORD MAYOR, your time has— Thank you,  Mr Chair. Thank you, your time has expired. 

Councillor CASSIDY. Yes, thanks very  much, Chair. I rise to speak on this item,   Clause L, before us today. It’s day 42  of LORD MAYOR Adrian SCHRINNER’s cuts,   which means $70 million has been ripped from  suburban projects, from Council services and  

We now know that there are dozens and potentially  hundreds of workers who are doing basic ongoing   Council work that are being sacked because of the  political decisions of this LNP LORD MAYOR. The   LORD MAYOR just got up and claimed that his budget  was $4.3 billion, despite the fact that he’s  

Gutting $400 million from it and despite the fact  that there’s hundreds of millions of dollars in   carryovers from last year’s budget into this year. We know that on their watch there’ll be hundreds   of millions of carryovers from this year into  next year. We know there’s hundreds of millions  

Of dollars in depreciation and written down  assets that aren’t expenditure in the suburbs   of Brisbane like the LORD MAYOR claims. When he  gets up and says that his budget is $4.3 billion,   nobody believes that and I’m sure the reason  he can’t really look around when he says  

That is because he can’t say that without smiling,  because he knows that is terribly untrue. The   LORD MAYOR’s talked about lower than expected  rates increase this year in real dollar terms.  He’s cutting $400 million in this budget  review, which means less projects,  

Less services and sacked staff, so he’s removing  $400 million and he’s crying poor because there’s   a $6 million reduction in the rates take this  year than what was budgeted. He had budgeted $113   million increase in rates, so he’s still reaching  into the pockets of ratepayers to the tune of  

$107 million more this year than last year, but  he’s cutting $400 million in suburban projects,   Council services and he is sacking staff. He’s  waited to the last meeting, he’s put it down the   very bottom of the agenda to bring this item— Councillors interjecting. Yes, there’s the  

Priority. He just wanted to take out  the trash as late as he possibly could,   this LORD MAYOR. The series of events that led up  to the release of this budget review are almost   comical and we’ve got the LORD MAYOR getting  up today and claiming that despite inflation  

Decreasing since the March quarter, that it was  inflation’s fault. Then he got up and said it was   the State Government’s fault and he blamed the  Federal Government, he blamed, he blamed us, he   blamed the Opposition for it as well. He forgot— Councillors interjecting. Councillor MASSEY. He  

Forgot that he was in charge for a minute. Councillors interjecting. Councillor JOHNSTON.   The LORD MAYOR’s already slipped into Opposition  mode, I think. Maybe they’re getting ready, I mean   this is just really quite incredible that after 12  weeks apparently the LORD MAYOR had done so much  

Work and poured over this budget of his, within  12 weeks there was a $400 million bombshell. Well   something should have pointed to that coming down  the line for the LORD MAYOR. Maybe it was the $400   million in blowouts and extra borrowings that this  Council had to undertake in November last year,  

Because his Metro blew out and his bridges  program blew out and we’ve seen a blowout   on his inner-city Victoria Park project. He’s  overseen $400 million of blowouts last year,   he claimed that wouldn’t have an impact on  the budget going forward. Lo and behold,  

12 months later, where we are today, there’s a  $400 million deterioration in the budget. A bit   of a theme, a bit of a theme, I think, there. The documents that the LORD MAYOR tabled last   week and we are debating here today were supposed  to reveal and explain what really went wrong,  

But they don’t, of course they don’t. The LORD  MAYOR is expecting us—he’s a bit of a combination   of Campbell Newman and Joe. He’s gone today and  said that staff shouldn’t fear him apparently, I   remember that when Campbell Newman announced that  and then went and sacked 14,000 public servants.  

We know that he’s started the sacking already,  this guy here. He also then says you don’t need   to worry about that, just we’re supposed to  take his word for it. So I guess they’re his—  Councillor interjecting. Yes, maybe their position  will change in 12 weeks. Who will know? We won’t  

Be back in here before the election. But the four  pages at the end of the budget review which have   a couple of explanatory notes, I guess, are the  most revealing part of this budget review. They   still don’t account for the $400 million  deterioration in the budget and they still  

Don’t fully explain the $400 million in cuts that  the LORD MAYOR is inflicting on the suburbs of   Brisbane. But what the document does do, it  confirms that under the LNP you pay more and   get less. That’s in black and white. This LORD  MAYOR’s jacking up rates by $107 million this  

Year now after this budget review goes through,  but he is slashing suburban projects, suburban   services and he is slashing staff here in Council. The pages at the back of the review confirm some   of the LORD MAYOR’s targets of course. The Lindum  Road open level crossing project, that’s been cut.  

Now according to the LNP, even though they’ve  got all the funding from the State and Federal   Governments, according to the LNP it’s not a cut  if you don’t do it; it’s just a cut if you push it  

Away out of the budget. Well I think any ordinary,  normal person that would look at that would think   that was a cut. Drainage projects, park and  road maintenance projects, they’re being cut.   I know the people that I’ve spoken to recently  out when I was doorknocking with Cath Palmer,  

Labor’s candidate in Bracken Ridge, out at  Bald Hills, I know those people out at Hemmant,   at Kedron, who we’ve spoken to recently, or in my  ward, in Brighton, Deagon, Zillmere, Boondall and   places will be furious when they find out this  LORD MAYOR and those LNP Councillors have tonight  

Voted to cut drainage projects this year. In the wake of the February 2022 flood   disaster and going into another uncertain  storm season, the message from this LNP   Administration is they don’t care, they don’t  care. They won’t care their inner-city projects;   they are going to cut drainage projects  instead. Ferry terminals have been cut,  

Ferry terminal upgrades cut and the Bracken Ridge  SES depot cut. I know Councillor LANDERS has   been particularly quiet about this cut. I know  how badly her ward was affected, as was mine,   in the floods and I can guarantee that Cath Palmer  will fight for her community. Won’t just sit back  

And say to LORD MAYOR Adrian Schrinner you want to  cut the Bracken Ridge SES depot, well yes, that’s   okay with the LNP, that’s okay with the LNP,  they don’t have any worries about that at all.  Fig Tree Pocket and Kenmore Road project cut  as well and now we are able to publicly talk  

About how badly managed the Moggill Road project  has gone and how much over budget that is. The   LORD MAYOR, true to form, still won’t accept any  responsibility, he blames Telstra now. Apparently   it’s all their fault that his Administration  couldn’t plan a project properly to understand  

Where those services are and what work needed  to be done to move those services. It’s history   repeating itself because this was the same  problem that they had with Kingsford Smith Drive,   which led to a $100 million blowout, because they  hollowed out Council’s engineering capability and  

They can’t plan projects properly in advance. Then we see a $100 million cost blowout on that   one, a $50 million cost blowout on this one  and the people who are paying, lo and behold,   are ratepayers. He’s still jacking up their rates,  Chair, 17% on his watch alone he’s increased rates  

By and they’re going up again this year.  He’s cutting projects, cutting services,   slashing staff, but he’s not cutting the rates  take, he’s not cutting that one cent. These cuts   are real and they will affect the liveability  of our suburbs. We know the LORD MAYOR will  

Continue to—and he plans to continue to jack up  rates. We see that trend in the budget and the   forward estimates, he’s expecting to increase  rates by over five per cent next year. That’s   what’s built in, in terms of an increase. So he’s planning on jacking up rates but  

He’s continuing to slash suburban projects  and those rates increases are going to fund   the blowouts on his pet projects. Before the  Victoria Park project even started we saw an   $83 million cost blowout on that one alone.  So it is absolutely no coincidence that this  

LNP Administration’s mismanagement of the budget  and mismanagement of major projects, like a $400   million blowout 12 months ago which has led to  $400 million in cuts this year, are all on them   and it’s all because of their political decision. Now we know one thing—we know one thing that  

Has survived the cuts. The LORD MAYOR said that  he’s cut $1 million from the advertising budget,   but he hasn’t detailed what that actually  looks like. Because what we have seen since he   announced his cuts is more TV ads, more TV ads  on commercial TV and primetime. That doesn’t,  

That doesn’t quite—new billboards, big  billboards are claiming—a billboard claiming   a State Government project on a State  Government road, paid for by, guess who—  Councillors interjecting. No, well the State  Government didn’t pay for the billboard,   the ratepayers did. Councillor CASSIDY—  So they’re paying for the project. 

Councillors interjecting. Councillors—  They’re going to be paying for their project,   but the LNP are billing the ratepayers for the  advertising that they are doing, plastering their   faces all over. So true to form, the LNP have  always been addicted to self-promotion. It’s  

Clear that the LORD MAYOR cares more about his  political future than he does— Councillor CASSIDY,   your time has expired. Point of order. Point of  order, Councillor COLLIER. Move for an extension.   Seconded. We have a motion for extension moved by  Councillor COLLIER, seconded by Councillor STRUNK. 

All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. Councillor CASSIDY,   you have the call. Thank you, Chair. So perhaps  maybe, maybe if the LNP cut those TV ads and the  

Billboard spend that they’re doing at the moment  in an effort to get re-elected and put that money   into the Bracken Ridge SES depot, we would have  a better community outcome. People would think   that they’re getting better value for money than  they are from this LNP Administration. Every day  

Since October 2017, when the LORD MAYOR announced  these cuts in Council meetings and everywhere,   we’ve asked the LORD MAYOR to just stop  the spin and come clean with the people of   Brisbane. He is seeking re-election, this is  his big pitch, in cutting suburban services,  

Suburban projects and Council staffing. This is  his big pitch, but he still hasn’t come clean with   the people of Brisbane and these pages before us  today don’t answer the questions that people have.  Why are they paying more and getting less  in the suburbs of Brisbane under the LNP?  

All he ever responds with are glib soundbites and  standard lines, pre-rehearsed things and whining   and whinging and blaming. You wouldn’t think these  people are in charge of such a commanding majority   in the way they are carrying—the way the LORD  MAYOR’s carrying on tonight. You would think that  

They are on the verge of losing and they’re losing  their grip on power the way that he is carrying on   here tonight. The reality we have now is that the  LORD MAYOR—and we know the LNP have thought this  

And they think this at every level and we know  the LORD MAYOR has now confirmed this in public   statements he has made at today’s meeting and last  week’s meeting and the week before that, is that   he thinks that—he doesn’t value the dignity of  work. He thinks that contractors are second-class  

Citizens and a different class of workers. We know the LNP, from their comments over the   last few weeks, think Council employees are lazy  and he thinks he’s gotten away with the greatest   swindle this city has ever seen. We’ve spoken to  workers and the LORD MAYOR made out today as if  

Contractors that are working in the asphalt and  aggregates area of Council are just some sort of   day by day labour hire workers. He thinks it’s  okay to reduce their hours to zero in his terms,   but in other words that means sack them and cancel  those contracts and he thinks they’ll be fine,  

They’ll go and get another job. Some of  those workers have been doing Council work,   working for Council for 10 and 20 years, Chair.  Some of them are up to 20 years working on   Council road resurfacing and Council road repairs. This LORD MAYOR comes in with the stroke of a pen,  

Cancels their hours to zero, says sorry, goodbye,  he never really cared about them and the work that   they did. That’s got to be pretty devastating to  those workers to know that the LORD MAYOR of this  

City, the leader of this city thinks so lowly of  those workers and the work they do no behalf of   the people of Brisbane. The LORD MAYOR’s budget in  June made promises he knew that he couldn’t keep,  

But he never came clean with the truth back then.  No one knew at the time when he built in all of   these projects that if the QRA didn’t approve  those grants the LORD MAYOR was relying on so  

Heavily, that this budget would be in a hole. In fact, in fact I understand that some of   the projects that the LORD MAYOR and his  Administration actually applied for funding   through the QRA were never eligible. So it’s  little wonder, it’s little wonder they were  

Rejected. Maybe they’re so inept they didn’t know  that they weren’t eligible, or maybe they knew   they weren’t eligible and they kicked it down  the road and this was just some big concoction   to blame someone else again. There’s the theme  of the LNP, isn’t it. So we know that there are  

Council workers and no amount of spin from the  LORD MAYOR will be able to take away from that.  These people were Council workers that were doing  basic Council work have at Christmastime been let   go, some of which have had decades of service to  the people of Brisbane. That says everything you  

Need to know about this LNP Administration.  They are no different, they are no different   from the LNP at any other level whatsoever.  They have the same values, which do not align,   I think, with a modern and progressive  Brisbane. People who value secure work,  

Like us on this side of the Chamber. We’re very  different to them, very, very different to people   on that side of the Chamber if this is the kind  of behaviour that they are carrying on with now. 

On the point the LORD MAYOR made earlier about  the Federal Government, he’s saying I think in his   claim was that the Federal Government was spending  $33 billion less in infrastructure. It’s not true,   again this is the LORD MAYOR’s spin. They are  spending the exact same amount that they had  

Committed to on infrastructure, they’re in fact  not cutting projects like the LORD MAYOR is.   What happened under the Morrison Government, of  which Scott Morrison was a mentor, a political   mentor of this LORD MAYOR apparently,  he loved to get into photos with him,  

They promised a whole heap of uncosted  and unfunded projects to seek re-election.  Didn’t really work out for them, didn’t work out  for them at all in fact. Certainly not here in   Brisbane and not in those teal seats down in New  South Wales, or anywhere in suburban Melbourne  

Either. So all of those unfunded and uncosted  projects, a bit like the ones that the LORD   MAYOR goes around promising in his budget as  well, they clearly were unfunded and uncosted,   $400 million worth of them, when he cut them from  the budget, or he’s about it, when he’s about to  

Vote in favour of these cuts tonight. So we don’t  support this item, we don’t support the LORD   MAYOR and his Civic Cabinet’s complete and utter  disregard for anyone in Brisbane but themselves.  What we do support is a new and fresh approach  in Council, a Labor-led Administration which will  

Put ratepayers first and their interests  first and the suburbs of Brisbane first,   before the political future of ourselves,  which is what the LNP are all about in the   dying days of their 20 year old Administration.  A guarantee of ours is that a Tracey Price-led  

Council is one that is all about the 190 suburbs  of Brisbane, about giving people value for money   and the services that they deserve. Not just about  political games, like this LNP Administration.  We’ll be voting against this item today and we’ll  spend every day until 16 March next year telling  

The people of Brisbane as often, as frequently as  we can, how it is time for this LORD MAYOR and his   tired old Administration to go. If there was ever  a case for change from a tired old conservative  

LNP Council, this is it before us today. They  have no vision for the future of Brisbane and   it’s not that they don’t have any values, Chair,  it’s just that they’d kept them hidden for a long   time and they’re actually starting to shine  through. I suspect when people find out the  

Values of this LNP Administration, they will  realise they do not align with them. They do   not align with a modern Brisbane and 16 March  cannot come quick enough. Thank you, Councillor.  Further speakers? Councillor JOHNSTON. Goodness me. I  

Rise to speak on item—sorry, item— L, we’re up to,  thank you. L, which is the second budget review.   It is astonishing to me that the LNP Councillors,  many of whom are new, are just going to sit back,  

Say nothing and watch the LORD MAYOR trash the  trust that he did have, the little bit of trust   he probably did have with the Brisbane community,  by bringing through these budget cuts. Now we know   that the reason that this is happening is that  the LORD MAYOR, under his leadership, this Council  

Has failed to deliver on the major projects  that they have promised. Not anybody else,   what they have promised. Instead of those projects  that we’ve been told were carefully planned,   they spent years being planned and then funded,  those projects have blown out because they weren’t  

Properly scoped, they weren’t properly planned.  The residents of Brisbane have to pay the price   for the incompetence of this LNP Administration. Now they’ll stand up and they’ll say well,   anybody who doesn’t support our budget cuts,  you know, doesn’t know what they’re doing,  

Or they can’t manage money. You know, the usual  kind of LNP excuses. The LNP has had their hands   on the tiller for 20 years, successive Lord  Mayors for 20 years and this LORD MAYOR,   Adrian Schrinner, has run the budget into the  ground through his incompetence, as Finance Chair,  

Public and Active Transport Chair and as the LORD  MAYOR of Brisbane. The Moggill Road roundabout   project—and I really feel sorry for Councillor  WOLFF because she’s walked into a nightmare,   whereby for I don’t know how long the LORD MAYOR  and Councillor Mackay were out there going look  

How great our project is, our project’s fantastic. They spent years planning that project,   years and years doing all of the work to find  the services, to plan and that’s now the reason,   all the prep work is now the reason that the  project is blowing out. That just speaks to  

How inept this Administration is when it comes  to planning and delivering infrastructure. You   can see it, the Brisbane Metro is another great  example, it’s doubled in cost, doubled. Yes,   Councillor MURPHY’s laughing, he’s not going  to be hauled up for laughing, as I was. But  

He’s laughing— Councillor JOHNSTON, to the report. Councillors interjecting. Yes, it’s the acoustics.   But it’s not funny, I don’t think it’s funny that  he’s presiding over one of the worst projects   that’s ever happened in this city from a financial  point of view. That’s it, there’s nothing else  

That’s been as big and bad. Maybe Kingsford Smith  Drive where they sent a company into bankruptcy,   but this LNP Administration has botched a  bus project. There was supposed to be a rail   project. Now the LORD MAYOR has stood up today  and to try and justify these cuts that he didn’t  

Know about—like you know, the Finance Chair,  we haven’t heard from her, she’s probably not   going to speak. I’d be hiding too on this issue. But they stand up and say that they didn’t know   that there were these pressures in March, they  didn’t know. I mean everybody in Brisbane and  

Australia seems to know there’s some problems  with supply chains and inflation. It’s not been   a secret, but apparently to the LNP they didn’t  know in March when they were prepping the budget.   It was all a bit hard for them to understand and  see. I mean it’s quite fascinating in the report  

Before us today, it actually says that materials  and services are going down in cost, so Council’s   actually cutting. It’s quite interesting. But what I want to talk about specifically   is what the LORD MAYOR has said and that is the  dishonest, the deliberately dishonest statements  

Of the LORD MAYOR here today. When he said—and  he said it repeatedly and he’s said it week after   week now—that these budget cuts are about keeping  rates down in future. The LORD MAYOR has said it   repeatedly, that this is about—these budget cuts  are about keeping rates down in future. Now the  

LNP, who’ve been running the budget process, it’s  the LORD MAYOR who runs the budget process, have   increased rates every year for 20 years. There  has never been no increase or even a decrease,   there has never ever been one. Every  single year, every single year rates  

Have gone up under the LNP Administration. They say oh, we had a rates freeze for six   months and then they put rates up in the second  half. Not even in the 2011 floods or the 2022   flood years did this LNP Administration keep  rates the same or decrease rates. They went  

Up every single year. That is the legacy of the  LNP Administration, every single year. I know the   DEPUTY MAYOR wants to stand up and speak, because  she’s interested in speaking to Councillor MURPHY,   but she didn’t, she didn’t have that  chance. Maybe she’ll hop up after me,  

I don’t know. But the LNP have presided under—over  the biggest rates increases for 20 years. Yet the   LORD MAYOR says these cuts will mean rates will  be lower next year. Rubbish. He cannot be trusted.   His performance and his actions speak volumes. What is the LORD MAYOR actually cutting? Let’s  

Have a look at that. Road projects, footpaths, 10%  cut to footpaths. There is a one-year waiting list   to have a footpath repaired, one year minimum,  minimum to have a footpath repaired. But the   LORD MAYOR thinks that going on TV and advertising  a better Brisbane is more important than funding  

Footpaths in suburban Brisbane. That is the wrong  priorities. It’s very clear the LORD MAYOR has   also deliberately misled and been dishonest, I  have to say dishonest, about flood recovery. He   stood up in here and said yes, we will undertake  all the flood recovery our city needs within the  

Next two years. What do we see in this budget  before us today? Cuts to flood recovery.  Now Cactoblastis Corner is the only park left  in Brisbane that is fully closed. There was a   major slump and this riverside park has dropped  by three metres. There are both horizontal and  

Vertical cracks in this riverside park in  Sherwood. Instead of fixing these problems,   this LNP Administration have said we’re not going  to do it. Now this year they were supposed to be   doing some river wall improvements to stabilise  the problem, because there could be further  

Problems. Not repair the park but stabilise  the problem, they’ve not even done that. For   18 months this Administration’s been doing  testing, they haven’t fixed anything. Now in   this budget they’re not going to, they’ve admitted  it. They’re trying to blame the State Government. 

Meanwhile, what happened on the northside where  there are marginal LNP wards along Kedron Brook,   within a year Kedron Brook was fully restored.  The bikeways were open, the creek was fixed,   stabilisation works were done. In every single  marginal northside LNP ward the creek was fixed.  

But the Brisbane River in Sherwood, nothing,  nothing. This is an appalling betrayal of the   community by the LORD MAYOR. He promised that he  would ensure our parks and our public areas would   be fixed after the floods and he has failed to do  so. That is his legacy to the people of Brisbane.  

Rates have gone up, major projects have blown  out, footpaths have been cut, road projects have   been cut. He’s cut mowing, for God’s sake. Who  cuts mowing in the middle of a Brisbane summer?  He says oh, but it’ll only impact on the dry  seasons. Well come to a couple of months down  

The track and there’ll be no mowing to be had.  This LORD MAYOR has lost the plot when he thinks   travel’s okay, advertising’s okay, largesse on his  whatever, whatever, just—how can you cut mowing,   parks, roads and footpaths? How can you cut fixing  up a flood damaged public park? But that’s what  

This LORD MAYOR’s done, all under the big, fat,  dishonest statement that rates will be down and   rates will be lower in future. The only thing that  this LNP Administration stands for is deceptive   behaviour and that deceptive behaviour is going to  be found out. You cannot promise to do something  

And then not deliver it, but take people’s  money and that is what this LNP Administration   have done. It’s appalling and I don’t support it.  Councillor JOHNSTON, your time has expired, thank   you. Further speakers?  Councillor WINES. Thanks, Mr Chair. I just  rise to make a comment about the item L in  

The E&C report. Can I begin by making some general  statements. In our organisation the conduct of the   ordinary business of the Council has gotten much  more expensive over the last few years. To put   some context on that, last year and maybe the year  before concrete was—a concrete footpath cost about  

$200 a square metre. It now costs $300 a square  metre, same footpath, same concrete, same effort   is now $300 a square metre. That does not include  labour costs, that does not include machinery hire   required for that. To be able to maintain the  standards that we expect, what we are able—we  

Must be responsible about how that is done. The costs associated with bitumen,   40% up. Kerb and channel, 50% up. To be able to  maintain the standard we have to be responsible   and realistic about what can be done with  the money that we do have. There’s been some  

Criticism that we should be maintaining a certain  level of project work while consistently bringing   rates in under inflation, which we did this year.  My recollection of how rates have gone these last   few years is very different from Councillor  JOHNSTON. I clearly recall a zero rates year,  

I have a very clear recollection, at the peak of  the COVID panic we brought in a zero per cent rate   increase. Now this last year we brought in our  rates under inflation and that’s basket of goods   inflation, that’s not industry inflation. Point  of order. Just one moment, Councillor WINES. 

Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON.  Misrepresentation. Noted, thank you.  Councillor WINES. That’s industry inflation  is double digits into the 30s and 40s,   so to be able to maintain the standard of  spending that Councillor CASSIDY and Councillor   JOHNSTON have indicated would require a  corresponding 30% to 40% rates increase,  

Which is not realistic and is not going to—and  we’re not going to do it. Perhaps that’s what   they would do in the same circumstance, but that’s  not what we’ll be doing. Point of order. There was   a— Just one moment, Councillor WINES. Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON.  

