MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE ?? MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT ROY HARVEY HOUSE,
157 ANN STREET, BRISBANE,
Dedicated to a better Brisbane
ON TUESDAY ??
AT 2PM
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
The 4396 meeting of the Brisbane City Council,
held at City Hall, Brisbane
on Tuesday 19 February 2013
at 2pm
Prepared by:
Council and Committees Support
Chief Executive’s Office
Office of the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive Officer
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4396 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE
ON TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2013
Dedicated to a better Brisbane
AT 2PM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MINUTES: ............................................................................................................................................................ 1
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: .............................................................................................................................. 1
QUESTION TIME: .............................................................................................................................................. 4
CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS: ...................................................................................... 15
ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE ................................................................... 15
A
ADOPTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS AMENDING LOCAL LAW 2013 ............... 19
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ........................................................................................................... 22
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – OVERVIEW OF SCHEDULE 58: BRIDGE AND CULVERT
CONSTRUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 28
B
PETITION – CALLING ON COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT JANE
STREET AND MONTAGUE ROAD, WEST END, TO DETERMINE IF THE VULTURE STREET
AND MONTAGUE ROAD INTERSECTION IS MORE APPROPRIATE BASED ON CRASH DATA 29
C
PETITIONS – CALLING ON COUNCIL TO INSTALL A SIGNALISED PEDESTRIAN CROSSING
ON HYDE ROAD, YERONGA AND FOR THE REDUCTION IN SPEED LIMITS ALONG HYDE
ROAD AND CANSDALE STREET, YERONGA .................................................................................. 30
D
PETITION – REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL REMOVE THE TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICE
INSTALLED IN BISLEY PLACE, WAKERLEY ................................................................................... 32
PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE .............................................................................. 33
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CYCLING MID-TRIP FACILITIES ............................................. 33
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE................. 34
A
ELECTRONIC DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION UNDER THE SUSTAINABLE PLANNING ACT
2009 – MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE – DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES
(QANTM–SAE INSTITUTE CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA COLLEGE) – 41 BUCHANAN STREET,
WEST END – B.I.S. PROPERTIES (BRISBANE) PTY LTD ................................................................ 37
ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE ...................................................... 41
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – THE EVOLUTION OF MORETON BAY ..................................... 44
FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE ............................................................................................................... 45
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – FIELD SERVICES GROUP AND URBAN AMENITIES BRANCH
PERFORM AND WELLBEING PROGRAM PILOT ........................................................................... 47
BRISBANE LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE .................................................................................................... 48
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL CONTACT CENTRE WEATHER
EVENT RESPONSE PLAN .................................................................................................................. 49
FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE ....................... 49
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION - LORD MAYOR’S BUSINESS FORUMS ....................................... 50
B
BUSHLAND PRESERVATION LEVY REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED SEPTEMBER 2012 ... 51
C
BUSHLAND PRESERVATION LEVY REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 2012 .... 52
CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION - SUPPORTING A REFERENDUM ON
CONSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT: ................................................... 52
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS: ................................................................................................................ 64
GENERAL BUSINESS: ..................................................................................................................................... 64
QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN: .................................................................. 70
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4396 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE
ON TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2013
Dedicated to a better Brisbane
AT 2PM
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN: ....................................... 71
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4396 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE
ON TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2013
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)
Norm WYNDHAM (McDowall)
Andrew WINES (Enoggera)
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)
Councillor 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:
441/2012-13
The Minutes of the 4395 meeting of Council held on 12 February 2013, 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:
Mrs Merilyn Haines – Risk assessment of water fluoridation
File number: 137/220/701/148
Chairman:
I would like to call on Mrs Merilyn Haines who will address the Chamber on
water fluoridation risk assessment. Orderly, would you please escort Mrs Haines
in.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
-2Thank you, Mrs Haines, you have five minutes.
Mrs Merilyn Haines:
Thank you. Good afternoon everyone. Madam Chairman, LORD MAYOR and
Councillors, thank you for the opportunity to talk to you this afternoon. I am
here today on behalf of Queenslanders for Safe Water to talk about water
fluoridation and evidence we have already provided to you that Queensland
Health has not done any human health risk assessments for fluoridation. Instead
of risk assessments, the Queensland Government just relied on the 2007
recommendation from the NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research
Council).
We have previously advised that the Australian Drinking Water guidelines
produced by the NHMRC states, ‘People with kidney impairment have a lower
margin of safety for fluoride intake. Limited data indicates that their fluoride
retention may be up to three times normal.’ Now, this same acknowledgment
was in the tender to do the NHMRC’s 2007 fluoride review. It was a confirmed
requirement to include cumulative effects of fluoride on people with kidney
impairment. However, in the published review, there is absolutely nothing on
cumulative effects or kidney impairment.
The NHMRC review is flawed in many other ways as well, and there are many
other potential risks for fluoridation un-investigated by the NHMRC, but there is
not enough time to go into that in five minutes today. Just days after mandatory
fluoridation was overturned, the LORD MAYOR said emphatically, ‘Fluoride is
staying in Brisbane’s water.’ Basically, end of story.
When the LORD MAYOR first said that, he had not even had the time to have
consulted with all the BCC (Brisbane City Council) councillors, or other
councils, or the Council of Mayors. By 18 December, the LORD MAYOR was
saying that 2005 and 2006 polls found that about 60 per cent of people support
fluoridation. By the way, these were push polls, leading preamble, leading
question. He also said that for Brisbane to opt out, it would cost a minimum of
$150 million. This would be if some SEQ (South East Queensland) councils
should want to keep fluoridating. Immediately, Ipswich Mayor said, ‘If Brisbane
is continuing fluoridation, Ipswich will have to continue it too. Ipswich will
have no choice. We can’t afford to go it alone.’ We believe that just because
Brisbane Council is the biggest council, it should not be lauding it over all the
other smaller councils and effectively checkmating them.
The LORD MAYOR also said there will be no referendum. This attitude is
completely at odds with the Queensland Government’s intention of handing
decision-making back to communities, and the LGAQ (Local Government
Association of Queensland) policy that fluoridation without the express consent
of a community is unethical mass medication. Cairns Council recently
announced it was ending fluoridation citing the LGAQ policy and mass
medication. Any type of mass medication should be a matter of individual
choice. Our association’s policy is that we do not support referendums. Why
should 70 per cent of a community decide that the other 30 per cent get a
medication in their drinking water, or 60 per cent decides for 40 per cent, or
even 51 per cent decide for 49 per cent?
In 2005, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said that while 30 per cent of the
population did not support fluoridation, he was not going to force it on them.
Fluoridation is completely different to chlorination. Fluoride chemicals are
injected into water to treat people. Most European countries do not fluoridate
their drinking water because they acknowledge it as unethical mass medication.
Councillors, you have all been given a DVD, “Professionals’ Perspectives on
Water Fluoridation” produced by the Fluoride Action Network, or FAN for
short. Professor Paul Connett, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry and
Environmental Toxicology, and the co-founder of FAN, was in Brisbane last
week for a couple of days. Professor Connett gave presentations to Moreton Bay
Council and Gold Coast Council on fluoridation, but sadly Professor Connett
was not allowed to present to Brisbane Council or even to meet with the LORD
MAYOR. Brisbane Councillors were denied a golden opportunity to hear the
other side of the fluoridation debate from a world expert on fluoridation.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
-3The take-home message: forced fluoridation is unethical mass medication. It
was forced on Queenslanders with potential risks but with no risk assessments
done. If Brisbane City Council just said, okay, it was forced on people, there
was no debate allowed, there was no choice, let’s just end it now. We seriously
doubt that all the other councils in the SEQ water grid would be lining up
planning to keep mass medicating their ratepayers.
Chairman:
Thank you, Mrs Haines. Would you like to take a seat? Your five minutes is up.
Mrs Haines:
Thank you.
Response by Councillor Julian SIMMONDS, Chairman of the Finance, Economic Development and
Administration Committee
Chairman:
Just take a seat for a moment and someone will respond. Councillor
SIMMONDS, will you respond?
A councillor interjecting.
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Certainly, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Order!
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and through you, thank you to Mrs
Haines for taking the time to come and address the Council Chamber today. You
are obviously very passionate about this issue, and your passion comes through.
We recognise that this is an issue which creates passion from people at both
ends of the spectrum, both for and against.
As you would be aware, last year the State Government changed the Water
Fluoridation Act 2008. The effect of these changes meant that local councils
could, if they so choose, opt to make a decision to no longer add fluoride to the
drinking water. That is an important point. This was an opt-out provision.
Fluoride was already mandated within the water from the previous Labor
Government, and we are dealing with the issue of whether or not it is feasible to
then opt-out.
As to the reasons of why the decision has been made not to change the existing
arrangements, the LORD MAYOR has been quite upfront about the reasons
why the Administration has chosen not to propose a change to this Council
Chamber. The decision to opt out of fluoridation in isolation would expose the
city ratepayers, both you and me, and all ratepayers, to significant cost. There
can be no doubt about that. We would like to think it is as simple as just asking
somebody who is pouring it into the water not to pour it in, but unfortunately it
is not.
We are at the heart of a water grid, a very, very complicated water grid which
includes water from seven different treatment plants from the Sunshine Coast to
the Gold Coast, all feeding off each other. A good example of that was the
recent Australia Day storm events where we had to take the Mt Crosby plants
off-line. Brisbane area was running low of water, and we took water from Gold
Coast, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay, and shared those facilities, as we share
them every day.
So, if the decision was made not to fluoride Brisbane water, there would be no
guarantee of fluoride-free water for Brisbane residents unless Council was to
invest a significant cost and time to taking ourselves off the network and
creating our own water infrastructure, a cost that we approximate to be at least
$150 million. Quite simply, we could not countenance imposing this cost on
Brisbane ratepayers.
Having said that, I also want to make it clear in terms of your health concerns
that we have based our decision on the advice of leading health experts,
including the Australian Medical Association, the World Health Organisation
and the Australian Dental Association who all maintain that fluoride in water is
beneficial. These groups, I think you would admit, are considered the pre[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
-4eminent authorities in their field. So, with that, Mrs Haines, thank you very
much for the time again. Thank you for letting us know about your passions and
allowing us to go through the reasons why we have made the decision again, and
I trust that, while this information might not be what you were hoping for, it
provides some clarity around how we got to the decision that we did. Thank
you.
Chairman:
Thank you. Thank you, Mrs Haines.
QUESTION TIME:
Chairman:
Are there any questions of the LORD MAYOR or a Chairman of any of the
Standing Committees? Councillor MARX.
Question 1
Councillor MARX:
Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is for the LORD MAYOR. I
understand that ferry patronage is continuing to increase. Can you please detail
how this Administration is ensuring that ferry terminal design plays a key role in
infrastructure protection?
LORD MAYOR:
Thanks very much, Councillor MARX, through you, Madam Chairman. This is
a question which goes back essentially to the flood of January 2011, but as
Councillor MARX points out at the commencement of her question, yes, we are
seeing a good and very strong patronage increase in our river transport network,
and that is a good thing.
But certainly at the time when the January 2011 occurred, as part of the overall
program of looking at damages out of that flood event, we estimated that the
cost of ferry terminal and CityCat terminal repairs and replacements was $70
million. We indicated to the Federal Government that that was the order of
costs. At that time, a little after that in fact, there was a decision undertaken by
the Federal and State Government to set about an international design
competition. That competition was all about what they described as trying to
establish some iconic CityCat terminals.
As time progressed, and as the decision was made after some months of opening
that up for applications, there was a winner in that competition, and Council
then set about the task of looking at estimates of costs associated with that
iconic design. The reality is that it would have cost some $90 million to fulfil
the construction of that new international design winner’s proposal.
So this is an issue. This would have meant that, as an organisation, we would
have been $20 million out of pocket. The other issue for consideration was the
fact that the new design provided for what was called a one-in-100-year
resilience in terms of that design. So, again, this Administration had some
concerns about that. We then wrote to both the Federal Government and the
State Government and have now, I am pleased to say, received approval from
both levels of government to go to a different design. The design that is being
proposed is one which takes into account the design from the international
design competition, but is also one which is at a level which will allow us to
construct the terminals to the original price tag of $70 million.
It is one, further, which will also allow us to design at a one-in-500-year flood
resilience. So this is important in terms of the security of those terminals into the
future. We have looked at some of the design aspects, as I mentioned, of the
winning design bid, and one of those, for example, is a feature which provides a
deflector pylon, I suppose is the best way to describe it, as well as maintaining a
triangular style of design of the new CityCat terminals which allows for debris
to be deflected rather than ram full on into a terminal.
There are seven terminals in all. We are looking at five CityCat terminals, those
being the University of Queensland St Lucia, Regatta Terminal, the North Quay
Terminal, QUT (Queensland University of Technology), and Sydney Street New
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
-5Farm. Further, there are two ferry terminals, those being Holman Street and the
Maritime Museum.
So again I am thankful that we have seen an outcome which will essentially
mean that ratepayers of Brisbane will not be up for an additional $20 million
over and above the national disaster and response arrangements, the NDRRA
(Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements), for this particular facility.
It is important that we rebuild these terminals. They will be rebuilt with full
disability compliance. They will be rebuilt with, of course, that strong flood
resilience for the future.
In terms of the winning design, they of course still receive their first prize of
$70,000 in terms of that design competition carried out by the Federal and State
Governments. Indeed, as part of the design work that they have undertaken, they
have been rightfully paid for, because we have used that to incorporate it into
our design. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor DICK.
Question 2
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. Given the
announcement today that the Airportlink tunnel has gone into administration,
due to not enough cars using it, and the Clem7 tunnel is also bankrupt for the
same reason, do you stand by your assurances that your Legacy toll tunnel will
not turn out to be a big black hole for Brisbane ratepayers and lose even more
than the $100 million a year the QTC is predicting?
