TABLE OF CONTENTS - Brisbane City Council | · Web viewAs the Minister pointed out in his announcement, the nearest house to the airport is more than six kilometres from the runway,

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

The 4432 meeting of the Brisbane City Council,held at City Hall, Brisbaneon Tuesday 25 March 2014at 2pm

Prepared by: Council and Committee Liaison OfficeChief Executive’s OfficeOffice of the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive Officer

Dedicated to a better Brisbane


THE 4432 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,

ON TUESDAY 25 MARCH 2014AT 2PM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS_______________________________________________________________i

PRESENT:________________________________________________________________________1

OPENING OF MEETING:____________________________________________________________1

MINUTES:_______________________________________________________________________1

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:____________________________________________________________1

QUESTION TIME:__________________________________________________________________6

CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS:___________________________________________18ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE__________________________________________18

A THE GRANTING OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS LEASE TO TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED, IN RESPECT OF PART OF THE LAND AT BARTLEY’S HILL RESERVOIR____________________________21

B PROPOSED LAND EXCHANGE AT BUKULLA STREET, WACOL_______________________________23INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE___________________________________________________________25

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – OPEN LEVEL CROSSING REPLACEMENT PROJECTS______________29B PETITION – REQUESTING COUNCIL TO PROVIDE MORE MOTORCYCLE PARKING IN THE SOUTH

BRISBANE AND WEST END TWO-HOUR ZONES__________________________________________30PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE_______________________________________________33

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – ACTIVE SCHOOL TRAVEL SECRETS TO SUCCESS_________________34NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE____________________36

A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION (DISTRIBUTER-RETAILER) UNDER THE SUSTAINABLE PLANNING ACT 2009 – PROPOSED MULTI-UNIT DWELLING – 26 TO 42 GLADYS STREET, GREENSLOPES – CORBEE PTY LTD________________________________________________________________________41

ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE____________________________________44A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CAMERA TRAP MONITORING IN NATURAL AREAS______________45

FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE_____________________________________________________________46A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – GARAGE SALE TRAIL_____________________________________47

BRISBANE LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE_________________________________________________________48A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – COUNCIL’S MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WITH WESTFIELD

AND CENTRO FOR DISABILITY BAY PARKING ENFORCEMENT_______________________________50FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE_______________________51

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – COUNCIL’S ZERO HARM STRATEGY__________________________52

CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION - “Share the Road” style campaign:_________________53

CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION – Installation of rubbish bins, seats and trees in the parkland at the corner of Inskip Street and Melbourne Street, Rocklea:____________________68

PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:_____________________________________________________72

GENERAL BUSINESS:______________________________________________________________73

QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:__________________________________80

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:________________________80

[4432 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 March 2014]

Dedicated to a better Brisbane


THE 4432 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,

ON TUESDAY 25 MARCH 2014AT 2PM

PRESENT:The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR (Councillor Graham QUIRK) – LNPThe Chairman of Council, Councillor Margaret de WIT (Pullenvale Ward) – LNP

LNP Councillors (and Wards) ALP Councillors (and Wards)Krista ADAMS (Wishart)Matthew BOURKE (Jamboree)Amanda COOPER (Bracken Ridge)Vicki HOWARD (Central)Steven HUANG (Macgregor) Fiona KING (Marchant) Geraldine KNAPP (The Gap) Kim MARX (Karawatha)Peter MATIC (Toowong)Ian McKENZIE (Holland Park)David McLACHLAN (Hamilton)Ryan MURPHY (Doboy)Angela OWEN-TAYLOR (Parkinson) (Deputy Chairman of Council)Adrian SCHRINNER (Chandler) (Deputy Mayor)Julian SIMMONDS (Walter Taylor) Andrew WINES (Enoggera)Norm WYNDHAM (McDowall)

Milton DICK (Richlands) (The Leader of the Opposition)Helen ABRAHAMS (The Gabba) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition)Peter CUMMING (Wynnum Manly)Kim FLESSER (Northgate)Steve GRIFFITHS (Moorooka)Victoria NEWTON (Deagon) Shayne SUTTON (Morningside)Independent Councillor (and Ward)Nicole JOHNSTON (Tennyson)

OPENING OF MEETING:The Chairman, Councillor Margaret de WIT, opened the meeting with prayer, and then proceeded with the business set out in the Agenda.

MINUTES:573/2013-14

The Minutes of the 4431 meeting of Council held on 18 March 2014, copies of which had been forwarded to each councillor, were presented, taken as read and confirmed on the motion of Councillor MURPHY, seconded by Councillor MARX.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:Ms Sue Bremner – Fees for residential parking permitsFile number: 137/220/701/172

Chairman: I would like to call on Ms Sue Bremner who will address the Chamber on fees for residential parking permits. Orderly, would you please show Ms Bremner in.

Ms Bremner, you have five minutes; please proceed.

Ms Sue Bremner: Thank you, Madam Chair. LORD MAYOR, Councillors, thanks for the opportunity to come and address Council today. My name is Sue Bremner; I am


the spokesperson for RAPPP—Residents Against Paid Parking Permits, and we represent residents across Brisbane who are strongly opposed to the imposition of this fee over-and-above our rates.

Our ePetition currently has about 624 signatures last time I checked this morning, and with three other petitions that I know have been up there, 1,266 people have signed the petition, and that is quite significant compared to an average last year of about 100 per petition. I know others have written to Council and to the local Councillors, and I am aware that there are a couple of submissions to the Ombudsman in at the moment. So a lot of people are actually quite upset about this charge, and they want it gone.

In the short time that I've got, I'd like to refute the rationale for the fee. Council talks about escalating costs. A few years ago Council brought in these beautiful new adhesive stickers, a bit fancier than the old paper ones that we used to have, but I am concerned that they are actually part of the rising costs of this scheme. I understand that the process is also outsourced to Victoria, and I don't know why that is.

Interestingly, the State Government will actually phase-out stickers like this for car registration this year, so obviously there is technology around already to identify vehicles. So I ask: ‘Why has Council has introduced old and probably too expensive technology for this scheme?’

The next part of the rationale: these charges exist in all other capital cities in Australia. Technically, that is correct, but as an old Maths teacher, I used to talk to students about ‘lies, damn lies and statistics’. So here are some stats that I found in a quick internet search. Brisbane City Council is the largest council in Australia, representing over 1 million people. It has a budget of $2.9 billion, a rates income of $890 million, and gets $50.4 million from parking meters and parking fines. Sydney City Council, on the other hand, represents only 190,000 people, and does indeed have fees for permits. However, Waverley Council around the inner-city suburbs of Sydney, no fees.

Melbourne City Council, 100,000 people, has a fee. However, Bayside City Council, southern suburbs of Melbourne, no fees for permits. I think I have made my point without going to the other cities. They are nothing like Brisbane. Mostly consisting of small councils across metropolitan areas. Sydney has a population of four times that of Brisbane, but Sydney City Council only represents about one-fifth the number of people that Brisbane City Council does. It is a spurious argument.

The abuse of permits. Council officers have said to me a number of times that there have been increases in the number of visitors' permits in the last few years, and it is because of widespread abuse of the system. People are giving them away or selling them on. When we met with Councillor SCHRINNER last month, he actually did say to us that Council didn't have any hard evidence that the permits were being abused. Wouldn't it be better to investigate this properly rather than just slugging residents with a fee?

The major issue in all of this is congestion in our residential streets. We have heard from many residents who fear they're paying for a service that they can't use, because they can't get a park in their street. I fail to see how a fee does anything to solve the congestion issue.

Brisbane City Council is a huge council, large projects like Legacy Way. Some supporters of ours are concerned that developers have been given permission for buildings with inadequate parking, placing pressure on surrounding residential streets, and they feel let down by their Council. The issue is that the little people, the residents of Brisbane, your constituents, and might I add your voters, are not getting the attention they should. So we have Brisbane City Council, large, little people, residents. I agree with what Councillor SCHRINNER said to us at our meeting: it is time to actually restore that balance.

Please listen to us. The cost of this scheme is really small beans to a Council with a budget of billions of dollars. Repeal this inequitable fee and focus on the


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real issue: congestion in our residential streets. Thank you, Madam Chair, LORD MAYOR, Councillors.

Chairman: Thank you, Ms Bremner.

Chairman: DEPUTY MAYOR, would you like to respond?

Response by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee

DEPUTY MAYOR: Yes, thank you, Madam Chairman, and thank you, Sue, for coming in. It is a pleasure to see you again, and I appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback and also on behalf of your members as well. I certainly have listened to what you have said and have also listened to many other people that have provided feedback to Council on the issue of paid parking permits.

Certainly while we might disagree on certain aspects of it, there is one particular thing that I agree absolutely with the feedback that we have received, and that is that Council needs to do better to manage the current parking restrictions that are in place in many locations.

At the moment we have a situation where this bit of chalk is essentially the only thing that stands between residents in areas like yours and the many outside commuters and various other people that come in and park and overstay the time periods in those areas. That essentially makes it hard for residents to find a park in their own street, and rightly is something that they are upset about. So many of these areas have particular time limits, like a two-hour zone, and we know from the feedback that we have been getting that many people are overstaying those time limits. We certainly hear that, and that has been probably the number one bit of feedback that we have received.

People are saying, look, we don't particularly like the fact that the permits are being charged for, but we would be prepared to pay that fee if there was better enforcement, and that is essentially what so many people have told me. So we have listened as a Council. We accept that we need to do better.

Over the past year there has been a 26 per cent increase in complaints about parking. Those complaints are people asking Council to carry out enforcement. So there is an issue here.

Councillor interjecting.

Chairman: Order!

DEPUTY MAYOR: We are not about to bury our head in the sand and say that this is something that can be ignored. Like I said, we do need to do better in terms of managing the limited available parking that is available in our inner city areas. We can't create more on-street parking. Essentially on-street parking, the amount that is there at the moment is the amount that will always be there, so we need to manage that available parking better.

In relation to the issue of escalating costs of managing the permits, I accept what you are saying about the stickers. Unfortunately we did find, though, that when we had the paper permits, they were being photocopied, and there were quite a large number of photocopied permits available at that time. So that is not a problem that we have with the stickers, obviously, but it was a problem before, which is one of the reasons the stickers were introduced.

If we can find a better way of distributing the permits, we are certainly happy to look at those options, and we are investigating that at the moment to try to keep the costs down.

In terms of the size of the Council budget, and you mentioned that obviously it is a big Council and surely this is something that Council can afford, the money that comes from parking fines and parking meter revenue is invested directly into parks and footpath upgrades. Each Councillor at the moment gets an equal amount, right across the city, of that fine revenue which they use to upgrade


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footpaths and parks. So that money is actually tied to an outcome at the moment—

Councillor JOHNSTON interjecting.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON!

DEPUTY MAYOR: —and each Councillor is reinvesting that money into their community, so there is actually a direct link between the parking revenue and the outcomes in the suburbs. So there is already a purpose for that money that it is being used for.

As I said, I think the key issue is Council needs to do better in managing the on-street parking, and we are certainly looking at ways that we can do that. Thank you for your time coming in and for expressing your views.

Chairman: Thank you. Orderly, would you please show Ms Bremner out.

Mr Jim Reeves – Development Application number A003732079 for 39 Colville Street, Highgate HillFile number: 137/220/701/176

Chairman: I would now like to call on Mr Jim Reeves who will address the Chamber on the development application number A003732079 for 39 Colville Street, Highgate Hill. Orderly, please show Mr Reeves in.

Please proceed, Mr Reeves; you have five minutes.

Mr Jim Reeves: Thank you, Madam Chairman, LORD MAYOR, Councillors; I thank you for this opportunity to address Council. I am here as the Chairman said to discuss an application to construct a five-storey multi-unit dwelling at 39 Colville Street, Highgate Hill. I and my wife have our almost empty nest in an adjoining apartment block, and along with some 50 other people from our neighbourhood, have lodged formal submissions opposing this development.

We contend that the proposal represents a significant over-development of the site. It flies in the face of the planning intent expressed in both City Plan 2000 and the most recently released draft of the new City Plan. Planning instruments need to be able to relied upon to represent how development will be managed and what form it will take. Council, through its decisions, must reinforce this reliability. Likewise, those who invest in and develop our cities need consistency and clarity.

The introductory section of City Plan puts it elegantly and simply when it says that the plan sets out what we and our neighbours can build. Prior to purchasing our apartment, we did due diligence, and we could reasonably anticipate the possibility of a multi-unit development on the adjacent block of two storeys and 8.5 metres, proposed to be 9.5 metres in the new plan. The intent for the zone was unequivocal, 'a mix of houses of two and three-storey multi-dwelling units and single dwelling units of a house compatible scale which co-exist comfortably with neighbouring houses, and a strict adherence to a maximum gross floor area of 50 or 60 per cent if in close proximity with public transport or on arterial roads.'

Our objections are detailed in our submissions to Council, Madam Chairman, and I am sure that you and your colleagues will give them due and objective consideration. To summarise the position, though, we are confronted with the prospect of a building that is more than four times the scale envisaged, with a gross floor area of 1233 square metres, four times the level that was to be strictly adhered to, a gross exceedance of the acceptable solution contained in the code. The proposed building is three storeys higher than specified in the code. The height ranges from 13.5 to 16.5 metres above natural ground level.

Colville Street is less than 10-metres wide, with a kerb to kerb road pavement of 6.5 metres. The plan states that, for a three-storey building, it must front a road reserve of 15.5 metres minimum. The same provision is reflected in the new draft plan.


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There are many other requirements which the proposal fails to meet. It dwarfs and intrusively overlooks the property and habitable rooms of its neighbours to the southern side, and will have significant impacts on the amenity of its neighbours and the neighbourhood. The developer justifies these excesses by referring to the height of Dornoch Towers which was built 40 years ago. Dornoch Towers is the exception. It should not influence the rule.

Residents of Dornoch Towers are entitled to the same protection as any other residents. We should not have the enjoyment of our homes compromised because we live in an apartment complex. We are the pre-existing use and should not be the rationale for the over-development of adjacent sites. The developer says in their submission that we residents of Dornoch Towers have no entitlement to views. Likewise, the proponent has no entitlement to such gross exceedances in density and height so that residents in the new development can enjoy views. It is a blatant attempt to add value to the development at the direct expense of existing residents.

If approved, it will be a terrible precedent. Five storeys will become the yardstick. When the next block becomes available in Colville Street, the same arguments will be made for five storeys, and how can Council resist? This proposal is a try-on. We are not in denial; we have chosen to live in an apartment in a highly urbanised area, and we are happy with the choice.

The West End peninsula is a development hot spot. It is certainly pulling its weight in doing its share to increase density across this city. The residential areas of West End are already densely settled, and the scale and pace of current medium and high density development is staggering. There is no shortage of opportunities for developers. There is a new crane on the skyline every week. This development makes the retention of the scale envisaged in this low-medium zone even more important.

I was surprised to read in the Request for Information from the Council in December by the Planning Department that they suggested it might be reduced to four storeys, still two storeys higher than the code. Shoe-horning five-storey—

Chairman: Mr Reeves, sorry, your time has expired; thank you. No, time has expired, thank you.

Mr Reeves: Okay.

Chairman: Councillor COOPER, would you like to respond?

Response by Councillor Amanda Cooper, Chairman of the Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee

Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank you very much Mr Reeves, for coming in. I know that you know Council well, so welcome back for a brief visit. So, thank you for coming in this afternoon. I understand you also are representing another resident, a Dr Mortess, who I think is away and was unable to come in, so thank you for representing him also here this afternoon.

This particular application you spoke about was lodged with Council on 29 October of last year and triggered the highest level of assessment. So it is impact assessable. That, of course, really is indication that it isn’t in accordance with the acceptable solutions of the current City Plan.

So the information I have had from officers is this is a proposal for 12 units, and it is proposed to be six storeys with five car spaces in a site that is currently zoned low-medium density. So, it went out for public notification from 9 January to 1 February this year, and I believe there were 56 submissions received, with 53 of those being formal submissions, and I do believe that you are actually a formal submitter to this application. Thank you very much for lodging that formal submission. Certainly you have provided very comprehensive feedback to the Council officers, so that is very much appreciated.


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Of course, you know that this also entitles you to formal appeal rights, so whatever the decision of Council is, you will be able to choose to appeal whatever that decision may be once it has been made. As you are aware, Council has a number of particular concerns about this application. In December of last year, when we issued the information request, we raised issues about the height and the bulk of the proposed development, setbacks, car parking impact—so that is really about things like potential noise, fumes from cars, light from headlights; all those sorts of things. These were all raised as a part of that information request.

There were also issues that Council had with driveway access, retaining walls, road dedication, landscaping and issues about a bio-retention basin and its location in the proposed design. This was a very extensive information request; I think it was about five pages detailing all of the issues that Council had with this application. That is quite indicative of the fact that officers considered this application to have all of those issues that have not currently been satisfactorily addressed as a part of that. So quite a number of concerns, and I think you also gave us some technical advice from a town planner in support your submission, which similarly expressed concerns.

At the moment the applicant responded to our information request on 8 January this year. Again Council officers have identified a number of outstanding issues. The assessment manager is in the process of actually preparing a further information request letter. Again, we will be going back to that applicant and saying that we do not believe that they have addressed those issues, and we are asking for them to respond again.

Those particular further issues will be again the height, the gross floor area, setbacks and footpath, driveway width, refuse collection, design of the actual building, as well as asking them to respond to how those submissions have been addressed as part of the application.

So this is an ongoing application, but there is a lot of information that Council is continuing to ask the applicant to provide a response to. At this point in time, no decision has been made on the application. But certainly the issues that you brought forward were issues that were shared by the Council officers. We certainly do thank you for coming in today and providing your feedback. We will make sure that a copy of what you have said obviously will also be forwarded to the assessment manager to consider as part of the assessment of the application. Thank you very much for coming into Council this afternoon.

Chairman: Thank you, Mr Reeves.

Mr Jim Reeves: Thank you, Madam Chairman.

QUESTION TIME:

Chairman: Are there any questions of the LORD MAYOR or a Chairman of any of the Standing Committees? Councillor MARX.

Question 1

Councillor MARX: Thank you, Madam Chairman. LORD MAYOR, I understand that it is difficult to design a one-size-fits-all approach to crime prevention, and that for a strategy to be successful, it must be both specific as well as flexible. I also understand that Council continues to hand out a number of grants to small community groups across our city. Can you please detail why these small grants can make such a significant impact on crime reduction and prevention for our local residents and communities?

LORD MAYOR: Thanks very much, Madam Chairman, and I thank Councillor MARX for the question. It is true that Council has a multi-pronged approach to crime prevention in our city. The matter that Councillor MARX has raised through her question today relates to the Suburban Crime Prevention grants. This is a grants program which provides $250,000 each year towards multiple numbers of


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organisations around our city. The type of organisation that is eligible to make application for these grants are suburban businesses, not-for-profit community groups, sporting clubs, and it is all designed to both deter crime and improve community safety throughout our suburbs.

The Suburban Crime Prevention Program will benefit all Brisbane residents and visitors, in particular, by implementing safety measures that will reduce opportunities for crime; improve the perception of safety in their suburbs and the surrounds; improving safety through the application of crime prevention through environmental design principles—in other words, doing those sorts of things where there is expert advice that will assist in that reduction, and the perception of safety and also the reality of providing a safer environment; educating local residents on personal safety and property security; providing improved public spaces in business precincts for people to enjoy; implementing effective graffiti prevention removal and management strategies; as well as partnering with other stakeholders to resolve safety concerns in their community.

So, Madam Chairman, we provide funding in each application area of between $1,000 and $10,000. So, $10,000 at the upper end, and applicants are required to provide 20 per cent of the project costs. In other words, Council will provide up to 80 per cent of the cost to a maximum of $10,000. The applicants that can be eligible are a registered small business, a consortium of small businesses, a chamber of commerce, small business body corporates, not-for-profit community groups, and sporting clubs.

The next round of grants will open in late July this year, and again $250,000 will be provided. In this financial year we have provided some 40 grants to different groups. It might be opportune to just have a look at a few of the examples of the sorts of organisations that are becoming beneficiaries of these grants, and through that, the broader community. The Windsor Royals Sports Club received a grant of some $3,544 for the upgrading of fencing in Holloway Field to better manage the access to the facility and reduce graffiti opportunities on their property. We gave a grant to the Youth Advocacy Centre, and this was an opportunity for that centre to conduct workshops and develop resources about responsible partying, to inform and educate young people on the legalities of hosting parties.

We provided The Gap Pastimes Club Inc. with a grant of some $9,750 to install nine CCTV cameras to provide better surveillance of the clubhouse facility and the surround area. Similarly with Burnie Bray Centre, they have received a grant to install six CCTV cameras, to upgrade their lighting, to remove graffiti, and repair community garden infrastructure, particularly around foliage, to ensure a safe outcome.

Creative Doll in Woolloongabba has installed one additional camera to an existing CCTV system to deter any social activity at that centre. Eastern Suburbs Hockey Club were provided with a grant to upgrade and improve four security lights and install 10 CCTV cameras at the club facility within the Clem Jones Centre. Toombul District Cricket Club are installing sensor lights around the clubhouse, car park and the small shed area to deter vandalism and graffiti and to improve lighting to areas where the anti-social activity is occurring.

So these are some really clear examples—and in that last case, the sensor lighting one, $3,161; so all of these are adding to the safety and security of Brisbane.

Chairman: Thank you, LORD MAYOR; Councillor DICK.

Question 2

Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. You haven't published any of your decisions made at your weekly Civic Cabinet meetings on Council's website since November 2013. Why do you persist in delaying or hiding your Civic Cabinet decisions from the residents of Brisbane, and will you release these decisions today?


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LORD MAYOR: Well, Councillor DICK, you have stumped me on that one, to be quite frank. I will certainly investigate that and get back to you with an answer before the day is out as to why that would be the case.

Chairman: Further questions; Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.

Question3

Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question this afternoon is to the Chairman of Finance, Economic Development and Administration Committee, Councillor SIMMONDS. I understand that the Brisbane Airport curfew has been lifted. Can you please explain what this will mean for our economy and for the wider Brisbane community?

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and thank you to Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR for the question and, of course, her continued interest in the economic growth of our city. Last week the Chamber will recall that the Federal Government announced that there would not be a curfew imposed on Brisbane Airport. This is significant and good news for our city. The Chamber might be interested to know that, in Committee this morning, we received a briefing on the latest modelling of just what an important and positive impact this will have for our city going forward.

In making the announcement last Thursday to the Tourism and Transport Forum, I note that the Minister and Deputy Prime Minister said these words: 'A curfew at Brisbane Airport would have had an ongoing impact on the Brisbane economy, not to mention the tourism industry. At the same time, it would have done very little to mitigate the aircraft noise impact, particularly during peak periods, on Brisbane residents.'

Brisbane City Council, of course, strongly welcomes this outcome having advocated for it in our submission, and given how clear the benefits are for our city. The committee heard this morning how the latest research from the economist Deloitte demonstrated that Brisbane Airport is estimated to contribute $5.4 billion in economic contribution this financial year alone. This is expected to grow by 2.5 times to a staggering $13.4 billion by 2033. This is in direct and indirect economic benefits.

We know already that Brisbane Airport is the nation's third-busiest airport, with more than 20 million passengers and 107,000 tonnes of air freight and mail moved during 2012. But, what is of particular interest to this Chamber is that, of that $5.4 billion in growth by 2033 that I mentioned, so this is in billions, $1.9 billion would have been wiped out through the introduction of a curfew. That is $1.9 billion less spent in our economy, in our city, that we can now count on thanks to the wise decision of the Federal Government. $1.9 billion in jobs, in money, to the local retail sector, into the tourism sector within our city.

If that wasn’t ample evidence enough, the analysis shows that within that lost economic growth, it would be Brisbane and South East Queensland that would bear the brunt of any of this loss. Of course, for those of us in favour of economic growth and jobs, and anti a curfew, it has always been pretty obvious that those politicians such as Councillor SUTTON and the former MP Kevin Rudd, who have been advocating for a curfew, have been far more interested in politics than the residents of this city.

Consider Councillor SUTTON's own words, Madam Chairman, her own comments on this issue. In an article titled 'Noise; What Noise?' by Tony Moore in 2009, Councillor SUTTON said she attended a meeting with Brisbane Airport Corporation and Seven Hills residents who live under the flight path. Her direct quote in the article was this: 'It happened to be on a night when there weren't many planes flying overhead, disappointingly.' Well, yes, it must be disappointing when reality doesn't meet your political expectations, your political argument. That must be frustrating.

It is the same frustration I suspect that overcame Councillor SUTTON this morning when she attacked officers during the presentation for not presenting the point of view that she wanted presented—a quite incredible comment from


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Councillor SUTTON this morning. As the Minister pointed out in his announcement, the nearest house to the airport is more than six kilometres from the runway, double the buffer at Melbourne Airport where there is currently no curfew.

When will Councillors opposite wake up to the fact that they are elected in this place to promote the growth of our city, not the growth of column inches that they achieve in their local paper?

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Order!

Councillor SIMMONDS: I was reading through the Air Services—well, okay, I will take the interjection from Councillor NEWTON that they are representing the community. I read through some of the submissions. One of them, interestingly, quoted some Air Services Australia comments about how many complaints are made about aircraft noise.

It might interest the Chamber to k now that in the 12-month period to June 2013, three—that is three—one, two, three—individuals were responsible for 61 per cent of the total complaints made about aircraft noise. In a one-year period, those three individuals made over 3,000 complaints—between those three individuals. Now, some might wonder in this Chamber if one of them was Councillor SUTTON. Well, in the famous words of a politician, albeit a fictional one: 'You may think that; I couldn't possibly comment.

But what I can say is this to the Leader of the Opposition and the Councillors opposite: don't sell almost $2 billion in economic growth and jobs for this city down the river in an obscene example of politics over what is best for our city—

Chairman: Your time has expired, thanks, Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: —support—

Chairman: Councillor DICK.

Question 4

Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. The E&C decision disclosures for E&C meetings prior to December 2013 published and on Council's website indicate that, on average, your Civic Cabinet makes just three decisions per week—the lowest rate of decisions in 20 years. Why are you only making three decisions per week, or are you simply hiding them from the public?

LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, the decisions we make are big ones.


Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: People can see—

Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: —people can see—

Chairman: Councillor SUTTON!

LORD MAYOR: —around this city that the decisions that we have made over the last decade have been game-changing decisions for Brisbane. Big infrastructure projects which have moved this city forward.

