9 May 2025

09/08/25: Community Voices: Parklands, Gardens & Local Action

Dear neighbours,

I greet you with a heavy heart—but also with hope—following the cruel directions issued by the Lord Mayor to Council and QPS regarding Musgrave Park.

What I witnessed was some of the most heartless and inhumane treatment: the eviction of people who have nowhere else to go. It was brutal. It was unjust. And it shook me deeply.

Yet in the face of that cruelty, I also witnessed something else—something powerful. I stood shoulder to shoulder with residents who continue to show up with compassion, care, and fierce advocacy. People who refused to look away. That solidarity gave me hope in what felt like a hopeless moment.

To the dozens of community members who have reached out to offer support—by storing belongings, providing mutual aid, and simply being there—thank you. Your actions remind me that ours is a community of deep empathy and unshakable compassion.

In moments like these, it’s also important to reflect on the broader changes happening around us—including the recent federal election.

To Max Chandler-Mather: thank you. Your integrity, tireless work, and bold vision have lifted the bar for what people should expect from their representatives. You have served Griffith with heart and principle. It’s been an honour to stand alongside you in this movement. The care you’ve shown our communities, the fearless advocacy, and the hope you’ve inspired will not be forgotten.

I extend my sincere congratulations to the incoming Federal Member for Griffith, Renée Coffey.

Serving the Gabba Ward continues to be my greatest privilege. I remain here with you, guided by care, driven by justice, and sustained by our shared hope.

Trina

Dutton’s vision for Australia taken up by Schrinner

On Thursday morning, around 18 police officers and 8 Council workers began forcibly evicting people sleeping rough in Musgrave Park. It was one of the most cruel and disturbing displays of inhumanity I have ever witnessed.

People’s tents were shaken to wake them up, then they were given just 30 minutes to gather their belongings and leave. Where they were supposed to go was unclear.

Community members who were simply trying to help pack up were threatened with obstruction charges. The evictions were intense, aggressive, and undoubtedly traumatising for everyone involved.

I want to be clear: Council workers did offer displaced people (present during the action) the option to speak with the Department of Housing for temporary accommodation. That morning, Housing staff spoke with every rough sleeper present. All accepted the offer to engage with them and were told they’d receive a phone call. But when I left the park that day, every displaced person was still there—no one had yet been housed.

As of sending this newsletter, seven people have since been placed in temporary accommodation—some for as little as one night. Another seven have left the park in search of safety elsewhere. This includes people who weren’t offered housing because they were underage, those wanting to continue their recovery from substance use, and people with valid fears about the violence in some boarding houses and temporary accommodation facilities.

Council has denied these evictions were related to the upcoming Paniyiri Festival. But let’s be honest—it’s clear this cruelty is coming directly from the Lord Mayor. This is yet another example of the LNP importing Trump-style politics into Australia.

We need all levels of government to act now and tackle the root causes of homelessness: the lack of affordable housing, rising rents, and overstretched support services. Displacing people does nothing to solve these problems.

This cruel mandate from the Lord Mayor is causing real harm. Stereotyping people experiencing homelessness as criminals is not only dehumanising—it’s dangerously misleading. The reality is that the top two drivers of homelessness are the rising cost of living and domestic and family violence. These are systemic issues, not personal failings.

If you believe everyone deserves safety, dignity, and a place to call home—now is the time to speak up. Contact the Lord Mayor, write to your state and federal representatives, and demand real solutions: more public and affordable housing, stronger support services, and an end to punitive policies that punish people for being poor. Our community is better than this—and together, we can demand better.

Picture of Musgrave Park with several police cars and officers, as well as a Council truck and officers

Orleigh Park Dog Park Update

After weeks of delays, Council finally reopened the Orleigh Park dog park last Friday, following the removal of the damaged tree. Gate and tap repairs are now underway and are expected to be completed today.