Misrepresentation. Noted, thank you. Councillor WINES. I was placing some   context on what would have to be required  for the level of spending that Councillor   JOHNSTON is talking about to be maintained. But I  think what sits at the heart of this and you see  

It in a lot of the Labor Party’s attitude  to things, left wing attitudes to things,   that spending money is an outcome in itself.  The point of government, to the Labor Party   and probably to the Greens Party I’d expect, is  to spend the money. There’s no better example of  

That than when Councillor CASSIDY pointed at the  Kenmore Road and Fig Tree Pocket intersection and   said $2 million have been cut from that project. When in reality what had happened is that that   project had come in $2 million under budget  and that underspend had been accounted for  

Within this work. So what Councillor CASSIDY is  arguing for in that instance is that we should   have just kept spending that $2 million in place  until it was all gone. Well that would be deeply   irresponsible, but that also is the Labor way.  To be able to—as I say, what this organisation,  

That the Schrinner—the team Schrinner’s about  is being able to deliver the outcome. Now how   do we do that best? That’s to be able  to maintain our financial position long   term to be able to deliver what’s important. Now I also just wanted to make some general  

Comment about agency staff and can I say thank  you to all the people who’ve come from agencies,   who’ve worked with our permanent staff  to deliver a whole range of assets,   a whole range of projects, we’re very grateful.  We hope that when you return to the agency you are  

Redeployed quickly and that to you there’s just a  new opportunity elsewhere on other major projects   in South East Queensland. One of the benefits  of being able to do it—of using agency staff,   however, is that when inflation is under  control, when prices are more predictable,  

We’ll be able to bring those people back quickly  and we’ll be able to use their skills to deliver   for the people of Brisbane and we’ll be  able to manage the workflow as it arrives.  I think it’s important to spend some time  reflecting on some of the comments about  

The flood funding. We had been engaged with the  Queensland Recovery Authority for some time to   be able to get them to engage meaningfully with  us about what sorts of projects that they would   be funding. Would they be funding betterment  projects, would they be funding projects that  

Would mean that when another flood occurs in this  city that we will be able to return at a reduced   cost. The works that we will do would be able to  become a certain way that would mean that things  

Are more resilient. We had argued with them about  betterment a great deal and we submitted—and we   have—and our budget did reflect an expectation of  a significant amount of financial contributions   from the QRA, which they have not provided. I hope that Councillors have heard me talk  

In the past about our ambition to do a road  reconstruction and resurfacing project for   all flood undermined roads. There was a number  of, for example, roads that were inundated,   as we know that roads have for certain levels—some  of the roads that were inundated were damaged  

In a subsurface way and we would be able to  reconstruct those roads, so that when a flood   would occur again we wouldn’t have to be able—we  wouldn’t be required to spend as much money, or   even as we learned from when we did it last time,  even need to rebuild them again. The Queensland  

Recovery Authority has declined almost all of  those, so almost—so that means that that work   that we had hoped to do through flood recovery  and through QRA is now within our ordinary work.  That has to be reflected, that lack of commitment  from the QRA has to be reflected in the reality  

Of our financial position. There’s also a range of  projects within other program areas of the Council   where we expected—well we expected the QRA to  engage with us. We were hoping that they would   be the principal contributor for some major works.  Councillor JOHNSTON touched on a few of them. They  

Are not as enthusiastic about engaging with the  tens of millions of dollars that we would need to   be able to do a lot of this work as we had hoped.  So that means that the work we had hoped to do,  

That we had allocated for with QRA funding,  would now—now can no longer occur. Either that   or we take it on as debt or we take it on as a  rates increase, which we were not prepared to do. 

As a result of that, a reduction in the scope of  the works we were hoping to do through the—for   example, I’m spending quite a bit of time on road  resurfacing, but I think that gives context to  

What we’re talking about. That work will now be  done by this Council, but without the tens of   millions of dollars allocated that we anticipated  from the QRA. To make a general statement about   dealing with the QRA, it took a long time  for them to be clear about what they were  

Prepared to fund and what they weren’t. Some—and  I appreciate the—I’m not sure if you heard that,   Mr Chair, but the Councillors near me also  indicated that that was their experience too.   When it came to road resurfacing, sometimes  the road was in, sometimes it was out and it  

Depended on—it was not a consistent application. We have to budget in preparation of that work,   we have to—however, when the revenue didn’t arrive  from the state, well what are we supposed to do?   So what we’ve done is accept our responsibility,  but recognise our position in a revenue sense and  

In a cost sense. Too much of the comments made  by earlier speakers on this matter indicated   a real magic pudding attitude towards how this  organisation’s finances work. That you can have   a project like the Cactoblastis Place, which is  a piece of parkland that interacts with the State  

Government asset, the river. Then what the Council  has to—has to do all the work for the state while   the state refuses to put any funds in, while we  also don’t put rates up in line with inflation. 

It doesn’t—we can’t—you can’t have it all, I  guess, no matter how much we’d like to do it. In a   perfect world we would do a lot of this work, but  the fact is that the state, in my opinion, have  

Not lived up to their obligations to look after—to  embetter projects, to save parts of Sherwood that   Councillor JOHNSTON was referring to. They are  not willing partners, so what do we—so in these   circumstances we have to reflect upon our own  position and ensure that we are able to deliver  

What we can and then plan into the future to be  able to do the work that we intended to, but in   an order that is responsible and respectful of  the ratepayer dollar. Thank you, Councillor WINES.  Further speakers? Councillor COLLIER. Point of order. My apologies,  

Councillor JOHNSTON. My apologies, my deepest  apologies, your two points of misrepresentation.   Yes, the first one was—well they’re both  on rates, but the first one was Councillor   WINES made statements that I’d said specific  things about rates. I said rates had gone up  

Every year under the LNP and that’s definitely  the case. The second one was Councillor WINES   implied and stated that if things I said had  happened, that rates would have to go up 30%   to 40%. I certainly made no statements about what  should be done, I only commented on what the LNP  

Are proposing to do in the budget cuts. Thank you. Councillor COLLIER, you’ve got the call. Thanks,   Chair. Just on Clause L, what we see today  here is $400 million of cuts, that is what   this budget review is all about. Subsequently  that is this LNP Council’s legacy of this term.  

It’s cost blowouts on big inner-city projects,  it’s cuts to our suburbs to make up for those   cost blowouts. Mark this date because every single  one of those LNP Councillors will proclaim their   unanimous support to cuts to their communities. It’s playground upgrades cut, it’s local road  

Resurfacing projects cut, it’s footpath repairs  cut. Real-time reporting on footpath repairs as   promised, gone. Intersection upgrades  cut and that is all we know of so far,   right? This is what this LNP Council and every  single LNP Councillor stands for. Cuts to their  

Communities, they are okay with it and they  refuse to put their communities first. The   trust that is put in us as local representatives  by our communities to do the absolute best that   we can for them. The best that this LNP Council  have got for residents right across Brisbane is  

That you will miss out. That is what this budget  review says. What it fails to deliver is clarity.  It’s actually just smoke and mirrors, so I would  ask the LORD MAYOR and this LNP Administration,   I know some of you, if you’re brave enough,  will get up with your key lines about why it’s  

Okay to cut nearly $0.5 billion dollars from a  Council budget, but please just be honest with   people. Table the list, what exactly are you  cutting and where are you going to do it? It   beggars belief that this LNP Council think the  people of Brisbane deserve this, deserve what  

They’re getting tonight. The people of Brisbane  deserve a Council who will put residents first,   who—they’ve deserve local representatives  who will be true community champions and   stand up for their suburbs. Not more LNP City  Hall mouthpieces out in their communities. 

I would love to know what LNP Councillors are  going to go out and tell people when they say   this drainage project’s going to be cut,  or I’m not able to fix that footpath, oh,   but it’s okay because the LORD MAYOR said  we had to do it. Every single day between  

Now and 16 March, on this side of the Chamber  we know that we have to highlight your cuts to   our communities and your neglect in our suburbs.  The choice could not be clearer. It’s a tired,   20 year old LNP Council with $400 million of cuts  to our suburbs, or a Labor Administration led  

By Tracey Price putting residents first and that  is what is right for Brisbane. Further speakers?  Councillor WHITMEE. Yes, thank you. I rise to  speak on item L. Sorry, my— You’re all right, take   your time. There’s been a lot of conversation, I  originally was getting up here just purely to talk  

On Lindum level crossing, but every Councillor in  this room should probably check their ward emails   and see what other projects have been cut, because  I’ve also lost the Glenora boat ramp upgrade just   tonight. Cuts to—the LORD MAYOR sprouted all about  how he’s going to be—87% of the budget’s going  

To—is still getting spent on the suburbs, but all  we’re seeing is cuts, cuts, cuts, cuts, cuts from   everywhere. I’m going to—I echo what Councillor  COLLIER said, provide us a list. Provide us a list   of what’s actually getting cut. Don’t just put it  in drips and drabs over the next week, two weeks,  

Three weeks, four weeks, couple of months. What  are we losing? What’s actually getting cut?  Now when I first heard about the $400 million  in cuts, I made it no secret on where my brain   went. Twelve years ago I worked at a café that’s  attached to Lindum train station. My hairdresser  

Was there, shut down now, I’m quite sad about  it, but 12 years ago people were having the   conversations with me because, you know, baristas  are the new bartenders. Having the conversations   with me about how horrific that train station  was, how horrific that intersection is,  

The traffic build-up up Sibley Road. When I put my  video up last week about seeing the cuts to Lindum   train station—Lindum level crossing in the Council  budget, community leaders got phone calls from   certain LNP Councillors saying it’s all—it’s not. Councillors interjecting. I’ll take that  

Interjection from Councillor ATWOOD. It’s not,  it’s been admitted by Councillor WINES, by the   LORD MAYOR, they’ve all said it. The money has  been cut from the 2023-24 budget. If it wasn’t—and   I know that Councillor ATWOOD had words with  the State Member for Lytton, Joan Pease and said  

It’s only a delay of six months. If it was only a  delay of six months, it wouldn’t be in the budget   review at all because spoiler alert— Claim to be  misrepresented. You haven’t entered the debate   so— Councillors, I chair the meeting, not you. Councillor ATWOOD, you haven’t spoken sorry,  

Your misrepresentation can’t be upheld. Councillor WINES,   are you rising on a point of order? Councillor interjecting. Oh, nice.  Councillor WHITMEE, you’ve got the call. Thank  you. Yes, if it was actually just a delay of six   months it wouldn’t be in the review, because  spoiler alert, there’s more than six months  

Left in the financial year. Now, Councillor ATWOOD  also made some interesting comments on my Facebook   saying that—claiming, quite falsely, that this  is the only level of government spending any   money down there, referring to Lindum. Completely  ignoring the fact that the State MP for Lytton,  

Joan Pease, has been very, very, very vocal about  their significant investment into Lindum train   station, which commences in January, significant  investment. It is quite false, quite—anyway.  The conversation about Lindum has been going on  for over 30 years and this Council will blame  

The Federal Government, they’ll blame the State  Government, they’ll blame absolutely everybody   else, but the only level of government that has  pulled any funding out of Lindum, is this one. The   Federal Government hasn’t pulled any money, the  Federal Government reaffirmed their commitment.  

The State Government reaffirmed their commitment.  Local, no. No, we’re going to put it on hold.  Is this something that’s going to be brought  to the next election, the next re-elections?   The only dates that are provided in that section  of the budget review is the 2025-26 budget, it’s  

The only dates that are mentioned. It mentions the  deferral of funds from the 2023-24 and the 2024-25   budget and with funds entering again in 2025-26.  All of this debate never would have happened,   this conversation didn’t need to be brought  up, if the LORD MAYOR owned up, if the LORD  

MAYOR just provided a list, what’s getting cut.  It’s a simple request, it’s not complicated,   it’s not outlandish. What’s getting cut? It’s our job as Councillors, like Councillor   COLLIER said, it’s our job to stand up  for our communities. We get told that we  

Obviously only support rate rises because we  don’t support these cuts. No, that’s not true,   we support transparency, it’s all we’ve ever  asked for. What’s actually getting cut? What   does this mean? We can’t blindly support  a budget review when we don’t know what’s  

Getting cut. We don’t know what’s in it. How  can anyone with a shred of integrity support   something when you don’t have the detail? Everyone on the other side of this Chamber   has the ability to stand up tonight and stand up  for their communities, stand up for transparency.  

I challenge everyone to do it. Further speakers? Councillor ATWOOD. Thank you, Chair. I also rise   to join the debate tonight and I just wanted  to set the record straight for Lindum. We’ve   already heard from two of the speakers on this  side tonight regarding Lindum and both of them  

Were very, very clear, we still have $1 million in  the budget for this year, $1 million. I’m not sure   where Councillor WHITMEE is getting her figures  from, but I’m not sure what $1 million means,   that’s not quite a lot of money. Also, Councillor  WHITMEE spoke about the Lindum station upgrade  

From the State Government. I’m not quite sure  if a station and an open level crossing are   the same things, because they’re not. While I appreciate it’s an extremely   important upgrade, to say that the Council  are—sorry, the State Member for Lytton has  

Funded the upgrade of the open level crossing by  doing a station platform upgrade, is completely   misleading and I am just so confused by that.  But anyway, so just to correct the record. Yes,   the State Member does support it, but  we haven’t received any money from the  

State Government yet or the Federal Government. Whilst they said to you on Facebook this past   week, yes, there has been a lot of work on this  site, $8 million dollars so far, I’m not sure who   you think are paying for those upgrades if we’re  not. Like I also mentioned, we must have some  

Incredible philanthropists in our community. But  guess what, it’s Council who are paying for it and   we are doing the upgrade and we’re the only one  at the moment. Whilst we can keep peddling this   narrative, Councillor WHITMEE, it is not true. Councillor interjecting. It is not true at all.  

Anyway, you can keep trying but I promise you,  like I said on Facebook, if you talk about the   wonderful things Brisbane City Council are  doing down at Lindum, your community will   actually thank you and support you and vote  for you, if you talk about these upgrades.  

Not trying to paddle a petition once again,  it makes no sense. But anyway, if you want to   keep talking about it, I’ll keep correcting  the record because we are spending money,   we’ll continue to spend money and that’s Lindum. Councillors interjecting. Thank you. Thank you,   Councillor. Further speakers? 

Councillor MASSEY. Thank you, Chair. I stand to  speak on item L. What we see here is an amendment   of the budget after the LORD MAYOR’s own goal.  Remembering that the LORD MAYOR delivers the   budget and less than four months later, must now  roam Council to make cuts, facilitate delays,  

Find the spin to dispel the depths of this  terrible situation for Brisbane residents.   The LORD MAYOR has said previously that about 90%  of services are going to go ahead, but this in   itself is disingenuous at best because we know not  100% of the budget is delivered just in services. 

There have been Councillors here and other  Councillors and there might be more after   me that will list the projects that they can  find and point to them and point to the gaps   and delays and hint at the fact that delays under  the LNP Administration tend to be a little bit  

More permanent than just a delay. But what I read  in these papers was a darker story for residents   of Brisbane, one that will reverberate effects  for years and years to come in future budgets.  Councillors interjecting. Councillors, please. Councillor MASSEY, you’ve got the call. Thank you,  

Chair. As I was saying, the dark story here  for residents of Brisbane is going to have   effects for years and years to come. We can  see that in the budget estimates because   what I see here is a budget allocation of  feast, to get through this budget year,  

To find a way to deliver what they can. That will  however, for years ahead, lead to famine. We can   see in program for Transport Brisbane, feasting  for now but restricted clearly in the future.  It’s clear, as I’ve been stating since  budgets, there is no budget line for bridges,  

While future ferry terminals and upgrades  are clearly on the line. You can see this   through the capital budget expense decline.  The same is there for program three, Clean,   Green and Sustainable, as soon as we hit 2024  the capital expense drops dramatically, so does  

The expenses and this is after the delay of flood  projects, cuts to consultants, travel, et cetera.  In program five, Lifestyle and Community Services,  we see some of the most significant tragedy,   possibly a fault, for the future of Brisbane.  A budget that is already thin compared to its  

Counterparts. We look here, and we see a  capital expense in 2026-27 of $11 million   within three years. Think about how many  Council facilities we all have that need   to be upgraded in the future, that need to  be built in the future, across the city. 

The truth is the damage of the LORD MAYOR’s own  goal, will go on for years. As we see projects   initially delayed, then delayed for more extended  periods, then eventually cancelled. Across the   board, we see cuts and delays for active  transport, parks, park upgrades, community  

Facilities, intersection upgrades, road corridors,  libraries, pools, et cetera. All the while,   there’s reductions of income with infrastructure  charges to developers and reduced staff capacity.   I hear some roles aren’t actually being backfilled  now, when they go on leave, which I can only  

Imagine is incredibly stressful for stuff. Of course, we don’t know the full numbers   of the casuals or contractors that  are now unemployed before Christmas,   but they probably have bitterness in their mouths  and how depressing is that? What a betrayal of the  

Residents for Brisbane, for whom this Council  are supposed to deliver services to. The spin   just earlier today, we just heard the LORD MAYOR  talk about investors leaving the market, right,   because apparently houses just disappear. Is  that what happens to properties? It seems to  

Suggest that a renter buying a house for the  first time is a bad thing, is a bad thing.  I wonder what first time homeowners across  Brisbane who have finally been able to buy their   first property and leave their rental behind,  think about that. I also wonder what many,  

Many people under the age of 40 across our  city, that are dreaming of buying a property,   thinks about what the LORD MAYOR just said. That  they should be stuck being renters for what,   forever? Rather than having the opportunity  to buy their first property. Point of order.  

Just one moment, Councillor MASSEY. Point of order, Councillor MURPHY.   Will Councillor MASSEY take a question?  Councillor MASSEY, would you care to take—  No, Councillor MURPHY. Councillor MASSEY, you’ve got the call. I think   the worst thing about this situation is the fact  that the sight of what these cuts will cost in the  

Future, not just today, we see these cuts, we know  the Administration is trying to do whatever it can   to plug that hole. We know that Administration is  doing the spin, like it’s binary, like options of   binary. If you don’t support us, it’s just  a rate increase. But the worst thing is the  

Fact that the sight of destruction for future  budgets is years away from true transparency.  I think the saddest thing too, is that the LORD  MAYOR thinks he’s going to get away with it.   Is banking that not a single Member of the  LNP Administration questions the financial  

Mismanagement of this budget. Is banking on  playing on the fear of rate increases, while   residents across Brisbane will not only get less  today, but tomorrow and potentially every year   after. I think that’s incredibly depressing, and  I take no joy in what we’re doing here tonight,  

And I don’t think any Councillors should. But I will also say, I don’t think it’s   going to work and the reason I don’t  think it’s going to work is because   people are going to notice. We’re not going to  be able to pretend that these cuts, this spin,  

Is going to continue. We can see it in the budget,  we can see it’s all publicly known. I just don’t   think it’s going to work this time and I think,  how sad for the City of Brisbane and its residents  

That it’s come down to this, four months after the  budget was passed. Thank you, Chair. Thank you.  Further speakers? Councillor CUNNINGHAM. Thanks, Mr Chair. I   rise to speak on item L. Mr Chair, the budget was  handed down in June and different to what those  

Opposite have suggested, the budget doesn’t just  appear out of thin air a week later. As the LORD   MAYOR had said, it comes after months and months  of planning, development, modelling and it’s all   based on the March quarter economic indicators. As I referenced last week, the November RBA  

Statement of Monetary Policy said, while  inflation in Australia has passed its peak,   it’s still too high and is proving more persistent  than expected a few months ago. They also said,   the updated forecasts have inflation in Australia  higher in the near term and taking a bit longer to  

Return to the top of the bank’s target range.  This is borne out in real figures, Mr Chair,   published by the ABS. This is the environment  in which this budget review is responding to.  In addition, there are a number of other factors  which have driven the sensible savings that this  

Administration is pursuing. We’ve discussed the  reduced funding from QRA, compared to what we’d   hoped to receive in the budget. We also concluded  the last EBA process after budget development,   this is an important point because it saw Council  workers provided with a higher than budgeted  

Wage increase. One that specifically provides  larger increases to staff in the lower bands,   to give them the much needed support that those  families need in difficult cost of living times.  As Councillor WINES has said to this Chamber,  we’ve seen cost increases on our capital projects,  

Both large and small. When it comes to our major  congestion busting projects, they have been   brought into this Chamber in a very transparent  fashion. Because unlike the Labor State Government   we have been honest and upfront with all residents  in Brisbane about the cost increases that this  

Council is facing. Since the budget was handed  down, the Chamber was informed of escalation on   the Moggill Road corridor upgrade project. Unlike the State Government, we don’t have   revenue taps to switch on at will. There’s  no coal mine, there’s no coal royalties.  

We’re projecting up to $60 million of reduced  infrastructure charges this financial year alone,   due to lower than expected building completions.  We have a $5.9 million decline in forecast rates   revenue year to date, as properties transfer from  investors to owner occupiers. In this review we’ve  

Loaded a budget reduction of $12 million in terms  of reducing what we expect will come in parking   infringements. We’re bringing forward $56 million  in expenditure this financial year for Brisbane   Metro and Green Bridges, due to projects meeting  their key milestones earlier than forecast. 

We’ve seen reduced revenue in a number of areas  and we’re seeing increased costs in a number of   areas and we’re less than five months into a  financial year. We need to reduce the costs   of this Council and we need to do it now.  There’s no kicking the can down the road,  

That would be a destructive approach. Those  opposite might think that the answer is to   charge residents more, but our answer is to find  sensible savings and keep the focus on cost of   living relief. incentivising housing supply  and building congestion busting projects. 

Labor’s approach, on the other hand though, is  to pretend there’s no issue and double down by   announcing well over $100 million in unfunded  promises, not even to start on the commitments   made by their future coalition partners,  the Greens. On this side of the Chamber,  

Mr Chair, we’re doing the sensible thing. Just  because you find modest savings doesn’t mean   the city grinds to a halt, far from it  in fact. This Labor Opposition doesn’t   understand how to manage finances and they  don’t respect residents’ ratepayer dollars. 

They measure success in terms of how many dollars  are spent, not on the actual outcomes that are   delivered in our communities. In their world  the concepts of savings and efficiencies are   foreign. We’ve seen other governments announce  savings plans in the past, and we’ve seen it  

From Cameron Dick, and we’ve even seen it from  Dan Andrews. The second budget review before   us today reflects the savings to be made and  the cost pressures that we are experiencing.  In finding savings, we’ve identified $24 million  in scope productions for Brisbane Metro, and we  

Will have a $7 million saving on the Breakfast  Creek Green Bridge. We’re saving $4 million this   year by deferring the delivery of upgrades at  Victoria Bridge. We’ve identified $70 million in   sensible savings over the next four years in areas  like IT contracts, back of office efficiencies,  

Fleet replacement, consultants, contractors,  catering and travel, even advertising has   had reductions, by $1 million. We’ve reduced  Councillor ward budgets by 10% and will delay   renovations or relocations of ward offices, saving  $1.5 million. We also have savings of $3 million,  

Due to the drier start to spring, which simply  meant that as not as much cutting was required.  Labor opposes responsible approach to  service delivery. and they want a new   in-house team for grass cutting it seems,  which ratepayers would pay all year round,  

Whether or not it’s needed. Mr Chair, due to  not receiving $50 million in QRA funding for   various projects, there will be some projects in  the space which are rolled into our BAU program   for future funding and that is something that  Councillor WINES has discussed in this place.  

