Dear neighbours,

I am honoured to have been elected your Councillor for the Gabba Ward, retaining a significant lead over the major parties and confirming our home as the heartland of grassroots community-based local politics.

I have immense gratitude for all of the residents who trusted me to represent you as an appointed councillor for 10 months and who are trusting me to continue working for you for the next 4 years. Thank you to everyone who called, messaged, and emailed their congratulations—I will do my best to respond personally to as many as I can.

I want to extend a special congratulations to my friend and colleague, Seal Chong-Wah, who has been elected to represent residents of Paddington Ward and is making history with the second Brisbane City Council seat won by the Greens. The 2024 Council elections were the best-ever result for the Greens. A positive swing of 5.3% across Brisbane shows that more and more people are turning away from the major parties towards candidates willing to stand up to big developers, corporations and fight for positive change on behalf of their communities.

That being said, I take my role as your elected representative seriously and am committed to representing all residents to the best of my ability. 

I am aware of the paralytic grasp of party politics across all government levels, and the need to collaborate beyond party lines to deliver the best outcomes for all of us. With a worsening housing crisis, increasing homelessness, a cost-of-living crisis, and the climate crisis looming large, collaborating wherever possible is more important than ever. A cooperative, community-based approach is also needed to increase green space, future infrastructure, active and public transport service, and connectivity deliveries across the Gabba Ward. While doing this, however, we must still hold the powerful to account when they fail to serve our community. 

I am optimistic and ready to continue to do the work. 

Again, thank you for your support and confidence; catch ya around the neighbourhood 👋🏾

Paniyiri and Rough Sleepers - how to take action

Should we break up the supermarket duopoly?

Once again, Paniyiri Festival is aiming to bring over 60,000 patrons into Musgrave Park next month, closing it to the public for 10 days. And once again, as a result of the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression, more people are sleeping rough and seeking safety and community in Musgrave Park.

I have deep respect for rough sleepers who, despite facing challenge after challenge, find ways to survive and get by another day, and build community where they can. I have nothing but admiration for the numerous local organisations and residents who give of themselves to support and be in community with people sleeping rough. They are a testament to the spirit of our neighbourhood. But let me be clear - nobody should have to be this resilient. Communities should not be forced to react with gifts of tents and food for want of being able to provide what is truly needed - housing.

Last year, the State Government recognised the urgent need to house rough sleepers prior to Paniyiri, and they have had 12 months to get ready for this one. The fact that there are twice as many tents now compared to last year means they are failing to take adequate action.

The Premier promised last month to temporarily house every homeless Queenslander, even taking time for a photo opp in Musgrave Park. Temporary crisis accommodation is not good enough, and even that is clearly not happening yet.

We need concrete actions from the Premier that will guarantee permanent, stable housing for people sleeping rough in Musgrave Park, and ongoing temporary accommodation regardless of circumstance until permanent housing is secured.

Help build public pressure on this Labor government, and show them that new leaders and promises are not enough. You can take action by clicking below to email the Premier and the Housing Minister with calls for permanent housing for all residents of Musgrave Park:

Olympics, Gabba Stadium and Raymond Park

Thanks to tireless work from our community, we saved Raymond Park and the Gabba Stadium from Olympic demolition! Both major parties said it was a done deal, but our community refused to give up, and were supported by the Queensland public at large. This demonstrates the strength of our community, and in particular I want to congratulate residents at Rethink the Gabba for their leadership.

The reality is however, that we continue without clear, detailed and transparent plans to deliver Games infrastructure. When the Gabba demolition was announced in 2021, details on impact, budget, delivery, and community consultation needed to be provided. There was none. 

When Graham Quirk's committee delivered their 'independent' report, again, the recommendations had no deep enquiry or details on impact, budget delivery and future community consultation. 

When Labor announced a 'modest' enhancement of the Gabba that would not force East Brisbane State School to relocate, they could not confirm whether the school would be impacted, and dropped a $500 million budget again with no details.

