Dear Neighbours,
I am writing to you as National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week approaches. Sorry Day is on 26 May every year; it remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whose children were forcibly removed from their families and communities because of official laws and government policies—the Stolen Generation. The unequivocal goal was to assimilate Indigenous populations into the non-Indigenous community.
Sorry Day also acknowledges the strength of Stolen Generation Survivors and their families. I share my deep respect for survivors who have faced trauma that they have overcome.
Here in West End, Cranbrook Place was the site of Cranbrook House, an Aboriginal Girls' Home that operated between 1900 and 1906 under the Queensland Protection of Aboriginals and Control of the Supply of Opium Act 1897. Today nothing remains of the house apart from the stone steps.
The women and girls who lived at the home were placed onto stations and forced to work in slave like conditions as domestic servants. If they got pregnant, they were sent to Brisbane to have their babies, which were later removed from them. The girls would then be returned to the stations, and the cycle would start again.
These were grandmothers and great-grandmothers, some of whom are still alive today.
Twenty-six years after the first Sorry Day, an Indigenous child is 10.5 times more likely to be in out-of-home care compared to a non-Indigenous child. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 26 times more likely than their peers to be incarcerated.
As we move toward Reconciliation Week, it’s important to acknowledge the Stolen Generations are not past tense. While the intent of child removal today may be different to that experienced by the Stolen Generations, the effect is the same: a loss of identity and the exacerbation of intergenerational trauma.
Musgrave Park Update
From Wednesday 15 to Sunday 19 May, Feeding 4101 opened the Musgrave Park Rough Sleeper Community Hub. The hub facilitated respite, meals, hot drinks, information and referral, advocacy and support and opportunities to access services like the Department of Housing, Micah projects, Centrelink, Murri Watch, Basic Rights Queensland and Drug Arm.
Thank you to all the volunteers and Feeding 4101, especially Rhiannon, for enabling the hub to service over 100 rough-sleepers and people in temporary housing.
While many people have been temporarily housed, they are all still homeless:
- There is no clarity on on how long people are being offered temporary accommodation for
- There is no clarity on how much people have to pay for temporary accommodation - despite many people having no reliable income
- There is no clarity on how long people have to wait in temporary accommodation before finding permanent housing
I have been calling on the Minister and the Department of Housing to make clear commitments on providing ongoing temporary accommodation until permanent housing is found; on making sure it is affordable; and on making sure it is safe and liveable. Otherwise we will see more and more people back sleeping in tents and cars.
It’s only a matter of time before Musgrave Park is full of tents again. Every new tent is a reminder that this State government continues to fail our most vulnerable community members.
Sign the 27 Bus Petition
There’s a severe lack of quality public transport options connecting the Kangaroo Point peninsula to the CBD. The introduction of the 27 bus improved the situation somewhat, and residents came to rely on this service. With the reopening of the Dockside Ferry Terminal, the popular 27 bus was removed, despite massive community push back.
Help us put the pressure on the Council before this year’s budget. Sign the petition to tell them to reinstate the 27 bus as a permanent service, and fund the 27 service in the 2024/25 BCC Budget and future budgets as they do with the Blue and Maroon CityGliders.
LMCF Grant Closing Soon!
Do you have a community project that can build stronger communities in the Gabba Ward?
Are you a local community group looking for some funding to help deliver workshops or an event?
You may be a local sporting club looking for some support for equipment and activities within a ward.
Or you are a group of artists with a creative and vibrant project on the horizon.
The LM Community Fund grant applications will close at midnight on Friday, 14 June 2024 (or sooner if all the funds are allocated).
Contact the Gabba Ward office if you have a project you are interested in applying for!
Local Updates
Additional Bins Musgrave Park
After a drawn out fight with Council, I have finally been able to secure some new bins for Musgrave Park. Council refused to install new bins in the park itself, so as a compromise I was able to get support to install the bins on the footpath outside the park boundary. There are two dual bins on Cordelia St and one dual bin on Russell St.
New mural at Riverside Drive
Duane Doyle has completed an amazing Mural at Riverside Drive. The mural is a story about the community, the 2022 floods, Maiwar (the Brisbane River) and the journey of the water. I want to also thank Sue Loveday, who supported Duane during the mural painting process. What an amazing team! I’m looking forward to celebrating this wonderful addition to West End’s Street Art with the community and artist. Please keep an eye out for a community event in the coming weeks!
Dutton Park State School is looking for School Crossing Supervisor
As a School Crossing Supervisor, you will assist pedestrians, including young people, cross the road safely and direct vehicles within the crossing environment to ensure the safe operation. An important role to ensure the safety of people during mornings and afternoons on school days!
The role pays $35.35 per hour if you are interested please contact the Road Safety Office - [email protected]
Thank you whoever you are!
In the most recent months, the rain and hot weather have created an environment for weeds to grow in Brisbane gardens, including ours at the Gabba Ward. With our focus firmly on supporting local residents, tending to our garden has slipped down our list of priorities . One Tuesday I arrived to find our Gabba Ward garden not only weed-free but also beautifully planted, fertilised, and mulched. This unexpected act of kindness is a shining example of the incredible generosity of our community. The effort and care of this person or group of people deeply moved me, and I’ve penned a haiku to express my gratitude:
Pulling weeds from the earth
Hand dirtied, Heart lightened, Bloom
Garden Canvas Renewed
Works Around the Neighbourhood
Kangaroo Point Cliffs
As part of our regular monitoring and maintenance of the Kangaroo Point cliff face, Council have identified several areas of cliff that need to be remediated. Works will be tailored to the cliff face to reduce the risk of rockfall and improve community safety.
The work is expected to start June 2024 and could take up to 2 months to complete, weather and site conditions permitting.
The work will be done in stages to reduce impact on residents. However residents may experience some impacts during construction, including temporary restrictions to climbing areas and changes to walking and riding paths. The Kangaroo Point cliff stairs near Joey’s café will be temporarily restricted while works are underway in this area.
I’ll keep you posted as the project rolls out.
Night Work - Footpath Improvements Vulture Street
Council will be conducting footpath improvement work at Vulture St between Boundary St and Thomas St, West End.
Work will start Monday 27 May and should finish Friday 05 July.
The works are happening at night (7pm - 5am) to minimise impacts on the local community and to keep road and footpath users safe.
As part of these works, Council will:
- reconstruct existing footpath to full width exposed aggregate concrete
- modify connections to property frontages, driveways, kerb ramps and kerb & channel
- adjust service pits to match new concrete footpath height & reinstate street furniture
See you around the neighbourhood!
Trina