Despite what they may say, our investments  in areas like road resurfacing and footpaths,   remains broadly in line with what they were  last year, if not higher in some circumstances.  Mr Chair, the budget review before us sees  Council’s operating capability surplus decrease  

By $11.8 million. Loaded revenue reductions total  $17.3 million. Forecast reductions in QRA revenue,   rates revenue and developer contributions, are  being actively monitored but are not loaded in   this review and the savings policies we’re  putting in place respond to these expected   further reductions. For example. there are  some final items which we’re still waiting  

For an outcome from the QRA, and we remain  hopeful. There is an overall decrease in   operating expenses of $5.4 million and the capital  spend is projected to decrease by $12 million.  Despite this, our budgeted investment in capital  infrastructure for our growing city this financial  

Year, remains a record. Our borrowings remain at  published levels and there is no material change   in net debt per capita. I’m just going to say that  again for Councillors, there is no material change   in the net debt per capita despite all of this.  In program eight, we’ll see many corporate savings  

Initiatives, but we want to ensure ratepayers that  our back of house is as efficient as it can be,   to ensure that the money that we spend is focused  on outcomes on the ground and in our suburbs. As   I’ve mentioned $70 million in savings has been  identified. It includes $4.5 million in deferred  

Fleet replacement and a number of savings on ICT  and contracts. Sorry, point of order. Point of   order, Councillor JOHNSTON. Do we have a 9 o’clock  problem? No. Okay. No, no, no. That was removed.  Councillor CUNNINGHAM, you’ve got the call. Mr  Chair, as was discussed during Question Time,  

The allocation with associated revenue for a  new SES depot at Bracken Ridge. I want to be   clear that we still support this project, we are  just seeking the commitment and contribution from   the State and Federal Government and a bit of  common sense wouldn’t go astray from the State,  

To come to a deal on the land, in the interests  of both of our residents. It’s clear that work   won’t start this financial year and so we’ll put  it back in the budget when the outstanding matters   with the other level of governments are resolved. Tonight, Mr Chair, Councillor CASSIDY has once  

Again showed he can’t read papers or understand  financial statements. He said that last year   we had to borrow more in November, but what  actually happened was our annual application   to QTC was exactly in line with what was approved  in the— Councillor CUNNINGHAM— —June 2022 budget.   —your time has expired. Further speakers. 

Councillor STRUNK. Thank you, Chair. I rise to  speak on this item, as I think every Councillor   should in this Chamber, even if we’re here  till midnight. You’ve got to stand up for   your community, you’ve got to stand up for the  right to get a good percentage of their rates to  

Support their community or the ward that they  live in. When this first was announced by the   LORD MAYOR, a $400 million cut or 10%, right,  I thought, well I thought like a lot of my   residents thought, well what are we going to lose? What are we going to lose in services and support?  

Even in some of the funding that comes out of  the ward offices, out of a ward fund of course,   because a lot of mine, as I know probably a lot  of the other Councillors, use some of that to  

Support community groups for all sorts of things.  When they started asking about maybe a little bit   of extra funding, whatever, I said, well it  would have been helpful not to have had about   the $9,000 cut, but we still try to work out as  much as we could to help them out, of course. 

But anyway, to Councillor WHITMEE’s point in  regard to a list of what is going to be cut in   every one of our wards right, potentially, what  can we tell our residents? All we can say is,   there’s going to be a 10% cut, because  that’s all the LORD MAYOR has told us.  

He hasn’t given us an itemised list, on  grass cutting, on lake maintenance, which   is a big issue as every Councillor here knows. Of course, over the years I’ve had a lot of   issues with the maintenance, and it finally has  been corrected, right. But if we lose any of that  

$1.2 million and that’s just not my lake, that’s  other lakes as well, if we lose that sort of money   or even $120,000, which is probably about four or  five harvests, in my lake anyways, that will be  

A great impact on my lake and I’m sure the other  lake in Parkinson, not too far from Forest Lake as   well and there are other lakes across Brisbane. Parks is another one and you only have to look   at some of the age of some of our park  infrastructure, playgrounds especially.  

I know Emily Kim has just gone through the  Calamvale Ward park and she’s pointed out some   really bad stuff in there that’s been all taped  off and everything. There’s just not enough money   already being spent in upgrading those parks, let  alone the cuts that potentially can happen for  

Those park upgrades outside of our set funding.  That’s about $2.5 million, which isn’t a lot of   money quite frankly, when you consider how many  parks and how much playground equipment there is   across Brisbane that needs to be maintained. Now as I say, the other issue of course is a  

Road resurfacing and we know how much is being  cut out of that, thank you, LORD MAYOR. I just   hope Boundary Road isn’t one of them, because this  is the road during the 2022 floods that I lost two  

Tires in on two occasions, one tire each, because  of the potholes and it’s really hard to maintain,   well especially the floods on it. Yes, you’re  getting a great lot of water hitting the road   and it does hollow out, but it just showed  me how bad Boundary Road actually was and  

Hadn’t been properly maintained over the years,  that that could happen during the 2022 floods.  But that wasn’t the only road, but that was  certainly one of the worst and I just hope that   resurfacing, of a bit over $1 million, is not  going to be kicked down the road or just cut,  

Because it would be very disappointing.  Especially, as it leads into an industrial   estates as well, but a golf course, the  Oxley Golf Course and they’re looking at   doing a major upgrade to the course leading  up to the next Olympics, so that’s a pretty  

Important road to the Oxley Golf Club, along  with the industrial estate at Richlands as well.  If we have a look at some of the upgrades of some  of the—well I suppose footpaths is another one,   footpath reconstruction is one that’s been  a been a bit of an issue. We’ve had to wait  

For a reasonable length, well not reasonable  length of time, an unreasonable length of time,   to get some of the reconstruction done, because  we have had people that have tripped. Yes,   they’ve gone out and tried to make it as safe as  possible, but of course those patches don’t really  

Last a long time and they become problematic  as well, so that reconstruction. I do have a   lot of footpaths in my ward and a lot of them of  course are of the old design, which is probably  

Well less than one meter wide, about 600 in some  cases, especially in the Inala and Durack areas.  When we do the reconstruction and when we do put  new footpaths in, but mostly the reconstruction,   of course it’s got to be to the code that exists  today. As Council pointed out how much that costs  

But safety is really important for people to be  able to get around, so they don’t have to walk   onto the roads to push a pram or just to walk  to a school. It’s fairly important that we have   that infrastructure and we’ve been saying this  for a number of years, we’re just not investing  

Enough in footpaths and now the reconstruction  is being cut, it just doubles down on the fact   that we’re just not doing enough to return  the ratepayers money to them where they live.  Illegal dumping, I still have a bit of  that left over from the cancellation  

Kerbside collection a few years back. I mean  we’ve always had some illegal dumping right,   don’t get me wrong. I have a lot of units of  accommodation in my area, a lot of the townhouse   unit complexes and things like that and in a lot  of cases the people of course if they do move,  

They tend to leave it out on the verge. Now the  managers of those complexes are trying to do their   best to stop that of course, but when people move  out—I mean in most cases of course they don’t have  

Trailers and things like that to take it off to  the—even though they got the vouchers, they just   don’t have the wherewithal to be able to take  it to the refuge centre, so I understand that.  The teams come out and take care of it but  if there’s going to be some cuts—I mean,  

If we have a look at what we call the flying  gangs, of course there’s $4.3 million, again,   not a lot of money when you consider right across  Brisbane, but you certainly wouldn’t want to cut  

Any of that right, at this time or at any time,  for that matter. But we don’t know what you’re   cutting because we don’t have a list, we don’t  have a list to be able to tell our residents,  

This is what you can expect over the next—well  for the rest of the financial year. I think it’s   reasonable that we should be able to at least tell  them, for the LORD MAYOR to come clean and say  

Listen, yes, we’ve had to do this because we have  a big black hole in our budget of $400 million.  That’s the other thing too that really irks me,  is the fact that when they were putting together  

The 2023-24 budget they knew, they knew that they  were going to have to bring down a mini budget,   they knew that. But don’t let a good press release  get in front of a problem. What they did do is,   they just brought down that budget and  said, aren’t we great managers of money,  

We’re still going to show a surplus, it won’t  be as big as the previous year, but it will be   a substantial surplus. Then within 12 weeks guess  what happened, the chickens came home to roost.  Honestly if you think people out there don’t  understand how budgets work, there’s many,  

Many people that know how budgets work because  they budget their own household so they know   how—if they knew that there was going to be  problems, you knew there was going to be problems   but you didn’t want to deal with them, you wanted  to kick it down the road and then bring it down  

Just before Christmas and then you would hope that  everyone would forget about it come January—it’s   like taking out the trash or as the Opposition  leader said, Councillor CASSIDY said, taking out   the trash and that’s exactly what has happened. Then if you only have to look at of course the  

Priority in the E&C, is virtually the last item on  the E&C, there was a few hundred people watching   earlier today when we were talking about very  positive things and now there’s probably less than   80 watching. You knew the fact that you were going  to bring it to the last meeting of this session.  

You knew that it was going to happen before  Christmas. You’re hoping that everyone’s going   to forget about it by January. But I can assure  you, we’re not going to let people forget and   all of the candidates out there in their field,  whether they be Greens or ALP candidates, we’re  

Going to remind people— Councillor STRUNK, your  time has expired. Thank you. Further speakers.  Councillor GRIFFITHS. Thanks, Mr Chair, and I  thought I’d allow the LNP Councillors to get   up and speak. I suppose I’m disturbed at how few  LNP Councillors have actually offered any opinion  

In this Chamber, just silent. I wonder if they  speak up in the party room, Councillor JOHNSTON?   I wonder if they just sit there like dummies— Councillors interjecting. —just like   dummies and don’t— Councillors. —say anything.  Councillor GRIFFITHS, if you are going to direct  

Any comments to other Councillors in this Chamber,  it is to be done through the Chair. I’m just   wondering, I wasn’t directing it to any— No, I was  talking about when you were talking to Councillor   JOHNSTON. Oh right, okay, thank you. Through you,  Mr Chair. Thank you. Anyway, I’m really concerned,  

And electors should be concerned. The residents of  Brisbane should be concerned about the performance   of their Councillors. Because what I see and what  I’ve seen constantly, is that Councillors in this   Chamber, LNP Councillors in this Chamber, come  in here and vote one way and then go out to the  

Community and go, that’s that bad Council. The  bad Council they belong to and that they vote   through the policies and through the finances of.  It’s like this hypocrisy that’s going on. So yes,   I am disturbed that so few LNP Councillors have  got up to speak. Now, it’s been eight hours since  

This meeting opened, eight hours we’ve been going  and we’re now talking about item L. It’s eight   hours since we started the last meeting of this  term. Point of order, Mr Chair. Point of order.   Relevance. It is eight hours, could he speak  to the report please? I’m actually speaking— 

Councillors interjecting. —I’m  speaking— Councillors. I don’t   know if that was— Councillor GRIFFITHS. Councillors interjecting. Just wait. I   will draw you back to the report, Councillor  GRIFFITHS. The point I’m making, Mr Chair,   is that this Administration is complaining  about the time it’s taken for this meeting. It  

Has been—this Administration— Point of order,  Chair. Just one moment. Councillor GRIFFITHS.  Point of order, DEPUTY MAYOR. I know I can’t  claim misrepresentation, but my point of order   was relevance. He’s the one complaining about  the time. Thank you. No, I think your complaining  

About the time. Councillor GRIFFITHS, through the  Chair. My point is— Through the Chair. Through the   Chair, my point is that this is the last meeting,  eight hours into the last meeting of the last   term, that we’re talking about $400 million worth  of cuts, that hasn’t been brought in by this LNP  

Administration for the whole term. There are so  many agenda items here, yes, we’re all back here   late, there are so many agenda items here because  you have done so poorly in managing the agenda  

For so long and we’re all wearing it. Yes, I get  it’s a strategy not to talk about it. I get it’s a   strategy that you don’t want media drawn on it. I  understand all that. But what I don’t get is that  

You aren’t facing the residents of Brisbane  and actually facing up to what you’re doing.  Now, let’s not—over this term and over the 20  years this LNP Administration have been here,   let’s not forget about their spending. It’s been  focused on the inner city, hugely focused on the  

Inner city. There is project after project after  project, in the inner city. In the last few years,   I figured that to be over $3 billion has been  spent on projects on inner city infrastructure.   When you spend money on inner city infrastructure  it means the suburbs are missing out, it means  

We’re seeing staff cuts. I’m really disturbed, I  am very disturbed by the LORD MAYOR and the LNP,   by the way they view contractors as opposed to  our permanent workforce, I’m really disturbed.  But that comes down to the Liberal view of  workers, they’re just a commodity, they’re just  

To be purchased, they’re not to be valued, they  don’t have anything to offer, other than what we   can buy at the time we need them. There are people  out there who are really hurting at the moment in   relation to their cut from Brisbane City Council.  Yes, it is a significant point of difference  

Between the LNP And the Labor Party and that’s  why I sit on this side of the Chamber. That’s   why I didn’t join the Liberal Party, because I  don’t agree with the way you treat your workers.  

I don’t agree with the way you value your workers. But let’s see what sort of cuts are happening in   our suburbs. We’re now seeing that it takes over  one year, over one year to fix a footpath that a  

Disabled person can’t use, one year. It now  takes over one year to get a tree trimmed.   The Bus Stop program, Accessibility program,  has been cut. There’s less being spent on our   facilities in the suburbs. What I’m seeing in  terms of the facilities that my residents use  

Who have accessibility issues, is that we can’t  afford to put new lights in bus stops, we can’t   afford—and just drive past, if any of you cared to  drive past, drive past the PA Hospital and have a  

Look at the dimly lit bus stop that we provide for  patients and residents outside the PA Hospital.  Goodness knows, I’ve put that through  so many times and it’s, Councillor,   we can’t do that. Sorry Councillor, we think it’s  okay. There’s another bus stop on the corner of  

Victoria Terrace and Ipswich Road, no lights.  I often drive past there, seeing residents in   that stop waiting for a bus service and there  is no—it’s total blackness, total darkness.   I’ve written in and asked for a light to be put  there. Oh no, Councillor, not many people use it. 

In Rocklea, we recently did an upgrade of a bus  stop. We did the lighting, we put the new concrete   in, we just didn’t have any money to connect that  footpath to the shopping centre so the goat track,   the dirt goat track that people have to push their  wheelchairs through still exists. Written off,  

Put memos in, oh Councillor, we can’t find money  for that. These are the services I can’t find   money for residents because of the cuts. I was interested to hear Councillor ADAMS   before, she’s always spruiking on, the most  small-business-friendly Council in Australia,  

Where you’ve just cut the Suburban Shopping Centre  program, that’s been cut, it’s gone. Certainly,   the businesses that were going to experience  good times from that program in Salisbury are   very disappointed. Councillor DAVIS parks, we just  can’t get things repaired. There are light poles—I  

Noticed Councillor CASSIDY talked about a major  light pole that fell across a field. I had a pole,   a light pole in a park, just fall across  a pathway. Oh, we can’t get it repaired,   we’ve made it safe, we’ve stopped the  electricity. We’ve made it safe, but we  

Don’t know how long it will be to repair it. Councillor WINES was going on about the flood   authority, QRA, not providing enough money to  repair roads. Well, I got the inside goss on   that and apparently if the roads were in bad  condition before the flooding occurred, the  

QRA won’t fund us to repair them to a level that  they were before the flooding. How’s that amazing?   In my ward there’s so many roads that won’t be  repaired under QRA money because they were in such   a bad condition before the flooding. That’s the  story I’m getting from officers. It was the duping  

We were trying to do, the cost shifting we were  trying to do on to another level of government.  There’s been a lot of blame tonight, there’s  been a lot of blame of the Federal Government,   on Labor Government, there’s a lot of blame  on the State Government, everyone’s to blame,  

We’re to blame apparently. Councillor  CASSIDY, you’re to blame. You’re in control,   you’re in control, you desperately  wanted it, you’ve held onto it,   you’ve done everything to hold it, own it, own  it. I just think really what I’d say the LORD  

MAYOR is it has to be— Councillor GRIFFITHS, your  time has expired. —about the residents. Thank you.  Further speakers. Councillor HOWARD. Thank you,   Mr Chair. Well, I rise to enter the debate on  item L. I was disturbed, of course, to hear   that Councillor GRIFFITHS is disturbed. Councillors interjecting. Yes. Well,  

We’ve been listening to a lot of talk from  the other side tonight. Through you, Mr Chair,   households across Brisbane are tightening their  budgets and they’re making responsible decisions,   just as we are doing. This budget is sensible, it  means that 90% of the work that Council does will  

Remain unchanged. If you listen to the rhetoric  that we’ve heard in the last, I don’t know   how many hours was it, eight, eight hours, you  would think that the world is coming to an end.  Well, it’s not, we’re being sensible, this  side of the Chamber is the sensible grownup  

Side of the Chamber, that realises that we have  a global inflation crisis. It realises that when   these sorts of things start happening, when costs  start rising, we’ve got emerging issues requiring   changes to the timing of expenditure for key  projects, to allow for maximum efficiency and  

Effectiveness and delivery, it says right here  in our papers. Do these people read the papers?   For eight hours we’ve been listening to this. Councillor interjecting. Councillor GRIFFITHS.  Councillor interjecting. Councillor JOHNSTON. Councillor HOWARD. You see, Mr Chair, when  

They’ve really got nothing to say, they just want  to use name calling, it’s just ridiculous We just   really need to understand that everyone is facing  a cost of living crisis and we have the Schrinner   Administration, which has taken the positive  steps that we’ve taken, to make sure that we  

Are keeping our costs down, sensible savings. Councillors interjecting. You know, Mr Chair,   I don’t very often interrupt people  but it’s a shame that when I do stand,   that the Leader of the Opposition is constantly. Councillors interjecting. So, through you,   Mr Chair. If I may continue. Just one  moment, Councillor HOWARD. Thank you,  

Mr Chair. Councillor CASSIDY, I consider that  you are displaying unsuitable meeting conduct   and in accordance with section 21(4) of Meetings  Local Law 2001, I hereby request that you refrain   from interjecting while others are speaking. Councillor HOWARD, you’ve got the call. Thank you,  

Mr Chair. Mr Chair, can I just remind the  Chamber that we are keeping costs down, we’re   building better transport, we’re incentivising  housing and we’re investing in our suburbs,   that is our priorities. Our $2 summer dips and  our half price green waste recycling bins will  

Continue, because we’re determined to do  what we can help residents with the rising   living costs. Councils collect just three per  cent of the revenue and we’d be able to do so   much more if the Federal Labor Government  was backing Brisbane, that just doesn’t  

Happen and it’s often that we don’t even hear— Councillor interjecting. Councillor CASSIDY,   you’ve just been warned. You’ve just  been warned. Don’t ruin my Christmas.  Councillor HOWARD, you’ve got the call.  Thank you, Mr Chair. It is really difficult,  

And I know it’s quite late, but I just  really want to put on the record our thanks,   this side of the Chamber, the thanks to all of  our Council officers out there who are working   side by side with us to make sure that we can— Councillor interjecting. Councillor HOWARD,  

You’ve got the call. Thank you, Mr Chair. Please  continue, Councillor HOWARD. It’s very difficult,   Mr Chair. Yes, I do understand, but please  continue. Mr Chair, through you I just want   to put on the record our thanks to all of the  Council officers out there who are working  

Side by side with us and making sure that we  are delivering for the residents of Brisbane.   It’s a choice between spending less or making  residents pay more and we’ve chosen to spend   less and those who oppose our approach support  charging residents more. I just want to say— 

Councillor interjecting. Councillor WHITMEE.  Honestly, Mr Chair. Please continue,   Councillor HOWARD. Thank you. Mr Chair,  I just want to again put on the record   my thanks to all of our Council officers and to  just remind the Chamber that those on this side,  

The Schrinner Council, is about making sure that  we are having sensible savings to put downward   pressure on our rates. Thank you. Thank you. Any further speakers? I see no one rising.  LORD MAYOR, right of reply. Thank you, Mr  Chair. There’s been a couple of comments made  

This evening that is a very clear difference  between the approach of those on the Labor   side and the Green side and our side and that is  absolutely correct, because we actually care about   the money that is managed on behalf of the people  of Brisbane. Instead of continuing to spend like  

Drunken sailors like they appear to be doing up  the road at George Street, we show some restraint.  We’ve been very clear with people that  we’ve needed to reduce Council spending   across the board by 10% in a time when people  are doing the same thing in their own budgets,  

In a time where businesses and in a time when even  the Federal Government is reducing the pressure   on their spending, we are doing that in a very  clear matter with the people of Brisbane. We’ve   been up front, we announced what we’d be doing  last month. We’ve continued through and tabled  

This document last week in Council. It’s come  through to this meeting for debate and approval.  There is a very clear difference because while  we’ll continue to invest record amounts in the   suburbs of Brisbane and building for the future  growth of our city and the infrastructure that our  

City needs, the other side has no plans whatsoever  on anything. They’ve had now a full four year term   to come up with any kind of alternative. This is  the last meeting of not only this year but of the  

Entire four year term and what they’ve got is,  they’ve got a really poor copy of the campaign   against Campbell Newman, that they have used for  years and years up in the State. But they haven’t   realised that that’s wearing out for the State  Government, and it won’t work for them either. 

Because right now, more than ever, people want  governments to treat the money that they pay in   rates and taxes with respect, to spend it wisely,  to not waste it and they want it to be spent on   building things that will make their lives better  in the future. This idea that we should magically  

Just keep spending money that we don’t have,  is a real point of difference. Because really,   I go back to the point I made last week and in  October, there are two choices here, either we   reduce our spending in a sensible manner, or  the pressure is on for future rate increases. 

Now we’ve been very careful to keep rating  increase as low as possible and they have   been under inflation throughout the entire time  that I’ve been LORD MAYOR, that entire stretch,   rates have risen less than inflation for that  period of time. Our record is very clear, it’s a  

Demonstrated record and Labor’s record by the same  token is very clear because they increased rates   by more than six per cent four times, when they— Councillor interjecting. No, it’s true,   it is a fact. It is it is a fact of history that  under the last Labor Administration rates were  

Increased by six per cent, not once— Councillor interjecting. Do you hear   that? Ye, I can LORD MAYOR. Councillor interjecting.   That’s actually less than inflation,  Councillor CASSIDY. I know these basic   principles are a mystery to you. Councillors interjecting. Actually,  

Speaking of basic principles, Mr Chair, do you  remember earlier when I spoke, I said it’s a   $4.3 billion budget. Councillor CASSIDY goes, no  it’s not. I said, yes, it is. He goes, no it’s   not. Yes. Okay, page two of the budget review, I  draw you down, right near the bottom of the page— 

Councillor interjecting. —the line that says— Councillor interjecting. LORD MAYOR,   just one moment, please. Councillors interjecting. This Muppet. Seriously,   this Muppet needs— LORD MAYOR, please. —to do the  company director’s course. Councillor CASSIDY,   as you’ve failed to comply with the request to  take remedial action for your unsuitable meeting  

Conduct, I hereby warn you in accordance  with section 21(6) of Meetings Local Law,   that failing to comply with the request  may result in an order being issued.  Councillors interjecting. LORD  MAYOR. Thank you, Mr Chair.   So— Point of order. —basic understanding— Councillor interjecting. Sorry,  

Sorry. LORD MAYOR, just one moment. Councillor JOHNSTON. I know you’d be   very concerned about name calling, is  that suitable meeting behaviour? I know   Councillor HOWARD would also be very concerned.  Sorry, I missed—sorry, who called who what?  Councillors interjecting. Yes. Councillors interjecting. Councillor  

JOHNSTON, I don’t uphold your point of order. LORD MAYOR, you’ve got the call. Thank you. Look,   I know understanding basic financial  statements is a challenge for Councillor   CASSIDY— Just one moment, LORD MAYOR. If everyone would shut the hell up,   I would be able to hear things. LORD MAYOR. Thank you, Mr Chair. So—  

Point of order. —let’s go back to— Point  of order. Just one moment, LORD MAYOR.  Councillor JOHNSTON. That’s not  appropriate, I wasn’t interjecting,   and a lot of other people weren’t interjecting  and telling us to shut the hell up is not   appropriate, so I ask you to withdraw. Councillors interjecting. I don’t uphold  

Your point of order. I did tell you I had  a short fuse coming into this meeting.  Councillors interjecting. LORD  MAYOR, you’ve got the call.  Councillor interjecting. Thank you.  Okay. Back to page two, Mr Chair.  Councillors interjecting. Councillor CASSIDY. Councillors interjecting. Councillor CASSIDY.  

