Dear neighbour,

As many of you know, I’ve been raising concerns since last year’s Council Budget about the neglect and mismanagement of the Story Bridge. Sadly, recent events have confirmed what we feared: under the LNP’s watch, this vital piece of infrastructure has been left to deteriorate.

Now, the LNP-led Council is scrambling, asking State and Federal governments for help. But both levels of government have made it clear: the responsibility for maintenance lies squarely with Brisbane City Council. While the Federal Government has stepped in to fund a $4.3 million business case, no money has been committed for the urgent repairs our community needs.

For locals, the immediate issue is clear: the closure of the pedestrian footpath. The original 1930s bridge spans - particularly on the northern and central sections - are crumbling. Emergency netting installation is expected to take eight weeks, but even that won’t restore access. And with no repair method yet confirmed, footpaths could remain closed until the end of the year or longer.

When concerned residents came together for a peaceful protest, the Lord Mayor’s response was to politicise the issue and label locals as extremists. That’s not leadership. This isn’t about politics - it’s about safety and accessibility.

Thousands of residents rely on the Story Bridge each day for walking and cycling. The current detours are neither safe nor accessible.

That’s why I’ve launched a petition calling on Council to immediately reallocate one of the bridge’s six traffic lanes for pedestrian and cyclist use until repairs are complete. It’s a practical, low-cost, and urgently needed solution.

Add your name to the petition before it closes Friday 6 June

Let’s make it clear: our community deserves safe, accessible infrastructure - and real leadership. Keep contacting the Lord Mayor. Let’s keep pushing until this issue is taken seriously and our bridge is made safe for everyone.

Warm regards,
Trina

Read on to learn more about:

• LNP cuts Council budget by $500 million
• Visy Site: A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity for Greenspace in 4101
• Upcoming Bus Network Changes – What You Need to Know
• Public Meeting: Raymond Park Community Garden
• People’s Park Kiosk Mural – Expressions of Interest Now Open!
• Cultural Centre Bus Station Update
• New pocket park at 92 Ryan St, West End
• Community Notices
• Community Events

LNP cuts Council budget by another $500 million

Since the initial $400 million cut announced in November 2023, I’ve been raising serious concerns about the lack of accountability and transparency around the clear financial crisis unfolding under the LNP-led Council.

Now, the spiral continues: a further $500 million slashed over the next 4 years, following staff cuts, reductions in maintenance, and the delay or cancellation of critical infrastructure projects.

All this while the same LNP administration continues with their infrastructure charge cuts for developers, which have been slashed by 50-75% over the next three years. I was the only Councillor to vote against these cuts, because I knew they would starve our city of the revenue needed for essential services and infrastructure.

I know I can be repetitive - but this is a serious situation. Brisbane is being pushed into a structural financial crisis. Tax cuts continue to be handed to developers while communities are left behind. These decisions have real impacts: broken footpaths don’t get fixed, public transport upgrades stall, green space and community infrastructure disappear from the budget.

This isn’t sound financial management. It’s short-sighted, reckless, and deeply unfair to residents who are being asked to pay more while getting less.

Our city deserves better. We need investment in safe, accessible, and well-maintained communities, not more cuts and corporate handouts.

Visy Site: A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity for Greenspace in 4101

In late May, I hosted a community meeting about the impact of the 100-Day Olympic Review on the Kurilpa Peninsula. The biggest opportunity? The International Broadcast Centre is no longer planned for the Visy Glass Factory site - potentially freeing up 7 hectares (over nine rugby fields) of state-owned land right in the heart of our community.

Council currently plans to convert only 1 hectare into greenspace, and not until after the 2032 Olympics. That’s not enough.

This land has been earmarked for parkland since 2000, yet for 25 years, promises have been delayed or watered down by successive governments. With population density rising rapidly in 4101, this is one of our last chances to secure meaningful public space.

That’s why campaigning for greenspace to be delivered on the site well before 2032 is one of my top priorities.

Tell me what you want to see on the Visy Site by filling out this short survey:

The first step in this campaign will be to spread awareness. So please share the survey with friends, neighbours, and local networks. Let’s make this opportunity count.

Upcoming Bus Network Changes – What You Need to Know

From 30 June, Brisbane’s bus network is getting an overhaul. The LNP administration is claiming this is a major upgrade, but it’s really just a series of tweaks to accommodate the Metro services.

Some routes like the 199 are actually getting downgraded. The new bus network is fudging the numbers to make services look more reliable. They’ve padded out travel times between stops, so even if a bus is running late, it still counts as “on time.” But in reality, that just means slower trips for passengers.