LORD MAYOR:
Thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Again, I want to re-state what I have
always stated in this Chamber, that the premise behind traffic projections
undertaken for Clem7 and undertaken for Airportlink vary significantly from
that of Legacy Way. Let us have a look at it. In terms of Clem7, the winning
consortium was talking about a start-up of 60,000, going to 100,000 cars within
two years. In terms of Airportlink, again we see numbers in excess of 100,000 as
part of the proposal.
By contrast, we are talking in Legacy Way of 24,000 vehicles. There is a stark
contrast between what this Council has proposed with Legacy Way and the
types of numbers that the private consortiums in very buoyant times were
predicting for Airportlink and the Clem7. But, you know, it is amazing how the
Labor Party who once were out there promoting these projects as good things
now want to walk away. A fresh set of leadership legs over there does not
change Labor’s history when it comes to these matters.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
I would just like to remind some Councillors over there of an article in the
Courier-Mail, and this particular article of 23 February 2005 said this—and this
was from Councillor Hinchliffe, ‘I am saying today—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
—on behalf of the 17 councillors that represent the majority in this Chamber,
let’s accelerate the passage of North-South Bypass tunnel to stage 2,’ Of course,
stage 2 is Airportlink. That was the stage 2 of the Clem7 proposal that the Labor
Party had proposed.
So, look, we have got Councillors over there that were part of that
administration. Councillor FLESSER was there, Councillor NEWTON was
there, Councillor ABRAHAMS was there. They cannot walk away now—
Councillor GRIFFITHS, did I leave you out? I am sorry. They cannot walk
away now. They were there, Madam Chairman. They were part of that majority
of 17, and there they were encouraging the Council to get on with it. So much so
that the Labor State Government actually took the project away from us and did
it themselves.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
-6Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order! Order!
LORD MAYOR:
So, let us look at the facts. The facts of the matter are that the more traffic
numbers—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
The more traffic numbers that were proposed by the private sector, the less the
government paid. In other words, the less both ratepayers and taxpayers had to
put in to those projects.
These projects are in the ground and they are serving a benefit to our
community, and will serve a benefit for a long time to come. I would like to see
a situation, Councillor DICK, for no other reason than to prove a point, that if
you closed all of those facilities down for a day, just to remind people what it
used to be like, to remind people that every time there was an accident on one of
the river crossings in this city, the whole city ground to a halt. It was only a few
years ago. We ought to remind ourselves of that fact.
These facilities are doing the job, and they will continue to do the job because
the vision was about the long-term future, the functionality and mobility of our
city of Brisbane. They will serve the test of time in the same way that the Story
Bridge and the Gateway Arterial serves the test of time today.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor WYNDHAM.
Question 3
Councillor WYNDHAM:
Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to Councillor McLACHLAN,
Chair of Field Services Committee. The LORD MAYOR is committed to a
clean and green city. Can you please detail how this Administration is
encouraging people to recycle?
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you, Madam Chairman, and thank you, too, to Councillor WYNDHAM
who I know is a true recycling champion. All Brisbane residents are recycling
champions. Last year over 93,000 tonnes of recyclable materials were processed
from our city’s waste stream, material that would otherwise end up in landfill
and instead was processed into packaging and other uses.
Councillors are all aware, I am sure, that this year’s Clean Up Australia day is
rapidly approaching, and Council has assisted this exercise in the last several
years. The community clean-up day is on Sunday 3 March; the schools’ cleanup day is on Friday 1 March, with a business clean-up day on Tuesday 26
February. The volunteers for the community clean-up day on 3 March will this
year be able to direct collected materials into a recycling stream. It has always
been the objective of Clean Up Australia day of course to get rubbish out of the
environment, and last year across Australia some 16,000 tonnes was collected,
but a proportion of the collected rubbish can be recycled – paper, plastics, cans.
This year, in Brisbane, our waste collection partner SITA will be assisting in the
collection of recyclable material. The kits provided by Clean Up Australia
include yellow bags as well as the general rubbish white bags. Volunteers will
be asked where possible to use the yellow bags for the collection of the items
that at home or in the office would go into the recycling stream. The contents of
the yellow bags will go to our recycling partner Visy for recycling.
Plastics, mainly drink bottles, make up about 30 per cent of the material
collected on Clean Up Australia day. So the initiative of Council’s Waste
Services, the Green Heart CitySmart team, and our partners SITA and Visy to
deal with recyclables in our parks and waterways on Clean Up Australia day is
to be applauded.
I see Councillor FLESSER over there in urgent discussion with Councillor
DICK. I am sure he will support this particular measure, because I do well
remember his vigorous campaign to highlight the evils of water bottles about
three years ago, I think, taking a stand against bottled water. It’s a rip-off, and
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
-7the containers are bad for the environment, he said. He railed against bottled
water, and he was right.
But it was a courageous stand by the Councillor for Northgate because it
contradicted the actions and statements of his now Leader, Councillor DICK,
who proudly proclaimed in this place his joy at giving away thousands and
thousands—his words—thousands and thousands of containers of bottle water.
Happy to fess-up in this place three years ago to flogging ‘Dick water’ around
the place, but poor old Councillor FLESSER had to suspend his quite laudable
campaign against the evils of plastic bottles.
But have no fear, Councillor FLESSER, this Administration does support all
good recycling initiatives, and I am pleased to see those initiatives introduced in
the last few years are bearing fruit. New measures such as the bigger yellow top
bins for households and introducing business recycling, ongoing campaigns, like
our Christmas campaign, to remind residents about what can be recycled is
leading to increased tonnages, lower contamination rates and lower possible
recyclables ending up in the landfill.
The collection of eWaste, old computers and TVs, is also growing. Council’s
initiative on the eWaste weekends at our four transfer stations did get this ball
rolling in 2006, as the consumer driven desire for the latest and greatest in
technology took hold. I am pleased to say, and credit where credit is due, that
support for the national eWaste scheme from the Federal Government is helping
drive this increase in eWaste collection. This sees the importers or
manufacturers of these goods charged a fee to cover the cost of collection and
recycling, and has enabled the collection of eWaste every day at the Council’s
four transfer stations.
This scheme is coordinated by DHL Supply Chain who have said—and the
letter is here with me ‘the scheme couldn’t work without the support of local
councils, retail stores and independent businesses.’ They have thanked the
Council and our waste operations staff for our ongoing support that makes it all
happen.
It was a pity, Madam Chair, therefore in my opinion when the Federal
Government, in the shape of Treasurer Wayne Swan and Senator Don Farrell,
when announcing the details of this improved eWaste collection process, that
does rely on a partnership of Council and the use of Council resources, that they
could not bring themselves to utter these words, ‘Thanks Brisbane City Council
for helping to make it happen.’ Here is their media release, with drop-off points,
addresses of where you could take the eWaste to, like Chandler, Nudgee,
Willawong, Ferny Grove, but forgot the brand. They forgot to say it is Brisbane
City Council resources that are helping make this happen.
It is a good scheme, regardless of that lack of courtesy, but this Council is about
making sure that we do have good recycling schemes, and I commend it to the
Chamber.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor DICK.
Question 4
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. You know
that you are exposing ratepayers to a debt of around $1.3 billion for your Legacy
Way tunnel. We have just heard that you expect that this will be paid-off due to
motorists quite happily paying the toll revenue. When you sell-off the future
tolling revenue for Legacy Way, how will we pay-off the already crippling toll
tunnel debts without placing even further upwards pressures on rate increases
and cuts to services? Will you commit 100 per cent today that the traffic
projections will be met?
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, I thank Councillor DICK for his question. Look, I just want
to remind this Chamber that debt levels of this Council were higher in the 1990s
than what they are today.
Councillors interjecting.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
-8Chairman:
Councillor FLESSER!
LORD MAYOR:
The reality is that our population over that time has grown significantly. Our
capacity to service debt has grown significantly. I have indicated that it is not
my intention to raise debt beyond our existing commitment any further, but I say
this: you only have to look to the Queensland Treasury Corporation’s
assessment of this Council to see that, in the last two years, we have received a
credit upgrade on each occasion. They are facts.
The simple reality is that we have a Labor Party over here who is continually
calling on me to do new projects. I have Councillor NEWTON here on my back
to do the Shorncliffe pier. I have Councillor SUTTON on my back to do
Wynnum Road. I have a challenge from the Opposition Leader to name the
timing of Kingsford Smith Drive, and here they are today saying, when am I
going to reduce debt? Well, you cannot have it every which way.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order! Order!
LORD MAYOR:
I have said repeatedly that we—
Chairman:
Order! Councillor BOURKE!
LORD MAYOR:
—have reached the limit of what I intend to do in terms of debt borrowing. So,
our commitments that are on the table right now, stay. We have got the capacity
to repay any of those outstanding debts. If we did not have that capacity, we
would not see the Queensland Treasury Corporation improving our credit rating.
I have done the hard yards, things that the Labor Party would never dream of
doing, by streamlining this organisation over the last 18 months, by reducing the
costs and making sure that we get the maximum amount of money possible—
A councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor GRIFFITHS!
LORD MAYOR:
—out there working in the community, doing the very things that this Labor
Party continue to call on me to do. I have received a couple of budget
submissions from Labor Councillors over the last few days. Boy oh boy, talk
about Christmas! Holy Toledo! They talk about debt. Holy Toledo, Madam
Chairman, I will tell you what—
A councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor SUTTON!
LORD MAYOR:
—if we are seen to do all the things that I have been asked to do, debt would be
going right through the roof of City Hall, I will tell you that.
Madam Chairman, I just say to you, Councillor DICK, I do not want you losing
any sleep at night, because the debt will be repaid. It will be repaid within the
arrangements that we have. It is a much lower debt than what we see, whether
you are talking about a per capita, given the growth in population that our city
has seen over the years, we are in a sound financial position in this Council, and
that is the way it is going to stay. There is going to be no silly massive spending
decisions by this Council to put that position at risk. We have worked hard to
get big infrastructure projects—
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
—out there on the ground for the benefit of our community –
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON!
LORD MAYOR:
—to drive significant improvements in travel times. I did not talk about it
earlier, but these very pieces of infrastructure that the Labor Party now have
concerns about, that they once supported, are driving real traffic time savings
out there on the ground. You’ve only got to look at it, Madam Chairman, in
terms of some of these savings. We are talking about Airport Link today in the
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
-9question. It has slashed 20 minutes off the journey time. That is the type of real
travel time saving that these facilities are giving real benefits to the community.
So, Madam Chairman, I am committed to these projects. They are good for our
city. They will have a long lasting benefit to our community. It is all about
planning for the future, something Labor rarely does.
Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.
Question 5
Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question this afternoon is to the Chairman of
Finance, Economic Development and Administration Committee, Councillor
SIMMONDS. Can you please provide details of initiatives that this
Administration is undertaking to encourage opportunities for business and
ensure that our economy continues to expand?
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and thank you very much to
Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR for the question, because there are a lot of
exciting and innovative initiatives that this Council and this Administration are
undertaking to assist Brisbane residents, especially in the economic
development sector of my portfolio. In fact, so many, it is hard to know where to
start. But I was pleased just today to get some very exciting news—and I am
probably stealing a little bit of Councillor ADAMS’ thunder here, but the latest
numbers for the 133BNE business hotline, an initiative introduced by this
Administration to assist Brisbane residents in dealing with Council and setting
up their businesses.
We had in January the highest volume of new businesses calls received since the
launch, a fantastic result that really shows that new businesses in Brisbane are
embracing this service, and are using it to get up and running. We had 1952 tier
one calls, a 23 per cent increase on December, and 712 tier two calls, a 47 per
cent increase on December, so a fantastic result.
We also, of course, are undertaking our digital strategy. This Administration and
the LORD MAYOR appointed Kieran O’Hea as Australia’s first Chief Digital
Officer, an innovation in itself. Since then he has gone on to undertake
Brisbane’s digital audit, yet another innovation, to establish how Brisbane has
been adapting to the digital space. Since the audit has been completed, and it
involved over 500 companies, we have established that by 2016 the economic
activity taking place in the digital space will grow from $50 billion to $70
billion, and Council and this city wants to be at the forefront of it. Some 80 per
cent of firms regarded themselves as being in the digital economy, but 55 per
cent of them did not have a digital strategy, something that we intend to help
them rectify. Keep a close eye on this space for more innovations into the future.
We of course also have our business forums which I spoke briefly about last
week. We have held three so far, with the latest at Mitchelton attracting over 90
guests. Of course, in committee today, we heard about the very popular Brissie
Greeters Program which last week on Valentine’s Day just recently celebrated
its one-year anniversary. These volunteers of course provide guided tours and
information for our city in a variety of languages to local and international
visitors. They operate seven days a week, 362 days a year, rain, hail or shine. It
is part of the LORD MAYOR’s vision and this Administration’s vision to
ensure that those who visit Brisbane feel welcomed and spread the word about
their enjoyable experience. Also, while they are here, they are shown some of
the best places in Brisbane and encouraged to spend up in those businesses.
After just one year of operation, we have seen 161 customised tours, 171 set
tours, 34 event tours, and a total number of visitors looked after of 1638,
covered off by 72 greeters who have been recruited from all walks of life in
Brisbane, which is a fantastic result. It comes with, of course, the corresponding
media exposure for Brisbane in things like the JetStar and Qantas magazines,
Weekend Australian, Sydney Morning Herald and other international media.
It is not just the economic development area which is kicking goals and creating
new innovations for Brisbane residents; it is also our corporate communications
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 10 area. We know that social media channels are now being utilised as a way to
assist Brisbane residents to engage with Brisbane City Council. We have
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flicker, Tumbler, Instagram, Pinterest and
Foursquare to engage with them in a variety of ways. I am pleased to tell
Council that this month we passed the 25,000 Facebook likes mark. I am told
this is quite an achievement, and ranks us as the number one followed Council
in the whole of Australia, a fantastic achievement.