On the basis of Councillor DICK's question, it is a bit like: never mind the quantity, feel the width. The decisions that we have made have been decisions which have been all about making Brisbane Australia's New World City. They have been decisions based on economic growth for this city. They are decisions that are based on ensuring that we are planning for the future.

If you have a look at even the last 12 months, what have we produced? We have produced a new City Plan. We have produced a draft City Centre Master Plan


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which has now, of course, been approved by this Chamber. We have produced River's Edge Strategy. We have produced, and continue to roll out, an Access and Inclusion Plan. We have a youth strategy. There are all of the big ticket items that need to be done in terms of the city, moving it forward; they are all the things that are exercising this Cabinet's mind. We are less about the mundane and more about the making sure that the strategic direction of this city is the thing that we spend our time on.

Let's have a look at the Valley as an instance of that .About two years ago we set a pathway to—


Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON!

LORD MAYOR: —to put a new vision in place for Fortitude Valley as a Cabinet. Out of that we have now seen growth in the Fortitude Valley Chamber of Commerce from 150 to 400. We have got $1 billion worth of investment happening in that part of the city. These are the sorts of things that this Cabinet spends its time and its efforts upon—strategic direction for this city.

That is the long and the short of it. We can talk about numbers of submissions, and I don't know whether the claim being made by Councillor DICK is right or wrong, to be quite frank. I suspect it is probably not right, but I will just say this: it is about the quality of discussion, the direction of the city, that the people out there in the suburbs of this city want us to deal with. In the end, they will be the final judge and jury around this Cabinet and this Council, this Administration's performance.

Chairman: Further questions; Councillor McKENZIE.

Question 5

Councillor McKENZIE: Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to the Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, Councillor SCHRINNER. I read over the weekend that a parking sensor trial will be undertaken in order to ensure that residents have access to more on-street parking with greater turnover, which will ensure that car parking cheats are no longer able to hog valuable spots. Can you please explain in more detail why this trial is being undertaken and what it will mean—


Chairman: Councillor GRIFFITHS!

Councillor McKENZIE: —for Brisbane residents?

DEPUTY MAYOR: Thank you for the question, Councillor McKENZIE. Unlike the other side of the Chamber, this side is about results, not legislation, not more red tape and legislation—


Chairman: Order!

DEPUTY MAYOR: —we're about results.

Chairman: Order! Councillor JOHNSTON! Just a minute, DEPUTY MAYOR—

DEPUTY MAYOR: Parking is an area that, as I said before—

Chairman: DEPUTY MAYOR, just a minute.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Sorry.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, if you continue to interject in that way, you will be warned. Be quiet. DEPUTY MAYOR, thank you.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Parking is an area, as I said before, that this Council needs to do better in. The reality is, in a growing city—and every growing city faces the same challenge—there is a finite amount of on-street parking available, and as the city continues to grow, that space becomes more and more contested and more and more in demand.


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So it is not a problem that other cities haven't faced, but it is a problem that growing cities around the world face, and Brisbane is no different. We need to do better in managing the use of that space to protect the residents and the business people, and also the schoolchildren in drop-off areas around the city so that parking restrictions, which exist for a reason, are enforced.

At the moment, as I said earlier, this piece of chalk is often the current best tool that we have in enforcing parking restrictions. Many of those time-limited parking restrictions are enforced using chalk at the moment. In a modern world, with all types of modern technology, we need to move past the chalk.


DEPUTY MAYOR: We need to do better—

Chairman: Order!

DEPUTY MAYOR: —than the chalk. So Brisbane City Council is going to trial some new technology with the aim of replacing the chalk. There are three types of technology, all in-ground parking sensors, that we will be trialling. I've got a little bit of show and tell here. It's been a little while since I've done show and tell, but I have the three parking sensors here.

This one here will be buried in the ground this way, covered over with a bit of bitumen. This one will be the same. They are essentially the same item; both are buried in the ground. This one here is actually bolted on top of the ground. So we are trialling all three different types of technologies from three providers to see which one suits Council's needs. And to see if it is indeed an effective replacement of chalk.

Why are we doing this? As I said, enforcement of parking restrictions, which exist for a reason, is there to protect the residents and businesses of this city. It is about ensuring the residents in areas such as the parking permit areas have a better chance of finding a park in their own street or in their own area. It is about ensuring that business people who rely on the turnover of those car parking spaces can ensure that people aren't over-staying and hogging those spaces.

We saw, for example, the owner of Mary Ryan's Bookstore out at Milton, who made the comment that the 15-minute zone out the front of his store was constantly being over-stayed, and that really cuts down on his customers' ability to find a park, and it costs him business, and it ultimately costs jobs. We know how precarious many businesses, particularly such as bookshops, are, and they need all the customers they can get, and they need effective management of parking to ensure that they can get the customers access to their particular premises.

So we are trialling these sensors, 300 of them in total, at various locations, including the CBD. They are also in Fortitude Valley, Teneriffe, Newstead and Milton. This trial will run for around three months. Once we've got the technology in the ground, obviously we'll be doing some testing on it, and then we will use it to determine the effectiveness of the three different types of technology.

One thing that is particularly interesting and worthwhile to Council is that it will provide data on the usage of each spot. So we will know how often a spot is turning over; we will know where the spots are being regularly abused, and we can obviously target our efforts according to that information. It is so much better in my view than the traditional form of chalking tyres, which is what is largely relied on at the moment.


Chairman: Order!

DEPUTY MAYOR: So, I say to all Councillors—

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS!

DEPUTY MAYOR: —this rollout and this trial is an opportunity for all of us to ensure that we do better for the community, that we protect the community, and make sure that the


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limited available on-street parking is better managed, and that everyone has a fair and equal opportunity of getting access to those spaces.

One example of where this technology can be used is in loading zones .Many of those loading zones around the city are two-minute zones. That two-minute zone is a fair and reasonable amount of time for people either to pick someone up or drop someone off. But if someone sits there for 10 minutes, they are robbing people of the opportunity to access that zone.

Chairman: Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR; your time has expired. Before we continue, I would like acknowledge and welcome Councillor Mike Creed from the Hawkesbury City Council, who is in the Public Gallery joining us this afternoon. Welcome, Councillor Creed.

Further questions; Councillor SUTTON.

Question 6

Councillor SUTTON; Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. Last week the DEPUTY MAYOR revealed $30 million would be needed to be set aside for land resumptions for Stage 1 of the Wynnum Road upgrade. Your colleagues have said that up to 130 properties may have to be resumed as part of your plan. Will you confirm that 130 figure today, and why are you refusing to still release the alignment maps for the Wynnum Road upgrade?

LORD MAYOR: Well, Madam Chairman, can I just in responding to Councillor SUTTON, say this: the $30 million to which the DEPUTY MAYOR refers to, is an estimate, and it is a pretty rounded figure, $30 million. There is no detailed design plan for Wynnum Road at this stage. I made that clear to Councillor SUTTON and this Chamber last week.

So this is in its very early stages. As you know, Councillor SUTTON, there was a study done some years ago now, which outlined a number of options for Wynnum Road, and you have been—and I know, because I was the Infrastructure Chairman at the time and I gave you a briefing through the officers of the options surrounding the future of Wynnum Road.

But can I say to you that we are in the early stage period of working on Stage 1 of that Wynnum Road upgrade. We have indicated, through the DEPUTY MAYOR last week, that there could be around $30 million involved in resumptions. But we don't know precisely which properties. We don't know, because there is no detailed design. What I am saying to you is that you have to be careful not to get overly excited at this early stage. When we get to a detailed design, we will then know—we will then know the sorts of properties that might be implicated, and we will absolutely be out on the doorsteps of those people making sure that, at that stage, they are aware of the implications.

But I am concerned that the Labor Party, by running around as they are at the moment, is simply going to be acting to the detriment of those residents. It will have a negative impact upon them, and I just caution you all to just slow it down a bit. We are a while off getting any road works happening in Wynnum Road. We will be a while off getting any road works in Wynnum Road. The first stage of that will obviously be in terms of any requirements for land in regard to the road widening. That will be the first stage. We will have to undertake resumption of certain lands.

But I am not going to pre-empt which properties at this time, because there is no detailed design. I have been through enough projects to know that there can be great shifts between a concept plan and a detailed design. I have been around long enough to know that the last thing you want to do is to put people in a position where their property becomes more difficult to sell because of people scaring the horses. Until we reach a detailed design plan, I would just suggest that everybody takes a deep breath in relation to this project.

There will be some very clear opportunities and provisions made through the budget process this year which will show the rollout in terms of the project itself—stage 1 of the Wynnum Road upgrade. Again, the local Councillor will be given every advice once we reach that point of a detailed design plan, the


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implications, and the properties affected, as indeed will the individual householders. I cannot say, and I am not going to say, any more about this than that, because that is the truth of the matter.

So, Madam Chairman, again, is it an important project? Yes, it is. Councillor SUTTON has indicated previously her support for the Wynnum Road upgrade.


LORD MAYOR: Well, that's good. Because, you know, it is not going to be an easy project. I have sort of said that from day one, and I am prepared to wear any heat that there will be associated with the upgrade. We have been through many projects like this where it has been difficult—Clem7 was difficult, but it had to happen. Other projects around this city have been difficult. I faced the shouting crowds of the Hale Street link, now the Go Between Bridge—and they are the biggest users, the ones that were shouting at me.

So, Madam Chairman, these are the realities of life. But we are committed to the Stage 1 upgrade, but again, until we know what that detail design includes, it would be, I think, wrong, wrong and doing a disservice to people that live along that corridor to be speculating over which properties may or may not be involved until we are in a better position to know.


Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS! Councillor WINES.

Question 7

Councillor WINES: Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to the Chairman of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee, Councillor ADAMS. I understand that when people park inappropriately in disabled spots, they are being fined in a number of shopping centres across our city following memorandums of understanding (MOU) between Council and these private companies. Can you please explain the sorts of projects that benefit from these PINs (Penalty Infringement Notice), as I understand that money from these fines goes directly to Access and Inclusion programs?

Councillor ADAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair, and I thank Councillor WINES for the question. I will be talking later in the Committee presentation about our program and our MOUs that we have with our private companies, but I would like to this opportunity from that question to talk about the type of projects that we are directly funding from this fantastic project. As the LORD MAYOR said before, Access and inclusion is one that is dear to our heart, getting on with the business of making Brisbane more accessible and more inclusive to all our residents in Brisbane.

First of all, imagine how you would feel if you suffered from a disability or you're a carer-driver, and you've turned up at the pre-designated park that has the big blue sign on the ground, and an able-bodied person had parked there just for their convenience, or they had missed they sign on the ground—oops, oops. Well, I know I get frustrated not being able to find a park full stop, so I can just imagine if you had to then manage yourself with a wheelchair or somebody you were looking after with a wheelchair as well.

We are hoping that these MOUs are going to take away some of that frustration and that people will realise that irresponsible shoppers who are doing the wrong thing in these spaces will eventually got caught, because we are spreading our compliance around these disability sites, and more importantly, they are going to be actually enhancing our facilities and services for people with disability by contributing to our Access and Inclusion programs.

So, as mentioned in the question, 2010-11 budget, the LORD MAYOR announced that the revenue from disability parking infringements would go directly to projects that benefited people with a disability, to improve our accessibility in Council services and facilities. This is not just from the MOUs that we've got with our private sector as well; it is also about all our disability parking across Brisbane as well. I have to say, as far as compliance goes, we are


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getting good results, because we are reducing the number of fines that we have since 2011. We are looking at about 1,400-plus fines in the 2011-12 financial year. We are on track to get that below 1,000 this year as we did last year. So compliance-wise, great news; not so great for our projects, but we continue with our budgeted program of Access and Inclusion, and this just adds on to that fantastic rollout of programs.

To give you a bit of an idea of what we actually look at for the guidelines for this revenue, we are looking around enhancing the access to a range of our mainstream projects and our services and facilities. This is not about our DDA compliance; that is a given that we do DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliance in Brisbane City Council. This is not about replacing our accessibility projects, but it is about funding and enhancing our existing facilities. So, where we may have a facility that is already built to the requirements of disability and access, we are actually wanting to make that facility above and beyond to become best practice example of access improvement as well.

We are making sure that we are nice and flexible around our Access and Inclusion projects, and we are trying to spread them across quite a range of different facilities in Brisbane City Council as well. So, some of the important projects that we have seen supported over the last couple of years—our Braille Trail through the City Mall and Post Office Square is a fantastic enhancement to the lives of those who are vision impaired and coming to visit our city. It makes us the most independently mobile city in the country. It is 1.6 kilometres, a pathway of bright yellow paving with dots and dashes to help those vision impaired get around our malls.

The Guide Dogs Queensland representatives said they loved the Braille Trail when we did the media out there last year, and they congratulate Brisbane City Council and hoping that it gets expanded out across the city for the vision impaired. We have also had a $98,000 upgrade to six of our community gardens. We know community gardens have been really ramped up in the last few years, but we are making sure that everybody can access community gardens as well. So Yoorala Street Community Garden at The Gap, Abbeville Street at Upper Mt Gravatt, Sandgate PCYC (Police-Citizens Youth Clubs) and the Lota-Wynnum Community Garden—they all looked at fantastic upgrades that gave them footpaths or raised beds and access for those in wheelchairs and with disabilities, to get in and be part of the community and share that experience of working in the garden and getting their hands dirty, and then actually being able to enjoy the foods that you've actually grown yourself.

The Banyo Community Garden had $15,900 spent on it, making their paths more accessible. The Multi-cap is the licence of the Banyo Community Garden, so they work in partnership with Earnshaw College, so we've got the schools coming on board, the Northside Multicultural Association, so we've got all the local community groups coming in, and multi-cap clients can use their wheelchairs to join with the school kids and the multicultural groups to enjoy that community garden.

We also looked at services to support Kingfisher Adult Learning programs as well in their community garden, which is another fantastic group that does so much in our Access and inclusion. Madam Chair, of course the Wynnum wading pool is our classic—

Chairman: Thank you, Councillor ADAMS—

Councillor JOHNSTON: Point of order—

Chairman: —your time has expired.

Councillor ADAMS: —and I am very proud of our projects.

Chairman: Councillor SUTTON.


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Question 8

Councillor SUTTON: Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is again to the LORD MAYOR. You say that there are no detailed design plans for the options canvassed in the 2009 feasibility report on the Wynnum Road upgrade. That feasibility report contained 14 different options for the upgrade. These are the preliminary design plans for two of the options from that report. These plans do exist. My question to you is this: ‘which option of that report have you decided to pursue as your preferred alignment, and why won't you release the preliminary design plans for this option at the very least to the local councillors if you want to keep them confidential to the community?’

LORD MAYOR: Yes, I can just see Councillor ABRAHAMS doing that, Madam Chairman. But can I just say this in regards to the preliminary design plans—


Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: —Councillor SUTTON—

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Point of order, madam Chair.


Chairman: Yes, point of order against you, LORD MAYOR. Order! Order! Yes, Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: The LORD MAYOR was imputing—

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS, your microphone is not on.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: The LORD MAYOR was imputing motive, and I ask you to detract it.

Chairman: I don't think he was, Councillor ABRAHAMS.

LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, if I caused offence in any way, I am happy to withdraw for Councillor ABRAHAMS' sake. But she is very active and I give full marks to her, full marks to her for that.

Can I just say in response to Councillor SUTTON's question—and I made reference to this when I answered her previous question—there were a range of options that were out there, and Councillor SUTTON was privy to those. She was given advice as to all sorts of maps and so forth. This was done through a private sector company, I might say, in terms of developing up a whole range of options. So, again I can only reiterate what I said in answer to the previous question: ‘we are not yet at a stage of any detailed design.’

In fact, Councillor SUTTON I believe would be aware of the program in relation to this road project. I am quite happy to share that with the Chamber today. For the next period of months, we will be bedding down a business case in relation to this project. From July of this year through to December of this year, we will be developing a final concept design plan.

That then will go out to public consultation, stakeholder engagement. From there, we will get into the detailed planning, putting together the detailed design around that. Again, there will be a further period of consultation with this project. This is the standard process or practice that we use on all road projects. So it is that then the allocations relative to the budget will be set aside each year until stage 1 is completed.

So, Madam Chairman, there is a way to go yet before such time as we reach a stage where there will be bulldozers out on Wynnum Road. That is why I just say that everyone just needs to take a bit of a deep breath on this. We've got to go through some work yet before we will be at that stage.

Councillor SUTTON—and indeed, I might say, more so Councillor ABRAHAMS—will be brought in to the loop on this because stage 1, as I said last week, really does affect Councillor ABRAHAMS's ward far more than it does Councillor SUTTON. Councillor SUTTON's constituents will be the beneficiary of stage 1, no doubt about it, and that would apply equally to


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Councillor MURPHY's and Councillor CUMMING's constituents. They will all be the beneficiaries of stage 1 because it will take out some of the congestion points leading in to around the entry point to Clem7 and the Story Bridge.

So, Madam Chairman, there will be further stages at some time in the future, and I am not going today nominate when, because I don't know, myself, at this stage. But stage 1, certainly, we have a plan, we have a program—

Councillor SUTTON: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Yes; point of order, Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SUTTON: I have listened to the LORD MAYOR with respect, but my specific question at this time was: which option of the feasibility report have you decided to pursue as your preferred alignment?

Chairman: Thank you, Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SUTTON: Now, I am grateful for the information he has given, but—

Chairman: Order! Councillor SUTTON!

LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, there is no answer to that question. We haven't landed on any position in relation to the question that Councillor SUTTON is putting. So that is my direct answer to her. We have no position relative to those two plans that she refers to.

What I am saying to her—and she is aware of this, as I understand it—and that is that there is a clear program rollout in terms of business case, concept plan, community consultation, more detailed planning and design after that community consultation process, and then, after that detailed design plan, we get into more consultation around that before we get to the stage of acquisition of lands. So, again, we are a way off, and I am concerned that the continued—well, I am just hoping that the local Councillors do the right thing by those local residents at this stage. Until we reach that appropriate time in the process, it ought not be a case of creating an affected position on those residents unnecessarily.

Chairman: Further questions; Councillor HOWARD.

Question 9

Councillor HOWARD: Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to the Chairman of the Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee, Councillor COOPER. I understand that this Administration is delivering on the planned outcomes for the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan. Can you please outline the planning requirements with regards to the public open space provisions in the plan?

Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and I thank Councillor HOWARD for the question. I think the LORD MAYOR is absolutely right when he said earlier that Councillor ABRAHAMS is being very active in her local area, but not necessarily accurate. I think it is important—


Chairman: Order!

Councillor COOPER: I think it is important to be very clear as to what is going on with respect to the planning in her local area. I think Councillor ABRAHAMS seems to be suggesting that the LORD MAYOR has broken a commitment for a new public park on the former Distance Education site. Madam Chair, this is completely false. There has never been a park identified at 405 Montague Road, West End—


Chairman: Order!

Councillor COOPER: —commonly known as the Distance Education site. It has never been zoned as parkland, nor has a park been identified on this location. In fact, if you refer to


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the relevant planning documents, a little further to the north, at the end of Bailey Street, you will see that Council has identified an area for new public open space, indeed.

So let's have a look—and I think it is good for the Chamber to actually review the planning and the community engagement that went on for South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan. Between August and September of 2009, a draft renewal strategy for the Neighbourhood Plan was released for public comment, and there is muttering from Councillor ABRAHAMS—she is quickly checking her facts. Perhaps she should have done that a little bit earlier, Madam Chair.


Chairman: Order!

Councillor COOPER: If we have a look at the plan, so we've got a document here, Precinct 7, Riverside South. If we have a look at the area in question, this area shows an opportunity for new open space, or urban plaza, at the end of Bailey Street. That is here, attachment A; we've got it all outlined.

Let's have a look at the publicly notified version of the draft Riverside Neighbourhood Plan in 2010 which clearly shows the Distance Education site, this site down here, Madam Chair. What is on that site?


Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS!

Councillor COOPER: Mixed use.

Chairman: Stop interjecting.

Councillor COOPER: Perhaps if she would pay attention, she might understand exactly what is in the planning documents. On that location, the publicly notified version of South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan 2010 shows the Distance Education site zoned as mixed use, medium density residential, with new public open space at the end of Bailey Street. Then, the final adopted version of the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan—


Chairman: Order!

Councillor COOPER: —again shows the location of the new public open space at the end of Bailey Street. It seems to be there's a theme developing.

In terms of these planning documents, they show very clearly what we are talking about.


Chairman: Order!

Councillor COOPER: Then if we look at the Priority Infrastructure Plan 2012, Distance Education site, I see nothing—I see nothing proposed as a part of that document. So that does not include any trunk infrastructure on the Distance Education site.

Priority Infrastructure Plan 2014, again, Distance Education site, no trunk infrastructure on that proposed site. So I would say to Councillor ABRAHAMS, if she's got any evidence, any evidence, to the contrary, I would like to see that evidence, not just the theorising, not just the public commentary; I would like to see evidence in relation to her contention. Because it seems very clear when we look at the facts of the matter, Council has never zoned the Distance Education site as parkland. It has not been included in the Priority Infrastructure Plan for park during the neighbourhood plan process, or City Plan, or the Priority Infrastructure Plan process.

So this is very clear evidence to the contrary of the points made by Councillor ABRAHAMS. If we have a look at the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan with regard to new public open space in City Plan 2000, what does it say? If we look at page 241—I've got that right before me—it says,


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on sites where identified on Map C, on any site where these new public open spaces are to be provided, on any site equal to or greater than 10,000 square metres, one hectare, a minimum of 20 per cent of the site is to be publicly accessible. Publicly accessible, Madam Chair, all in the planning document.

So, the delivery of this provision would be assessed as part of any development application received. So, let's be clear: there were no changes made to the above in the conversion of the plan to new City Plan with the exception of a terminology change—

Chairman: Councillor COOPER, your time has expired; thank you.

Councillor COOPER: Madam Chair, it is clearly untrue.

Chairman: Thank you. That ends Question Time.

CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS:

ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE

The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR (Councillor Graham QUIRK), Chairman of the Establishment and Coordination Committee, moved, seconded by the DEPUTY MAYOR (Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER), that the report of the meeting of that Committee held on 17 March 2014, be adopted.

Chairman: Is there any debate?

LORD MAYOR: Thanks, Madam Chairman. Just before coming to the report itself, I want to go back to the question that Councillor DICK had initially asked me. As you would be aware, that caught me a little by surprise that the old E&Cs were not being put up in terms of the website. I have made inquiries about that, and I can assure Councillor DICK that any backlog will be put up.

There are some issues regarding website migration, but that said, they still should have been put up—even if it was manually. So they will be up by tomorrow, and I can only apologise in relation to those not being available. They ought to have been, and it surprised me that they weren't.

Before coming to the formal report, I wanted to make a couple of comments regarding Anzac Square. This Council, in conjunction with the State Government, are undertaking a significant refurbishment of Anzac Square. The State Government are putting in the lion's share of those funds, around $11.4 million, and we are putting in $2.2 million towards that project.

It is a project where we have a committee of people headed by Nigel Chamier. It is under the political watch of Councillor Matthew BOURKE. We have also Major General Peter Arnison engaged in that body as is Mr Andrew King. Their role, primarily, is to overview what needs to be done, and will then be to overview the work in relation to that project. Anzac Square is suffering from many of the ailments that this building suffered from—concrete at an era when it was nowhere near as strong as it is today; water leakage into what was the old administration offices of the RSL (Returned and Services League), and several other aspects. The intent is to undertake certain stages of that work, have that work commence soon after the Anzac Day ceremony this year, and to have a couple of stages of that work complete and ready for celebration of the 100 th

anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli.

Following that celebration, April 2015, and that commemoration, we will then be undertaking certain other stages of work which will very much be about the future. It will be making sure that there is a place making aspect to this work, opening it up to the general public to a far greater extent than it is now, and providing accessibility of a far more acceptable level than was the case certainly when it was constructed in 1930. So that will be a place of greater public interest, we hope, and certainly a greater public involvement. It will also have an educational aspect to it.


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So today I just want to table a copy of the report of the committee that has been working, and it is headed, ‘Saving Our National Memorial’. Again, if I could just ask that that report could be tabled for the information of Councillors.

The bus and train tunnel, or what is now called the BaT (Bus and Train) tunnel, it was named during the course of the week. It was named out of a public competition. The State primarily ran this competition. There were about 1,000 entries, I understand, and that was the final decision that was made in relation to it. I guess what is important for these projects is not what they are called but what they do. Again, that project will certainly be a game changer for this city in relation to both bus and train travel in our city of Brisbane.

Today I also announced that Fortitude Valley is set to receive another hotel development. This time it is by way of the TC Beirne building, a 112-room hotel, $20 million in terms of refurbishment of that heritage listed building. It will create 100 jobs. TC Beirne building was, of course, named after the Irish draper, Thomas Charles Beirne. It was built in 1902, and so that will form part of what is an ongoing $1 billion investment in fortitude Valley, and we welcome that as another addition and a boost to that area between the Brunswick Street Mall and the Chinatown Mall.

I think that is about it. I will go to the two items on the agenda. The first one there is the granting of telecommunications lease to Telstra. This is up at Bartley's Hill Reservoir in the Hamilton Ward. It has been some years now that Telstra have had a site there in terms of their telecommunications facility. Back on 1 June 2004 was when a lease was signed, and that went through to June 2011.

There has been ongoing negotiations regarding the application. So this proposal is to extend by way of a first-term lease for the period of 10 years from 30 June 2011 to 30 June 2021, and then a further five years beyond 2021. It will provide for a minimum 5 per cent increase per annum or CPI (consumer price index), whichever is the greater. So, a return to Council there.

The other item is a situation out in the Wacol area. There is a major application by Metroplex out there, the Westgate infrastructure agreement. That involves the establishment of a bus stop at the expense of the developer, and that was to be located on Boundary Road at Wacol. There was a requirement for a partial take of property at 4 Bukulla Street—I think that is how it is pronounced—and that was through the residents there, the McPartland family.

They, in turn, when we entered negotiations for the purchase of a portion of their land, some 1780 square metres, they said that they would prefer to do a land swap than to have a resumption. So it is that there is a piece of land in very close proximity which is of a fairly equivalent value—it is $245,000 versus $250,000 on those pieces of land, so Council has made the determination to do a land exchange rather than seek an outright resumption in relation to that need. They are the two items before Council for consideration today.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Thanks, Madam Chair; I rise to speak on the two items, Clause A and Clause B, the first being the granting of a telecommunications lease to Telstra Corporation in respect of the parkland at Bartley's Hill Reservoir. I understand that the lease lapsed on 29 June 2011 and the holdover provisions allow Telstra to take out a yearly lease. Now Telstra wishes to take out two successive leases which will grant them permission to remain on site for a further 15 years, and the rental price has been set at $23,944 with a yearly increase of either CPI or 5 per cent, whichever is higher. We will be supporting item A.