Even as QSAC looks like an option Labor is pursuing, we still have no idea of the environmental or social footprint of the upgrade.

It is important to remember that when the Olympics and Paralympics were announced, they were the South-East Queensland Games, spanning an area from Toowoomba to the Sunshine and Gold Coast. Using existing infrastructure was a key promise. We are now in a situation where an indecisive, non-consultative State Government is making decisions without looking beyond the immediate centre of Brisbane.

Whether or not an Olympics should go ahead in this housing crisis, does a regional Games give a better opportunity to tackle that crisis by building future public housing across SEQ? With the use of venues across South East Queensland, the opportunity to deliver several smaller regional athletes' villages (that should be converted into housing) arises. This regional games format would also reduce the cost of stadium upgrades, which are currently estimated at $3.061 billion (500 million for both The Gabba and Suncorp and 3.1 billion for QSAC). What are your thoughts on it?

Kangaroo Point Active and Public Transport

During the election caretaker period, it was confirmed that the newly-operational Dockside ferry terminal, despite being upgraded to berth CityCats, will not receive replacement services for Mowbray Park during its year-long closure. Meanwhile, the 27 free bus loop is set to end on April 15th, and dockside boardwalk remains closed after more than a year.

Where is the common sense?? How is it that residents of one of the most densely-populated areas of Brisbane, a stone’s throw from the CBD, have almost no options but to drive? Kangaroo Point has been failed by an inactive LNP Council and a toothless Labor State government who seem incapable of forward planning for this neighbourhood.

Residents have been incredibly active in highlighting this issue. I congratulate the KP Transport Action Group for their role in securing the upgrade and re-opening of Dockside terminal ( I apologise for not being able to make your celebration of the first new service at 5am last Tuesday!) But Kangaroo Point needs a permanent city cat stop, a permanent city bus loop, and access to the boardwalk, and we need to escalate to a higher level.

Next Monday, the chairperson of Council’s Transport Committee will be attending KP Neighbourhood Watch’s public meeting at 6.30pm. This is an opportunity to show up in force and ask him where the common sense and forward planning for our community is. I hope you will join me - please contact [email protected] to register attendance. And please add your name to the 500+ residents who have called on Council and the State to retain the 27 bus loop:

Local Updates

People’s Park kiosk and toilet upgrade is complete and ready for use! The keys have been handed back to West End Community House. I look forward to seeing the park flourish under their stewardship. My office will be conducting an open expression of interest for artists and artist collectives to deliver a mural in the coming months!

The second mural in Raymond Park has been delivered by artist Isobelle Dwyer - a collaboration with students at East Brisbane State School, and a fitting celebration of the news that the park has been saved! Isobelle wanted to share this message:

“Thank you to all the wonderful community members for accepting me into your space and allowing me to work some of my magic over the last couple of months. The best part of this project has been the community coming together to tell stories of their space, and to stop by on their morning or afternoon commute to say hi. You’re such a precious and bright community and I hope this work reflects that.”

Donations for unhoused people and women in crisis

From now til May 3rd, my office will be a collection point for various items in support of Homeless Connect, and of Micah Projects’ Domestic Violence Services’ Spread the Warmth campaign. If you can spare any of the following, please drop in:

• New robes for women
• Canned tuna and salmon
• Canned soup and vegetables
• Toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant
• Rice and pasta
• Shaving blades and cream
• Body wash, shampoo and conditioner
• Coffee and tea
• Cereal and muesli bars
• Long-life milk

Tree removals

Two Melaleuca eureka (Pink flowering bottlebrush) at 20 and 40 Brighton Road, Highgate Hill have died and will be removed, with replacements being planted at the location.

One Ficus Benjamina (Weeping Fig) tree on Harriet Street, West End was marked for removal by Council due to a report that it was damaging a retaining wall. However, neighbours were willing to coordinate and raise their voice in support of keeping the tree, and Council reversed the decision. Thank-you to the Harriet Street residents for speaking out, and protecting a much-needed source of habitat and shade.

See you around the neighbourhood!

Best,

Trina