Dear neighbours,
It was great to be out in the community spending time with many local groups, attending events and sharing ideas these past few weeks. And now that I’m officially sworn into my role as Councillor, it’s been bracing to return back to City Hall for standing committee and Chamber meetings. The first sitting period will see me in Chambers every Tuesday until we go into special budget meetings at the end of June.
The standing Committees that I am on are:
- Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee
- Finance and City Governance Committee
I have a big update for you covering what’s been happening at Musgrave Park, the Kurilpa Temporary Local Planning Instrument, Public Transport in Kangaroo Point and much more below.
I also want to share how thrilled I am that Amy MacMahon is back to work fighting for Queenslanders and our local community after taking medical leave. It’s been great to see her back in the office and in the community.
Nearly 60 tents gone from Musgrave Park
Several residents noticed a massive reduction in unhoused people camping in Musgrave Park, and reached out to my office this week. They were concerned that rough sleepers were forcibly removed to make way for Paniyiri.
I am pleased to share that, in response to support and advocacy from this community, the Housing Minister publicly committed to permanently housing everyone sleeping rough in Musgrave Park, and offering all of them temporary accommodation until then! (listen here from 16m35s) For 2 weeks, the Department of Housing, alongside Micah Projects, have been making offers to people camped in the park, and diverting people who were about to set up.
Make no mistake - this is a huge win for rough sleepers, and for this community, who forced an unprecedented rapid response from the Department. I want to thank the 280+ people who joined my call to action earlier this month by emailing the Premier and Housing Minister directly.
While this Labor state government claims that the Department of Housing has constantly worked to find housing for Musgrave Park residents, here are the facts:
- Last year, around 30 tents in Musgrave Park disappeared temporarily over Paniyiri, then reappeared weeks later.
- 4 weeks ago, tent numbers had steadily increased to almost 60, with very few people being housed or even interacting with a Department of Housing worker.
- 3 weeks ago, 15 community organisations signed onto a letter to the Housing Minister, demanding permanent housing for people sleeping rough at Musgrave Park; and Amy MacMahon MP and I circulated a public email action that over 280 people used to contact the Minister and Premier with the same demands.
- 2 weeks ago, the Department of Housing was seen at Musgrave Park every day, and tent numbers diminished.
- 1 week ago, I convened a stakeholder meeting involving Aboriginal elders, Brisbane City Council, State Government departments, and grassroots and community organisations such as Feeding4101, Anti-Poverty Network, Community Union Defence League, Northwest Community Group Inc, West End Community Association, Micah Projects, and HART4000.
- 5 days ago, the Housing Minister publicly committed to permanent housing for Musgrave Park residents.
If Labor was serious about acting on homelessness, why did the number of tents double since last year, only to vanish 1 month before a major festival after intense community pressure? Of course, I welcome the Housing Minister’s willingness to take swift action in response to community demands, and I commend the Department of Housing’s ability to act swiftly when they are encouraged to. But what is clear to me is that, in an election year, only severe public scrutiny forces this Labor state government to act.
Amy MacMahon and I are still seeking written commitments from the Housing Minister, answering details like: when and where will permanent housing be provided; how affordable is the ongoing temporary accommodation; and what steps will be taken to stop people leaving temporary accommodation and ending up on the streets again before permanent housing is found?
Zero new housing developments approved under LNP and Labor’s failed Kurilpa emergency housing plan
On Tuesday, Council met for the first time this term, and boy did this tired LNP administration show their tired ideas. I took the opportunity to ask Councillor Allan, Chairperson of the Planning Committee, to reflect on his controversial Kurilpa Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) that the Labor state government then enacted. Remember - this widely-opposed, top-down overreach suspended city and neighbourhood plans to give developers unfettered 90-storey development.
Last year in Chambers the Deputy Mayor said the Kurilpa TLPI would be - and I quote: “the first test case, creating a model that can be replicated for precinct planning across the city … unlock housing and supply pipelines in an agile and targeted way.”