Looking ahead, I’ve been pushing for Council to provide a temporary dog park when Orleigh is next closed for its much-needed upgrades and expansion. Expecting 4101 residents to trek nearly 5km to the Dutton Park dog park is simply unreasonable.

At this stage, Council hasn’t committed to a temporary dog park—but I’ve asked them to explore options to reduce disruption. I’ll keep pushing for practical solutions and will keep you updated. The upgrade project is set to begin very soon and will require the dog park to be closed for approximately 3–4 weeks, so please keep an eye on my socials and community notices for updates.

This situation remains incredibly frustrating—especially given it stems from Council’s ongoing failure to replace the closed dog park on Riverside Drive. I truly appreciate your patience during this time.

In some positive news, I’ll have an update on a new dog park for Riverside Drive in the coming weeks.

Community Meeting: South Brisbane parkland opportunity

The recent 100 Day Olympic Review has quietly opened the door to a major win for green space on the Kurilpa Peninsula. The Visy site on Montague Road—originally planned as a temporary International Broadcast Centre—is no longer going to be built after the review found it would be difficult to repurpose.

With 7 hectares of land at stake, this is our chance to push for it to become parkland well before 2032. Come along to this community meeting to discuss how we can pressure Council and the State Government to act.

Date: Thursday 22 May
Time: 6pm - 7:30pm
Location: The Nest Creative Space, 31 Ferry Road, West End

RSVP Now!

Satellite image of Kurilpa peninsula with the Visy site outlined in blue

Raymond Park Community Garden at risk of closure

During recent soil testing, Council found dangerous levels of lead in the vicinity of the Growing Forward community garden in Raymond Park. This garden was set up during the covid lockdowns with support from the Gabba Ward Office, the site isn’t recognised by Council as an official community garden.

In my negotiations with Council I highlighted the need for transparency and collaboration with the community. Council has given me the soil testing results and agreed to meet onsite with me and the gardeners to discuss options moving forward.

Growing Forward and the Kurilpa Commoners have declined the meeting and advise they will be pulling out of their operations in Raymond Park. This means the garden will close down unless there is interest from other community members to keep it running.

Council is willing to officially recognise the community garden and funds are available to create raised garden beds to work around the contaminated soil. Please get in touch with my office asap if you are interested in helping keep the garden open.

Picture of the Raymond Park community garden including several garden beds and two figs in the background and a palm tree.

Big win for safe cycling and walking on Annerley Road!

Thanks to strong community support — including a 1,100+ signature petition and backing from local P&Cs, reps and community groups — Brisbane City Council has secured Qld Government co-funding to design separated bike lanes on Annerley Rd (Gladstone Rd to Ipswich Rd).

Annerley Rd is a designated bike route, but it currently fails basic safety standards. This is our chance to fix that — with modern, physically separated cycle lanes that protect riders, keep footpaths clear for pedestrians, and make the whole street safer.

I’m also advocating for the project to include much-needed pedestrian safety upgrades (e.g. crossings at Noble/Cornwall St and Denham St).

💛 Safer streets for everyone
🚲 Easier, healthier, low-cost travel
🌱 Less traffic, more transport options
⚖️ Fairer access for all ages and abilities

The design is currently at the investigation stage and Council is anticipating that concept designs will be completed in early to mid 2026. Together with Tennyson Councillor Nicole Johnston, I’ve been calling on Council to pull together a community working group to help guide the design.

This project would not have happened without the work of community group, Active Travel for Annerley. If you’re interested in getting involved, you can contact them via: [email protected].

Improving E-Scooter Safety and Parking in the Gabba Ward

Over the past five years, the use of e-scooters as a transport option has increased across the city and within the Gabba Ward. While their popularity has grown, they also pose challenges—particularly around parking. Scooters are often left obstructing footpaths, driveways, and access points, which impacts safety and accessibility for pedestrians, people with mobility issues, and residents more broadly.