But what we did during the Australia Day storm event, building on our
experience of using social media in the 2011 floods, was to pioneer the use of a
crowd map whereby Council could engage with residents to find out where there
were incidents of flooding roads and downed trees. So this was an example of a
digital space where residents could go and upload the incidents in real time, to
not only provide Council with on the ground intel of what was happening and
where there were issues and what we had to address, but also to other Brisbane
residents. It was a huge success, with over 271,508 page views, and over
1,013,000 visits, a fantastic achievement.
Finally, an excellent initiative in the disaster response and operations team,
where they have delivered a mobile disaster coordination centre for the Moreton
Island SES team. The Moreton Island SES team is, of course, a dedicated group
of 55 volunteers and the busiest SES group. The 13-metre remote incident
management facility will ensure we offer theme the best level of service,
including quarters and incident room, and fully supporting a hot water system,
air-conditioning, tank, communications, which is all state of the art, a fantastic
achievement.
At that time, 2.32pm, the Deputy Chairman, Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, assumed the Chair.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you, Councillor SIMMONDS, your time has expired. Further questions;
Councillor DICK.
Question 6
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. Why
does your new City Plan allow the slicing and dicing of low-density residential
zone properties down to just 7.5 metres wide, and only 300 square metres in
area? Under your plan, the old standard 24 perch housing lot will be reduced to
just 11.8 perches. Why is your proposal taking away the traditional suburban
backyard in low density residential areas?
LORD MAYOR:
Thanks very much, Madam Acting Chairman, and I thank Councillor DICK for
the question. The Leader of the Opposition would no doubt have been reading
the Courier-Mail from Friday 15 February, within prime site. It was an article
authored by Mr Daryl Richards, who is a founder of town planning company in
Brisbane. The article by and large is a positive one towards the draft new City
Plan, but in it he makes certain observations around smaller lots.
I would have to say that there are some inaccuracies within the article itself, and
I would like to take the opportunity, with the question afforded me by
Councillor DICK, to explain what some of those inaccuracies in fact are. Firstly,
the whole issue of 180 square metre lots, those will primarily be in the low to
medium residential zone. In other words, this is a precinct where you can do
three-storey buildings, and there are, of course, and has historically been small
lots, very small lots in the city. Spring Hill is a classic case in point, where
historically there were some very, very tiny building sites.
So, this is point number one. When we talk about small undevelopable lots,
again the City Plan 2000 provided, or at least did not prohibit—so in other
words, saying provided for—small lots already. That was particularly so in the
LR (low residential) and LMR (low-medium residential) area classifications. In
regards to 300 square metre lots already in the LR, they are only within 200
metres walking distance of a centre, and nowhere within the low density
residential area.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 11 In terms of the enormous number of 24 perch blocks, which was the basis of the
question really, this is already the case, because again there is already an
opportunity to do that in the low density residential area within 200 metres
walking distance of a centre. Let us put 200 metres into perspective. We are
talking here about 10 or 15 blocks walking distance. When I talk about blocks, I
am talking about property blocks, or housing blocks if you like. So we are not
talking about a carte blanche across the city. The plan needs to be re-read in that
sense.
Councillor DICK:
Point of order, Madam Acting Chair. I’d like to table the actual—
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor DICK, wait to be called, please. Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Just on a point of order, in the interests of accuracy, I am actually reporting from
the actual City Plan itself. The LORD MAYOR is actually, I believe, giving
false information, so I would like to table the relevant part of City Plan that I am
referring to.
Deputy Chairman:
LORD MAYOR.
Councillor DICK:
The proposed new City Plan.
LORD MAYOR:
Sure. Thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Further, the seven-metre—there are
other aspects which do not relate to the question which Councillor DICK has put
to me today, that I will not refer to, but there are some issues within the article
itself which we believe are accuracy issues. Again, these are matters—
A councillor interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, do not call out in this Chamber, thank you. Sorry,
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Thank you. These are matters that we will be obviously addressing with the
author to provide better explanation around it.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Point of order, Madam Chair.
Deputy Chairman:
Point of order against you, LORD MAYOR; Councillor ABRAHAMS.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Madam Chair, it is almost at the conclusion of the answer; the LORD MAYOR
is talking about a Courier-Mail article, not the question that related to the new
City Plan.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS, the LORD MAYOR is covering information relevant
to the question. LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Yes, Madam Chairman, the Leader of the Opposition was referring to 24 perch
lots. He was then referring to what was the equivalent of 180 square metre lots
within the question, so I have been making very direct reference. If you go back
and have a read of Hansard, I have been making very direct reference to those
very points.
Again, this is a draft new City Plan, and I again issue the welcome to people to
make submissions out there over the coming months. We are not at a point yet
where we can make formal submissions. We have started the communication
around the City Plan, and that will continue to roll out. So, I again just put that
on the table. But again I want to make it clear that this is not across the city we
are talking about here. This is a situation where we are talking about—
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you, LORD MAYOR, your time has expired. Councillor JOHNSTON?
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman, I am watching, and I see the clerks advising you that the
time has expired, and I would ask you to make sure that you do call it so we
can—
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I am calling the time when it is appropriate. Resume
your seat, thank you. Further questions—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Well, Madam Chairman—point of order, Madam Chairman.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 12 Deputy Chairman:
Point of order; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I refer you to the rules which say the answers must be no longer than five
minutes, and I would ask you to enforce the rule in future.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I am applying the time regulations as they are
appropriate, in accordance with the rules. Councillor McKENZIE.
Question 7
Councillor McKENZIE:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chairman; my question today is to the Chairman of
Infrastructure Committee, Councillor SCHRINNER. Can you please update the
Chamber on how this Administration’s policies are creating economic
opportunities in this critical and wide-ranging portfolio?
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Thank you, Councillor McKENZIE, for the question. It is interesting that we
have heard Councillor DICK ask three questions in a row this afternoon about
major infrastructure projects in a very critical way, particularly about tunnels. I
would say that this Administration has a very clear and consistent position when
it comes to infrastructure. We have always supported these major projects, and
we continue to do so. There has been no change whatsoever in our support for
delivering infrastructure. That is a very different situation from those opposite.
Because one day they are champions of infrastructure, and the next they are
trying to criticise it in every way possible.
Let us take, for example, some of the major projects that have been the subject
of discussion today. Clem7, a project which was originally called the NorthSouth Bypass Tunnel, which was proposed by Labor and Jim Soorley. That
project also included a stage two, which is now known as Airport Link,
proposed by Labor.
Councillor FLESSER interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor FLESSER, do not call out over this Chamber.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
It is no one’s fault, because these are great projects for our city.
Councillors interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Order!
DEPUTY MAYOR:
It is interesting that he calls it a fault. This shows Labor’s moving position. No
one could illustrate it better than Councillor FLESSER himself. My point is
simply that one day, as I said, they will support these projects, or appear to
support them; the next day they will try and score political points.
So we have seen both Clem7 and Airportlink at various times in the past,
proposed by Labor, supported by Labor, and now they are ducking for cover
when things get a bit tough. The same goes for Legacy Way. When Legacy Way
was known as the Northern Link tunnel, there was a motion debate put forward
in this Chamber by Labor to fast-track the project. The Deputy Mayor at the
time, Councillor David Hinchliffe, moved a motion in this Chamber saying the
Administration is taking too long to get on with this project; we want to bring it
forward. Now, today, they are saying, Oh, LORD MAYOR, LORD MAYOR,
the debt, the debt, what about the debt? Madam Chairman, once again another
example of the inconsistency here.
Now, Labor at a Council level has been inconsistent, but I have to say Labor at
the State and Federal level has been consistent, and I commend them for that.
Because at the State level, the State has always approved these projects, and that
includes the State Labor government. So the State Labor government approved
Clem7; it approved Airportlink, and it approved Legacy Way, and I commend
them for it. The Federal Labor Government thought so much of Legacy Way
that they committed $500 million to the project. So where Council Labor fails,
the State Labor and Federal Labor teams know the importance of infrastructure
for our city.
Legacy Way, a project that will create 5,000 jobs and $10 billion worth of
economic benefit, is progressing full steam ahead. There has been some record
breaking work on that tunnel. The speed of the tunnel boring machines has been
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 13 absolutely remarkable, and it is a testament to the crews that we have working
on them. Some of those 5000 jobs created and the people working on the tunnel
deserve a lot of credit for the work that has gone into that.
But when we see these projects completed, such as Legacy Way, it creates a
network which we know as TransApex which will see significant time savings
across the city. We are already seeing massive time savings from Clem7 and
Airportlink. A trip from Chermside through to Garden City takes 20 minutes
these days; it would take double that without those two pieces of infrastructure.
Time is money. It costs the people of Brisbane. Every minute they sit in traffic,
whether they realise it or not, is costing them, and it is costing our economy.
Poor infrastructure is a cost to all of us, because it adds to the cost of goods and
services that we purchase; it adds to the cost of doing business. We know from
Federal Government reports that congestion on our roads is costing billions of
dollars a year, both in Brisbane and across Australia. If we do not continue to act
by delivering these large projects as well as local road projects, that cost will
continue to spiral. As I said, this side of the Chamber has been consistent from
day one, from the day former Lord Mayor Campbell Newman was elected in
2004, all the way through until today, we have remained a consistent position on
this matter.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR. Further questions; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Question 8
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, thank you Madam Deputy Chairman; my question is to the LORD
MAYOR. The City Projects team has advised me that there is a delay with the
installation of the backflow valves for Chelmer, that is at the locations at
Laybourne Street and Nadine Street in Chelmer. They have advised me that the
State Government has not issued permits for the installation of these backflow
valves. As a result, they have been delayed. LORD MAYOR, how long will it
take you to lobby the State Government, your good friends in the State
Government, to have this matter rectified, and when will these promised
backflow valves for Chelmer be installed?
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, my only recommendation to the Councillor is perhaps she
ought to get on to the local state member to take the matter up with the State
Government.
Deputy Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor HOWARD.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Deputy Chairman:
Point of order against you, Councillor HOWARD; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Madam Chairman, my question was to the LORD MAYOR and it asked for
times about when he was going to, so I would ask that you direct him to answer
the question.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, the LORD MAYOR gave an appropriate answer.
Councillor HOWARD.
Question 9
Councillor HOWARD:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chairman; my question is to the Chairman of the
Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee, Councillor
COOPER. Councillor, can you please update the Chamber on how this
Administration is ensuring that residents have an opportunity to help shape this
city?
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you, Madam Deputy Chair. Of course, I would like to thank Councillor
HOWARD for the question. It is always a good opportunity to remind all of us
about the ways that we can ensure that this city is a great one, and I particularly
want to congratulate the LORD MAYOR for making the opportunities to
consult with the community through new City Plan. Right now, so out in the
streets of our city, people can find out more about this very important document.
It is an opportunity for the community to understand Council’s vision for the
city, and it is their opportunity to find out how we are working hard to meet the
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 14 challenges of a growing city to ensure that we have good development
outcomes, infrastructure of course aligning with that growth, while also
protecting our city’s great way of life.
The draft new City Plan has been available to the community for their review
since last December, so they have had an opportunity to have a look, and I am
hoping that all Councillors have carefully looked at the details and are certainly
advocating to their communities for them to do the same. The plan is currently
sitting, of course, with the State Government for their first State interest check,
and we have had our first week of information sessions out and about in the
community about the draft document.
Engagement officers worked very hard to ensure that we have comprehensive
consultation and engagement throughout the whole process to provide as many
opportunities as possible for residents to have their say on the plan across the
city. All Councillors, of course, would have received a pack of information that
outlines all of the sort of fact sheets that relate to new City Plan, and of course
the community consultation. So everyone has a copy of this. It is available, of
course, on Council’s website for their information.
As the LORD MAYOR has said on many occasions, all residents have very
busy lives and schedules, so we are going out in the locations where people do
not have to go out of their way to find out more about the details of the new City
Plan. We particularly will be going to shopping centres; we will be going out
Thursday late night shopping and on Saturday mornings. We will be answering
inquiries and really showing what the new plan means for our community and
the city in general.
I note that Councillor DICK is muttering here about car parks. I would suggest,
Councillor DICK, that I hope that you have logged on to find out more about
City Plan in your office and that you are communicating with your residents as
to what the options are for them.
Councillor DICK interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor DICK!
Councillor COOPER:
There are 50 information sessions that are planned which will have officers out
there talking to the community, and I think even Councillor ABRAHAMS—I
thank Councillor ABRAHAMS for actually promoting the engagement. I note
on her website, ‘Stop press. Consultation on new City Plan.’ So that is advocacy
on behalf of Councillor ABRAHAMS for this document. We appreciate her
staunch support –
Councillor ABRAHAMS interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS!
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you for the shout out, Councillor ABRAHAMS, through you, Madam
Deputy Chair. The staff kiosks, of course, allow residents to talk to us about any
questions they have with the new document. We will also be having ‘Talk to a
Planner’ sessions. Those will be held across the city, and I encourage all
Councillors to come along. I note that Councillor CUMMING and Councillor
FLESSER’s ward will have them there, so I will be interested to see if they
come along and attend. Councillor FLESSER is always interested in planning
issues; not really, Madam Deputy Chair.
The ‘Talk to the Planner’ sessions are very much consistent with our
Neighbourhood Planning sessions where we have all sorts of Council experts,
senior planning officers, flood engineers, officers from our transport,
environment and parks, a wonderful part of Council. These officers will be there
on hand to be able to answer any in-depth questions put to us from the
community. So, Madam Deputy Chair, there are a range of opportunities for
people to come and talk to us more about the document.