Mr Chair, back to page two. Thank you. A basic  simple fact about this budget review, which shows   that they haven’t even read the document and  even if they have read it, they certainly don’t   understand it. At the bottom of the expenses line,  it says approved budget 2023-24 $4.3 billion. The  

Budget review, approved expenses $4.3 billion. Councillor interjecting. If they can’t understand   a basic fact that it was a $4.3 billion budget,  it still is a $4.3 billion budget, then you can’t   believe anything that they say, but that’s been  the case all term because they have continued  

To take the lazy route, they’ve continued  to just be negative and bitter and angry,   to tonight not come with any alternative policy  position. Meanwhile under their very eyes they   have enabled the most dangerous and destructive  political party, the Greens, to get to a position  

Where Labor will be overtaken by the Greens at  the next election. I have no doubt that Labor   will be going backwards at the next election  and the Greens will be going forward and—  Councillor interjecting. Councillor MASSEY.  —and it is thanks to the vacuum of leadership  

That we have seen, the vacuum of policies that  we’ve seen on the Labor side of the Chamber. It   is really quite remarkable, it is really quite  remarkable that a party that has one Councillor,   has eclipsed the Labor Party, a once great party  that stood for something, a once great party that  

Cared. But it has happened and tonight and in  March we will see the evidence of that decline.  Councillor interjecting. Councillor  STRUNK. Look, Councillor CASSIDY,   I am worried that you have allowed a dangerous  and destructive party to eclipse the Labor Party,   I am very worried because— Point of order. Councillors interjecting. Just  

One moment, LORD MAYOR. Councillors interjecting. Just   give me a second. It’s past his bedtime.  You with us, Councillor MASSEY? Thank you.  Councillor JOHNSTON, you’ve got a point of order.  Yes. Thank you, Mr Chairman. I’m sure you’ll want  

To pull the LORD MAYOR up on directly referring  to Councillor CASSIDY in his speech. Thank you.  LORD MAYOR, any comments to other Councillors,  please pass them through the Chair, for the   remainder of every meeting in this quadrennial.  I will. I promise. Thank you. Through you,  

To Mr CASSIDY—Councillor CASSIDY—yes, look, I  am actually worried because, look, we’ve seen   in the past, Labor Administrations—we’ve  seen good Labor Administrations. We’ve   seen not so good Labor Administrations. We  have obviously seen a significant period of   growth and progress with our side of politics  in City Hall, and it’s something that we are  

All determined to continue—that progress. But I think we have seen the last ever Labor   Administration in City Hall. I think that is in  the rear view mirror, now. It is due to the vacuum   created by this mob to my right who have spent  the last four years being negative and squandering  

Their time, not developing any agenda, just full  of bile and bitterness and personal attacks and   negativity. It is really quite a shame. But I  can tell you that we will not allow Australia’s   largest Council to be ruined by Australia’s most  dangerous political party. We will continue to  

Do the right thing for the people of Brisbane. Right, now the right thing involves reigning in   spending in a sensible way to keep the pressure  on rates down—something that the Greens or the   Labor Party would never do because they don’t  believe in it. But it’s something that we’re  

Doing because it’s the right thing to do because  we are conscious that the people of Brisbane   are doing it tough and they need our support and  they need us to keep the pressure on rates down,  

Just like we have for the time that I’ve been LORD  MAYOR and just like we are committed to continue   doing. Thank you, Mr Chair. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. Councillors, we will now put item L to the vote.  All those in favour say, aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say, no. 

Councillors say no. The ayes have it. Division called by Councillor CASSIDY,   seconded by Councillor COLLIER. Ayes  to my right, noes to my left. Clerks,   please ring the bells. Councillors, quiet, please. Clerks, please read the results. Mr Chair,  

The ayes have it, the voting being 19 in favour  and seven against. Councillors, the item has   passed. Could you please return to your seats? DEPUTY MAYOR. Mr Chair, I move that the report   of the Economic Development and Brisbane  2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Committee,  

Held on Tuesday 21 November 2023, be adopted.  Seconded. It has been moved by the DEPUTY MAYOR   and seconded by Councillor HUTTON, that the  report of the Economic Development and Brisbane   2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Committee,  held on Tuesday 21 November 2023, be adopted. 

DEPUTY MAYOR, you’ve got the call. Thank  you, Mr Chair. I’m very proud, Chair,   of the Economic Development and Brisbane 2032  Olympic and Paralympic Games Committee tonight,   to stand at the end of this session to go through  some of the fantastic achievements that we’ve seen  

Over the last four years and to give my very  big thanks to the officers within the many   branches of this portfolio. Small business  are the backbone of Brisbane’s economy and   sit at the core of every industry sector. There’s 136,000 businesses in Brisbane,  

97% of those are small. These businesses bring our  neighbourhoods to life, lead innovation, support   our economy and create employment opportunities  for the community. We are committed to being   Australia’s most small-business-friendly city  and help vibrant economies right across Brisbane. 

Some of the list—just some of the list that we’ve  done over the last four years—obviously economic   recovery, unwavering support through COVID and the  2022 flood event, the Economic Recovery Taskforce   established in 2020 to support and rebuild our  economy in the wake of COVID, relieve, reboot  

And recover through 88 initiatives, 23,900,000  in relief package provided to local businesses.  41% of businesses surveyed said that when it  comes to supporting businesses, growing our local   economy was their number one priority, focusing on  long-term financial stability to recover and build   resilience. Business Resilience Program—physical  assessments and flood continuity planning to help  

Businesses bounce back and be better prepared  for future disasters, business liaison officers,   a dedicated team of business liaison officers,  who post-COVID, proactively visited more than   6,500 businesses across Brisbane. 133 BNE  continues—our 24-7 dedicated business hotline,   which gives small business more options. When it comes to support online—online,  

Call, text, or in person. The Business  Hub opened in 2020—23,000 visitors,   12,950 unique businesses, 370 workshops, 445  mentoring sessions with 90 mentors and 100%   satisfaction rate. The Suburban Business  Hub opened in 2021, supporting more than   3.5 businesses through business excellence  workshops, skill shops, business workshops,  

Stronger Social Enterprise program, Maker  Entrepreneurship Program, Networking In   The Suburbs, connecting and supporting  thousands of businesses across Brisbane.  Suburban shopfront improvement and shopfront  activation programs, improving our suburban   shopping precincts to be more vibrant and attract  new tenants. Local retail and activation toolkit,  

Getting local retail precincts to collaborate  and work together to achieve a shared vision,   local business partnerships initiative at  Oxford Street and Mount Gravatt Central,   growing precincts together at Racecourse Road  and Rosalie Village, and now, Wynnum and Banyo.  Women in business grants—$500,000 provided  in grant funding to female led businesses,  

106 women in businesses supported today, $250,000  to be awarded in 2024 and then supporting another   nearly 50 female business owners. Dedicated  Business Engagement team engagement team   connecting with local not-for-profit chambers  and traders groups on a regular basis, 317,000   downloads of the Brisbane app, free promotion  for local businesses and business precincts. 

A new food truck feature, the Rediscover Brisbane  campaign, which gave 5,075 offers through tourism   and experience based local businesses. The city  and valley malls, our premier economic precincts,   more than 15,000 events in the CBD in Queen  Street Mall—City Sounds, Dine BNE, Shop BNE,  

Sea To The City, Fridays in the City, festivals  like Valley Fiesta, Moon Festival, Lunar New Years   Festival, and the latest, Brunswick Street Live. Delivered more than 600 scholarships through the   LORD MAYOR’s Multicultural Business Scholarship  Program, our International Internship Program   matching Brisbane business with local or  multicultural international students. The  

18th year of the LORD MAYOR’s Business Awards just  recently, and the Multicultural Business Awards,   making Brisbane’s economy strong through  creative resilience and innovative businesses.  Then BEDA driving our economy through major  events, Proptech, Future Food, MedTech,   the Best of Brisbane Region Experience, our  Indigenous relationship building program,  

And our TIME magazine and Frommer’s travel  guide, Best Destinations to Visit. The APCS   held twice in this term—2021 was online,  2023, the biggest and best yet—118 Mayors,   171 cities. Silver and now gold certification  for our progress towards the sustainable  

Development goals given to us by the UN-Habitat. Inner Spark and City Strategy engagement with   more than 6,700 residents at community popup  events, which generated 1,960 ideas about the   future of the city. We got close to 30,000  events—votes received on those outcomes,  

And it led us through the Inner City Strategy  and into the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.  As I said, a long list, but not comprehensive.  I want to take this opportunity to thank my   Committee, in particular, my Deputy Chair,  Sarah HUTTON, who I know has done a lot of  

Support for me through many events that  I couldn’t be at absolutely everything,   to the team at Economic Development,  headed by Ross Giudice, the team at IRMA,   headed by Nicole Andronicus, Brisbane Host City  office, headed by Dy Currie, and BEDA, headed by  

The inimitable Mr Anthony Ryan. You do an amazing  job for this city, and I look forward to working   with you in the Schrinner Administration for the  next four years as well. Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR.  Further speakers on the report. Councillor CASSIDY. Thanks very much,  

Chair. I rise to speak on the Economic Development  of Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games   Committee, and something’s missing. Something’s  missing, Chair. Councillor ADAMS was given   this plum role as the Chair of the Olympic and  Paralympic Games Committee by this LORD MAYOR,  

Who did a deal with the Mayor of—what was that  Council—Redlands—LNP Mayor of Redlands Council,   because Councillor ADAMS couldn’t get  on the OCOG, was given this special plum   role which was specifically about the  Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2032. 

Councillor ADAMS just done the big sum up of  everything that this Committee’s looked at and   didn’t mention the Olympic or Paralympic Games  once, so what a joke this Committee actually   was. They’re the concerns we raised. By creating  this extra Committee position, we know the LNP  

Is spending another $250,000 a year by having  an extra Civic Cabinet Chair. That’s $1,000,000   over a term this LORD MAYOR’s invested in this  Chair of this Committee, who couldn’t think to   mention the Olympic and Paralympic Games once.  Well, woops. Further speakers? No one rising. 

DEPUTY MAYOR, right of reply. No? Councillors interjecting. We will   now put the report. Councillors, can we just  have a moment just to let Councillors on this   side of the Chamber calm down. Councillors interjecting. Mm. I   just might, Councillor CASSIDY. We will now put the report to the vote. 

All those in favour say, aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say, no.  The ayes have it. Councillor MURPHY, transport, please? Thank you,   Mr Chair. Last week at the—sorry, I’ll move the  report first. How about we do that? I move that  

The report of the Transport Committee meeting,  held on Tuesday 21 November 2023, be adopted.   Seconded. It has been moved by Councillor MURPHY  and seconded by Councillor HUTTON, that the report   of the Transport Committee meeting, held  on Tuesday 21 November 2023, be adopted. 

Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got the call. Thank  you, Chair. Last week at the Transport Committee,   we had a presentation from our Principal  Project Delivery Manager, Phil Stedman,   on the Breakfast Creek green bridge, and the  Committee also considered three petitions   requesting Council install bike lane on  Annerley Road, requesting Council make  

Cycling improvements on Sugarmill Road, and an  extension of the 199 bus to the RBWH station.  But back to Breakfast Creek, Chair, I’m thrilled  to share with the Chamber that the bridge arch   has been successfully installed. After a week  of meticulous manoeuvring by the Project Team,  

Breakfast Creek is now reopened to all  marine vessels without navigation channel   restrictions and the barge Leanora is making  its final departure from the project as of   last Friday. In early December, we will  complete the concrete bridge deck and put   the final touches on the landscaping, both  in Newstead Park and Cameron Rocks Reserve. 

I’m proud to say this bridge will be delivered  on time and under budget—$7,000,000 under budget,   which is, I think, a testament to the fantastic  project management of our Council officers who   have done a great job with this one. I’m also  pleased to report, Chair, that the masthead of  

The Kangaroo Point Green Bridge arrived  just underneath the Storey Bridge at low   tide this afternoon. Tomorrow morning, early,  it will be hauled up by the world’s largest,   strongest crane to the top of the Kangaroo Point  Green Bridge which is under construction. So,  

All things are coming together green bridges  at the moment, Chair, so it is fantastic news.  Now, as we look forward to the  early 2024 opening of the bridge,   I am reminded of the many achievements we’ve made  over the last four years in this portfolio. I’ve  

Had the pleasure of being the Transport Chair  for the entirety of this term, Chair. Although   it has not always been easy, it has always  been rewarding and I want to just remind the   Chamber of what a four years it’s been for us. I’ll begin with our public transport network,  

Chair. The last four years, Transport for Brisbane  has moved 200,000,000 passengers. That’s what this   Council has done in Brisbane—200,000,000  passengers across buses and ferries. Now,   remember, at the start of this term, it was a  very, very difficult time for public transport—we  

Had COVID—and I’m very pleased to report that  in the month of October 2023, our patronage   is back to 90% of pre-COVID levels. We are one  of the very few cities in the world to achieve   90% of pre-COVID levels, and I think that is a  fantastic achievement for transport for Brisbane. 

But one of the main highlights of this year  has been our successful bus driver recruitment   campaign. We’re still on track to now recruit 500  new bus drivers before the year is finished. That   has allowed us to focus on our service delivery  for Brisbane residents, and we are now amongst the  

Nation’s best with 99.8% service reliability—an  incredible figure which I’m so proud of, Chair.  With such a large and valued workforce of bus  drivers, we’ve worked really hard to improve   the conditions of our bus drivers, whether it’s  implementing additional health measures during  

COVID, upgrading driver facilities all around  the city, or giving our drivers one of the record   largest pay rises that they have received  in living memory, Chair—in this term, and   we did it. Most recently, we developed an in-house  design for bus driver barriers and we’re well into  

Installing our first batch of those on the fleet. But this term, Chair, has really been all about   preparing our transport network for the future.  In the last four years, our investment in public   transport has increased from $360,000,000 in  2019-20 to almost $600,000,000 in 2023-24.  

Under LORD MAYOR ADRIAN SCHRINNER, we delivered  accessibility and amenity upgrades to over 700   bus stops in Brisbane. In 2021, we added  additional capacity to our existing fleet.   We rolled out 18 more articulated buses on  the Blue CityGlider and we boosted the route  

By an extra 480 passengers per hour as a result. On CityGlider, Chair, this term, we developed and   submitted the gold CityGlider business case,  proposing a new high frequency route between   Hamilton and Woolloongabba. Earlier this year, we  launched the free South Brisbane Loop bus service,  

100% funded by the Schrinner Council. It was  also the Schrinner Council that introduced   off-peak free travel for seniors on ferries and  buses and over 10,000,000 trips have been taken   by our seniors since we introduced that measure,  saving our seniors $13,000,000 in fares back in  

Their back pocket. We took a big step forward  in the decarbonisation of our bus fleet with   the delivery of our four fully electric buses in  mid-2021, and they remain in service on the City   Loop today following a successful trial. But of course, the electric City Loop is  

Just the start of our decarbonisation task,  Chair. The real centrepiece is Brisbane Metro,   and in the last four years, we have seen  the Brisbane Metro project start to come   to life. In 2020, TMR finally signed off the  state project deed for Brisbane Metro and we  

Announced Brisbane Move as the preferred  tenderer for major construction works.  Since then, we’ve been full steam ahead on  the project. In 2021, we started piling the   Adelaide Street tunnel and now we’re about  90% progressed underground, and very soon,   we’ll be breaking through to the King George  Square station. We’ve opened platform one at  

The Cultural Centre. Platform two and three will  be completed early next year and Buranda and UK   Lake stations will as well. All of the charges are  now installed at four locations across the city,   and we’ve just commenced the commissioning  program to get all of them online and operational. 

We’re eagerly awaiting the completion of  our Brisbane Metro depot, which will be   Australia’s largest electric bus depot, Chair.  Earthworks on this massive 10 hectare site began   all the way back in 2021 and the depot’s  now more than 90% complete so this will be  

Finished early next year and that’ll be a very  exciting achievement, again, for this Council.  Of course, one of the biggest milestones of  the project so far, Chair, is the rollout of   our pilot Metro back in April 2022. We ran a  successful testing period, and we placed the  

Orders for the remaining fleet which we’ll start  to see them arrive on ships all the way through   the end of this year and into next year. But  with Brisbane Metro, we aren’t just building   new infrastructure or adding new modern vehicles  to our fleet. We’re transforming the entire public  

Transport experience for Brisbane residents. We also launched community consultation on   Brisbane’s new bus network—the biggest bus  network our city has seen in a decade. Translink’s   feedback was, quote, we set a new benchmark  for community consultation with this review.   It’s award winning as well. It’s been recognised  by the International Union of Public Transport,  

The best union going, Chair. Indra was  awarded the contract for the Metro systems   package which will dramatically improve onboard  passenger experience, as well as our operational   capability and our ability to run on time.  We added six trophies to the Metro cabinet   with both national and international  recognition for our charging strategy,  

Our sustainability outcomes and our accessibility  working group—something I’m very proud of, Chair.  It’s only one year before we will launch Brisbane  Metro services, and before the year is out,   we’ll also finalise the work that will help shape  the next chapter of Brisbane’s transport future.  

We’re close to completing the Eastern Metro Study  and Partnership with the Redlands City Council   and State Government to help us plan those  future extensions once stage one is complete.  We’re also looking to the future of our ferry  network, Chair. As part of the last budget,  

We announced a feasibility study into an electric  ferry on the Brisbane River, which we’ll finalise   before the end of the year. This is in close  partnership with our amazing local ship builder,   Aus Ships. They’ve been able to provide us a  modern and innovative fleet for our residents.  

On that, Chair, in this term, we delivered six  new double decker generation four CityCats with   Mooroolbin II being the first in our fleet  to feature a shade sail on the top deck.  We’ve modernised our ferry fleet by adding  the five new KittyCats, which provide a  

Faster and safer trip for residents. In 2021, we  completed and implemented a ferry network review   which delivered an extra 59 all-top CityCat  services during the week and enhanced express   services. That same year, we opened two new  terminals in our network—Howard Smith Wharves  

And the upgraded South Bank terminal. Unfortunately, then, we had the 2022   floods. Although every single one of our  terminals sustained some level of damage,   we have worked so hard to ensure that all of our  ferry terminals were reopened within 12 months of  

The flood, which is an amazing achievement, Chair. I’m very pleased to advise that residents will   soon be able to hop back on a ferry at Dockside,  with construction there now well underway on the   upgraded terminal. I’m looking forward for  residents early next year to be seeing the  

Start of works at Mowbray Park terminal. I’ll  leave further debate to the Chamber for now,   Chair, and I will speak to further things  in summing up. Thank you, Councillor MURPHY.  Further speakers on the report? Sorry. Councillor CASSIDY, I’ll call you first. 

Councillor JOHNSTON, can I call you second,  please? Thanks very much, Chair. I rise to   speak on the Transport Committee report before us  tonight and Councillor MURPHY’s big achievements   over the last four years of Chinese made  buses, Swiss made buses, and 20,000,000  

Fewer bus passengers on our network than there  were 10 years ago. Well done. Some achievement.   If that’s the best the LNP can do, then they  deserve to lose in March next year—absolutely   deserve to lose in March in next year. Item C, the petition request in Council make  

Sugarmill Road, Pinkenba safe for cyclists  and pedestrians before us today, here,   is one in which the cycling community has raised  some issues with and I’m sure they’ve contacted   quite a few Councillors in here around the  potentially misleading response that’s before us  

Today. There’s a letter which Councillor MURPHY’s  received from Space for Cycling which I will quote   from in here. I’m sure they wanted Councillor  MURPHY to be across the details of this.  In the response, it basically says that  Councillor MURPHY disputes the fact that  

Safety improvements are not possible without the  purchase—well, they dispute Councillor MURPHY’s   assertions that safety improvements are not  possible without the purchase of additional   land along Sugarmill Road, here. True to form,  the LNP just put in their response, thanks but  

No thanks and go away, basically, to petitioners. The letter in which Councillor MURPHY’s received   from Space for Cycling includes the following  passages, which I’ll quote from them, now. Anyone   who travels on Sugarmill Road will know the road  is wide, measuring at 12.8 metres kerb to kerb.  

In addition, the road has approximately four  metres of grass verge on either side, making   the total width of the road corridor 20.8 metres.  There is plenty of space for active transport   infrastructure in the Sugarmill Road corridor  without the need to purchase any additional land. 

So, I do wonder—I’m not quoting right now—I  do wonder why the LNP then tried to claim that   there wasn’t sufficient space in the road  corridor, and they would have to purchase   land. It sounds a lot like they’re trying  to conflate the Moreton Bay Cycleway with  

The Viola road to Schneider Road issue with this  one as well and trying to muddy the waters a bit.  I go on to quote, the Department of Transport  and Main Road guideline’s selection and design  

Of cycle tracks, on page 106, has a design showing  how a road with the same width as Sugarmill Road   may be retrofitted to incorporate a parking  protected by directional lane. In addition, the   four metre verge widths on Sugarmill Road would  allow for a 2.4 metre offroad shared path to be  

Constructed most of the length of Sugarmill Road. The petition draft response argues that Sugarmill   Road is deemed to be less suitable for  cycling due to the speed and volumes of   traffic using the roundabout at Lomandra  Drive. But the letter goes on to say,  

This statement gives the impression that cyclists  on Sugarmill Road will have to use the Lomandra   Drive roundabout. Cyclists using Sugarmill Road  will not have to negotiate the Lomandra Drive   roundabout because the Lomandra Drive shared path  will join Sugarmill Road prior to the roundabout. 