I just say through you to the LORD MAYOR, I certainly hope that local residents are fully briefed and informed. Obviously the neighbours nearby have been living with this for a number of years, for some time now, and I certainly hope that they will be consulted and advised of Council's decision.

Clause B, as the LORD MAYOR said, is the land exchange at Wacol. I, as the local Councillor, have no problem with this item coming to Council today. It is a


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land swap to allow a bus stop to be built as part of the Metroplex development. This has been a long time coming. I have been a supporter of that site as a generator for investment and jobs in the south-west of Brisbane. I know there have been a number of issues, legal requirements, and a whole range of issues that the Council has been involved with. I know any investment in public transport in critical places like Wacol, where we are seeing more and more development, is key.

As I have said before, this is one of the fastest growing corridors in our city, or the fastest growing corridor, and I want to make sure that public transport is accessible, frequent and reliable. I, too, want to acknowledge the owners of the land. I have had a little to do with them over the years. They are very upstanding and great local business people in that district, and certainly I know want the best for their investments, but also for the broader community, and certainly are big supporters of development in and around Wacol. I thank them for their cooperation, and I acknowledge the good work that they do in providing employment and opportunities certainly as we move forward as we see expansion and development in and around that corridor.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, I rise to speak on item B.

Seriatim - Clause BCouncillor JOHNSTON requested that Clause B, PROPOSED LAND EXCHANGE AT BUKULLA STREET, WACOL, be taken seriatim for voting purposes.

Councillor JOHNSTON: There are a couple of things of concern in this to me, and I appreciate, and I have listened to what Councillor DICK has said as the local Councillor, that he is happy with the arrangement. But to my mind there are a few issues that are unclear.

Some 1,700 square metres of land is being resumed for a bus stop. That is a huge amount of land, and I fail to understand why such a large proportion of the land is required for a bus stop. I don't know if that means there's a road extension happening as well or what is going on. It is not clear on the file, and I can see on the file that there have been questions raised internally by the Council officers about the amount of land that has been requested with respect to this matter. So it is unclear to me why such a large proportion of the site is required.

There is also a concern, I think, about the nature of the swap. The other part of this that is unclear to me is: we are providing the residents with land on the other side of the development which is belonging to Council, which Council originally purchased for drainage purposes which are no longer required. I do not know why—and I believe we should know why—that land is no longer required for drainage purposes. If we hand it over to these residents, does that mean they will be able to build on it, and will there be hydrology impacts that flow from allowing that to be incorporated into a site that is able to be developed?

So there are a couple of concerns that I have about this. I note—and this is a positive—that valuation was done on this site prior to all of this happening. Now, that is a plus, because normally this Administration gets the valuation after it has made a decision, but they went and got a valuation last year, so that is at least one good thing.

But, look, at this stage I have some unanswered questions about this, particularly why 1,700 square metres of land is required? And two, what is going to happen with respect to the future use of the site that was allocated for drainage purposes, and whether or not that will be built on? The third thing is it does seem to be, based on the file, there's a lot of concern between the officers themselves over the size of the batter that's required, who should pay for that, and all of those related issues.


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This might be a good thing, but there are too many unanswered questions about why this is going ahead, and I genuinely have concerns over future development if that site is now allocated for drainage, and I would hope that it is not going to be built on.

Chairman: Further debate; LORD MAYOR.

LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, the officers obviously dealt with the issues pertaining to those lands. There is no further requirement in relation to drainage associated with that land. We've got a significant drainage plan associated with the development. It will be a whole of catchment drainage plan that is part and parcel of the development agreement, and the infrastructure provisions associated with that major estate.

The need, of course, for the bus stop, the metre-age, of course there does need to be a set down, deceleration lane requirements, and so forth, so we are not in the practice of taking any more land than we need to for these facilities. That has been worked out, determined, and agreed to by the local residents. The local residents wouldn't have been happy to have given up any more than what was required in any event either. So I am satisfied that all of those matters that Councillor JOHNSTON has sought have been examined, and I am confident in terms of the outcome.

Chairman: I will put the motion for item A.

Clause A putUpon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clause A of the report of the Establishment and Coordination Committee was declared carried on the voices.

Chairman: I will put the motion for item B.

Clause B putUpon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clause B of the report of the Establishment and Coordination Committee was declared carried on the voices.

The report read as follows

ATTENDANCE:

The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Graham Quirk) (Chairman); Deputy Mayor (Councillor Adrian Schrinner) (Deputy Chairman); and Councillors Krista Adams, Matthew Bourke, Amanda Cooper, Peter Matic, David McLachlan, and Julian Simmonds.

A THE GRANTING OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS LEASE TO TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED, IN RESPECT OF PART OF THE LAND AT BARTLEY’S HILL RESERVOIR112/445/444/779

574/2013-141. The Divisional Manager, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, provided the information below.

2. The existing lease to Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra) at Bartley’s Hill Reservoir, described as Lease E in Lot 3 on RP55482 on SP168201, commenced on 1 June 2004 and expired on 29 June 2011.

3. Telstra has remained in occupation of the premises as a yearly tenant under the holdover provisions of the now expired lease. Telstra is seeking new lease tenure for 15 years, by way of two successive leases. The first lease being for a term of ten years and the second lease being for a term of five years.


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4. As this is an existing facility that was established in accordance with the prevailing regulatory provisions and also because Telstra has rights under the Telecommunications Act 1997 that permits it to use and occupy the land (as in this case) for what is a ‘low impact’ facility, it would be unreasonable for Council to refuse Telstra’s request to secure its new lease tenure.

5. As the facility is already in place and complies with the necessary regulatory provisions, no development assessment and/or consent is required from Council for the proposed lease.

6. Telstra is co-located at this site with a monopole (wireless communications infrastructure) owned by Crown Castle. Crown Castle’s tenure is secured until 30 June 2025 and so it is considered reasonable for Telstra to be able to continue with its occupation of the land.

7. It is considered that the payment by Telstra of an annually increased lease rental commencing at $23,944.76 (plus GST) will meet Council’s policy requirements.

8. The Divisional Manager submits the following recommendation with which the Committee agrees.

9. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT COUNCIL RESOLVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ATTACHMENT A, hereunder.

Attachment ADRAFT RESOLUTION

TO ENTER INTO TELECOMMUNICATIONS LEASES WITH TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED OVER ITS EXISTING TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY

THAT IT BE RESOLVED THAT

As:

(1) The existing lease to Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra) at Bartley’s Hill Reservoir, described as Lease E in Lot 3 on RP55482 on SP168201, commenced on 1 June 2004 and expired on 29 June 2011.

(2) Telstra has remained in occupation of the premises as a yearly tenant under the holdover provisions of the expired lease and is now seeking new lease tenure for 15 years, by way of two successive leases.

(3) The facility on Lot 3 on RP55482 on SP168201 is an existing facility that was established in accordance with the prevailing regulatory provisions.

(4) Telstra has rights under the Telecommunications Act 1997 to use and occupy the land as it is considered a ‘low impact’ facility and therefore no development assessment and/or consent is required from the Council for the proposed lease.

Then:

(5) Council resolves to grant and enter into two successive telecommunications leases with Telstra over its existing Telecommunications facility at the Bartley’s Hill Reservoir in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in Attachment B and otherwise on terms that are satisfactory to the Chief


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Legal Counsel, Brisbane City Legal Practice and the Manager, Asset Portfolio Management.

Attachment BLEASE TERMS SHEET

Telecommunications Lease between Brisbane City Council and Telstra Corporation Limited: Lease E on Lot 3 on RP 55482 on SP 168201, Bartley’s Hill Reservoir, Ascot

Lease Term 1: 10 years commencing on 30 June 2011.

Lease Term 2: Five years commencing on 30 June 2021.

Rental: $23,944.76 (plus GST) being Council’s approved rental for ‘low impact’ facilities at the commencement date of Lease 1.

Rent Reviews: The greater of CPI or 5 per cent on each anniversary of the commencement date. Market Rent Review at the commencement date of lease 2.

Break Clause: Lease 2 includes a break clause allowing Telstra to terminate the lease at the commencement date, subject to Telstra providing notice to Council not less than six months prior to the commencement date.

General: The leases to be on terms that are satisfactory to the Chief Legal Counsel, Brisbane City Legal Practice, and the Manager, Asset Portfolio Management.

ADOPTED

B PROPOSED LAND EXCHANGE AT BUKULLA STREET, WACOL112/20/439/392

575/2013-1410. The Divisional Manager, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, provided the information below.

11. In 2013, Council and Metroplex signed the Westgate Infrastructure Agreement under which Metroplex agreed to build a bus stop at its expense on Boundary Road at Wacol, adjacent to the property at 4 Bukulla Street described as Lot 1 on SP132958, owned by Mr James Anthony McPartland and Mrs Judy Kay McPartland as Trustee for the McPartland Staff Superannuation Fund.

12. During negotiations for the infrastructure agreement, Council committed to provide the land required for the bus stop to Metroplex.

13. To allow construction of the bus stop, an area of approximately 1,780 square metres of the McPartland’s land is required, partially for the bus stop and partially for batter banks. That area is shown as the area marked in yellow on the plan set out in Attachment C, submitted on file.

14. Mr and Mrs McPartland have offered to transfer the land required to Council if in turn Council transfers to them Council land of equal area which abuts the eastern boundary of their landholding, Lot 175 on SP132961, with Council to fund all aspects of the transaction.

15. In January 2001, Council resumed Lot 175 on SP132961 adjacent to the McPartland’s land for a purpose incidental to drainage purposes. This land is no longer required for that purpose.


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16. Exchanging this property for the land needed for the bus stop would satisfy that requirement of the Westgate Infrastructure Agreement and facilitate the construction of the bus stop, while minimising the financial cost to Council.

17. An independent valuation undertaken by Harvey Ehlers and Associates assessed the value of the land required from the McPartland’s property for the bus stop at $245,000 and the value of Lot 175 (to be transferred to Mr McPartland) at $250,000. Refer to the valuation at Attachment D, submitted on file.

Implications of proposal

18. The completion of this land exchange will facilitate the construction of the bus stop in accordance with the Westgate Infrastructure Agreement with Metroplex, and will promote a value-for-money resolution of the issue to Council.

19. The Divisional Manager submits the following recommendation with which the Committee agrees.

20. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT COUNCIL RESOLVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DRAFT RESOLUTION SET OUT IN ATTACHMENT A, hereunder.

Attachment ADRAFT RESOLUTION

TO APPROVE THE LAND EXCHANGE AT BUKULLA STREET, WACOL

THAT IT BE RESOLVED THAT

As:

1. Council owns land at 16 Bukulla Street, Wacol described as Lot 175 on SP132961; and

2. The adjoining landowners, James Anthony McPartland and Judy Kay McPartland, own land situated at 4 Bukulla Street, Wacol described as Lot 1 on SP132958; and

3. The adjoining land owners, James Anthony McPartland and Judy Kay McPartland, have offered to transfer to Council that part of their property required for the road and bus stop as shown in yellow on Attachments B and C in exchange for Council land described as Lot 175 on SP132961 as shown in pink on Attachments B and C, submitted on file, on a square metre for square metre basis (or as close to that basis as practical), with Council responsible for funding all aspects of the transaction; and

4. It is considered that Council would benefit from the proposed land exchange as described in item 3 above.

Then:

5. Council resolves to approve the exchange of the land described in item 3 above.

ADOPTED


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INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Ian McKENZIE, that the report of the meeting of that Committee held on 18 March 2014, be adopted.


DEPUTY MAYOR: Yes, Madam Chairman; two items on the agenda today. First was the Committee presentation on the open level crossing replacement projects that are under way at the moment, both on the northside. Second was a petition requesting more motor cycle parking in the South Brisbane and West End two-hour zones.

On the presentation, committee members heard that these two vital projects, the open-level crossing projects at Geebung and also Bracken Ridge, are well under way, on track and reaching all their key milestones, and within budget as well. So we had some very worthwhile and heartening news presented to the committee last week. I am pleased to report that the Geebung overpass is now open for traffic, so cars are travelling on that overpass for the first time.

It has been a very long wait for those residents. Some have been waiting for tens of years for this to happen, so it is an important milestone that the overpass is now open. Obviously there is still more work to be done on the project, but that key link is now working and providing a benefit not only in terms of congestion but also in safety as well, and it is great to see.

We are also seeing work progressing well on the overpass at Telegraph Road at Bracken Ridge as well, and that project is also well on track and on budget to be delivered later on this year.

In relation to the petition requesting more motorcycle parking, this is something that Council absolutely agrees with. We have a commitment to rollout an additional 400 free motor cycle parking spaces in the inner city areas this term. We have now delivered 229 to be precise, so we are well on track to deliver that commitment. We agree that there is growing demand in the West End and South Brisbane area for more motorcycle parking, and we are actively looking for additional spaces.

Of the spaces that we've got at the moment, there was just an additional 30 rolled out right next to GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art), and we had the cooperation of the State Government to provide those spaces for free on State Government land. So we appreciate the support of the State Government, in particular, Minister Tim Mander, the Minister for Public Works and Housing, who assisted us with that. I can say that we are definitely looking for additional spaces in that South Brisbane and West End area to provide more free motor cycle parking in line with our commitment.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. I wish to make a few comments on item B, which is the petition relating to a request for more motorbike parking in South Brisbane and West End two-hour zones. I support the petition response, so therefore I thought it was appropriate to say a few words.

This petition arises from one particular trip generating site. I have been out on site to discuss the need for motor bike parking with the chief petitioner, and as a result, the officers in the Road Use Management team have provided, as the DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor SCHRINNER stated, a number of additional motorbike parking sites, particularly those that they could find a small area that was not satisfactory for cars but would serve the need of motorbikes. My recollection, too, is that we forewent some car parking spaces for motor bike parking on-site.


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I do believe that the essence of this report is there needs to be a balance of appropriate allocation of kerbside parking both for cars, motorbikes, and may I even put in a plug for pushbikes, and that that is what the thrust of this response seeks to achieve. Therefore I support it.

The DEPUTY MAYOR also indicated that there was a level of diligence and enthusiasm to find these spaces. I wish to comment on that. The paragraph that refers to the rollout of the spaces in Dutton Park is an area which I have spoken on previously. There the motorbike car parking is at the expense of pedestrian convenience, connectivity, as the motorbikes have been allocated to the flat part of the footpath near the Dutton Park rail bridge, and the pedestrians are on a sloped area which is frequently wet because the bridge seeps and therefore you have a wet slippery footpath on that location.

I have asked, and I would use this opportunity to reinforce: I do believe that there should be a balance and at no time should the safety and direct path, and therefore convenience, of pedestrians be sacrificed for parking of motor cycles on our footpath.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor KING.

Councillor KING: Thank you, Madam Chair; I rise to speak on item A as I have many times in this place about the Geebung Railway Crossing. It is absolutely fantastic to see this $200 million project up and running with cars going over it, and leaving the congestion at the Geebung Open Level Crossing. So I thank the Premier, Campbell Newman, and Graham QUIRK, the LORD MAYOR, and also Councillor SCHRINNER for putting this project and delivering this project after it has been promised for over 30 years.

It is interesting that those opposite never wanted this project to go ahead, and never actually saw the importance of alleviating traffic congestion across our city. It is also interesting that Councillor NEWTON was on the radio talking about an event that happened on Sunday. On Sunday, one resident rang my office and asked if they could—because they have been waiting for so long; they have been waiting for over 30 years for this project, and they are so excited—walk over the bridge before it opened.

We were happy to accommodate that, and I know Councillor NEWTON was on the radio saying what a great project it was, and people are walking over the bridge. But she wouldn't even bother to turn up on Sunday to actually walk over with the residents. I will admit that Councillor WINES was there, walking over; the hard-working State member—


Chairman: Order! Councillor NEWTON!

Councillor KING: —Jason Woodforth was there—

Chairman: Councillor NEWTON!

Councillor KING: So, it was a great day, Madam Chair, to see the people of Geebung on the northside of Brisbane so excited about this project.


Chairman: Order!

Councillor KING: Over 600 people turned up to walk across the bridge on Sunday, and it was great—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor KING: —they had tents on the bridge so people could actually walk over and actually see where they had to get off, because some of them were concerned about how they now get to the bread shop or how they now get to the bakery. It was amazing to see that they were actually quite concerned, but they could see it; they could walk on it, they know how to drive on the project. I commend this report, and I know the others on the other side, especially Councillor


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JOHNSTON, are snickering and laughing. I know they didn't want this project to go ahead. However—

Councillor JOHNSTON: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Point of order, Councillor KING.


Chairman: Order! Yes, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, Councillor KING is, number one, misleading the Chamber. I have absolutely in no way made any statement ever about this; and number two, she is making an adverse reflection on my character, and I would ask you to ask her to withdraw it.


Chairman: Order! Councillor KING, just a minute.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: I've got to deal with one at a time, thanks, Councillor SIMMONDS. Councillor JOHNSTON, I don't believe Councillor KING is misleading the Chamber. I would say perhaps imputing—


Chairman: Do you want an answer or not?


Chairman: Be quiet! Councillor JOHNSTON! Councillor KING, I would ask you to withdraw the comment because in my opinion it is sort of imputing motive in terms of Councillor JOHNSTON, so just please withdraw the comment.

Councillor KING: Madam Chair, I withdraw the comment, but it is in my opinion, and I saw—

Chairman: Yes, all right, Councillor KING.

Councillor KING: —Councillor JOHNSTON laughing and sniggering about this project.

Chairman: Thank you. I know, Councillor KING; just a moment. Councillor SIMMONDS, point of order.

Councillor SIMMONDS: I was wondering if Councillor KING would take a question, Madam Chairman?

Councillor KING: I would love to take a question.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Can you confirm that those councillors on the opposite side, Independent councillor included, have time and time again voted either against or abstained from voting in the budget process for this program which contains the money for this important project, and if it was up to them, it wouldn't have happened?

Councillor KING: I thank Councillor SIMMONDS for the question.


Chairman: No, Councillor KING is answering that point of order; resume your seat. Councillor KING.


Chairman: Councillor DICK! I would ask you to withdraw that comment, seeing as Councillor JOHNSTON was so offended by what was said, I think what you were just saying is really—

Councillor DICK: Madam Chair, I withdraw and say that it was a Dorothy Dixer and she is prepared.

Chairman: Councillor KING, do you wish to provide an answer to Councillor SIMMONDS' question?

Councillor KING: Yes, Madam Chair, and I am delighted that Councillor SIMMONDS asked that question, because numerously, for approximately six years in this place that I


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have been here, the Labor and the Opposition Councillors have voted against this project in the budget or abstained—


Councillor KING: —again and again.


Chairman: Yes, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, I have at no stage voted against this project in the budget in the six years that I have been a councillor. Councillor KING is continuing to mislead the Chamber, and I would ask you, Madam Chairman, to ask her to withdraw that motivation that she is intending that I am in some way opposed to this project. There is no evidence or any fact that I have voted against the budget.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, I did not hear your name mentioned by Councillor KING.


Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON! You are very close to a warning, and more. Councillor KING.

Councillor King: Madam Chair, I will be more precise—either voted against or abstained on every vote that we have had, and did not support this project.

This project is well deserved on the northside of Brisbane. It will tackle those hard congestion issues that we have had at that particular railway crossing. I am looking forward to Telegraph Road also getting to the stage and catching up to the Geebung Robinson Road Crossing. I will be going down to the local residents and the businesses next week just to make sure that they're happy; give it a week to settle in, and see what the residents and the businesses have to say. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Thank you. Further debate; Councillor COOPER.

Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I rise to speak to item A of the report today. I do absolutely want to agree with Councillor KING. These two particular projects which impact on we northern suburbs people have been, I think, a huge improvement.

We have seen a lot of development, a lot of activity, happen in the outer northern suburbs, but we really didn't see infrastructure that has been able to address these particular issues until we saw the new State Government take on that responsibility and very much working with this LORD MAYOR to say: we can deliver these particular projects. So two very significant projects. I think Geebung is $199 million; Telegraph Road is $82 million.

These are significant projects for our part of the world, and they will make tremendous differences to moving not just residents but certainly a lot of freight through those particular areas, so from Telegraph Road, Brendale, and particularly with Robinson Road, you will see that movement through into Newman Road. All of that sort of industrial area will be greatly facilitated as a consequence of this development.

I particularly want to say thank you to the LORD MAYOR and to the DEPUTY MAYOR; they have been strong advocates for these two projects. I thank them for their hard work. We have certainly enjoyed seeing that investment in our local area, and in particular for my open level crossing at Telegraph Road, not only has the LORD MAYOR and DEPUTY MAYOR invested in the open-level crossing but they have also undertaken to complete works to Norris Road, so that is an additional $11 million to finalise that point where the open-level crossing actually connects back into Telegraph Road and extend that to Norris Road, and that will become a four-way intersection which again will make a tremendous difference to our local area.


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Certainly I know with the previous State Government, when they put thousands of people into Fitzgibbon, that ULDA (Urban Land Development Authority) area, thousands and thousands of people were encouraged to move to Fitzgibbon, but what kind of infrastructure was delivered? None. Absolutely none. Road infrastructure—none. So they've got all of these people living in this area—and I welcome them to Bracken Ridge Ward—but I say that this is an outrage.

I thank the incoming State Government and I thank this LORD MAYOR for actually delivering that infrastructure, so those people, when they live in our area, will have an opportunity to move safely through the area and not be stuck in constant congestion. Traffic signals, certainly we saw those boom gates down for 15 minutes. When you are hurrying to work in the morning, who has time to sit there at these sorts of facilities and wait for 15 minutes? The previous State Government's solution to Telegraph Road was to do what?

Councillor COOPER: No, they did do one thing, through you, Madam Chair. They put in a red light camera. They gave people tickets. They said: if you do the wrong thing, we will fine you. But they didn't invest in that infrastructure. So thank you very much to the Can-do team; thank you to the Premier, thank you to the LORD MAYOR, thank you to the DEPUTY MAYOR. This is a great couple of projects. Councillor KING and I are absolutely delighted to see this investment in the northern suburbs, and the tremendous that it will make to our city. Thank you.

Chairman: Further debate; DEPUTY MAYOR. No further debate; I will put the motion.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Infrastructure Committee was declared carried on the voices.


ATTENDANCE:

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Adrian Schrinner (Chairman), Councillor Ian McKenzie (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Margaret de Wit, Milton Dick, Victoria Newton and Norm Wyndham.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – OPEN LEVEL CROSSING REPLACEMENT PROJECTS

576/2013-141. Lee Marshall, Principal Project Manager, Robinson Road Open Level Crossing (OLC)

Replacement Project, City Projects Office, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to provide an update on Council’s open level crossing replacement projects. He provided the information below.

2. The project locations were noted as being the Telegraph Road OLC and the Robinson Road OLC. The OLC Replacement projects are jointly-funded between Council and the Queensland Government, with Council being the delivery agent. Both projects are listed as a priority due to safety and congestion issues at these locations.

3. The benefits of the projects were outlined. By removing the open level crossings at these locations, the projects will improve safety by removing the interaction between the road and rail users. Traffic congestion issues will be reduced with free-flowing overpasses, freight and passenger rail efficiencies will be increased and pedestrian and cycle links will be improved.

4. A slide showing the works that have been completed as part of the Robinson Road Open Level Crossing Replacement Project was displayed. The presenter advised that the new infrastructure that has been installed in this location includes: road surfacing, footpaths, traffic islands and on-road bike lanes.


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5. A photograph of the first deck unit being placed on the southern span of the pedestrian bridge at Geebung Station was shown. The presenter noted that this unit will be one of the four deck units that will be installed in over two spans.

6. The milestones of the Robinson Road OLC Replacement project were outlined as follows:- alliance partners appointed – October 2012- land acquisition completed – February 2013- construction commenced – April 2013- Robinson Road east traffic switch – November 2013- pedestrian bridge girder placement – February 2014- road bridge open to traffic – March 2014- construction completion – November 2014.The presenter noted that the budget allocation for this project is $199 million.

7. A slide showing the project plan for the works that are to be completed as part of the Telegraph Road OLC Replacement Project was displayed. The presenter noted that the project will involve the construction of a new four lane road-over-rail overpass, removal of the existing open level crossing, a new signalised intersection, and relocating the existing bus stops on Telegraph Road.

8. An image of a girder being placed for the road bridge at Telegraph Road was shown. 9. The milestones of the Telegraph Road OLC Replacement project were outlined as follows:

- joint venture contractors appointed – July 2013- construction commenced – August 2013- Linkfield and Lacey Road traffic switch – January 2014- road bridge girder placement – February 2014- traffic directed to road bridge (staged construction) – Mid-2014- road bridge open to traffic – August 2014- construction completion – November 2014.The presenter noted that the budget allocation for this project is $82 million.

10. In addition to the open level crossing replacement project, works are being undertaken to upgrade the Telegraph Road corridor. This project, referred to as Telegraph Road Corridor Upgrade Stage 1A, will include upgrades to the current intersection of Telegraph and Norris Roads, Bracken Ridge, a continuation of the open level crossing vehicle and cycle lane arrangements east to Enbrook parklands, and an additional leg connection to the future Economic Development Queensland development site. The presenter noted that the budget allocation for these additional works is $11 million.

11. A slide showing the project plan for the Telegraph Road Corridor Upgrade Stage 1A was displayed.

12. Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Marshall for his informative presentation.

13. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.

ADOPTED


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B PETITION – REQUESTING COUNCIL TO PROVIDE MORE MOTORCYCLE PARKING IN THE SOUTH BRISBANE AND WEST END TWO-HOUR ZONESCA13/761476

577/2013-1414. A petition requesting that Council provide more motorcycle parking in the South Brisbane

and West End two-hour zones, was presented to Council at its meeting of 12 November 2013 by Councillor Milton Dick on behalf of Councillor Helen Abrahams, and received.

