Dear Neighbours,
It’s NAIDOC Week! This year's theme, "Keep the Fire Burning, Blak Loud and Proud," embodies Indigenous cultures' enduring strength and vitality, passed down through generations despite the ongoing devastating effects of colonisation.
Across the Gabba, NAIDOC events, workshops and activities invite all to stand in solidarity and amplify voices that have for too long been silent. Let’s celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of First Nations and Torres Strait Islander peoples. (scroll to the calendar at the bottom for a list of local NAIDOC events.)
2024/25 Budget Highlights
The 2024/25 Brisbane City Council budget was a stark departure from previous budgets - with even more details hidden than usual. My experience during estimates was similar, with Council Committee Chairs and LNP Councillors wasting time to prevent opposition Councillors from gaining information.
Nonetheless, I’ve gained more detailed knowledge of projects with committed budget allocations for the Gabba Ward.
Wins
I’m pleased to update you on the great investments in community facilities in our Ward. These facilities are essential assets to our community!
Both Musgrave Park Pool and West End Community House are receiving funding for refurbishment and upgrades.
A number of drainage and flood prevention projects were funded. The major win here is the construction of a backflow device and associated piping on Drury St, West End.
Local community grant funding for our Ward has also increased to $40,000, and if you have any community projects you want support with, I encourage you to read our guidelines and consider applying through my office.
Dubious
West End to Toowong Green Bridge
The positive news is that the Toowong landing site has been purchased by Council. The negative news is that this critical connecting infrastructure is now on a permanent pause. This project cannot proceed without the support of the State and Federal governments.
Montague Road Corridor Study
With increased population density and public transport that is only really convenient for accessing the CBD, it is no wonder Montague Road has become congested, and challenging for pedestrians and bike users alike. The Montague Road Corridor Study has now been delayed by 4-6 months, preventing any upgrades (like the Ferry/Drake intersection I am fighting for) from commencing for now.
Deakin St to Shafston Ave Bikeway
The Deakin St to Shafston Ave bikeway is one of the missing links to enable safe, active travel from Kangaroo Point to the eastern and southern suburbs. With the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge opening later this year, $35 million has been allocated to the project for construction. Transport Chair Cr Murphy claimed he was in discussion with State Transport Minister Mellish to sign a 50/50 funding agreement. But in my meeting with Minister Mellish, he had never heard of the project. Dubious indeed!
Challenges
Brisbane City Council is currently in a very difficult place financially, due to the LNP administration’s mismanagement of the budget. The budget issues are in part due to wasteful spending over the past decade, particularly road widening projects that cost hundreds of millions of dollars only to create long term congestion and expensive maintenance bills. These budget choices have come back to bite sooner than expected thanks to the rise in inflation.
The other issue is that the LNP, with the support of Labor, cut developer fees by between 50% and 100% late last year. This measure means Council will forgo hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue as is part of the reason Council’s cash reserves have plummeted from $500 million to $50 million, requiring an emergency loan from the Queensland Treasury. As a result of these poor budgetary choices, there was very little new spending in the recent 2024/25 annual budget.
Missing budget items that are on the top of my agenda include:
- Improving public transport access in Kangaroo Point (bring back the 27, improve the 234)
- New greenspace and parkland all across the ward
- A new dog park for West End
- A second CityCat terminal for West End
- New community spaces / library facilities for West End and Woolloongabba
I’m working closely with my state colleague Amy MacMahon to advocate for action on these items and more. In challenging times like this, our success as a community will depend on our ability to get organised and start agitating to the powers that be. Keep reading to learn more about some of the community campaigns we have in the works.
CATCH THE 86
I have pushed for, and won, a 6 month extension for the free Route 86 Kurilpa bus loop trial! But, unless we increase patronage during off-peak periods and weekends, the service will end in December (when the Brisbane Metro is expected to start operations).
One of my first actions as Councillor was to secure a timetable change for the 86 so that it starts earlier, resulting in the patronage almost doubling. But if we want any chance of keeping the free Kurilpa loop as a permanent service, we need even more of the community to get out and use the 86 for off-peak and weekends.
Please talk to your friends and encourage them to hop on a bus - this weekend is the perfect opportunity, with these Brisbane Open House 2024 venues all easily accessible on the 86!
A new park on Montague Road?
