MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
The 4453 meeting of the Brisbane City Council, held at City Hall,
Brisbane on Tuesday 18 November 2014 at 2pm
Prepared by:
Council and Committee Liaison Office
Chief Executive’s Office
Office of the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive Officer
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4453 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,
ON TUESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2014
Dedicated to a better Brisbane
AT 2PM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS _____________________________________________________________ i
PRESENT: ______________________________________________________________________ 1
OPENING OF MEETING: __________________________________________________________ 1
MINUTES: _____________________________________________________________________ 1
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: __________________________________________________________ 1
QUESTION TIME: ________________________________________________________________ 6
CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS: _________________________________________ 19
ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE _________________________________________ 19
A BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL AND STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING AND RECESS CALENDAR 2015 __ 22
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ___________________________________________________________ 23
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – PORTABLE SPEED WARNING SIGNS _________________________ 32
B PETITION – BURUDA STREET - CHERMSIDE ____________________________________________ 33
C PETITION – TRAFFIC AND PARKING MANAGEMENT FOR PARKSIDE CIRCUIT, HAMILTON ________ 35
PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE ______________________________________________ 36
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – G20 CITY CAT __________________________________________ 36
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE ___________________ 37
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CITY PLANNING IN KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – THE 6TH
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WORLD CLASS SUSTAINABLE CITIES _____________________ 38
ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE ____________________________________ 39
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CITYSMART PTY LTD GREEN HEART FAIR _____________________ 44
B PETITION – REQUESTING THE INSTALLATION OF SIGNAGE INDICATING THE PENALTIES FOR HAVING
YOUR DOG OFF A LEASH OUTSIDE DOG OFF-LEASH PARKS WITHIN THE ST LUCIA AREA ________ 44
C PETITION – REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY IN KURILPA POINT PARK, SOUTH
BRISBANE _______________________________________________________________________ 46
FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE _____________________________________________________________ 47
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM __________ 48
BRISBANE LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE _________________________________________________________ 49
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – COMMUNITY CONNECT INITIATIVES ________________________ 51
FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE ______________________ 52
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BUSINESS AND SYSTEM EFFICIENCY MOBILE SOLUTION
DEMONSTRATION ________________________________________________________________ 54
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:____________________________________________________ 54
GENERAL BUSINESS: ____________________________________________________________ 55
QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN: ________________________________ 60
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4453 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,
ON TUESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2014
Dedicated to a better Brisbane
AT 2PM
PRESENT:
The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR (Councillor Graham QUIRK) – LNP
The Chairman of Council, Councillor Margaret de WIT (Pullenvale Ward) – LNP
LNP Councillors (and Wards)
Krista ADAMS (Wishart)
Matthew BOURKE (Jamboree)
Amanda COOPER (Bracken Ridge)
Vicki HOWARD (Central)
Steven HUANG (Macgregor)
Fiona KING (Marchant)
Geraldine KNAPP (The Gap)
Kim MARX (Karawatha)
Peter MATIC (Toowong)
Ian McKENZIE (Holland Park)
David McLACHLAN (Hamilton)
Ryan MURPHY (Doboy)
Angela OWEN-TAYLOR (Parkinson) (Deputy
Chairman of Council)
Adrian SCHRINNER (Chandler) (Deputy Mayor)
Julian SIMMONDS (Walter Taylor)
Andrew WINES (Enoggera)
Norm WYNDHAM (McDowall)
ALP Councillors (and Wards)
Milton DICK (Richlands) (The Leader of the
Opposition)
Helen ABRAHAMS (The Gabba) (Deputy Leader of
the Opposition)
Peter CUMMING (Wynnum Manly)
Kim FLESSER (Northgate)
Steve GRIFFITHS (Moorooka)
Victoria NEWTON (Deagon)
Shayne SUTTON (Morningside)
Independent Councillor (and Ward)
Nicole JOHNSTON (Tennyson)
OPENING OF MEETING:
The Chairman, Councillor Margaret de WIT, opened the meeting with prayer, and then proceeded with the
business set out in the Agenda.
MINUTES:
269/2014-15
The Minutes of the 4452 meeting of Council held on 11 November 2014, copies of which had been forwarded to
each councillor, were presented, taken as read and confirmed on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY,
seconded by Councillor Kim MARX.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
Mr Luke Skinner – Rezoning of property located at 60 Falkland Street, West Heathwood
File number: 137/220/701/189
Chairman:
I would like to call on Mr Luke Skinner to address the Chamber on the rezoning
of property located at 60 Falkland Street, West Heathwood. Orderly, please
escort Mr Skinner in.
Mr Skinner, you have five minutes; you may be seated or stand, whichever suits.
Please commence.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
-2Mr Luke Skinner:
Thank you, Madam Chair. LORD MAYOR and councillors, my name is Luke
Skinner and I come from a family of battlers. I've had many personal challenges
in my life, and have had some rewards. For instance, I'm the youngest recipient
of the Australian Bravery Medal, receiving post-nominals for acts of bravery
when I was just 15. I was also an Olympic Torch Bearer for the 2000 Olympics.
I am a husband and a father of three. I have served my country on deployment
overseas and invested in my property located at Heathwood. I also served this
city in its time of need during the recent devastating floods and received a
personal thank you letter from the then Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman.
The next letter I received from the current LORD MAYOR sterilised my land
and stole my property rights. This is my property. It was proposed to be low
density residential but changed at the last moment. It is now zoned high
ecological significance and environmentally protected. It can now only be used
as a vegetation offset. We submit that this should not be so, due to the lack of
vegetation ecological significance, yet it was rejected. Yet, similar submissions
were made by landowners in our neighbouring Sanctuary Drive, where they
have higher ecological significance, and you accepted their submissions and
amended the zoning to allow for development. Where is the consistency?
We were then told by your officers to make further submissions under City Plan
and provide supporting evidence. We did. An ecological report valued at $2,500.
It concluded that environmental protection of our property was not warranted
nor supported by any scientific evidence. I say that again: not warranted nor
supported by any scientific evidence.
It concluded that low density residential was the appropriate and consistent
classification, yet it was rejected again. At 104 Ritchie Road, at the same time, a
heavily-vegetated property that meets all the requirements to be environmentally
protected, the owners simply requested that your change their zone to allow
some development opportunity, and it was accepted, despite it being one of the
more ecologically sensitive sites. Why is my family being treated so differently?
LORD MAYOR, you stated that it was okay to plan to build houses on flood
plains because, if you did not allow people to do this, and I quote, “would mean
the denying of people's property rights”. What about my family's property
rights? There is simply no evidence to support the current environmental zoning.
It is open grass pastures. Independent reports say it is not suitable for
environmental protection. Your own studies, I obtained through RTI (Right to
Information), list our property as one of the least significant in the area, not
recommending it for either rehabilitation or conservation. Even the State
confirmed you went beyond the requirements when you changed the zoning of
our property.
The Save the Koala Foundation has labelled your decision as discriminatory.
Then there is 408 Stapleton Road, in the heart of the Karawatha corridor. It is
now some 500 metres further away from my property as tens of hectares of
prime koala habitat have been bulldozed to make way for an industrial
development. If the Flinders-Karawatha Corridor does not warrant
environmental protection, how can you justify doing this to properties owned by
families? It is like this Council is looking at an environmental negative. Your
priority is the destruction of environmentally sensitive lands to make way for
industry whilst robbing families of their property rights and forcing them to
offset your destruction.
We submitted a plan to you supported by the Ombudsman to resolve this issue
and allow part of our property be used as low density, but it was not supported
by your officers due to the current zoning and overlay constraints. Even the
Ombudsman supports our zoning. Why won't you give us a fair go as you have
others and make a minor amendment to the City Plan, to allow us some
development potential?
Our property has never met the minimum requirements to be used as a
vegetation offset, confirmed by the independent reports, your own studies, the
Ombudsman and the State. Critically, our property is a pocket isolated by major
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
-3roads and soon to be encircled by development. It offers no connectivity to other
habitat values as required by your own and State Planning Policies.
Despite numerous requests over the past two years to seek answers from
Councillors OWEN-TAYLOR, COOPER and the LORD MAYOR as to why
this decision conflicts with all the evidence, meeting requests remain
unanswered, delayed or refused by officers. The LORD MAYOR advised in
writing that our property rezoning was required for koala offsets for the State to
accept the plan. When I proved this to be false, the CEO said that the rezoning
was now for other reasons. No one has ever explained the other reasons, or what
new evidence supports this changed reasoning which is why I am forced to
appear before you here today.
Finally, the current offset requirements are no longer as stringent as they were
previously. Our property is not suitable for an offset site with developers paying
their way that are making physical offsets. Will you now make an evidencebased decision and give my family back our property rights, and meet with me
to resolve this issue?
Chairman:
Thank you, Mr Skinner. Councillor COOPER, would you care to respond?
Response by Councillor Amanda COOPER, Chairman of the Neighbourhood Planning and Development
Assessment Committee
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and I thank Mr Skinner for coming in to
Council today and talking about his site and its development potential. Just to be
clear about this particular parcel of land and the area in which it exists, the
figures for 2011 are that the existing residential population for the area are just
under 3,300 people, with project population in 2031 expected to be just under
12,000. So there certainly will be growth in the area over the next 20 years.
Your site was reviewed as part of the planning for the Lower Oxley Creek South
Neighbourhood Plan. This plan area is one of two in the local area which
Council is engaging with the community on, with Lower Oxley Creek North and
Lower Oxley Creek South forming the plan area. The plan was publicly notified
from 27 August to 8 October 2012, so there was a six-week opportunity for
people to provide feedback to the proposed scheme.
There were Talk to a Planner sessions at the Gaelic Football Club on
6 September 2012. There were about 120 people who came along, including the
local councillor, myself and planning and environmental officers. Council also
advertised in the South-West News, the Satellite newspaper, and there were
letterbox dropping done for all of the residents in the local area.
I understand that your wrote to the LORD MAYOR and you inquired as to the
extent of the consultation. This was investigated with the distributor, who
confirmed that all properties, including yours, in Falkland Street were delivered
with that information. You made a submission to the plan, and while that was
received outside of the public notification period, the officers included that in
their consideration of the planning.
So, at the start of the planning process, and prior to the draft plan undergoing its
formal notification, your property was zoned as proposed low density
residential. The draft plan went to its first State interest check with the then State
Government who at the time advised Council in March 2011 that the draft did
not comply with the State Planning Policy (SPP) 2010. Council then responded,
and your property was still in the low density residential zoning and resubmitted
to the then State Government.
The then State Government responded to Council that Council could publicly
advertise the plan, but that it did not comply with the State Planning Policy
2010. Council again wrote to the then State Government in May 2012 and asked
if the draft plan complied, with your property being returned to its original rural
zoning, and shown as being a habitat area and ecological corridor. The then
State Minister advised Council that the draft plan did now comply with the State
Planning Policy 2010.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
-4I understand that you have written to the local councillor and met with her as
well, as well as the State member. You have written to me and also to the LORD
MAYOR seeking clarification about this decision. I understand you have also
been in contact with the Department of Heritage and Environment Protection,
and that's been to seek further advice as to the requirements of the SPP 2010.
The state has advised that the neighbourhood plan is consistent with those
requirements. It was adopted on 30 August last year and was included then in
City Plan 2000 and now forms part of City Plan 2014. I understand you also
lodged a submission to the draft New City Plan requesting the zoning being
changed to reflect a low density residential outcome.
Council's response was that this area, including your site, had recently
undergone a neighbourhood planning exercise and that the change in zoning
could not be supported. I believe you have also been in contact with the CEO to
request reconsideration of your site, and I understand that you have had a
meeting with officers of recent times to review the development potential for
your site, and certainly I understand that you are considering whether or not to
lodge an application.
As you have been previously advised, this is an opportunity for you then to test
with further evidence as to whether that zoning is an appropriate zoning. Thank
you very much for coming into the Chamber today and speaking to full Council
about this matter.
Chairman:
Thank you, Mr Skinner.
Mr Stephen Walker – The Clifton Hill Precinct
File number: 137/220/701/205
Chairman:
I would now like to call on Mr Stephen Walker who will address the Chamber
on the Clifton Hill Precinct. There are some handouts that are tabled on the table
in the corner for those who may wish to collect a copy later.
You may sit or stand, whichever suits, Mr Walker. You have five minutes, so
please proceed.
Mr Stephen Walker:
Thank you. LORD MAYOR, Madam Chair and Brisbane City councillors,
thank you for the opportunity to address you in this historic Chamber today. I
speak to you as a member and representative of the community group, the
Friends of Clifton Hill. The picture on the front copy of the handout which you
don't seem to have in front of you shows just a few of the 119 houses that stand
in Clifton Hill War Services Estate, houses that were built between 1918 and
1926 for Diggers, men and women who survived the carnage of World War 1,
and came home to build their lives in this small part of Brisbane.
Chairman:
Just excuse me—just a moment, Mr Walker. I just announced the handouts were
on the table in the corner for people to collect if they wanted them, but not to
interrupt the speaker while he's speaking. Thank you. Thank you, Mr Walker.
Mr Stephen Walker:
Thank you.
Chairman:
My apologies for that.
Mr Stephen Walker:
You're welcome. At that time Clifton Hill was not special. It was ordinary.
Ordinary houses, on ordinary blocks of land, for ordinary Australians. At the
time soldier settlements were built in cities and country towns in many parts of
Australia. However, what is special about Clifton Hill is that, like the Diggers
who survived the war, the estate that was built for them has survived, intact, 100
years, through time, down to us, the current custodians.
That is what makes it special today. Every house still standing where it was
built; every block of land as it was gazetted by the Government and offered to
the returning soldiers and their family. Clifton Hill is a survivor of World War 1.
The Diggers are gone now, but the place where those who returned lived out the
remainder of their lives survives.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
-5On the second page of the handout, you see an image of the estate photographed
in 1946 from the air. You can see that, even then, 20 years after the last house
was constructed, the estate was still largely surrounded by bush and farmland.
But all of the houses that stand in Clifton Hill today had already been standing
for 20 years when that photograph was taken. Clifton Hill was already
surviving, even then.
On the next page of the handout, you will see what you see if you come to
Clifton Hill today—119-year old timber and tin Queenslanders still standing on
their original quarter-acre blocks, tree-lined streets that are just a little bit wider
than those in the surrounding suburbs, houses that are set back just a little
further from the street than similar houses in surrounding areas. It is a subtle
distinctiveness that wouldn’t even be noticed by a casual passer-by, yet it's
there. It was ordinary 100 years ago, but it's becoming special today.
On page four you see the estate again from the air, this time in 2007. If you look
closely, you will notice that the rhythm and spacing of the houses within the
estate is regular, and just a little more generous than in the surrounding
subsequent developments which took place after the Second World War. Even
then Clifton Hill was beginning its transformation from something ordinary into
something special. This is part of the historical integrity of the intact estate
today. Considered as a complete whole, Clifton Hill is a window into a past
time, a window into a past way of life.
The streets of Clifton Hill are all named for battlefields where Australians
fought, spilt their blood and died for their country. Delville Avenue, named after
Delville Woods in France is pictured on the next page of your handout as it
appeared in 1917. During the Battle of the Somme, which saw some of the
fiercest fighting of the war, a battle in which one million men died, 60,000 of
them Australians who were killed or wounded. Mametz, Longueval, Waterlot,
Heilly, Fleurs—all names familiar to Australians living during the First World
War, all names chosen in 1918 when the estate was constructed to remind the
community of the sacrifices made by ordinary men and women. Those names all
have stories to tell, stories that we, the Friends of Clifton Hill, want to bring
alive and honour again.
The Friends of Clifton Hill Community Group has many members who are also
residents of the area. But other members come from surrounding suburbs, and
some come from still further afield within the Greater Brisbane area. But all our
members share three goals, namely: 1. To ensure the ongoing physical survival
of the only remaining intact World War 1 Returned Soldier Settlement in
Brisbane and very possibly the only intact example of its kind left in Australia;
2. To showcase Clifton Hill to the world, by bringing to life the stories from the
lives of its original inhabitants, ordinary people but people who did
extraordinary things; and 3. To raise the profile of Clifton Hill so that the people
of Brisbane, the people of Australia and the visitors who come to our city know
that Brisbane has here something that has become special, something that is now
unique, and something that the community will want to come and experience for
themselves.
A number of suggestions have come from our members. We are considering
them, and will choose which we plan to begin working towards implementing.
We, the community, want to do this work. We do not want Brisbane City
Council or anyone else to do it for us. We believe that, by doing the work
ourselves, we will grow together as a community, become a strong and unified
neighbourhood with a sense of belonging, purpose and community spirit.
Suggestions received to date are shown in your handout. I won't go through
them all now.
Chairman:
Thank you, Mr Walker; your time has expired. Thank you. If you would like to
just take a set, please, Councillor COOPER, would you like to respond?
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
-6Response by Councillor Amanda COOPER, Chairman of the Neighbourhood Planning and Development
Assessment Committee
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and I thank Mr Walker very much for
coming in to the Chamber this afternoon. Just before I make any comments, I
would just like to say that, with respect to the actual matter that triggered
probably this thinking, there was actually a development application lodged with
Council which has been refused. Consequently we are in an appeals period, so
there can be no comment made in relation to that matter. I just wanted to make
that very clear.
But certainly it is very lovely to see you again, Mr Walker. We did have a
meeting last week and talked about your ideas about Clifton Hill. It is fantastic
to hear that you really are bringing that community together and people have
been very much inspired by this opportunity to showcase something that is
unique about the local area. I think you are absolutely right in saying that this is
something that is a point of difference, something that is an opportunity to
showcase if it is in fact the only remaining intact Returned Soldiers resettlement
development in Australia. That is something pretty extraordinary, and I think it
is fantastic to see that the Friends of Clifton Hill want to actively be the ones to
look at opportunities to really showcase that in future.
So there are a number of ideas that you are mulling over currently. I think it was
a great opportunity for us to have a bit of a discussion about how Council may
be able to provide some assistance with that. I particularly liked how you
commented that each of the residents have actually done research on the Digger
that had inhabited that home, so they've become their own personal sort of
historic expert upon that particular individual. So I think that is something
incredibly personal and incredibly different from what we see in other parts of
our city.
It really did I think very much fall in with your view of the pride that local
residents have in the particular precinct, and certainly that strong connection
with returned World War I soldiers. I think my office has sent you some
information on the process of potentially looking at heritage listing the precinct.
We did talk about the Brisbane Open House, and it might be an opportunity
again for the estate to become part of a feature of that particular scheme,
something that Brisbane City Council obviously is incredibly supportive of. We
think that that interest, not just in the city centre but in the suburbs, might be
something that would be a good opportunity again to showcase what Clifton Hill
Estate has to offer.
We also talked about how you might be able to work with the RSL (Returned
and Services League) and coordinating with local schools to really highlight that
connection with our returned soldiers. I think we have sent that information
through to you already; great, that's fantastic. I really do appreciate the ideas that
you have got coming forward because I think our city, while it is a relatively
young city, is very rich in history. Every opportunity that we have to showcase
that and the different parts of our suburbs and the experiences that they had
really do enrich us all as a community.
So thank you very much for your efforts. We really appreciate it. We look
forward to seeing what comes from the community group. If we can be of any
assistance, please do not hesitate to be in contact. Thank you for coming in this
afternoon.
Mr Stephen Walker:
Thank you.
Chairman:
Thank you, Mr Walker.
QUESTION TIME:
Chairman:
Councillors, are there any questions of the LORD MAYOR or a Chairman of
any of the Standing Committees? Councillor MURPHY.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
-7Question 1
Councillor MURPHY:
Thanks very much, Madam Chairman; my question is to the LORD MAYOR.
Last week our city was capital of the world, with international media attention
focused on Brisbane. Now that we have bid farewell to the international
delegations, can you please detail what we can expect next post-G20?
LORD MAYOR:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and I thank Councillor MURPHY for
his question. The G20 is now over, but the key thing now is to make sure that
we capitalise on the gains that we have made in relation to this major event. If I
can cast the Chamber's mind back to a year ago, or a bit over a year ago, in fact,
we set in place a program of opportunities, and we used Brisbane Marketing for
this purpose, to put together seven initiatives to make sure that Brisbane
maximised its opportunities out of this G20 event.