I would encourage everyone to note Council’s website to see where the venues
will be. We will be out there also engaging with different groups through some
Chambers of Commerce, other sorts of opportunities to talk to the business
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 15 community about what this means. Community organisation forums also will be
held, and of course, we are out there talking to the three universities, shaping the
minds of young planners, perhaps, to make sure that they are very aware about
what we are putting out there to the community to discuss.
So, Madam Deputy Chair, there are many, many ways for the people of this city
to find out more about what Council is proposing. You can phone us, you can
email us, you can look at our website. I think that there is a huge opportunity for
people to shape the future of this city and make sure that this city is a city that
we can be very proud of in the future. Thank you.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you, Councillor COOPER. 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 11 February 2013, be adopted.
Deputy Chairman:
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, I just want to square away a couple of items that have gone
on during the course of the meeting, those being the issue of backflow
prevention valves—
Councillor JOHNSTON interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, do not call out!
LORD MAYOR:
—and that of fluoridation in the water supply. Councillor JOHNSTON just
came up and uttered the first words she has uttered to me all year. It was nice—
Councillor JOHNSTON interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, do not call out!
LORD MAYOR:
It was simply ‘Chelmer residents in the gallery, idiot.’ Let me just say, this is
one of the reasons that there is not a lot of cooperation with Councillor
JOHNSTON. That is one of the reasons that residents need to be aware of how
Councillor JOHNSTON operates, why her influence is so little in this place.
There is no delay to any backflow prevention valves to the best of my
knowledge. I check on this on a regular basis. That is the position. Those valves
are part and parcel of what we are doing as an Administration, and we will
continue to roll them out as quickly as we possibly can, remembering that this
side of the Chamber the only people to make any commitment, any financial
commitment, to backflow prevention valves and their roll out in this city.
On the other issue, which was that of fluoridation, I just want to say this: I did
make some very clear statements at the time when the fluoridation issue
emerged, and I thank Councillor SIMMONDS today for really stating what has
been the position, what I do respond to people on that issue. This has been
around for a long, long time. I have heard all the arguments about fluoridation
for donkey’s years. It has been an issue of public debate, and I understand
implicitly where people that oppose fluoridation come from.
I just get a little annoyed at the term ‘forced medication’ because the reality is
we have been adding substances to the water supply in Brisbane since time
immemorial. It is called water treatment. In water treatment, we add chemicals
to the water supply to provide one of the safest water supplies in the world. It
has often been regarded that Brisbane has a ‘heart water’, that it is a water which
is, according again to medical experts, one which is good for the heart.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 16 I notice that, during the course of that, I was being somewhat challenged that I
should answer the question. But I notice there has been absolutely stunned
silence from the Opposition on the whole issue from day one.
A councillor interjecting:
That is not true.
Deputy Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
Well, I apologise if it is not true. I have not seen any public utterance in relation
to it. We have not debated the matter here, I accept that. I assume that, in the
absence of silence, I had a general support of the whole of the Chamber on the
issue. Maybe I do not; I do not know. But anyway, if you want to clarify it, that
is entirely up to yourselves.
In regards to some other things, I just wanted to note the loss of Haydn Sargant
during the week, a long-term high profiled media personality for many, many
years, and died at the age of 77. Our sympathies go to his family and friends.
Tomorrow is the United Nations World Day of Social Justice. That is to be
recognised as an important day in our calendar.
We have now had three kiosks—at Brisbane Square Library, Carindale Library
and Garden City Library—around the draft new City Plan. They are part of what
will be a roll-out of 70 opportunities for people to engage, learn more about the
plan, ask questions, be they relevant to their own property or to the broader
issues of that draft new City Plan within our city. But three so far have rolled
out. Again, once we have got the clearance from the State Government, we will
go out to formal submissions and people will have plenty of advanced warning
as to when the first day of that formal submission period, which will go for 60
business days, will occur.
I just wanted to comment on Fortitude Valley black spot upgrade progress. The
corner of Ann and Gipps Street, we are seeing works have begun. This is a $1.9
million project. It is one which will provide for increased motorist and
pedestrian safety along the Gipps Street corridor. Again, that will be good to see
that project completed. It is another one which will add to the safety issues in
the Valley.
The Maroon CityGlider commenced last Monday. This is obviously a service
that will be free until the end of this month and then there will be a pre-paid
ticket arrangement, but that service is now up and running. Finally, I wanted to
report that we are continuing to undertake the kerbside collections for green
waste. We are now at the 71 per cent mark, or we were at the close of business
yesterday, so I think that by early next week we will have completed the
kerbside pickups. We are, and I have said this publicly, pushing back on those
people who have taken advantage of it and just putting general waste out on the
kerbside. It is not a general waste collection. We will continue to have our
annual kerbside collections where we go through suburb by suburb on a planned
basis, but anyway, that is the progress of the green waste collection.
In terms of parks, this time last week we had 80 parks that were still partially
closed. There is about 10 parks that are fully closed at the moment. We have the
number of partially closed parks now down to 37. We will continue to make
significant progress on that, and get that clean-up undertaken as soon as we can.
In terms of the green waste collection, we have about 300 people out on the
ground doing that, but they have, of course, been diverted from other jobs in
Council. We want to get them back to a business as normal process as quickly as
we can, but we have at least, as I say, one week to go in terms of kerbside
collection.
I just want to outline item A which is the adoption of the Administrative
Arrangements, Amendments Local Law. This matter came to Council in August
last year. It was a proposal to amend local laws, to make a number of
administrative changes, such as remove the reference to Town Clerk, which is
an old reference, and of course updates it with the term Chief Executive Officer.
It also repeals local laws which were identified as redundant, and it is a
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 17 conversion of all local laws in terms of penalties to penalty units rather than to
that of fixed amounts.
The proposed draft local law was advertised. It went out to public consultation
on 14 August last year, and the submission period was extended until 4
September. Two matters were raised by the State Government. They are
outlined there in the report in paragraph 6. They were the issues of continuing
offences and that of Council’s power to use a local law to set the amount of a
prescribed infringement notice penalty for an offence which is not a minor
offence under the Transport Operations Road Use Management Act 1995.
We have obviously complied with those state requirements, and they are
reflected within the changes to the local law, and in the copies that Councillors
have, they are outlined in red type. Madam Chairman, I am happy to move the
report.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you, LORD MAYOR; Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair; I rise to speak on the adoption of
Administrative Arrangements Amending Local Law 2013. When this item came
to Council, Labor Councillors did not support this item. Today I state again,
through the Chamber, that we cannot and we will not be supporting what are
essentially changes in a vehicle to enable this Council to collect cash from the
motorists and ratepayers of Brisbane. This is a stealth operation by this Council.
Councillor KNAPP interjecting.
Councillor DICK:
When you look at—and I know when I have hit a nerve, because Councillor
KNAPP starts interjecting. She would have had her fingerprints all over this
report.
Councillors interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Order!
Councillor DICK:
Essentially, the rub out of all of this is: we are making it easier for the Council
to jack-up fines, whether it be parking, whether it be local laws, whether it be
infringements. We know that this Council is addicted to parking fine revenue,
but they are now reaching deeper and deeper into the hands of mums and dads
across the city.
Once upon a time you would have the amounts listed for all ratepayers to see. A
penalty would be worth $700 or $100 or $75. Well, with one stroke of a pen, we
are getting rid of all of that and inserting penalty units so that this Council can
jack up the penalty units whenever they want. We know that the State
Government late last year increased the penalty units, and the real question out
of today, which the LORD MAYOR did not even touch on, did not even look at,
is: this Council follows blindly, as it always does to the wishes of Campbell
Newman.
One of the first things of course the State Government did was not relieve the
cost of pressure issues, they jacked up the fines. They jacked up the fines; one of
the first things that they did when they came into Office. Now we are looking at
this Council following suit and delivering on increases. It is not as if these fines
will have to come back into Council for debate; every time the State
Government hits the jackpot lever, this Council I predict will be following suit.
They will not stand up to Campbell Newman; they will not say the fines are too
great. They will reap in the cash.
We know, looking just at the local laws, and looking in detail at part 8 on page
10 of the attachment, amendment of chapter 14, parking and control of traffic
local law, we know what that means: even further increases in parking fine
revenue. At last count, in total it was around $44 million. You add on 10 per
cent to that, you add on 10 penalty units, a lazy almost $4.4 million coming into
the coffers, without the blink of an eye, that this Council will be raking in from
the ratepayers of this city.
Well, I say enough is enough. When families are doing it tough, when families
are under pressure, we all receive—certainly my office does—practically on a
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 18 daily basis, when mums and dads get fined around the hospitals, when they get
fined in Councillor ABRAHAMS’ ward.
A councillor interjecting.
Councillor DICK:
All the time. I am continually writing appeals on behalf of residents because
they are stung by this Council. I will not even start talking about the parking
meters. Half of them are not working across the city, so residents are unfairly
getting slugged. This change today, as the LORD MAYOR says, this mere
paperwork, this minor amendment will actually make it a lot easier for this
Council to gouge even more money out of the families and the ratepayers of this
city.
Well, Madam Chair, I will not be a party to something that just simply will
ignore and not allow ratepayers to be provided with adequate information. We
know that the State Government is interested in raising revenue. We know that
this Council has huge crippling debt problems as a result of its financial
mismanagement, due to the unpopular toll tunnels that are not working in our
city. We know that this is easy money for the Council. I say, through you to the
LORD MAYOR, enough is enough. Start turning up for Brisbane. Start saying
to the State Government that your fines are unfair. Be up front with the
ratepayers of Brisbane. Do not be sneaky. Do not allow this cash grab. I cannot
and will not support these unfair changes.
Deputy Chairman:
Further debate; LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, it is interesting that Councillor DICK has decided not to
support these changes. I would have thought that an Opposition that was not a
lazy Opposition, when afforded the opportunity to lodge a submission, would
have done so. Part and parcel—
Councillors interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
—of being in Opposition, I would have thought, would have been, if you
opposed it, to put it on the record by way of lodging a submission.
Councillors interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor NEWTON!
LORD MAYOR:
When the time came, there is no objection, no submission lodged, not by the
Labor Party, not by anybody, when this matter went out for opportunities for
people to submit their views. Again, it is an interesting point, because at the
same time, several of the Councillors opposite opposing this today were quite
happy to be part of an Administration that doubled fines, doubled fines, when it
came to parking offences. Not only did they double the fines of those parking
offences, they increased the number of categories by 17. Some 17 new
categories of fines were introduced. It was all under Councillor Hayes’
stewardship—
A councillor interjecting
Who?
LORD MAYOR:
—when they—who, he says. He knows very well, a close colleague—
Councillors interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
—of that time.
Councillor JOHNSTON interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, if you continue to interject, I will warn you.
LORD MAYOR:
So let us not hear any of this nonsense. I found it rather interesting that
Councillor DICK would be up here suggesting what he did today, given also
that I recall it was Councillor DICK’s own brother who decided that people
ought to lose their licences if they did not pay their fines. He said, if you don’t
pay your debt to society by way of fines, then there ought to be a significant
penalty, and the removal of people’s driver’s licences, if they had not met their
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 19 obligations under the SPER (State Penalties Enforcement Registry)
arrangements, that is what it was. So again I just raise these points as matters of
hypocrisy that we are hearing here today. No genuine proposal has been put
forward.
Councillors interjecting.
Deputy Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
It makes sense, in the absence of them lodging any submission.
It makes sense that you would have a position where it was associated with a
prescribed penalty unit rather than having to come back every time you want to
make a change to any fines that might be out there, be it to keep up with
inflation or whatever the case might be. They did not keep up with inflation;
they just doubled them. That was the reality. I have got the article here, Madam
Chairman, where it was undertaken by Councillor Hayes in July 2000, a
doubling of the parking fines at that time.
So, yes, we hear a lot about parking fines from those opposite, but the reality
was that, when in administration—
A councillor interjecting.
Deputy Chairman;
Councillor ABRAHAMS!
LORD MAYOR:
—it was a completely different story.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you, LORD MAYOR. I will now put the report.
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.
Thereupon, Councillors Milton DICK and Helen ABRAHAMS immediately rose and called for a division,
which resulted in the motion being declared carried.
The voting was as follows:
AYES: 19 -
The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR, Councillor Graham QUIRK,
DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista
ADAMS,
Matthew BOURKE,
Amanda
COOPER,
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, Norm WYNDHAM and Nicole JOHNSTON.
NOES: 8 -
The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors
Helen ABRAHAMS, Shayne SUTTON, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS and
Victoria NEWTON.
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
ADOPTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE
LOCAL LAW 2013
155/455/468/16
ARRANGEMENTS
AMENDING
442/2012-13
1.
The Chief Executive Officer provided the information below.
2.
On 7 August 2012, Council resolved to propose to make an amending local law making a
number of administrative changes to Council’s local laws. These changes were:
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 20 -
-
The removal of all references to the Town Clerk from local laws and subordinate
local laws, and replacement with references to the Chief Executive Officer.
The repeal of local laws which have been identified as redundant.
The conversion of all Council’s local law penalties to penalty units. The conversion
expressed in the proposed local law was an exact dollar for penalty unit equivalence.
3.
The proposed local law was advertised for public consultation on 14 August 2012 and the
submission period extended until 4 September 2012. No submissions were received.
4.
As required under the City of Brisbane Act 2010, the proposed local law was also sent to nine
State government agencies which had nominated to be consulted about this type of local law.
5.
The only department to identify any matters of State interest was the Department of Local
Government, which informed Council of seven matters of State interest.
6.
Two matters of State interest which required amendments to the proposed law. They
concerned —
(a)
continuing offences
(b)
Council’s power to use a local law to set the amount for a prescribed infringement
notice penalty for an offence which is not a minor traffic offence under the Transport
Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995.
7.
In respect of paragraph (a) above, a continuing, or daily, offence is a remedy which Council
has not used for over twenty years and which is now precluded by State legislation. Some
continuing offences remained in Council’s older local laws as a legacy of past regulatory
practices. All continuing offences have now been removed from the laws being amended by
the proposed local law.