15. The Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, provided the information below.

16. The petition contains 88 signatures. The petitioners have requested that Council consider the following four proposals: 1. That free unlimited parking be available for all motorcycles in the two-hour parking

zone in streets where there are no car parking bays provided.2. That one-to-two motor car bays be changed to cycle bays (four-to-eight cycles) in the

two-hour parking zone of West End and South Brisbane in every two-to-three streets where car parking is provided.

3. That on roads within the two-hour parking zone in West End and South Brisbane, one car bay be made into cycle bays in every two streets which run off that road.

4. That motorcycle fines be either voided or reduced to something which reflects the size of the motorcycle, for example, $30 fines.

17. Council encourages commuters to use efficient modes of transport when travelling to and from work, and understands motorcycles are an increasingly important form of travel. The Lord Mayor has committed to 400 free parking spaces for motorbikes and scooters being installed in the inner city by June 2016.

18. The Transport Planning and Strategy Branch is responsible for the planning and implementation of the project including site assessments, responding to community queries and managing and coordinating the technical delivery of the project. The objective of this project is to improve motorcyclists accessing and utilising inner city areas for parking motorcycles, by implementing marked spaces with approved Manual of Uniform Control Traffic Devices (MUCTD) parking signage to avoid unsafe or illegal parking practices.

19. Since May 2012, Council has installed 197 free motorcycle parking spaces in the CBD, South Brisbane, Dutton Park and Fortitude Valley. This brings the total number of motorcycle parking spaces to over 850. Additionally, Council offers reduced rates for motorcycles to park in Council’s off-street car parks and in the identified metered motorcycle bays.

20. Council’s website has been updated with an interactive map of the current locations of motorcycle parking in the inner city along with other motorcycle parking information. You can find this page by searching ‘motorcycle parking’ on the Council website.

21. Council is aware of a demand for free motorcycle parking within the South Brisbane area. Approximately 84 formalised motorcycle spaces are currently available in the South Brisbane area, however further potential locations for parking motorcycles have been identified and are being investigated by Council. These locations are on Russell Street, Montague Road at Kurilpa Park, Tribune Street, Colchester Street, Hope Street and within Musgrave Park.

22. A site identified for the project by Council near Montague Road within Kurilpa Park is located on State land at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), South Brisbane. The Queensland Government has recently supported Council’s proposal for 30 new motorcycle spaces in this area. Council and State representatives will now formalise an agreement and progress the installation of 30 new motorcycle bays. This location will no doubt assist with


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the ongoing demand for parking motorcycles in the South Brisbane area and Council has every intention to locate more suitable motorcycle bays in the South Brisbane and West End areas.

23. Council does not have a policy that states that specific parking should be installed near offices and or other businesses. It can be challenging to find locations that meet Council’s motorcycle parking guidelines for the installation of parking spaces on the footpaths. Sites chosen for motorcycle parking must leave adequate footpath space for the safe movement of pedestrians. A typical site analysis includes checking statutory planning, flood conditions, environmental impacts, utilities, traffic and safety regulations and legislation.

24. Over many years, traffic areas have been introduced by Council in select areas of the inner city. In these traffic areas, on-street parking is limited resource and Council faces the challenge of providing permits to residents while balancing the genuine need for access to on-street parking for the broader community and businesses.

25. The Central Traffic Area (CTA) regulates parking within the designated area by using large signs erected on the boundaries of the area. Under the law, Council is not required to place signs on every street within the CTA. Installing and maintaining signs on every street are very costly. Parking in the CTA is restricted to two hours from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 7am to 12pm (noon) Saturday, unless otherwise signed.

26. The Gabba Ward is situated across two traffic areas: the CTA and The Gabba Traffic Area (GTA). The GTA was introduced in 2000, coinciding with the redevelopment of The Gabba Stadium. A two-hour parking limit applies to all unsigned parking areas in the area between the hours of 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday, and a 15-minute time limit applies to all unsigned parking areas between the hours of 7am and 10pm on game days. Large signs are placed on entry points to the GTA, notifying motorists that these restrictions are in place.

27. Within both areas, the time limits help to manage the demand for parking and ease parking congestion on weekdays and game days by encouraging a turnover of parking spaces. This creates better access to on-street parking opportunities for residents and their visitors.

28. Under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Road Rules) Regulation 2009 (TORUM) a motorcycle is defined as a vehicle. Therefore, a motorcycle is considered a vehicle when determining the penalty amounts for any vehicle that commit an offence. For a different penalty unit amount to be applied to a motorcycle, there would need to be a separate definition and penalty amount. As TORUM is administered by the Queensland Government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads, it is outside Council’s jurisdiction.

Funding

29. Funding is available from the current budget under Program 2 – Moving Brisbane, for the installation of 400 free motorcycling spaces by 2016.

Consultation

30. The Councillor for The Gabba Ward, Councillor Helen Abrahams, has been consulted and supports the recommendation below.

Preferred option

31. It is the preferred option that Council advise the petitioners that the Lord Mayor has previously given a commitment to deliver 400 free motorcycling spaces by 2016, including identifying future suitable sites in South Brisbane and West End areas.


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32. Council will also refer the issue of the amount of penalty units for infringements issued to motorcycles to the Director-General, Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Customer impact

33. The petitioners’ concerns are addressed through Council continuing to work towards installing 400 free motorcycling spaces by 2016.

34. The Manager recommended as follows and the Committee agrees.

35. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREFERRED OPTION AND OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.

ADOPTED

PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE

Councillor Peter MATIC, Chairman of the Public and Active Transport Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Steven HUANG that the report of that Committee held on 18 March 2014, be adopted.


Councillor MATIC: Thank you, Madam Chairman. There is one item, and that is the committee presentation on Active School Travel: Secrets to Success. We had a very insightful presentation from officers around the Everton Park example—which was the winning school in the last year—and all of the things that the school undertook in order to have that winning outcome.

The presentation quite clearly showed that through a very detailed collaborative effort on behalf of parents, students, teachers and officers, and the local councillor, they were able to get a number of innovative projects up throughout the period to excite, to entice, to motivate everyone, and that is the key. It was about everyone getting involved.

I certainly do have to acknowledge the efforts of the school. We have all experienced Walking Wheeling Wednesday, but the school took the extra effort; it introduced more days for proactive travel. It provided far more incentives than in the ordinary course, and all of these things collectively were of tremendous assistance. The support of Councillor WYNDHAM as the local councillor was essential to the process. His involvement in the process, his contribution to that was also of fundamental importance. Certainly, across the board for all councillors involved in their schools through the Active School Travel program, it is always a recipe for success when the local councillor is also involved.

I really do have to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that Everton Park State School did in conjunction with the officers, and the way that they were able to put in these extra days such as Fun, Fit Fridays to deliver even more positive reinforcement.

Also, I have to acknowledge the tremendous work of all the parents and the extra effort that they took to get their kids to school in an active way, to participate in the process, but also the engagement by the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the RACQ, both important partners within this program providing that extra level of support and education and training to students, to be able to provide all of those features.

Park'nStride is one of the fundamentals of this program, and without the support of all of the stakeholders within that process, it would not be successful. So, Madam Chairman, once again thank you to all the officers; thank you to Councillor WYNDHAM, to the schools, to all our stakeholders in this process.


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Our Active School Travel program continues to just grow and grow every day, and continues to be one of the leading programs, not only in the State of Queensland but Australia. Thank you.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor WYNDHAM.

Councillor WYNDHAM: Thank you, Madam Chair; I just rise briefly to speak on this Active School Travel, item A. I've got a small primary school, 480-odd students, and about 17 per cent were participating in some form of active travel, that has risen substantially over the past 12 months. It is due to both the staff, the P&C (Parents and Citizens), the parents and the students. It is a school that is close to a very busy main road; it is a school that the side road tends to be congested when it comes to drop-off and pick-up time. The school actively took on this program to solve those problems.

A school of that size, normally we would go along and the P&C might be 20 members. This school has 50 members in their P&C, and those 50 members are keen to do the very best they can for their school. That is the sort of commitment that I see every time I go to that school, right from Brad Clark, the Principal, right down to perhaps the Grade 1 and Prep students who are all keen to make their school shine. This is just one example of this school and the way it shines.

They are at the top of a hill, and I know it is a bit of a hassle when I go there for things like Walking to School or Active School Travel, because quite often they start down in the park, and it is a very steep hill all the way up to the school. So, for parents, the easy option would be to drive, but they have chosen the option that is healthy, the option that is good for their school, and the option that sets an example for generations to come.

I think that is what is the crux of the whole debate of this Active School Travel. It is not about just one generation; it is about a generational thing. Many things in our life, generational change strengthens, and this, I see, over years and years will make Everton Park school a much safer school for generations to come and a much more active school. Active School Travel is doing that for our schools right across this city. Thank you.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor MATIC, anything further? I will put the motion.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Public and Active Transport Committee was declared carried on the voices.


ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Peter Matic (Chairman), Councillor Steven Huang (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Steve Griffiths, Nicole Johnston, Kim Marx and Ryan Murphy.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – ACTIVE SCHOOL TRAVEL SECRETS TO SUCCESS

578/2013-141. Mark Pattemore, Project and Program Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch,

Brisbane Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to provide information on the secrets of the success of Council’s Active School Travel (AST) program at the Everton Park State School. Mr Pattemore provided the information below.

2. The aim of the AST program is to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety around participating schools by promoting the use of sustainable transport modes, such as walking, cycling, scooter riding, public transport and carpooling. The benefits of the program include reduced traffic congestion, improved road safety skills and level of fitness and health in


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students and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

3. The Everton Park State School is located between the busy Old Northern and South Pine Roads in Everton Park. The school student population numbers 480 students, between Prep and Year 7. Before the AST program, there were regular incidents involving vehicles outside the school, including congestion in the two-minute passenger loading zone and speeding along Old Northern Road.

4. A five-day travel survey was conducted at the school in February 2013. The survey results showed that only 17 per cent of students were actively travelling to and from school, while 83 per cent of students recorded travelling to and from school in the family car. In March 2013, a survey was conducted with parents, on the barriers that prevented them from participating in active travel activities. The main barriers for the parents included parental commitments and distance from the school. Also, the child’s lack of road safety skills, unsuitable crossing points and concerns with personal safety were of concern for parents.

5. In 2013, Everton Park State School was awarded AST School of the Year. Schools are assessed and scored on a range of criteria for this award. The criteria included: maintaining consistent improvement in the number of students actively travelling to and from school, commitment from the students and staff to the AST program, effectiveness of the AST committee within the school to sustain the level of commitment to the program, and extra initiatives being implemented throughout the year by the school to encourage active travel.

6. One of the factors for success with the Everton Park State School was the motivated Active School Travel Committee. The committee consisted of the Principal, teaching staff, parents, crossing supervisors, senior students and the local councillor. A photograph of the committee members receiving the 2013 School of the Year award was shown.

7. Images were shown of the interactive school assembly performance that launched the first Active Travel Day at the Everton Park State School. Students, teachers and parents attending the assembly all heard the same message promoting the benefits and rewards of the active travel modes.

8. The school has established an AST culture with ‘Fun Fit Fridays’. To ensure positive reinforcement, the school has added a second Active Travel Day every Tuesday and a mystery day, where students are asked about their method of travel to school that day. These ‘spot checks’ encourage daily participation by students in active travel activities. A graph showing the results of students using active travel methods to and from school was displayed.

9. An ongoing competition among the school community maintains interest in Active Travel activities each week. The Principal presents an interclass ‘Active Travel Star’ trophy at each assembly and the school has won Council’s ‘Golden Boot’ award twice, with the highest percentage increase in students participating and the highest number of participants choosing walking as the preferred means of active travel.

10. A number of slides were presented showing the other factors which contributed to success in the Everton Park State School’s transition to becoming a successful Active Travel school, including communication strategies, practical assistance provided by senior students, and support provided by the local councillor.

11. Practical initiatives and additional skills have been added into the school’s Active Travel activities to ensure parental concerns over safety were addressed. Road safety skills presentations have been included in school assemblies; scooter, bicycle and bus skills are also being taught. Walking or ‘Park and Stride’ groups have also been created to take advantage of existing infrastructure, such as footpaths, pedestrian refuges and supervised crossing points.

12. The success of the AST program has been in part due to the successful co-operation between


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Council agencies, Traffic Network Operations, CARS (Compliance and Regulatory Services), Corporate Communications and external stakeholders, including the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the RACQ.

13. After one year, Everton Park State School community members have significantly altered their chosen modes of travel to and from school. A graph, comparing the previous and current methods of travel to and from school, was shown. The number of trips taken by car have reduced to 43 per cent (previously 83 per cent), and the number of students participating in active travel activities increased to 57 per cent (previously 17 per cent).

14. The Everton Park State School will continue the momentum gained through participation in Council’s AST program in the coming years by maintaining a strong AST Committee each term and continuing the close relationship with Council.

15. Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Pattemore for his informative presentation.

16. RECOMMENDATION:


ADOPTED

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE

Councillor Amanda COOPER, Chairman of the Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Vicki HOWARD, that the report of the meeting of that Committee held on 18 March 2014, be adopted.


Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I rise to speak to the presentation we had at Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee last week. This presentation was for a proposed application for preliminary approval and a material change of use for 56 units at 26 to 42 Gladys Street, Greenslopes.

First of all I would like to thank the Assessment Manager who gave an excellent presentation, and to the DA East team for all their hard work on the application. It was a very professional and very well informed presentation.

This application was initially lodged with Council on 20 December 2012 and originally was for 60 units at a uniform eight storeys across the site. This site is within the Eastern Corridor Neighbourhood Plan, and certainly this was something that came up for some discussion at committee. The site is just over 3,600 square metres, and is currently zoned light industry and sport and recreation.

As we heard at committee, this site has currently a number of existing buildings on the site. I think the oldest building is actually from approximately the 1950s. It is being used by a range of activities. We've got an auto electrician, printer and brake re-liners as well as some small manufacturing uses on the site. There are two buildings which are being used for storage, including an old squash court which has been, I believe, housing bricks for at least the last 10 years, not very healthy and active perhaps.

The site is located very close to Stones Corner, the business precinct there, and I note that Councillor McKENZIE is very excited about the fantastic revitalisation occurring within Stones Corner. The owners are proposing that this development be in line with medium density, which is directly across the road, so LMR


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(low-medium residential) to the east with MP3 (suburban centres) sitting behind on Old Cleveland Road. Complementing this proposal, of course, is the park and bikeway that runs behind the site.

This was an impact assessable application. It went on notification from 7 January to 28 January last year. There were five formal submissions, and they raised issues such as traffic, parking, height, flooding and construction noise. I believe that their local Councillor was asked for her comment on 8 January 2013, and she supported the change of use from industrial to residential.


Councillor COOPER: I am sure the local councillor will take the opportunity to speak to this application. Certainly I note that officers did go back and request further response from the local councillor but did not get any.

So officers took these submissions into consideration and, as a result, the applicant made a number of changes to the application including the design and the height. As I noted earlier, it was originally lodged for 60 units and a uniform eight storeys. The applicant took on board Council's feedback and they revised that design down to 56 units and redesigned the building to a range from eight storeys to three storeys. So, very significant changes as a result of the information that was requested by Council officers.

Certainly at committee we reflected on what a great looking building it has ended up being. There are 11 one-bedroom units, 45 two-bedroom units, and there will be a number of 71 residential parking and 11 visitor parking, with all of the resident car parking to be provided in the basement. This is a site very well serviced by public transport. It is 140 metres from the Stones Corner Busway Station, 350 metres from the Langlands Busway Station, 500 metres from Buranda Train Station and 600 metres from the Buranda Busway Station. So extremely handy to public transport.

There was also referral to Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) and Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP). There were no conditions required from DTMR, and there were specific conditions that were asked to be applied by DEHP. As we noted at committee, this site has experienced flooding, so it's got a range of issues with flooding, and officers provided advice as to how this application has been very carefully conditioned to ensure flood-free access is going to be able to be achieved. All the floor levels will have to achieve the minimum habitable floor level and the basement and essential services will have to be 500 millimetres above the defined flood level.

There was also a report supplied by the applicant of their stormwater management plan, and that was carefully investigated by Council, and that demonstrated how it could comply with both the habitable and non-habitable floor level requirements, and showed that there was no worsening of flood levels upstream or downstream of this application.

This development will also provide a dedicated park of 400 square metres which also will see a 3.7 metre footpath providing access through to the bikeway and park at the back. Officers have also conditioned over 900 square metres of deep planting which is a great outcome for the community on this site. This particular development will provide a much-needed residential accommodation for booming Stones Corner, and it will see a significant investment in the local area—a $20 million investment, and estimated to be 60-plus construction jobs as a result of this application.

So, Madam Chair, I am pleased to be able to support this investment, these jobs, and I would like to thank the Council officers for their excellent work on getting such a great outcome for a site that has not really been used for much other than storing bricks for the last 10 years. This is a great location, and an excellent outcome. My thanks to the officers involved.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair; I wish to discuss the development application at 26 to 42 Gladys Street, Greenslopes. It is interesting how two Councillors have


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different perspectives, but I will give the perspective from my point. When the Eastern Corridor Neighbourhood Plan was put in place, it was evident that this site was not in a precinct where urban renewal was envisaged to take place. But instead, it was in the Eastern Corridor and no change was proposed. It is an isolated area of industrial land surrounded by a childcare centre across the road, and residential areas to the south and east of this site.

When I asked why it wasn't included in areas for unit development, I was told because of the flooding risk. That approach had also been used in the Woolloongabba Centre Local Plan, with Deshon Street, so I understood the strategy. When this application was lodged, I wrote to Council saying that I supported the residential development rather than retaining this isolated pocket of industry, but only if there was no adverse effect on flooding, and that any compensatory earthworks would be undertaken on the site.

Then, the night before this came to committee, as I was not aware until then that it was coming to committee, when I had a look at the flood study, it clearly stated in the summary that it was found that “the proposed development footprint increased the discharge at the downstream Turbo Drive crossing”. It then continued that “it was proposed that the rear of the site be filled to the same extent as the existing building footprint to maintain flood conveyance and storage on Norman Creek”.

They seemed contradictory, but certainly the first statement was clear in terms of impact. So I expressed an amount of concern, but my greatest concern was that, in the report given by the Council officer to the committee, they did not mention flooding in relation to this site. It was only when I asked questions that the issue of flooding was raised. I do believe in our city that any development that is affected by flooding, that information should be given to committee.

I reinforce that comment because exactly the same happened this morning in relation to another application that came to committee today. So, it is a just a third strike, and this is a trend. It is not an oversight; it is a very clear policy of the Administration not to discuss contentious issues with the applications being flooding in these two cases.

But, I did then have time to consult the officers, and got a personal report, for which I thank very much the Council officer, that drafted an additional explanatory note to understand what happens. That raises the point that no matter how much and how long you spend on PD online looking at the reports, you do need additional information to fully understand exactly what some complex issues such flooding are.

In that report, the officer essentially and very briefly says that the amended plan in fact has made no changes to the development footprint and filling on site, and therefore there was a non-worsening of the flood level upstream and downstream properties. I am assured by that, but it is the first time that that information was available to me as it was not on the PD online.

This is an important issue, and I am glad to have been able to follow it through because all too often the development conditions relate to flood-free access to the site—the habitable spaces being flood-free—but rarely give detailed information as to the impact, the incremental impact, from development on an existing flood plain carrying capacity. So, Madam Chair, I am happy to be able to support this application armed with the additional information provided by the Council officer.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor WINES.

Councillor WINES: Thank you, Madam Chairman; I rise to speak today in support of this proposal at number 26 to 42 Gladys Street, Greenslopes. What is interesting about this is it is an excellent piece of evidence as to why we use a performance-based planning system. Often we would get asked as Councillors why are certain things permitted in certain places when their zoning is X or Y, and this is an excellent example of why we use this system.


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Although this land is industrial, it is surrounded by LMR, MR or low to medium residential uses, medium residential uses, and multi-purpose centre designations. So, this sort of sits alone as a piece of industrial land. You heard the local Councillor, Councillor ABRAHAMS, speak in favour of the changes that have a logical sense to them, to allow this development to occur.

Whilst itself is industrial, it is surrounded by the uses that would be permissible to allow such a development that we are considering today to occur. What is this structure replacing? What was there beforehand? It is a series of industrial buildings and a former indoor squash centre. Disappointingly we see more and squash centres go as their popularity wanes. It is an excellent sport, but less and less people play it, and more people take up the opportunity to replace it with residential. There are many examples of this across the city.

What we see is a structure in its place that allows for 56 units serviced—and I think this is an important point—by 82 car parks, of which 11 are on the surface and 72 are in the basement. That is a solid number of car parking for this structure. It is probably important to note at this time that the original proposal was for a uniform eight-storeys series of buildings, but as a result of feedback and as a result of the notification and consultation period, there has been amendments to the structure to allow for stepping and to allow for a gradual interface with its neighbours and with the nearby parkland and creek line.

When you talk about performance solutions and making adjustments to allow for these sorts of changes, the Council takes into consideration a great number of things, but a focus of those is of course transportation and community services and community spaces. This location is remarkably well served by both of those things. Not only is it well served by private vehicle car parking spaces, but there are the three busway stations that Councillor COOPER identified earlier in her speech, and the one train station identified as well. So Buranda and then Langlands Park, Buranda Busway and Stones Corner Busway.

Also, the Stones Corner Centre is really an interesting centre, and we want as a Council, for people to engage with it to have something of a renaissance, for it to have its good days come back again. This ongoing interest in constructing residential developments near these sort of commercial centres will, I believe, encourage the return of Stones Corner to its former place in our city.

This structure, this proposal, is near of course Langlands Park, home of the East Tigers, which will always be secondary to West Panthers in my opinion, but they are a fine club in their own right. So not only is there the football club there with the excellent club facility, but nearby there is Langlands Pool, Council's pool which is well served and well serviced for that local community.

Not only are there the community services nearby, provided both privately and by this Council, but it will actually allow for a 400-square metre parkland which will connect both this structure, the new residents, as well as the existing residents into the parkland behind this building, allowing them to access the existing bikeway and to participate and engage in the natural environment along that creek line.

As I say, there are many things to encourage support for this proposal. It makes a great deal of sense, logically, and I encourage all Councillors to support it.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor MURPHY.

ADJOURNMENT:579/2013-14

At that time, 4pm, it was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor Kim MARX, that the meeting adjourn for a period of 15 minutes, to commence only when all councillors had vacated the chamber and the doors locked.

Council stood adjourned at 4.03pm.

UPON RESUMPTION:


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At that time, 4.19pm, the Deputy Chairman, Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, assumed the Chair.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate? No further debate. Councillor COOPER.

Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Chairman. So, Madam Deputy Chairman, in relation to this application, we heard Councillor ABRAHAMS say that she said that it did not actually discuss in the committee last week, flooding. She said it was not mentioned. I've actually got the presentation from last week, Madam Deputy Chair, and I looked through that presentation and I can see public notification talks about hydraulics flooding. Then I look over here, again when I talk about the key assessment items, flooding, Madam Deputy Chair, so twice, twice in the presentation it was actually mentioned.

So that's in complete contradiction to the claims made by Councillor ABRAHAMS and I've got the evidence here to suggest it's mentioned twice in here now.

Deputy Chairman: Order. Councillor ABRAHAMS do not shout out in this Chamber. Councillor COOPER.

Councillor COOPER: Now we've got Councillor ABRAHAMS saying it's about the flood line, Madam Chair, but I copied down what she said and she suggested that it was deliberately not mentioned, that flooding was deliberately not mentioned in the presentation. That is the comment that was made by Councillor ABRAHAMS, proven right now quite easily that was patently incorrect, Madam Chair. Twice it was mentioned and in fact we discussed it at length in committee. So her claims are completely and utterly false, Madam Chair. I would suggest that that is, quite clearly she does seem to be misleading the Chamber, Madam Chair.

So in relation and then we had Councillor ABRAHAMS say that—and I note that Councillor ABRAHAMS at committee said that her workload just meant that she could not get across these issues. Well I would suggest if she doesn't have time, Madam Deputy Chair, then maybe she shouldn't be doing it, Madam Deputy Chair.


Deputy Chairman: Order.

Councillor COOPER: I would suggest, I love every day coming to work knowing that my opposite is Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS, Madam Deputy Chair. It is an absolute pleasure to debate her because yet again week-after-week, every single committee she's proven to not be across her brief, Madam Chair. She doesn't seem to know what's going on. Councillor ABRAHAMS talked about compensatory earthworks, Madam Deputy Chair, in relation to this application. Well that's not even something that this application is assessed against, Madam Chair.

So, Madam Deputy Chair, if she would like to speak to the matters before us there is specific provisions that need to be responded to. There's the stormwater management code, there's the fill and excavation code and there's the waterway code. No compensatory earthworks, Madam Deputy Chair. That's not even relevant to this matter before us. Then we had Councillor ABRAHAMS saying that she didn't have enough information. Well every single local councillor has the opportunity to ring and talk to the assessment team about their application.

I see lots of nodding in the Chamber. I see lots of councillors on both sides who speak to the assessment managers, who get the information they need to convey the accurate information to their constituents, Madam Deputy Chair.

So if you don't have time to do your job I would suggest perhaps you need to get better organised and find the time to do the thing for which you are elected to do, Madam Deputy Chair, which is represent your constituents. In relation to this particular proposal the applicant actually had to provide a stormwater management plan. There was a report that was done and there was a site-based stormwater and flood management plan that was part of the application that was


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assessed by the officers. Councillor ABRAHAMS said that she didn't understand that and sought further advice from Council officers.

Absolutely correct but, Madam Chair, I think it's quite clear if you actually read through the document, it talks about what is going on with this particular site. There was an initial proposal put to Council which was reviewed and what has actually happened as a part of this application, Council has looked at that report that was submitted. It had to demonstrate how it complied with both the habitable and non-habitable floor level requirements and demonstrate there was no worsening of flood levels upstream or downstream.

Now Councillor ABRAHAMS read from the last part of the report in the conclusions and she said, it talks about the MIKE 11 model of Norman Creek that was sourced from BCC (Brisbane City Council) truncated to an area around the subject site. The truncated model was altered and I'm quoting from the conclusions of the report. The truncated model was altered to include the existing and proposed development footprint. So there are two different scenarios that were modelled as a consequence of this.

It was found that the proposed development footprint increased the discharge at the downstream Turbo Drive crossing. It is proposed that the rear of the site be filled to the same extent as the existing building footprint to maintain the flood conveyance and storage of Norman Creek. So, Madam Chair, it says in the conclusion quite clearly that the initial proposal with that reduction of the footprint actually caused detrimental impact. It is the subsequent amended outline that has addressed that issue specifically. It's in the report, Madam Deputy Chair, if only she would read it.