I’ve had discussions with Brisbane Airport  Corporation regarding the Lomandra shared path and   believe that that Lomandra Drive shared path will  be completed in 2024. Sugarmill Road is currently   used by people on bicycles accessing the airport  and connecting to the Kedron Brook Bikeway and  

Gateway North Bikeway. Currently, people riding  bicycles on Sugarmill Road are at risk of injury   because of the parked cars and heavy vehicles.  There is no sealed footpath for pedestrians   and scooters are prohibited on Sugarmill Road. So, it sounds like Councillor MURPHY didn’t quite  

Know what he was talking about when presenting  this draft response to the petition. I’m sure   Councillor DIXON, who’s on the Committee,  would have—knowing this area very well,   I’m sure would have talked to Councillor MURPHY,  I presume, about this, I think, surely—surely. So,   I presume Councillor MURPHY’s ignored—would  have ignored Councillor DIXON, I presume,  

Because Councillor DIXON would have known all of  these details when she cast her vote on the draft   resolution—the draft petition response. However, she did vote in favour of this,   which seems quite strange to me—that the  local Councillor would endorse something  

That is potentially misleading to people who  have signed this petition before us today. So,   I’m sure Councillor MURPHY will, in his summing  up, clear up any of those issues there and   correct the record about this issue. Because  I fear that things like this and this project,  

Which are clearly very achievable—and again,  like the one we discussed earlier on the   Moreton Bay Cycleway—are very achievable  if you have a Council Administration that   wants to pursue active travel infrastructure. But, again, we know that they are not future  

Planning any projects. Councillor MURPHY let that  one slip in a Committee meeting a couple of weeks   ago and said, there are no bikeway projects  planned from 2024 onwards because no political   parties had promised any of them yet, which is  a bit disturbing when you do have—when you have  

A petition and—petitions—multiple petitions for  projects and they’re investigated, and clearly,   at some level of Council, investigated and  deemed to be suitable projects going forward.  But you have, then, the political leadership here  in Council with the LNP, who are quite deluded—and   we heard that earlier in Councillor MURPHY’s  opening around those public transport figures  

And the investment in overseas jobs and overseas  made buses and then these misleading responses to   petitions. So, after 20 long years of this LNP  Administration—at every level—every Committee,   we can see that they’re out of puff, they’re out  of ideas, they have no vision for the future,  

No forward planning for the future. In fact, they are trying to stop the future   coming at them. They’re doing everything they  possibly can to put roadblocks up to innovative   ideas and projects being suggested. They are  so deeply conservative. That Courier-Mail  

Piece which described this LORD MAYOR as  the safe, conservative pair of hands who’s   deeply conservative, is pretty spot on—very  spot on, because they are against progress,   they’re against new ideas and new thinking. People  have suffered long enough and there’s certainly a  

Different approach that we can take after the 2024  election when this tired old LNP Administration is   shown the door. Thank you, Councillor. Further speakers? No?  Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes. Thank you. I rise to  speak briefly on perhaps all four items. Can I  

Just start by thanking all for the LNP Chairs  who are giving their valedictory speeches this   evening. I presume some of them think they won’t  be back, so I look forward to hearing the rest   of the Chairs hop up and speak about their last  four years. After nine hours here at Council,  

I’m sure everybody is thrilled that they  feel they have to give a valedictory.  But I’m rising today to speak particularly to item  B, which is the petition to install bike lanes,   undertake pedestrian safety upgrades, reduce  the speed limit and improve bus services along  

Annerley Road for Annerley and surrounding  residents. There is an organisation in my   ward that started a year or so ago called,  Active Travel for Annerley. I’ve met with   them a few times, and it’s wonderful that they’re  supporting some of the initiatives that I’ve been  

Pushing for over the past 15 years, but also  have brought a number of new initiatives on,   particularly in regards to cycling. This petition was signed by over 1,000   residents from within Tennyson Ward and suburbs  nearby in Brisbane. There are a number of key  

Things that the petitioners are asking for.  I’d just like to put those on the record,   today. Firstly, they are asking for bike  lanes along Annerley Road between Ipswich   Road and connecting up to the bikeway running  down into The Gabba Ward. That is number one. 

I’ve mentioned it a few times, in fact—that  the bike way to the University of Queensland   just stopped at the boundary to my ward.  It’s like nobody on the southside cycles.   It’s just the inner city to the University of  Queensland. Nobody cycles to the University  

Of Queensland from the southside according  to the LNP. So, bike lanes is number one.  Number two are pedestrian improvements. Most  importantly, across Cornwall Street and Annerley   Road where there is no safe crossing point and  on the corner of Annerley Road and Noble Street  

In Annerley where there is a dangerous slip  lane and an uncontrolled slip lane. They’re   also seeking a pedestrian refuge or safe  crossing point along Annerley Road—in the   middle of Annerley Road near Laurier Street. In addition to that, they’re seeking a speed  

Reduction along Annerley Road. The suggestion  is for 50 or 40. I would probably support   50 in this case because it is still quite a  busy road, but if Council came back with 40,   I’m sure that’s something that our community  would consider and support. Finally,  

They’re calling for improvements to the bus  services in Brisbane that service Annerley Road,   and that’s namely the 112 and the 116 bus service. Now, Brisbane City Council has essentially failed   to take action on any of these suggestions  put forward in the petition. Not one single  

Response or action from the LNP—not one. The  request for cycling lanes—well, privately,   the group—apparently, Councillor MURPHY’s been  telling them he’s going to do it, but I think   they’re finding out what happens when Councillor  MURPHY tells them something. They know that it’s  

Not true and they found that out the hard way. But there’s no commitment to install cycling   lanes here and there’s no funding to install  cycling lanes. Council just flat out refuses   to put in the zebra crossing across  Cornwall Street and then it basically  

Delays and refuses to fund the removal of the  slip lane at Annerley Road and Cornwall Street.  Both of these intersections are ones  that I’ve moved motions in Council,   supported by Councillor GRIFFITHS and Councillor  MASSEY, and the LNP have voted against funding.  

Here we see them again, refusing to support  pedestrian upgrades that will move people   behind huge pedestrian traffic generators—the  PA Hospital, the University of Queensland,   and the Brisbane State South Secondary College—a  brand new high school, and Cross River Rail—the  

New entrance to the Cross River Rail project. It is appalling that the LNP refused to support   pedestrian safety upgrades in Annerley. Again,  they’ll be voting against doing anything in   response to over 1,000 people asking for a  zebra crossing. You’d think they’d asked for  

$100,000,000 to build something. It’s a Zebra  crossing, this group wants. But it gets better.   Council then goes on to say, well, we might  get around to doing a speed survey. I mean,   they’ve had this petition for months and months,  and they haven’t done it. So, they might do it  

Or they might not, maybe we’ll have a look, and  they’ll determine if the speed limit is warranted.  We know I’ve been waiting for over a year now for  the Brisbane Corso speed limit review—a year. This   one hasn’t even started. So, we know that based  on—or over at Graceville on Honour Avenue—that  

One’s over a year as well. So, we know that  when the LNP says they might do something,   you’ve got to wait at least a year or longer. Councillor interjecting. Oh, yes. But over in   our marginal LNP ward, they can do a trial and  reduce the speed limit immediately. Not only  

Immediately—the Council officers jump, then  they bring out the variable message signs and   they help facilitate the media opportunities.  So, there’s no commitment to do anything here,   the review hasn’t been done, and again, this  area’s being neglected and marginal LNP wards  

Get a much better service from this Council.  In a year’s time, we’ll still be talking about   this because I know that the current ones are  outstanding for more than a year. But finally,   the biggest and the fattest—ooh, I’m sorry.  I take that back. The biggest and the fattest  

Dishonest statement in this petition report is the  following. Network documents indicate that the 112   and the 116 may see higher frequencies along  Annerley Road which will improve connectivity   for bus users. However, the frequency of services  do not warrant bus priority lanes at this time. 

Now, the one thing Councillor MURPHY did not  mention earlier today was the bus network   review. There was a commitment from the LORD  MAYOR and Councillor MURPHY that that review   would be brought back to Council before the end of  the year. Instead, we are going into an election  

Period where residents will not know whether their  local bus service is going to be cut. Councillor   MURPHY and the LNP are putting fear into the  hearts of public transport users in Brisbane.  We know he’s even said, oh, and the Metro will be  starting at the end of the year. I don’t know how  

They’re going to get the bus review through from  May to December including further consultation   approval by the State, but the reason I mention  it is because I’m not sure if Councillor MURPHY is   aware, but the 112 is to be cut under his proposed  bus network review, so the statement in this  

Report on page 6 that says, there may be higher  frequencies along Annerley Road for the 112,   is completely false. The route for the proposed  112 is now going to run between Mount Gravatt and   Greenslopes. It won’t even go up Annerley Road. So, not only are the LNP refusing to support  

Any of the initiatives and actions that the  community are calling for, they have provided   false information in the petition response today  to members of the public. I table the pages from   the Brisbane Bus Network Review that demonstrate  Councillor MURPHY has provided false information  

In this petition response. I state again that  the proposal removes the 112 from Annerley   Road altogether, so you can’t actually get more  services when you’re actually cutting the 112   bus service. I don’t know what Councillor MURPHY  thinks is appropriate, but I don’t think cutting  

A bus service and then publicly telling  people false information is appropriate.  But the worst part from my point of view is the  failure to take action, and I move the following   amendment. I move that this Council deletes  paragraph 21 on page three and replaces it with,  

Council funds installation of a zebra crossing  or wombat crossing, as appropriate, at the   intersection of Annerley Road and Cornwall Street,  Annerley to improve—thank you, Billy—to improve   pedestrian safety in the 2024-25 budget, and  two, amends the recommendation in paragraph 20,  

Attachment A, by deleting the fifth paragraph and  replacing it with, Council funds installation of a   zebra crossing or wombat crossing, as appropriate,  at the intersection of Annerley Road and Cornwall   Street, Annerley to improve pedestrian safety in  2024-25 Council budget. Sorry, and I’ve got the  

Signed one here if you want that. I second  the motion. Thank you. Councillor JOHNSTON,   I’ve got one. Thank you. Thank you. It has been  moved by Councillor JOHNSTON and seconded by   Councillor MASSEY to make an amendment to item B. It’s been moved that this Council (1) deletes  

Paragraph 21 on page three and replaces  it with, Council funds the installation   of a zebra crossing or wombat crossing,  as appropriate, at the intersection of   Annerley Road and Cornwall Street, Annerley to  improve pedestrian safety in the 2024-25 budget,   and two, amends the recommendation, paragraph 20,  attachment A, by deleting the fifth paragraph and  

Replacing it with, Council funds installation  of a zebra crossing or wombat crossing,   as appropriate, at the intersection of Annerley  Road and Cornwall Street, Annerley to improve   pedestrian safety in 2024-25 Council budget. Councillor JOHNSTON, to the motion, please—the   amendment. Sorry. Yes. Thank you. Whilst there are  a number of problems with this petition response  

Today, the most serious of them is an uncontrolled  crossing point at Cornwall Street at Annerley   Road. This is the connection for residents  heading to school, hospital and university,   and there is no safe crossing point. There  is no break—natural break in the traffic,  

Because when the lights change at the intersection  of Annerley Road and Noble Street, traffic comes   from multiple directions, as well as northbound  on Annerley Road turning into Cornwall Street.  So, pedestrians take their life in their hands  when they and cross this road. Particularly,  

We now have a major high school that  is on the next block, and every year,   another 300 students join that high school. So, it  is young people whose lives are being put at risk,   particularly. It is elderly people and  workers going to the hospital and students  

And workers going to the University of Queensland. Now, I have previously done petitions calling for   a zebra crossing. Now, the Annerley—Active  Travel for Annerley group are calling for   a wombat crossing. In this case, I don’t know  what technically would be the most appropriate  

Solution given that that is an arterial road  that carries buses, ambulances, and so forth,   but we need at least a zebra crossing, and if  not, a wombat crossing. It has to be funded   in the budget in 2024-25. It’s been at least 15  years that I’ve been calling for this improvement. 

Council bent over backwards to accommodate  Cross River Rail by actually widening the   intersection for the big trucks and extending the  turning lane, but there’s been no consideration   given to pedestrians at this location. It’s a  critical safety issue. We know that without a  

Safe crossing point, pedestrians are at risk. What  is Council’s response to the lack of a pedestrian   crossing point? Motorists not giving way to  pedestrians. Entering a side street is considered   poor driver behaviour, best addressed through  enforcement by the Queensland Police Service.  Given the number of pedestrians that cross  there—thousands of them every week—perhaps  

Councillor MURPHY is suggesting that we set  up a police station right on the corner so   that the police can spend their time there  stopping traffic to help pedestrians cross   the road. Does that sound like a good use  of resources? No, I don’t think so. What is  

A good use of resources is to install a zebra  crossing. It is a low cost solution that would   deliver a safer outcome for pedestrians. There may be some other changes that have   to be made—perhaps at the lights to make sure  that there are warning signs and clarity for  

Drivers as they approach the intersection,  but these things can be properly planned,   and it is critically important that Council does  not continue to ignore this intersection. I find   it staggering that Council refuses to list  this intersection for an upgrade. It’s very  

Straightforward. With that many people crossing at  this location, ignoring it is not good practice.  Now, Council has installed—I’m sure Councillor  MURPHY will stand up and say, well, sightlines,   and all these sorts of things, but I’ve  noticed on—I think it’s Foxton Street in   Indooroopilly—just along the Riverwalk,  there’s the zebra crossing that’s been  

Installed there on a really sharp angle and  around a really sharp bend so I’d be pretty   certain that that doesn’t meet Council’s either  universal access requirements for wheelchair   users and I certainly don’t think it would  meet the sightline requirements for Council. 

So, this Council will bend over backwards, again,  for a marginal LNP seat holder to put a zebra   crossing in to a place that it will often stand  up and say is unsafe in other people’s wards.   But what we know is pedestrians are being  ignored by this LNP Administration and this  

Improvement needs to be made in the Council  budget. The other request, of course, is to   remove—or to provide a safe crossing point across  Annerley Road and Council at least has committed   to that. It did commit to do it last year and  didn’t do it and it’s not in this year’s budget. 

They’re saying it’ll be in next year’s budget  because it’s agreed as part of Cross River Rail,   but the Council’s had to be dragged  kicking and screaming to this point, again,   after multiple motions by me, Councillor  MASSEY, and Councillor GRIFFITHS. So,  

This can’t be ignored any longer. It’s a zebra  crossing. It’s very straightforward and I urge   all Councillors to support it so children can  get safely to school, workers and people going   to the hospital can get safely to the hospital  and workers and students can get safely to  

The University of Queensland. I encourage all  Councillors to support the motion. Thank you,   Councillor JOHNSTON. Further speakers?  Councillor HUTTON. Point of order, Chair.  Point of order. Chair, I move that Council now   adjourn for supper for a period of 15 minutes,  which commences only when all Councillors have  

Vacated the Chamber and the doors have been  locked. Seconded. Councillors, we have an   adjournment for 15 minutes, moved by Councillor  HUTTON, seconded by Councillor JENKINSON.  All those in favour say, aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say, no.  The ayes have it. Thank you, Councillors.  

Councillors, are there further speakers? Councillor MASSEY. Thank you, Chair. I   rise to speak on the amended motion and also the  response to this petition. Councillor JOHNSTON,   through you, Chair, highlighted so many issues  with this response and of course, for me it comes  

Down to action. What does it take for a community  to compel Council to do something? You know,   here we have Active Travel for Annerley,  an incredibly engaged community group,   working hard enough to get 1,107 signatures into  a petition, to get a petition response that does  

Nothing and not just does nothing, leaves room to  blame State Government. We’re supportive, we’ll do   a funding application for State Government, but  we’re not going to allocate, we’re not going to   prioritise. I think that’s a continual problem  that we’re seeing here with these petition  

Responses and that’s the initial reason why I  actually rejected the response to this petition.  It’s about the lack of action. We will say one  thing to these community groups and then we’ll   do a complete other thing that borders around  the lines of maybe something will happen and  

I just think that’s wrong. We’ve just got to go  in. If we do support it, we’ve got to go in and   actually support it and you know, speak true  to our words. Again, what does it take? To me,  

That’s one of the most important things here. This  is a community group that has a lot of investment,   they made a lot of investment with this  petition, a lot of effort, they were so detailed   in it and yet there’s no action in the response. What I do welcome, however, is these amendments to  

Item B, because at least maybe then we’ll actually  be able to deliver something. While I don’t think   it goes far enough because the separated  bikeways should be connected from Stanley   Street up Annerley Street and all the way through  to Fairfield, yes, the reason why I support this  

Amendment is the fact that pedestrian safety is  of the uttermost importance. We know that these   intersections are problems. We know that community  members for years have been asking this Council   to speak and act in unison and in unison in a  sense that they say, this Council says that it  

Prioritise pedestrian safety, but hasn’t acted in  the space, not once. I’ve been here six months and   I can’t remember how many different motions have  been moved about these intersections or how many   times yourself, through you, Councillor JOHNSTON  and Councillor GRIFFITHS, have spoken to it. 

Here we have an amendment, again that doesn’t go  so far, the separated bike lanes are incredibly   important, the 112 and the 116 are actually buses  that I sometimes catch or try to catch to come to   Chambers, but not anymore. But also really hard  to catch because they get stuck in traffic,  

So it’s actually quicker for me to walk to  the Mater Hospital. Some of the things that   these petitioners are talking about, they’re  talking about the fact that they want people   to use active transport, they want people  to use public transport, we should build  

The infrastructure to make that possible. While again some of that stuff, I hope,   will come back to Chambers in the  future, especially with the next budget,   I am so supportive of this amended motion, I think  this will deliver something for these community  

Members and the residents of this area that  will deliver pedestrian safety. It will deliver   pedestrian safety especially in Annerley Road and  Cornwall Street, which is an incredibly dangerous,   dangerous, dangerous area. I really do hope  that all the Councillors in this Chamber  

At how many hours in are we, 10, nine? So many. Councillors interjecting. Ten, we’re 10 hours in,   I really hope that you see the sense in the  delivery of something like this within the budget   for this really active group, because they’re  watching, they’ll always be watching. Whether  

They’re watching right now, they’ll be looking at  it, they’ll be listening to us, they want action,   they’re sick of no longer—of Council not acting.  Deliver something, deliver safety for pedestrians.   It’s a good place to start and then hopefully next  year we can continue the work to deliver complete  

Safety, active public transport routes, better  pedestrian safety and expediated bus lanes for   what will be an incredibly, with the PDA coming  into place, higher density area. So please,   please support this amendment to this  motion. Thank you, Councillor MASSEY.  Further speakers? I see no one rising. Councillor JOHNSTON, right of reply. Thank  

You, Mr Chair. For those of you who watch, be  watching or perhaps read this at a later point,   Councillor Ryan MURPHY, the relevant Chair for  this area, could not be bothered to speak to this   amendment. No doubt they will just vote this  down in a few minutes, but what I say to the  

More than 1,000 people that signed this and  to the Active Travel for Annerley Committee,   this is Brisbane’s Transport Chair. So lazy and  so disinterested in considering a suggestion from   another Councillor representing a community  that is passionate about active travel and   improving pedestrian safety, that he can’t  even spend two minutes explaining why he’s  

Going to vote down this important amendment. I find that behaviour to be disgusting. It   is disrespectful to the residents who have  petitioned and who are seeking action from   Council. The motion before us today and perhaps  I’m wrong, I don’t think I am but perhaps I’m  

Wrong and he’s going to stand up and support  it and all the LNP Councillors are going to   stand up and support this, but that would be  a miracle because that’s not usually what they   do. I think we’ve had one motion in the 13  years I’ve been an independent that’s been  

Supported. So you know, they usually vote it down. But what they’ll be voting down today is a safe   pedestrian crossing across Cornwall Street to  facilitate students getting to school, staff and   visitors getting to the PA Hospital and students  and staff getting to the University of Queensland,  

As well as all the commuter movements that happen  around getting to work and getting home safely.   There is no safe crossing point across this  road and there does need to be one. I thank   Councillor MASSEY for speaking up in support  of the amendment. I too think there could be  

More done. I agree that—and again, this is the  trick in this petition response, that Councillor   MURPHY is saying that they’re going to apply for  a grant from the State Government to help advance   planning for a bikeway. So that’s it, so if they  don’t get the grant, then that’s it, Council  

Won’t do anything with respect to a bikeway. Councillor interjecting. Yes, that’s right,   it’ll be all Mark Bailey’s fault, we know that’s  Councillor MURPHY’s number one catch cry. But if   we look at the other motion on here, which is item  C about Sugarmill Road, Council is actually going  

To resume land to facilitate a bikeway there. I’m  just wondering, where would that be? Would that be   in an LNP Ward? Yes. Sorry, Councillor JOHNSTON,  this is—item C doesn’t come into this amendment,   it’s item B that the amendment is about. Yes,  sorry. Can you draw your comments back to your  

Proposed amendment please. Just making a  comparison, but what I will say is this is   a very straightforward motion, it calls for  an important pedestrian safety improvement.   I thank Councillor MASSEY for her support and  I hope that all Councillors will vote for this  

Amendment. Thank you, Councillor JOHNSTON. We will now put the proposed amendment.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against, say no.  Councillors say no. Nos  have it. Division. Division.  Division called by Councillor JOHNSTON  and Councillor MASSEY. Ayes to my right,  

Nos to my left. Clerks please ring the bells. Councillors, bit of quiet please. Clerks,   please read the results. Mr Chair, the  nos have it, the voting being seven in   favour and 18 against. Councillors, the proposed  amendment has been lost. Please resume your seats. 