8.
In respect of paragraph (b) above, the penalties had to be adjusted for four offences in the
local laws to coincide with the state formula for infringement notices. The proposed local law
has been amended to insert the penalty formulation required for the four offences.
9.
The amendments made in response to State interests are shown in red on the proposed law at
Attachment B, submitted on file and tabled.
10.
By letter dated 22 January 2013, the Acting Director-General of the Department of Local
Government advised the Chief Legal Counsel that Council’s responses to the matters raised
by the Department had been reviewed and that the Department is satisfied that the proposed
local law now adequately addresses the State interests relevant to the Local Government
portfolio.
11.
Under the City of Brisbane Act, once matters of State interest are addressed, Council may
make a local law without obtaining final Ministerial approval.
12.
In addition, the City of Brisbane Act requires Council to prepare and adopt consolidated
versions of amended local laws.
13.
Approval is sought to approve the draft resolution as set out in Attachment A, below.
Implications of proposal
14.
Council’s local laws will better align with modern legislative references.
15.
The Chief Executive Officer recommended as follows and the Committee agrees
16.
RECOMMENDATION:
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 21 -
THAT COUNCIL RESOLVE AS PER THE DRAFT RESOLUTION OUTLINED IN
ATTACHMENT A, HEREUNDER.
Draft Resolution
Attachment A
DRAFT RESOLUTION TO MAKE THE ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
AMENDING LOCAL LAW 2013
THAT COUNCIL RESOLVE THAT—
As
(i)
Council resolved on 7 August 2012 to propose to make the Administrative
Arrangements Amending Local Law 2012 (the proposed local law);
(ii)
Public consultation on the proposed local law was undertaken between 14 August
2012 and 4 September 2012 and State government agencies were also consulted
about the local law;
(iii)
The Department of Local Government identified matters of State interest in its review
of the proposed local law;
(iv)
The proposed local law has been amended in response to two matters of State
interest;
(v)
By letter dated 22 January 2013 the Acting Director-General of the Department of
Local Government advised Council that the law as amended adequately addressed
matters of State interest relevant to the Local Government portfolio;
THEN
1. COUNCIL MAKES THE AMENDED PROPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE
ARRANGEMENTS AMENDING LOCAL LAW, AS SET OUT IN ATTACHMENT B
SUBMITTED ON FILE AND TABLED, TO COMMENCE ON THE DATE OF
GAZETTAL;
2. COUNCIL ADOPTS THE FOLLOWING CONSOLIDATED LOCAL LAWS,
TABLED, AND AUTHORISES THE CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL TO INSERT
THE DATES OF COMMENCEMENT AND GAZETTAL IN THE END NOTES
OF THE CONSOLIDATED VERSIONS:
 Chapter 1 – Arrangements Repeal and Savings Local Law
 Chapter 2 – City Service and Administration Local Law
 Chapter 4 – Legal Proceedings Local Law
 Chapter 6 – Streets, Bridges and Culverts etc. Local Law
 Chapter 7 – Ferries Jetties and Pontoons Local Law
 Chapter 9 – Parks Local Law
 Chapter 11 – Sundry Matters Relating to Structures Local Law
 Chapter 12 – Public Health, safety and Convenience Local Law
 Chapter 14 – Parking and Control of Traffic Local Law
 Chapter 19 – Queen Street Mall Local Law
 Chapter 21 – Chinatown and Brunswick Street Malls Local Law
 Animals Local Law 2003
 Ballymore Traffic Area Local Law 2001
 Brisbane City Council Local Law (The Gabba Traffic Area) 2000
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 22 -








Dutton Park Parking Control Area Local Law 2006
Lang Park Traffic Area Local Law 2002
Meetings Local Law 2001
Meetings Subordinate Local Law 2005
Paid Parking Machines Local Law 2003
Queensland Tennis Centre Parking Area Local Law 2009
Robertson/Macgregor Traffic Area Regulated Parking Local Law 1996
St. Lucia Traffic Area Regulated Parking Local Law 1998
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
12 February 2013, be adopted.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to comment on item B which is the
petition calling for the traffic lights at James Street and Montague Road
intersection. I wish to announce to the Council Chamber that I have been
advised that construction will commence, weather permitting, in March 2013,
which is two-and-a-half years after there was a commitment in the Council
Chamber, when a representation from the West End State School came urgently
urging Council to fund traffic lights at this intersection.
Just for everyone’s memory, and for those that are new, for the school children
to leave West End School, to cross Montague Road into Davies Park where they
can undertake sport activity, the whole class lines up along the kerb, and on the
word ‘Go’, they all, en masse, 30 in a row, walk across Montague Road, because
this is the only way that is safe to cross. So these traffic lights are well overdue
and certainly needed.
I think it is also very important to put on the record, in the delay there have been
two accidents requiring ambulance on the scene with West Enders at this
intersection. Interestingly, one a pedestrian and the other one a cyclist. It is
much appreciated that this work is now being undertaken, but I urge we never
have the delay that we have had this time for something that is this meritorious.
I would also like to comment on and draw to the LORD MAYOR’s attention the
number of outstanding traffic lights for pedestrian reasons that are also of
similar urgency in The Gabba Ward which are in my budget submission, one of
which is referred to in this petition response. That is the Vulture Street and
Montague Road intersection. It is the one that is immediately outbound of this
intersection. All of the traffic to the Davies Park Market uses that intersection.
All of the pedestrian traffic that comes from public transport uses that
intersection. The problems we have here are compounded many times.
As well as that, that intersection of Vulture Street and Montague Road is where
there are vehicle crashes with people not seeing the right hand turn moves. That
is referred to in this petition as an alternative location. I wish to put on the
record that, in my opinion, both of them have the same urgency and look
forward to continuing to lobby until we have the traffic lights on the Vulture
Street/Montague Road intersection.
Deputy Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Deputy Chairman, I rise to speak on item C which is the petition
calling on Council to install traffic lights at the intersection of Hyde Road and
Cansdale Street at Yeronga. Firstly, for the record, can I say it is unusual for the
person moving the motion not to speak on it, and I think those people in the
gallery today will have recognised that—
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 23 Deputy Chairman:
To the report, Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, I am, Madam Chairman—will recognise that the person who moved it, the
DEPUTY LORD MAYOR and the Infrastructure Committee Chairman, did not
speak to this report. That in my view is appalling. He is not even prepared to
stand up and say why Council’s position is this way and why the LNP (Liberal
National Party) Administration support this outcome, because it does not reflect
the views of the residents in this area and the residents who have petitioned
Council.
Today I am going to outline a little bit of background about this matter and also
move an amendment. Firstly, the petition has come about because there are
significant safety issues about crossing Hyde Road. Hyde Road is an extremely
busy—and the LORD MAYOR is leaving now, too. Hyde Road is a very busy
road. It performs a function that provides access to sporting precincts, local
shops, residential areas, schools and community facilities now such as
retirement villages. For many years, I have been campaigning in this place to
have safety improvements done to Hyde Road. That includes I think it is now
three years ago—reducing the speed limit to 50 kilometres, installing crash
barriers at the intersection of Hyde Road and Orsova Road, all of which were
also voted down by the LNP Councillors in this Chamber.
Today the residents of the retirement village are very concerned that traffic
lights are not being installed at this location. A refuge was proposed at this
location, which they do not support, not because of the refuge itself but because
it does not meet the needs of the local residents who will use it. This is where I
think fundamentally this Council has got it wrong. Today I am going to table a
letter from a representative of the residents’ committee. I also have a copy for
Councillor DICK; I have a copy for the LORD MAYOR; I have a copy for
Councillor SCHRINNER; and I have one to table.
The reason the traffic lights are so important at this location really relates to the
demographics of the area which have changed quite significantly over the past
few years. Firstly, within the immediate proximity of where we want these
traffic lights to be installed, there are approximately 579 people over the age of
65. That is where they live. They live right on this intersection. The statistics,
based on census data that the residents have put together, show that that is 40
per cent of all people aged over 65 living in Yeronga live within immediate
proximity of this area where the traffic lights are required. Now, 40 per cent,
that is huge. Almost half of all the seniors living in this suburb live right on this
intersection. All they are asking for here is a solution that meets their needs.
We all know that refuges are fine if you are a fit and able person—
Councillor ABRAHAMS interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Helen, thank you. If you are a fit and able person, it is no problem. You can
step off the kerb, walk to the centre of the island, wait there, walk to the far
centre when it is safe to go. If you are an older person or you have mobility
impairments, this is not an easy task, and it is complicated by the fact that we
have a massive and a shocking traffic problem on Hyde Road.
There is a very interesting statement in this report, and I am going to give it
some colour. It says, ‘There has been no reported pedestrian crashes at or near
the intersection of Hyde Road and Cansdale Street in the five years to 2010.’ So,
pedestrian crashes, that is an interesting use, not crashes, pedestrian crashes. If
you look at the safety and the traffic reports for this area, there have been four
accidents at this exact location, four. So, Madam Chairman, this Council has
used some weasel words in my view to try and hide the fact that pedestrians
have not been hit, but in this location there have been four car accidents, where
cars have crashed into poles, cars have crossed the road and crashed into parked
cars and other accidents of that kind, serious accidents requiring hospitalisation.
So that is not true, Madam Chairman.
Secondly, Council engaged Cardno to undertake an independent review of speed
limits upon Hyde Road and Cansdale Street. The review recommended the 60
kilometre speed limit be retained. I have had a look at that report; I have got a
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 24 copy of it. It was not on the file, but I thank the officers for getting it for me
today. That is not quite what the report says either. We have a massive and a
shocking problem in this location. Let me say this: the speed traffic survey
showed—this is from 8 February last year—the survey showed, between 7.30am
and 5.30 pm, not one—I will say it again, not one of the vehicles using Hyde
Road, Cansdale Street or the Brisbane Corso travelled at or under the speed
limit—not one.
This survey was conducted between 7.30am and 5.30pm. Every single car on
those three streets was speeding. The traffic range went between 61km/h and
102 km/h. The median is in the 80km/h area. So, of course, the residents of the
village have legitimate concerns about being able to cross safely from one side
of the road to the other.
The report’s methodology in my view leaves out a few things. It does not
mention the retirement village at all. It does not recognise the strong and
important users’ needs that is the users of that village and the adjacent nursing
home have. This report essentially looks at speed limits, pops it into a computer
and then pops out a recommendation. The desk top review does recommend 50
km/h on Cansdale Street. That is very clear. When the State Government data is
added to that, they move it back up to 60, but it is very clear that on Cansdale
Street there is room for 50 km/h.
There is a significant problem here. It is, one, born of need of the specific types
of residents who live in this area, and two, the statistics show us there is both a
crash history and a speeding issue that would be addressed by these lights. So I
do not support Council’s no solution response, which is what is essentially
proposed today, that is, to put it off, to put it off as part of the City Plan review
and to put it off indefinitely by going on to the list of traffic lights all over
Brisbane when we know there are hundreds, if not thousands, waiting for
priority.
So, I move an amendment today so that this Council recognises and acts on the
problems raised by the petitioners and particularly the Yeronga Resident Village
Committee.
MOTION FOR AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE C - PETITIONS – CALLING ON COUNCIL TO
INSTALL A SIGNALISED PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON HYDE ROAD, YERONGA AND
FOR THE REDUCTION IN SPEED LIMITS ALONG HYDE ROAD AND CANSDALE
STREET, YERONGA:
443/2012-13
It was moved by Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON, seconded by Councillor Victoria NEWTON that Clause BPetitions – Calling on Council to install a signalised pedestrian crossing on Hyde Road, Yeronga and for the
reduction in speed limits along Hyde Road and Cansdale Street, Yeronga, of the report be amended in the
Recommendation in paragraph 37 as follows:
(i)
at the second dash after the words “traffic signals” delete the words “ in line with citywide priorities
for budget consideration” and replace with “in the 2013-14 budget”
(ii)
at the third dash after the words Cansdale Street delete the words “considered in the review of the
City Plan expected to be completed by June 2014” and replace with “to 50kms will be implemented
immediately”.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, to the amendment.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman, and I thank the ALP Councillors for seconding the
motion. I genuinely do not know how they are going to vote, but I do urge them
to support this because it will improve safety for residents of Yeronga.
In particular, I am seeking here to actually deliver a response that will meet the
needs of the petitioners and the 500 people that live in the retirement village at
Yeronga and the nursing home at Yeronga. These two amendments will ensure
that their views are taken into account by this Council and acted on with all due
priority and haste.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 25 The first dot point essentially takes away the ‘do nothing’ response of this
Council, which is to list the matter in line with citywide priorities for budget
consideration. To interpret that for people who are sitting in the gallery, that
means you go on to a very long list with every other road project in Brisbane
and basically you sit on that very long list for anywhere between 10 and 20
years.
I do not mean any disrespect by this, but people who live in the village at
Yeronga and the nursing home have more immediate needs than waiting 20
years. These are people who do want to enjoy the later years of their life, and
they would like to be able to walk to their local shops in a safe way. That means
crossing very busy district access roads safely.
So, Madam Chairman, I think given the importance of this issue for the seniors
who live here that we should be bringing this matter forward, and as a Council
say to the village residents and the nursing home residents that we will support
these traffic lights in next year’s budget. That is what we are asking for here
today.
As residents know, it is the LORD MAYOR who personally decides the budget,
so this would mean that this Council would be sending him a clear message that
we expect this budget item to be supported in next year’s budget. I think it is
fair, given the significance of the issue. As we can see there is a very big traffic
problem in the area, we know that the solution is not suitable because it does not
meet the mobility needs of the residents of the village.