Some buses coming from the southern suburbs will now travel via the Riverside Expressway instead of the busway, aiming to ease congestion - especially on Victoria Bridge. There will still be plenty of buses using the busway, so residents using these stops should still have plenty of services available to catch.

The new network puts more focus on “two-seat journeys”, where you might need to transfer once, usually on the same platform. Right now, our bus system is pretty good at getting people into the city, but it doesn’t work well for trips between suburbs.

If done right, transfers can make it easy to travel anywhere across the city on public transport. But to really make “two-seat journeys” convenient, Council would need to create new high-frequency cross-suburb services like these 15 routes the Greens have proposed. Failing to introduce any new cross-suburb services is a major missed opportunity.

The new network also fails to improve frequency and night/weekend services for the 199, 192, 196, 60, and 234.

There are some new services of note within the Gabba Ward:

• Route 26 will service Kangaroo Point, with a new stop at St Vincent’s Hospital. It’s not a replacement for the well-loved 27, as it doesn’t reach the peninsula’s centre and only runs during peak hour.
  
  
• Route 197 is a trial South Brisbane loop which runs down Annerley Rd, Stephens Rd, and Cordelia/Merivale St. Reinstating the popular 86 Kurilpa Loop would’ve made more sense.

Finally, there’s still no upgrade in sight for the Dutton Park Place stop to accommodate Metro buses. I’m working with the Tennyson Ward Councillor on a joint campaign to advocate for this upgrade.

Translink has a list of all Brisbane's New Bus Network changed routes. You can also use this interactive map to visually view the changes. Translink’s Journey Planner has been updated and will now show the new routes for dates past 30 June.

Public Meeting: Raymond Park Community Garden

Raymond Park Community Garden is at risk of closure due to high soil lead levels and the departure of its coordinators. But we can keep the garden open if a new group of coordinators is found.

Funding is available to create safe, raised garden beds and Brisbane City Council open to formal recognition. All we need now is you.

Join us for a community meeting on-site to explore the garden’s future. We’re looking for locals to help manage the space, coordinate working bees, and bring new life to the garden.

People’s Park Kiosk Mural – Expressions of Interest Now Open!

I’m excited to announce that Expressions of Interest (EOI) are now open to paint a mural on the People's Park Kiosk and adjoining Toilet Amenities. This is a unique opportunity to shape a vibrant community space in the heart of West End. Whether you're an individual artist, part of an artist collective, or community group, we want to hear from you.

EOIs are open now and close on Thursday 24 July. You can find more information about the project here.

Cultural Centre Bus Station Update

From Monday 2 June 2025, all bus services to West End and Highgate Hill will now depart from Platform 3 at the Cultural Centre station. These services will no longer use Platform 2.

After months of delays and cost-blowouts, this marks the completion of the major upgrade to the station as part of the Brisbane Metro project. Some finishing works will continue through mid-2025. For the most up-to-date information on services, please use Translink’s journey planner.

New pocket park at 92 Ryan St, West End

The house at 92 Ryan Street was recently removed as part of the Voluntary Flood Buy Back Program and turned into open space. This is a fantastic opportunity to create a pocket park plan for the site. 

Council will lay turf, level the ground, and install bollards. I’m running a survey to see what residents would like to see happen to the site. Any facilities introduced on the site will be funded via the Gabba Ward's Suburban Enhancement Fund.

Consultation is open until 30 July, with the upgrades to be delivered during the 2025/26 financial year, though this depends on Council approvals.

Community Notices

• The Good Sports program is here to help support you in the areas that clubs said were their biggest challenges: reducing risky drinking and juniors’ exposure to alcohol, member and volunteer engagement, financial security and mental health support. Join Good Sports for free today.
• Consider giving back to your community by joining a local Lions Club, part of the world’s largest service organisation dedicated to supporting local needs through health, environmental, and youth initiatives. To learn more, contact one of the nearby clubs such as Brisbane Ekibin, Brisbane Hellenic, Brisbane Holland Park, or Apple Mac Users of Queensland (East Brisbane).
• The local Social Mums Clubs connect mums of all ages through free events and online groups to build community and reduce isolation. You can find more information about the Coorparoo, East Brisbane & Surrounds Club here. The club is also seeking opportunities to collaborate with local businesses through sponsorship and community partnerships.
• Donations are now open for the upcoming Homeless Connect event on Thursday 19 June 2025, with non-perishable food and toiletries most needed. Residents can drop off items at any Brisbane City Council library or the Gabba or any other ward office by Friday 6 June.
• There are several Heart Foundation walking groups within the Gabba Ward Office These are a great way to meet new people while getting your steps up: Kangaroo Point River Walkers, Vision Walkers South Bank Parklands, Highgate Hill Billy Walkers, Dutton Park Pacers Park Road Station.