Deputy Chairman: I will now put the report.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee was declared carried on the voices.

Thereupon, Councillors Amanda COOPER and Andrew WINES immediately rose and called for a division, which resulted in the motion being declared carried unanimously.

The voting was as follows:

AYES: 22 - DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Andrew WINES, and Norm WYNDHAM, and the Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Steve GRIFFITHS, Victoria NEWTON, and Shayne SUTTON.

NOES: Nil.

The report as follows

ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Amanda Cooper (Chairman), Councillor Vicki Howard (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Helen Abrahams, Geraldine Knapp, Shayne Sutton and Andrew Wines.

A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION (DISTRIBUTER-RETAILER) UNDER THE SUSTAINABLE PLANNING ACT 2009 – PROPOSED MULTI-UNIT DWELLING – 26 TO 42 GLADYS STREET, GREENSLOPES – CORBEE PTY LTDA003514673


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580/2013-141. The Acting Team Leader, Development Assessment Planning Services East, Development

Assessment Branch, City Planning and Sustainability Division, reports that a development application (distributer-retailer) was submitted on 20 December 2012 by Consult Planning, as follows:

Development Aspects: Building Work (Preliminary Approval)Material Change of Use (Development Permit)

General description of proposal: Multi-unit dwelling (56 units)

Land in the ownership of: Corbee Pty Ltd Address of the site: 26 to 42 Gladys Street, GreenslopesDescribed as: Lot 1, 2 and 3 on RP93613, and lot 1 on RP123192,

Parish of BulimbaContaining an area of: 3,677 square metres.

2. The application proposes a multi-unit dwelling (56 units). The overall development has a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 6,871 square metres.

3. The site is located within the Eastern Corridor Neighbourhood Plan and not within a precinct. The site is in close proximity to the Stones Corner Precinct and Residential Sub-precinct. For the purpose of this application the proposal has been assessed against the provisions of the Stones Corner Precinct and Residential Sub-precinct.

4. The proposal provides a height consistent with the provisions of the Eastern Corridor Neighbourhood Plan, Stones Corner Precinct and Residential Sub-precinct.

5. A road dedication to the south-east section of Gladys Street has been conditioned to provide a public footway width of 3.75 metres along the road frontage of the site to Gladys Street.

6. The development includes a total of 82 parking spaces. Of these, 71 spaces are located within a basement and 11 spaces at located at ground level.

7. The proposal generally complies with relevant provisions of the Brisbane City Plan 2000, including the Desired Environmental Outcomes, the Eastern Corridor Neighbourhood Plan, and Residential Design – Medium Density Code.

8. The application was subject to impact assessment and a total of five properly-made submissions were received.

9. The application was referred to the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR). DTMR advised in a letter dated 21 October 2013 that it had no requirements related to the application.

10. The application was referred to the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP). DEHP advised in a letter dated 6 November 2013 that it supports the application with the inclusion of conditions.

11. The Councillor for The Gabba Ward, Councillor Helen Abrahams, provided an email on 8 January 2013 supporting the change from industrial to residential zoning.

12. Council’s FloodWise Property Report indicates that the site is subject to creek/waterway and river flooding. The site provides flood-free access and all floor levels achieve the minimum habitable floor levels.

13. Conditions include reasonable and relevant conditions for a multi-unit dwelling including conditions relating to park dedication, road widening, and parking.


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14. The Acting Team Leader advises that relevant reports have been obtained to address the assessment criteria and decision process prescribed by the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 outlining appropriate developmental requirements. The Acting Team Leader recommends that the application be approved subject to the approved plans, and reasonable and relevant conditions included in the development approval package, submitted and marked Attachment A. The Committee agreed, with Councillors Helen Abrahams and Shayne Sutton abstaining from the vote.

15. RECOMMENDATION:

(i) That it be and is hereby resolved that whereas -

(a) a development application (distributor-retailer) was properly made on 20 December 2012 to the Council pursuant to section 260 of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (the Act), as follows:

Development Aspects: Building Work (Preliminary Approval)Material Change of Use (Development Permit)

General description of proposal:

Multi-unit dwelling (56 units)

Land in the ownership of: Corbee Pty Ltd

Address of the site: 26 to 42 Gladys Street, Greenslopes

Described as: Lot 1, 2 and 3 on RP93613, and lot 1 on RP123192 Parish of Bulimba

Containing an area of: 3,677 square metres.

(b) the Council is required to assess the application pursuant to Part 7A and section 313 of the Act, and decide the application under section 324 of the Act;

the Council—

(c) upon consideration of the application and those matters set forth in sections 313 and 324 of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 relevant to the application considers that:(1) the proposal would not detrimentally affect the amenity of the

neighbourhood(2) the proposal is consistent with the general intentions of the Brisbane

City Plan 2000(3) the proposal does not cause conflict with the State’s planning policies,

planning regulation provisions or South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031.

(d) accordingly considers that were the development to accord with Council’s developmental requirements ensured through the imposition of certain conditions and the issuing of Infrastructure Charges Notices for Sewerage/Water Supply and Infrastructure Charges Notices for Transport/Community Purposes/Waterways, it would be appropriate that the proposed development be carried out on the subject land.

(ii) Whereas the Council determines as in (i) hereof, THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION (DISTRIBUTOR-RETAILER) subject


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to the conditions in the Development Approval Package submitted and marked Attachment A, and will:(a) notify the applicant of this decision(b) give the Infrastructure Charges Notices for Sewerage and Water Supply with

the decision notice(c) give the Infrastructure Charges Notices for Transport, Community Purposes

and Waterways with the decision notice(d) notify the Central SEQ Distributor-Retailer Authority of the decision and

provide it with a copy of the Infrastructure Charges Notices(e) notify the Councillor for The Gabba Ward, Councillor Helen Abrahams, of

this decision(f) notify any submitters of this decision(g) notify the Department of Transport and Main Roads as a Concurrence Agency

of this decision(h) notify the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection as a

Concurrence Agency of this decision. ADOPTED

ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

Councillor Matthew BOURKE, Chairman of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Fiona KING, that the report of the meeting of that Committee held on 18 March 2014, be adopted.

Councillor BOURKE: Thanks very much, Madam Deputy Chairman. Madam Deputy Chairman, I move that the report of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee meeting held on Tuesday 18 March 2014 be adopted.

Councillor KING: Second that, Madam Deputy Chair.

Deputy Chairman: It has been moved by Councillor BOURKE, seconded by Councillor KING that the report of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee meeting dated Tuesday 18 March 2014 be adopted.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor BOURKE.

Councillor BOURKE: Thanks very much, Madam Deputy Chairman. Madam Deputy Chairman, just very quickly before I get to the report, I was a young child a bit of a fan of Sale of the Century. So it's come to my attention of an email of late that came into Council and up to my office but before I get to the contents of that email, Madam Deputy Chairman, just to give you a bit of context about who might have sent it. We'll play a little game who am I? So who am I, Madam Deputy Chairman?

I was appointed to Council in 2003. I've been a chair for Environment, Parks and Sustainability. I don't know how to plant a tree. I wanted to pave over a park in East Brisbane and the latest, Madam Deputy Chairman, after 11 years in this place, Madam Deputy Chairman, the latest effort is the following. Dear Council officer—I won't use the Council officer's name—I am seeking the following for The Gabba Ward, the name of parks, the area of the parks for all existing parks in the ward. Thank you in anticipation, Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS.

Well, Madam Deputy Chairman, Councillor ABRAHAMS has reached a new low in this place. After 11 years and having heard what we've just heard from Councillor COOPER about her heavy workload, she hasn't even taken the time to familiarise herself with the parks across her own electorate, Madam Chairman. Being a former chairman for Parks, Environment and Sustainability you would have thought she would have taken the time. But what gets worse, Madam Deputy Chairman, than that—

Councillor SUTTON: Point of order, Madam Deputy Chair.


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Deputy Chairman: Point of order Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SUTTON: I understand that chairpersons can talk about—

Deputy Chairman: Your question? Get to your question.

Councillor SUTTON: My question is that is Councillor BOURKE speaking of relevance to his portfolio given Councillor ABRAHAMS is not part of his portfolio.

Deputy Chairman: He is clearly referring to an email he has received in relation to his portfolio area and he is providing context. Councillor BOURKE.

Councillor BOURKE: Thanks very much, Madam Deputy Chairman. Where I was going was that recently reported in the media just on the weekend was Councillor ABRAHAMS claiming that there aren’t enough parks in her ward, that she needed more parks. But, Madam Chairman, from the email that I just read out from a week ago she doesn't even know where the parks are or how many parks she actually has. So, Madam Chairman, through you to Councillor ABRAHAMS, I suggest Councillor ABRAHAMS you look on the Council website, you use the tools available to you as a councillor and you do a bit of hard work, Madam Deputy Chairman, through you to Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Turning to the committee report, Madam Deputy Chairman, a wonderful presentation to the Parks and Environment and Sustainability Committee this week around our camera trap monitoring in natural areas program, obviously targeting foxes, Madam Deputy Chairman, in this particular part of our work, part of the invasive species management work that we do, quite interestingly though it's not only the foxes that we get on the cameras.

There are a number of other species that get caught, deer, antechinus, which is a small carnivorous mammal, Madam Deputy Chairman—I'm happy to provide the clerk with the spelling—wild dogs, echidnas, a feral cat, as well as wallabies. So a whole gamut of animals that get caught across our camera network. Obviously that monitoring and then trapping program informs how we proactively manage our state, Madam Deputy Chairman, when it comes to dealing with invasive species. As I said, quite an interesting presentation with some of the covert cameras and other tools that the officers use to try and make sure that we're dealing with the damage and the impact that these species have on our Council bushland.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate? Anything further Councillor BOURKE? I will now put the report.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee was declared carried on the voices.

The report as follows

ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Matthew Bourke (Chairman), Councillor Fiona King (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Peter Cumming, Kim Flesser, Geraldine Knapp and Ryan Murphy.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CAMERA TRAP MONITORING IN NATURAL AREAS

581/2013-141. Joseph Casabella, Parks and Natural Resources Manager, Natural Environment, Water and

Sustainability Branch, City Planning and Sustainability Division, attended the meeting to provide a presentation on Council’s camera trap monitoring program. He provided the information below.


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2. Council’s camera trap monitoring program is funded out of the Brisbane Invasive Species Management Plan Implementation project. Some of the species that are targeted as part of the program are deer, foxes, feral dogs, cats and pigs.

3. Camera trap monitoring is increasingly being used to monitor both native and exotic wildlife. It produces high quality images and is more cost efficient than traditional survey methods, such as trapping and spotlighting. An image of a camera trap placed within a tree was displayed.

4. The cameras that Council uses are no-glow covert infrared with night-vision capability up to 20 metres. The cameras are motion-activated, camouflaged, waterproof, have long battery life (up to 12 months), and are capable of storing thousands of images.

5. Photographs of some of the animals captured on the camera traps were shown. These animals included: deer, Antechinus, wild dogs, echidna, a feral cat and wallaby.

6. A map of the Brisbane region was displayed, indicating fox complaints received by Council from property owners during 2012-13. Complaints data has led to a proactive management strategy with the use of camera monitoring to be instituted. The objectives of this strategy are to target activities where the control of invasive species will produce the greatest benefit and provide an objective measure of the project’s outcomes.

7. A locational map of all Council camera trap monitoring points was shown, followed by a map with the number of foxes trapped within areas based on an average capture rates standardised to 100 trap nights.

8. The conclusions garnered from the program have improved the prioritisation of locations for camera trap sites and trapping, provided greater cost efficiency (based on traditional methods such as spotlighting and trapping), and given Council an improved ability to measure the outcomes from the program.

9. The Committee asked a number of questions and the Chairman thanked Mr Casabella for his informative update.

10. RECOMMENDATION:


ADOPTED

FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE

Councillor David McLACHLAN, Chairman of the Field Services Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Norm WYNDHAM, that the report of that Committee held on 18 March 2014, be adopted.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor McLACHLAN.

Councillor McLACHLAN: Thank you, Madam Deputy Chairman, just briefly the item before us, Item A was a committee presentation on last year's Garage Sale Trail. This is the first year of participation by the Brisbane area with the support of Brisbane Council, in what was the third annual event, the Garage Sale Trail, which is now well and truly entrenched on the landscape of ensuring that people across Australia, residents across Australia had the opportunity to participate in what is recognised as a great fit with the strategic objectives of this Council, and that's based on our Towards Zero Waste policy with a strong preference for.

Avoiding or reducing the amount of materials that are used and a least preferable option of disposal. The Garage Sale Trail fits neatly in the middle of that


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hierarchy with an emphasis on reusing, recycling anything that people no longer have a use for, rather than disposing of it at the tip and encouraged to participate in the resale, reuse of those materials. It makes a whole lot of sense for everyone to have one big garage sale on the one day. That's what occurred last year. The success of Brisbane was manifest with more than double the number of expected registered garages or sales registered on the Garage Sale Trail, 515 registrations with 916 registered sellers.

Some 123,000 listed items were up for sale which is a great success and the Council Tip Shops also registered and also registered new customers who hadn't previously been to the Tip Shop, so all in all a great success for last year's Garage Sale Trail. That was the feedback that was provided by the Council officer who made the presentation. The Garage Sale Trail for 2014—early notice for everybody to get on board—it will be on Saturday 25 October this year and this year will be linked in with the Council's highly successful Recyclable Art Competition.

So rather than as has previously been the case with that competition limiting participants in recyclable art to items that they've bought from the Tip Shops, this year we'll link in that project with the Garage Sale Trail. Those who are participating in the Recyclable Art Competition will be encouraged to also purchase items from a much greater range of course as a consequence of the Garage Sale Trail. Thank you, Madam Deputy Chair.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate? Nothing further Councillor McLACHLAN? I will now put the report.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Field Services Committee was declared carried on the voices.


ATTENDANCE:

Councillor David McLachlan (Chairman), Councillor Norm Wyndham (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Peter Cumming, Nicole Johnston, Kim Marx and Ian McKenzie.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – GARAGE SALE TRAIL

582/2013-141. Arron Lee, Manager Waste Services, Field Services Group, Brisbane Infrastructure Division,

attended the meeting to provide an update on the Garage Sale Trail. Mr Lee provided the information below.

2. The Garage Sale Trail is coordinated through a not-for-profit organisation that seeks to provide social and environmental change in the community. The first ever Garage Sale Trail occurred on Bondi Beach in 2010 and was a huge success. The concept won awards and gathered so much interest that in 2011, the Garage Sale Trail went nationally.

3. The Garage Sale Trail is a one day event, where sellers are able to register their garage sale and identify the specific details of their sale items prior to the event. All registered garage sales are plotted and located on the Garage Sale Trail website and purchasers can develop their own trail based upon the location and types of items that are for sale. After the event, feedback and data are gathered from the sellers.

4. A graph showing the International Waste Hierarchy was displayed. The presenter noted that this hierarchy is the basis of Council’s Towards Zero Waste strategy and that the Garage Sale Trail fits perfectly into Council’s strategic objectives.


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5. On Saturday 26 October 2013, the Garage Sale Trail held its third annual event, and for the first time, Council participated in this event. Council’s participation included promotion of the Garage Sale Trail through Council’s website, social media, newsletters, publications and networks with local schools and community groups. The presenter also noted that the two Council Tip Shops were registered as part of the trail.

6. The national results from the 2013 Garage Sale Trail were outlined. The highlights of this event included:- 7,017 registered garage sales, an increase of 97 per cent from 2012- approximately 357,867 participants- 1,574,803 items listed- 56,136 shopping trolleys of items were sold/re-used nationally- average seller earnings of $323- each seller met 20 new people and spoke with 13 locals.

7. In Brisbane, the 2013 Garage Sale Trail resulted in 515 registered garage sales with 915 registered sellers, a total of 123,294 listed items (approximately 239 items per garage sale), and approximately 4,120 standard-size shopping trolleys full of items were sold or redistributed. Council’s Tip Shops registered over 100 new customers on the day of the event.

8. A table showing the participation rates of the Garage Sale Trail event across the nation was displayed. The presenter noted that the number of sellers and buyers in Queensland for the 2013 event was comparable with the larger states, such as Victoria and New South Wales.

9. The presenter spoke about the feedback that had been received following the 2013 event. It was noted that 96 per cent of buyers and sellers thought that it was a good idea for local councils to support the Garage Sale Trail and 72 per cent of sellers and 94 per cent of buyers would participate again.

10. The Garage Sale Trail event will be held on Saturday 25 October 2014. This year, the presenter noted that Council will build on the exposure of this event by linking it with the highly successful Recyclable Art competition. Artists participating in the competition will select items from the Garage Sale Trail or Council’s Tip Shops to create art works that will feature in the competition in May 2015.

11. Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Lee for his informative presentation.

12. RECOMMENDATION:


ADOPTED

BRISBANE LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE

Councillor Krista ADAMS, Chairman of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Andrew WINES, that the report of that Committee held on 18 March 2014, be adopted.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor ADAMS.

Councillor ADAMS: Thank you, Madam Deputy Chair. Look before I go to the report I would just like to take this opportunity to say that our first official LORD MAYOR Youth Advisory (LMYA) Committee meeting has happened for 2014 on 12 March. It's fantastic to see that we have 60 Year 10 students from many different schools that are joining in this year for the Advisory Committee. They get very excited


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about coming to meet all the new people and the new kids in the actual Advisory Committee.

We had some of our legacy students from last year's committee come along and talk to them about what to expect and what they're going to be doing over the next 12 months. I spoke to some of those students from last year and I said to them how do you feel about not being here and they said we would give anything to be back here and continuing it this year. So that's the type of feedback we get from the students involved. They really do value their contribution. I think they value learning a bit more about Council than the average students do as well.

It really is an eye opener about how much we do in Council and how much we provide and how much they can actually get involved and participate with us as well, and be involved in those decision making processes through our vision and through our Youth Strategy and things like that. So we have spoken to them in our first meeting about our priorities for the Vision 2031 themes. They've presented ideas to the LORD MAYOR. We've given them a few options on what they might like to be involved in this year. Green Heart Fairs they were very interested in Councillor BOURKE, through you, Deputy Madam Chair.

They Youth Week that's coming up and I'll be talking next week about the fantastic launch night we have in Reddacliff Place for our Youth Week, how they can get involved in Active and Healthy, how they can get their students in their school as a representative of the students in their school, to be more involved in Council as well. So looking very, very forward to spending a few more meetings with the LMYA team. They'll be there at Homeless Connect in a few weeks’ time and being involved in that but it's fantastic to see 60 young enthusiastic 15 year olds. It takes me back to a time, it reminds me I do occasionally miss teaching but then I could walk out again after an hour and not have to deal with it so that wasn't so bad.

At that time, 4.39pm, the Chairman, Councillor Margaret de WIT, resumed the Chair.

Councillor ADAMS: To our presentation on last week's Council's Memorandum of Understanding with Westfield and Centro around our disability parking enforcement, so I did mention a bit in Question Time today about where the money goes. We had a few questions on those and it was very disappointing to see people interrupting committee this morning and actually making a comment that this was a waste of time, when I was speaking about disability parking enforcement.

I was speaking about disability parking enforcement. Somebody on the other side who shall remain nameless said it was a waste of time that we were talking about disability parking enforcement. But I must say that the media have been very interested in what we're doing and I think what we see is a lot of the community recognising too the importance of being able to enforce the disability parking bays in areas where property owners, where it's private property and obviously what we're talking about is shopping centres.

So we started with Centro Toombul where we had the officers there, permission to enforce the correct use of the disabled parking bays. That was between 25 February and 24 last year. We had about 53 enforces recorded at that time with about 45 fines of $200 each. So it's two penalty points. That was $200 last year. It's a little bit more this year with the state penalties going up. As well as those eight warnings, which I think confirms to us that there are people doing the wrong thing unfortunately. They don't have a sign. Usually it's because they're not valid for a sign and they just think that five minutes to duck in and use the ATM or grab the bottle of milk won't actually bother anybody if they just use that car-park right beside the door.

The success of the trial saw the MOU extended to Centro shopping centres in Lutwyche and Buranda. They signed up in January. We also signed at the end of last year with Chermside Westfield and we are currently DEPUTY MAYOR through you, Deputy Madam Chair, in discussions with Carindale. I'll be making


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sure that we're in discussions with Garden City once they're back on track as well opening towards the end of the year as well.

So what we are looking at is the shopping centres have resulted in infringements and as I said before any of that money goes straight into our Access and Inclusion program which is very exciting to see. As I said it is a bit of a catch 22. There's $220 for parking in a disabled spot at the moment. These infringements go straight to our Access and Inclusion plan but the infringements I think are from a compliance nature, very good to see are going down.

It's great to see that people are realising sometimes it takes a monetary fine for them to realise that they're doing the wrong thing. So I suppose what we'll try and do now is make people think that wherever they are they could be picked up by a compliance officer. It'll make people think twice whether we've got an MOU with those shopping centres of not. I have to say, Madam Deputy Chair, that Mr Hodgson gave a very enthusiastic report, very proud of the work that the officers are doing in this space.

We don't usually get a lot of kudos around parking enforcement even though it is the highest asked for compliance question. But our officers do take it very, very seriously and I think the opportunities we're seeing here is definitely contributing to the fantastic Access and Inclusion program that we are delivering with LORD MAYOR Graham QUIRK and I recommend the report to the Chamber.

Chairman: Further debate? Further debate? I will put the motion.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee was declared carried on the voices.


ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Krista Adams (Chairman), Councillor Andrew Wines (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Steve Griffiths, Vicki Howard, Steven Huang, and Victoria Newton.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – COUNCIL’S MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WITH WESTFIELD AND CENTRO FOR DISABILITY BAY PARKING ENFORCEMENT

583/2013-141. Sean Hodgson, Branch Manager, Compliance and Regulatory Services, Brisbane Lifestyle

Division, presented to the meeting on Council’s memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with Westfield and Centro to enable disability parking bay enforcement in certain shopping centres. He provided the information below.

2. A new Australian Disability Parking Permit has been introduced, replacing the previous blue and red coloured permits. Unauthorised parking in a disability bay is an offence under the State traffic regulations. Council can enforce parking in disability bays located on private properties, such as shopping centres, with the consent of the property owner.

3. The fine for parking in a disability bay is $220. Council directs all revenue from these fines to Access and Inclusion projects in the city. Complaints about unauthorised parking in disability bays are assigned a high priority by Council’s Compliance and Regulation Services Branch’s Parking Response Unit. There have been an increasing number of complaints about this problem in private parking spaces, such as shopping centres.

4. Council made approaches to major shopping centre operators, Westfield and Centro, in late 2012. Enforcement commenced at Centro Toombul in March 2013 and Westfield Chermside


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in September 2013. Centro’s Lutwyche and Buranda centres were added to the program in January 2014, and negotiations to commence enforcement at Westfield Carindale are underway. When enforcement starts at a new centre, warnings are issued for an initial introductory period of one or two weeks prior to formal fining being implemented.

5. Since introduction of the MOUs in 2013, 146 parking infringement notices have been issued in the shopping centres. A reduction in offence levels has been identified and both the Council’s Contact Centre and centre managers have received positive feedback. There have also been requests for Council to extend the program citywide.

6. The Committee asked a number of questions and the Chairman thanked Mr Hodgson for his informative presentation.

7. RECOMMENDATION:


ADOPTED

FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

Councillor Julian SIMMONDS, Chairman of the Finance, Economic Development and Administration Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, that the report of that Committee held on 18 March 2014, be adopted.


Councillor SIMMONDS: Quickly, Madam Chairman, I just wanted to touch on a few issues. First of all I wanted to join our LORD MAYOR Graham QUIRK in welcoming the announcement of a hotel, approval of a hotel at the TC Beirne building down in the Valley and the additional economic development injection that that will give to the Valley. It's part of about $1 billion worth of private investment that is going into the Valley currently and I think that speaks volumes for the current vision that this Administration has for the Valley and also the work that we're doing in upgrading the Brunswick Street Mall.

I'd also like to touch quickly on the Queensland Audit Office (QAO) local government financial statements 2012-2013. They released the results of their audit in the last week. There were some media reports about how the Gold Coast in particular faired in that report. You didn't see much in the media about how Brisbane faired because Brisbane got a pretty healthy report card from the QAO. In particular I note given the previous debates in this Chamber, particularly from the leader of the Opposition and his aspersions on this program, the BaSE upgrade received a very favourable comment, particularly that the business case and I quote, was being used to drive the program and its implementation.

Well, Madam Chairman, that's about as close as auditors ever get to saying well done.

So well done to the BaSE project and the team that is currently working on that for successful implementations so far. We also had a presentation last week on Zero Harm. I just wanted to read to the record of this Chamber this Administration's thanks for the individuals and the various divisions for the work they do in maintaining the Zero Harm mentality. Some divisions in particular—and I'm going to point out Brisbane Transport—do fantastic work in promoting the Zero Harm message. They not only pick up the corporate materials but they also run their own programs, particularly BT throughout the workshops and the bus depots. So congratulations to those individuals involved and to thank them.

Chairman: Further debate? I will put the motion.


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Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the Finance, Economic Development and Administration Committee was declared carried on the voices.


ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Julian Simmonds (Chairman), Councillor Angela Owen-Taylor (Deputy Chairman); and Councillors Kim Flesser, Fiona King, Ryan Murphy and Shayne Sutton.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – COUNCIL’S ZERO HARM STRATEGY

584/2013-141. Dr Ian Niven, Chief Human Resources Officer, Organisational Services Division, attended

the meeting to provide an update on Council’s Zero Harm Strategy. He provided the information below.

2. The Zero Harm philosophy means “no harm to anyone, at work, at home, today and every day”—non-acceptance of unsafe acts or conditions. Zero Harm contributes to business sustainability and efficiency. Zero Harm is delivered and managed through:- Zero Harm policy, strategy and management plan- Zero Harm management system- leadership, accountability and responsibility.

3. Dr Niven briefly detailed the history behind Zero Harm and explained that it was introduced because workplace health and safety (WHS) performance had begun to plateau, and incidents were still occurring. As a result, it was identified that greater leadership, accountability and responsibility for workplace health and safety was required.

4. A graph showing the lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) each year from June 2000 to June 2013 was shown. In June 2000 the LTIFR was 29. In June 2013, the rate had fallen to 8.82.