Last year this Council produced a report, a disability and access report for
Brisbane, and the number one issue that that outlined was improving
connectivity and accessibility in our suburbs for seniors. That was the number
one recommendation and the biggest issue raised in that report. Here is a way
that this Council can give practical effect to a policy that we support. It means
giving it some priority next year, yes, that is true, but there is legitimate reason
for doing so.
It is not just the residents of the village who would benefit from this. We do
have a large dog-off-leash area; there are numerous sporting clubs in the area—
the South Cricket Club, Queensland AFL, the Hellenic Soccer Club, the El
Salvadorian Soccer Club. It is a very busy precinct. It would benefit everybody
to have traffic lights. It would mean that cars would stop or slow down when
they are red. It would mean that residents could cross safely when there is a
green walk signal. Doing this straight away, that is, in the next budget year,
would mean that we can improve safety not only for the older users of this area
but also for those who enjoy it for sporting purposes.
We also have a nearby Catholic primary school, and those children would like to
be able to walk safely to school as well. At a civics class at St Sebastians a
couple of years ago, they raised it with me. Initially we had wanted a pedestrian
crossing at this location, but Council said no to that a long time ago. We then
pushed for traffic lights when the village was being built. The LORD MAYOR
said, no, wait until the village is built and we will review it. Well, we are at that
point, and now he is still not supporting a suitable traffic crossing at this location
which would meet the needs of the specific users that live immediately around
it.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, your time has expired. Further debate? Anything
further, Councillor JOHNSTON?
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Thank you. Again, for the benefit of those people sitting in the gallery, generally
what happens when an amendment is moved, there are speakers for and against
an amendment. What I will say to you again here today is the LNP Councillors
have not got up and spoken—
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, to the amendment, thank you.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
—to the amendment—and I am definitely summing up here, Madam Chairman.
They have not stood up and put on the record why they are going to do whatever
they are going to do. I do not know how they’re going to vote like in a minute,
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 26 but what I will say is they have not given the residents who are here today, to
listen to this debate, the courtesy of even 60 seconds of explanation, not even 60
seconds of explanation. That is shameful. That is a disgrace.
I cannot believe you are treating residents of Yeronga with such little respect. I
honestly cannot believe it. You cannot even get up and say, no, we are not going
to support it because we think the Council officers are right, or we are not going
to get up and support it because we don’t like you, Councillor JOHNSTON. No,
nothing; silence. Shame on you. This is a practical motion that will improve
safety in a residential suburb in this city. These residents pay their rates; they
deserve to have their views aired in this Chamber, and they deserve to have their
elected representative stand up and debate the issues of the day. That has not
happened in this case, and I think that is appalling, absolutely appalling. Their
heads have gone down, so you can see it.
Well, I tell you: this is the most disgraceful, disgraceful attempt at public debate
that I have ever seen. Shame on you, Councillor SCHRINNER. I know that—
Deputy Chairman:
To the amendment, Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I know that the residents were present at the committee last week and were not
allowed to speak, either. Now they have seen what this Council is prepared to
do, which is ignore them, ignore their views. They have known for a long time, I
suspect, that they are not getting anywhere with this Council. We have had
meetings; they have written to the LORD MAYOR who is not here, either; he
has run away.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, to the amendment, which is about the replacement of
the words and why those words are necessary to be amended.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Well, I am certainly doing that, I think, Madam Chairman, why they are
necessary.
Deputy Chairman:
To the amendment, Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, thank you Madam Chairman. I think I have made my point there. What I
will say is it is essential that these matters are done. They are asking for two
things: one, to fund the traffic lights in next year’s budget; and two, that we
immediately reduce the speed limit to 50 km/h. That is reducing it from 60
km/h. It is probably a few hundred dollars to replace the signs. It is not a
difficult thing to do. It will reduce speed on streets where there is clearly a
speeding problem. It will give the police more impetus to act.
Fifty km/h is a much safer speed limit along this street, or all three streets, just
quietly, but this is Hyde Road we are talking about, and it would make it much
safer for the elderly residents of the village and the nursing home to safely cross
the road. It will mean it is safer for kids going to sport. It will mean it is safer for
kids going to school. That is it. These things actually will not cost any money at
this point, because all we are doing is asking for it to be considered in next
year’s budget, not put on the never-never list, and put up some 50 kilometre an
hour signs. That is it.
Not a single Councillor from the LNP could be bothered to stand up and speak
to it. Well, I certainly hope that is the message that the residents take back to the
590-odd people that live at the village and the nursing home, that this Council,
the LNP Councillors, were not even prepared to debate the issue today. That is
how much they couldn’t care less about your views. That is how much they
couldn’t care less about the safety issues in Yeronga. I think it is disgraceful.
Deputy Chairman:
I will now put the amendment.
Amendment put:
The Chairman put the motion for the amendment to Clause C to the Chamber resulting in its being declared lost
on the voices.
Thereupon, Councillors Nicole JOHNSTON and Helen ABRAHAMS immediately rose and called for a
division, which resulted in the motion being declared lost.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 27 -
The voting was as follows:
AYES: 1 -
Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON.
NOES: 24 -
DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors
Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, 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, and the Leader of
the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS,
Shayne SUTTON, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS and
Victoria NEWTON.
Deputy Chairman:
We will now return to debate on the substantive report. Any further debate?
DEPUTY MAYOR, would you like to sum up?
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, absolutely. It is interesting that Councillor JOHNSTON
mentioned repeatedly that I had not bothered to speak on this issue. Why wasn’t
Councillor JOHNSTON there at the committee meeting when I spoke at length
on this issue? What is more, this report highlights very clearly in writing, and it
has been distributed to all councillors, the view of this Administration on the
matter. I think that view is very important to put on the record today, not only in
the report that we see in front of us but also verbally.
What this petition is asking for is three things, and what this report recommends
is that we support all three things, very clearly. So those three things are as
follows: there was a proposal, as we have heard, to put a pedestrian refuge in
this location. The petition requested that we stop that plan and instead consider
traffic signals. That is exactly what we are recommending to do. So the project
for the pedestrian refuge has been cancelled as a result of this recommendation,
and we will not be proceeding with that. Number one, we are supporting the
residents’ request.
Number two, traffic signals are their preferred option. We are also supporting
that as an option going forward. I cannot speculate what may happen in the next
budget; that is a matter for the LORD MAYOR. But whenever a request comes
through for an improvement or an upgrade, that is fed into the budget process
each year. This request will be fed into the upcoming budget process, and it may
or may not get funded. We have a big city with many competing priorities.
`
I know that Councillor JOHNSTON, for example, has put a list of some $100
million plus requests into this budget process—$100 million plus. That is a lot
of money, and she knows very well that we cannot possibly fund every one of
those requests. That is a reality. All of us as Councillors know that, while it is
our job to stand up for our community and to fight for these things, we cannot
have everything we want immediately.
That is the reality of the situation, because what that would mean is that rates
would have to go up to an unacceptable level, and every resident of Brisbane
would have to pay the price of that. We believe in only spending the money that
comes in the door, and that is the reality of the situation. We have to be
responsible with ratepayers’ money, and that involves prioritising projects on a
citywide basis. So yes, we accept that traffic signals are the desired outcome
here, and we are happy to support that.
Finally, the proposal to reduce the speed limit from 60 to 50 is something that
we are also considering actively. The appropriate process for this is to do some
community consultation on the matter. When I say consultation, I do not mean
only the people that have signed the petition but the wider community.
Changing a speed limit on a particular road is something that impacts on many
different stakeholders, whether they be pedestrians, whether they be local
residents or whether they be the motorists themselves. It is appropriate that
consultation is done when such a change is made.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 28 So what we are proposing, and what it says very clearly here in the report, is that
a change in the speed limit is being proposed in the City Plan which is currently
in draft form. If that is accepted by the community through the consultation
process, then that change will go ahead, and we will stick that 50km/h speed
limit on that road. We have said we are more than willing to consider that.
So what is happening here, as I said very clearly, is that the three requests, we
are agreeing to all of them. If you listened to Councillor JOHNSTON, you
would have thought that we were opposing all three. Unbelievable. But I do
need to point councillors to an important in this report, and it is paragraph 35,
which refers to consultation. It says, ‘The Ward Councillor was consulted’—and
by the Ward Councillor, we mean Councillor JOHNSTON, ‘and declined to
have her views recorded as part of the petition’s submission.’
So when it comes to making a scene here in Council, she is quite happy to do it,
but when she was asked to put her views in writing on paper, she declined. That
is not good representation. That indicates a lot about the way this Councillor
operates, the Councillor who is quite happy to call the LORD MAYOR an idiot
in the Chamber today. She had been given the opportunity to put her views in
writing, and she declined. I think that is very disappointing, very disappointing.
The key point, however, is that we support what the residents are asking for, and
that is exactly what the recommendation in front of us here says, and I commend
the report to the Chamber.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you. I will now put the report.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption 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, Victoria Newton and Norm Wyndham.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – OVERVIEW OF SCHEDULE 58: BRIDGE
AND CULVERT CONSTRUCTION
444/2012-13
1.
Mr Donald Piggott-McKellar, Project Manager, Civil and Transport, City Projects Office,
Brisbane Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to provide an overview of
Schedule 58: Bridge and Culvert construction. He provided the information below.
2.
The Moving Brisbane Program provides for the efficient delivery of transport network assets.
Schedule 58 relates to bridge and culvert construction. The projects undertaken as part of
Schedule 58 focus on improving access for pedestrians and cyclists across bridges and
culverts and improving flood immunity of the transport network.
3.
The factors that prioritise accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists across bridges and culverts
include: the potential for use of the asset, the safety and connectivity of the asset and
stakeholder input.
4.
Improving flood immunity across the transport network of bridges and culverts was
explained. The priorities of these projects include the volume of traffic that use the asset, the
delay time (when the road is flooded), the cost benefit ratio and the input provided by
stakeholders.
5.
A number of examples of access and flood immunity projects were displayed. These projects
included:
widening of existing pathways over waterways at Comley Street, Sunnybank, and
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 29 -
-
Payne Road, The Gap
installing wider culverts in the road in Stanbrough Road, Gumdale.
6.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr
Piggott-McKellar for his positive and informative presentation.
7.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE
REPORT.
ADOPTED
B
PETITION – CALLING ON COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED
TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT JANE STREET AND MONTAGUE ROAD, WEST
END, TO DETERMINE IF THE VULTURE STREET AND MONTAGUE
ROAD INTERSECTION IS MORE APPROPRIATE BASED ON CRASH
DATA
CA12/276400
445/2012-13
8.
A petition from residents of Montague Road, West End, requesting that Council implement
traffic measures at the intersection of Montague Road and Vulture Street and review the
proposed traffic lights in Jane Street, West End, was received during the Winter Recess 2012.
9.
The Acting Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch, Brisbane Infrastructure
Division, supplied the following information.
10.
The petition contains 17 signatures from residents of one property in Montague Road.
11.
The intersection of Vulture Street and Montague Road is a traditional T-intersection and is
located two blocks from the intersection of Jane Street and Montague Road.
12.
In 2010 the former Lord Mayor made a commitment to install traffic lights at the intersection
of Jane Street and Montague Road, West End, following representations by a public speaker
at a Council meeting.
13.
The project received funding in the 2010-11 Council budget and design work was completed,
however, due to the January 2011 floods the project was deferred. The project was
subsequently funded to commence construction in this year’s Council budget.
14.
Council’s City Projects Office (CPO) has reviewed the operation of the intersections of Jane
Street and Montague Road and Vulture Street and Montague Road to determine whether or
not traffic signals are required at each intersection.
15.
A search of official crash records for the period March 2004 to June 2009 shows seven
recorded crashes at the intersection of Montague Road and Jane Street, and nine recorded
crashes at the intersection of Montague Road and Vulture Street.
16.
These crashes can all be attributed to drivers failing to give way or driving without due care
and attention. One of the crashes recorded at the intersection of Montague Road and
Vulture Street involved a pedestrian.
17.
Based on current traffic volumes and after considering the crash records and performance of
each intersection, CPO advised that both intersections are currently operating satisfactorily
with minimal delays for vehicles travelling along Montague Road or turning from Jane and
Vulture streets. Given the pedestrian activity generated by the Davies Park Markets, held
every Saturday and the bus stops in Montague Road, just south of Jane Street, the installation
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 30 -
of traffic signals at the intersection of Montague Road and Jane Street will provide safe
crossing opportunities for pedestrians accessing the park or bus stops.
18.
CPO has listed the intersection of Montague Road and Vulture Street to be considered for the
installation of traffic signals at a future date. Further modelling work will be undertaken
shortly to accurately determine how the intersection will operate into the future with the
projected traffic growth in the area. This information will be used to determine the relative
priority for this project compared to other similar requests across the city.
Funding
19.
Funding is available to install traffic lights at the intersection of Jane Street and Montague
Road from the 2012-13 Council budget.
Consultation
20.
The Councillor for the Gabba Ward, Councillor Helen Abrahams, has been consulted and
supports the recommendation.
Preferred option
21.
It is the preferred option to install traffic lights at the intersection of Montague Road and
Jane Street and continue to monitor the performance of the intersection of Montague Road
and Vulture Street, West End.
22.
The Acting Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy recommends as follows and the
Committee agrees.
23.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
PREFERRED OPTION AND OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE
ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
C
PETITIONS – CALLING ON COUNCIL TO INSTALL A SIGNALISED
PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON HYDE ROAD, YERONGA AND FOR THE
REDUCTION IN SPEED LIMITS ALONG HYDE ROAD AND CANSDALE
STREET, YERONGA
CA12/447099 and CA12/538331
446/2012-13
24.
Two petitions from residents of Brisbane, calling on Council to review pedestrian safety on
Hyde Road, Yeronga, were received during the Spring Recess 2012 and presented to the
meeting of Council held on 13 November 2012 by Councillor Nicole Johnston and received.
25.