Those seven events were these: firstly, it was the Global Café that was staged
successfully last week. We embarked on a Choose Brisbane campaign. It was
launched in Hong Kong, and it was about encouraging people to invest in our
city. It has instigated the Choose Brisbane G20 website, another of those
initiatives.
There was a social media program that was established, a global media connect.
There was a civic pride campaign established, which in its terminology became
Team Brisbane. Then there was the way finding exercises which saw signage in
our city, and parts of our city made in a bilingual form which provided another
welcoming mat to visitors to our city.
So, we have I think out of this experience over the last week, both Global Café
and the G20, had the opportunity to establish many great contacts. We have
come out of these events with a reputation very much not just intact but grown
in status in terms of our capacity to stage events of these types, to be
professional in the way in which they were handled. We now have to make sure
that we again capitalise on those events.
There are a number of ways we can do that. I do forecast today and announce
today that we will be bringing together a meeting of minds around how we can
capitalise on that. It is not just a case of us thinking of a few ideas on the run. I
think we need to have a broad group of people together to make sure that we
capitalise on what things we can do, what are the things that we can do in this
city to make sure that we maximise those opportunities.
But clearly we have established some relationships. Bloomberg and BBC were
both part of the Global Café. We had engagement with Monocle in the lead-up
to the G20. There were a whole host of international media that we partnered
with during the G20—not so much as partners but more engagements, I
suppose, would be a better word—where we were able to get exposure for this
city. Those relationships that have been established through these events will
provide the launching pad for future free editorial, for making sure that we can
continue to sell the Brisbane message.
There is only one reason we want to do that, Madam Chairman, and that is to
provide the opportunities in this city for business to grow and for jobs to grow as
a result of that. I appreciate that there have been some small businesses in our
city that have had a pretty tough go of it over the last week, around South
Brisbane, around the G20 site itself, around the CBD. But there have also been a
lot of businesses that have benefited significantly from this event, the major
companies that were involved—major and minor that were involved in the
preparation and conducting of the G20 itself.
Out of this, we know that we now go straight into launching other events which
can provide further stimulus of that name ‘Brisbane, Australia's New World
City’, on the international stage. They are, of course, starting with the Brisbane
Asia-Pacific Film Festival. That will be running from 29 November to 14
December. We want to use APSA, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, to again
make sure we get our name out there.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
-8The Brisbane International will be running from 4 to 8 January, and again we
will have names like the Roger Federers, the Maria Sharapovas and the
emerging stars like Kei Nishikori, the Japanese tennis player who I think is
ranked number five now, but emerging very rapidly in world tennis, and of
course we will have the Lleyton Hewitts and the Sam Stosurs and many others
with that name, Brisbane, stamped on those courts at Tennyson going out across
the globe. These are the ways in which we can get our name continuingly out
there.
Chairman:
Thank you, LORD MAYOR; Councillor DICK.
Question 2
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. Given
your recent announcement where we will see a Council-owned communityleased facility in parkland at East Brisbane be redeveloped for high-rise unit
development, will you today provide a list of any other Council land in your
firing line for commercialisation?
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, the issue with the land at Mowbray Park is this: there are
facilities there which are going to be upgraded, and that is the first point I would
make. Facilities by way of the croquet club; they will have some great facilities
ongoing. There is also the opportunity for the creation of additional car parks.
As we know, we have a terminal at that location, and there will be the
opportunity for more facilities in regard to those car parking opportunities.
In addition to that, some of that land which is down closest to the river can be
re-established as open parkland.
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Whilst—and I thank the councillor for her interjections—but there will be
improved facilities that will come about as a result thereof.
As councillors would have seen in relation to the Wynnum redevelopment, there
were opportunities that emerged out of that school that was purchased on that
site—a library as one example. This project will be funded—and the one at East
Brisbane will be funded by way of the construction of residential development
of 235 units on the site. But the croquet club as I say will be the big benefactor.
They will have ongoing top-line facilities now which will ensure the success of
that club in a great location for many, many years to come.
There is also the refurbishment of the existing sports clubhouse building. That
will be another community outcome in relation to this and provide for an
outdoor extension area to utilise the additional open space. Additionally, the
disused lawn bowls greens will accommodate the three croquet rinks.
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS!
LORD MAYOR:
The new croquet rinks will be made of real turf, and they will be supported by
sustainable irrigation systems.
Councillor DICK:
Point of order, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Yes, point of order against you, LORD MAYOR; yes, Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
My question wasn't to detail the proposed development; it was about any new
proposals being put forward, and can the LORD MAYOR table that list today
for other sites? He is going into a lot of detail; my question wasn’t about that. I
just ask that you bring the LORD MAYOR back to the question.
Chairman:
Thank you—
LORD MAYOR:
Well, that answer is nil, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor McKENZIE.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
-9Question 3
Councillor McKENZIE:
Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to the Chairman of the
Infrastructure Committee, Councillor SCHRINNER. I understand the
Congestion Reduction Unit and, in particular, the Brisbane Metropolitan
Transport Management Centre (BMTMC) played a crucial role in facilitating
our city's management of the G20 event. Could you please provide the Chamber
with some examples of how the BMTMC played such a crucial role in ensuring
the success of this major international event for Brisbane?
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Thank you, Councillor McKENZIE for the question. Certainly traffic
management was definitely one of the big challenges on the long weekend for
G20 and particularly the lead-up to that event. It was one that I must admit I
approached with some fear and trepidation, given the huge challenge that we
had to accommodate up to 500 motorcade movements on the road network. The
largest motorcade was up to 30 vehicles large, and that was the United States
motorcade, including The Beast that we all know. The smallest motorcade was
just two vehicles, but there were motorcades everywhere in between that size.
Leaders and their delegations were arriving at all different times, and the
coordination effort for these traffic movements was just monumental. The
BMTMC, Council staff and State staff were working with Federal Government
agencies for the past two years on this plan. This is not something that can just
be planned overnight; this was two years in the making. There were various
exercises conducted in the lead-up to the event to make sure that we were ready.
We knew what particular circumstances may arise in accommodating all of this
traffic. As a result, the BMTMC identified 20 priority routes across the city
where motorcade travel would occur and official delegations would be
travelling.
Traffic modelling was done to determine what impact might occur on the road
network. We had traffic signal intervention occurring over the weekend as well,
essentially manipulation of the traffic signal timing to try and facilitate a better
outcome for these traffic movements. So it was an absolutely massive task
indeed. There were 40 different sites that were inspected across the city,
visually, as part of this exercise. In the BMTMC itself, which as all councillors
would be aware is in Brisbane Square, we hosted over 250 different
representatives from 10 different road authorities all around the world. So it was
a triumph for Brisbane. It was a triumph for the BMTMC to be able to manage
an event of this scale and the traffic impacts that come with it.
I want to particularly thank those staff in the BMTMC, and I also want to thank
the police and SES (State Emergency Services) workers who were out in the
street in some of the hottest days we've seen in recent times. They just did a
fantastic job. I was out and about on the weekend a little bit, and the public
response to, I guess, the disruption that has been caused was just great. I think
there was very good communication in the lead-up to it, both from the state, the
Federal Government and Council, and also media outlets, about the changes that
would occur, and considering what had to be accommodated, I think we had a
great outcome for our city.
This is an event that could have gone badly wrong. Let's face it, it was, and it
was a credit to the staff of the BMTMC that they managed to plan this well,
working with other agencies, and I commend them for their efforts.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor DICK.
Question 4
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. Your CBIC
(City of Brisbane Investment Corporation) developers company is proposing
development applications over Council land that you've just confirmed without
any prior information disclosed to ratepayers or any debate in this Council
Chamber. Why aren't you bringing proposals for CBIC to develop Council land
to this Council Chamber prior to giving them a green light to lodge an
application over ratepayer land?
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 10 LORD MAYOR:
Well, Madam Chairman, we know that the Labour Opposition despises the City
of Brisbane Investment Corporation which is a future fund for the ratepayers of
this city.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
That's the starting point.
Chairman:
Councillor SUTTON!
LORD MAYOR:
The CBIC are provided and have been in the past on several occasions provided
with Council land where an opportunity arises for the development of that land
in the interests of the ratepayers of this city. It provides a financial return to the
ratepayers of this city by way of that future fund. So, again, I started talking
about Wynnum a little earlier, where this Council had purchased land at that
particular site at Wynnum, and then it is being used—we could have just gone
ahead and built a whole lot of units down there at that particular site. We could
have probably done that.
But what is occurring on that site is that there is not only a financial return to the
city, but importantly, there is a major new library facility, 2,000 square metres,
that the people of that area will have as an outcome from that particular
investment. So it is returning a financial outcome for ratepayers of this city, but
it is also returning a social dividend by way of an improved opportunity and
facility with that library down there. The old one, of course, was 650 square
metres; the new one, 2,000 square metres.
So this particular site also at East Brisbane will provide a return, a dividend, by
way of again, those additional car parks that will help facilitate more
opportunities for people to get there with the park ‘n’ ride, and the park facilities
that exist down there. We are intending to remove some of the car parks that are
actually in the parkland area and bring it back up into this development. That
will mean, of course, that there would be more open-space land available down
there as parkland near the river.
But this development also, as I said earlier, will provide for an upgrade of
facilities which will set up the croquet club for a long time to come with those
three opportunities. That is where we are. This is sport and rec (recreation) land
at this location, up the top, but it does provide for the return of the sports
facilities that are there, and improvements overall in terms of this site.
Councillor DICK:
Point of order, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Point of order against you, LORD MAYOR; yes, Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Just on my original point of order before, my question was very specific, and I'd
just get you to get the LORD MAYOR to come back to about the proposals that
I asked about.
Chairman:
Yes. LORD MAYOR, to the question, please.
LORD MAYOR:
Yes, thanks, Madam Chairman. I have probably covered the question that
Councillor DICK was asking. Thank you.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.
Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
Question 5
Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: My question this afternoon is to the Chairman of Finance, Economic
Development and Administration Committee, Councillor SIMMONDS. Last
week, City Hall hosted the first ever G20 Global Café. Can you please update
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 11 this Chamber on why this international thought-leadership event was so
successful?
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and thank you to Councillor OWENTAYLOR for the question. Certainly we are very pleased to report back to the
Chamber that the Global Café was an overwhelming success. When Brisbane
was awarded the G20 several years ago, Council and Brisbane Marketing set out
to both leverage the G20 itself and also to create a program of activities that
would take advantage of Brisbane's status as the G20 host.
We know we did this in a climate where there was opposition. There was
opposition from those opposite who didn't support the funding being made
available for those purposes, but we see in the very successful Global Café event
that was held last week just what can be achieved by leveraging such an
important global event.
Of course, it wasn't Global Café alone; that was the big event as we led into the
G20, but in the lead-up, we know that we had the very successful Choose
Brisbane campaign operating. This included some 3,000 outdoor billboards
appearing in major centres like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Nagano, Osaka,
Singapore and European cities like London, Paris and in Spain, as well as online
and in print, reaching, specifically targeting the business and investment
decision makers that we want to attract here to Brisbane.
Indeed, if you add those capitals together, you get about 165 million people
across the globe who were exposed to that particular campaign that Council put
together. Then, of course, that all led last week into the Global Café held right
here in our beautiful City Hall. We had five themes to put Brisbane at the
forefront of the global conversation on things like Powering Future Economies,
Cities of the Future, Improving Human Life, Tourism's New Frontiers, and The
Digital Age of Entrepreneurship.
I am pleased to report to the Chamber that, throughout the two days of the
Brisbane Global Café, we had more than 2,000 people through the doors who
engaged with those some 75 international speakers, and then on top of that,
thousands more watching it online. The discussions and presentations that we've
captured as part of this important event are now up on the Brisbane Marketing
website. They are an ongoing resource there for Brisbane's SMEs (small and
medium-sized enterprises) and Brisbane individuals who want to go back and
review some of those conversations.
The Global Café social media hash tag, just to demonstrate how the Global Café
program put us at the forefront of the conversation, the Global Café social media
hash tag was the number one hash tag in Australia during the event. This
represented a reach of more than one million people. During the Global Café
itself, the number of sessions on the Choose Brisbane website grew from the
normal 400 to 500 per day to nearly 5,000 on day one and more than 3,400 on
day two, as people streamed the events live off the Choose Brisbane website.
We of course, as I said, we had 113 media representatives, including 15
international news agencies represented and 14 interstate news agencies
represented. These included our media partners Bloomberg and BBC, with
Bloomberg in particular recording programs live for the Asia region right here
in City Hall across the two days.
Radio 4BC also broadcast from the event like in King George Square to activate
that area along with the festivities that occurred there. The Global Café
Chairmen of the different streams held a media conference at the main G20
International Media Centre, attracting over 40 media organisations.
The Global Café speech by the Tencent President was an example of just one
speech that occurred during the two days of the Global Café. It was used on the
Tencent home page for a Chinese social media site, Weibo, which has more than
two million followers in and of itself. But of course, don't take my word on the
success of the event; let's look at what others had to say about the Global Café
and, of course, in the sound knowledge that Matt (Matthew Killoran) is taking a
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 12 day off today, I can say that, when it comes to big events in this city, I go
straight to the Brisbane Times and find out what it is that they have to say.
In their summary comments of the Global Café on 15 November, they said this:
prior to the G20, Brisbane marketing brought in more than 75 internationally
renowned speakers, many of whom just told you how damn good you are. They
saw your city, what you quietly already know, the weather, the intellect, the
liveable environment; more importantly, the cynics have been silenced.
Unfortunately this particular author didn't have to put up with the constant
interjections from Councillor ABRAHAMS, but in this case, the cynics have
been silenced, the doubters floored, and the rest of the world sits in awe of
everything that you take for granted.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor SIMMONDS:
And just for the record, to prove my point, Councillor ABRAHAMS is just
interjecting for the sake of it.
It is easy to—this is still their quote—it is easy to pick holes criticise—
Chairman:
Councillor SIMMONDS, I am afraid your time has expired.
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Thank you. Councillor DICK.
Question 6
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is again to the LORD MAYOR. Given
you've now committed to keeping deals between CBIC and Council a secret,
will you at least agree to external independent, third party development
application assessments to ensure residents have confidence in the outcomes?
Chairman:
Well, Madam Chairman, as Councillor DICK knows, this application is an
impact-assessable application. I know, of course, that the Federal member, Terri
Butler, together with Jackie Trad and Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS are
having a public meeting in relation to the event—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
—to this particular proposal. Is that right? I think it's a public meeting. Yes, it is,
on Sunday 23rd.
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS!
LORD MAYOR:
So, Madam Chairman—
Chairman:
Yes, point of order against you, LORD MAYOR. Yes, Councillor FLESSER.
Councillor FLESSER:
I don't know what the LORD MAYOR is talking about. Councillor DICK didn’t
ask about any specific development applications, so maybe the LORD MAYOR
could get back to the question.
Chairman:
Councillor FLESSER, the comments that the LORD MAYOR is making in
terms of the application process, which is very public, are certainly most
relevant to answering the question that Councillor DICK has asked.
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, the question—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order! Councillor JOHNSTON!
LORD MAYOR:
The question was predicated on: given that the LORD MAYOR is going to be
secret of something, something, something, which was a direct reference to the
previous question and the previous answer.
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
It wasn't. Well, Madam Chairman, I am not going to answer it, because I can't
guess what the hell he is asking me.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 13 Councillor DICK:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Yes, Councillor DICK, point of order.
Councillor DICK:
For the record, my question was very clear—
Chairman:
No, I don't need—
Councillor DICK:
—and specific, and the LORD MAYOR is refusing to answer it.
Chairman:
Resume your seat. Perhaps for the record, what I heard was the LORD MAYOR
said it was an impact-assessable application. Now, to the best of my 17 years of
knowledge, that means it has a public notification sign on the site and people
can lodge submissions. Councillor WYNDHAM.
Councillor WYNDHAM:
Thank you—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
Question 7
Councillor WYNDHAM:
Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to Councillor McLACHLAN. Can
you please update this Chamber on how the various works teams within Field
Services Group, such as Urban Amenities, Asset Services, as well as Waste and
Resource Recovery Services, ensured our city was back to normal so quickly
and so efficiently following the international success of Brisbane's G20?
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and thanks, Councillor WYNDHAM
for the question. Messages were posted yesterday by both the LORD MAYOR
and the CEO to thank Council staff for their hard work and dedication to service
in the lead-up to the G20 summit, during the event and the aftermath. I would
like to echo that heartfelt thanks and to provide the Chamber with some of the
details of the activities that Field Services staff in particular had contributed to
the success of the event, and which have been instrumental in returning our city
so quickly to normal business as usual operations.
As residents returned to work on Monday morning, the overwhelming
observation was about how quickly the summit paraphernalia had been
dismantled and how clean the city looked. This is in no small part due to the
prior planning of our staff in Asset Services, Urban Amenities and our staff and
their private sector colleagues in Waste and Resource Recovery Services.
The ongoing delivery of all services was carefully monitored throughout the
event, and any issues arising were quickly dealt with. What that meant was that,
come Monday morning, in terms of litter on the ground and the emptying of
bins, despite the kilometres of barricades and the sometimes over-enthusiastic
security details during the event, there was no real requirement to do a rush of
our clean up prior to the Monday morning peak. As I said last week, it was in
the interests of all of us to showcase Brisbane to the G20 leaders, their support
teams and the visiting media as the clean and green city we know and love. That
was delivered.
But to that, I would add efficiency and capability as key elements of the things
those visitors have learnt about Brisbane. Brisbane has set a very high
benchmark indeed for the safe, efficient and friendly delivery of an event like
the G20. Without a doubt, one of the keys to that outcome is the attention to
detail for which our Field Services personnel had and have had responsibility.
I mentioned last week the importance of the aesthetics of our city as well as the
nuts and bolts of logistics required to prepare for such a monumental event. FSG
staff were rostered on 24 hours a day last week and throughout the weekend,
with standby staff in the CBD and regions ready to respond to requests as they
arose. They were working to plans that had anticipated the issues that were
likely to arise.
There was very little left to chance, and not much that hadn’t been foreseen.
Maybe the one exception to this was the need to return to the age old practice of
sweeping up after the police horses, and wasn't it great to see them back in the
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 14 city, stationed throughout the city. But cleaning up after them, before the
motorcades whizzed through, was one activity for which a broom, a bucket and
spade were entirely appropriate, Councillor SUTTON.
While I hadn’t seen cleaning up horse poo specifically on the action plan prior
to the event, once the need was demonstrated, action did indeed occur very
swiftly. Other activities that contributed to the success of the event—there were
more than 1,200 street signs that were modified to allow streets to become
special event clearways across the city, to allow the passage of Councillor
SCHRINNER's 500 motorcade movements.
These signs were in the surrounds of the sole-use hotels and motorcade routes,
and helped facilitate traffic management plans in place to ensure the safe and
efficient travel of delegates across our city. That did include accommodating
some relatively late in the day requirements for signage changes on the
motorcade route to UQ (University of Queensland) to facilitate President
Obama's landmark Brisbane speech. This signage also assisted in providing the
required security for the event, and Field Services Group worked closely with
Queensland Police Service (QPS) in this space to ensure all of the necessary
security measures were taken.
All business as usual signage throughout the city has now been reinstated within
48 hours from the conclusion of the event. We are also in the process of
reinstating waste bins that were temporarily removed in the CBD and South
Brisbane from around the sole-use hotels and Convention Centre. While bins
were removed and barricades installed in the days leading up to the G20 event,
the staff of the Waste and Resource Recovery Team had already undertaken
detailed planning to ensure minimal disruption to our normal high standards of
service.
They worked to coordinate waste collection from inside the restricted sites and
from street bins that weren't removed, and also had staff on hand to assist QPS
in managing rubbish generated by protestors. This took extensive coordination
between Council and independent waste service providers, and other event
delivery partners, to ensure that collections were able to be completed with no
reduction in service to the residents of our city. I would like to commend all our
staff involved for their contribution to such a successful event.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor DICK.
Question 8
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is again to the LORD MAYOR. Are
you giving the green light to the State Government's Planning and Development
Bill which allows anyone to apply for a development application over any land,
even without the owner's consent, to make it even easier for your CBIC
developers to redevelop Council land without proper scrutiny by this Council
and our ratepayers?
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, that is plainly ridiculous. Of course, there is always and
always has been, since the instigation of the Integrated Planning Act in the
1990s the capacity for anybody to lodge an application over any land of any sort
in terms of any application over any parcel of land, regardless of what area
classification that land may have on it.