Councillors, we now resume debate on the transport  report and it’s Councillors to my right. if they   wish to speak. Any further speakers? Point of  order. Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON.   Could I ask that Items B and C be taken seriatim  for voting purposes? B and C for voting purposes,  

Definitely, thank you. Councillor JOHNSTON,  were they together or separate—together, yes,   thank you. B and C together for voting. Further speakers? I see no one rising.  Councillor MURPHY, right of reply. Thanks,  Chair. Just in summing up, Councillor CASSIDY  

Made some comments in his remarks that compared  our patronage post COVID to 10 years ago and just   want to say that is thoroughly disingenuous. It’s  a very sad parlour trick. No city post COVID has   the same level of patronage they did 10 years  ago. Every city is down. Brisbane is the  

Closest to recovering of any Australian city  right now, which is a remarkable achievement.  In terms of his comments on Sugarmill Road,  the petition response is really clear. We don’t   support cyclists going down Sugarmill Road  because the alternative alignment for that  

Is Viola Place through to Lomandra Drive. We’ve  been really clear about that, in fact it was a   previous item that was discussed in E&C today and  I actually don’t think Councillor CASSIDY knows,   understands or appreciates where Sugarmill Road  is versus Viola Place and Lomandra Drive. So  

He accused me of not understanding it, but I  don’t think he’s actually seen where they are.  The issue is we disagree with what the BUG  groups have said. We don’t agree with the BUG   groups on this and as the road manager, it’s our  responsibility to decide where we actually support  

Additional cyclists moving. We don’t support  cyclists interacting with the massive amount   of heavy vehicles that travel down Sugarmill Road,  which is why Councillor Dixson is being asked to   investigate the footpath, sorry, the alignment for  purposes of a footpath, not a separated cycling  

Facility and that’s clear in the petition. Now Chair, let’s talk about active transport   and I want to just say this city and I don’t think  there is any doubt about this, this city is better   connected as a result of the Schrinner Council’s  record investment into active transport in this  

Term. Now Minister Bailey recently boasted in  a media release about how the State Government   was spending $300 million across Queensland  on active transport in the next four years,   yet our Council has invested more than $0.5  billion in active transport in just four  

Years in Brisbane alone. A reminder that in the  Labor years, this Council— Councillor JOHNSTON.  Councillor MURPHY, you’ve got the call. A  reminder, Chair, that in the Labor years this   Council spent just $5 million on active transport.  In 2020, we completed the first step towards our  

Record of investment with completion of community  consultation on the Green Bridges program,   more than 3,000 pieces of feedback we received,  1,000 people attending community information   sessions resulting in four bridges handpicked  by the residents of Brisbane. In 2021 we saw the  

Contract awarded for the Kangaroo Point Green  Bridge to the Connect Brisbane consortium and   the final design of the Breakfast Creek Green  Bridge was finalised in 2022. The community   backed our case for the Toowong to West End Green  Bridge and the St Lucia to West End Green Bridge  

And we also saw the contract for the Breakfast  Creek Green Bridge awarded to Georgiou Brady.  In 2023, Chair, we’re seeing that hard work  pay off as those two bridges near completion.   Kangaroo Point is set to become the tallest bridge  in the city this afternoon or tomorrow morning as  

The masthead is installed which will top out  the structure and as I mentioned previously,   Breakfast Creek is set to open on time  and under budget. So further downstream,   this time next year residents of Woolloongabba  and East Brisbane will be saving 30 minutes if  

Walking or seven minutes if riding when travelling  to the CBD. These are the runs on the board when   it comes to active transport in our city. In addition to our Green Bridges program,   we’ve also massively expanded the city’s active  transport network in 2020, we were buoyed by the  

Positive momentum for our Green Bridges. We  constructed the Botanic Gardens riverwalk and   the River Hub, which provided a safe access to the  city reach through to the Botanic Gardens. In 2021   we opened the CityLink cycleway, which as of 2022,  carried more than 2,500 cyclists and e-scooters  

Every single day. It’s now carried more than two  million users since the beginning of the trial,   two million users. In the same year,  we opened the Indooroopilly riverwalk,   spanning almost a kilometre along the Brisbane  River, providing a great avenue for cyclists  

And pedestrians away from Witton Road. Of course, Chair, 2022 was undoubtedly shaped   by the February floods which impacted both our  public and active transport networks. We worked   really hard to restore our active transport  network as quickly as possible. We cleared  

Debris from over 170 kilometres of bikeway and  we completed several restoration projects at our   worst-affected bikeway, which was Kedron Brook,  which spans a number of wards in the city. More   than 3,000 cubic metres of sediment we removed.  More than three—which is roughly three busloads  

Full of waste. After the flood, we identified  five key sites that needed to be rebuilt last   year. We finished works on three of those  sites which provided not just that restoration,   but also improved resilience for next time. We connected the bikeway and remediated the  

Creek at Royal Parade crossing. We restored the  culvert crossing and provided improved resilience   at Kalinga Park. We returned Walter Bourke  Park crossing and improved the flood resilience   of that site was well. At Uxbridge Street, we  realigned the path so it sits higher on the bank,  

Meaning it’s less likely to be inundated. Of  course at Wolverhampton Street, we completed a   temporary bridge structure, which was the final  piece in providing the full connectivity of the   Brook. We’re also rebuilding and improving several  other sits around the city with construction  

Starting on bridge replacements for Kooringal  Drive and Hawera Court over the next few months.  In 2023 we completed several projects, like Bill  Brown Reserve shared path and the Joachim Street   shared path. Cyclists will also be happy to learn  that the new Barr Street bridge, which I know is  

A favourite project of the DEPUTY MAYORs, will be  completed just in time for Christmas, so Christmas   presents for residence of Holland Park Ward. It’s  all part of the Schrinner Council’s commitment,   Chair, to providing safe and efficient paths  for those who are walking and riding in our  

City. Chair, who could forget about the mode  of transportation that has seen exponential   growth under this administration and LORD MAYOR  Adrian SCHRINNER and I’m of course talking about   e-mobility. To illustrate this growth, four years  ago our scheme consisted of 2,800 devices, e-bikes  

And e-scooters. In 2023 we’re now looking at just  under 4,000 devices deployed all across Brisbane.   This term started with our draft e-mobility  strategy in 2021, which allowed the public to   have their say on the direction of the scheme. We  received more than 900 submissions, 90% in favour  

Of the strategy and in favour of e-mobility. Collating all the feedback, the final strategy   was released in 2021 alongside  our new operators of the scheme,   Beam and Neuron and of course Brisbane was one  of the first cities in the world to embrace and  

Release such a strategy and we’ve become a beacon  for others who are navigating this landscape and   new forms of transport and e-mobility and how to  best regulate them. Now whether they are looking   at our rollout of the scheme across the city  or our integration of mobility as a service,  

Our first mile and last mile trials, which we  started in 2021, the strategy has put us in a   very unique place in order to lead that charge.  We have this year reached the milestone of over   10 million trips on this scheme and a record  breaking 333,000 trips in a month we’re now  

Getting regularly month by month, which attests  to the success of the LORD MAYOR’s vision when   it comes to e-mobility and also the hard work  of the operators, the private sector operators,   who provide the scheme for the city. Our journey in transforming urban mobility  

Has been nothing short of remarkable. I’m very  grateful to have had had the opportunity to foster   and grow the scheme in the last four years.  Chair, as I wrap up, I just want to thank in   particular a couple of people. The divisional  managers who I work very closely with in Scott  

Stewart and Samantha Abeydeera. Scott of course  is a Council workhorse and a stalwart of the   Council, has been amazing in managing the major  projects, but Sam as a new addition to the EMT,   has been incredible and has seen great change  at Transport for Brisbane as we modernise that  

Organisation. I’ve also very much enjoyed my  time working with previous divisional manager,   Geoff Beck and I do particularly want to  note inside Transport for Brisbane Brian   Bothwell and Dr Greg Spelman, both of whom have  left Council recently and the great work that  

They have put into Brisbane Metro, the network  review and a number of aspects in that regard.  I of course won’t name all of the branch managers  that I’ve had the pleasure of working with, but  

Each of them is very special and talented and they  do a fantastic job. I’d like to thank the CEO,   Colin Jensen, for his work in helping to take  care of many aspects of the Transport portfolio.  

Of course the Lord Mayor’s office and the great  work that they do in helping us to shape policy   in this city and to reach out to the residents  of Brisbane and engage them in the process. My   wonderful Cabinet colleagues and all Councillors,  particularly those on the Transport Committee— 

Councillors interjecting. —on both sides and I  say that genuinely, we’ve had a great time in   the Transport Committee. It has been very, very  much enjoyable. My PLOs, Toby and Catherine,   Dr Morison, have been fantastic and a number of  other PLOs throughout the term. I also want to  

Thank my ward staff, Deb and Ash who keep the  home fires burning. It’s been an amazing time,   Chair and I very much look forward to vigorously  contesting the election in March next year and   hopefully the return of all team Schrinner  Councillors and potentially one or two more,  

We’ll see how we go. Thank you,  Chair. Thank you, Councillor MURPHY.  We will now put the report. We will first put item A and D.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. We will now put Items B and C together. 

All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  Councillors say no. No? They  ayes have it. Division. Division. ChairDivision called by Councillor MASSEY  and Councillor CASSIDY. Ayes to my right,   nos to my left. Clerks, please ring the bells. Councillors, quiet please. 

Councillor Jenkinson. Clerks, please read the results. Mr Chair,   the ayes have it, the voting being 18 in favour,  two against and five abstentions. Councillors,   the report has passed. Please resume your seats. Councillor Wines, Infrastructure Committee please.   Mr Chair, I move the Infrastructure Committee  meeting held on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be  

Adopted. Seconded. It has been moved by Councillor  WINES and seconded by Councillor PARRY that the   report of the Infrastructure Committee meeting  held on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted.  Councillor WINES, you have the call.  Thank you. In the theme of gratitude,  

I’d like to take some time just to thank some  people who have worked in the infrastructure   space and have been part of the Committee for  my time as Chair. So can I begin by obviously,   can I begin by recognising all of my Committee  members. I think it’s been a pretty constructive  

Couple of years and I’ve tried to make it engaging  and meaningful for all of our Committee members   and I thank all of them for their commitment and  their diligence in participating in our meetings,  

So thanks to all of them. Can I also recognise the  team in the city who make my life a lot easier,   all everyone who’s worked for me, but in  particular the current team of Don, Martine and  

Zach. Thank you so much for all of your support. Can I recognise the management team across the   groups that I have involvement with, can I begin  by recognising the head of BI, Mr Scott Stewart,   who again has been recognised earlier, but  very much a stalwart of this organisation,  

Thanks to him. Can I recognise Ms Tania Orr, the  head of TPO and her team of managers who are of a   very high quality and do make the road network  hum, as they say. Can I also recognise Mr Alan  

Evans and his team, in particular Luke Manley who  I deal with regularly and his team, thank you. Can   I recognise as well Mr Joe Bannan and his team  in Asset Management as well, who are all—these   are the groups who we deal with on a regular  basis. All of them are highly professional  

Individuals who are committed, who live the  city motto, dedicated to a better Brisbane.  I would also like to take an opportunity to talk  about some highlights. People raise with me,   what were the highlights of the past term and  I looked at you, Mr Chair, and the highlight  

Screamed out to me. It was when we opened the  Gresham Street Bridge and of course the Gresham   Street Bridge is next to a kindergarten and the  children had been watching the works through the   window, a new bridge build. The children had  been working on it and the first vehicles over  

That bridge were a series of—excuse me. Councillors interjecting. Excuse me,   the children watched the work on it,  the children watched the work on it.  Councillors interjecting. They  were welcome to work on it,   it’s a pro-enterprise group. Councillors, please. Sorry, Councillor WINES, just to put a picture  

Inside your head, Councillor MURPHY, the kids were  like this, up against the screen. It was awesome.  Councillor WINES. They were not hostages,  they were staring out the window of their   kindergarten at the works. But what we did for  them, the first vehicles over the bridge were  

A series of cardboard boxes painted up to be cars  so the children drove over the bridge as they wore   them and drove over the bridge. That was a really  nice moment and testimony of that project being a  

Really important part for St John’s Wood but also  the damage it had received through the floods.  I looked around and I thought to myself, there  has been a light turn on in basically every ward   that I could think of. I looked at—I saw Monier  and Bellwood, I saw Blamey Street, I saw Kenmore,  

Fig Tree Pocket, I saw Murphy and Ellison Road. I  saw with Councillor Dixon one of the big projects   of her was the restoration of the ICB tunnel,  which was the removal of 25 million cubic metres  

Of water, then the restoration of that so that  her community could use that. In so many ways the   Infrastructure Committee’s capital works program  touches all corners of the city and there’s been   works across the term to be able to make getting  around the city just that little bit easier. 

On the topic of, the two things I would normally  say, we try to do in BI, is we try to make moving   around the city safer and easier and so  a lot of things we do are about ease,  

But this week’s presentation was on safety.  So it was a discussion that spoke to the Black   Spot program, which is of course a Federally  funded Council-delivered partnership. So the   Black Spot program has been going for some years  and speaks to projects that are of a value of less  

Than $2 million and can be delivered in 12 months  and those two things often move together so that   they can—because sometimes if a project takes more  than 12 months, it will often involve restoration,   excuse me, land resumption and things  like this which will extend the time. 

So last week’s presentation heard about the four  projects that were done last year. They were of   course Bay Terrace and Chestnut Street in Wynnum,  Kittyhawk Avenue in Inala, Bennetts Road in Normal   Park and Crown Street and Macrossan Avenue  and Johnson Road, which I think is in Forest  

Lake Ward. Just by nature, that last project in  particular is on the very boundary of the city,   so Johnson Road is the boundary of the city  between Brisbane and Logan and represents,   I think in a lot of ways, these four projects  represent both a commitment to the outer suburbs  

But also show balance in the delivery of  projects when it comes to safety because   all four of those projects were of course in  Opposition or in fact Labor-held wards. So it’s   part of also the balance and fairness that we  have worked through, through the BI Committee  

Program and also through our focus on safety, has  always been about need and where it’s required.  On the topic of need, someone raised with me that  the blue folders I brought in, they challenged me   and they thought, someone said that they were  for show and that they were empty. I said, no,  

No, no, this cannot stand. So I grabbed folder  number five, grabbed one out of the middle   and this is of course Business Case Stage 3  Appendix A, Active Transport Technical Note.  Councillors interjecting. Oh read us a few lines,  well, since you asked. The Brisbane City Council  

Is developing a business case for the north-west  transport network, like this is riveting stuff, it   leaps off the page at you. But this is of course  the active transport considerations. So while—  Councillors interjecting. Yes, so this  is, so as some Councillors have noted,  

This is a huge volume, but I just wanted to show  the camera, there is in fact, there is printing   on each page and that this is more than—this is  roughly 6,000 pages of work and can I thank the  

Staff member who was tasked with printing it. It  appreciate it. It’s not the most fun or engaging   thing, but it is a valuable contribution. Now the north-west transport network work   was something that when I became Chair of this  Committee that we wanted to see bear fruit,  

We wanted to see this completed in a meaningful  way and hope for a government, whether it be   Federal or State, engage meaningfully in  the topic and produce an outcome that would   materially improve the motoring experience in  this city. But while we did that for motorists,  

We also wanted to look for an opportunity to,  what I call, preserve the service for people,   so whether it be public transport, pedestrian  improvements, cycling improvements and as I say,   this is number five, this is the work we did  for cycling as part of this network study. 

So I assure you all of that work is genuine  and the fact that we’ve been able to convince   the state to engage meaningfully and they are  proposing a tunnel that corresponds to one of   our submissions is a matter of great pride  for me, something I really hope that they  

Remain committed to and that I think will, in the  long term, make life a lot better for northside   residents and southsiders who like to go to the  Sunshine Coast as well, stand to benefit from this   over the long term. I note, however, that there  are some concerns about it from Peter Flannery,  

The Mayor of Moreton Bay City Council. They have  grown up before our very eyes. He is now concerned   about the traffic beyond the border of Brisbane  City and what it will happen at, I suppose,   Northlakes, particularly since it does appear  that the Federal Government has actually cut the  

Support for the Bruce Highway duplication  that they were discussing for that area.  There’s always a new problem, but our problem  is how do you get Gympie Road to work,   how do you get the public transport system to work  in a high volume and consistent way through there,  

How do you fix up the Hamilton Road-Gympie  Road intersection. I remember when I was in   my first term, I met with a guy called Stirling  Hinchcliff, some of you may know him. He was at   that time the MP for Stafford and I said to  him, you know, you really should fix up that  

Hamilton Road-Gympie Road intersection, it’s a  mess. He said to me, well the problem is that   you Councillors made Hamilton Road too good.  I thought, what a fascinating attitude. But   Hamilton Road is good and I can assure Councillor  PARRY it will be getting better soon. But should  

We improving that intersection or be improving  how people interact with the Beams Road-Gympie   Road intersection and also trying to tidy  up a lot of that movement through Kedron.  So I think it is going to be great work. I want  to assure people that the folders were in fact  

Full of the technical advice that the State should  take on board. As I said, we have done $10 million   worth of technical work, hopefully that gets  them a discount on the $35 million that they’ve   committed to the project, to the study component  of that project. But can I say once again,  

Can I thank all Councillors for their work in  their own communities to make our roads better, to   make our parking system work better, to make our  assets more durable in the long term and accept   more recyclable, higher levels of recyclable  material within them. Can I also recognise  

The efforts to work with our communities to get  major projects completed in the area. It’s been a   wonderful term and all the best to everyone in the  future. Councillor WINES, your time has expired.  Any further debate? Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, I  

Rise to speak briefly on item B and here’s another  LNP Councillor that feels the need to stand up and   make a valedictory speech. I suspect when it  comes to Enoggera Ward and Councillor WINES,   that actually may be the last time that he does  speak in here. But it’s my pleasure this evening  

To make sure his very last act as the Councillor  is to vote against his own residents. Item B,   the petitioners of Newmarket, are calling for a  footpath to be widened leading to Newmarket rail   station and this is on Wilston Road between Daisy  Street and Newmarket rail station. Interestingly,  

The petition response offers to do things the  petitioners don’t want. They literally want   their footpath widened. But Council says no,  no, no can do and Councillor WINES supports   Council’s response, not his own residents. So as the very last act that Councillor WINES  

Performs in this place, I move that item  B is taken seriatim for voting purposes   and I’m going to watch Councillor WINES vote  against his own residents who are petitioning   for footpath improvements. His buffoonery tonight  in what he has done will stand in stark contrast  

To his last action, which is to vote against his  own residents. I feel certain that both—I’m sure   there’s probably a Greens candidate and a Labor  candidate for Enoggera Ward—and I hope that the   Labor Party and the Greens take that information  back to those local candidates and make it clear  

On the public record that their own local  Councillor doesn’t support their request   for a footpath upgrade. Any further speakers? Councillor CASSIDY. Yes, thanks very much,   Chair. I rise to speak on item B and the  Infrastructure Report. The petition requesting  

Council widen the footpaths there and I’m sure  Councillor WINES maybe knows this area, maybe not,   not sure he would traverse it on a daily basis  there, I don’t think he lives quite close by   to that area of the city and we all remember— Councillor interjecting. Yes, I’m not sure how  

Close. Yes, that side of the—it’s the wrong  side of the river, I guess. When we know that   Councillor WINES of course, instead of supporting  his community during the flood disaster, flew off   to Dubai, we all remember that one and— Councillor  CASSIDY. Point of order. Just one moment,  

DEPUTY MAYOR Those Facebook photos— Councillor  CASSIDY. —pretending that he was there— Councillor   CASSIDY. To the report please. So I’m not sure  Councillor WINES really knows them very well,   doesn’t spend a lot of time there in the community  day to day and when the going gets tough in the  

Community, flees when there’s a flood disaster  there, so I’m not sure if he does actually know   the issues that those people are facing there,  maybe it’s just accepted what was put in front   of him and ticked off on that without looking  at different ways in which better and more  

Accessible footpaths can be delivered in that  community. But Labor does have that commitment   and that’s why we announced our mobility plan  which will see more and improved— Point of order,   Mr Chair. —footpaths— Just one moment. Councillor CASSIDY. —which will see an extra 200   kilometres— Councillor CASSIDY, just one moment. Councillor MURPHY. 

DEPUTY MAYOR, your point of order. The relevance  to—he specifically said he was speaking item B,   Newmarket and the mobility plan is actually  in the Transport portfolio, so relevance to   item B as he said he was speaking to. Thank you. Councillors interjecting. I’m not going to take  

A lecture from Councillor ADAMS what’s in—  Councillor CASSIDY. —which portfolio Labor’s   policy is in, thank you very much. Councillor  CASSIDY. Item B is regarding a footpath in   Wilston, Newmarket, sorry. Yes, thanks very  much. Thank you, yes. So can you keep it to  

Item B please? Yes, so Labor’s plan for increased  funding for footpaths will see more footpaths   being built in the suburbs of Brisbane, like in  Newmarket, like on Wilston Road between Daisy   Street and Newmarket train station. This is a  very reasonable request from people. Perhaps  

They approach Councillor WINES, maybe couldn’t  find him locally, was residing elsewhere at the   time and probably a very reasonable request  for people wanting to get more safely to and   from public transport. It’s not an unreasonable  request. Sure, there are constraints here, but to  

Simply just say to these residents, no, too bad,  you can’t have anything because god knows there’s   no funding for it anymore with the LNP cutting $4  million from the footpath budget this year alone,   it’s not a good enough response for a local  Councillor to be getting up in here and endorsing  

This response which is, no thanks, go away, to  the local community. That’s not good enough.  I know Taylar Wojtasik, Labor’s candidate out  there doorknocking, talking to local residents,   you know, is from the area at least, makes  connections with local people and I’m sure  

She’ll go and talk to people living on Wilston  Road between Daisy Street and Newmarket train   station and connecting with these people that  have signed this petition and talk to them   about their priorities. Clearly their priorities,  this community’s priorities, aren’t aligning with  

Councillor WINES’ priorities. Clearly there is a  big disconnect between what Councillor WINES is   talking about in here and what is going on in his  community. He’s clearly not advocating for that   community. What we do need there is a strong  community champion and a Labor Councillor in  

Enoggera and that’s something that we’re going  to see after 16 March next year. Thank you,   Councillor CASSIDY. Further speakers?  Councillor MASSEY. Thanks, Chair. I’m going to  speak to this quickly. Or I could take my time,   what’s the time? Ten minutes. Like the thing  about supporting community and being a local  

Councillor is being able to listen to  your residents when they’re asking for   something incredibly practical, right, like  a footpath to get to public transport. Yes,   of course there’s constraints, yes of course  there’s going to be challenges involved,   but to just outright say no is pretty incredible.  It’s pretty incredible because our candidate,  

Quintessa, is out there doorknocking also, talking  to residents, understanding what they want to do,   what they would like to see in their  neighbourhood, how they’d like to see   changes and updates to footpaths. I think it  is incredible and I thank Councillor JOHNSTON  

For separating this vote because I think it is  incredible after that valedictorian bolstering,   a big speech here at 11.30, the last vote  will be to vote against your constituents.  You know, I’m not going to take the full 10  minutes because there’s no need to because  

I just want to make sure that Councillor WINES  does understand that we will be also making sure   that these constituents know that Councillor  WINES voted against them at a very simple ask,   footpath to get safely to public transport.  Anyway, looking forward to this vote. 

Councillor interjecting. The big blue folders  were very big and they were very impressive.   Thank you, Councillor MASSEY. Are there any further speakers?  Being none, Councillor WINES, right of reply.  Thanks, Mr Chair. What a bizarre series of  

Speeches. It is as though I’m living in a mirror  world where no one actually understands what’s in   front of them and makes outrageous claims that  are not relevant and not true. I don’t know how   to tell the three speakers this, but Wilston Road  has a footpath on both sides, the entire length.  

I don’t know what they’re talking about. They’re  telling me that the candidates are working hard.   They’re not. My own—they may do things to tell you  they’re doing things, but I am—I know what’s going   on, particularly in Wilston Road. Just to clarify,  Wilston Road is one block from my house and I know  

It very well and as I say, there are concrete  footpaths, the width of the footpath, on both   sides of Wilston Road within the area in question. The problem is that in older roads and in older   communities, they’re not very wide, so I  suppose Councillor CASSIDY can go, can send  

His candidate doorknocking down that street and  she can tell them which side of the street she   intends to resume for a footpath, because that’s  the only way it can be done. So she, I think she   should go and she should petition each and every  house asking them to be resumed for a footpath,  

Because that’s effectively what he’s saying and  that’s effectively what his half-page mobility   policy is worth anyway, it’s about half an A4 page  worth of notes and a commitment to spend roughly   what we do already. Actually, I’m pretty sure,  you know, there’s a—five years in Opposition has  

Led to a half-page mobility plan which speaks to a  $20 million cut in footpaths. Then he sits there,   this is a person who barely leaves this building  and spends his whole time dreaming up funny memes,   as though that is the secret to electoral  success. I assure you it isn’t and it won’t be. 

People want to talk about where I’ll be next term.  Well, I will tell Councillor CASSIDY where he’ll   be, no higher than he is now and if any of his  colleagues had half a spine or half a brain,  

They would roll him and put themselves in because  they can’t do any worse. I know a few of them,   okay, that will do better, they would all do  better. How many, this is the real question,   how many Opposition leaders in Council have  lost—have led their team to two defeats in  

A row? It’s going back a while. I actually  couldn’t think of anyone. We ran Bob Mills,   we ran Bob Ward, we had new people each time  through the 1990s. But Councillor CASSIDY is   realistically staring down two defeats in a row. Councillor interjecting.. DEPUTY MAYOR. What  

Can he do? He can take some cheap shots about a  footpath. Well, I would say to Councillor CASSIDY,   you’re not going anywhere, you’re stuck right  there at best and I would—and if you’re—and the   same thing I’d say to Councillor JOHNSTON, the  best she can hope for is to stay exactly where  

She is. So, you know, perhaps people, perhaps  some Opposition figures wish ill of me that I   would not be a member of this Council next term,  but what I’ll say to them is that they’re going  

To stay exactly where they are and that is their  curse that they can bear, that they can bear for   years and years. So the issue with Wilston Road is  it’s very narrow, it’s a very narrow carriageway.  Councillors interjecting. It’s a very narrow  carriageway. Just one moment, Councillor WINES. 