The Acting Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch, Brisbane Infrastructure
Division, provided the following information.
26.
The petitions contain 325 signatures from the local community and customers of the nearby
shops. Two signatures have been crossed out and are not considered to endorse the proposal.
27.
The petitioners are objecting to the proposed construction of a pedestrian refuge on
Hyde Road, near Venner Road and Cansdale Street, Yeronga and are calling on Council to
give priority to a signalised pedestrian crossing to provide a safer crossing for pedestrians
along Hyde Road to access local shops and facilities. They also request that the speed limit
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 31 -
along Hyde Road and Cansdale Street be reduced to 50 km/h or less.
28.
There have been no reported pedestrian crashes at or near the intersection of Hyde Road and
Cansdale Street in the five years to 2010.
29.
Assessment of the site characteristics, under Queensland Government guidelines, has
determined the construction of a refuge island facility is the most appropriate pedestrian
crossing facility. Due to the proximity of Cansdale Street and Venner Road, it is considered
that a signalised pedestrian crossing would need to control these intersections. Traffic lights
were not determined not to be needed to provide pedestrians with safe and convenient
crossing opportunities. Council allocated $100,000 in the 2012-13 budget for consultation,
design and construction of pedestrian improvements along Hyde Road.
30.
A preliminary design of the refuge island and consultation with stakeholders including the
Village at Yeronga Residents’ Committee, has been completed. Representatives of the Village
at Yeronga Residents’ Committee met on site with the Councillor for Tennyson Ward,
Councillor Nicole Johnston and Council officers on 9 August 2012 to discuss the pedestrian
safety concerns.
31.
Six parking spaces along the park frontage will be parking-prohibited to establish safe sight
distance at the crossing. A sketch of the refuge island and associated parking restrictions is
submitted on file.
32.
In response to the concerns raised by residents of the Village, Council engaged Cardno Eppell
Olsen to independently review the speed limits along Hyde Road and Cansdale Street. The
review, conducted in accordance with Queensland Government guidelines, recommended the
existing 60 km/h speed limits be retained.
33.
Both streets are designated 60 km/h suburban routes in the current City Plan road network
hierarchy. However, consideration is being given to reducing the designations of Hyde Road
and Cansdale Street in the City Plan review, which may provide scope for lowering the speed
limit to 50 km/h. The draft new City Plan is expected to be subject to community consultation
in the coming months.
Funding
34.
$100,00 is allocated for consultation, design and construction of a pedestrian refuge island in
Hyde Road near Cansdale Street in the 2012-13 budget. The consultation and design
component of the funding has been expended.
Consultation
35.
The ward councillor was consulted and declined to have her views recorded as part of the
petition submission to the committee.
36.
The Acting Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy recommends as follows and the
Committee agrees unanimously.
Preferred option
37.
It is the preferred option that the petitioners be advised that:
in view of the objections raised by the community, Council will not proceed with the
construction of a refuge island
that the intersection of Hyde Road and Cansdale Street will be listed for the
installation of traffic signals in line with citywide priorities for budget consideration
the reduction in the speed limit along Hyde Road and Cansdale Street will be
considered in the review of the City Plan expected to be completed by June 2014.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 32 -
38.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
PREFERRED OPTION AND OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE
ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
D
PETITION – REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL REMOVE THE TRAFFIC
CALMING DEVICE INSTALLED IN BISLEY PLACE, WAKERLEY
CA12/509221
447/2012-13
39.
A petition from residents of Bisley Place, Wakerley, requesting that Council consider
removing the installed traffic calming device in Bisley Place, was presented to the meeting of
Council held on 30 October 2012 by Councillor Ryan Murphy and received.
40.
The Acting Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch, Brisbane Infrastructure
Division, provided the following information.
41.
The petition contains 22 signatures, representing 17 residences in Bisley Place, including the
representatives of the four properties with frontages directly adjacent to the device.
42.
Bisley Place, is a five-metre wide cul-de-sac located within a detached residential area in
Wakerley. There are 21 allotments and two of these allotments are unimproved. It is less than
200 metres in length from the intersection with Warren Street. The traffic calming device is
located midway along the street and consists of two islands forming a one lane slow point.
Photos of the traffic calming device are submitted on file.
43.
The petitioners are requesting that the device be removed because they believe it is
unnecessary and limits parking in the street.
44.
The traffic calming device was installed as part of the original development and is generally
inconsistent with current Council guidelines. Traffic calming devices may be installed as part
of an area-wide scheme to discourage through traffic and reduce speeds. Bisley Place is a
local street and the only vehicles using this section of Bisley Place would be residents and
their visitors. Therefore, although the traffic calming device is part of an area-wide scheme,
the individual placement of this device in Bisley Place does not appear to provide any
significant benefit to local residents. It is not likely that this road segment would have
significant traffic volumes or speed concerns.
45.
The residents also believe that the removal of this traffic calming device would allow more
accessible on-street parking. However, given the road width of Bisley Place, if the device was
removed, parking would still only be available on one side of the street.
46.
It is not standard practice to remove traffic calming devices however, as Bisley Place carries
no through-traffic and the petition has been signed by the majority of residents in the street,
there would be no concerns with this device being removed.
Funding
47.
Funding to undertake the removal of the traffic calming device in Bisley Place, Wakerley, is
available in the current budget.
Consultation
48.
The Councillor for Doboy Ward, Councillor Ryan Murphy, has been consulted and supported
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 33 -
the recommendation.
Preferred option
49.
It is the preferred option that the traffic calming device in Bisley Place, Wakerley, be
removed.
50.
The Acting Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy recommends as follows and the
Committee agrees.
51.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
PREFERRED OPTION AND OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE
ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE
Councillor Peter MATIC, Chairman of the Public and Active Transport Committee, moved, seconded by
Councillor Steven HUANG that the report of that Committee held on 12 February 2013, be adopted.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor MATIC, any debate?
Councillor MATIC:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. I just want to acknowledge the officers for their
very informative presentation on cycling mid-trip facilities. These facilities
improve amenity and comfort for cyclists and pedestrians across the city, and
provide real opportunities for the activation of those areas but also those rest
stops along key points of our bikeways. Good examples were given in the
presentation across our city.
For example, in my own ward, the Toowong Bicentennial Bikeway, these midtrip facilities have been located strategically at areas such as Park Road, and also
intermittently down the path which have provided real opportunities for
activation for all of those office workers who work on the other side of
Coronation Drive that are looking for some open space opportunities.
Importantly also these mid-trip facilities provide activation of our great
resources, such as our river and also some of our parklands. So thank you to the
officers for a most informative presentation.
Deputy Chairman:
Further debate; I will now put the report.
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), Councillors Steve
Griffiths, Nicole Johnston, Kim Marx and Ryan Murphy.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CYCLING MID-TRIP FACILITIES
448/2012-13
1.
Graeme Read, Transport Planning Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch,
Brisbane Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to update the committee on Brisbane’s
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 34 -
cycling mid-trip facilities. He provided the information below.
2.
These facilities improve amenity and comfort for cyclists and pedestrians across the city by
providing opportunities to rest, eat or drink. Local facilities allow for cycle trips to shops,
libraries or other community destinations.
3.
Other benefits provided by these facilities include directional signage, distance markings on
pathways and local area maps with cycle pathways highlighted. Investigations are underway
with the Department of Transport and Main Roads to provide commuter route markers on the
directional signs.
4.
Council is improving the amenity of cycle routes by providing seating and shade where
applicable. Examples of these, along the Bicentennial Bikeway and in the Boondall wetlands,
were shown.
5.
Bike racks have been provided at local destinations such as parks, shops, libraries and other
regional centres. Shelters may be used by commuters and workers to store their bicycles at
public transport hubs across Brisbane. Access to the bike shelters is provided through an
electronic access card that may be purchased by the cyclist from Council’s Customer Service
Centres.
6.
The Transport Planning and Strategy Branch is investigating opportunities for future
initiatives at cycling mid-trip facilities, including bike repair stations, water fountains and
shade trees.
7.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Read for his
informative presentation.
8.
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 12 February 2013, be adopted.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor COOPER.
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you, Madam Deputy Chair. At committee last week we saw an
application for 41 Buchanan Street, West End.
At that time, 3.47pm, the Chairman, Councillor Margaret de WIT, resumed the Chair.
Councillor COOPER:
This was an impact assessable application for a material change of use, an
education facility, and this one was—welcome back, Madam Chair—an unusual
one which received unanimous support from all of the committee members. I
thank Councillors SUTTON and ABRAHAMS for providing support for the
application. Unfortunately, that seems to be a fairly unusual event at our
committee.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 35 Perhaps Councillor ABRAHAMS was able to support this one because she was
actually on time to get the presentation. I encourage all Councillors to be on
time.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman:
Order!
Councillor COOPER:
I think it is a fair comment.
Chairman:
Order! Councillor SUTTON!
Councillor COOPER:
I think it is a fair comment, that if you want to make a decision on an
application, you should perhaps be there for the presentation.
Councillor ABRAHAMS interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS!
Councillor COOPER:
Certainly I understand this particular application is an interesting one, where it is
a material change of use to actually re-use an existing building that was purposebuilt for film editing and post-production. This site is zoned high density
residential. That is actually in the report, page 1, part 1, second paragraph, for
those who want to be clear as to what the zoning or area classification is.
This particular proposal is in conflict with the specific zoning under the South
Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan, but officers felt that, in light of this
being a re-use of an existing building, that they could see that this particular
proposal actually complied with the principles of the Neighbourhood Plan and
they were therefore able to recommend this application for support.
This particular proposal will see a film and audio college on the site to offer
students an opportunity to gain qualifications in animation, games design, games
programming and graphic design, to name a few, and certainly it has become a
bit of a distinguishing industry for Brisbane to be in the forefront of particularly
these games programming.
In addition, this building has quite an interesting history. It was actually the
McWilliams Wine warehouse at one point, and did have Cutting Edge, I think in
June 2001, on the site. So a range of different uses in that location. In particular,
this application will see the facility being used—certain parts of the building, so
levels 1 and 2 and part of level 3 will be utilised for the new college, and there is
still an opportunity for a pre-existing office use on the site which will continue, I
believe.
There is an enrolment of 550 students with an average attendance of 180
students on site at any one time. so obviously a lot of interest in this. We think
that all of the issues have been comprehensively addressed. There is great public
transport for students. This application went out for public notification and there
were no submissions received. As I noted earlier, Councillor ABRAHAMS did
actually support this application.
This site was impacted by the flood in January 2011 from the Brisbane River,
which the officers took into very careful consideration, of course noting that the
building was already in existence. This being a river flood, different from a
creek flood, where there is a period of time for evacuation and the particular
floors that this will be occurring on were not actually inundated by flooding.
There have been specific provisions relating to a flood emergency response
plan, so condition 6 was specifically put in place, and officers have been very
diligent in considering how this building might be able to be safely utilised due
to that issue.
Of course, there is also an issue of noise. I think we talked about that a little bit
at committee last week, and the officers have put a specific condition in there
relating to making sure that attenuation, which currently exists in the building,
will be maintained. So, Madam Chair, this is a good application. We will be able
to see students down there getting their professional qualifications in the
exciting field of film and digital post production, ensuring that we have a very
vibrant and creative city. I would particularly like to thank the officers for their
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 36 hard work—Rory and all of the South team. Matthew in particular did a
fantastic job in coming up with a great outcome. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor ABRAHAMS.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will be brief, but I wish to say a few comments on
the application for the SAE and QANTM property at 41 Buchanan Street, West
End. This is an architecturally specifically designed building for the creative
media. It has been used very successfully by Cutting Edge as we heard, since
2001, and now it is being used in the same way for creative media but in an
educational format with now, I would like to advise the Chamber, 600 students
attending courses at this location.
Interestingly, the course is to run parallel supporting a course that they may be
undertaking at Griffith University or another facility, but giving them specific
practical information in their skills so that the success rate of the students is very
high, and it is a real new model for tertiary education which has been very
successful. It would be rather distressing if this building were not approved for a
use to which it is designed, even whatever the zone it is in, because it is a
continuous use within the creative media and multimedia. That is one reason for
my support.
The other one is that even though it is an educational facility, I confirmed that
the impact of transport of those students on the surrounding community seems
to be well managed. When asked for a comment on this application, I requested
innovative and I now understand that the students are very innovative. They are
using public transport and their feet, because the surrounding residential
apartment buildings are saying they are seeing so many students walking in this
area to this facility.
I commend the application, and I think it is really important that we understand
that this site is probably going to be the largest education facility of the SAE
QANTM campus, and they have seven others in Australia. But this one has done
exceedingly well, is growing, and they have actually said that Brisbane is the
area where the students that are looking to the creative class, as Richard Florida
in his book, The Rise of the Creative Class, commented. They can use their
skills anywhere, so they go to a city that gives them a lovely climate and quality
of life, and then within that city they go to an area that is accessible, gives them
many social opportunities, and that is what this part of our city achieves. I am
happy to support this application.
Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, just briefly on item A, and I understand there seems to be bipartisan
support for this development application here today. But I come to this place
having read just the report that is here before us, and what I note is that we have
had two planning processes essentially that this application will bypass, firstly
the City Plan 2000 and secondly the neighbourhood plan for this area. The
reason I say bypasses is that this is zoned for high density residential
development. What we are seeing here is a commercial application.
I appreciate that the local Councillor supports this. I appreciate that the LNP
supports this, and everyone is going to vote for it, but what I do not like is the
precedent that is being set in this place where the City Plan and the local
planning criteria are being ignored. We will recall the reason for this is because
this city made a decision, along with the State Government, about strategic
planning issues, about where population density should go, and that is in the
inner city areas of the CBD and CBD fringe and South Brisbane.