In regards to that, of course, there has been an owner's consent that has been
required. But for Councillor DICK to somehow link the CBIC in relation to any
parcel of land in terms of applications, that is plainly ridiculous, and that is
really grasping at straws.
The CBIC, if I can again explain, are a body who are an entity of Council; they
report to Council. Only just in these last few weeks I have tabled the Annual
Report of the CBIC. The point being that that CBIC has been returning
dividends to the ratepayers of this city, through the budget process, but
importantly, on top of those dividends, returns, through the budget process, they
have been increasing the asset base of that entity. This is a savings account for
this city. It is the future fund of this city.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 15 For some reason, and I have never quite really worked it out, the Labor Party
just hate savings accounts. It is a ‘have money must spend it’ approach. It is a
‘have money must spend it’—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
They criticise us for borrowing—
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
They criticise us for borrowing on one hand, for major infrastructure that has a
100-year life for the asset of this city, but on the other hand they criticise you for
establishing a savings account, which is what a future fund is. It is the rainy day
fund for this city.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order! Councillor SUTTON!
LORD MAYOR:
I don't know what they're interjecting, and I don't much care, because—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Well, it's not. It is just that, if there's a sense of frustration, it is because of this,
Councillor ABRAHAMS. It is the fact that we have a future fund for this city—
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
—which is opposed absolutely by the Opposition. I don't understand that. It is,
to me, good practice; good practice to have a rainy day—
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor FLESSER!
LORD MAYOR:
—account for the ratepayers. Every development undertaken by the City of
Brisbane Investment Corporation is to the direct benefit of the ratepayers of this
city. All—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
—all of the returns come back to the ratepayers of this city. They either are in
the form of—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
—the asset base—and I remind the Opposition that that asset base has grown
enormously in the five or six years—
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor SUTTON!
LORD MAYOR:
—that entity has operated. I remind the Opposition that there is a dividend
which is returning to this city. That dividend will grow in years to come. This
year, as I recall it, it was a $15 million dividend to the—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
No?
A Councillor:
He knows better.
LORD MAYOR:
There you go—10? Okay. That was 2013-14. In 2013-14 it was $10 million in
terms of the return from that City of Brisbane Investment Corporation. Again,
look, the question is a long bow, to suggest that somehow—
Councillor interjecting:
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 16 Chairman:
Councillor FLESSER!
LORD MAYOR:
—State legislation is being looked at in terms of potential change with a view to
it being for the benefit of the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation is plainly
ridiculous, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Councillor WINES.
Question 9
Councillor WINES:
Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to the Chairman of the Brisbane
Lifestyle Committee, Councillor ADAMS. Last weekend Brisbane welcomed
the world and its leaders to experience Australia's New World City. Can you
please detail the active role that the Compliance and Regulatory Services
(CaRS) section of Council took to ensure that this event was managed so
professionally and effectively.
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Councillor WINES for the question.
Yes, we have been speaking G20 this afternoon, and I think we'd be right in
saying that it was a success for Brisbane, but also showed our ability to host
major international events. I did hear on the radio the other day that Brisbane is
now the benchmark for future G20s, so a bit of pressure on the next host.
I would like to echo the LORD MAYOR and the other Chairs' responses about
G20 today, that the preparation has spanned for more than two years, and it's
been a big job, and it's been a big job from every part of Council. A couple of
parts of my portfolio have been very busy with G20, but in particular the
Compliance and Regulatory Services Branch. They did some impressive work
over the last probably two to three weeks culminating in a very hot weekend of a
very expanded RRG (Rapid Response Group) on the ground for those three
days.
CaRS actually started planning two years ago when we were first notified about
being confirmed as a host. So they did some initial assessments around the
impacts of G20, how it would impact the city overall, and how it would impact
their business as usual beyond the G20 imperative for that weekend as well. One
of the earliest things that CaRS did was actually get in contact with Disaster
Management in Toronto and start talking to them about briefings, about their
experiences, presentations, and them getting information, getting their successes
and their learnings about the regulatory responses that they had during their
hosting time.
From the outset CaRS was in on the Steering Committee for G20, and a lot of
side table meetings as well, obviously, to make sure that we helped shape the
whole of Council response. Council also liaised directly with the police,
obviously, through the planning, and made sure that we were covering critical
areas around Musgrave Park, through parking enforcement in declared areas,
making sure we had a coordinated and a consistent response. We were also
dealing with community expectations outside the declared area as well.
We had over 90 officers from CaRS that actually went into the RRG over the
period of 8 to 17 November. So that was a much larger number for our RRG.
They attended over 853 jobs during that period, about 43 of those G20 related;
over 40 marches and protests, some of them working with the QPS, and making
sure that their field responses from the QPS were fed directly back to the control
centre for resolution as well.
They worked very closely, and are still working closely with the Indigenous
Elders in Musgrave Park, and on top of everything else, they got 100 per cent
compliance for their KPIs across all the types and natures of jobs that they dealt
with over the last two weeks.
I have to say that they have facilitated significant responses elsewhere in
Council through intel (intelligence) gathering, the graffiti cleaning that
Councillor McLACHLAN was talking about, fly poster removal. They worked
very close with Asset Services in getting that information and get the city
looking spick and span over the weekend.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 17 Another one that they had to deal with on the weekend was an environmental
health response following late notification about gastro within the police
contingent over the weekend. There wasn't any concern with any food-borne
illnesses. It was just a virus that is very contagious and spread quickly, but our
Healthies were there on the ground and making sure that everything was spick
and span when it came to the food and the delivery of the food to so many
people over the weekend, and making sure that we were checking those onsite
investigations and that everything was actually being done in the food
preparation area to our levels of Eat Safe right across Brisbane as well.
Can I also take this opportunity, Madam Chair, to say thank you to our SES—it
was mentioned before by the DEPUTY MAYOR—our SES officers; there were
over 350 of them on the ground and they were involved. Their operation was
called Operation Southern Cross, and they did an amazing job. They would be
back at work this week after standing three days on the barricades in nearly 40
degree heat. We have to say thank you to them very, very much. It was just by
sheer luck that they didn't have to deal with any other SES calls on the weekend,
which we were very fortunate of with such temperatures.
But thank you to them, and also to our Call Centre staff. We had over 30 staff on
standby all weekend in case they needed to deal with it. They had prepared for
months before as well to make sure that they were ready to come to the fore and
stand up if they were needed. But as it turned out, we had great coverage over
the long weekend. The operations managers, the team leaders and the assistants
did an absolutely fantastic job. So can I say thank you to all of the team in the
Brisbane Lifestyle portfolio, but also congratulations to the team on such a well
organised and logistical event.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor FLESSER.
Question 10
Councillor FLESSER:
Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. You have
released details about the redevelopment of the Chermside Library. Will this be
paid for by another deal between you and your CBIC developers, and if so, in
the interests of open and accountable government, will you please advise if you
are giving land to CBIC, and if so, which land are you giving?
LORD MAYOR:
Well, Madam Chairman, I am very happy to give Councillor FLESSER a little
briefing in relation to that. At this stage I can't off the top of my head advise
what actual parts of land. I would need to have a map anyway to show you what
is envisaged there. But again there will be social benefits out of the proposed
aspects of that area. I think we are a bit of a way off that point in time. I will
certainly keep you in the loop and—
Councillor FLESSER:
Point of order, Madam Chair. Maybe if the LORD MAYOR could take it on—
Chairman:
Wait until you are called, Councillor FLESSER. Yes.
Councillor FLESSER:
Sorry. Maybe if the LORD MAYOR could take on notice what parcels of land
he is talking about?
LORD MAYOR:
Yes, sure. As I say, I am certainly happy to do that, and may even be able to
give it to you prior to next week. But the worst case scenario, I am happy to take
that on notice.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor KING.
Question 11
Councillor KING:
Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the Chairman of Environment,
Parks and Sustainability Committee, Councillor BOURKE. I understand that
during G20 Council unveiled a statue of Gandhi in Roma Street Parklands. Can
you please explain the importance of this to the Indian community?
Councillor BOURKE:
Thanks very much, Madam Chairman, and I would like to thank Councillor
KING particularly for that question. It is true that over the weekend, during the
course of the G20 festivities, I will say, in the city, we did unveil a statue for
Mahatma Gandhi up in Roma Street Parklands. Why did we do this? Because
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 18 the Indian community has, for quite a while, been seeking a location in the city
to install a statue, not as a tribute to Gandhi himself but all of the hope, the
peace and the messages that he espoused in his teachings in his work in India,
and also to carry forward those messages into the Brisbane community.
Of course, Brisbane has a very large Indian community, and there were a
number of those people in attendance on the weekend. Inside the actual
unveiling function, there were probably about 100 people. Outside the fences,
there were probably another 100, 200, 300 people. It has been, as I said, a
mission for the Indian community for quite some time. Hemant Nayak, who is
the Chairman or the organiser of the Gandhi Statue Committee for the Indian
community, was given his mission to install a statue or a tribute to Gandhi in
Brisbane 15 years ago. He recalled the story of a meeting with a gentleman who
is now the Prime Minister of India, and it was a great honour to have the Prime
Minister of India with us on Sunday afternoon as well.
It was a casual meeting where Hemant was talking with Mr Modi at the time,
and Mr Modi told Hemant, why don't you have a statue to Gandhi? Why does
your community in Brisbane not have a tribute, a monument there to bring the
message of peace and the message of hope to the people of Brisbane that Gandhi
espoused? So Hemant set about with the Indian community this 15-year mission
that we saw finalised on Sunday afternoon with the LORD MAYOR and the
Governor of Queensland. In what is only a fitting tribute, I guess, as well, the
Prime Minister of India as well.
Of course, it has been a lot of work to get the statue installed. The Indian
community were very quick once we found a location up in Roma Street
Parklands. For those who want to go and visit the statue—and I encourage you
all to do that—it is at gate five, which is on the corner of Wickham Terrace, at
the very top of Roma Street Parklands. It is probably in what is best known as
the old section of Albert Park before Albert Park and Roma Street Parklands
were merged into one.
It stands there overlooking the amphitheatre, looking back through the trees to
Mt Coot-tha, quite a commanding position. Of course, many in this Chamber
would know that the Indian community hold a lot of their festivals and fairs in
that section of Roma Street Parklands, so it is tied very closely with an area that
is already used by the Indian community.
There are a number of inscriptions around the base of the statue .Two quotes
from Gandhi himself and then one from Albert Einstein, and I just wanted to
read them into the record, because they themselves obviously have quite
significant meaning and quite significant effect, I think, for those who are
standing there and taking in the statue and the surroundings. The first one is
from Gandhi, and it says: “The weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the
attribute of the strong”. We can all reflect on that one in the Chamber this
afternoon.
We can also, more importantly, reflect on the one that faces out to the front of
the statue, which is: “Be the change that you want to see in the world”. The last
quote on the statue is from Albert Einstein, and it says: “Generations to come, it
may well be said, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh
and blood walked upon this earth”. So it was, as I said, a great honour and a
great privilege to be there on Sunday afternoon with the LORD MAYOR, the
Governor and the Prime Minister of India for that particular unveiling.
In closing, Madam Chairman, one interesting point to note about this statue, the
actual bronze statue itself, we were a little bit unsure whether or not we would
get the one that was made in Melbourne in time for the unveiling on Sunday
afternoon, so the statue that we have came from India, and it was flown out
specially for the function on Sunday. It will stay with us.
The second statue, which came from Melbourne—it arrived in time—the Indian
community will use in another location. It has been a fabulous body of work by
the staff at Roma Street Parklands and the Indian community to pull it off and to
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 19 have this statue in place. It was a fitting tribute, I think, on Sunday afternoon,
and congratulations to everyone who has been involved.
Chairman:
That ends Question Time.
CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS:
ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE
The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR (Councillor Graham QUIRK), Chairman of the Establishment and
Coordination Committee, moved, seconded by the DEPUTY MAYOR (Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER), that
the report of the meeting of that Committee held on 10 November 2014, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
LORD MAYOR:
Yes, thanks very much, Madam Chairman. I want today to just commence by
thanking the so many who have been involved in the successful outcome of the
G20 itself. Obviously, an event which involved a massive amount of logistics,
and I thank firstly the Council staff. A lot of them were engaged in the event.
There were shifts running around the clock. I know the CEO himself had a
couple of nights on the floor in here where he stayed around the clock to make
sure of the smooth operations from a Council perspective of the facilities, the
back of house operations, around everything from traffic right through. So I
thank all of those Council officers for their involvement.
I wanted to particularly thank the volunteers, whether they were people who had
put their names forward through volunteering Queensland, Brisbane Greeters—
those people who were the Brisbane Welcomes the World frontline, if you like.
They were the people out there making sure that the delegates and, indeed, the
international journalists were well looked after, well catered for, that they
responded to their needs and again, our gratitude for all of their efforts. We trust
that it is something that they will dine out on for many years to come, the
interface that they had with this event, the G20.
I want to particularly thank the Police Commissioner, Ian Stewart, and Katarina
Carroll who I think has emerged as one of the shining stars out of the G20 event.
A lot of attention to detail went into this from a point of view of security. There
was an ongoing negotiation around National security, State security versus
operations of the city. In the end, there had to be, by its very nature, compromise
throughout to make sure that each of the entities' needs were met, but Katarina
Carroll did an outstanding job. To Commissioner Ian Stewart, and through him
to all of the police in Queensland, to those forces who came from all other states
of Australia and New Zealand, we say a thank you to them. To the Federal
security agencies, also a very big thank you.
There were many companies that were engaged in the G20, and whilst I know
we had some coverage around businesses that were doing it tough in the few
days because of lesser numbers of people in the CBD and certainly because of
the lock-down situation around Southbank itself, there were also many
companies in this city that did extremely well out of the G20. Whether they did
well or whether they didn't, I want to thank all companies for their patience, for
their contribution where they made one. Again, it was a Team Brisbane effort in
every respect. I thank everybody in whatever way they contributed.
Out of the event, also, we saw a massive number of opportunities taken up. Just
to give you an idea of scale, some of the interviews that I was able to do
representing the city over that weekend, one was with the Shenzhen Media
Group. They have got a reach of 400 million people. India Live TV on the
Sunday morning, that went to 40 million people. I did a pre-record with another
Indian TV station as well that hit a further 30 million people. Al Jazeera—it's
full name is Al Jazeera English—it had a broadcast reach of 220 million
households.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 20 We did media which went back to Italy with the engagement with the Italian
Prime Minister, Mr Renzi. There was a whole host of opportunities like that
which saw the reach of enormous proportions. It gave the opportunity for us to
sell the offerings of this city in terms of the invitation for people to visit our city,
to come as tourists, to look at potential investments in our city. Again, as I said
earlier in Question Time, we've now got the job to make sure we continue to
keep the momentum up and to roll it out.
I want to thank those from Lone Pine that were able to bring some koalas into
the Queen Street Mall. Apart from enthralling our local residents, they managed
to get themselves on quite a bit of international television, and as I was quick to
tell people, this is the only place in Australia, indeed, in the world, where you
can come and cuddle a koala. So we certainly welcomed that opportunity and
thank them for their engagement. I think there was also one of the Daisy Hill
groups engaged—I think it might have been a hospice for koalas that was
engaged in that as well.
Councillor BOURKE has mentioned the statue that was unveiled for Mahatma
Gandhi in the presence of Prime Minister Modi. Prime Minister Modi had a
meeting with myself, the Premier and some of the State Ministers. The
DEPUTY MAYOR was there, and yourself, Madam Chairman, as Chairman of
Council. That was an opportunity to talk about an announcement that he had
made just a week ago, where he was talking about a $US1.1 billion investment
in the development of 100 smart cities in India. We were certainly offered the
opportunity to engage further with him on that. We know that there are many
professional services companies in this city that may benefit. There could be
some job opportunities that can come out of that if we can further establish those
relationships and engagements.
Last week I had the opportunity to open the first Brisbane branch of the China
Construction Bank. This is the second biggest bank within China. We were
talking about savings earlier, about the City of Brisbane Investment
Corporation. If I can put that a bit into perspective, the accumulated savings
within the Chinese financial institutions is—wait for it—it's RMB (renminbi)
100 trillion. That equates to around $A18 trillion. That is in savings within the
China financial institutions. That is a lot of money by any standards. It does
demonstrate the stability that does exist within that banking sector.
It is great that the China Construction Bank have shown confidence in this city
by setting up a branch here. They will have an engagement, obviously, in our
city for a long, long time to come.
That is probably I think all I need to cover today. There has been enough said
about the Global Café and other issues. I want to acknowledge World Diabetes
Day on 14 November. We saw WOW (Wear Orange Wednesday) Day, which
I'd never heard of, I have to be honest. That was on 12 November. That is the
SES painting the town orange. That was on Wednesday of last week.
I now move to the only item on the agenda today, which is the setting up of the
calendar and recesses for the next calendar year. This will set out for councillors
our meeting dates for next year. There will be the same number of meetings next
year as it is this year. There are a couple of forward dates there through to
February 2016. Thank you, and I move the report.
Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Thanks, Madam Chair, and just with some indulgence, can I also just commend
the LORD MAYOR and thank all of the Council workers during the weekend. It
was a huge effort, and on behalf of the Labor councillors, I acknowledge their
efforts to serve our city, our State and our nation.
As the LORD MAYOR said, it is not a very heavy agenda today. There is one
item, working out when we will be having holidays. There are 29 sitting weeks
in the 2015 year, six budget sitting days and 22 weeks in recess. Whilst it has
been a huge week for our city, I certainly hope we see a bigger effort when it
comes to the actual workings for the mechanics of our city.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 21 Last week alone the LORD MAYOR and the Chairman earned $35,588, and
we've got one item on the agenda, to deal with our recess and our breaks and our
operations next year. Whilst important, Madam Chair, in terms of how many
times we get to come into this Council Chamber, critical to oversight and
analyse, my simple call today is that we see a great—
Councillor FLESSER:
Point of order, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Point of order against you; yes, councillor FLESSER.
Councillor FLESSER:
I just wonder whether Councillor DICK would take a question.
Councillor DICK:
Yes, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Councillor FLESSER.
Councillor FLESSER:
Councillor DICK, do you think it might have been relevant for maybe the
LORD MAYOR to bring some of the CBIC items to this Council Chamber for
debate, instead of just when we are going on holidays?
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair. Look, that's not relevant, because—
Chairman:
No, it's not relevant at all.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
I'm glad you know it's not relevant.
Councillor DICK:
It's not relevant, because that's a secret, and we'd never get that to come to
Council, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Councillor DICK, back to the item.
Councillor DICK:
Thanks, Madam Chair. So, with a huge workload of the Civic Cabinet last week
earning their $35,588—
Chairman:
Councillor DICK, to the item.
Councillor DICK:
Labor councillors will be supporting the E&C Report today.
Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, just briefly, Madam Chairman. I, too, noted the brevity of the E&C
Committee Report this week, and sadly that's been the theme for at least the past
year, and I would probably reflect by saying the brevity of E&C Reports is a
hallmark of this LORD MAYOR.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, this is about one particular submission. Speak to that or
resume your seat.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, thank you, Madam Chairman, and I am referring to its brevity and it being
a hallmark of the LORD MAYOR's Administration.
What I note is the LORD MAYOR said it was the same amount of meetings as
last year. I don't think that is actually quite the case. I certainly remember when I
started that I am sure we met about 32 times a year, so gradually it is decreasing,
and I think Councillor CUMMING just said to me it was about 36 when he first
started. So certainly there are less and less Council meetings that are happening.
I certainly think that that is a product of the extraordinary, extraordinary
delegations that this Administration has made in giving away the powers of this
Council to Council officers. We can see that there is less and less of the
important city business being brought forward to this Council. As a result, as it
seems, based on the item before us today, the LORD MAYOR is cutting back
the number of meetings where the people of Brisbane can attend and openly
debate—
Councillor interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I can go and get my calendars from 2008 and 2009 out if you like, and I am
pretty sure it was 32. I am more than happy, Madam Chairman, for us to meet as
many times as it takes to ensure that there is transparent scrutiny of the issues of
this city. I have been a consistent opponent of the delegation powers that this
LORD MAYOR has given away, and—
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 22 Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, this item is nothing to do with delegations; it's about
the dates on which the Council will sit next year. So either talk to this item or
resume your seat.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I am almost finished, Madam Chairman, but I make the point that there are less
meetings because there is less business for this Council to do. That is a
detriment to the City of Brisbane. This is the highest making decision body of
our Council. The big issues should come here for debate, and we should be
having more meetings to ensure that there is open and transparent scrutiny of
those issues.