In the 6 months since adopting the Plan, only 1 new development was submitted, then rejected for failing to increase housing supply, affordability or diversity. All this despite the LNP administration effectively handing out millions to developers by slashing their fees contributed to infrastructure. So I asked Councillor Allan, “Will you now admit that the Kurilpa TLPI that you facilitated and prepared,has failed the test and is a dud?”
How did he answer? He did not, instead redirecting his question to the Deputy Mayor. Despite his own Council Committee overseeing everything to do with the City Plan and development applications, the Chair of Planning told me I was asking the wrong person. If that does not prove to everyone that the TLPI is a furphy, I don’t know what will.
It is worth noting that I was the only Councillor to vote against cutting developer contributions, which I called out as leading directly to the 10% cut to Council’s budget. This week, the Local Government Association of Queensland called for increased fees for developers to keep rates down and fill budget holes. If developers can profit from building up our neighbourhoods, it is only fair that they help pay for things to keep growing communities running, like…
Fixing public transport in Kangaroo Point
Last newsletter, I touched on how Kangaroo Point has been screwed over by the LNP Council administration and the Labor State government with the loss of two vital services that have not been adequately replaced (the 27 bus and the Mowbray ferry terminal that is undergoing repairs).
Since then, I spent time chatting with residents at the Baildon Street bus stop about service changes, and I was grateful to attend the KP Neighbourhood Watch meeting, which was also attended by Council’s Transport Committee Chair. Despite vocal resident opposition to the loss of the 27 bus, he unequivocally ruled out Council funding to keep it going, laying the blame on the State Government. Meanwhile, the State Government claims that the 27 bus is no longer needed since Holman Street terminal was operating again.
It was painfully obvious that no Council or State decisionmaker had tried taking public transport in Kangaroo Point! If they had, they would have known what residents understand too well. Cross River ferries are the only service at Holman Street that reliably let more than a few people on at a time. CityHoppers are too infrequent at Dockside terminal to count on. The 234 bus route is perpetually late and infrequent and is too unreliable for consistant commute. People are forced to drive, and good luck getting anywhere on time through the congestion!
The 27 bus route filled one of several missing links in Kangaroo Point’s transport network, providing a more frequent service that could generally fit everybody who needed to take it. I have seen firsthand how impossible it is to rely on the 234 to get to work or appointments on time. And with Mowbray ferry terminal closed for upgrades until late this year, we need replacement CityCat services at one of our newly-refurbished ferry stops.
Amy MacMahon MP and I will keep fighting for public transport in Kangaroo Point, and we need your input:
Anzac Day
Yesterday was a time for deep reflection, as Amy MacMahon MP and I joined locals at Yeronga Dutton Park RSL’s ANZAC commemorative service. I thought of the lives cut so short in times of conflict, not only in the past, but the present day. A deep sorrow continues for many, as lives daily are lost due to conflicts in places like Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. I also want to thank Brisbane State High School and Dutton Park State School for their respectful ceremonies this week.
Calisthenics equipment along Riverside Drive coming this June
I am pleased to announce installation has commenced for public calisthenics fitness equipment in West End Riverside Lands Park, expected to complete mid-June. I will let you know when it is up and running 😉
Photography awards
Photographers - you could win up to $5,000 through the Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards 2024 by capturing ‘Brisbane in its best light’. Entries are open from 1 May to 7 June - learn more here.
Tree removals
Some residents have contacted me about significant tree removals in Mowbray Park as part of the Ferry Terminal upgrade. Although not part of the Gabba Ward, this is still significant vegetation, and if it was in our boundaries I certainly would have looked into this - please contact neighbouring Councillor Cunningham if you are concerned, at [email protected], and email [email protected].
A well-known Hoop Pine at 51 Ferry Road, West End, was set to be removed by Council last week as it had perished. Council will continue to work with arborists to determine the cause of the tree’s death, so that other trees can be better protected.
There will also be some significant pruning of trees along the bus lane on Melbourne Street as part of Brisbane Metro works.
See ya round the neighbourhood,
Best,
Trina