5. Since the introduction of the Zero Harm philosophy in 2004, there have been:- significant achievements in WHS performance and incident/injury reduction - major advances in Zero Harm management system development and hazard and risk-

control strategies- 99 per cent return-to-work rate- self-insurance accreditation and continued improvement in self-insurance audit

results.

6. Major achievements of Zero Harm include:- Zero Harm becoming one of the most recognised brands in Council (as revealed in the

results of the Your Voice surveys)- continued improvements in wellness, safety and health performance indicators and

external audits- alignment of workplace health and safety, wellness, rehabilitation and workers’

compensation functions.

7. Current and recent Zero Harm initiatives include:- campaigns such as Health and Hygiene; Manual Tasks; Slips, Trips and Falls;

Mentally Healthy Workplaces; Stay Safe and Keep Calm (Christmas campaign); SunSmart and Heat-Healthy; and Housekeeping, Health and Hygiene (including influenza vaccination program 2014)


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- Zero Harm community of practice and forum- Zero Harm interactions for managers (promoting leadership, accountability and

clarity of expectations)- absenteeism management process- injury-prevention pilot- health expos- health-awareness caravan- health-awareness bus- Global Corporate Challenge.

8. A few Zero Harm achievements on the part of groups and individuals have included:- a Brisbane Infrastructure team member being recognised for the drafting of a manual

for the safe location and placement of variable message signs- individuals identifying processes needed for assisting people with a disability in

emergency evacuation situations- work areas achieving low LTIFRs.

9. Dr Niven explained how Zero Harm has evolved over the years:- transition from focus on just safety to wellness, safety and health- evolution to a single Zero Harm management system- a Zero Harm strategy for 2013-16 with key objectives regarding:

- culture and leadership- monitoring, compliance and reporting- communication, consultation and training- Zero Harm system integration- risk management.

10. The Committee asked a number of questions and the Chairman thanked Dr Niven and his team for their work and achievements in the Zero Harm strategy.

11. RECOMMENDATION:


ADOPTED

CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION - “Share the Road” style campaign:(Notified motions are printed as supplied and are not edited)

585/2013-14The Chairman of Council (Councillor Margaret de WIT) then drew the Councillors’ attention to the notified motion listed on the agenda, and called on the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Milton DICK to move the motion. Accordingly, Councillor DICK moved, seconded by Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS, that—

This Council determines to fund a “Share the Road” style of campaign and directs the CEO to urgently prepare a submission to Council (including funding provisions) to undertake such a campaign.

The campaign's focus should be to encourage all road users to demonstrate safe behaviour, particularly with regard to interactions between cyclists and motorists on Brisbane's roads.

The campaign should be designed to work in partnership with any initiatives by the State Government to improve safety for cyclists.

Chairman: Debate Councillor DICK.


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Councillor DICK: Look thank you very much, Madam Chair, and I am delighted to rise to speak on an issue that affects all motorists and cyclists across our city and really across Australia, across the nation. I think all of us, Madam Chair, have been shocked and horrified at the increasing number of accidents that are reported and shocking and disturbing incidences that we're seeing between cyclists and vehicles on the roads. It was only last week where we saw the shocking video of a cyclist being run into by and collisions on the roads and we're seeing on a regular basis tragic and sometimes fatal accidents across this city.

Madam Chair, we know that this is a growing issue because we're seeing more and more reported accidents on our roads. Drivers need to accept that commuter-cycling isn't going away and today I'm really pleased that this Council is able to have a debate and I want this debate to be constructive. I want us to unite on an issue that the community is calling action for. Since I raised this issue last week, I've been touched and moved by a number of families and parents who have contacted me and sharing their experiences that they've seen either their children or loved ones impacted by accidents on the road.

I'll be honest, Madam Chair, until I investigated and looked into the research on this issue, until I started this campaign, I wasn't aware of just the community sentiment out there. I would say fear on our roads, which is growing. I want this Council to be proactive and I want it to take a positive role in showing leadership with a Share the Road campaign.

Last week as we know, Madam Chair, the State Government introduced, as we all know, new road rules that stipulate that motorists must allow a one-metre clearance between cyclists and their cars in 40 to 60 kilometre areas. The one metre rule increases to 1.5 metres on roads with a speed limit higher than 60 kilometres. Madam Chair, I support this law and it's a step in the right direction when it comes to cyclist's safety but the average width of a road lane is around three metres and the average width of a car is 1.5 to 1.7 metres. That doesn't leave a lot of room on our roads.

I believe we need to equip drivers with the right skills to drive safely with cyclists to minimise the number of accidents with cyclists. But we also need to minimise the number of accidents occurring as a consequence of drivers trying to avoid cyclists by swinging into another lane and then ending up hitting a car. Madam Chair, it's a two-way street. Motorists need to see cyclists as a legitimate road user; because they also have a right to be on our roads. Cyclists need to understand that being on the road means adhering to the road rules for cyclists as well.

The blame game has to end. While reading and researching this issue, I was horrified by some of the vitriol and toxic comments on social media. We need, as a Council, to work within the State Government and to look at how we can do more. This isn't about who's spending more, this isn't about who's delivering more and I really hope the LNP (Liberal National Party) today support this initiative and to see it for what it is, a positive motion to look at how we, as a Council, can work together to improve road safety for cyclists and motorists.

I want this campaign to focus on the awareness of how to be safe on our roads by increasing awareness of the road rules. I also want to look at how Council can lobby the state government to improve our learner and provision licence processes to put a greater focus on driving safely with cyclists. We know that there is currently a whole range of new rules coming into effect by the state government, new laws into effect. I think it is time that this Council, just as we've seen in other local government authorities across Australia and come together to look at how we can improve road safety.

I was delighted to receive support for my cause from the Amy Gillett Foundation. I was researching the great work that they've done in a campaign launched on 28 February in New South Wales. The campaign reached out to all road users across the New South Wales using billboards, print and radio, social media and a convenient pocket guide containing driver and ride rules. The campaign launch brought together a whole range of stakeholders to look at how


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we can improve awareness; particularly between cyclists and of course drivers on the road.

Now the campaign is proving to be highly successful and talking to them in the lead up to this debate they've come up with some fantastic initiatives and that is the sorts of things that I want this Council to be on the front foot about. I know we already do a number of measures, I acknowledge that that the Administration has been building on for a number of years and all previous administrations have been focusing on this but now is the time to really step up this campaign.

We now see, probably on a weekly basis, more and more accidents on our roads, there was one parent I spoke to yesterday. It broke my heart to hear their tragic story where an inexperienced young cyclist who came on the road, thought they knew what they were doing, and a collision with an angry motorist occurred at an intersection and now there's some permanent or severe damage to that young cyclist. That cyclist now doesn't ever want to get back on a bike again. So we really need to look at how this awareness can really rollout, particularly as the largest local government authority in Australia, that we lead the way when it comes to cycle safety.

Madam Chair, the other area that I researched was from the City of Sydney which was a gracious cycling campaign which developed a short video that explains why it's important to be aware when you're a cyclist, all the things that you should be doing. Now that whole campaign is run through the Sydney Cycleways which is hosted by the city of Sydney. So that is a website that brings together cycle, Sydney and offices, the info on the best cycle paths, safety tips and how businesses can be a cycle friendly workplace as well.

We do have some information on our website. I acknowledge that but I want this campaign to really step up and go to the next level. We know that there are CityCycle stations right across the city. We know that CityCycle is struggling and one of those issues I believe is because of driver competence. We know that there is an advertising campaign right outside our doorstep here through the JCDecaux billboard sites. That's an ideal way for us to extend the message of safety. This issue has got to be above politics. I'm really looking forward to broad support today so that we as a Council can come together and say enough is enough and take a lead when it comes to cycle and road safety.

Chairman: Further debate? Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I rise to speak in respect of this motion and, Madam Chairman, I have to speak in opposition to the motion. Madam Chairman, no person in good faith and with truth in their heart could honestly support this political stunt by the ALP (Australian Labor Party). We've heard from Councillor DICK today that these things have only just come to his notice and yet, Madam Chairman, the question really needs to be asked, where have you been Councillor DICK, we're halfway through this term—

Chairman: Councillor MATIC, yes Councillor DICK?

Councillor DICK: I claim to be misrepresented.

Chairman: Thank you. Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: Madam Chairman, anyway I heard it quite clearly but anyway we'll move on. Madam Chairman, there is one thing that is important about this issue and that is that we do have to take the politics out of it. But nothing that Councillor DICK has said or shown to us today shows that he is in fact trying to do that. Madam Chairman, the ALP has consistently opposed, by not voting for our Active Travel program, Madam Chairman, in respect of our bikeway improvements. Madam Chairman, this Administration in this term alone is investing $120 million across our city and delivering outcomes right now, Madam Chairman, for all Brisbane residents in the area of safer cycling.

Now, Madam Chairman, this $120 million is a record investment but have we seen the support of the Australian Labor Party or the Opposition councillor in respect of all the proposals that are made up of that $120 million? No, Madam Chairman, they chose not to support it at the last budget. Madam Chairman,


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what we get from those opposite is actually a denial of the policy and of the work that is going on across the city in their wards benefitting their residents. But irrespective, Madam Chairman, of their objection this Administration has a very clear commitment to seriously and properly address the cycling safety issues of our city.

Because we understand, Madam Chairman, that as we rollout our bikeways we need to incorporate various aspects of education and information to help our cyclists get to where they want to go. Madam Chairman, all of these things are already in existence. Councillor DICK talks about a ‘Share the Road’ campaign. Yet, Madam Chairman, we already do. If Councillor DICK cared to investigate out the front of George Street, out the front actually, Madam Chairman, of the Council building up here on George Street, he would see that there is clearly signage in existence.

I'm holding up for the record, Madam Chairman, the actual signage across the road from Brisbane Square that clearly indicates Share the Road with signage, Madam Chairman, and pictures. But, Madam Chair—


Chairman: Councillor DICK.

Councillor MATIC: Now Councillor DICK is feeling cornered, Madam Chairman, because he's now starting to become sarcastic and cynical. Councillor DICK doesn't choose to also, he also chooses to ignore, Madam Chairman, the signs and the lines that are already painted across our roads. Madam Chairman, this $120 million, Madam Chairman, clearly designates road space to cyclists. This $120 million, Madam Chairman, is clearly right now providing projects across our city that provide separated paths for cyclists.

This $120 million that our Administration is putting in, Madam Chairman, right now is providing information and guidance to cyclists as to how to get around our city following all the designated bike paths, Madam Chairman, both online and in maps. This Administration, Madam Chairman, and this $120 million, has already launched in November of last year, Madam Chairman, two cycling education programs for free, for free, Madam Chairman, for Brisbane residents to get out there and enjoy cycling.

They, Madam Chairman, choose to ignore the kind of courses that we have already provided to Brisbane residents, Madam Chairman, the ‘Back on your Bike’ course for those starting out, Madam Chairman, run by professional cyclists providing free courses on how—through Council’s Active and Healthy program—thank you Councillor ADAMS—providing free courses to assist first time cyclists. Madam Chairman, cycling in traffic, cycling in traffic which Councillor DICK just spoke about right now in different instances, free courses for those to build their confidence in getting out there for two hours, Madam Chairman.

This is the kind of short courses that are available and, Madam Chairman, people can come and do them again. They are free.

They are open to all to enjoy. Madam Chairman, one of the important things in all of this is that Councillor DICK chooses to ignore the Brisbane Active Transport Strategy—I'm holding it in my hand—which we have launched and spoken about in this Chamber. Madam Chairman, there are a number of important priorities within this document, particularly four and five, which deal directly with the issues that Councillor DICK says have only just come to his attention. Madam Chairman, he talks about information for residents. We're already delivering that under our $120 million program. He talks about education for cyclists. We're already delivering that under our $120 million program. He talks about learning how to build your confidence level and be able to cycle safely. We're already doing that within our $120 million program.

Madam Chairman, this Administration clearly understands and has illustrated through our documentation, through our commitment, not only politically, socially and financially, Madam Chairman, that there are multiple approaches


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that must be taken in addressing the safety issues of cyclists on our roads. These are serious matters for serious people, Madam Chairman, and we do not see that from those opposite. What we get, Madam Chairman, is a campaign built on fluff. What we get, Madam Chairman, is a leader in Opposition who two years into this term has finally come to the realisation that there are cyclists out there (1), and (2) that there needs to be an education program.

Is he truly serious, Madam Chairman? Can he stand here in good faith and with hand on heart and say that he is genuine in his approach, that this is nothing more than a political stunt to raise his own profile for whatever purposes he may have exterior to this Chamber, Madam Chairman? I am absolutely appalled that Councillor DICK can stand here and say that he is engaging with the community when he has been completely missing on this issue in this term alone, Madam Chairman, not to mention that he's been here since 2008.

These are the kinds of things that we as a Chamber have to deal with but, Madam Chairman, this side of the Chamber will not play these political games, will not play with the emotions of people and is already working, Madam Chairman, in conjunction with stakeholders like Bicycle Queensland, the frontrunner in Queensland, Madam Chairman, on these safety issues, who we engage with and liaise with on a regular basis, with the different BUGs (Bicycle User Groups), Madam Chairman, in respect of their needs and their particular areas, and not only those but Australian associations in cycling safety, Madam Chairman. This is who we're working with.

We're working in conjunction with the State Government in investments in projects across our city. This is what we need to do. This is what we are doing. Why, Madam Chairman? Because we understand that this is a combined effort. This is not about one upmanship. This is about partnership on so many levels with so many groups because this is about people, Madam Chairman, at the end of the day. This side of the Chamber will never play the game where we will put people's lives at risk for our own political outcome. This side of the Chamber will never play the game, Madam Chairman—


Chairman: Order, order.

Councillor MATIC: —where this side of the Chamber is prepared to put—


Chairman: Order, order.

Councillor MATIC: —facile motions up to insult the intelligence of this Chamber, to insult the intelligence of Brisbane residents in saying that we are not doing enough and worse yet, to say that we are doing nothing. Why, Madam Chairman, can Councillor DICK in good faith go out and make statements with no reference to what the ratepayer is already investing in, in this city. In investment, Madam Chairman, in infrastructure, in policy, in education and information, all of these things are out there freely available, Madam Chairman, and yet Councillor DICK is nowhere to be seen.

He comes today and tells us that he has finally taken an interest in the program. I say to Councillor DICK if you have truly taken an interest in the program then get on board. Get on board and support the program that is already working and delivering outcomes for Brisbane residents. Get on board Councillor DICK and start supporting the LORD MAYOR in these initiatives that he has passionately been committed to and continues to deliver on. Get on board Councillor DICK with real outcomes and not this kind of political fluff that we are faced with right here right now.

Madam Chairman, this motion is an absolute disgrace and should not be supported.

Chairman: Thank you, Councillor MATIC. Councillor DICK you claim misrepresentation.

Councillor DICK: I do, Madam Chair, when Councillor MATIC falsely claimed that this has come to my attention my statement clearly reflected the fact that the community wants


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this Council to take action and been moved by the people impacted by accidents on our roads.

Chairman: Further debate? Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SUTTON: Thank you, Madam Chair, I rise to speak on this motion and I have to say that I have been massively disappointed by Councillor MATIC's contribution to the debate this afternoon in a number of ways. First and foremost, this motion is not critical of the current LNP Administration's record on cycling infrastructure. Nowhere will you see that criticism in the motion and nowhere will you hear that criticism in the debate today. In fact Councillor MATIC knows that I, as the Councillor for Morningside Ward have actually been an advocate for a number of the initiatives that this Administration is funding in my very own ward.

So this is not a motion about whose cycling budget is bigger. This is a motion that is talking about changing attitudes and changing behaviours. We know that there is clearly an ‘us and them’ mentality on our roads between cyclists and motorists. It is getting bigger and uglier all the time. Motorists feel that it is them who are being persecuted by them. Cyclists feel that it is them not being accommodated by motorists. These attitudes can no longer be allowed, accepted or tolerated when they are taking the lives of an increasing number of cyclists every year.

Thirteen cyclists died on Queensland roads last year. It is clear that there is an issue with sharing the road. I acknowledge the current infrastructure, I acknowledge the current signage that's up and around the place, I acknowledge the current education campaigns that have been done for cyclists but this is not just an issue about cyclists. Motorists need to have their attitudes shifted as well. I was sickened when I saw the YouTube clip about the cyclist blatantly being mowed down at Mount Gravatt last week.

If anyone wasn't moved by that I daresay they don't have a heart I know the Council's own cycling strategy and as Councillor MATIC and every councillor in this place knows that the cycle network that Council has mapped out never envisaged that we would all have off-road cycle ways everywhere in Brisbane. We will always have cyclists on the road in certain sections no matter how much of the cycling network we deliver. Councillor MATIC acknowledged it in his speech. Therefore when there are cyclists on the road it sets up the potential for conflict.

I know, I've seen it myself when I've ridden down Wynnum Road. I've heard the abuse of motorists and I've also heard and seen the frustration and the anxiety of cyclists who are also trying to get to work by their preferred method of commuting. So what this motion is about is about a human focus. We do need to have a human focus on this. Councillor MATIC was at pains talking incessantly about Councillor DICK. I lost track of the number of times he mentioned his name.

Well here are two names for you. Mardi Bartlett, 21 years old, killed on Lytton Road. Michelle Smeaton killed when she was knocked off her bike by a truck on Old Cleveland Road. Her husband, Mark Smeaton, is not calling for drivers to be punished or restricted. He simply wants drivers to be more aware and better educated. I acknowledge the work that this Council is doing with cyclists to give them confidence but there is room for us to work in partnership with the State Government, the Federal Government if they choose to be involved and other cycling groups.

Organisations like Bicycle Queensland, like the BUGs need to change the attitude not just of cyclists and we know some cyclists, they're all not angels. They do break road rules as well but not just cyclists but of motorists as well. The president of the EaST Bicycle Users Group, Peter Berkeley in my ward has along with his wife, been involved in a number of cycling accidents. I have had the good fortune to have spoken to him at length about these issues over a number of years. He was actually the one that got me back on my bike and got me cycling down Wynnum Road. But he believes that both cyclists and


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motorists need to be responsible for safety on the roads and need to work together to be more mindful of each other.

The real issue here today and the real focus of our motion for the ‘Share the Road’ campaign is to ensure that people are safe. It is not about not acknowledging the work of the current Council Administration. I'm acknowledging that for you Councillor MATIC. It's not about that. It is about people and about changing attitudes. We are in this place as leaders of our communities. We need to act as leaders of those communities and say enough is enough. We need to break down the us and them mentality that exists out there and we need to work together to teach everyone that the roads need to be safe for everyone.

People are the ones using the road whether they are on their bikes or in their cars and they need to be aware and educated on sharing the roads. People like Michelle Smeaton who lost her life on our roads deserve better. People like Mardi Bartlett deserve better. People like the families of those two women and other cyclists who have lost their lives and who must now live with the consequences of inaction, deserve better.

I understand funding is something that people get concerned about when we start talking about public education campaigns. Well, when there's a will, there's a way, Madam Chair. We're continually bombarded with information in the Finance Committee about business partners who are prepared to partner with Council to promote good community minded campaigns. I daresay that some of the cost of any public education campaign will be shared by people who are prepared to stump up the dollars for this campaign.

So I think that we need to just say today where there is a will, there is a way. This motion is not about criticising the current Administration. It is about saying we acknowledge a problem. We want to dismantle that problem and create a safer environment for everyone. I'm disappointed if members of the Administration can't see that. We on the Opposition benches are continually challenged by you to come up with ideas and suggestions that we would like to see implemented in this city.

You can't have it both ways. When we put something up that is non-political, that is not attacking you, that is simply asking for your to partner with us, to partner with other agencies and levels of government to break down a growing attitude in our city and in our State and in our nation. So we just want to play a role in making the roads safer for everyone. I sincerely hope that you may be able to put aside your preconceived ideas about this motion and to come on board and support it.

Chairman: Further debate? Further debate? Councillor FLESSER.

Councillor FLESSER: Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair, I'd like to speak in support of this motion as well, Madam Chair. It is time for this Council to undertake a ‘Share the Road’ campaign. Madam Chair, this is a large Council. We have the resources, the wherewithal, the reputation. We've got them to undertake a comprehensive ‘Share the Road’ campaign. Madam Chair, I was pleased that Councillor DICK joined with me on Sunday morning and we met with members of the Hamilton Pine Rivers Cycling Club at Nundah. It's a club that I'm a member of, 470 members, Madam Chair, and most members spoke specifically to Councillor DICK about the problems that we have on the road. As Councillor SUTTON said there is an ‘us and them’ mentality and it cuts both ways. I too also acknowledge that this Council is doing a reasonable sort of job in educating cyclists.

But what's missing, Madam Chair, is that education program extending to motorists. I suppose motorists might have a different view about that. But, Madam Chair, I—as a road cyclist like Councillor WYNDHAM and Councillor ABRAHAMS—Madam Chair, I see very often drivers on the road not understanding the ability or the lack of ability of cyclists and the problems that they have on the road keeping out of the way of cars and trucks. So, Madam Chair, as I said this Council has the wherewithal to make a difference. Madam


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Chair, it's not as if $1 million would be a huge hit to this Council budget, especially when I know the numbers of groups and not-for-profit organisations who would get on board and willingly assist this program at no cost to Council.

Madam Chair, I stand up here today also in support of Mardi Bartlett, a cyclist of the University Cycling Club. She used to race places I raced and I think I probably raced against her at some stage. Madam Chair, too many cyclists are dying on the roads, too many are being injured. This is a modest proposal put forward by Councillor DICK. I think it's something that it's not difficult—sorry it's not a difficult program that this Council can undertake. Madam Chair, this Council undertakes these sorts of programs all the time, programs to educate Brisbane's residents.

So, Madam Chair, I think it's time that we came up to the plate, put some dollars on the table and come up with a ‘Share the Road’ program to really encourage road safety, especially in my view to make sure motorists understand the rules and responsibilities that they're required to comply with, especially with the new rules that have been brought down by the State Government. So, Madam Chair, I support the motion. I don't believe it's a political motion. I'm not sure where Councillor MATIC was getting that idea from. But I support the motion. I think it's not unreasonable and we certainly support asking the CEO to come up with a comprehensive program to share the road. Thank you.

Chairman: Further debate? Councillor WYNDHAM.

Councillor WYNDHAM: Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to speak against this proposal. We just heard about an ‘us and them’ mentality. Well many of the bike riders, the cyclists, drive cars. They understand the issues that they face. Why I'm opposed to this, Madam Chair, is that there are many programs in place. It's very recently been announced that on 7 April there will be legislation in place where those people that aren't giving cyclists room will be PIN’d and at the same time cyclists doing the wrong thing will be PIN’d to the same amount as those vehicle drivers.

You go through a red light on a pushbike, you'll be pinned $330 not $110. Madam Chair, I find it quite amazing the timing. Is this just coincidental or is this just to try and say look at us. We've put up this program when everything is boiling over about cyclists and cars. In 1990 Bicycle Queensland was running programs such as this, campaigning for that extra space for cyclists. We get abused no matter which way we go sometimes. Madam Chair, I've been out of a Wednesday morning, 5.30am and had a car on the wrong side of the road come straight at me and force me off the road. I don't think any campaign is going to change that attitude, particularly—and I was discussing last night with a person who had several half full beer cans thrown at him out of a car.

No campaign is going to change a drunk driver. I've been hit by a drunk driver. But, Madam Chair, I think it is time for some legislation which will bring a greater awareness. Madam Chair, that legislation, and we hear the arguments through people that haven't looked at it, giving a metre on a road with a double white line, the vehicle driver is allowed to cross that double white line if it is safe to do so. That is part of the legislation. A double white line, a single line or a dotted line.

In other words, if you have to put a wheel maybe 30 centimetres over that double line to give the cyclist room—and when you think about it the cyclist might only be doing 30 to 40 kilometres an hour, might be doing 15 kilometres an hour if it's an uphill and they're nearing a crest. That car will get past that cyclist fairly rapidly.

Madam Chair, I really do think that this is more about timing and more about politics than it is about safe cycling. We have many programs we've put a lot of money into. We have 1,200 kilometres of cycling on-or-off road paths in Brisbane. There is plenty opportunity, there's lots of paths marked, car drivers are aware of the cyclists if they keep their eyes open.

Across Australia in the last 12 months, 48 cyclists have been killed. 80 per cent of those have been strikes from behind and some of those have been just pure accidents where a vehicle's load or something has hit that cyclist. But, Madam


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Chair, I think what the State Government is doing is really bringing a greater awareness to cyclists. Many of the cyclists that are hit from behind are on their own. People complain about large groups. Well, one thing about a large group—unless of course—has happened in Sydney recently where six were taken out by one four wheel drive, obviously that driver didn't see them.

That's the part that I think is worrying all road users. Even car versus car accidents, there are so many these days that say I didn't see them. I think we need to get back to just good old road rules and good awareness, not just for cyclists, not just for car drivers but for all road users, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

Madam Chair, this motion, I believe, as I've said, is only a little bit of grandstanding on top of the State Labor government which were too late to put something like this into place many years ago. In 1990 this campaign started. Why didn't they step in, why didn't Beattie step in, why didn't Bligh step in, and do something then? It's taken Campbell Newman the intestinal fortitude—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor MATIC: —to do something and now you guys want to get on the band wagon and say look what we're working to do and that's why I pose this because this is only grandstanding on your behalf.

Chairman: Order! Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I enter this debate and there are certainly some very valid grounds to debate following the previous councillor.

Madam Chair, the question of timing. I can see a number of reasons for questions as to why this motion, which is new, in that it is addressing the interaction of a cyclist and a car both sharing the road, both having a responsibility, both having to have a degree of alertness and awareness and respect for the other person on the road. That, Madam Chair, is the core of what this Share the Road campaign that we are proposing is all about.

Madam Chair, the timing. I've got three good reasons why this motion has come to the Council Chamber today, one of which is the State Government has recently announced their new direction for cycling in Queensland with 68 recommendations, some of which are contentious and that, as anyone who has seen the social media, has caused a polarising within the community and that is an adverse effect that needs to be managed and addressed.

Madam Chair, the other reason for it is that Council has accepted the responsibility for bikes, commuter bikes, on the road, recreational bikes on the road and therefore there is a logical extension of making sure that respect and acknowledgement of bikes on the road is understood by everybody that uses the road.