Chairman:
Further debate; LORD MAYOR. No; I will put the motion.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Establishment and
Coordination Committee was declared carried on the voices.
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Graham Quirk) (Chairman); Deputy Mayor (Councillor
Adrian Schrinner) (Deputy Chairman); and Councillors Krista Adams, Matthew Bourke, Amanda Cooper,
Peter Matic, David McLachlan and Julian Simmonds.
A
BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL AND STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
AND RECESS CALENDAR 2015
137/220/14/1
270/2014-15
1.
The Executive Manager, Office of the Chief Executive provided the information below.
2.
Council determines its ordinary meeting dates and the meeting dates of the Standing Committees and
recess periods as soon as practicable in order to allow for forward planning by both councillors and
Council officers.
3.
The proposed Brisbane City Council and Standing Committee Meeting and Recess Calendar 2015 is
set out in Attachment B, submitted on file. Further, the recess periods are in excess of 20 days to allow
the Establishment and Coordination Committee and the Neighbourhood Planning and Development
Assessment Committee to carry out their delegated powers and functions during Council recesses.
4.
The Executive Manager, Office of the Chief Executive provided the following recommendation and the
Committee agrees.
5.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL RESOLVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ATTACHMENT A, hereunder.
Attachment A
Draft Resolution
TO SET THE ORDINARY MEETING DATES AND THE MEETING DATES OF THE
STANDING COMMITTEES AND THE RECESS PERIODS
(1)
As:
COUNCIL SETS ITS ORDINARY MEETING DATES AND THE MEETING DATES
OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES as follows—
COUNCIL
3 February to 24 March 2015
5 May to 16 June 2015
STANDING COMMITTEES
3 February to 17 March 2015
5 May to 9 June 2015
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 23 Budget: 17, 19, 24 and 25 June 2015
4 August to 15 September 2015
27 October to 8 December 2015
Resume on 2 February 2016
4 August to 8 September 2015
27 October to 1 December 2015
Resume on 2 February 2016
Council meets at 2pm on Tuesdays in the Council Chamber, Level 1, City Hall, Ann Street,
Brisbane, unless otherwise advised.
The Standing Committees meet at various times on Level 2, City Hall, Ann Street, Brisbane,
on Tuesday mornings unless otherwise advised.
(2)
THEN COUNCIL RESOLVES THAT THE RECESS PERIODS FOR 2015 BE AS
FOLLOWS—
(a)
Autumn Recess: from the rising of Council on 24 March 2015, and resume on 5 May
2015.
[School Holidays 7 April 2015 to 19 April 2015; Good Friday 3 April 2015, Easter
Monday 6 April 2015, and Anzac Day 25 April 2015]
(b)
Winter Recess: from the rising of Council from its Budget meeting to be held on 17,
19, 24 and 25 June 2015, and resume on 4 August 2015.
[School Holidays 27 June 2015 to 12 July 2015]
(c)
Spring Recess: from the rising of Council on 15 September 2015, and resume on
27 October 2015.
[School Holidays 19 September 2015 to 4 October 2015; Labour Day 5 October
2015]
(d)
Summer Recess: from the rising of Council on 8 December 2015 and resume on
2 February 2016.
[School Holidays 12 December 2015 to 24 January 2016; Australia Day 26 January
2016]
ADOPTED
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, moved,
seconded by Councillor Ian McKENZIE, that the report of the meeting of that Committee held on
11 November 2014, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Yes, Madam Chair. I just wanted to report on one of the initiatives in the lead-up
to G20. We obviously announced that there would be free car parking in King
George Square and also the Wickham Terrace car parks. That was done
deliberately to say to people, you can come into the city and it is not going to
cost you an arm and a leg. You can come and park for free; come and support
local businesses; come and see the activity in the CBD. I am pleased to say that,
over the weekend, more than 3,500 vehicles came into those two car parks. So
we saw good usage of the car parks.
On the first day, the public holiday on the Friday, King George Square car park
filled up by about 10 o'clock, and we saw similar activity on the other two days
as well. So people did come in. They took advantage of that, and I think that's a
good thing. It adds also to, I guess, the desire of Council to activate the city
every night and every weekend by offering cheap parking in those car parks.
There is a $5 parking capped rate every evening and every weekend.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 24 This Committee presentation that we've got in front of us today is about the
portable speed warning signs, an initiative that this Administration took to the
last election, one that was very practical and one that has great support by both
councillors and by the local community. We see that there is some great results
from this initiative. We see an average reduction in speed of 9.4 kilometres an
hour as a result of people seeing those signs. That is an excellent outcome, just
in itself.
The police obviously conduct enforcement. We don't have the ability or
authority to conduct enforcement, but just by using these signs, we can help in
areas across the city where there's problems with speeding. The long and the
short of it is these signs work. It is a great initiative and a great outcome for the
city and the people of Brisbane. It is one of that practical things that we are
doing to help in a small but important way.
There are also two petitions on the agenda. I just did want to note Labor
councillors asked questions about Chermside and what development might be
planned, and whether obviously there will be any impacts on Council-owned
parkland. It did actually remind me that, in the lead-up to the last election—
Councillor SUTTON:
Point of order, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Point of order; yes, Councillor SUTTON.
Councillor SUTTON:
My understanding of the Rules of Procedure in this place is that the respective
Chairpersons can talk about matters within their portfolio.
Chairman:
Yes.
Councillor SUTTON:
Well, Madam Chair, Councillor SCHRINNER was starting to talk about
parklands which in my understanding is not located in the Infrastructure
division.
Chairman:
Councillor SUTTON, I am sure he was about to talk about parking issues, but if
it is going to upset you that much, perhaps he will give it a miss. DEPUTY
MAYOR, do you wish to talk about parking?
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. Labor councillors obviously get parking and
parks confused. The two are very different things. At the last election, they
wanted to turn Marchant Park into a car park; remember that? That was their
policy. That was going to be a park ‘n’ ride. They were going to destroy green
space—
Councillors interjecting.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Yes, they were going to destroy paradise and put up a parking lot. That was their
plan for Marchant Park.
Chairman:
Order!
DEPUTY MAYOR:
So they've got a bit of a hide to talk about—
Chairman:
Order!
DEPUTY MAYOR:
—what might happen over at Chermside there.
Councillor SUTTON:
Point or order, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Yes, point—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order! Order! Yes, Councillor SUTTON, what is your point of order?
Councillor SUTTON:
Madam Chair, not only is this not in Councillor SCHRINNER's portfolio, it is
not based on reality either. Can you please—
Chairman:
Resume your seat. I don't uphold your point of order.
Councillor SUTTON:
—point him back to his portfolio.
Chairman:
I do not uphold your point of order. Resume your seat and stop calling spurious
points of order. DEPUTY MAYOR.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 25 DEPUTY MAYOR:
I think I'm done.
Chairman:
You're finished? Okay. Further debate—Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman, I rise to speak on item A, the portable flashing sign
debacle being overseen by the DEPUTY MAYOR.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I say it is a debacle because of what has happened—
Chairman:
Order!
Councillor JOHNSTON:
—in the past couple of months. When this program was announced at the last
election, I think it was done with good intentions. That is, that these signs would
be rotated around speeding hotspots and other traffic hotspots in councillors'
wards. They could be rotated at the councillors' request, and it did take a while
for it to filter through, but eventually last year the signs got up and running.
There were a few teething problems with the technology; they had to be sent
back to Germany because they didn’t cope with summer storms, but we seemed
to get over that hurdle as well.
However, it has come to my attention that since September this year, the
Administration has run out of money for this program and is no longer rotating
the signs at councillors' requests. All of the public information that is available
still on the LORD MAYOR's website, the DEPUTY MAYOR's website, the
Council policy, the Council website, all states that these signs can be rotated at
the request of the councillor and on about a monthly basis. If at the request of
the councillor it is longer or shorter, that would be necessarily a good thing.
It has come to my attention that I gave a list of some 16 sites last year to the
traffic team, and at first the signs were being moved approximately every four
weeks. Given I have 16 schools in my ward, they were obviously the priority,
and then there are a number of other traffic hotspots. However, in September,
this process ground to a halt—ground to a halt. The sign in my ward, for
example, at Park Road, Yeronga, was left in place for almost eight weeks—that
is, two months. Since that time, the sign was moved to Oxley Road, Corinda,
where it has now been in place for almost three months. Next week it will have
sat in the same location for three months.
I have repeatedly written to Council asking them to move the sign, and they
have not done so. Over a month ago, I wrote to the DEPUTY MAYOR—sorry,
no I didn't—I wrote to the Council officers who told me my request had been
referred to the DEPUTY MAYOR who, like usual, could not be bothered to
respond. So I am concerned that the rhetoric of this Administration does not
match what is happening on the ground. I would like an explanation from the
DEPUTY MAYOR why my requests to move the sign and the long list that I
provided and updated it several times through the year with the Council officers
is not being met.
The sign on Oxley Road has been in place for—next week it will be three
months. That is not good enough. We have other schools that are waiting for
these signs to be rotated around, and the Council officers have told me as clearly
as possible it is because you have run out of money for this program, and the
signs will now only be moved every two to three months, and they will all be
moved at the same time.
If you have changed the policy, we deserve to know. If you have changed the
process for these signs, we deserve to know. Because I am happy to go out and
tell the residents, which I have had to do for those who have been asking, that
you will not move the signs at my request any longer. That is not good enough.
If you change policy in this place, the residents and the councillors who
represent them have a right to know.
If you have not enough money, I hear week after week how you've saved money
on large projects—it was, what, $30 million on the rail overpasses last week—
put a little bit more money into this program which, if it does what you say it
can do, it would be a good thing. But the problem is your rhetoric is not being
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 26 matched by your actions and your commitment to this project. So please stand
up and tell me there is money, there is still money to rotate these signs on a
monthly basis. Please explain to me why you have not responded to my request,
which I have in writing from the Council officers was sent to you a month ago,
and please advise us now that the policy of rotating this sign on councillors'
request, on a monthly basis, is still in place. Because if those things are no
longer—
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes, DEPUTY MAYOR.
Seriatim - Clause A
The DEPUTY MAYOR requested that Clause A, COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – PORTABLE SPEED
WARNING SIGNS, be taken seriatim for voting purposes.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Righto. I think the DEPUTY MAYOR is a bit confused, Madam Chairman,
about all of this. If he wants to have a vote on this, that is fine. I don't have a
problem with the program; I have a problem with the inefficiency—
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I have a problem with the inefficiency and the mismanagement of this
Administration. Let me be clear: for three months, a sign has sat on Oxley Road
at Corinda and, despite my repeated requests, it has not been moved. I seek an
explanation from the DEPUTY MAYOR, as I did a month ago in writing, why
the sign is not being rotated upon councillors' requests.
It is not good enough that this Administration says something is happening, but
on the ground it is not. I would certainly like an explanation about why this go
slow is in place. The officers have been as clear to me as they possibly can. It is
that there is no money left. If that is the case, put some of the money that you
have saved on the rail overpass projects into this so you can keep this project
going. That is what needs to happen here. I think that the DEPUTY MAYOR
should stand up and explain to ratepayers why a sign is languishing in one spot
after three months.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I have given you a lot of leeway. This report is quite
clearly about a summary of the overall performance of the system in the last 12
months across the city, not about the Tennyson Ward. I have given you rather a
lot of leeway. If you want to talk about this summary that we have here across
the city, then that is fine, but I think we have heard enough about the Tennyson
Ward.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Oh, Madam Chairman, how sad; how sad. I thank you for your feedback, and I
am glad that you have put it on the record that you don't want to hear about the
issues in Tennyson Ward.
Chairman:
Councillor—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
And Madam Chairman—
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, do not verbal me. I know you understand how this
system works with reports. If you wanted to get up and talk about portable speed
signs in Tennyson Ward in General Business, that is fine. That is not what this
report is about.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Chairman. I refer you to dot point eight, paragraph eight
in this report on page two. Examples of customer feedback re the signs where
shown. Can I also point you to paragraph five—
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I will not be debated on this matter. You talk to the
report and if you read the report you would realise it is talking about the
citywide performance of this system. You weren’t at the committee meeting;
you haven't followed up on what it is. You are trying to take the opportunity to
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 27 just have a gripe about your own ward. That is not relevant to this particular
report. So, speak to the report in question or resume your seat.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order—sorry, thank you, Madam Chairman. I refer you to paragraph
five, through you to the Deputy Chair, it says the signs stay in place for a month
at each location.
Chairman:
No, Councillor JOHNSTON, I will not have you getting up—you didn't even
read that properly.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I'm summarising—
Chairman:
Don't try to misinterpret what is here in black and white.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Thank you. Let me refer the Chamber to paragraph five where it refers to the
fact the signs are in place for a month.
Chairman:
No, it says at least one month. There is a significant difference.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Thank you, Madam Chairman, I appreciate you making my point for me. I am
discussing—
Chairman:
Well, you're not. You're trying to mislead the Chamber. That is what you're
trying to do.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
What? Madam Chairman, excuse me—
Chairman:
The report does clearly not say that the speed signs stay in place for one month.
It says for at least one month. There is a huge difference. You are trying to
mislead the Chamber. Now, get back to the report and speak to it in the correct
manner, or resume your seat.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
What is very clear, Madam Chairman, is if you do not agree with this
Administration in how they are managing these programs, then you are shut
down.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I can hear Councillor SIMMONDS, Councillor MATIC—they are all
interjecting, they are all shouting—
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON; yes, Councillor
SIMMONDS.
Councillor SIMMONDS:
I am not aware that I am in the report either, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Thank you, Councillor SIMMONDS. Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I will take the whole 10 minutes now, because Madam Chairman, I don't agree
with this report, because it is not being effectively managed by the DEPUTY
MAYOR.
I do have a citywide perspective, and I am concerned that what is happening in
my ward is happening in other wards as well. I put the information that I have
about what is happening in my ward on the record and seek an explanation from
the DEPUTY MAYOR about why it is taking so long for these signs to be
rotated, why it has taken three months, for example, in Corinda.
These are genuine questions about the efficacy of this program and its delivery
on the ground, and I will continue to advocate for my residents to make sure that
they get the best out of ratepayers' money—millions of dollars spent on this
project—that they are getting good outcomes for this city. That is my job. That
is what I will keep doing week after week in this place. I am sorry if you do not
agree with me, but that is what is happening on the ground. It is different to
what we are being told. I seek an explanation for the residents in my ward.
Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor KNAPP.
Councillor KNAPP:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to talk to this report, because I am so
impressed by the results that have occurred—
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 28 Chairman:
Which item, please, Councillor KNAPP?
Councillor KNAPP:
Sorry, Madam Chair, item A. I come to mind of a saying about don’t bite the
hand that feeds you, and I've just heard a speech that is truly biting the hand that
is feeding her. These portable speeding signs were an initiative of this
Administration. It is a cracker program. I tell you why, Madam Chair.
When you look at the report, there were 15.23 million motorists across the city
that actually were counted, and the results in relation to it was that the identified
speeds, there was a reduction across all vehicles of five kilometres per hour.
That means, in a 60km/h zone, the average speed—and I've got Ashgrove
Avenue, if I want to bring it to the minute of a particular street is a 60km/h zone,
where cars travelling at 66km/h, it reduces the speed to 60km/h. In a 50 km/h
zone, which is a bit more critical in those suburban routes that are used daily by
mums and dads and children going to school and all of those areas, the reduction
from 60 to at least 53 is a terrific result.
Across my ward and across all wards in Brisbane, the signs are there to remind
people to slow down. Even it reminds me as I come along Grevillea Road where
the sign has been there for three months—and do you know what, Madam
Chair—I am delighted, because that goes past Marist Oval and it is one of the
rat-runs through there, and it is an important reminder. I quite like the fact that,
even though it says that it could be there for a month, I like the fact that this has
been there for three months, because it's been a constant reminder to everyone
through that precinct to travel at 50km/h.
Now, it is actually hard to do. You've actually got to put your mindset together
that says, I've come off a 60, and I've just got to bring myself down to 50. I like
the fact that I've only got about six streets in my ward that I think are critical,
and I am more than happy and so are my residents, and I am sure most of the
residents across the city where those signs are that are of great importance, are
very happy that they're sitting there. I can assure you the people in Grevillea
Road are delighted that it has been there for nearly two-and-a-half months. They
will be very sorry when it is moved to its next location.
I understand, of course, that you've actually got to have the electrical things in
place to be able to move the signs, so it's not just as easy as picking it up and
actually moving it. So the signs in my ward are going to be rotated across six
streets or six roads where I think the volume of traffic is critical and we need to
bring the speed down. I think this is one of the great initiatives of this QUIRK
Administration, and I think that the carping and the nonsense that has gone on
about trying to put it in every street is just, to be perfectly honest, stupid and
ludicrous. So I recommend this report, because the results in terms of the
reduction of speed are very, very, very good.
Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor McKENZIE.
Councillor McKENZIE:
Yes, Madam Chairman, and thank you for the call. I would also like to support
this report on the basis of, as opposed perhaps to Councillor KNAPP's ward, my
ward has got many, many narrow streets in it. We have lots of traffic travelling
from outer suburbs through Holland Park Ward into the city every morning and
evening, and the portable speed warning signs have resulted in an absolute boom
for residents who are concerned about perhaps speed over the 50 km/h through
the residential streets of Holland Park.
The streets are narrower; there are plenty of traffic lights, there are plenty of
hills, and this all results in a bit of rat-running, a bit of acceleration down the
hills, trying to get to school in the heavy traffic. Where these signs are placed—
and I've had very successful results in, say, Sterculia Avenue, Law Street,
Arnold Street—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point or order, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Yes, point of order; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Madam Chairman, you were highly critical of me—
Chairman:
Yes, I know.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 29 Councillor JOHNSTON:
—for speaking about local matters. I didn't interrupt Councillor KNAPP, but I
would either like an apology from you or I would like you to apply the same
rule to Councillor McKENZIE, shout at him a bit, and get him to stop talking
about his local ward.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I think you should explain that comment that you just
made about shouting at Councillor McKENZIE.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman. You were quite angry with me, and you raised your
voice, and you told me I couldn’t speak about matters in my ward. This was a
citywide presentation. You said it several times. I am asking for consistency in
your rulings, and Councillor McKENZIE is most definitely speaking about his
ward.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I expect respect from councillors, and I expect
councillors to obey my directions. You don't obey my directions, and I am left
with no option but to raise my voice to try to get you to just have a little bit of
courtesy towards the Chair and towards this Chamber. Councillor McKENZIE, I
pulled up Councillor JOHNSTON extensively for talking about her ward
because this is a report about the entire city and the results after one year of
speed warning signs. So I would ask you to keep to that theme.
Councillor McKENZIE:
Thank you, Madam Chairman, and I shall do that. The statistics show, as
detailed by Councillor KNAPP, that over 15 million cars have been tracked by
these cameras. Rotating them around through various wards in the city is a very
efficient way of using these signs. Rotated, as we say, at least every month, can
cover a large area of these streets that require it.
There are a number of people that like these signs. For example, the police like
them. It reduces the speeding in the areas. We can forward the details to them,
and if there is an issue with a particular street, they can allocate resources to that
particular area. The motorists like them, because it does remind them that they
are exceeding the speed limit, in a friendly way. The residents love them,
because it does reduce the speed in their street. I have heard on a number of
occasions that the children that travel in the cars like them, and they get a
request to drive down a street with the smiley face on it.
So, reducing speeds by this method certainly beats reducing speeds by perhaps
putting in speed bumps, chicanes, stop signs, give-way signs—these sorts of
things. When you look at the cost comparison between the two methods, this is
by far a cheaper method and a more efficient and a more user-friendly method
of controlling vehicles and using them perhaps at a moment's notice. For
example, a street that a resident complains of speeding in, we can actually get a
camera in that street in a number of months, whereas to provide other speed
measuring infrastructure would take perhaps a much longer period of time.
So, Madam Chairman, I am only too pleased to support this motion, this
presentation, this item. I am very pleased about it, and I hope it will go on for
much longer. Thank you very much.
Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.
Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I rise in support of item A. These portable speed
signs are very important across our whole city, because they actually facilitate a
slowing down of the traffic, and particularly where many of these particular
signs have been located at the request of councillors has been in the vicinity of
many of the schools that are across our wards throughout our city.
All people in this place know of the concerns that I have in regards to children's
safety, particularly around school zones. Any effort that we can make to
enhance that safety is a very valid and proper response by this Council. I do
thank Councillor SCHRINNER and the Council officers in respect of their
efforts to ensure that, where these requests have been made across the city by
many different councillors, that they have been taken seriously. Certainly I
know that the ones that I have put forward are in the vicinity of school zones,
and it has certainly been of benefit.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 30 Just reviewing the statistical data that has come through from the officers in
respect of the behaviour change in drivers as a result of these speed signs, it
does create an immediate slow down. From a statistical perspective, it is great
for us to actually get that information, because we know that these signs are
actually working. They are achieving the intent that they were installed for. The
intent was not to stop the traffic; the intent was for driver behaviour
modification. As many councillors in this place know, we get a lot of complaints
in respect of people driving quickly in residential streets, in local streets close to
schools, in local streets near parks, and these signs, when placed appropriately,
are achieving the behaviour modification of drivers.
We cannot expect the Queensland Police Service to be in each and every street
with LiDARs and radars and speed vans, but these signs are actually facilitating
a mechanism whereby drivers are becoming more aware of what their speed is
and more aware that there is a monitoring process in place. I think from that
monitoring perspective, these particular signs have been very effective across
the city, and I do appreciate the effort that the DEPUTY MAYOR and the
Council officers under his portfolio area have gone to to ensure that these are,
(a) working effectively, but (b) achieving the outcomes that we want to achieve
for our city. With that, Madam Chairman, I commend the report to the Chamber.
Chairman:
Further debate; DEPUTY MAYOR.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Thank you, Madam Chairman, and thank you to the councillors who spoke on
this report, and particularly item A, the portable speed warning signs. Certainly
we have heard that there is a strong level of support in the community for these
signs, and good feedback from right across the city. It is good to hear various
councillors mentioning that, and very much supporting this initiative.
Unfortunately, one of the councillors went off on a tangent. I must admit, I had
previously compared this councillor to the Clive Palmer of Brisbane City
Council. That was very wrong of me, and I apologise. It is more like Jacqui
Lambie—the Jacqui Lambie of Brisbane City Council in action.
What we've got here is a very clear set of guidelines for these signs which say
the signs should be in place for at least one month—at least one month. That
doesn’t mean that on the dot of one month it will be rotated to the next site. It
certainly doesn’t mean that the signs should be rotated less than one month. I am
aware that one particular councillor in this place has requested the signs to be
moved every two weeks. Can you guess who that might be?
Councillors interjecting.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
These signs—
Chairman:
Order!
DEPUTY MAYOR:
These signs cost about $7,500—that is the sign. The footing and the pole, which
is specially designed to a strength and structural integrity that can be close to the
road environment, costs around $5,000. So the footing and the pole costs almost
as much as the sign. If we are going to roll out new locations every two weeks,
start doing the maths. It adds up to a lot of money very quickly, and certainly
much more than the signs cost themselves.
This is an initiative which we've had in place now for 12 months and has shown
great results. One of the things we have looked at very closely though is whether
the effectiveness of the signs changes over time. We initially trialled this, and
the one month minimum was put in place based on that initial trial. In locations
where these signs have been left for longer than a month, they have continued to
be effective, and they have continued to be effective after several months. Three
is no decrease in the effectiveness of those signs even after several months.
What that tells you is that leaving them there for a longer period of time is not a
bad thing. It still has a positive outcome on—
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
DEPUTY MAYOR:
—motorists' behaviour.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 31 I know from my personal experience, when a sign is moved to a new location,
probably the most common feedback I get is people calling up saying, why have
you moved the sign? We'd like it to stay there longer, please. They get angry.
They're like, we want this sign here all the time. But people are saying these
signs should stay in place for a significant period of time to really reinforce that
motorist behaviour. So we've got to balance the need to cover various streets
with also the cost implications. That's the reality of managing a large city
council.
If we all wanted exactly what we want, when we want it, at no particular
concern about cost, then this budget would be deep in deficit. We don't run
deficit budgets; we run balanced budgets, and that means that we have to watch
every penny. In the case of this particular project, the ongoing funding for
moving the signs comes out of the signs and lines budget. If every councillor
moved their sign every two weeks, there would be no money for anything else in
that budget.
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON!
DEPUTY MAYOR:
When Councillor JOHNSTON requests a pedestrian refuge or a traffic island
somewhere, which comes out of the general amenity budget, no money for that,
sorry; all spent on portable speed warning signs.
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON!
DEPUTY MAYOR:
So we've got to balance the need for different types of expenditure from this
fund with this great program. It is one tool in a suite of things that we do across
the city to try and improve motorists' behaviour. Other types of signage is part of
that mix as well. I would just say to Councillor JOHNSTON: having a sign in
place for three months is not outrageous; it is actually quite sensible. If it was so
outrageous, I would have expected to receive feedback from multiple
councillors along those lines. I don't think I've received feedback from any other
councillor saying that this is outrageous. Councillors understand we live in a real
world—
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Just a moment, DEPUTY MAYOR. Councillor JOHNSTON, if you continue to
interject in that way, you will be warned. Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Councillors understand that we live in a real world where resources are limited,
including officer time as well. There is one officer that does the lion's share of
work on this project, so if he is moving signs every two weeks, he would have a
huge backlog of work that he simply wouldn’t be able to catch up with either.
So there's a couple of factors here. They're reasonable factors. This project is a
positive one, regardless of how long the signs stay in place, and I thank the vast
majority of councillors for their support of this project.
Chairman:
I will put the motion for item A.
Clause A put
Upon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clause A of the report of the Infrastructure
Committee was declared carried on the voices.
Thereupon, Councillors Ryan MURPHY and Kim MARX immediately rose and called for a division, which
resulted in the motion being declared carried unanimously.
The voting was as follows:
AYES: 25 -
DEPUTY MAYOR,
Councillor
Adrian SCHRINNER,
and
Councillors
Krista ADAMS,
Matthew BOURKE,
Amanda COOPER,
Margaret de WIT,
Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX,
Peter MATIC,
Ian McKENZIE,
David McLACHLAN,
Ryan MURPHY,
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 32 Angela OWEN-TAYLOR,
Julian SIMMONDS,
Andrew WINES,
and
Norm WYNDHAM, and the Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK,
and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER,
Victoria NEWTON, Shayne SUTTON and Nicole JOHNSTON.
NOES: Nil.
Chairman:
I will put the motion for items B and C of the Infrastructure Committee Report.
Clauses B and C put
Upon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clause A of the report of the Infrastructure
Committee was declared carried on the voices.
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Deputy Mayor, Councillor Adrian Schrinner (Chairman), Councillor Ian McKenzie (Deputy Chairman), and
Councillors Margaret de Wit, Milton Dick, and Victoria Newton.
APOLOGY:
Councillor Norm Wyndham.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – PORTABLE SPEED WARNING SIGNS
271/2014-15
1.
Chris McCahon, Transport Network Operations Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch,
Brisbane Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to provide a presentation on Portable Speed
Warning Signs. He provided the information below.
2.
The Portable Speed Warning Signs (PSWS) program works by rotating each of the PSWS to various
approved locations in each ward. The aim of this initiative is to increase driver awareness, reduce
speeding and create safer roads.
3.
Brisbane City Council’s portable speed warning signs have now been in operation for one year,
recording the speed of 15.23 million motorists and providing a visual reminder to slow down when
driving over the posted speed limit.
4.
The installation of portable speed warning signs showed an average speed reduction of 9.4 kilometres
per hour.
5.
It is recommended that signs should remain in place for at least 1 month in each location. Signs that
have remained in place for longer than one month continued to be effective.
6.
Graphs displaying site characteristics were shown, depicting the following:
count of sites – identifies the number of sites in specific speed zones
number of vehicles – identifies the number of vehicles travelling through the speed limit zones
school zone – identifies the number of sites that were in school zones and those that were not;
and the number of vehicles travelling through the school zones and non-school zones. The
majority of the sites are in non-school zones, with the exception of 12 that are in school zones.
7.
A summary of results was displayed, indicating the following results:
total number of vehicle trips – 15,230,000
average speed reduction of all vehicles – five km/h
number of vehicles with initial speed over the speed limit – 3,210,000
percentage total vehicles with initial speed over the speed limit – 21.1 per cent
average speed reduction of vehicles with initial speed over speed limit – 9.4km/h.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 33 -
8.
Examples of positive customer feedback about the signs were shown.
9.
The presenter indicated that the data analysis of over 15 million records will continue. The use of
PSWS is a potential alternative to the use of traffic calming where speeding is an issue.
10.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr McCahon for his
informative presentation.
11.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
PETITION – BURUDA STREET - CHERMSIDE
B
CA14/758745
272/2014-15
12.
A petition requesting Council to install one way signage, local traffic only signage, yellow no stopping
line on the western side and 50 km/h speed signage on Buruda Street, Chermside, was received during
the Spring Recess 2014.
13.
The Branch Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, provided the
following information.
14.
The petition contains 80 signatures.
15.
Buruda Street is classified as a Neighbourhood Access road and primarily provides access to residential
buildings and local access streets and may be used to carry public transport. Typically, these roads
carry up to 3,000 vehicles per day and have speed limits of up to 50 km/h.
16.
Buruda Street is currently an unsigned 50 km/h residential street approximately 300 metres long,
5.5 metres wide and running in a north-south direction between Pilba Street and Kuran Street. The
intersection of Kuran Street is currently controlled by a stop control and the intersection of Pilba Street
a give-way control.
17.
A recent traffic survey was undertaken on Buruda Street from 6 September 2014 to 12 September 2014
to determine the volumes and speeds of vehicles currently using this street. A summary of the results
are outlined below, along with results of the previous survey completed in 2008 for comparison.
Buruda Street (2014) – Between Buna Street and Mermaid Street
Average Daily Traffic
1,722 vehicles per day
th
46km/h
th
47km/h
85 percentile speed (northbound)**
85 percentile speed (southbound)**
Buruda Street (2008) – Between Buna Street and Mermaid Street
Average Daily Traffic
1,442 vehicles per day
th
50km/h
th
51km/h
85 percentile speed (northbound)**
85 percentile speed (southbound)**
**85th Percentile Speed = the speed at or below which 85 per cent of vehicles are observed to travel.
18.
A recent traffic survey has indicated that vehicle volumes have increased by 280 vehicles per day,
which equates to approximately 47 vehicles per year and are well within the road hierarchy limits. The
vehicle speeds have reduced slightly and are in accordance with the 50 km/h speed limit.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 34 -
19.
A search of the Queensland Government’s official accident database along Buruda Street shows three
recorded accidents in the past 10 years at the intersection of Kuran Street and Buruda Street. All three
accidents were the result of failure to give way at the intersection.
One-way signage heading southbound
20.
Buruda Street is considered wide enough to allow parking in a staggered manner on either side of the
road.
21.
It is noted that when vehicles park along both sides of the street, only single lane flow is possible.
However, this is not considered to be a safety issue, and is in fact considered positive as it serves to
control traffic speeds as opposing drivers may need to pull over to allow another vehicle to pass.
22.
A significant disadvantage of changing traffic flow to one way would be the inconvenience, not only to
residents of Buruda Street, but also residents of Kuran Street, Buna Street, Mermaid Street and Pilba
Street, all of which connect to Buruda Street. It is not proposed to change traffic flow from two way to
one way at this time.
Local traffic only
23.
Local Traffic Only signs are generally used as part of area wide traffic management projects. Council
does not favour the installation of the signs in isolated situations in the network. Furthermore, the signs
are advisory only and cannot be enforced. For these reasons it is not proposed to install Local Traffic
Only signs in Buruda Street at this time.
50km/h speed signage
24.
Under the Queensland Road Rules, the speed limit in urban (built up) areas is 50km/h unless signed
otherwise. Therefore, all streets/roads in Brisbane without speed limit signs have a 50km/h speed limit.
This was introduced as part of the 50km/h Speed limit of Local Streets Program, which was
implemented in March 1999.
25.
It can be seen from the recently undertaken traffic survey that the recorded vehicle speeds for
Buruda Street are well within the acceptable range for a 50km/h speed limited road and therefore it is
not proposed to reinforce the existing speed limit with 50km/h signage.
Yellow no stopping line restrictions along the western side
26.
As Buruda Street is approximately 5.5 metres wide, parking is permitted in a staggered manner on
either side of the road, so long as motorists leave at least three metres of clear roadway to the driver’s
side of their vehicle.
27.
Placing continuous parking restrictions on one side of the roadway can have the effect of increasing
vehicle speeds by reducing the constraints caused by the need to negotiate parked vehicles. Providing
vehicles are parked legally, the current traffic conditions would encourage a slow speed environment
with access maintained for even larger vehicles such as waste collection trucks or emergency services.
28.
However, due to the narrow carriageway width, placing parking restrictions on one side of the road
would help define on-street movements in Buruda Street. Council would require a majority support
from local residents of Buruda Street only, to implement such a scheme. Therefore, it is recommended
that Council write to all the residents of Buruda Street seeking their feedback and support on proposed
parking restrictions.
Consultation
29.
The Councillor for Northgate Ward, Councillor Kim Flesser, has been consulted and supports the
recommendation below.
Preferred option
30.
It is the preferred option that the petitioners be advised that Council does not propose to:
change the traffic flow from two-way to one way
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 35 install local traffic only signage, and
reinforce the existing speed limit with 50km/h signage
However, Council will write to all the residents of Buruda Street seeking their feedback and support on
proposed parking restrictions for Buruda Street.
31.
The Branch Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
32.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREFERRED
OPTION ABOVE AND OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
C
PETITION – TRAFFIC AND PARKING MANAGEMENT FOR PARKSIDE
CIRCUIT, HAMILTON
CA14/884058
273/2014-15
33.
A petition requesting Council to consider implementing improved traffic and parking management for
Parkside Circuit, Hamilton, was presented and received at the meeting of Council held on
28 October 2014, by Councillor Ryan Murphy.
34.
The Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, provided the
following information.
35.
The petition contains 35 signatures.
36.
Parkside Circuit, Hamilton is located within the Northshore Hamilton Priority Development Area
(PDA) which is external to Council’s planning scheme area. The PDA is managed by the Queensland
Government, Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, through their Economic
Development Queensland (EDQ) branch. EDQ has planning and assessment responsibility for the
304 hectare PDA, including traffic modelling and traffic management planning to ensure the internal
road network caters to the increased population.
37.
Due to Council not having the relevant authority to investigate the concerns raised, the petition should
be forwarded on behalf of the head petitioner to:
Mr Steve Conner
Executive Director
Development Assessment
Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
PO Box 15009
City East Brisbane Qld 4002
Consultation
38.
The Councillor for Hamilton Ward, Councillor David McLachlan, has been consulted and supports the
recommendation.
Preferred option
39.
Advise the head petitioner that Parkside Circuit, Hamilton is located within the Northshore Hamilton
Priority Development Area (PDA) which is external to Council’s planning scheme area and the petition
will be forwarded on their behalf to the Queensland Government, Department of State Development,
Infrastructure and Planning, Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) branch.
40.
The Branch Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 36 41.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREFERRED
OPTION ABOVE AND OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
ADJOURNMENT:
274/2014-15
At that time, 3.58pm, it was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor
Kim MARX, that the meeting adjourn for a period of 15 minutes, to commence only when all councillors had
vacated the Chamber and the doors locked.
Council stood adjourned at 4pm.
UPON RESUMPTION:
PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE
Councillor Peter MATIC, Chairman of the Public and Active Transport Committee, moved, seconded by
Councillor Stephen HUANG that the report of that Committee held on 11 November 2014, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor MATIC:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. Just briefly I move to the committee presentation
in regards to the G20 CityCat, Madam Chairman, which is the 20th CityCat
that's currently being rolled out by the Administration. I'd like to thank the
officers for the presentation and the amount of work, Madam Chairman, that
also went into its construction. This particular generation CityCat has a number
of new modifications that comply with the Disability Discrimination Act and the
various workplace health and safety standards improvements for crew and staff
as well, Madam Chairman.
There are a number of new improvements, too, in regards to the ergonomics and
also its engineering, but also its aesthetics. I also want to acknowledge the
Federal Government in its participation in its exterior design, Madam Chairman.
As I said, it's the G20 CityCat, it's reflecting the colours and themes of G20.
Particularly, Madam Chairman, I'd like to acknowledge Mrs Shirley Wright
OAM who was at the official launch. She is the daughter-in-law of Norman R
Wright and she kindly gave of her time to attend and officially launch the
CityCat, Madam Chairman, which was a great event held—and she also had a
family—her husband and her family in attendance as well. Thank you.
Chairman:
Further debate? I will put the motion.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Public and Active
Transport Committee was declared carried on the voices.
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor Peter Matic (Chairman), Councillor Steven Huang (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Steve
Griffiths, Nicole Johnston, Kim Marx and Ryan Murphy.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – G20 CITY CAT
275/2014-15
1.
Brett Turville, Branch Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy, Brisbane Infrastructure Division,
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 37 attended the meeting to provide an update on the G20 City Cat. He provided the information below.
2.
This is the 20th City Cat and the 12th built by Norman R Wright and Sons. It is also a Generation 3B
(Gen3B) City Cat.
3.
The design is the same as the previous five Generation 3 (Gen 3) vessels with some modifications
around:
wheelhouse ergonomics
Disablity Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) improvements
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) improvements for crew and staff
4.
WHS related improvements:
improved ergonomic layout of the wheelhouse
working at heights tracks added to exterior roof
engine bulkhead moved forward to allow better access to the engine room for maintenance
step ladders fitted to all voids, allowing safer access
larger sponsons for safe mooring and docking of vessel.
5.
DDA compliance:
the City Cat is fully DDA compliant
improvements to the toilet facility have been made allowing better access and
manoeuvrability.
6.
Some images were displayed, depicting certain key stages of the manufacturing process of the City Cat.
7.
Brisbane welcomes the world for the G20 Leaders’ Summit from 14 to 16 November 2014. As part of
the “Colour Me Brisbane” program, Council was approached by the Department of Premier and
Cabinet, Queensland Government, to install LED lights on all of the City Cats. The G20 Taskforce
Design Manager provided a design for the 20 th City Cat in the G20 Livery. An image of the City Cat
with the G20 livery was displayed.
8.
The G20 City Cat was officially launched by Mrs Shirley Wright, OAM, the daughter-in-law of
Norman R Wright on Tuesday 4 November 2014 at Southbank Parklands. The year 2014 celebrates
100 years for Norman R Wright and Sons building ferries for Brisbane. In attendance were Norman R
Wright’s children, grandchildren and a great grandchild.
9.
An image of Brisbane’s first ferry, the Ellen – 1914 was displayed.
10.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Turville for his
informative presentation.
11.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT
COMMITTEE
Councillor Amanda COOPER, Chairman of the Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment
Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Vicki HOWARD, that the report of the meeting of that Committee
held on 11 November 2014, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor COOPER:
Very briefly, Madam Chair. At committee last week, we had Mr Kerry Doss do
a presentation. He was invited to participate on the International Conference on
World Class Sustainable Cities as a panel speaker. I would particularly like to
congratulate him for his excellent high profile in the planning industry and
certainly as a consequence he was invited to be a very important contributor to
this particular conference.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 38 So this conference is really about showcasing the best and successful practices
and experiences from world class cities.
This particular event was also an opportunity for him to attend the Urban
Planning for City Leaders Workshop. That was about an opportunity to inform
all participants in how to cope with predicted population growth. Certainly this
really reflected the experience for intermediate cities. I think the example of
Brisbane was held in very high acclaim. In fact, Kerry commented on how many
developers from Kuala Lumpur are actually very impressed with our planning
and they want to emulate how Brisbane operates. So that's a great vote of thirdparty endorsement from the conference in particular.
Kuala Lumpur as a city itself is going through a huge transformation and they
really are seeking to renew areas and make sure that their growth can be
sustainable and that it can carefully accommodate predicted growth. It is a city
of diversity so also, like Brisbane, has a whole range of different influences that
it is seeking to accommodate and certainly I think—just like we do with City
Plan 2014—it's trying to promote harmony between new and older development
in the city and trying to do it in a way that delivers a world-class city.