Please continue. It’s a very narrow carriageway,  there are light, excuse me, there are power poles   in the middle of the footpath, it’s only 60  centimetres wide. We have organised—it’s funny   how like Councillor MASSEY takes this view that  you should just hand over a concrete footpath to  

A place that already has a concrete footpath,  solved. Again, this is a person who tells me   that her candidate is out there. Well if she  were out there, she would have told Councillor   MASSEY about this. But she doesn’t. She lives  in Red Hill, she doesn’t live in the ward,  

She lives in Paddington Ward. I don’t think  the candidate for the Labor Party lives in   Enoggera either, by the way, I’m pretty sure  she lives in Councillor CUNNINGHAM’s ward.  Councillor interjecting. Councillor JOHNSTON. But  all I’ll say is this, the accusation that I have  

Not supported my community is wrong because if  you were to bother to read the draft response,   you would say notwithstanding this, the  Wilston Road corridor is currently being   investigated as a project under Council’s  Suburban Corridor Modernisation program,  

Which is a $100,000 allocation solely to the  benefit of Wilston Road, to work out with skilled   officers, such as Damian Soper, how to manage the  limitations of a narrow carriageway. So Damian,   Mr Soper, I should say, is working on this project  right now because you can’t just build a footpath  

And you can’t just resume a whole side of the  street to widen the footpath, you have to work   it out. So Mr Soper from the Suburban Corridor  management group is working on it right now.  So not only—had anyone bothered to read  the papers, they would have learnt this.  

But I don’t think anyone in Opposition does  read the papers. I think they just warm up,   take cheap shots and get that seat they’re in nice  and comfy because they’re going to be there for a   little while yet. Thank you Councillor. We will now put item A of the report. 

All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. We will now put item B of the report.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  Councillors say no. The ayes  have it. Division. Division. 

Division called by Councillor JOHSTON and  seconded by Councillor CASSIDY. Ayes to my right,   nos to my left. Clerks please ring the bells. Councillors, please. Clerks, please read the   results. Mr Chair, the ayes have it,  the voting being 18 in favour and seven  

Against. Councillors the report has passed. Councillors, we will move onto the next report.  Councillor ALLAN, City Planning and  Suburban Renewal please. Mr Chair,   I move that the report of the City Planning  and Suburban Renewal Committee meeting held   on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted. Seconded. It has been moved by Councillor  

ALLAN and seconded by Councillor ATWOOD  that the report of the City Planning and   Suburban Renewal Committee meeting held  on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted.  Councillor ALLAN, you’ve got the call. Thank you,  Mr Chair. Before I get to the Committee report,  

I’d like to acknowledge the contributions and  achievements of the City Planning and Suburban   Renewal team during this year. Mr Chair, earlier  today I already acknowledged the hard work of our   Development Services team in assessing development  applications across the city. These high-quality  

And sustainable development applications and  outcomes have been guided by a range of strategies   and planning scheme amendments. A key priority  this year was planning for our future city while   addressing the challenges of population growth  and changing housing needs. In March we released   Brisbane’s Sustainable Growth strategy, our  Housing and Homelessness strategy, that outlines  

The important work we’re undertaking to facilitate  housing supply and diversity within our city.  One of these new initiatives was to support  the construction of build-to-rent accommodation   in appropriate locations and in July we  announced our build-to-rent incentive policy,   which enables eligible projects to defer  infrastructure charges. The financial impact  

Associated with recovering upfront construction  costs when developing new residential housing   for Brisbane can be significant and can act  as a deterrent in delivering managed rental   accommodation direct to market. By using the  upfront cost for rental housing development,  

The policy aims to increase housing supply in the  short term and contribute to better diversity and   supply in housing for the residents of Brisbane. In October we released our Housing Supply Action   Plan and Housing Supply Incentive. We acknowledge  that 96% of all new residential properties are  

Delivered by the private sector and this  initiative will help tackle the current   housing shortage by incentivising private industry  and the community sector to kickstart construction   sooner. Additionally, the policy also provides  for a 100% permanent and ongoing reduction for  

Our community housing providers to make it even  easier for them to deliver vital social housing.  These strategies and policies are supported  by our ongoing amendments to the planning   scheme to ensure the city plan and supporting  planning instruments are current and effective.  

This includes delivering three new neighbourhood  plans, namely the Eight Mile Plains Gateway plan,   Sandgate district and the Bridgeman Downs  plan and progressing the Nathan, Salisbury,   Moorooka neighbourhood plan. It also includes our  major and minor amendments that provide further   information guidance and advice to the industry  and community about how planning outcomes can  

Be achieved. We will continue to advocate to the  State and Federal Governments for improvements to   the planning regulations, including pushing  for an expedited planning scheme amendment   process to help unlock more housing sooner. We also understand that good subtropical design   can deliver economic, social and environmental  outcomes and benefit residents health and  

Wellbeing. Not only have we introduced a new  subtropical design planning scheme policy this   year, but we also launched the green factor  tool in May. This online tool provides urban   development practitioners with guidance to assess  the quality of any proposed green infrastructure  

And new developments to optimise landscape designs  and maximise the ecosystem services they provide   in the context of Council’s strategic priorities.  The success of this tool was recently acknowledged   at the Planning Institute of Australia Queensland  2023 awards by taking out the Improving Planning   Processes Award and receiving a commendation  for technology and digital innovation. 

But, Mr Chair, the City Planning and Suburban  Renewal portfolio isn’t just about development   and planning schemes. It is also about how  we make Brisbane a better place to live,   work and relax. It is our Public Realm Improvement  programs that create liveable places with vibrant  

Neighbourhoods. This year we completed our  20th village precinct project at Lumley Street,   Upper Mount Gravatt. We have also completed  VPPs at Sandgate Road, Boondall and Park Road,   Milton, with planning and works underway  at Rosalie Village and Aminya Street.  We also want high quality, attractive public  spaces that encourage the local community to meet,  

Linger and enjoy and we do so by transforming  our public spaces, laneways and city streets   into imaginative, curious and engaging spaces.  In addition to supporting our extensive public   art collection of over 200 artworks, Council  also supports a dynamic visual art program of  

Exhibitions, events and projections. This includes  Botanica, our 10-day free outdoor exhibition,   which this year was visited by over 110,000  people and our outdoor gallery program,   which celebrates its 10th year in 2023. The last  exhibition, Make Visible, will run from October   to April 2025 and explores the relationship  between climate and the urban environment. 

We also want to create a sense of place  and this includes reinforcing the local   character and heritage for our local residents,  businesses and visitors to connect with. This   week we released our latest heritage trail, a  river-based trail that explores 32 places along  

The river. This heritage trail can be enjoyed  by jumping on a CityCat and listening to audio   re-enactments. We also introduced the general  exemption certificate for local heritage places   this year. This process makes it easier for owners  and managers of local heritage places by providing  

Upfront permission to undertake works that keep  heritage places in active use and good repair.  Mr Chair, it’s evident that the City Planning  and Suburban Renewal portfolio has had many   achievements this year and all this would not be  possible without the support and ongoing hard work  

Of the officers from Development Services  and City Planning and Economic Development,   led by divisional manager, David Chick and  general managers Peta Harwood, John Cowie and   Martin Reason. I’d also like to thank the clerks  from the Council and Committee Liaison Office,  

Megan, Dorian and Victor, who have supported the  City Planning and Suburban Renewal Committees   and this Chamber. I would also like to thank the  members of the City Planning and Suburban Renewal   Committee and finally and importantly, I’d like to  thank Donna and Lisa in the Northgate Ward office,  

Steph, Tony and Vanessa in the Chair’s office. Mr Chair, just moving on to the Committee report   from last week. Item A was a presentation updating  the Committee on the draft Nathan, Salisbury,   Moorooka Neighbourhood Plan. Council recently  received the draft neighbourhood plan back from  

The State Government following their first state  interest review. Council will now work through the   conditions with the state prior to undertaking  public consultation on the draft neighbourhood   plan in 2024. The Committee also considered two  petitions and I’ll leave further debate to the   Chamber. Thank you, Councillor ALLAN. Are there any further speakers? 

Councillor GRIFFITHS. Thank you, Mr Chair.  I rise to speak on the draft Moorooka,   Salisbury, Nathan plan. This plan has been  in development for about three years and my   understanding is one of the last neighbourhood  plans this Council will do. I was interested in  

Following the presentation last week and thank  Councillor ALLAN for letting me ask a couple of   questions at the presentation. At some point it  would be good to get a more detailed briefing on   the plan. I’ve worked really strongly with my  community in relation to this plan. This plan  

Has or proposed to have a significant impact  on the community, in particular to impact or   the upzoning of at least 200 character homes in  the area and with that upzoning would be the loss   of protection of those character homes. It also  looked at increasing significantly the density,  

Not just for employment, but the  density of accommodation in the area.  In terms of working at the local community,  we were able to get 260 written submissions   to feed into this Local Plan, I think there were  also about 1,000 other engagements that Council  

Undertook as well. I attended numerous public  meetings, many public meetings, with small groups,   as well as a very large public meeting of over  400 residents and all the media of Brisbane.   That was at the Moorooka Community Club and it  was a very interesting and very focused meeting,  

Where very strong views were expressed about  the plan and what people wanted and didn’t want.  Councillor CASSIDY also attended that meeting with  me and we certainly spoke about the work of the   Better Suburbs Board, and, can I say, the majority  of residents were very concerned about the work of  

The Better Suburbs Board. We have since taken  a position that we don’t support the work of   the Better Suburbs Board; the LNP do support the  work of the Better Suburbs Board. As well as that,   out of the planning process, six community action  groups formed separately to each other. I brought  

All those community action groups together  and offered them to meet with me. So they’ve   subsequently over that three-year timeframe  have formed into one very strong community   action group that are very clear about  what they want to achieve for the suburb. 

Now, it was really good on the weekend to  be invited to drinks and a catch-up with   that community action group to talk about what is  proposed in this plan. What I’m pleased or what I   think I’m pleased to understand, that it sounds  like in the plan that I was briefed on that the  

200 character homes will not be upzoned. There  will be a review of the character homes and   that much of the planned upzoning for the area  will not go ahead in the areas where there are   character homes, but there are other locations  that are industrial land that will be upzoned for  

High-rise development, which broadly we would  support and broadly the community supports.  So my understanding is as a result of this plan in  its current working form, we’ll see an additional   2,500 residents created in Moorooka, Nathan and  Salisbury and an additional 12,000 jobs created  

By an increase in density, particularly along  the Magic Mile and the industrial land adjoining   that. I think that broadly to me, based on the  representations I’ve seen, seems reasonable. I   would also like to thank the State MPs who  have been involved with me in relation to  

This plan. That’s Peter Russo and Mark Bailey,  as well as the Planning Minister, Steve Miles,   who met with myself and the resident action groups  and we presented all 260 written submissions to   the State, because I note Council hadn’t done that  and I’ve raised that previously in the Chamber. 

The other part of the plan is residents in the war  workers’ homes, and that’s been divided off into a   separate submission, that part of this process.  I did request that this come through at this   meeting, because those residents are very keen to  see the heritage level of protection that was on  

Their homes returned back to character protection.  I’ve attended meetings with those residents,   and what this Council has agreed to is that the  majority of residents—if we can get the majority   of residents to put in written submissions  about that, that we will amend the plan from  

Heritage to character. I support that. I’m  disappointed it wasn’t brought through at   this meeting. The difficulty is we’ve had  so much brought through in this meeting,   and we’re still meeting at 12 o’clock. It’s crazy. So, overall, this plan looks like it’s a move in  

The right direction. Next year, my understanding,  after the Council election and if I’m still here,   I’ll be supporting it going out for consultation  to residents, so that they can give their review   during the statutory period. Once again,  I want to stress that it is—I don’t know  

The fine print of what’s in the plan, as  residents don’t know either. I really think   it’s been a very long and arduous process, and  certainly some of the residents aren’t happy,   particularly the residents in Nathan. During the  whole planning process, their suburb, nothing  

Has been said to happen in their particular  area. Yet, as part of this planning process,   now, they’re looking at, I think, medium  density in a section of their suburb.  They’re feeling a bit deceived, because at no  time has Council indicated that and, in fact,  

Council worked with those residents and myself  to support a court challenge to a proposal   for 800 units to go into that particular area,  that particular suburb. So residents in there,   in Nathan, are feeling that they’ve been deceived  by Council in fighting a court case that says one  

Thing, but then coming in with a plan that says,  actually, we’re looking at putting density there.   So that’s a discussion and a fight yet to be  had. Overall, I look forward to taking this   out to the community and I think, really, in the  future, it’s going to be looking at infrastructure  

And looking at getting a definite list of  character homes in Moorooka and Salisbury and   Nathan. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor. Further speakers? I see no one rising.  Councillor ALLAN, right of reply. No? We will now put the report.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no. 

The ayes have it. Councillor DAVIS, Environment,   Parks and Sustainability, please. Thank you, Mr  Chair. I move that the report of the Environment,   Parks and Sustainability Committee meeting  held on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted.   Seconded. It has been moved by Councillor  DAVIS and seconded by Councillor WOLFF that  

The report of the Environment, Parks and  Sustainability Committee meeting held on   Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted. Councillor DAVIS. Well, thank you,   Mr Chair. 2023 has been yet another massive year  in Program Three, and despite the challenges   that we faced in strong population growth and  unprecedent cost pressures, we’ve continued  

Our strong record of delivering for residents of  Brisbane. We hit the ground running in 2023 with   the delivery of ongoing flood recovery work and  we began to acquire the first properties under the   Voluntary Home Buy-Back program. This program has  assisted hundreds of Brisbane residents with no  

Other place to turn following the devastation  of their homes during the 2022 flood event.  We’ve had feedback from program participants  that the dedication and professionalism of our   acquisitions team had made a really positive  impact during what has been a very stressful  

Time for those residents. We’ve now acquired 222  properties under the program of which 52 have been   demolished. Wherever possible, we try and embrace  the circular economy, so we’ve relocated 27 homes,   which can be given a new lease on life in the  future. Mr Chair, this year, we achieved a  

Significant milestone in our Bushland Acquisition  program with the 400th parcel acquired since the   beginning of this initiative back in 1990. Since  then, we’ve protected and enhanced more than 4,400   hectares of natural habitat across our city. In 2023, we’ve been busy across Brisbane’s park  

Network to create more to see and enjoy for  residents and visitors to Brisbane’s parks,   which are such an important part of our city’s  vibrant outdoor lifestyle. As you know, Mr Chair,   we delivered the Victoria Park Master Plan,  which is the culmination of four years of  

Community consultation and thousands of  hours of behind the scenes work by the   team. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity  to transform 64 hectares of urban green space   into a thriving public parkland and we’ve got to  work straightaway on it. The first new shelters,  

Pathways in the Kelvin Grove Busway entrance  have been completed and work has commenced on   the first big projects, and those are the urban  pump track at Herston and the Spring Hill Common.  Meanwhile, Victoria Park remains as popular  as ever. We hosted several major events in  

The park in 2023, including the Green Heart  Fair, which attracted nearly 20,000 attendees   from right across the city, and our inaugural  Outdoor Adventure Festival celebrating all   of the opportunities to get active and enjoy  Brisbane’s great outdoors. This year, we also  

Completed work on Brisbane’s new mini theme park  at Bradbury Park. I can say that the feedback has   been tremendous. We’ve had visitors come from far  and wide to check it out, including a delegation   of mayors from Western Australia, which I  mentioned a few weeks ago. We have created a  

True suburban destination at Bradbury Park, that’s  changing the way families think of playgrounds.  It’s targeted at older kids, with an  appetite for a bit of risk and adventure,   and Bradbury Park has been a great success in  getting tweens and teens off TikTok and into  

Nature for many hours of explorative fun. We’ve  also delivered another new major play-space on   the southside at Kitchener Park in Wynnum, with  the new nautical-themed playground, as well as a   towering new playscape and fresh kickabout space  at Castamore Way Park in Richlands. This year,  

We completed work at the Shorncliffe Escarpment,  which includes new heritage-inspired bollards,   a viewing terrace, replacement staircase, as well  as plantings and escarpment stabilisation, to   help make sure residents and visitors can cherish  this iconic seaside spot for generations to come.  We’ve also made great strides towards delivering  two major park projects: the Nudgee Recreation  

Reserve and Brisbane International Cycle  Park at Murarrie Recreation Reserve. Both of   these projects will massively enhance Brisbane’s  opportunities for active recreation and community   connection, especially in the leadup to the  2032 Games with the BICP providing Olympic-level   training facilities for local cyclists and maybe  even budding future Olympians. Mr Chair, we have  

Also been busy planning for the future. We have  opened consultation to being a visioning process   for Brisbane’s two remaining quarries at Pine  Mountain and Mt Coot-tha. These two sites have   almost unlimited potential to create an iconic  destination for our city and I know the community  

Is very excited to share their thoughts on what  we could see in those spaces in the future.  We’ve also developed concept plans for the  Kingfisher Creek Precinct, our next priority   precinct as part of the Norman Creek Master  Plan and, of course, with Brighton Foreshore.  

Like what we did at Shorncliffe Escarpment,  there’s a lot of potential here to unlock this   foreshore destination with new opportunities for  the community and visitors to enjoy. As well as   building and delivering new projects in 2023,  we also saw some welcome recognition of one of  

Our most ambitious park and waterway projects  at Hanlon Park, Bur’uda, which was showcased   on Gardening Australia and was the talk of  the town at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit.  Earlier this year, we won three national awards  from the Australian Institute of Landscape  

Architects, and I’m very proud to announce  that Hanlon Park has been recognised again   last week by the Planning Institute of Australia,  winning the 2023 Great Place Award. Speaking of   recognition, Brisbane was acknowledged as a global  sustainability leader again by the United Nations,  

Becoming the first and only Australian city to  receive gold certification under the Sustainable   Development Goals program. Mr Chair, we also  launched the Biodiverse Brisbane Initiative,   which is the LORD MAYOR’s commitment  to place one million native plants   along 500 hectares of riparian habitat by 2032. For the first time, we’re partnering with Greening  

Australia to secure private investment  in restoring Brisbane’s urban habitat,   which is a really great outcome. Planting is  underway right now at Archerfield Wetlands,   with close to 20,000 plants in the ground  already. But to round off this snapshot, we   have also delivered an offroad cycling strategy.  We’ve built the world’s first koala bridge. We’ve  

Introduced koalas into Pooh Corner. We’ve given  out 250,000 free native plants over the term.   We’ve created 64 new parks, increased playground  shade from 72% to 92%. We’ve installed 79 new   electric and gas barbecues and, of course, we  established the Brisbane Sustainability Agency by  

Merging Oxley Creek Transformation and CitySmart. So that’s just a little bit of a snapshot of what   we’ve done over the term, but, of course,  there’s much more than that. But moving   on to the Committee report, Mr Chair, last  week’s Committee presentation was a report  

On Brisbane’s native flora. We are proud that as  Australia’s most biodiverse city we are host to   81 ecosystems. These ecosystems are home to  more than 2,000 different species. In fact,   some of our flora even dates back to the time  of Gondwana in the Triassic and early Jurassic  

Periods. The presentation included some quite  beautiful images of our impressive flora that   flourishes in Brisbane from native shrubs  and trees to some species that are under   threat and, of course, needing our protection. We learnt that our native flora has had to adapt  

To extremes in both dry and wet conditions, with  some plants adapting to low nutrient environments,   where others have adapted to drier conditions. It  was very clear that the Committee really enjoyed   what was a very interesting, informative and  colourful final Committee presentation. Mr Chair,  

We also had two petitions, the formal naming of  the park known as Holdsworth Street Park at Old   Cleveland Road, Coorparoo to Wallace Place Park  and another petition requesting Council install   wildlife fencing at Rode Road. But, Mr Chair,  before I finish, I’d just like to take the  

Opportunity to thank officers for all their hard  work in support of Program 3. These officers are   very passionate and committed to delivering  our clean, green and sustainable agenda.  A particular thank you to Divisional Manager David  Chick, General Manager of the News Branch, Brad  

Wilson, and his managers, Elizabeth Sisson, Wade  Fitzgerald and Lachlan Carkeet, with a mention to   Dave Henry, Kate Wise, and the very lovely Alena.  But to Sean Madigan and the CPS team, thank you,   for the work that you’ve been doing, not only in  Victoria Park, but at other parks across the city:  

Roma Street Parklands and, of course, South Bank.  To Tracy Melenewycz and the BSA team, thank you   for what you do. Natalie Costanzo and the teams  at our Environment Centres, they do amazing work,   not only with volunteers, but working with  the community, so that they can learn about  

How we can protect our environment better. Of course, to Petria Forword and the Victoria   Park project team, whilst those opposite like  to come into this Chamber and have a crack at   the work that those dedicated officers are doing  in creating what will be a magnificent park—64  

Hectares—that will become an iconic destination  for our city in years to come. I’d also like to   thank the clerks. Thank you for your support,  both here in the Chamber and, of course, in the   Committee rooms. I’d also like to give a shoutout  to the amazing team who support me in the EPS  

Chair’s office: Tanya, Ethan and Steve and to the  team at the McDowall Ward office: Natasha, Trish,   Keila and Matilda. Thank you for everything that  you do working— Councillor DAVIS, your time has   expired. Thank you very much, Mr Chair. Thank you. Further speakers? I see no one  

Rising to their feet. We will now put the report.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. Councillor MARX,   City Standards, please. Mr Chair, I move that the  report of the City Standards Committee meeting  

Held on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted.  Seconded. It has been moved by Councillor MARX   and seconded by Councillor ADERMANN that the  report of the City Standards Committee meeting   held on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted. Councillor MARX, you’ve got the call. Yes. Thank  

You, Mr Chair. Being the last Council meeting  of the year, I’d like to take some to reflect   on what has been a massive year for Program  Six. I’d like to acknowledge the hard work and   dedication of our City Standards and Compliance  and Regulatory Service officers. It is your  

Dedication and hard work that helps to maintain  the high standard that our residents see across   Brisbane every day. It gives me a great sense of  pride when I see new footpaths being constructed,   the community participating in education programs,  roads being resurfaced or one of the many other  

Important pieces of work that you help deliver. I want to say thank you on behalf of not only our   team of Councillors here, but also the residents  of the City of Brisbane for the hard work that  

You’ve done over the last 12 months and three and  a half years as my role as Chair. To Christian,   thank you for the tremendous amount of  work you’ve done this year. Your passion   and commitment to this job and the residents of  Brisbane are second to none, and I know that he  

Is continuing to listen right now. To Pip,  thank you for your knowledge. Thank you for   your enthusiasm and thank you for your support,  and I hope you get better soon. To Kirsty, your   dedication to a better Brisbane and your pragmatic  approach is wonderful to work with. To you and all  

Of your team, thank you for all your work. To Paula, we miss you and we hope you’re   enjoying your new role. I would also like to  acknowledge Sam, Shane, Mark, Matt, Sonya,   Peter and Anthony. Thank you for your  professionalism and the countless hours  

Of discussions around the brilliant work you and  your teams have been undertaking for the community   this year and previous years to that. I have to  say, I do enjoy our robust discussions and look   forward to many more to come. To Lizzie, Danny,  Luke, Caitlin, Levanya and Carly, thank you for  

A brilliant year. It has been a great pleasure  working with such a passionate team. We certainly   could not have delivered our Towards Zero Waste  strategy without all of you. There’s been so many   things and wonderful things done in this program. I just can’t say that—we can’t say each day is  

The same. Everything—when you get up here in the  morning is just something different all the time,   whether it’s Des swimming to the island and who  knows what. Lots of various things. I just want   to say, if I missed anyone in that thank you  list, that’s Kate’s fault, not mine. Last week,  

We did a Committee presentation on the Bracalba  Quarry and I was actually so impressed with the   slide that the officer had produced for that, I  promised the Committee members I would do a copy   for that, and I’ve got some here for you, which  I’ve even had laminated. I think they’re—it’s  

A pretty impressive piece of work. There  was—Councillor JOHNSTON had a question on notice   about the clearing of trees regarding the quarry. Council is currently still working with State and   Federal Government in the planning flows, so any  future plans will be raised on quarry demands.  