But, Madam Chair, even the fact when CityCycle was introduced and it was going to have 20,000 people daily using those bikes, we have a responsibility making it for those who are using our bikes on the road. Madam Chair, this is a new change. It is not saying anything about the infrastructure, it is not saying anything about the skills for cyclists who need to have those skills before they go on the road. It is talking about the ability for people to understand and respect the need for bikes to be on the road and how to remain alert.

Madam Chair, as a commuter cyclist, I am amazed that just how often a vehicle will go past me, probably acknowledging that I am there on the bike lane and then 10 seconds later pull over in front of me because they want to drop somebody off. That, Madam Chair, is lack of awareness. It is something that we can redress through a concerted campaign of sharing the road.

Madam Chair, when you listened to the previous councillor, you would expect that we can't change behaviour so don't try. That was the thrust of his logic. But, Madam Chair, Australia is one of the proudest countries for doing just that, for changing a person's behaviour and we have done it. For the Grim Reaper


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campaign was an international campaign. Seat belts have done it, as has our anti-smoking, our Slip, Slop, Slap and even Every Kilometre Kills campaign.

So it's something we're good at and all this campaign is doing, let's have a new one that talks about sharing the road and I have complete faith in the ingenuity of where people who put campaigns together to make this something that everybody is aware of it on the road. I don't believe it necessarily is just one more sign because after all there are so many signs sometimes it's hard to know what it's on.

So while the signs may be very effective for some, Councillor MATIC, I'm very aware they are not effective to others. It is something where just similarly to when we had the rainwater tanks that when you're actually out at barbeques, people start talking about the need for cyclists on the road. At the moment, when I talk at barbeques or I even talk within my own family, it is split down the middle of those who do not believe there is a role for cyclists on the road and those that are pretty passionate about it and on a bike all the time.

Madam Chair, that is the core that this campaign needs to get at and change that awareness so that the debates do happen at every level of our community, not only when we're a cyclist on the road, so that there is an understanding, there is a respect and we give safety to all.

Madam Chair, anyone who goes overseas talks about how cyclists are recognised and respected in many of the countries we would wish to emulate. Well, we can't do that emulation just through infrastructure. We have to do it by being concerted, clever, comprehensive, bipartisan, both within political parties and with tiers of government campaigns.

Madam Chair, that's what this motion is and it certainly has my support.

Chairman: Further debate? Councillor WINES.

Councillor WINES: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I rise against this motion today for the simple reason that this Administration is the most bicycle and cyclist-friendly administration this city has ever seen and that the Labor Party's proposal today is a mere stunt to try to get a cheap headline. Let's remember that this Administration has already built over $100 million worth of bike lanes.

This Administration in this term is building another $120 million worth of bikeways. It is creating a vast network across the city of both recreational and commuter-based cycling. The other day we had a presentation of a report in this place talking about a specially designated cycle and pedestrian separation on the cycle way. We are trying to create the most pro-cyclist, pro-safer environment we possibly can. This city—

Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor WINES.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Point of order, Madam Chairman. Will Councillor WINES take a question.

Councillor WINES: I would love to take a question.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Can you advise the Chamber which side of the Chamber supports the CityCycle scheme and which side opposes the CityCycle scheme?

Councillor WINES: That's a question that we've often discussed in this place, DEPUTY MAYOR, through you, Madam Chairman, and it is the Administration that believes in CityCycle, the administration that had the commitment and the follow through to put that in the streets. Their opposition has resented that fact for years and years and they do not support cycling in this city as evidenced through their lack of support of the CityCycle scheme which again, like our cycleway commitment, continues to go from strength to strength—a real life exhibit of our Council's commitment to cycling in this city.

So as I was saying, DEPUTY MAYOR and Madam Chairman, there was over 1,100 kilometres of bikeways in this city, if you include the commuter bikeways all through the city and if you include on-road cycle lanes. I know in my own constituency when we did the Upper Kedron road upgrade, there is extensive on road bike lanes as part of that deal the State Government will be building.


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So on top of these 1,100 kilometres of bikeways that we've already got, to make a safer city for cyclists, the State Government continues to build cycleways on their roads. The weight of evidence is immense that we are already doing these things in this space. Every person in this room has a constituency that's had an Active School Travel program where we teach children in their hundreds about safe-travel programs, including safe-cycling systems.

Those children also can teach their parents and, if Council so chooses, can bring adults into the system. The problem with this motion today is that we already are in this space and the only reason the opposition brings it up at all is because they saw an opportunity of a headline, nothing more, nothing less, let the people of Brisbane know that the Quirk Administration will continue its commitment to a safe and extensive bikeway network in this city.

Chairman: Further debate? Councillor NEWTON.

Councillor NEWTON: Yes, thank you very much, Madam Chair. I just rise to speak briefly on this motion this afternoon and lend my support to the motion proposed by the leader of the opposition and Councillor SUTTON.

I just wanted to reread into the minutes this afternoon because I'm a bit perplexed about what we're actually debating today. I just want to remind everyone in the Chamber we're debating this motion that says this Council determines to fund a Share the Road style of campaign and directs the CEO to urgently prepare a submission to Council including funding provisions to undertake such campaigns.

The campaign's focus should encourage all road users to demonstrate safe behaviour, particularly with regard to interactions between cyclists and motorists on Brisbane's roads. The campaign should be designed to work in partnership with any initiatives by the State Government to improve safety for cyclists.

Madam Chair, I'm bamboozled and perplexed to understand why anyone would call that a political motion. I'm bamboozled and perplexed why anyone would oppose such a concept which is a positive initiative to ensure that we're helping to change behaviour on our roads, Madam Chair.

I've been listening quite carefully and I think the debate has sort of come down to those on the Administration side are fixated with things, talking about things, talking about the infrastructure, Madam Chair. What they're forgetting in the debate is the people, Madam Chair. We're not discounting the importance of building bikeway infrastructure. I think we've made that absolutely clear this afternoon.

What we are wanting to focus on is rebuilding relationships between people sharing our road, Madam Chair, because clearly the road rage that's occurring is breaking down these relationships, Madam Chair, and we need to take a leadership role and partnership with agencies like the State Government and partnerships with bike user groups like Bicycle Queensland (BQ).

Madam Chair, this Council runs campaigns to raise awareness and I would hate to think that that money is poorly spent, Madam Chair, because listening to people in the Chamber today from the Administration saying that education campaigns are a waste of money is very disappointing, Madam Chair. Are you saying that the campaigns to change people's behaviour to be ready for the storm season is a waste of time, Madam Chair?

Is the funding that we’re spending to change people's behaviour and improve recycling, to cut down on litter, Madam Chair, are those projects a waste of time, Madam Chair? Now, clearly I would hope the Administration backs the idea of running information campaigns to change people's behaviour, given they're spending ratepayers' money on these other programs.

Madam Chair, this has become a life or death issue for people on our roads. This is very serious. What concerns me, and I guess like all of us we read comments and whenever there's an incident between a motorist and a cyclist you see this road rage come to the front, Madam Chair, from both parties. What worries me is we're failing to see the human beings in this.


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Madam Chair, the motorists and the cyclists and those people sharing the road, they're someone's mum or someone's husband or someone's daughter or someone's cousin or someone's niece. We've got to re-humanise people who are sharing our roads. Clearly we're losing that and that's why this road rage is overtaking and people are being seen as objects and not as living, breathing human beings, Madam Chair.

Today I'm supporting this motion. I believe this is absolutely vital and the timing is critical because we're seeing changes to state legislation, changes that change responsibilities for motorists, change responsibilities for cyclists. Madam Chair, let's stump up, join the party and get on board with running some real education campaigns and change behaviour.

Chairman: Further debate? Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I rise as a previous chairman for active transport and current chairman of finance to speak against the motion before us in the Chamber today.

Let's be very clear that this Administration is not against educating residents, both cyclists and motorists, about how to share the road but the fact of the matter is, as has so eloquently been put by Councillor WINES and Councillor MATIC, we already do it. We are already in this space, Madam Chair, we are already in this space. We are already doing it.

Some of the things that Councillor NEWTON mentioned we are actively doing. We are currently in partnership with BQ. We are currently putting bike mounts with safety information on it. We have educated a generation of our children in the Active School Travel program about how to ride safely, Madam Chairman. These are all things that we are doing currently. We are in this space.

Now, the very first principle of prudent financial management is what? It is don't spend money to duplicate what you already do because in other turns, that is called waste and that is what those opposite are advocating here today, a duplication of spending. I find it abhorrent that Councillor FLESSER, the one man who gets up and pretends to talk about debt and this Administration's financial position, would then turn around and say, what's another million dollars? What's another million dollars? We can find that.

Well, to duplicate programs that we currently already do, well no, that's called waste, Madam Chairman, and this Administration will reject it any day of the week, not because we don't support educating cyclists and motorists but because we are already doing it.

Let's look at the actions of the Labor councillors opposite. What did they do when they were in administration if this is such a key issue for them? Well, what they did is they only managed to spend $23 million in a four-year term. That's all, that's all they managed to do and they could put the funding towards whatever priorities—I take interjections from the other side and I'll get to more recent history. I'm getting there, Madam Chairman, but I'm happy to build a story because their record of hypocrisy goes back much longer and much further than just the last 12 months, the last four years, it goes back a long way, Madam Chairman, their hypocrisy, because when they were in this place they only put $23 million in a four-year term towards bikeways, Madam Chairman.

That's doesn't buy you a lot of bikeways or education campaigns. Well, what have we done? What have we done? We’re spending $120 million this four-year Council term, almost five times what they spent, five times extra we've put in. Councillor ABRAHAMS, through you, Madam Chairman, don't sit there and pretend to be the councillors and the side of politics for cyclists when you put in a measly $23 million over four years. It's embarrassing. You should be embarrassed, hang your head in shame, because that was your contribution to cycling in this city, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS, you've had your say.

Councillor SIMMONDS: I remember. I remember going back a few years when I was the chairman for active transport and I remember the Labor State government at the time their


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view of cyclist safety, Madam Chairman, in this city and that was to drop a bridge in the middle of a two-way street, Tank Street, and say good luck to you, cyclists. Good luck to you as you cross the bridge into that two way carriageway, Madam Chairman, and off you go.

I didn't hear them squeal, I didn't hear a single word out of them. It was up to this Administration to pick up the pieces of that poor planning decision. We put priority of that intersection and we put a dedicated separated on-road bikeway, Madam Chairman, along George Street. That was this Administration. I didn't hear support from them at the time and I didn't hear them standing up to their Labor State colleagues.

Okay, let's bring it forward. Let's look at some recent history. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and say since they were in administration, they've had a radical change of heart. Well, where would I have expected to see that radical change of heart? I would've first of all have expected to see it in their budget submissions for this year's budget.

Did a single councillor on that side of the Chamber put in their budget submission that they wanted a $1-million program to educate cyclists and motorists? How many do you think put it in, through you, Madam Chairman? How many put it in? A grand total of zero, zero, nil, nil and zip. So what's clear, Madam Chairman, is that they're happy to have an advocated program like this. Well, they get into this Chamber and there are headlines to be grabbed. They want it as long as it doesn’t overtake one of the priorities in their ward.

As long as it doesn't overtake one of the priorities in their ward, they're happy to talk about it until the cows come home. Well, do they support the current spending we're doing even? It wasn't in the budget submissions. Do they support the current spending, Madam Chairman? Do they support the current $120 million in bikeway safety improvements? Very good, Councillor KING. As you pointed out earlier, as you pointed out earlier in this Chamber, they didn't. They voted, they abstained against it, Madam Chairman, they couldn't even bring themselves to vote for the current education, the current safety improvements, that this Administration is making.

It is a continual problem with the Labor councillors opposite, they're lazy. We remember their accusations about BaSE because they didn't notice it in the budget for three years. Well, now it seems that they expect us to believe that they haven't noticed the $120 million where the cycling infrastructure and safety programs being rolled-out in this city. Did they miss the $220 million over eight years that this Administration has put in to cycling over the last decade? Did they miss the BQ sponsorships? Did they miss the Active School Travel program? Did they miss the bike maps that we produce, Madam Chairman? Wake up, I say to Labor councillors opposite.

And finally, finally being the good small government Liberal that I am, I believe in a little thing called personal responsibility. So to bone up in preparation for this speech, I went on to the Queensland Transport website and I looked at what the individual responsibilities for a cyclist are when it comes to safety.

This is what—and I quote from the website—this is what Queensland Transport says. Be predictable, ride in a straight line and at least one metre from the kerb so you can move around road hazards. Use hand signals. That's important. Use hand signals, let others know where you are going. It goes on. When you are turning right, signal, move to the right-turning lane and turn when safe.

Well, Madam Chairman, having read that, you can imagine my horror when just today I was given a report that a cyclist sped through the intersection of George Street turning right into Adelaide Street without making the appropriate hand signal gesture. Without making appropriate hand-signal gesture and demonstrating safety for them and the motorists around them.

So I was almost knocked dead when I found out that it was none other than Councillor ABRAHAMS. Councillor ABRAHAMS going through that intersection on her bike, speeding through and not even bothering to conduct safe practice herself as a cyclist. Wow, wow, what a hypocrite, Madam


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Chairman. It’s just like—it reminds me very much like those opposite who say that they don't like the tunnels and then they use it hundreds of times, hundreds of times.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Point of order—

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Point of order, Madam Chair. The councillor is imputing motive and he is inaccurate. It was very clear to everyone what I was doing.

Chairman: No, he's not imputing motive. He is recalling what he saw. Not imputing motive.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Madam Chairman, what's important—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor SIMMONDS: —their motivations are very important, Madam Chairman, because what they're asking—

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS, be quiet.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Madam Chairman, there's no dispute outside the Chamber that she didn't use a hand signal, there's no dispute that she didn't use a hand signal as Queensland Transport says, she's safely required to do, Madam Chairman. Well, it hurts them a little bit because they claim to be the councillors who have a monopoly over cycling and cycling safety and infrastructure in this city and it's quite clear that they don't.

They’re asking us to spend $1 million of ratepayers' money. They have no idea what they want to spend it on. They're duplicating existing programs and more than that, they can't even bother to lead by example, Madam Chairman. That's what's most disappointing about this.

586/2013-14Motion be now putIt was moved by Councillor Julian SIMMONDS, seconded by Councillor Andrew WINES, that the motion be now put. Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion, that the motion be now put, was declared carried on the voices.

Councillor JOHNSTON interjecting.

Chairman: Councillor DICK, would you like to sum up?

Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair, and all I can say is how predictable, just how predictable. You know, in the party room meeting today, I said what's the bet that the strategy will be just for them to talk about themselves, talk about themselves and to attack me? True to form, that's what happened. You can set your watch every day of the week by how predictable.

Did we hear anything about the issues, did we hear about—and I’ll go through the speakers one at a time. Now, Councillor MATIC isn't supporting this motion today because apparently I don't pat him on the back enough for all the work that he does and that enough homage is not paid to all the work that he does. Now, we know—

Councillor MATIC: Claim to be misrepresented, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: No, it's not misrepresentation. Sorry.

Councillor DICK: Just like you were wrong in the debate. Madam Chair—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor DICK: —that Councillor MATIC isn't really interested in cycling. We know his preferred method of transport is cabs. We know that, Madam Chair. That's disgraceful but it's true. Is that not true? Okay. Well, Madam Chair, what I'll do is I'll also talk about Councillor WINES, Councillor WINES, who also said we're doing enough, that's it. We don't need to do anything else, that's enough.


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Well, you know what, Madam Chair? I stand here tonight after sitting down and meeting with cyclists and talking to people affected by accidents, they don't think this Council is doing enough. I don't think this Council is doing enough. Councillor WYNDHAM then went on to say this is all about timing. Well, I'll give it to Councillor WYNDHAM. He's not normally wrong about a lot of things. You're right, Councillor WYNDHAM, new laws have come into place.

What's this Council said about new laws, the new cycling laws? Nothing. What are we going to do? Just sit back and hope that people obey them, just sit back and well, we'll just see what happens because we can't change behaviour. Now, I disagree with Councillor WYNDHAM. We can change behaviour. You know what, Madam Chair? We must change behaviour.

I don't mind the LNP attacking me, I don't mind the LNP with all of the political nonsense they go on with. I'm used to it, Madam Chair, I've had it for 20 years from the LNP. I'm used to it, Madam Chair. I've had it every day since I've been in this Council Chamber. Doesn't faze me one little bit.

But you know what I am worried about? You know what does faze me, is that this Council believes we've done enough, we've invested enough, that we've built enough bikeways and we're running enough programs. Well, Madam Chair, the facts speak for themselves. The incidents of accidents and fatalities are on the rise. Now, this Council must and should be doing more. It is responsible leadership at this level of government where we can and we should be taking a proactive role in changing behaviour.

We've heard nothing about that tonight. We’ve heard nothing about the issues that are out there in the community. We've heard the political spin and the political attacks and you know what? The LNP are so predictable. They are always looking for the political point for the political score.

In my opening remarks, I acknowledged the work that the Council has done. I acknowledged that we are doing things. There was no attack, there was no LNP's bad, you know, you need to do this, that and the other. I acknowledged the work that's being done. I stand here tonight simply to say that we as community leaders must do more to help and affect the behaviour out there on the roads.

Sit down and talk to mums and dads as I have who have been impacted by accidents on the road. They are crying out for people to do things and to take leadership on this issue. That is the motivation about why I stood tonight and moved this motion. They might not believe it, I don't care whether those opposite believe it or not. The people I've spoken to about this motion want to see behaviour change.

It's simply not good enough to lower the tone of debate tonight, to wheel in the political tactics which is so predictable by the LNP time and time again. Those opposite have the opportunity now to send a clear message to motorists and cyclists that we support change on our roads. That is what is driving this motion tonight.

Councillor WYNDHAM is dead right. We do need to do more. I'm sick and tired of reading the news articles of those reports practically on a weekly basis where we're seeing more and more accidents on our roads. I won't stand by and say enough's enough. I won't say we're doing enough because the facts and the evidence don't bear that out.

Councillor MATIC should be condemned tonight for not speaking out and actually promising that he will do more to actually address behavioural change. We've had no evidence from the LNP tonight. I'm absolutely appalled by their level of debate tonight but you know what, Madam Chair? I'm not surprised. I will continue to fight for behavioural change. This motion is the first tip in making sure this happens.

Chairman: I will put the motion.

As there was no further debate, the Chairman submitted the motion to the Chamber and it was declared lost on the voices.


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Thereupon, Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Milton DICK immediately rose and called for a division, which resulted in the motion being declared lost.


AYES: 7 - The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS, Victoria NEWTON, and Shayne SUTTON.

NOES: 17 - DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Julian SIMMONDS, Andrew WINES and Norm WYNDHAM.

ABSTENTIONS: 1 - Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON.

CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION – Installation of rubbish bins, seats and trees in the parkland at the corner of Inskip Street and Melbourne Street, Rocklea:(Notified motions are printed as supplied and are not edited)

587/2013-14The Chairman of Council (Councillor Margaret de WIT) then drew the Councillors’ attention to the notified motion listed on the agenda, and called on Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON to move the motion. Accordingly, Councillor JOHNSTON moved, seconded by Councillor Steve GRIFFITHS, that—

This Council support the installation of rubbish bins, seats and trees in the parkland at the corner of Inskip Street and Melbourne Street, Rocklea to support the revitalisation of the area following the devastating January 2011 floods.

The project is to be funded from the allocation made by Councillor Johnston in the 2013/14 Tennyson Ward Park and Footpath Trust Fund.

Chairman: Debate, Councillor JOHNSTON?

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, Madam Chairman. I rise today to bring this motion to Council because of the ridiculous position of the LNP Administration. In July 2013, I put forward the list of priorities for projects out of the Tennyson Ward Trust Funds. That included a $50,000 allocation to install some pretty basic facilities into new parkland at Rocklea. This parkland is on the corner of Inskip Street and Melbourne Street at Rocklea.

It came forward from consultation with residents over the preceding months. These are the 120-odd residents or households that are on the Fairfield Road side of the Tennyson Ward who live near the Brisbane Markets. These are residents who live in a fairly heavy industrial area and experience a lot of disruption from the major road that runs through the middle of their residential community.

It is a community that has pretty much no public facilities and had no parkland prior to the buyback that happened with respect to these blocks. There is a creek that runs through the area and there is a little bit of land around the banks of the creek. Now, this area did flood in January 2011 and after much prodding, and I'm going to table some documents, this Council finally did buy back some of the blocks of land.

But I'll put on the record that these blocks were refused flood buy back initially by the LORD MAYOR—that's the LORD MAYOR Graham QUIRK—because they did not fall within the Q2 area and I can see Councillor BOURKE frowning and I'm sure he's going to enjoy this debate. Madam Chairman, I table the letters


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from the LORD MAYOR demonstrating that this area is not within the Q2 and it states very clearly that it's not eligible for buy back for that reason.

Now, Madam Chairman, I didn't accept that as an answer and I persisted and eventually we did get some of these blocks of land bought back but let me be clear. This Council refused to do so because it was not within the Q2. Now, Madam Chairman, when I put forward a motion in July—sorry, put forward a memo to my LAS (Local Asset Services) officers in July, I didn't think for a minute that they would come back and say no to such a simple request.

I thought perhaps it would take, you know, a week or two. I asked for a plan to be developed. So this was in July 2013. In February 2014, after waiting some seven months for a reply and asking week after week, I received the following response from the Council officers. I've been seeking advice on your proposal for the park that was bought back. The information that has been passed to me is due to the location and the Q2 flood rating Council will not be installing any assets within the parcel.

Now, Madam Chairman, that's from my LAS Parks coordinator. The information that has been passed to me. So my local Council officer has been told, after seven months, to tell me that this parcel of land is not within an area in which this Council will allow any parks materials to be installed and, Madam Chairman, I thought that was a pretty stupid decision because I know this parcel of land is not within the Q2.

So I wrote to the LORD MAYOR an extensive email pointing out that Council policy supports the installation of some parks equipment into this area that Council had built millions of dollars' worth of park at Tennyson and also at Milton and I asked the LORD MAYOR whether he thought it was acceptable that I had to wait for seven months for an answer, saying I can't put a tap, a bin and a seat in a park at Rocklea.

Now, the LORD MAYOR didn't answer, Madam Chairman, and I'm going to table my email to him and also his absolutely outrageously rude and pathetic response and let me say this is what it says. I note Councillor GRIFFITHS' comments in the Southern Star where he acknowledges the importance in locating Council assets in locations that are not subject to frequent flooding. You may not be aware that the examples you refer to in your email are not located in areas which are subject to Q2 flooding. I do not intend to overturn the Council officer's advice to you. I table that, Madam Chairman.

Now, what I will say, Madam Chairman, is the LORD MAYOR didn't address any of the concerns that I raised. He refused, he refused, to assess the bad decision that had been made by the Council officers. Madam Chairman, I'm going to place on the record the evidence that supports that this area is not within the Q2.

Now, Madam Chairman, first of all I'm going to table to the FloodWise Property reports for this area and I'll do this right at the end. I have several documents to table, I'm sorry. Those FloodWise reports, Madam Chairman, and let's be clear, we don't have the Q2 and the Q100 any more anyway but we'll just go with that because that's the history that this Administration is living in.

So I printed off the Flood Flag Map reports and I'm going to just give one example which is 73 Inskip Street. There is a 5 per cent chance that water of up to 4.5 metres may flood on to the site. Now, the minimum habitable floor level of the land is 3.8 metres. So there is a 5 per cent chance that this site might experience some minor flooding on the site.

Now, that's certainly not in the Q2 as has been stated by this Council and that is the case with every single parcel of land for which I have printed off the Flood Flag maps from Council's website, clearly demonstrating that these blocks of land are not in the Q2 area. Now, Madam Chairman, then we have the LORD MAYOR's other argument which we all heard at length last week which is Ken Fletcher and Frew Park are completely different, completely different scenarios.


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So let me start with Frew Park at Milton, Madam Chairman. It says on its FloodWise report that there is a 5 per cent chance that up to three metres of water might come across this site. There is exactly the same flood risk to that site that there is to the site at Rocklea and as we know from the LORD MAYOR, the Frew Park site is not in the Q2 as we've heard tonight from me and is clear from the Council information before us, neither is the blocks of land at Rocklea.

Now, Madam Chairman, what's worse is the Frew Park example, which the LORD MAYOR gives as the reason for not doing anything at Rocklea, is much worse in terms of the flooding impacts than the land at Rocklea. The minimum habitable floor level for the Milton block of land is 1.4 metres. They are the 5 per cent chance of 3 metres of water across that site in any one year. So therefore they can expect 1.6 metres of water across that site, above the habitable floor area.

Now, let's compare that with 73 Inskip Street. That one is 4.5 metres above a habitable floor level of 3.8 metres, .7 of a metre. It is highly likely, if there is this 5 per cent chance of flooding happening, the water would be higher and worse on the Frew Park site at Milton.

Now number 1: this LORD MAYOR has misled this Council. Number 2: these areas are not within the Q2 and number 3: there is no Council policy that prevents any kind of facilities being built in this park. Now, Madam Chairman, that is the argument that was put to me. There is a Council policy that says you can't build on this park.

Now, Madam Chairman, I've been on and I've looked at Brisbane's City Planning Flood report and, Madam Chairman, let me say this. This is what it says for land of this type. Any new development would be subject to the highest development assessment requirements. This area is generally best suited to environmental and recreational uses. That is our Council policy about what this land should be used for.

That is also reflected, Madam Chairman, in our Future FloodSmart Strategy saying that this type of land should be used for recreational and parkland purposes. It gets better, Madam Chairman. In the new City Plan, the property report, the property report in the new City Plan, thank you so much, Councillor COOPER, for those interactive maps, states the following with respect to this block of land which is zoned for open space, we are required to meet community needs: development may include shelters, amenity facilities, picnic tables, playground and infrastructure to support safe access and essential management.

That is the official zoning of this block of land.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, please, there's no need to yell.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Well, Madam Chairman, let me make it clear that this Administration has lied, lied to me and it has lied in this Council Chamber. Council policy makes it very clear—

Councillor WINES: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, Councillor WINES.

Councillor WINES: I ask that Councillor JOHNSTON withdraw the term lied. It's an un-Council word and I'd like her to withdraw that, please.

Chairman: Yes, Councillor JOHNSTON. I think you should be tempering your language a little bit.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Thank you, Madam Chairman. They have misled this Council Chamber with respect to what they said here last week. Now, Madam Chairman, I've got the open space—

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, your time has expired. Further debate? Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Well, Madam Chairman, yet again the Administration of this Council do not have the courtesy to stand up and debate a motion put forward at this Council meeting today. I've outlined number one that this area is not within the Q2.