A flood-prone property bigger than 2 football fields has come up for sale, at 108 Montague Road - ideal for turning into a new park. 75% of this land is already earmarked as future parkland in Council’s Local Government Infrastructure Plan.
That’s why Amy MacMahon MP and I wrote to the State Planning Minister, the Mayor, and BCC’s Chair of Parks and Sustainability, to buy up this site. If you want a new park in South Brisbane, I encourage you to add your voices to ours, and call for acquisition of 108 Montague Road by emailing:
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning - Meaghan Scanlon - [email protected]
Brisbane City Council Mayor - Adrian Schrinner - [email protected]
Brisbane City Council Chair of Parks and Sustainability - Tracy Davis - [email protected]
Community Meeting: Future of Kurilpa Hall & West End Library
The Kurilpa peninsula is experiencing rapid population growth, but our community facilities have not kept up with the increasing demand.
West End library is bursting at the seams. It needs accessible toilets, community meeting spaces, more space for books, and other contemporary library facilities.
Kurilpa Hall is right next to the library and has never been fully utilised. The current leaseholders are in the process of vacating the premises, which raises questions about what should happen next.
We need your voice in shaping the future of our community. Join us at this community meeting to explore the various options and share your valuable insights on what the future of Kurilpa Hall and the West End Library should be.
Date: Tuesday 13 August
Location: Kurilpa Hall, 174 Boundary St, West End
Time: 6pm - 7:30pm
Community Meeting: Urban Greening on Riverside Drive
West End was once a vibrant rainforest. Vines and flowers dangled in the water’s edge along what is now Riverside Drive. Lush vegetation rose up from the peninsula - hoop pines, red cedars, piccabeen palms, giant ferns, orchids, staghorns, elkhorns, figs and more. Butterflies were everywhere.
Some 150+ years later, high-density apartments now rise where rainforests once thrived. The riverfront itself has been reclaimed as public parkland, and we now have an opportunity to begin revegetating some of what was lost.
As corporate greed drives an ever-warming planet, extreme heat and weather events will become more frequent and destructive. The inner city will need a lot more tree cover and vegetation to adapt and remain liveable: urban tree canopies, rain gardens, vegetated swales, greenways, and much less exposed bitumen/concrete.
Come to this community meeting to learn more about our ideas for turning parts of Riverside Drive into an urban greenway. Let us know what you like about the proposal and any concerns you may have.
Date: Thursday 29 August
Location: The Nest Creative Space, 31 Ferry Road, West End
Time: 5:30pm - 7pm
New calisthenics gym open on Riverside Drive!
Residents may have noticed that a new outdoor calisthenics gym has recently opened on Riverside Drive. This project was delivered through my office’s Suburban Enhancement Fund (SEF). Keep an eye out for more community consultations as my office gets ready to deliver 2024/25 SEF projects.
Laura Street Festival: callout for performers, workshops, artists
Expressions of interest are now open! The date will be Sunday September 29th midday to evening. The organisers are looking for a diverse range of musicians, performers, workshop hosts, activity leaders, and volunteers to make this event a success. They are particularly interested in hearing from those who want to submit unique ideas for the festival, such as hosting a clothing swap, potluck, forum, cooking demo, or skill-sharing session.
Tree Removals
It is with a heavy heart that I have to share the decay and removal of the large fig tree on the corner of Russell Street and Edmonstone Street, Musgrave Park 😢
Early on Wednesday 10th of July, the trunk split and a large portion of the tree fell onto the footpath. Council arborists found decay throughout the trunk. Normally detected by yellowing leaves, there were no outer signs of sickness on this tree until it fell today. Due to the decay, the whole tree will be removed. Please avoid this area of Musgrave Park until the tree has been cleared. This is an old tree, and though I will work with Council to plant a suitable replacement, it could be decades for a new tree to reach the same size and provide the same amount of habitat, shade, and cooling. We are sorry to see you pass.
Some other removals around the Ward include:
- 20, 40, 60 Brighton Rd, Highgate Hill - three Weeping Bottlebrush trees (Melaleuca salignus) will be removed due to each tree being in irreversible decline. A replacement tree will be planted in each location.
- 7 Vulture St, West End - a dead street tree was removed from this location on 9 April. No notification was given to the ward office. A Queensland Bush Box (Lophostemon Confertus) will be planted by the end of July