So there's a whole range of issues that were discussed. It was certainly a very
interesting debate and discussion at committee last week. Interesting to note that
Kuala Lumpur has only 20 per cent of its travel is public transport driven. So
apparently a city that loves its cars. It is not in any way, shape or form a
pedestrian-friendly city, Madam Chair. We saw some quite horrifying pictures
of what happens on the streets of Kuala Lumpur.
Certainly they have very, very laissez-faire attitude towards enforcing the rules
of parking where people are just basically parking on the curb for hours on end,
whether there's yellow lines or not. So very different to Brisbane but certainly
they were very interested in understanding what we have on offer and trying to
really manage the growth that they're experiencing. But they also had some
phenomenally interesting elements to bring to us.
They had their SMART Tunnel, the Stormwater and Management Road Tunnel,
which manages flooding and traffic, Madam Chair. So pretty extraordinary, a
nearly 10 kilometre long tunnel which has a multi-level roadway and a drain to
assist with flooding. So each section closes when required to cater for flooding
purposes. So that's something that certainly was a really impressive development
that they had incorporated in their city.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Further debate? I will put the motion.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the
Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee was declared carried on the voices.
The report as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor Amanda Cooper (Chairman), Councillor Vicki Howard (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Helen
Abrahams, Geraldine Knapp, Shayne Sutton and Andrew Wines.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CITY PLANNING IN KUALA LUMPUR,
MALAYSIA – THE 6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WORLD
CLASS SUSTAINABLE CITIES
276/2014-15
1.
Kerry Doss, Manager, City Planning and Economic Development, City Planning and Sustainability
Division, attended the meeting to provide an update on city planning in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The
6th International Conference on World Class Sustainable Cities. He provided the information below.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 39 2.
The presenter was invited to attend the City Planning in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The 6th
International Conference on World Class Sustainable Cities. The conference runs every year and is a
joint initiative between the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA),
Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP), Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) - Malaysian Institute of
Architects and Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
3.
Since its inception in 2009, the World Class Sustainable Cities (WCSC) series has provided a
constructive platform to educate and engage all stakeholders, as well as showcase international best
practices from other world class cities.
4.
The presenter attended the Urban Planning for City Leaders workshop where he gave a more detailed
presentation.
5.
The presenter was invited to present at the workshop as WCSC and Kuala Lumpur consider Brisbane a
fantastic city and they would like to emulate it. Kuala Lumpur is a city that wants to be modern,
however, there are Malay, Indian and Chinese influences of heritage and culture throughout the city.
6.
Maps were shown comparing Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur.
7.
A table was displayed comparing Brisbane City, Kuala Lumpur and Greater Kuala Lumpur by area,
population, population density, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, and local government
budget.
8.
A map was shown to demonstrate the network of road and rail and the land use pattern. Only 20 per
cent of journeys made in Kuala Lumpur are by public transport. The spend on infrastructure to increase
public transport usage is evident. There is a lack of pedestrian connectivity in place.
9.
Kuala Lumpur has 44,000 public housing units and is a shopping city with many large and impressive
shopping centres.
10.
The Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) in Kuala Lumpur is a 9.7 kilometre long
tunnel used as a roadway and a drain to assist with flooding.
11.
The presenter attended the Tun Rezak Exchange master class. Tun Rezak is a 22 hectare site and Kuala
Lumpur Council is considering what to do with the precinct to make it fit in the area. Statistics were
shown about the site which will be the new financial district with over 25,000 car parks on site.
12.
A light-rail system will be installed and was shown on a map.
13.
Images were shown of footpaths, finishes and patterns, drainage and footpath grading changes and
where improvements could be made. Photos of recent completed works with wider footpaths were
shown.
14.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Doss for his
informative presentation.
15.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
Councillor Matthew BOURKE, Chairman of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee, moved,
seconded by Councillor Fiona KING, that the report of the meeting of that Committee held on 11 November
2014, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor BOURKE:
Look, thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Just quickly before I get to the
items on the committee report before me, can I also put on the record my thanks
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 40 for all of the Council staff that worked so hard over the G20 weekend,
particularly the work done by City Parklands Transitional Services. So the staff
working for South Bank and Roma Street Parklands, Madam Chairman.
Obviously one event in particular at Roma Street Parkland on Sunday afternoon
took a lot of coordination and work to bring together, as well as a range of other
community and cultural events over the three weeks leading up to the G20.
Also, all of the staff at South Bank Parklands did a fantastic job over the
weekend working with other parts of Council, the police, State agencies and
Federal agencies to make sure that the event went off without a hitch. It really is
a tribute to the wonderful organisation of the staff that we have working in
Council, Madam Chairman. So my thanks go out to all the Council staff but in
particular the staff from my own part of Council.
Madam Chairman, three items on the agenda. The presentation we had about the
recent Green Heart Fair down at Carindale in Councillor SCHRINNER's ward.
A wonderful presentation, Madam Chairman, highlighting the key achievements
of that particular event. A significant number of people, so 15,000 people
attended the Carindale fair, Madam Chairman. If you add that to the 17,000-plus
that attended the Chermside fair, Madam Chairman, that's over 30,000 people
that have been engaged through this particular program. Just at those two events.
Of course, I've spoken in the Chamber a number of times about the benefits that
the fairs have, Madam Chairman. Not only is it an opportunity to promote
sustainable living options as well as sustainable initiatives that residents can take
home, Madam Chairman, it's also an opportunity for community groups and
other organisations to promote their own products and their own programs and
ideas, Madam Chairman.
This one, of course, we saw partnering again with our friends in the bikeways
part of Council, Madam Chairman, to promote cycling as well as a range of
other programs delivered by Council colleagues in Waste Services as well as our
colleagues in CaRS who do invasive species management, Madam Chairman.
All of the Council display was well attended, the Council officers did a
wonderful job informing residents and providing valuable information to them.
We handed out, of course, 2,000 free native plants, Madam Chairman. I can tell
the Chamber that the mosh pit for Peppa Pig on the southside of the river is
somewhat, I think, louder than the mosh pit on the northside of the river, Madam
Chairman.
Councillors interjecting.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
There were a large number of people there right from the get go, Madam
Chairman. Great event, well attended, well run by CitySmart and delivering
great benefits not only for local community groups, local residents but also for
some of our green businesses across the city.
Madam Chairman, there's two other items on the agenda as well which are
petitions and I'm happy to leave the debate to the Chamber.
Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor ABRAHAMS.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I wish to comment on item C which is
a petition by residents calling for some improvements to improve the public
safety at Kurilpa Point Park, South Brisbane. Madam Chair, the history of this
petition is that two mature-aged women were distressed at the plight of Sophie
Collombet that we all knew was tragically killed at this site at Kurilpa Point. For
the first time in their lives they decided to make a petition to bring to Council.
On that, they very clearly had the five dot points of what they believed should
be done on the site, should be considered by Council as improvements to
increase the safety. Madam Chair, of those recommendations that they have had,
only two have been endorsed by Council and that was to improve the lighting,
which I understand was to make sure the existing lighting was working
adequately and to put additional lighting in one other park shelter, and to
undertake a more severe landscape pruning to make the area a little bit more
visible.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 41 But, Madam Chair, I would suggest to you those are normal maintenance issues.
They should be undertaken at all times and the fact that they have been
considered as important and a solution I think really might highlight what the
maintenance had been at the time of that fatality. But, Madam Chair, what the
women were much more interested in was the rotunda. As you walk along the
shared path at Kurilpa Park, you cannot actually see into the rotunda clearly
because it is down below, with vegetation between you and the roof, shadowing
a clear vision.
So they suggested that rotunda should be moved. You never remove park
infrastructure but just relocated to a more appropriate location. That was
knocked back though clearly the rotunda is not within the main area of this very
linear park. They also asked for an Emergency Phone Station, Madam Chair,
and the report is that that will be investigated. They also suggested that a
pedestrian path that was remote from the shared path where most people are,
that was down near the rotunda where people are not so clearly visible, where
people passing may not seeing what's happening, should be relocated.
That again was not taken up. So, Madam Chair, the issues that actually involve a
review of the existing structure to improve it through significant change has
been denied in the response on this petition. Madam Chair, I'm really quite
amazed at that because at the same time as we're doing this, I've actually been
working with CPTED (Crime prevention through environmental design) for
other safety issues in the area and the issues of not having a clear line of sight to
a Council facility and away from that facility into the rest of the park has been
one of the major design specifications for how we actually upgrade that Council
facility.
Yet clearly—and it is actually said in the response here—that doesn't exist, but it
has not been changed at this time. To have one ancillary pathway that is not well
used, where you cannot see a person the whole time and not to just very readily
replace that with park grass—remove the path and replace it with grass so that
you're encouraging people at night, when you cannot see things, to remain in the
area where they're clearly visible, again I find surprising.
So, Madam Chair, I just cannot support this recommendation. I do believe there
is demonstrable need for improved safety on this site. It should be undertaken. It
may be, Madam Chair, that the reason why nothing has happened is because this
is in the Kurilpa Master Plan and so maybe at some time in the future some
changes might happen. But, Madam Chair, that could not possibly be an
argument for not undertaking the removal of a path and the relocation of a
rotunda and the installation of an emergency phone now in response to women
not feeling comfortable at this location.
Madam Chair, what I forgot to say was this whole extent of the park has no
casual surveillance except for the people in the park. Because Parmalat, which is
the only frontage to this park, has turned its back on it and has closed it off. So
it's the people in the park that will be undertaking the casual surveillance, to
make sure where people are encouraged to congregate and where they're
encouraged to walk, should be where it has absolute maximum visibility for
everyone. That is simply what these wise women were suggesting in this
petition.
Chairman:
Further debate?
Seriatim - Clause C
Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS requested that Clause C, PETITION – REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL
IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY IN KURILPA POINT PARK, SOUTH BRISBANE, be taken seriatim for voting
purposes.
Chairman:
Further debate, Councillor BOURKE.
Councillor BOURKE:
Thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, just to the petition,
item C on the agenda. Councillor ABRAHAMS, as she does in this place, has
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 42 selectively quoted from the petition. No surprise there, Madam Chairman.
Madam Chairman, there was five points that were raised by the petitioners and
the five points that were raised by the petitioners were the removal of the
rotunda to another location inside the park, improved lighting, Emergency
Phone Stations, regular maintenance to ensure lighting is operational and trees
and vegetation don't obscure visibility and the conversion of the present cycle
path into a clearly signed shared cycle footpath and the removal of the present
footpath alongside an isolated section of the riverbank.
Well, Madam Chairman, if you read the actual report that we have before us
today, it's not two things, Councillor ABRAHAMS through you, Madam
Chairman, that have been completed. We've actually done more than that,
Madam Chairman, in terms of addressing the concerns of the petitioners. So on
the issue of the rotunda, Madam Chairman, the rotunda needs to be relocated, is
the view of the Council officers, because we've improved the lighting. So we've
increased and improved the lighting and we've trimmed and removed shrubs and
trees, Madam Chairman, so that there are sight lines.
So Councillor ABRAHAMS has talked about the need for sight lines, well, the
sight lines are there, Madam Chairman. So she doesn't support the work that
we've done, clearly, on the first point, Madam Chairman, to improve the sight
lines and make the area safe and improve the lighting. Madam Chairman, we did
do a lighting audit and a safety audit in the days following that incident down in
Kurilpa Park, Madam Chairman. As part of that, we noted that all of the
Council-owned lights were working, Madam Chairman, in Kurilpa Park. But we
do continue to do maintenance and continue to manage the space, Madam
Chairman, and make sure that the lights meet the Australian Standards.
An additional light's been installed at the picnic shelter near Boundary Street
down there, Madam Chairman. We've put more lights in, Madam Chairman, into
the space to improve the lighting. On the issue of emergency phones, well,
Madam Chairman, there is emergency phones currently located on the Kurilpa
Bridge, Madam Chairman, and the land ownership in this space is quite
complex, there's a number of different land owners, Councillor ABRAHAMS
mentioned Parmalat. But the actual parkland itself is jointly owned between
Council and the State and obviously we have to deal with the State when it
comes into looking into existing systems that they have down there, Madam
Chairman, to get into the phone, emergency phone or emergency button
systems, Madam Chairman.
Of course, Madam Chairman, the fourth point, regular maintenance, well,
Madam Chairman, we already do regular maintenance. That's why all of the
Council lights were working down there, Madam Chairman, when we went and
did the safety audit. And of course, we'll continue to trim the trees. But on the
last point, Madam Chairman, which comes down to the shared pathway, now I
know Councillor ABRAHAMS is a keen and avid cyclist, Madam Chairman,
and advocates in this place on a regular basis for dedicated bikeways. Dedicated
bikeways just for cyclists, to take the pedestrians off, put them on another
pathway, Madam Chairman.
She's changed her tune in this space, she wants a shared pathway, Madam
Chairman, so take the pedestrians, put them in conflict with the cyclists down
there, Madam Chairman, get rid of the pedestrian-only path so that the
pedestrians have to walk with the cyclists on the path, Madam Chairman. It's
quite a busy space, I've been down there on a number of occasions, Madam
Chairman, as I imagine you have, as I imagine other councillors have in this
place.
There is a growing popularity of people cycling and walking in this space. To
remove a pedestrian path and to force the pedestrians to walk on the current
cycle path, Madam Chairman, and not provide a separate pedestrian path would
be a retrograde step, Madam Chairman. So the Council officers had decided that
we will be able to sign the current bicycle path as a shared path but we won't be
removing the pedestrian-only path, Madam Chairman.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 43 So that those people who do want to walk on the pedestrian-only path can and
those that feel the need, for safety or for other reasons, to walk on the shared
path are able to do that. It's clearly outlined in the recommendations that we
have before us on this particular petition, Madam Chairman. So what I don't
understand is Councillor ABRAHAMS's position though, Madam Chairman.
Because on item five, we've done what the petitioners have asked, we've made it
a shared path.
On item four, we're doing the maintenance, that's what the petitioners asked. On
item three, we're working with the State to find how we can install or how we
can facilitate their request there. On item two, we've done the audit and we've
improved the lighting, including installing new lighting, Madam Chairman. On
item one, when it comes to the rotunda, we've put in new lighting and we've
removed vegetation and trimmed vegetation to improve sight lines and improve
the safety around there.
So, Madam Chairman, I don't know what more we could possibly do to meet the
needs of the request put forward by the petitioners. I don't understand why
Councillor ABRAHAMS doesn't support the good work that we've already done
and can continue to do to address the concerns of the petitioners in Kurilpa Park
and across Brisbane.
Chairman:
I will put the motion for items A and B.
Clauses A and B put
Upon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clauses A and B of the report of the
Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee was declared carried on the voices.
Chairman:
I will put the motion for item C.
Clause C put
Upon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clause C of the report of the Environment,
Parks and Sustainability Committee was declared carried on the voices.
Thereupon, Councillors Peter CUMMING and Helen ABRAHAMS immediately rose and called for a division,
which resulted in the motion being declared carried.
The voting was as follows:
AYES: 18 -
DEPUTY MAYOR,
Councillor
Adrian SCHRINNER,
and
Councillors
Krista ADAMS,
Matthew BOURKE,
Amanda COOPER,
Margaret de WIT,
Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX,
Peter MATIC,
Ian McKENZIE,
David McLACHLAN,
Ryan MURPHY,
Angela OWEN-TAYLOR,
Julian SIMMONDS,
Andrew WINES
and
Norm WYNDHAM.
NOES: 8 -
The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors
Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS,
Victoria NEWTON, Shayne SUTTON and Nicole JOHNSTON.
The report as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor Matthew Bourke (Chairman), Councillor Fiona King (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Peter
Cumming, Kim Flesser, Geraldine Knapp and Ryan Murphy.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 44 -
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CITYSMART PTY LTD GREEN HEART
FAIR
277/2014-15
1.
Lori Hogan, CitySmart Pty Ltd, attended the meeting to provide an update on CitySmart Pty Ltd Green
Heart Fair. She provided the information below.
2.
Green Heart Fair is Brisbane’s premier sustainability event. It was held on Sunday 12 October 2014 at
Carindale Recreation Reserve, Carindale. Green Heart Fair is part of Council’s Green Heart
Community Engagement program and enables residents to take action to achieve Brisbane’s
environmental goals. The event demonstrates leadership and showcases green innovations with over
100 leading sustainability organisations and community groups involved. The event is free, fun and has
a family-friendly environment.
3.
The Green Heart Fair at Carindale Recreation Reserve was a great success with 15,500 people in
attendance. There were 2,000 free native plants given away and there was an extensive range of
Council initiatives on display. There were engaging presentations delivered by food experts and local
celebrities.
4.
The community and lifestyle activities included growing fruit and herbs workshops, ‘Growing local’
workshops; Grow.Eat.Live cooking demonstrations; waste and recycling information; invasive species
displays; cycling displays; free native plant giveaways; and arts and craft workshops.
5.
Fun and educational activities included: herb and vegetable planting; animal handling; composting and
worming; sporting activities; Dirtgirl; Peppa Pig; face painting; fun games; and hands on art.
6.
Council’s involvement at the fair included: Cycling Brisbane, Waste Services, 25,000 Streetlights,
Green Heart Schools, Environment Centres, Healthy Waterways, Wipe Out Weeds, transport and free
native plants.
7.
Community groups and businesses showcased their green achievements. There was a ‘Simply Green
Marque’ which had happy healthy hens, bees and seedlings. Bristyle artisan markets and Reverse
Garbage workshops were also showcased.
8.
A survey showed that people who attended were highly satisfied and adopted at least one sustainable
behaviour following the event.
9.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Ms Hogan for her
informative presentation.
10.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
B
PETITION – REQUESTING THE INSTALLATION OF SIGNAGE
INDICATING THE PENALTIES FOR HAVING YOUR DOG OFF A LEASH
OUTSIDE DOG OFF-LEASH PARKS WITHIN THE ST LUCIA AREA
CA14/305429
278/2014-15
11.
A petition requesting the installation of signage indicating the penalties for having your dog off a leash
outside dog off-leash parks within the St Lucia area, was received during the Autumn Recess 2014.
12.
The Acting Executive Manager, Field Services Group, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, supplied the
following information.
13.
The petition contains five signatures.
14.
Council’s parks have ordinance signs installed to inform park users of their responsibilities while using
the park. The signs used are either in written form or more recently, pictograms, which support
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 45 Brisbane’s culturally and linguistically diverse community. These signs are typically installed at the
entry of every park.
15.
Council’s signage is designed to meet regulatory requirements and to align with community
expectations for a positive park experience. Information about penalties for non-compliance is not
included on ordinance and regulatory signage for the following reasons:
penalties may change from time to time
different penalties may apply to each regulation depicted on a sign
to provide clarity and reduce visual pollution on signage.
16.
All signage in the locations specified by the petitioners have been assessed. Any signage assessed as
needing replacement due to fading or damage has been upgraded with newer signage using pictograms.
Any signage assessed as still being in good condition will not be replaced at this stage, even though it
may contain the older style text.
17.
Guyatt Park is a high profile park in St Lucia, and is used for family barbeques and general park
activities. Ordinance signs are located at Hiron Street at the entrance to the ferry terminal and on Sir
Fred Schonell Drive. One sign on the corner of Bryce and Hiron Streets has been replaced. There are
another two signs along Macquarie Street, one of which has been replaced. Around the area of Guyatt
Park, a total of three new ordinance signs have replaced the old ones, along with posts straightened and
one additional ordinance sign installed.
18.
William Dart Park, Munro Street, St Lucia is a multi-use park which supports a licence for a soccer
club. The park has two soccer fields and large areas of open space. This park is situated very close to
the University of Queensland at St Lucia. In this area, four ordinance signs were replaced with new and
all posts straightened.
19.
Rotary International Presidents Park, Macquarie Street, is a small park situated on the Brisbane River
next to St Lucia Rowing Club. This park supports play and picnic facilities. One ordinance sign has
been replaced with a new one and the post straightened.
20.
Council’s Asset Services West region has requested that Compliance and Regulatory Services add
Guyatt Park, William Dart Park and Rotary International Park to their Park Patrol Plan to educate park
users of their responsibility with dogs. Patrols will be carried out from early October 2014.
21.
Sir William McGregor Drive is situated on University of Queensland land and Council has no
jurisdiction over this road.
Funding
22.
Replacement of damaged signs has been funded by Asset Services West recurrent maintenance.
Consultation
23.