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Councillor BOURKE knows full well and good that it is his office that is giving, it is his office that is giving the advice, yes, yes. And Councillor BOURKE, I've got the maps here tabled. I can see you're holding up the flood map. Open it up and read it. Let me say to you again, Councillor BOURKE, that—

Chairman: Through the Chair, thank you, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: —it says, Madam Chairman, we're required to meet community needs, development may include shelters, amenity facilities, picnic tables, playgrounds, infrastructure to support safe access. That's what this community wants. They were devastated by the floods in 2011 and this Council can assist them. I'm not asking this Administration for any money, Madam Chairman.

Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.

Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Madam Chairman, you have asked Councillor JOHNSTON not to yell. I'm finding it a bit difficult over this side because she's making so much noise screeching.

Chairman: Thank you, Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Well, Madam Chairman, I'm sorry. So you told me only a couple of weeks ago I wasn't being loud enough so I can't, you know, I can't have it both ways, Madam Chairman.

But let me say this. This Council policy supports some parks facilities on this site. Two, this land is not within the Q2 playing area as Council's Flood Flag maps demonstrate. Three, this Administration has deliberately misled me and this Council Chamber by saying that it is within the Q2 area and four, after requests to the divisional manager, to the manager, to the parks officer and to Councillor BOURKE three times last week, this Council—

Chairman: Councillor BOURKE.

Councillor JOHNSTON: —has not been able to produce a policy backing up its claims that there can be no park development. Now, Madam Chairman, Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR said it two weeks ago when I moved a motion in here on a local matter. She said do what we all do and get on with it and do it out of your trust fund, Madam Chairman.

Well, let me say to you, Madam Chairman, that's what I've been trying to do for the best part of the year and this Administration is stopping me deliver for the residents of Rocklea. It is a disgraceful thing that they would deny, they would deny the residents of Rocklea who have been so hard hit by the floods, a few basic amenities that are supported by Council policy, that the funding is there for and they are going to deny them the right to have some basic park facilities in their area.

It is shameful, it is disgusting and, Madam Chairman, I say to you, Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR, through you, Madam Chairman, I would like to get on with it, I would like to deliver on the commitments I've made to the residents of Tennyson Ward. I'd love to take you up on—

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, I've just turned your microphone off. Now, when I turn it back on, please just lower your voice a little bit.

Councillor JOHNSTON: So when did you turn it off? What's on the record? Don't you think you should tell me if you're going to turn off the microphone before you do it?

Chairman: No, I don't. Not when you are—

Councillor JOHNSTON: So let me say this, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: I asked you—I have asked you and other councillors have asked that you just lower your voice a little bit but you just ignore those warnings, those requests.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Well, Madam Chairman, two weeks ago you told me I was being too—


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Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, resume your seat. Resume your seat. I will put the motion.

As there was no further debate, the Chairman submitted the motion to the Chamber and it was declared lost on the voices.

Thereupon, Councillors Nicole JOHNSTON and Helen ABRAHAMS immediately rose and called for a division, which resulted in the motion being declared lost.


AYES: 7 - The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Steve GRIFFITHS, Victoria NEWTON, Shayne SUTTON and Nicole JOHNSTON.

NOES: 17 - DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Andrew WINES and Norm WYNDHAM.

PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:

Chairman: Councillors are there any petitions? Councillor KNAPP.

Councillor KNAPP: Thank you, Madam Chairman, I have got a petition from residents wanting a closure of a road in Lone Pine Street off Wardell Street.

Chairman: Councillor HUANG.

Councillor HUANG: Thank you, Madam Chair, I have a petition from residents of Greengrove Place, Kuraby, regarding a development application.

Chairman: Further petitions? Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes I have a petition from Yeronga residents calling for a pedestrian refuge on Hyde Road/Cansdale Street and I just can’t wait for the debate on that one.

Chairman: Councillor CUMMING.

Councillor CUMMING: Thanks, Madam Chair, I’ve got a petition from residents calling for Council to build the Lindum level crossing flyover.

Chairman: Further petitions? Councillor McLACHLAN?

Councillor McLACHLAN: Thank you, Madam Chair, I’ve got a petition in relation to potential removal of a significant hoop pine tree as a part of the development application in Hendra.

Chairman: Further petitions? Councillor MURPHY.

588/2013-14It was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor Victoria NEWTON, that the petitions as presented be received and referred to the Committee concerned for consideration and report.

The petitions were summarised as follows:

File No. Councillor TopicCA14/243840 Geraldine Knapp Requesting that Council close the Wardell Street end of

Lone Pine Street, EnoggeraA003831044 Steven Huang Opposing the application to subdivide 19 Greengrove

Place, Kuraby(This petition is being processed as a formal submission on development application number A003831044)


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CA14/243734 Nicole Johnston Requesting that Council urgently build a pedestrian refuge between the dog off-leash park and local shops on Hyde Road, Yeronga

CA14/243599 Peter Cumming Requesting that Council commit to constructing the Lindum Railway Crossing Overpass before the end of this term of Council which is March 2016

A003797290 David McLachlan Opposing the removal of the significant Hoop Pine as part of the development application at 116 Zillman Road, Hendra(This petition is being processed as a formal submission on development application number A003797290)

GENERAL BUSINESS:

Chairman: Are there any items of general business? Councillor HUANG.

Councillor HUANG: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I rise to speak on the Harmony Day event that was held on 15 March 2014 in MacGregor State School.

Madam Chairman, Harmony Day is an important event for our community. It is a day where all communities in this country, regardless of culture, religion or ethnicity, all come together to demonstrate and celebrate cohesion and inclusion in our country, and promote a tolerant and culturally-diverse society.

Harmony Day begun in 1999, coinciding with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and each year people come together and celebrate Harmony Day by participating in local activities.

Since 1999, more than 55,000 Harmony Day events have been staged in childcare centres, schools, community groups, churches, businesses and federal, state and local government agencies across Australia.

The continuing message of Harmony Day is: “Everyone Belongs”. It is about community participation, inclusiveness, celebrating diversity, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. Madam Chairman, this year I was privileged to attend and represent the LORD MAYOR at a Harmony Day celebration held in MacGregor State School, along with Councillor MARX and Councillor McKENZIE.

This Harmony Day celebration was hosted by World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc, and was well attended by elected representatives from all three levels of government, as well as leaders from various community organisations. This reflects the importance of the event and also shows the cohesive and harmonious community we enjoy on the south side.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc, for organising such a successful event to celebrate this important occasion, and thank the main hosts, Melody Chen and Dana Yu for their contribution in promoting cohesion and inclusion amongst Brisbane’s multicultural communities.

Just as an endnote, for those who don’t know, Dana Yu the current president of World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc, was a famous actress for Peking Opera, and she has personally performed in this celebration. I am sure we will have the opportunity to see her performance in future community events.

Chairman: Further general business? Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, Madam Chairman, I rise to speak about this administration’s voting record with respect to motions that I’ve put forward to this Council. Madam Chairman, as they have done this evening on the motion to support a small park upgrade for the residents of Rocklea, the LNP administration has voted against every single motion that I have brought to this Council Chamber as an independent.


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Now over the past three years that's been over a dozen motions and dozens of amendments to motions. All of them are very locally-based motions. They are all about improving the quality of life for residents in various parts of Tennyson Ward.

Those motions have included things like the park upgrade for Rocklea, backflow valves for parts of the ward and many, many other local issues of importance to the community that I represent.

For the past couple of years the LNP councillors have not even had the guts to stand up and say why they don’t support a motion for debate in this Council Chamber.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, the fact that they may choose to not speak on an issue does not warrant the description that you are giving out and I would ask you to withdraw that comment and not go making statements of that nature, which are totally unfounded.

Councillor JOHNSTON: What—I'm sorry, I'm not sure?

Chairman: You're claiming that people do not have the intestinal fortitude to get up and speak but you don't know their reason for not getting up and speaking. I'm asking you to withdraw it.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Well, Madam Chairman, I—thank you, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: And watch your language.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Okay. I withdraw the fact that they don’t have any guts, Madam Chairman, and I’ll say that in my opinion their failure to stand up and speak to the motions of the day before this Council lack courage and lack integrity. I feel, Madam Chairman, that the residents of this city deserve at least a response from the LNP about why they're voting motions down and, Madam Chairman, they don’t do it.

They just don’t even stand up and they don’t even speak to it. They don’t have the courage to justify their decision to vote against motions put forward in this Chamber today.

Now, Madam Chairman, it doesn't happen with any other motions that come to this Chamber. It is a tactic and a strategy that the LNP are using with respect to motions that I put forward in this place. It does them little credit when the leaders of this city refuse to speak about why they are voting against something and people are—

Councillor ADAMS: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, Councillor ADAMS.

Councillor ADAMS: Yet again imputing motive by saying we refuse to speak. We choose not to speak.

Chairman: Yes, that's right, Councillor ADAMS. Councillor JOHNSTON, you are imputing motive and once again I would ask you to temper your language and not be imputing motive as to why the administration may or may not do certain things.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I'm happy to be guided by Councillor ADAMS because in my view what she's just admitted on the public record is way worse than what I'm saying. We come into this place. We've been elected by the people of this city to debate the issues of the day. We must represent the whole of the city but, Madam Chairman, the LNP councillors choose not to participate in debates about matters of local importance in Tennyson Ward.

Now, Madam Chairman, they choose not to do it. How sad is that? How sad is that, Madam Chairman, that—

Councillor ADAMS: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Yes, Councillor ADAMS.


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Councillor ADAMS: I do believe that her beliefs are still imputing motive.

Chairman: Well, they're not as bad as they were before, Councillor ADAMS, if that's anything to go by.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, I'm just replacing Councillor ADAMS' own words. Let me say it's on the record that they, on that side of the Chamber, choose not to stand up and speak on my motions, Madam Chairman. It's not something accidental. It's not something that just happens. They choose not to speak to motions of the day in the Council Chamber.

Now, Madam Chairman, the City of Brisbane Act requires that councillors govern in the interest of all the city. The LNP councillors, Madam Chairman, in my opinion are not doing that when they choose not to speak on important motions of the day. I think it's very sad, Madam Chairman. I won't give up fighting for the residents of Tennyson Ward. Councillor ADAMS may choose not to speak on matters of importance in the community that I represent, Madam Chairman, but I will never choose not to speak on matters of importance with them.

I think it is very sad when councillors like Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR, who only two weeks ago in this Chamber stood and told me, in a very shouty voice mind you, just to get on with it. To get on with it and fund it out of the trust fund like every other councillor on their side does.

Well, Madam Chairman, Councillor BOURKE who keeps chit-chatting all the way through my speech, he's been caught out tonight. He's the one that's been providing the advice, saying it's in the Q2, that it's Council policy and he has exposed this LORD MAYOR very badly tonight.

His actions as the parks chairman in choosing not to speak on a parks motion of importance to the residents of Tennyson Ward does him little credit, Madam Chairman. I actually think it's very sad that the parks chairman could not be bothered or chooses not to hop up and speak to such an important matter for the residents of Tennyson Ward.

These Rocklea residents have been through hell. They didn't just get a metre of water through their houses, it went over the roof of their second storey in the January 2011 floods. They desperately want to restore the area where they live. They want to make it better for the future. They love living there and I am happy always to support them and the Tennyson Ward residents with their requests. I find it extremely sad that the LNP administration strategy here tonight has been exposed and that they have chosen not to speak on such an important matter of significance to Tennyson Ward residents.

Madam Chairman, for the past three years that has been their strategy. It is very sad that they choose not to engage in debate about matters of interest in Tennyson Ward. Now that is in my view a failure of their obligation to govern on behalf of all residents of the city. It is shocking to me that they would just ignore what is an important motion that is supported by council policy, that is allowable, that is funded and they vote against it—as they voted against every other motion, every other motion, that I put forward about matters in Tennyson Ward.

Now if I voted against every motion that they put up it would be quite interesting, wouldn't it? But 85 per cent of the time I support the motions they put up. This administration does not have the courtesy to even respond by explaining why they won't support the motions I put up. So where, Madam Chairman, is any respect from the LNP councillors when I clearly stand up and say why I don't support something or why I do. I vote in support of 85 per cent of the motions that they put up. I disagree with them very strongly in some cases but this administration has opposed 100 per cent of the motions that I have put up and for the past couple of years have not even had the courtesy to say why to the residents that I represent.

And we've heard it all here tonight from Councillor ADAMS, who's covered herself in glory because she chooses not to do it. Well Councillor ADAMS, I


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think that's pretty sad and I'll be happy to tell the residents of Tennyson Ward that you choose not to be heard on the issues of importance to them.

Chairman: Further general business. Councillor WYNDHAM.

Councillor WYNDHAM: Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to speak on a festival that took place in McDowall Ward on the weekend—well, in McDowall Ward, just over the road from Marchant Ward. Madam Chair, I rise tonight because it was quite a humbling experience to have such a wonderful community festival in a place where we have been trying over and over again to activate the community, to get on board and recognise the fact that they have a fabulous park with a permanent stage where great events can be held.

Madam Chair, first I must congratulate Manoj George, who on Friday night became an Australian citizen. He is the man—


Councillor WYNDHAM: He is the man…thank you. Your rudeness just is amazing, more amazing than you think.

Chairman: Don't be distracted, Councillor WYNDHAM.


Chairman: Don’t be distracted.

Councillor WYNDHAM: Here is a man who became an Australian citizen on Friday night, and he said to me the LORD MAYOR spoke about being a citizen and being involved with community. Well, let me tell you, Manoj and the Brisbane Malayalee Association ran this festival and for his first day as an Australian citizen he excelled in what he did. We had a festival that went for four hours nonstop, no breaks, with most of the events being about 15 minutes long.

Most people in other parts of Australia, in other cities of Australia, would have gone to see something like this at QPAC (Queensland Performing Arts Complex). It was just absolutely stunning. We had dance from Korea, many parts of Asia. Balinese dancing, French food, Italian food, Chinese food and there was a little bit of Indian food, given that it was an Indian association running the show, and a fair bit of Bollywood and a bit of belly dancing, et cetera, et cetera.

But it was just stunning entertainment. People say they were mesmerised for the four hours. What I think was really great about it is the whole community got behind this. I was absolutely stunned. We hold movies in that park and we can't get 50 people to come along so we'd abandoned it. These people got somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 people on their first attempt. The problem we have now of course is we've told them that maybe next year they only bring one friend, because we're going to run out of park space, and it is a rather large park.

But it was deliberately also held close to Harmony Day. They didn't make the big issue about Harmony Day. They just wanted a festival that was multicultural that they could run as new Australians, and I have to congratulate you. It was just so humbling. At the end of the night I sort of barged my way in and stood up there and thanked them so much, because I had not expected such a great result.


Councillor WYNDHAM: So for those of you on the southside that keep complaining about the northside, perhaps you might like to visit our multicultural festival this time next year and see how it's done. Thank you.

Chairman: Councillor CUMMING.

Councillor CUMMING: Yes, Madam Chair, I'll be speaking on a few of my budget requests for the Wynnum Manly Ward for the 2014-15 budget.



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Councillor CUMMING: Firstly, the Lindum rail overpass is probably the most expensive item. It was unconditionally promised by a Lord Mayoral candidate, Campbell Newman, in the run up to the 2004 election. There was no mention of the project requiring State Government funding and this intersection gets more dangerous and more a source of traffic congestion as time goes on. There are new estates feeding onto Kianawah Road, which is the main road which leads into the railway crossing, which is making the traffic congestion worse.

Much of the traffic consists of parents dropping off or picking up children to Iona College, which continues to grow. This fine Catholic Year 5 to Year 12 school now has over 1400 students.

There are more passenger trains going through the intersection—most of them express trains. Unfortunately, they don’t stop at Lindum Station. Also, the freight line runs through this intersection as well, so not only do we have City Train trains but we also have freight trains. The coal mines which transport coal from mines west of Brisbane are expanding their production and there'll be more and longer coal trains passing over the crossing as times goes on.

Also there could be freight trains running to the Port of Brisbane. So in the morning you get a situation where there's a couple of passenger trains go past because the trains cross each other on the Cleveland line in and around the Wynnum Manly area, plus a coal train, and you can often have the boom gates down for five minutes or more, which leads to a line-up of cars of at least half a kilometre. It causes extreme frustration for people who have just left home and are trying to get to work and also encourages people to engage in foolish behaviour which could in the end cause someone to be severely injured.

Today I presented a petition signed by 1261 residents calling for Council to commit to constructing this flyover before the next council election. That gives Council two full years and I think that's plenty of time, isn't it, Councillor SCHRINNER?

Also I would point out that as they've been boasting about today, there have been two flyovers built on the north side of Brisbane at considerable costs. I think one of them was $199 million. I would point out to the administration that an administration that spend money on big projects on the northside and ignore the southside is running a big risk in the Brisbane context. So just be wary of that. You do that at your own peril. You do that at your own peril.


Councillor CUMMING: The next two projects which I'd like to have completed are traffic calming projects. Now, I notice the Chair smiling nicely up there but once she was involved with one of these. One is for the Oceana Terrace and Ernest Street, Manly precinct. This was going to be the biggest traffic-calming project that Wynnum Manly had ever seen, instead of which some minimal work was done on the outskirts of the area. There was going to be something like 25 speed humps in the project and instead, after being announced in the budget with great cause celebre that it was being done, after a year the project was defunded.

So the problem with that area—


Councillor CUMMING: Defunded, it never went ahead. It never went ahead.


Chairman: Order.

Councillor CUMMING: The normal surveys were done. Over 60 per cent of the residents in the area supported the projects. No further surveys were done before the project was cancelled.


Councillor CUMMING: In Oceana Terrace, there is a school, St John Vianney's Catholic Primary School, and in Ernest Street there is Manly State School. Both of these schools


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would have benefited from the project. The area's a bit of a shortcut. It's one of the ways you can get from Manly to Lota. You either go along the Esplanade or you go along Whites Road or you go through the middle over the hill at Manly.

The traffic-calming project, if it had been implemented, would have had the normal effect that traffic-calming projects have—there would have been less cars and trucks going through the area and the average speed would have been lower, which I think was a good thing for schools in that area and it was a great shame that this project was cancelled.

More recently—this administration's got a record on doing these things to Wynnum Manly Ward—we also had the Buderim Street precinct project in Manly. Again, half the project was completed. Part of Buderim Street has traffic calming, Peel Street had traffic calming but the other streets that were to be completed—Fisher Street, Peranga Street and the rest of the Buderim Street—were never done. Funding that was originally provided wasn't sufficient to complete the project and there was no second year of funding.

Again, surveys were done and 60 per cent of people were in charge—sorry, were in favour of the project going ahead. No further surveys were conducted and the project just didn't go ahead. So again, very disappointed with that and I call upon the administration to get their act together on those two issues.

The next major project I requested funding for is a new skate park for the ward. Now, we've seen in today's answers, I notice what a poor record this administration has got on skate parks. In nine years there's been two skate parks built in the whole of the city.


Councillor CUMMING: What a shameful record compared to the great record of the Soorley years when—

Chairman: Order.

Councillor CUMMING: —skate parks were being built all over the place, Madam Chair, and of course in the last five years there's zero, there's zero skate parks being built in the city.

Madam Chair, Wynnum Manly—


Chairman: Order.

Councillor CUMMING: —has got a skate park at Lota. It's not particularly well-positioned and the cracks in the concrete are getting so large that it's a wonder someone hasn't disappeared into them, Madam Chair.

There have been surveys done as to where we can put a new skate park. There are a couple of positions which would be very good, very high profile positions, and I think it's really important for younger people and the older people that are keen on skating to have decent facilities—high-quality facilities, and I'm calling upon the administration to allocate funding for a new skate park for Wynnum Manly.

Toilet cleaning's an area where I get plenty of complaints, particularly from residents and visitors to the area, visiting the Esplanade. This is one of the showpiece areas of Brisbane and it attracts very large numbers of people—


Chairman: Councillor KNAPP.

Councillor CUMMING: Behave yourself, Councillor KNAPP.



Councillor CUMMING: It's—and actually, I realise—


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Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, that was a bit unkind.


Councillor CUMMING: I realise—

Chairman: Order.

Councillor CUMMING: I realised some time ago that it's a bit of a waste of time doing consultation on the Esplanade on weekends because the people come from everywhere. If you want to talk to Brisbane residents it's very difficult to find them because there are some Brisbane residents but there are their friends from Redlands and from Ipswich and from Beenleigh and they're all around the south side of Brisbane and the south side of South-East Queensland. They come along to the Esplanade but they are less than impressed by the dirty toilets along—

Chairman: Order. There's too much noise.

Councillor CUMMING: —the dirty, smelly toilets which need to be cleaned more regularly and more thoroughly, and extra funding needs to be allocated to toilet cleaning.

The other matter that's of course very sad in recent years is that inadequacy of the SIF (Lord Mayor’s Suburban Initiative Fund). Just a few years ago it was $125,000 per annum and now it's only down to $50,000. I think that's quite pathetic. It's grossly inadequate. In my ward, most years, the money's gone within six months.

I know, having spoken to some of the councillors opposite that they feel that it's quite inadequate as well. I think they should go and talk to their—


Councillor CUMMING: —their hierarchy—


Councillor CUMMING: —including—

Chairman: Councillor KNAPP. Quiet.

Councillor CUMMING: —including Councillor KNAPP—


Chairman: Councillor CUMMING has got the floor.

Councillor CUMMING: —should talk to people in their hierarchy of the administration and get—


Chairman: Order.

Councillor CUMMING: —decent funding for SIF because everyone knows we could have a more adequate amount of SIF and we would be able to help more groups in our community. It's only a couple of thousand dollars on and a local group gets a great benefit out of it. They make sure the money's well spent.

Drainage is a big issue in Wynnum West for anyone living near Ropley Road. The drainage in this area could be best described as of Third World standard. The drains are essentially earth drains. The silt runoff after heavy rain must be horrific. In addition there have been new developments in the area in recent time. There's Higgs Circuit and Wirra Circuit and there's a brand new townhouse complex nearing completion on the corner of Ropley and Kianawah Road which, you guessed it feeds the stormwater straight into the drain on each side of Ropley Road.

The drain cannot cope with the runoff after heavy rain. It overflows across Ropley Road, which is a danger in itself. Any driver not familiar with the area could well lose control of their car because there's a good six inches to a foot of water goes across the road, and end up aquaplaning and end up in the drains or, worse still, having a head on collision. That's something that needs to be avoided and I've been calling for years for improved drainage on Ropley Road and it's time the administration got their act together.


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It's not going to be paid for by any new developers because the blocks adjoining the road where the worst drainage is are actually flood-prone blocks, which means there's no development potential existing on those blocks. So the developers aren't going to pay it. It's got to be paid for out of the general council budget.

One other item I'd like to see is a new toilet block along the Esplanade. We've got a few toilet blocks but down on Wynnum Creek. It's called Breakwater Park. There's a—

Chairman: Councillor CUMMING, your time has expired.


Chairman: Further general business. I declare the meeting closed.

QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:(Questions of which due notice has been given are printed as supplied and are not edited)

Submitted by Councillor Nicole Johnston (received on 18 March 2014)Q1. What is the name and the number or designation of the policy referred to by The Lord Mayor on

Tuesday 18 March in the Chamber as not allowing equipment or facilities to be built in parks subject to Q2 flooding and when was this policy approved by Council?

Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (received on 20 March 2014)Q1. Can the CEO please advise of the year-to-date amount of parking revenue for 2013/14 year?

Q2. Can the CEO please advise of the year-to-date amount of revenue from parking infringements in 2013/14 financial year?

Q3. Can the CEO please advise of the number of parking infringement officers in Full-Time Equivalent numbers for each of the following financial years:- 2008/09- 2009/10- 2010/11- 2011/12- 2012/13- 2013/14

Q4. Can the CEO provide a list of Council properties sold in 2013/14 financial year to date?

Q5. Can the CEO provide a list of any Council properties sold to the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation in 2013/14 financial year to date?

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:(Answers to questions of which due notice has been given are printed as supplied and are not edited)

Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (from the meeting on 30 July 2013)Q4. Can the CEO please advise how many new skate parks were built in each of the following financial

years:- 2004/05- 2005/06- 2006/07- 2007/08- 2008/09- 2009/10- 2010/11- 2011/12- 2012/13

A4. - 2004/05 – Webster Road, Stafford


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- 2005/06- 2006/07- 2007/08 – Ferny Grove Picnic Ground, Ferny Grove.

- 2008/09 - 2009/10- 2010/11- 2011/12- 2012/13

In relation to 2008/09-2012/13, the answer has not changed from that previously provided on 30 July 2013.

Submitted by Councillor Nicole Johnston (from meeting on 18 February 2014)Q1. How many garbage bins have been installed in MacGregor Ward since January 2013?

A1. 13

Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (from meeting on 18 March 2014)Q1 Could the CEO please list the number of rateable properties in each rating category for the 2013/2014

year (separate list for each category please)?

Q2. Could the CEO please advise if Council is responsible for the dredging of the Kedron Brook Floodway for flood mitigation purposes. If so, could the CEO please advise when it may be likely Council will re-dredge the floodway back to the original channel profiles, to reduce upstream flooding of Kedron Brook during rain events?

Q3. Can the CEO please provide the total amount of funds collected through development contribution for parkland from development in the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan PIP area since 2009?

Q4. Can the CEO please provide the total amount of funds collected in the 2012-13 financial year through development contribution for parkland from development in the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan PIP area?

Q5. Can the CEO provide the total amount of funds collected through development contributions for parkland from development in the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan, that has been sent on parkland acquisition or embellishment since 2009 and can those expenditures be itemised against specific parks?

Q6. Can the CEO please provide the number of wandering dogs collected by Council in the following years:- 2008/2009 financial year- 2009/2010 financial year- 2010/11 financial year- 2011/12 financial year- 2012/13 financial year.

A1 to A6. Information being compiled.

RISING OF COUNCIL: 6.36pm.

PRESENTED: and CONFIRMED


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CHAIRMAN

Council officers in attendance:

Angela Holmes (Team Leader, Council and Committees Support)Jo Camamile (Council and Committee Liaison Officer)Louise Keen (Council and Committee Liaison Officer)Billy Peers (Personal Support Officer to the Lord Mayor and Council Orderly)


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Documents

TABLE OF CONTENTS - Brisbane City Council | · Web viewAs the Minister pointed out in his announcement, the nearest house to the airport is more than six kilometres from the runway,