I’ve been working with representatives from Neuron to proactively address these issues. This includes exploring designated parking locations, better use of the road network for scooter parking, and the potential introduction of geo-locking technology. I’ll continue working closely with Neuron and will keep the community updated on the next steps. I want to thank the Neuron representatives who are working collaboratively with me on this issue.

West End Film Festival

The West End Film Festival (WEFF) is officially back — and it’s happening June 21–22, 2025!

This year, WEFF is evolving. They’re launching a new micro-cinema experience across West End, inviting filmmakers and audiences to come together in intimate spaces to celebrate indie film in all its forms. Each session will spotlight a different genre—horror, drama, sci-fi, romance, action, fantasy, comedy, documentary, experimental—and help spark a fresh community of local creatives.

Submissions are now open via FilmFreeway. Short films under 15 minutes produced anytime between 2022-2025 are eligible. All genres welcome, with Australian-made (especially Brisbane and SEQ) films especially encouraged.

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Join Me in Solidarity – Nakba Rally & Commemoration

As we mark 77 years since the Nakba – the ongoing catastrophe for the Palestinian people – I invite you to stand with us in King George Square on Sunday 18 May for the annual Nakba Rally and Commemoration organised by Justice for Palestine.

The Nakba, meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the violent displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians in 1948 during the creation of the Israeli state. It was a foundational act of ethnic cleansing that saw more than 530 Palestinian towns and villages destroyed, tens of thousands killed, and generations denied their right to return home.

The trauma of this forced dispossession isn’t just a historical moment – it continues today through military occupation, apartheid policies, and now an active campaign of genocide in Gaza. We cannot remain silent while these atrocities unfold, nor can we ignore Australia’s ongoing complicity in supporting the Israeli state through arms deals, diplomatic cover, and media narratives that erase Palestinian lives.

As a community, we must reject colonial violence wherever it exists – whether in Palestine or here on these lands, where First Nations peoples have endured their own centuries-long struggle against settler-colonialism. The fight for justice is interconnected.

Join me and countless others in remembering, resisting, and standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Because justice anywhere demands action everywhere.

$Upper body and face of a Palestinian woman in a hijab in grief. Image is in greyscale with thin teal lines that run randomly across the image. Words include \$

Community Notices

BEMAC is calling for proposals from artists for a series of shows and festivals in the coming months. More information available here.
Entries to the 2025 Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards are now open. Cash prizes of up to $5000 are available for images that showcase the rich history, places, experiences and events that have shaped our river city.
A local resident has started a petition calling to expand the Women's Suffrage Memorial in Emma Miller Place. You can sign the petition here.
A community group revegetating parkland in Highgate Hill within Dr Manon Griffiths Park and the surrounding riverfront have had several eucalyptus trees vandalised (screws and rawplugs drilled into the trunks). They are seeking assistance from an arborist or suitably qualified person to advise whether the projectiles should be removed or how else to care for the damaged trees - get in touch with me if you can help. Noting that the trees are on private property.
Disability support organisation swara is seeking a donation of a second hand keyboard for music therapy for blind participants and those with an ASD diagnosis in particular. If you’re able to help, please contact swara directly via [email protected] or 07 3391 4119.
In a previous newsletter I did a call out for new bike parking locations in the Gabba Ward. You can find a list of proposed locations here. Send me an email if you would like to propose additional locations or have any concerns with one of the proposed locations.
I have decided to keep the Hampstead Road consultation open so that more people have the opportunity to provide feedback. The consultation will now close on 1 July.

Tree Removals

A large Ficus microcarpa in Musgrave Park was removed in April. A more suitable Ficus virens is going to be planted in the same location, but possibly not for another 12 months or more. More info available here.
A Delonix Regia (flame tree) located within James Warner Park at 22 Bright St, Kangaroo Point is going to be removed. A replacement tree of the same species will be planted.
Council has approved the removal of a Buckinghamia celcissima (Ivory Curl Flower) at 24 Walton St, Dutton Park to build a footpath and driveway crossover.