Councillor Julian Simmonds, Councillor for Walter Taylor Ward, has been consulted and supports the
recommendation below.
24.
The Acting Executive Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
25.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED THAT COUNCIL ALREADY HAS ORDINANCE
SIGNS LOCATED IN THE PARKS AND ROADS AROUND ST LUCIA AS SPECIFIED BY
THE PETITIONERS. These signs describe activities that are not allowed in parks and include the
advice that dogs should be on a leash. Any damaged or faded signs have been replaced. Council’s
Asset Services officers have liaised with Council’s Compliance and Regulatory Service officers
regarding education and enforcement about dogs off the leash in this area and patrols will be increased
in this area from early October 2014. Council has no jurisdiction over Sir William Mcgregor Drive and
the petitioners are advised to follow this up directly with the University Of Queensland.
ADOPTED
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 46 -
C
PETITION – REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY
IN KURILPA POINT PARK, SOUTH BRISBANE
CA14/485883
279/2014-15
26.
A petition requesting that Council improve public safety in Kurilpa Point Park, South Brisbane, was
presented to the meeting of Council held on 3 June 2014, by Councillor Helen Abrahams.
27.
The Acting Executive Manager, Field Services Group, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, supplied the
following information.
28.
It is considered that the relocation of the rotunda is not required because Council has improved lighting
and sightlines by trimming shrubs and lifting the canopy of the trees near the William Jolly Bridge
picnic shelter, referred to in the petition as the rotunda, and throughout the whole park, including the
area around the Kurilpa Bridge. Visibility is now greatly improved.
29.
Council has undertaken a lighting audit of the whole of the Kurilpa Point Park precinct. It should be
noted that part of this park comes under the jurisdiction of the Queensland Government. All Councilowned lights were working, and the lighting met the necessary Australian Standard. An additional light
has been installed in the picnic shelter near Boundary Street.
30.
The question of emergency phone stations is recommended for further discussion between the
Queensland Government and Council, as they continue to investigate any additional safety and security
measures in the Kurilpa Park precinct.
31.
Council will continue to undertake regular audits of the lighting and foliage from trees and shrubs that
may obscure visibility to pathways within Kurilpa Point Park. Lighting will be formally audited on a
quarterly basis, and foliage will be monitored at least weekly by Council’s Parks Maintenance Team.
32.
Council’s safety audit of Kurilpa Park, South Brisbane, on 7 May 2014 recommended the conversion
of the bicycle-only path, located between the William Jolly Bridge and Boundary Street, to a shared
path. Works, including changes to line markings and signage, were completed on 2 September 2014 to
convert this bicycle only path into a shared path. Council supports the retention of the separate
pedestrian only path that runs adjacent to the Brisbane River. This path is well lit and provides an
alternative scenic route option for pedestrians using this area. With the conversion of the bicycle only
pathway to a shared pathway, pedestrians will have the option to avoid the pedestrian only path along
the river if they choose to do so.
Funding
33.
No special funding is needed to complete all recommendations from the safety audit report for Kurilpa
Point Park, South Brisbane.
Consultation
34.
Councillor for The Gabba Ward, Councillor Helen Abrahams, has been consulted and does not support
the recommendation below.
35.
The Acting Executive Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
36.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED OF THE FOLLOWING:
a.
It is considered that the relocation of the rotunda is not required because Council has improved
lighting and sightlines by trimming shrubs and lifting the canopy of the trees near the William
Jolly Bridge picnic shelter, referred to in the petition as the rotunda, and throughout the whole
park, including the area around the Kurilpa Bridge. Visibility is now greatly improved.
b.
Council has undertaken a lighting audit of the whole of the Kurilpa Point Park precinct. It
should be noted that part of this park comes under the jurisdiction of the Queensland State
Government. All Council-owned lights were working, and the lighting met the necessary
Australian Standard. An additional light has been installed in the picnic shelter near Boundary
Street.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 47 c.
d.
e.
The question of emergency phone stations is recommended for further discussion between
Queensland Government and Council, as they continue to investigate any additional safety
and security measures in the Kurilpa Park precinct.
Council will continue to undertake regular audits of the lighting and foliage from trees and
shrubs that may obscure visibility to pathways within Kurilpa Point Park. Lighting will be
formally audited on a quarterly basis, and foliage will be monitored at least weekly by
Council’s Parks Maintenance Team.
Council’s safety audit of Kurilpa Park, South Brisbane, on 7 May 2014 recommended the
conversion of the bicycle-only path, located between the William Jolly Bridge and Boundary
Street, to a shared path. Works, including changes to line markings and signage, were
completed on 2 September 2014 to convert this bicycle-only path into a shared path. Council
supports the retention of the separate pedestrian only path that runs adjacent to the Brisbane
River. This path is well lit and provides an alternative scenic route option for pedestrians
using this area. With the conversion of the bicycle only pathway to a shared pathway,
pedestrians will have the option to avoid the pedestrian-only path along the river if they
choose to do so.
ADOPTED
FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE
Councillor David McLACHLAN, Chairman of the Field Services Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor
Norm WYNDHAM, that the report of that Committee held on 11 November 2014, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. Just briefly to the item before us, item A. This
was a presentation to our committee on the Wildlife Conservation Partnership
program, which is a program I suspect that you, Madam Chairman, know a lot
about and probably more than anybody else here in this place. But this, if ever
there's a demonstration of the diversity of those who are employed under the
Field Services Group umbrella, this is it. I think this is probably one of the very
few areas of Council employees who weren't involved with the G20 over the last
weekend or leading up to it.
But this is a great program. The Wildlife Conservation Partnership program
plays a key role in linking private landholders to Council's conservation
objectives, and provides advice to private landholders on how to protect the
managed flora and fauna on their properties. Its key successes were outlined in
the presentation for 2013-14, a number of new partnerships, 38, that brings to
630 the number of partnerships under this program, with agreements now
covering 2,134 hectares, which is an area greater than the Mount Coot-tha
Forest and the Tinchi Tamba Wetlands combined.
So this is a great program that exemplifies the commitment of this
Administration to conservation of flora and fauna in those areas that most need
it. I recommend the report to the Chamber.
Chairman:
Further debate? I will put the motion.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Field Services Committee
was declared carried on the voices.
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor David McLachlan (Chairman), and Councillors Peter Cumming, Nicole Johnston, Kim Marx and
Ian McKenzie.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE:
Councillor Norm Wyndham.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 48 -
A
COMMITTEE
PRESENTATION
PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM
–
WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION
280/2014-15
1.
Peter Hayes, Program Officer, Community Conservation Partnerships, Asset Services Branch, Field
Services Group, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to provide an update on The
Wildlife Conservation Partnerships Program. He provided the information below.
2.
The program mission is to form effective voluntary partnerships with private landholders that focus on
the conservation and restoration of strategically important areas of habitat.
3.
Over 50 per cent of the City’s habitat is in private ownership.
4.
The Wildlife Conservation Partnerships Program (WCPP) plays a key role in linking private
landholders to Council’s conservation objectives.
5.
The WCPP provides advice to private land owners on how to protect and manage flora and fauna on
their properties through property visits, the presentation of individual Bushland Property Management
Plans that direct and prioritise actions, availability of training workshops and field days, incentives
such as free plants and regular newsletters and information about Community Conservation Assistance
funding.
6.
The criteria to be a part of the WCPP is a minimum of 0.5 hectares (1.24 acres) that has existing habitat
(retained bushland) or can be restored back to bushland. The property also needs to be zoned
Rural Uses (RU), Environmental Management (EM) or Conservation (CN). The WCPP is free,
voluntary and does not affect ownership rights.
7.
The partners for this program include private landholders, schools, churches, government, businesses,
community groups and universities.
8.
The majority of partners are in acreage areas of the western suburbs and the south-east, due to the
criteria for the program, with a scattering of others across the city. A map depicting Enoggera defence
training area, The University of Queensland, St Lucia and Nudgee College as part of the WCPP was
displayed.
9.
WCPP promote cross boundary cooperation on land management issues. A map depicting this and
segregating the different areas with various colours was displayed.
10.
The statistics for the WCPP for 2013-14 included 38 new partnerships, 630 total partnerships, 763
property visits and an area under agreement of 2134.6 hectares.
11.
Highlights of 2013-14 included holding three open property days as part of the regional Land for
Wildlife Open Property Scheme, delivering seven training workshops for WCPP partners and assisting
with three integrated Community Conservation Partnerships Program events.
12.
Thirteen thousand free plants were provided to partners.
13.
The WCPP coordinated on-ground work on 81 partner properties as part of the Community
Conservation Assistance funding, 40 continuing from the 2012-13 round and 41 new projects for
2013-14.
14.
The WCPP coordinated vegetation surveys on 17 Voluntary Conservation Agreement and Covenant
properties covering 88 hectares. They also coordinated seasonal bird surveys on 10 partner properties
to monitor changes in biodiversity.
15.
The WCPP also assisted partners to monitor wildlife on their property to help direct restoration works
and target feral animal control.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 49 16.
The WCPP Partners Survey from 2013-14 indicated that 93 per cent of partners considered that their
knowledge of bushland restoration techniques had improved and 96 per cent of partners were satisfied
or highly satisfied with the program.
17.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Hayes for his
informative presentation.
18.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
BRISBANE LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE
Councillor Krista ADAMS, Chairman of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor
Andrew WINES, that the report of that Committee held on 11 November 2014, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair. Before we go to the report from last week, I'd just
like to announce that yet again we've been quite successful in the 2014 Inclusive
Community Champions Award where we were honoured for our work in
creating an inclusive community. This is the fifth annual Inclusive Community
Champions Award which acknowledges venues, services and individuals for
their efforts to ensure that everyone can participate in the community.
We recently just had the ceremony in October where I talked about all the
awards we got within the government sphere for our local area. But last
Thursday afternoon, which was really fun on the Thursday afternoon of the G20
to go to Government House, we actually did get a State finalist award for our
Towards an Accessible and Inclusive Brisbane video. Which was nominated as
a Queensland-wide award for that video that we put together.
So it was fantastic to be at that reception, in particular with people that starred in
the video that we put together for that day and to congratulate the other winners
of some of the awards. The State championship actually went to the Supreme
Court for their document they've just done for judges in dealing with those with
a disability or accessibility issues.
So it was great to be in that type of company there today. My favourite, though,
of the State finalists, it has to be the Puppy Powder Rooms out at the BAC
(Brisbane Airport Corporation) Airport. So they now have special toilets for
guide dogs. So you don't have to go back through the security with your guide
dog, you have somewhere you can take your guide dog to the bathroom before
you board the plane if you end up having to wait a little bit too long.
So they're called Puppy Powder Rooms and apparently they're going great guns
out there at BAC. So they were also State finalists with us as well. Our video is
the first fully-accessible video that's available on the corporate website. It's got
an Auslan interpreter and it has people, as I said, normal Brisbanites talking
about how they find Brisbane so accessible from our Braille trails to our ferries
and our buses and our buildings as well.
It was great, as I said to share the honour last Thursday with Nerelle, Sarah and
Michelle Owens that were there as well and talk to them about their journey
around Brisbane and particularly Sarah who works with Vision Australia and is
a very strong advocate for our Braille trails. She says, she has a bit of fun trying
to get around town with the Braille trails and explain to people that she needs to
be on them and asking them to move off them. Because she said that most
people, like I believe too, think that it's supposed to be a line about whether you
walk left or right down the mall. Some people don't even realise that's what it's
there for, which is why you would have seen recently we've been doing stickers
on them as well.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 50 So it is on the corporate website and anybody can access that video and use it.
you can use it when you're speaking to your local community groups, ask them
to share the word as well about how we are trying to make Brisbane an inclusive
city as well. This will all lead up to 3 December which is an important day for
many people in the Chamber. But 3 December is the International Day of People
with Disability.
So we will be showing the video on that day through the big screens at King
George Square and Queen Street Mall as well. So we can let everybody know
what we're doing in that space.
Our presentation last week, Madam Chair, was on Community Connect
initiatives, particularly the three programs we've run already this year.
Community Connect is basically ways that Council promotes their services,
their programs and their facilities around engaging new communities in
Brisbane as well. So as we know, we've heard many times in this place, nearly
28 per cent of Brisbane's population were born overseas. The top four countries,
New Zealand, England, China and India. But we also have the top 10 suburbs
that have a very high percentage of people born overseas including Robertson,
Stretton, Macgregor, Sunnybank and Calamvale.
In all 10 suburbs, excluding Darra, Mandarin is the most common second
language spoken. So what we've been doing is running a series of programs
through our Multicultural Team to engage with people from culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds and supporting through council services and
letting them know what type of council services we have out there for the
community to be able to use.
We've been doing initiatives with Milpera State High School where we have an
annual career expo organised by the school that shows them opportunities for
career paths in Council and also some of the Council services to support them,
particularly within the buses and the ferries. South Bank TAFE does a lot of
information sessions with our enrolled students there in the adult migrant
English programs. We had over 600 students participating there.
Of course, our three roadshows that we've done at our regional libraries at
Garden City, Indooroopilly, Chermside and Indooroopilly just a couple of weeks
ago. Our multicultural team, as I said, are the lead for our roadshow. The first
one was in Chermside this year. Fantastic Indian day—I say Indian because that
was the main food that was there that day and it was spectacular. A lot of henna
painting. As I said the world kitchen was great. There was a lot of Bollywood
dancing there as well.
Garden City Library on 3 May, we had one which was definitely more of the
Mandarin-speaking community. We had a beautiful performance by Warrigal
State School, Councillor HUANG, and the very multicultural students that
perform in their choir there as well. Then we had a beautiful world kitchen
demonstration by one of my local restaurants which is a Persian restaurant,
which is absolutely beautiful food. Benny there, from the Persian restaurant just
does spectacular work and then Indooroopilly just a couple of weeks ago where
we attracted over 100 people who enjoyed the Judy Chan Dance Group and the
Kenmore State High School Male Choir.
We actually had five or six people from the local deaf community that came
along to that roadshow. We had an Auslan interpreter who did very, very well to
also interpret the performance of the male choir in time to the music as well. So
they really loved that opportunity to become involved as well.
I want to say thank you to all the teams that come out to community roadshows.
It's not just Brisbane Lifestyle. Our Waste Services come out as well so they can
talk about recycling and all those opportunities. I thank the Council officers for
these initiatives. They're a great way for the community to learn what we're
doing and what we can do for them. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Further debate? I'll put the motion.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 51 Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the
Brisbane Lifestyle Committee was declared carried on the voices.
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor Krista Adams (Chairman), Councillor Andrew Wines (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors
Councillors Vicki Howard, Steven Huang and Victoria Newton.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE:
Councillor Steve Griffiths.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – COMMUNITY CONNECT INITIATIVES
281/2014-15
1.
Ms Vanessa Fabre, Manager, Inclusive Communities, Connected Communities, Brisbane Lifestyle
Division, attended the meeting to provide an update on Community Connect Initiatives. She provided
the information below.
2.
An overview was provided of Council’s multicultural Community Connect initiatives that aim to
engage newly arrived residents with the wider community.
3.
The purpose of the Community Connect initiatives are to promote the great services, programs and
facilities that are offered by Council and provide opportunities for Council to engage new communities
settling in Brisbane.
4.
According to the 2011 Census, 28.3 per cent (295,201 people) of Brisbane’s population were born
overseas. The top four overseas countries of birth were New Zealand (3.9 per cent), England (3.8 per
cent), China (1.8 per cent) and India (1.7 per cent). The Census also identified the top 10 suburbs in
Brisbane of people born overseas:
Robertson 65.4 per cent (2,747 people)
Stretton 55.2 per cent (2,248 people)
Macgregor 54.2 per cent (3,021 people)
Sunnybank 50.8 per cent (4,111 people)
Calamvale 50.8 per cent (7,762 people)
Runcorn 50.7 per cent (7,143 people)
Sunnybank Hills 49.3 per cent (8,296 people)
Brisbane City 48.6 per cent (3,835 people)
Eight Mile Plains 48.5 per cent (6,495 people)
Darra 44.8 per cent (1,719 people)
5.
The Multicultural Development Association (MDA) is a specialist multicultural agency that was
established in 1998. MDA provides direct services and programs to enable successful settlement of
various groups including refugees. Through their refugee settlement services, MDA worked with 1,495
clients in 2012-13. A slide was shown detailing the countries of birth and percentage of people who
have come to Brisbane through the Humanitarian Settlement Scheme showing:
five per cent of people from Sri Lanka
six per cent of people from Congo, Democratic Republic
seven per cent of people from Myanma/Burma
seven per cent of people from Iraq
16 per cent of people from Afghanistan
22 per cent of people from Iran
37 per cent of people from Cuba, Syria, Colombia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Bhutan,
Burundi, Rwanda, Fiji, Tibet, Russia and Kuwait.
6.
Council’s Multicultural Team work closely with people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
(CaLD) backgrounds. One of their roles is to connect with multicultural communities and support them
to access Council services and facilities. Some highlights of the team’s initiatives include:
Milpera State High School – Milpera Futures
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 52 -
South Bank TAFE
Community Connect Roadshows
7.
The Milpera State School, Milpera Futures initiative is an annual Career Expo, which was held on 8
November 2014. The school provides an intensive English language preparation centre for students
aged 11 to 18. Relevant areas of Council contribute by presenting workshops on possible career paths
and Council services. Milpera Futures is an opportunity to engage with CaLD young people and the
school community.
8.
South Bank TAFE information sessions are delivered to students enrolled in the Adult Migrant English
Program with over 600 students currently participating. The Multicultural Team coordinates
information sessions from Council, including Library Services, Brisbane Transport, Customer Services,
Waste Management and City Safety. The initiative is designed to link with newly arrived English
learning students at TAFE.
9.
Community Connect Roadshows aim to promote Council services, programs and facilities to culturally
diverse residents, newly arrived communities and the wider community. Council has held the following
roadshows since commencing the initiative:
Chermside Roadshow at Chermside Library on 22 March 2014 with 125 people in attendance
Mt Gravatt Roadshow at Mt Gravatt Library on 3 May 2014 with over 300 people in
attendance
Indooroopilly Roadshow at Indooroopilly Library on 8 November 2014 with over 100 people
in attendance.
10.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Ms Fabre for her
informative presentation.
11.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Councillor Julian SIMMONDS, Chairman of the Finance, Economic Development and Administration
Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, that the report of that Committee held
on 11 November 2014, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. Before I touch on the report I usually
give a bit of an update of what's happened in the portfolio in the last week.
Obviously that's been dominated by G20, both the leaders' meeting and
preparations for it and also the Global Café. Both of those topics have been
touched on at length today. So I just wanted to add my thanks, the same has
been extended from the LORD MAYOR and Councillor DICK, and my thanks
to those officers who were involved in the preparation of this and also during the
event itself.
That includes all of the field staff but also the back-of-house staff as well, the IT
people that were involved, the organisational people that were involved. The
coordination group that are usually stood up in a disaster operation were there
facilitating Council's role within the event and thank them very much. They did
24 hour shifts over the—well they worked around the clock. The thing was open
around the clock. Obviously the individuals didn't work for 24 hours straight but
they worked very hard is the point I'm trying to make. They deserve our thanks.
I know it's wrong to single people out, but I wanted to particularly single out Mr
Peter Rule who has led Council's organisation of the G20 for the better part of
18 months. He originally did that in his role as Town Clerk—though it's not
called Town Clerk anymore. He originally did his part in that role and then he
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 53 moved into fulltime duties on the G20. That is more than taken up his time and
then some but he has done it incredibly well.
I have to say he was absolutely dogged in ensuring that Council's measures of
success for the event were achieved. Because of that, we got a much better event
for it I feel so on behalf of the chamber, thank you very much to Peter Rule and
all the work that he put in.
Finally, Madam Chairman, just on the item before the committee, we had a
presentation last week on the BaSE (Business and System Efficiency) Mobile
Solution system. Particularly councillors got the opportunity to see on the screen
and on an iPad the system that field officers are now enjoying with some 700
mobile devices including 600 iPads and 100 laptops that have been rolled out to
field workers across the city and across the organisation.
It demonstrated the wide variety of tasks that can now be done on a mobile basis
and in the field including ordering goods, raising work requests, completing
work requests, attaching photos of the work that's been done and the like. So the
committee has found it very, very useful just to understand exactly what field
officers now have at their disposal and the power of that system. Thank you very
much.
Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.
Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, I just rise to speak briefly in
support of the report and particularly in respect of the improvements with the
BaSE Mobile Solution. Madam Chairman, these improvements that have been
implemented and are certainly underway in many different areas of Council are
providing very real and tangible results, because they are actually enabling
Council officers to get work done in the field without having to go back to their
desks to actually send an email or to submit work orders, or to even gain a work
order to proceed with getting an outcome for a particular situation.
Madam Chairman, what this whole BaSE Mobile Solution process is doing is it
is showing and demonstrating in a very clear and real way how the officers of
this Council have been working behind the scenes for continuous improvement
across our Council processes, to help us have a more effective and efficient
organisation. Certainly the improvements don't just stop with what has been
done to date. The officers are continuously looking to go that one step better and
also be at world's best practice with what they're implementing.
I think this is really important because they are leading us into a very different
age of how our officers out in the field are actually undertaking work. The tools
that are now at the disposal of the in the field for officers are certainly bringing
them to cutting edge technology. This has been a great improvement to how
officers in the field can certainly work with each other, but also work with us as
councillors across the city. This has certainly been a very in-depth process that
the officers have been testing and ensuring that all the systems are working
correctly.
I do commend each and every one of the officers who have been involved in the
implementation of this project because I know they have worked extremely hard
to get some very high-end results and a great deal of efficiencies for, not only us
as a Council, but also all of the ratepayers of Brisbane. They are to be
commended for their efforts. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor SIMMONDS? I'll put the motion.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the Finance, Economic Development and
Administration Committee was declared carried on the voices.
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor Julian Simmonds (Chairman), Councillor Angela Owen-Taylor (Deputy Chairman); and Councillors
Kim Flesser, Fiona King, Ryan Murphy and Shayne Sutton.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 54 -
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BUSINESS AND SYSTEM EFFICIENCY
MOBILE SOLUTION DEMONSTRATION
282/2014-15
1.
Greg Evans, Divisional Manager, Organisational Services, attended the meeting to provide an update
on the Business and System Efficiency (BaSE) Mobile Solution. He provided the information below.
2.
The BaSE Mobile Solution is a new mobile work solution being developed for Field Services Group
employees.
3.
Council has undertaken training to prepare officers for the BaSE Mobile Solution roll out. Some
highlights were presented which included:
over 1,150 training sessions scheduled
over 22,500 hours of participant training scheduled (3,110 working days)
110 training courses developed
86 pre Go-Live training drop-in sessions held
110 roadshows and expos attended by 4,500 managers, team leaders and employees (includes
34 mobility roadshows)
35 team leader forums over 2 months (over 650 team leaders attended)
A significant number of workshops, reference group forums and ‘Day in the Life’
walkthrough sessions were conducted to support each release
Sessions were held at up to 20 different locations.
4.
757 mobile devices are currently being used in the field by around 660 field-based employees in Field
Services Group. These mobile devices are used for a range of functions including:
Raising work requests
Processing work orders
Submitting timesheet and leave requests
Completing safety checks
Procuring and receipting goods.
5.
The mobile solution will enhance the mobility of field-based employees and will lead to further
capturing, comparison and assessment of Council asset and works data with real-time information.
6.
The BaSE Mobile Solution team provided a demonstration of the mobile based software.
7.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Evans and the
Council officers for their informative presentation.
8.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:
Chairman:
Councillors, are there any petitions? Councillor HUANG.
Councillor HUANG:
Madam Chair, I have a petition from residents requesting Council remove two
trees on Council property.
Chairman:
Councillor HOWARD.
Councillor HOWARD:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. I have a petition in regard to the extension of the
393 bus.
Chairman:
Councillor SIMMONDS.
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. A petition regarding a proposed
development at 131 Sir Fred Schonell Drive, St Lucia.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 55 Chairman:
Further petitions? Councillor FLESSER.
Councillor FLESSER:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I've got a petition from residents regarding Bage
Street at Nundah.
Chairman:
Any further petitions? Councillor CUMMING.
Councillor CUMMING:
Yes, Madam Chair, two petitions, one in relation to businesses seeking yellow
recycling bins and the other one seeking that Council establish a cinema at the
old Wynnum Central School.
Chairman:
Further petitions? Councillor MURPHY.
283/2014-15
It was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor V, that the petitions as
presented be received and referred to the Committee concerned for consideration and report.
The petitions were summarised as follows:
File No.
Councillor
Topic
CA14/907909
Steven Huang
Requesting the removal of two trees on Council property
CA14/939406
Vicki Howard
CA14/923471
Julian Simmonds
CA14/949081
Kim Flesser
CA14/939939
Peter Cumming
Requesting an extension of the 393 Bus Services from New
Farm to Teneriffe
Objecting to the proposed development at 131 Fred Schonell
Drive, St Lucia
Requesting that Council close Bage Street at the Buckland
Road intersection on eastern side of Nundah State School,
Nundah
Requesting businesses have yellow recycling bin access
CA14/949152
Peter Cumming
Requesting businesses have yellow recycling bin access
Ca14/940295
Peter Cumming
Requesting a cinema for the old Wynnum Central State School
site
GENERAL BUSINESS:
Chairman:
Councillors are there any statements required as a result of a Councillor Conduct
Review Panel order? Are there any matters of General Business? Councillor
OWEN-TAYLOR.
Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, I rise to speak about the
Brisbane Global Café and the great benefits that the Brisbane Global Café has
brought for Brisbane. Madam Chairman, it was extremely pleasing to see last
week that so many people were here in City Hall to actually generate
discussions on many different aspects of where thought leadership should take
not only our city, our country but also on a world stage forward for years to
come.
Madam Chairman, there were extensive numbers of high profile speakers who
attended the Global Café and certainly there has been significant support from
the business sector in sponsoring the Global Café as well. So to all of those
people who participated as speakers and as sponsors, we do appreciate your
partnership with us here in the city of Brisbane. I would also just like to mention
the many volunteers and support people who worked behind the scenes to make
the event so successful, because from the moment you walked into the Global
Café you were greeted with a friendly smile.
The people who were at the registration desk could not go far enough to assist
you. They certainly made sure that people were made to feel welcome here in
the people's place, City Hall. That was what the Global Café was all about. It
was about getting that welcome and also making sure that we had the thoughts
and ideas exchange. One thing I would just also like to touch on that was
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 56 undertaken in collaboration with the Global Café was also the inaugural
Intelligent Green 20 (iG20) Forum which was the iG20 Forum.
That was organised by the Australia-China Chamber of CEO Inc. in association
with Brisbane Marketing. The objectives of the iG20 was to actually facilitate an
international platform that proactively engages world-leading authorities,
discussing green and intelligent environmental solutions through a network of
leading sustainable cities; through also promoting economic, technical and
cultural exchanges between cities in Australia and China. It also sought to foster
sustainable development societies through creating future intelligent green cities
which will be prosperous in both economic and environmental terms, and to also
broaden the trade and investment opportunities.
One thing that they also had there which was quite unusual to see was a scale
model of what is called The Green Beauty. This is a very, very interesting
philosophy. It actually is a green environmental and artistic project which
actually features vertical farms and gardens, along with retail and
accommodation. So, on certain levels it had actually livestock grazing, as well
as different levels of retail and accommodation. Essentially it was creating a
combined human-living environment from that completely sustainable
perspective but also it was doing it in a very artistic way. I was completely
blown away by it.
The iG20 was primarily aimed at entrepreneurs, business leaders,
environmentalists, community representatives and academics. The fact that it
focused on sustainable technology and practices for economic benefits, certainly
fitted in a very strong way with the rest of the Global Café.
The Global Café, was well received for many of the participants and I've had a
lot of feedback over the past couple of days from quite a number of people who
attended. There is significant appreciation for the fact that we as a City Council
took this step to engage with so many people on so many levels to engage in that
thought leadership, to actually spark off that interest and create it as a world
leading G20 event.
I think through the Brisbane Global Café we have certainly helped to make
Brisbane make its mark on the rest of the world as Australia's New World City,
as a city that is a leader across the globe, as a global city in a globalised world. It
is very important that we do really focus on these new initiatives.
Whilst some on the other side may have questioned why we were proceeding in
that direction I think our endeavours in proceeding down that track have been
well and truly quantified in a major way. The Brisbane Global Café was a
success. We will be reaping the benefits for many, many years to come. I really
think that through the efforts that we've had, especially with the live streaming
of many of the different sessions, there has been a reach far greater than just the
people here in Brisbane, which is certainly putting Brisbane on the world stage.
Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Further General Business? Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman, I rise to speak on four items, the Global Café I'll make a
few comments on; Junction Park State School winning Active Travel School of
the Year; the new City Plan and the Sherwood Street Festival. Firstly can I thank
Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR and the other councillors who have talked about
the Global Café over the past short few hours of this Council meeting. The
interesting part of this is perhaps we could all share in the idea of how good the
Global Café is but unfortunately I wasn't invited to attend anything.
I'm not aware necessarily of what's on. I mean I could read what was online and
things like that but if this has been such a great event, I don't know why it hasn't
been open to all councillors to share with their residents and with others the
events that have been held here at City Hall. I would have thought that might be
something that given the LORD MAYOR has announced today another no
doubt think tank of businesses to capitalise on what's happened over the last
week or so, that this would be something that all councillors were included in.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 57 So it's probably very nice that Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR attended the Global
Café but unfortunately I wasn't invited and I'd be guessing probably the Labor
councillors weren't invited. No, Councillor ABRAHAMS is shaking her hand,
Councillor FLESSER—sorry. So my feedback would be if you want people to
talk up the events that this city is hosting, it's helpful if you include all the
representatives.
I'd like to speak next on Junction Park State School. Now I am very privileged
to have a number of schools that have participated in my time as councillor in
the Active School Travel program. This year I had two schools formally
participating; Junction Park State School and Corinda State School. I am
delighted to say that Junction Park State School did win Active Travel School of
the Year, beating a number of other schools around Brisbane. I am sure—
Councillor interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Thank you so much Councillor ABRAHAMS. I am sure that the other schools
did an excellent job but, Madam Chairman, I just want to share very briefly with
the Chamber some of the outstanding achievements of Junction Park State
School. Eighty-five per cent of children actively travelled on a pretty consistent
basis across the year. That is off a fairly high base of around 57 per cent when
they started at the beginning of the year. There is a great community culture
amongst the people of Annerley and it was very clear to see that in terms of the
results they achieved.
We had a fantastic committee of the principal, teachers, parents and students and
myself, and we worked together through the year to do just some wonderful
events; very creative, so Annerley was decorated, lots of street art. We upgraded
some of the crossing points for the children with line markings. They had a giant
conga line to school. So each month with a different theme we had a different
event. They had ‘Bling your thing’; they had ‘Skateboarding and scooter
decoration’ and parades. They had an innovative skateboarding competition.
Craig Lowndes was a lollipop lady for the day on Fatality Free Friday and they
really just did a brilliant job.
I hosted a breakfast for the children each term which I've been doing every year
for seven years for all of the schools that have participated in this program. I am
just absolutely thrilled for Christine Wood, the principal of Junction Park State
School, that they have their efforts over the course of the year recognised. The
children loved the program at the school and they are indeed a most worthy
winner. I was delighted to share in this announcement last week at City Hall. I'm
not sure the LORD MAYOR looked as happy as me but I certainly was. I just
want to thank Christine who very kindly invited me up onstage and said some
nice things which was just lovely.
I know that Junction Park State School will be working just as hard as a legacy
school next year to keep up the great work. So I just want to say they are an
outstanding school. I want to congratulate them for being recognised as the
Active Travel School of the Year and thank all the other schools, particularly in
my area, Corinda State School who participated this year, along with Graceville
State School, Christ the King and Mary Immaculate who are the three legacy
schools I am supporting at the moment as well.
Finally the new City Plan. I'm a little bit concerned that we are now seeing the
impact of the new City Plan out in Tennyson Ward. There are a couple of
interesting development applications that I want to place on the record my
concern with. Firstly a low to medium density block in Annerley has been
subdivided, a 410 block has been subdivided into two; I think they're 207 square
metre blocks. That is less than the required 260 square metres under the new
rules. Now they were a concern, I know I spoke about them during the debate on
City Plan.
We are now seeing this Council allowing even smaller blocks than what the new
City Plan states is the minimum block size. Of course, these are all codeassessable development applications and they are being approved within a
matter of days; number one, the decision I think is a poor one for our
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 58 community, number two, it does not reflect the criteria that is set down in the
new City Plan and number three, taking away the rights of residents to object to
this type of development legally speaking is just appalling.
There's another one of concern which is over in Sherwood. I have a developer
who is now applying for a seven-storey building in a five-storey area. Of course
again this is code assessable because of the way in which the levels of
assessment were changed in the City Plan. It is really disturbing that
development of this size that has non-compliant boundaries, non-compliant
height, no setbacks, massive density. I mean it is a giant block of units on the
site.
I'm extremely concerned that this application again does not reflect the planning
intention under the neighbourhood plan. It is not something that residents can
now have their say on because it is code assessable. We are really I think just
starting to see the early impacts of what is an appalling City Plan that was
passed by this Administration in 2014. Just keeping up with the number of codeassessable developments that are coming through and they're being approved
quite quickly. That is really problematic and I think that we will be a lesser
community for the non-compliance, the speed of assessment and the lack of a
voice that our community has with respect to these DAs.
Finally the seventeenth annual Sherwood Street Festival is on Friday night. I
encourage all councillors to come along to Sherwood, outside the Sherwood
shops. We had about 7,000 people attend last year. It's a fantastic event. Sadly
the LORD MAYOR is not going to open it this year. I know he's had a bit of
strife there in past years but we'll see. I don't know who will be coming out to
open it. I'm happy, I'm happy to do it.
Councillor interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I know that's what I think too. So maybe I'll just jump up onstage and pull a
Councillor GRIFFITH and just have a little chat anyway but I do invite all
councillors. I know Councillor DICK does come along and I just want to put on
the record my thanks to the Sherwood Community Festival volunteer team.
They aren't paid for their role in organising this fantastic community event. They
are volunteers from local churches, schools and businesses. They are an
extraordinary group of very community minded men and women. I would like to
thank Vivienne Rodgers their president, and the executive for all their fantastic
work. It takes a year of planning to get it together. On Friday evening I'm sure it
will be a fantastic event for everybody in our community so please come along.
Chairman:
Further General Business? Councillor MARX.
Councillor MARX:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to speak on the G20 in Brisbane on the
weekend and in particular the G20 Global Café. My husband and I took the
opportunity to come into the city on Saturday. Yes, it was hot; in fact it was very
hot. We walked around the whole city, up one side of the river and down the
other and over to South Bank and everywhere around that. I just wanted to get a
feel for the atmosphere and what was going on, and of course I wanted to see a
motorcade or two.
I was fortunate enough; I got to see four motorcades. I was very impressed with
that. I didn't get to see Obama's one unfortunately but no matter how hard I tried
but anyway, there you go. Maybe if he comes back again we'll try and see him
next time. The atmosphere out there with the residents was awesome. It was a
bit like the Expo '88 atmosphere when people had the long queues, people just
talk to each other, complete strangers talking about who they wanted to see and
what they were doing and everything like that, so it was really amazing.
I also took the opportunity on Sunday night when I spoke to the Commissioner
Ian Stewart to congratulate him and his team on their work that they did. It was
something actually that my husband noticed. He said I think they've been told
that they have to be really nice to everybody and I think that was the strategy
they used and it certainly worked. They were very, very helpful.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 59 Mainly unfortunately for some of the people from Victoria as tour guides and
stuff and of course they didn't really know much about where they had to go, but
they still managed to cope with all the residents as well. Of course there were
the SES workers as well out there on the roads and everything like that so it was
awesome.
The Global Café I did come into that on the Thursday afternoon. I have to say
my one regret is that I didn't spend enough time in here for the Global Café. I
only managed to get in for the very last session on the Thursday. There was a
professor who was live streaming from Venice. He was talking about buildings
and developments and everything like that. While I have to admit that's one of
my least knowledgeable areas in my role as a councillor I did find it very
inspiring and an amazing, interesting live stream.
I would have liked to maybe have it on YouTube or something. So maybe I
might talk to Councillor SIMMONDS, yes, about how I can download
something like that. Ray Martin was the MC on that particular afternoon as well.
Some of the ideas that these people had that came out of that café just blew me
away. I know there was a lot of people there taking notes so I'm sure that we're
going to see some of these ideas coming to fruition in our generation anyway.
Thank you.
Chairman:
Further General Business? Councillor HUANG.
Councillor HUANG:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to speak on last week's Global Café which was
held in City Hall just prior to the weekend's G20 Summit. I congratulate the
LORD MAYOR and Brisbane city for the successful hosting of the Global Café
and of course G20. Madam Chair, as previous speakers have already elaborated
on the content and the quality of speakers of the Global Café, I'd like to take this
opportunity to do a personal reflection on the success and significance of Global
Café.
Global Café is a new concept introduced by Brisbane to bring together some of
the world's sharpest, most provocative, innovative minds to discuss topics
critical to our future. Themes of the Global Café included ‘Improving human
life’, ‘Powering future economies’, ‘The digital age’, ‘Tourism's new frontier’
and ‘Cities of the future’. These themes are the key challenges of modern
international society and Brisbane's Global Café provided an important forum
for these thought leaders to explore and discuss these challenges.
I have participated in a number of sessions in the Global Café and spoke with a
number of participants. The most common feedback was that Global Café is a
vital step in making Brisbane truly a New World City. I can remember attending
an event some years ago with Senator George Brandis as the guest speaker.
During the event he raised the point that when he travelled down to Sydney or
Melbourne, people often talk and discuss national or even international issues.
But when he returned to Brisbane people are more likely to talk about local
issues and less likely to discuss international or even national issues.
It has been some years since that event and Brisbane, especially under both
LORD MAYORs Newman and QUIRK, have achieved significant progress in
making Brisbane Australia's New World City. This Global Café is an important
step forward in bringing global vision and thought into our city. The interest
generated by the Global Café will be critical in shaping the future thoughts of
our city and our people. I'd like to once again congratulate LORD MAYOR
Graham QUIRK and this Council for the leadership and vision in transforming
Brisbane into a real new world city. May I say the G20 Summit brings the world
to Brisbane but Global Café brings Brisbane to the world.
I would also like to join Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR and take this opportunity
to mention an event that has been running parallel to Global Café last
Wednesday called Intelligent Green 20. This is a forum jointly hosted by
Brisbane Marketing and Australia China Chamber of CEOs. The theme of the
forum is focused on innovative environmentally sustainable technologies and
practices in Asia Pacific region and unveiled the concept design of Green
Beauty, the world's first green technology vertical farm and ecotourism tower.
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 60 That includes facilities such as hotels, restaurants, retail space and the vertical
farm that will cultivate crops and livestock.
A model of Green Beauty is still on display at the Ann Street entrance of the
City Hall. I would like to invite everyone to go and have a look at this
innovative green concept building which incorporated more than 10 innovative
technologies, such as solar energy, wind energy, manure fermentation and clean
water recycling which was designed to provide the vertical farming tower with a
reliable ecosystem, renewable energy and a low operational cost. This event was
well attended by nearly 100 businesses, industry and academic leaders and was
definitely a value-adding event to the Global Café. Thank you.
Chairman:
Further General Business? I declare the meeting closed.
QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:
(Questions of which due notice has been given are printed as supplied and are not edited)
Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (received on 6 November 2014)
Q1.
Please list the amounts of rates and charges budgeted to be collected in the following Wards in the
2014/2015 financial year:Bracken Ridge
Central
Chandler
Deagon
Doboy
Enoggera
Hamilton
Holland Park
Jamboree
Karawatha
MacGregor
Marchant
McDowell
Moorooka
Morningside
Northgate
Parkinson
Pullenvale
Richlands
Tennyson
The Gabba
The Gap
Toowong
Walter Taylor
Wishart
Wynnum Manly
RISING OF COUNCIL:
PRESENTED:
5.16pm.
and CONFIRMED
CHAIRMAN
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]
- 61 -
Council officers in attendance:
James Withers (Senior Council and Committee Officer)
Jo Camamile (Council and Committee Officer)
Shivaji Solao (Council and Committee Officer)
Billy Peers (Personal Support Officer to the Lord Mayor and Council Orderly)
[4453 (Ordinary) Meeting – 18 November 2014]