Also to just clarify, there was an email sent to  your ward office yesterday regarding the footpath   query that you had. I also want to make mention  of—thank you to all my ward and city office staff.  

I’ve had a few over the last 10 years in this  role and three years as the Chair. I also want   to make mention that I was particularly pleased  to hear this morning or earlier this afternoon the   accolades that all the Councillors on both sides  of the Chambers had for the outcome managers. 

Councillor interjecting. Yes. I  don’t know why they’re laughing,   because I think the outcome managers do  a tremendous job through you, Mr Chair.  Councillors interjecting. I do remember  quite clearly that there was opposition   to the restructuring when it was first  introduced and talked about. I always said— 

Councillor interjecting. Councillor JOHNSTON. I  always said that the restructure was not set in   stone and that if changes needed to happen,  then they would. So I’m very pleased to hear   that all the Councillors are very happy with the  outcome managers and that they are dedicated to  

Their job and their role is to continue to  make our life and the life of residents—   A point of order. —easier. Thank you, Mr  Chair. Just one moment, Councillor MARX.  Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON. Claim  to be misrepresented. You haven’t spoken.  Councillors interjecting. Councillor MARX. No? Councillor JOHNSTON, your misrepresentation. Yes.  

Councillor MARX has stated that apparently all  Councillors are thrilled with the restructure.   Earlier today, I actually thanked Rick  Larkin for his hard work. Certainly,   the restructure’s still a dud and always  has been. Further speakers. I see no one.  We will now put the report. All those in favour say aye. 

Councillors say aye. Those against say no. The ayes have it.  Councillor HOWARD. Thank you, Mr Chair.  I move the report of the Community,   Arts and Nighttime Economy Committee meeting  held on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted.   Seconded. It has been moved by Councillor  HOWARD and seconded by Councillor LANDERS  

That the report of the Community, Arts  and Nighttime Economy Committee meeting   held on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted. Councillor HOWARD, you’ve got the call. So,   Mr Chair, I never really realised that the  night-time part of my portfolio would be so  

Relevant, but here we are. I just want—I’m going  to be brief, because normally I spend a great deal   of time telling everyone what a beautiful city we  have, but I know that you all know that and I want  

To—I’m not going to mention anybody’s name from  Lifestyle, because they all do the most fabulous,   fabulous job, as you all know. So I just want  to say to each and every wonderful person that   works in Lifestyle, thank you, thank you, thank  you. You do a fantastic job. You make me very,  

Very proud of you and it is my great honour to  stand up for you whenever I need to and some of   you do some really difficult jobs. I think our  Public Space Liaison officers fit that category. 

They are doing it tough out there at the moment,  and I just want to call you out as someone that   just goes above and beyond at the moment. But can  I just say to each and every one of you from my  

Lifestyle portfolio, I really, really appreciate  everything that you do. Our Committee report was,   in fact, a wrap up of 2023 and we had a great  time. We have a great time at our Committee,   because we really do have some fantastic stories  to tell. I think one of the important aspects of  

That report was that our customer services have  been recognised for their excellence by the   Auscontact Association. It was—we received several  awards for customer service excellence and were   announced as the 2023 Queensland Contact Centre  of the Year. So that is something really special. 

We talked about our community facilities, our  libraries and all of the amazing activities that   we do in our Lifestyle portfolio. But I also want  to say a big thank you to our River City Pride.   They are also a group of people who have really  done us proud this year. There was an amazing  

IDAHOBIT event that was organised by River City  Pride and I think it’s the first time that we’ve   invited people from all over Brisbane and it  was a great success. So on that note, I would   just like to say to everyone in the Lifestyle  portfolio have a wonderful, wonderful Christmas,  

Enjoy your break and I look forward to working  with you next year. Thank you, Councillor HOWARD.  Are there further speakers? I see no one rising. We will now put the report.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. Councillor— Point of order,  

Chair. Point of order, Councillor COLLIER. I move  that the motion currently lying on the table,   Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags  on the Story Bridge come off the table for   debate. Seconded. We have a procedural  motion before us to remove a motion on  

The table that was moved by Councillor COOK and  seconded by Councillor CASSIDY and the motion   reads that Brisbane City Council commits  to urgently installing the Aboriginal and   Torres Strait Islander flags on the Story  Bridge in addition to the Australian flag.  All those in favour to that motion  coming off the table say aye. 

Councillors say aye. Those against say no. Councillors say no. The nos have it.  Division called by Councillor COLLIER and seconded  by Councillor GRIFFITHS. Ayes to my right,   nos to my left. Clerks, please ring the bells. Councillors, a bit of quiet, please. Clerks,  

Please read the results. Mr Chair, the nos  have it, the voting being seven in favour   and 19 against. Councillors, the procedural motion  has not passed. Please resume your seats, please.  Councillor CUNNINGHAM, you are— Point  of order. Sorry, Councillor CUNNINGHAM. 

A point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, Mr  Chairman, I move that the motion to re-establish   Council’s flood buy-back scheme is taken off  the table. Seconded. Thank you. We have a   motion before us moved by Councillor JOHNSTON  and seconded by Councillor GRIFFITHS that the  

Motion that reads that Brisbane City Council  re-establishes a flood buy-back scheme as part   of the 2024-25 Council Budget to provide ongoing  flood buy-back following the conclusion of the   State and Federal Government scheme in 2023.  We’ll now put the procedural motion for that  

Motion to come off the table. All those in favour say aye.  Councillors say aye. Those against say no. Councillors say no. The nos have it.  Division called by Councillor JOHNSTON  and seconded by Councillor CASSIDY. Ayes   to my right, nos to my left. Sorry.  Sorry. My apologies. My apologies. It  

Is 12.20. Clerks, please ring the bells. Sorry, mate. All the pretzels are gone.  Clerks, please read the results. Mr Chair,  the nos have it, the voting being seven in   favour and 19 against. Councillors, the procedural  motion has not passed. Please resume your seats. 

My apologies, Councillor GRIFFITHS. Sorry.  There’s not much left, mate. They do make   you thirsty, though, those pretzels. Councillors, as it is 12.21 and it is   Councillor HUANG’s birthday today,  happy birthday, Councillor HUANG.  Councillor CUNNINGHAM, you’ve got the call.  Thanks, Mr Chair. I move that the report of the  

Finance and City Governance Committee meeting held  on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted. Seconded.   It has been moved by Councillor CUNNINGHAM and  seconded by the birthday boy that the report of   the Finance and City Governance Committee meeting  held on Tuesday 21 November 2023 be adopted. 

Councillor CUNNINGHAM. Thanks, Mr Chair. I’ll be  as brief as I can be. Our presentation last week   was from our City Resilience manager to provide  an update on Council’s activity to prepare for the   upcoming season. Councillor MASSEY specifically  mentioned Howard in her remarks earlier today or,  

Should I say, yesterday. I join with her in  acknowledging the tremendous job that Howard has   done in this role. It was informative report, as  always, and I want to thank the staff right across   Council for their efforts in reducing risk and  promoting Committee preparedness and resilience,  

Particularly at this time of year. We hope the  season ahead is a quiet one, but we know that   despite the weather today bushfire remains  a real risk this summer, as are storms.  In the report is the bank and investment report  for October and the quarterly Committee financial  

Reports as well. As this is my final report  for the term, I will take the opportunity to   acknowledge the achievements in the Finance and  City Governance program area. Mr Chair, we have   backed local businesses and suppliers throughout  our procurement policies like never before. It’s  

Something we are really proud of. We are gearing  up, the Council, for a digital transformation,   which will provide residents with more accessible  and better value services. We’ve delivered great   reforms in terms of rating policies, whether  that be new rebates or our categories for  

Transitory accommodation, which have been  since replicated right across the nation.  We’re now doing a huge body of work to further  investigate policy reform in the short-stay sector   as well. We continue, importantly, to have  the cheapest rates in South East Queensland  

And the most generous pensioner rebate scheme  in Queensland. We’ve made great gains in the   disaster management space. I’m proud of the many  small, but important wins we’ve had in terms of   modernising ward office processes and support  for our Councillors. I could go on, but in the  

Interests of time I simply won’t. Thanks to the  dozen of Council officers I’ve had the privilege   of working with in my portfolio every day,  especially led by Anne and Tim, but the hundreds   and hundreds more who support them. Thank you to  the LORD MAYOR and to my Cabinet colleagues. Thank  

You to my fellow Councillors, especially those on  the Finance Committee and, of course, the clerks,   who help facilitate those meetings. Finally,  thanks to my team in the city and ward for   their ongoing support. Merry Christmas and enjoy  your summer. Thank you, Councillor CUNNINGHAM.  Are there further speakers? Councillor STRUNK. Yes. Thank  

You. Thank you, Chair. Listen, I rise to speak  on not any particular item here, but an item   that actually doesn’t appear on the papers, but  it’s very much a part of our Committee work,   and that is the payments that are approved  every week. I just wanted to—not debate those,  

Obviously, because I’m not allowed to, but  I just want to give credit where credit is   due. I worked out some time ago that for the  eight years that I’ve undertaken this work to   read every payment and come with those questions  that looked interesting—and we’ve had a few—that  

I couldn’t have done that work without someone  from my ward office, Pam McCreadie. Councillor,   sorry. Forgive me. Councillor STRUNK— Yes.  Would you mind holding these comments over   until General Business? Would you not indulge  me? No. It is part of the Finance portfolio.  

But it’s not in the report. I know and I say  I’m not debating. I know, and I realise that,   but it’s still not in the report. If you would  like me to move it in GB, that’ll be fine. Yes. I  

Would love it if you would— Okay. —keep your  comments to General Business. Thank you.  Further speakers. There being none,   Councillor CUNNINGHAM, right of reply. No? We will now put the report.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  The ayes have it. Councillors, are there any petitions? 

DEPUTY MAYOR. Yes. I’d like to table  a petition around reducing the speed   limit on Ekibin Road East. Thank you. Councillor STRUNK. Yes, Chair. I’ve got   a petition here by a number of residents  asking for an upgrade of the roundabout at  

Forest Lake Boulevard and Garden Road to a set  of traffic lights. Thank you. Thank you, sir.  Councillor WOLFF. Yes. I have a petition for  the five-way intersection soundproofing for loud   vehicles on Gailey Road, St Lucia. Councillor  WHITMEE. Yes. I have a petition with 306  

Signatures opposing the proposed intersection  improvements at Cambridge Parade, Melville   Terrace and Arnold Street. Thank you very much. Can I have a motion to accept the petitions,   please. Sure, Chair. Mr Chair, I move that the  petitions as presented be received and referred  

To the Committee concerned for consideration  and report. Seconded. It has been moved by   Councillor HUTTON and seconded by Councillor  STRUNK that all petitions as presented be   received and referred to the Committee  concerned for consideration and report.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. All those against say no. 

The ayes have it. Councillors, are there any statements required   as a result of the Office of the Independent  Assessor or Councillor Ethics Committee order?  I see no one rising. Councillors,   are there any items of General Business? Councillor DIXON. Mr Chair, I wish to rise on  

General Business to speak about Christmas events  in Hamilton Ward. So the Christmas spirit is truly   around my local community and there are many  great events that are happening. Last Saturday,   I attended the St Mark’s Christmas Tree Festival,  and as part of the festivities the church invited  

People to enter a decorated tree and I definitely  took that opportunity up. So I had a Hamilton   Ward-inspired decorated tree. Some other community  organisations got involved as well, such as Meals   on Wheels, Hamilton Girls Guides and even the  Brisbane Pickleball Club as well decorated a  

Tree. Visitors were also able to walk through  market stalls and purchase some afternoon tea.  This coming week, I’m excited to be attending the  St Augustine’s Christmas Carols, where Racecourse   Road will be filled with Christmas joy from about  3pm on Friday. There will be a sausage sizzle,  

Market stalls and a carol service led by local  choirs, the Ascot State School, Hendra and   Hamilton State School Choirs as well. So I invite  everyone to bring a picnic banquet and enjoy the   evening on the lawn. I’m also looking forward to  the Hamilton Neighbourhood Hubs Baubles, Bells &  

Bows, which will be on Saturday at St Luke’s from  3pm. Now, finally, it’s 20 years since the movie   Elf first screened. So I’ll be hosting a Christmas  music and movie in the park on 9 December. We will  

Have a band called Swingalicious from 5.30pm  and then a screening of the movie Elf at 7pm.  It will be a great evening at Ascot Park.  Finally, I just want to wish everyone in   Hamilton Ward a Merry Christmas, and I also  just want to quickly thank my ward staff as  

Well. They’ve been great since I started  in the role. I can’t wait to celebrate   with everyone in the community over the festive  season. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor DIXON.  Councillor STRUNK. Yes. Thank you, Chair. I’ll  continue my remarks from before. So we undertake  

This work on a weekly basis to go through all  those payments that the Brisbane City Council   makes. I worked it out that there is—over the  last two terms we were the—I would have—not   just myself, but Pam McCreadie, as I said, my ward  advisor. We’ve gone through over a million lines  

Of text or payments. We came up with at least on  average around about 10 questions per week, so   that works out around 2,000 questions. Some of the  answers were very interesting, especially for some   of our fellow Councillors, who made payments or  payments were allowed to be made on their behalf  

And they were—had to be a little bit embarrassing,  I suppose, is probably the best way of putting it.  But, as I say, I couldn’t do it myself alone.  Pam McCreadie, my ward advisor, undertook all   the legal stuff, and that was challenging at  times, because sometimes it wasn’t obvious who  

The payment was being made to, because there  was no acknowledgement that it was actually a   legal payment. But we were able to identify those  barristers and solicitors that worked outside of   Council and we were able to come up with those  questions in regard to those legal payments. 

It’s work that I think’s pretty important and  over the years I’ve found that most—you know,   probably 99% of the payments were correct insofar  as there wasn’t many double payments, but we did   find a few over the years with double payments  on computers and things like that, which was,  

Again, interesting that that sort of work wasn’t  properly picked up by people that were a lot more   competent in this area than I was that do this  work every day. But humans, we can make mistakes,   but—and it was good that we were able to pick  those up, so that the Council didn’t actually  

Have to make double payments or those double  payments didn’t occur. So, anyways, I just   wanted to put that on the record after eight years  and who knows what’s going to happen next year?  Hopefully, I won’t have to continue to do this.  Leader. Because my optometrist says to me,  

He says, you just better watch out. You  know, look after your eyes, you know,   because they’re pretty important. But, anyways,  it was gratifying in a lot of ways when you find   stuff that isn’t quite right and you can bring  it to the attention of the Committee. Thank you,  

Chair. Thank you, Councillor STRUNK. Further items of General Business?  Councillor LANDERS. Thank you, Chair. I rise to  speak about the Sandgate Men’s Shed who recently   worked on a beautiful new railway tunnel for the  Bracken Ridge Lions’ Train Day. Last weekend,  

We actually tried out the tunnel. It was  absolutely stunning. The kids loved it. We train   drivers loved it and the only downside was it’s  another thing that we’ve got to take down at the  

End of the day and put away. But, anyway, everyone  chips in and gets it done. So the Men’s Shed have   been fantastic. They do incredible things in  our community. Whenever there’s a little job   that needs to be done, they’re willing to do it.  Of course, we had several of them there selling  

Their toys at Train Day, the wooden toys that  they make, which of course the community loved.  We also had the local family who have been raising  funds for the Tara Bushfire Appeal. They ran the   barbecue at Train Day on Sunday, which everyone  supported. It was great to see. I do want to give  

A shoutout to our Bracken Ridge Lions Club.  They are absolutely fantastic and, of course,   were there during the floods and are here now  helping with this Tara Bushfire Appeal. They’re   always there when we call upon them too. So we’re  very, very lucky in Bracken Ridge. The last Train  

Day for the year is not on the fourth Sunday as  it normally is, because that would be Christmas.   So it is on 10 December. Hopefully, the weather  is on our side. It should be a lovely day, so,   Councillor MURPHY, please bring along Allidy  and Councillor ATWOOD, I know, yes. Yes. 

New Councillors, if you want to bring along your  little ones to McPherson Park in Brecken Ridge,   it is a really fun day out. The important  thing is that Santa will be at this Train Day,   so hopefully you can make it along.  Thank you. Thank you, Councillor LANDERS. 

Further speakers? Councillor COLLIER. Thanks. Just one item of   General Business tonight—this morning—Chair. This  morning. First matter is— That is highly accurate,   Councillor COLLIER. Can I say, congratulations on  picking that one up. Well done. Thanks so much.   Just about local small business support. Now, more  than ever, local businesses need our support and  

That is why I am working alongside traders in both  Oxford Street and Asquith Street in Morningside   to get more support from Council. To these local  businesses, I hear your calls loud and clear and,   unlike this LNP Council, who say our businesses  already get enough support, I will listen and  

Act. Council supports other local precincts with  projects that deliver things like landscaping,   artwork, lighting and more, so why can’t they  support ours? For far too long, this LNP Council   has prioritised other areas over our locals.  Oxford Street is a beautiful hub of Bulimba  

And boasts a huge array of local businesses.  They are represented by passionate advocates   at the Oxford Street Business Association. The Asquith Street shops in Morningside are   another group of excellent local traders, who  help make Morningside special and they are truly  

Deserving of Council’s resources. When they ask  for help, they have my full support. I did just   want to touch on the DEPUTY MAYOR’s comments last  week that I’d like to clarify. I know it’s very   easy for the DEPUTY MAYOR to get confused,  given she’s likely never spoken to any of  

These small businesses before. But that’s okay,  because I do. So in the Oxford Street Business   Association’s own words, they say Oxford Street is  an important community hub, but many locals have   raised concerns that the streetscape is looking  tired and in need of improvements and support to  

Attract residents and visitors to the precinct. We are asking Council to fund a Village Precinct   and Growing Precincts Together project for Oxford  Street, Bulimba as a priority. Local traders in   the Oxford Street Business Association make  specific requests for hands-on support from  

Council to make the public realm improvements  to the precincts. These are the words of the   association. DEPUTY MAYOR, I will just note the  OSBA, as they’re known, came to me specifically   this year and said, Lucy, Council did this  project earlier. They put some fairy lights  

Up. They put some artwork up, I guess, and they  didn’t actually speak to any of us about if it was   what we wanted. They put some—Council put some  sparkly lights up and walked away. They said,   job done. According to Council, it is  all fine and dandy in Oxford Street. 

DEPUTY MAYOR, I know that it’s your first  instinct to jump to conclusions and personal   attacks. After all, it is the LNP way to  say that residents are not being truthful,   but this is the reality for local traders. This is  what they have told me. Unlike the LNP, I actually  

Do speak to people who are affected and not some  thirdhand report of what might have happened. I   certainly won’t be ringing the DEPUTY MAYOR to  get a local problem solved, because through you,   Chair, all that will achieve is the DEPUTY  MAYOR will come into this place in City Hall,  

Blame small businesses, call them lazy and say  it’s only her job to look after the inner city.  The reason why I bring this up today is to  highlight the hypocrisy of this LNP Council,   who say they’re business friendly, but reality  could not be further from the truth. One of  

The small businesses who were affected by road  resurfacing recently in my ward asked me to read   these words on their behalf here in this place  today. They said, we were notified but a couple of  

Days was certainly not time for us to prepare. Due  to the nature of works, we were unable to trade,   as the dust, debris and smell affected the health  and safety of our staff and customers. This forced   us to close. As a small business, every small  change directly impacts us. We lost financial  

Income, and the ability to provide stability for  our staff. We were devastated that Council was not   able to support us at all during this time. This just further proves my point that I   raised in a Committee meeting a few weeks  ago, which is the absolute breakdown in  

Communication that affects small businesses  and community organisations. Council could   improve their processes instead of blaming  small businesses. We can do so much better,   and under a Labor Administration we absolutely  will. Are there further items of business?  DEPUTY MAYOR. Yes. Thank you. I’d just  like to speak about the behaviour of  

Those on the opposite side of the Chamber  tonight; the bullying, bickering, vicious,   personal attacks on every person on this side of  the Chamber, every single Chair in this Chamber.   I don’t even need to speak about that last  one, because the lack of communication from a  

Councillor bickering about something that happened  July and never picking the phone up to the Chair,   that is lack of representation. That is lack. Councillor interjecting. Councillor COLLIER.   You were heard in silence. DEPUTY MAYOR. I hear Councillor  

COLLIER say she’ll never pick up the phone to me  and for me; great. But she could ask any Council   officer that’s working in that team. The team  spoke with that shop and, from my understanding,   they didn’t shut down, but I hear what they’re  saying. I wish they had reached out to the team  

And spoke to them, because that was not—having. Councillor interjecting. Well, I wish Councillor   COLLIER—this isn’t a conversation. Thank you,  Councillor MURPHY. I’ll take the interjection.   But this is not about Councillor COLLIER’s speech.  This is about Councillor JOHNSTON’s speech. This  

Is about the nasty, vicious Councillor CASSIDY,  who was backed into a corner, because they know   what they’re staring down in March, and it isn’t  pretty. It isn’t pretty. It’s desperate and   it’s sad and the results will show in March. This  side of the Chamber are proud of our achievements  

We’ve done the last four years, which is why it  wasn’t a valedictory. It was shouting it from the   rooftops of the wonderful work that not only the  Cabinet Chairs, our deputies, our backbenchers,   but the whole Council team, has done over the  last four years has been absolutely fantastic. 

We will stand on that record every day of the week  and every minute of the day right up to 16 March,   where I am sure the rest of Brisbane will  agree with us that the only people that can   manage this city is Team Schrinner. On that note, I move the meeting  

Be closed. Seconded We have a motion to— Councillor interjecting. We have a motion   to close the meeting moved by the DEPUTY  MAYOR, seconded by Councillor HUTTON.  All those in favour say aye. Councillors say aye. Those against say no.  Councillors say no. The ayes have it. Councillors, before we leave the Chamber,  

Can I please—Councillors. Before we leave the  Chamber, can you please extend thanks to Billy,   who has stayed with us all this evening. Our  clerks, Victor and Dorian, as well. Also City   Hall Operations, thank you for staying behind. Councillors, I declare the meeting closed.