When we take out a large site like this that could otherwise be re-used for
residential purposes, it puts more pressure back on to either neighbouring local
areas or other suburbs to accommodate the residential density and growth that
Councillor COOPER and the LORD MAYOR and the Premier all tell us we
have to have in this city. So, from my point of view, this seems to be a very odd
decision. In my point of view, it sets a precedent that I do not support, which is
that this Council can override the planning criteria of a community and the city
to allow a solution that is not otherwise supported by law in this city.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 37 That is problematic, and through you, Madam Chairman, I suspect Councillor
ABRAHAMS will rue this day because it sets an ugly precedent. I guarantee
you will see developers now attempting to use this precedent elsewhere in your
ward. What happens is—and I have seen this in my own area—the next
developer comes along when the university or the school finishes its use and
says, well, you let them re-use it; you have to let me re-use it.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I think just stick to the item in front of you, please.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, I am, and I am saying why I think this is a poor planning decision. That is
because it sets a precedent that other developers will use. I am saying it is a poor
planning decision because it ignores the local planning rules for the city and the
local area, and for the third reason I am saying it is a poor planning decision, it
will force greater density out into other parts of Brisbane because it cannot be
accommodated in the area for which it is designated.
So whilst the ALP and the LNP are agreeing on this, I see significant problems
with it, and I am really surprised, really surprised, that the issues are not being
more attention. The only thing I can look at in this is there were no submissions
received during the application. I do not know if that is because people do not
know about it or whether they do not have concerns. It is very odd, very odd, to
see no submissions come in about a DA (development application) in West End,
I would suspect. Even on ones that are perfectly okay I suspect there are people
in West End who write letters. So, I just find that a little bit odd as well. But my
concerns are now on the record, and I just hope that we do not regret this
decision down the track.
Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor COOPER.
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I would like to thank Councillor
ABRAHAMS for her comments. I think they are well considered and I
appreciate those.
A councillor interjecting.
Councillor COOPER:
And that is on the record, Councillor ABRAHAMS, through you, Madam Chair.
I did not say in every situation; I did say specifically relating to this one.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor COOPER:
Praise where praise is actually due in this case. But I do note that other
comments were made that do not seem to comprehend that City Plan 2000 is a
performance based planning scheme. Applications can be made to Council;
Council will consider them on their merits based on a whole range of criteria
that we very carefully consider. The Council officers, I do yet again—and I am a
very staunch supporter of Council officers. They do not recommend things, they
do not put forward proposals with their recommendation to the committee
without being confident that all of the issues have been comprehensively
addressed. In this case they certainly have been, and we do support this
application. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
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
ELECTRONIC
DEVELOPMENT
APPLICATION
UNDER
THE
SUSTAINABLE PLANNING ACT 2009 – MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE –
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES (QANTM–SAE
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 38 -
INSTITUTE CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA COLLEGE) – 41 BUCHANAN
STREET, WEST END – B.I.S. PROPERTIES (BRISBANE) PTY LTD
A003408757
449/2012-13
1.
The Team Manager, Development Assessment Planning Services South, reports that a
development application has been submitted by Urbis Pty Ltd on behalf of B.I.S. Properties
(Brisbane) Pty Ltd, as follows:
Development aspects:
General description of proposal:
Land in the ownership of:
Address of the site:
Described as:
Containing an area of:
Material change of use - development permit
(section 243 of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009)
Tertiary college providing creative digital media
courses in animation, games design, games
programming, graphic design and interactive media
B.I.S. Properties (Brisbane) Pty Ltd
41 Buchanan Street, West End
Lot 1 on RP138045
2172 square metres.
2.
The subject site is located directly opposite Davies Park, and is bounded by Buchanan Street,
Jane Street and Riverside Drive, West End. The site is included within the South Brisbane
Riverside Neighbourhood Plan (SBRNP) (Precinct 6 – Buchanan and Davies Park) and has a
High Density Residential Area designation.
3.
The development proposal incorporates:
the re-use of an existing purpose built building previously used for film editing and
post production
re-utilisation of the existing technical labs, audio and visual studios by Qantm–SAE
Institute for certificate, diploma and bachelor qualifications in animation, games
design, games programming, graphic design and interactive media
provision of onsite parking.
4.
The proposal is consistent with the intent of Brisbane City Plan 2000 (City Plan) and the
South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031 in that:
The subject site is within the Urban Footprint of the South East Queensland Regional
Plan.
The proposal is consistent with development principles in SBRNP .
The re-use of the existing building for digital media education does not have an
adverse impact on the amenity of the surrounding neighbourhood.
The site is within close proximity to public transport (CityGlider, CityCycle) and
adjoins a bike/pedestrian pathway along the Brisbane River.
The existing infrastructure (water and sewerage) can accommodate the development.
5.
Matters considered as part of the assessment are summarised below.
South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan
6.
The use is consistent with the development principles of SBRNP in that:
it contributes to the range of uses needed to provide an eclectic, inner city riverside
community
it provides an opportunity for a diverse and growing population through provision of
local employment and services
it is situated in a key employment locality.
7.
Furthermore the proposal is consistent with the intent of Precinct 6 - Buchanan and Davies
Park by:
contributing to the continuation of a vibrant mixed-use within the South Brisbane
Riverside area
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 39 -
-
8.
establishing a use that will contribute to further casual surveillance of Davies Park
and the South Brisbane Riverside Lands Park.
The proposed use also achieves the desired environmental outcomes for the High Density
Residential Area designation as the proposed development seeks to re-use a purpose built
(non-residential) building for a similar use being creative digital media.
Acoustic attenuation
9.
The existing and proposed uses on the site are considered to have similar noise attenuation
requirements in that both require sound attenuation to the technical labs, audio and visual
studios.
Onsite car parking
10.
The proposal will re-utilise existing onsite car parking spaces. Based on the City Frame
within the City Plan excess onsite parking, to service both the proposed use and the existing
use on the site, is available. Furthermore local streets surrounding the site are subject to
regulated parking.
11.
The demand for car parking can be balanced by the range of alternative transport options to
the site, which include:
a high frequency bus services (CityGlider) along Montague Road
a CityCycle station on Jane Street
a shared bike/pedestrian pathway along the Brisbane River connecting to the city.
Flooding
12.
The subject site was impacted during the January 2011 flood and it is appropriate to require a
Flood Risk Management Plan as a condition of proposed new use.
Referral agencies
13.
The application was referred to the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) as a
concurrence agency. DTMR advised it supported the proposal.
Submissions
14.
No submissions were received during public notification of the application.
Local councillor consultation
15.
The councillor for The Gabba Ward, Councillor Helen Abrahams advises that she supports
the proposed use as a “venue for smart city and creative class activities”. However, she is
“concerned about trip generating capacity of the use and the impact on decreasing kerbside
parking irrespective of whether it is metered or not”. To this extent a request for “innovative
parking arrangements as part of the approval to reduce the impact of commuter student
parking on surrounding businesses, residents and street” was sought as part of the assessment.
Assessment
16.
The above matters were considered in assessment of the proposal, against the City Plan and
conditioned appropriately.
17.
The Team Manager advises that relevant reports have been obtained to address the assessment
criteria and decision process prescribed by the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 outlining
appropriate development requirements.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 40 -
18.
The Team Manager recommends that the application be approved subject to reasonable and
relevant conditions and the Committee agrees unanimously.
19.
RECOMMENDATION:
(i)
That it be and is hereby resolved that whereas—
(a)
a development application (distributor-retailer) was properly made on
14 August 2012 to the Council pursuant to section 260 of the Sustainable
Planning Act 2009 (SPA), as follows:
Development Aspects:
Material change of use - development permit
(under section 243 of SPA)
General description of proposal: Tertiary college providing creative digital
media courses in animation, games design,
games programming, graphic design and
interactive media
Land in the ownership of:
B.I.S. Properties (Brisbane) Pty Ltd
Address of the site:
41 Buchanan Street, West End
Described as:
Lot 1 on RP138045
Containing an area of:
2172 square metres
(b)
the Council is required to assess the application under section 260 of SPA,
and decide the application under sections 324 and 326 of the SPA;
The Council—
(A)
Upon consideration of the application and those matters set forth in sections
314, 324, and 326 of SPA relevant to the application considers that:
1.
the subject site is within the Urban Footprint of the South East
Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031, and the use is consistent with
an Urban Activity
2.
the proposal is consistent with the Brisbane City Plan 2000 (City
Plan)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
the proposal advances the intent and development principles of the
South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan in particular Precinct
6 - Buchanan and Davies Park
the proposal will not create adverse amenity impacts on the
surrounding area in terms of noise
onsite car parking spaces can be provided in excess of the City Frame
requirements within the City Plan
the site is within close proximity to public transport (CityGlider,
CityCycle) and adjoins a bike/pedestrian pathway along the Brisbane
River
the requirements of the State Government referral agency, the
Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR), are incorporated
in the development approval
(B)
accordingly considers that were reasonable and relevant conditions imposed
on the development it would be appropriate that the proposed development be
carried out on the subject land
(C)
will issue Brisbane City Council Adopted Infrastructure Charges Notices for
the development pursuant to SPA and Brisbane Adopted Infrastructure
Charges Resolution (No. 2) 2011, for the transport, community purposes and
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 41 -
stormwater trunk infrastructure networks
(D)
(ii)
under section 755A of SPA, on behalf of Queensland Urban Utilities as the
Central SEQ Distributor Retailer Authority, will issue adopted infrastructure
charges notices for the sewerage and water supply trunk infrastructure
networks.
Whereas the Council determines as in (i) hereof, THE COUNCIL APPROVES
THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION (DISTRIBUTOR RETAILER) referred
to above, subject to the conditions in the Development Approval Package submitted
and marked Attachment A, and accordingly will:
(a)
notify the applicant of the decision and any adopted infrastructure charges
notices
(b)
notify the Central SEQ Distributor-Retailer Authority of the decision and be
given a copy of any Development Approval Package and the adopted
infrastructure charges notice
(c)
notify the Department of Transport and Main Roads as a State concurrence
agency of the decision and be given a copy of any Development Approval
Package and the adopted infrastructure charges notice
(d)
notify the councillor of The Gabba Ward, Councillor Helen Abrahams, of the
decision.
ADOPTED
ADJOURNMENT:
450/2012-13
At that time, 4.01pm, 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 hade
vacated the chamber and the doors locked.
Council stood adjourned at 4.02pm.
UPON RESUMPTION:
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
12 February 2013, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor BOURKE:
Just very quickly, Madam Chairman, a great presentation last week on the
evolution of Moreton Bay, Madam Chairman. We had an outside presenter, the
first time for our committee. Dr Justine Kemp came in from the Australian
Rivers Institute and presented quite an interesting and in-depth analysis, Madam
Chairman, of the history and the geological development of Moreton Bay,
Madam Chairman, and how the river formed, how the bay islands formed and
then obviously the impacts that that’s had on the types of sea flora and fauna,
that you can actually have marine flora and fauna, Madam Chairman, that you
can have in the bay.
Very interesting. A lot of questions from councillors, which was great to see. It’s
always good to see the engagement from the councillors on the committee,
Madam Chairman. I was very pleased that I think everyone on the committee
provided their congratulations at the end of that presentation and thanked Dr
Kemp. I actually sent her a letter on behalf of the committee thanking her for her
informative presentation.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 42 Madam Chairman, just turning to one other item in the gamut of my
chairmanship of the Environment Parks and Sustainability role, Madam
Chairman. Councillor GRIFFITHS last week stood up and made some
comments, Madam Chairman. I think the best way, the politest way of putting it,
Madam Chairman, is made some comments.
One of our former colleagues in this place once said that you shouldn't argue
with idiots because they drag you down to their level and beat you with
experience, Madam Chairman. But I think I have Councillor GRIFFITHS’
measure on this one because I’ve done a little bit of digging over the last week.
In terms of the three issues that he raised, Madam Chairman, I’ll go through each
one very quickly. He’s not in the Council Chamber. Half of the Labor
councillors aren’t here either, Madam Chairman, which is sad to see. They’re
probably still out with the sausage rolls. That’s right. Thank you, Councillor
McLACHLAN, for that interjection.
Madam Chairman, so very quickly and I hope that Councillor GRIFFITHS reads
the Hansard. One issue was around South Junior Rugby Union Football Club and
their car park works, Madam Chairman. Councillor GRIFFITHS actually lodged
the Footpath and Parks Trust Fund paperwork on 20 December, so just before
the Christmas recess. Even as late as 30 January, he was provided with an update
by the Council officers on that project about how it was being delivered and how
it was being installed, Madam Chairman, and a timeline around that.
Yet he stood up in this place last week and carped on about how it’s been six
months and we haven’t delivered and we’re not delivering and apparently the
file is sitting up in my office. But for $10,000 project, Madam Chairman, it
doesn’t come to my office, through you to Councillor GRIFFITHS, when he
reads Hansard, Madam Chairman, for my tick-off. So that’s done by the regional
guys. You would have thought, after nearly a decade in this place, Councillor
GRIFFITHS might understand how the process works, Madam Chairman.
Madam Chairman, Granard Wetlands and OCCA (Oxley Creek Catchment
Association). Councillor GRIFFITHS doesn’t seem to want to follow procedures
in this place or understand procedures in this place, Madam Chairman. So I did a
little bit of digging on the issue that he raised around Granard Wetlands. It was
actually in the reply that was provided to him by the Council officers when he
wrote, the reply that he chose to selectively quote from last week, Madam
Chairman, I think in an attempt to verbal the council officers and try and verbal
the administration around the delivery of the capital projects, Madam Chairman.
He got provided with the response about what’s happening with OCCA and their
money. He knows full well, because I’ve got the email trail as well, Madam
Chairman, from the council officers about how he is trying to do a sole sourcing
arrangement out of Footpath and Parks Trust Fund, Madam Chairman, with
OCCA, something that you can’t do, Madam Chairman, and something that the
Council officers are trying to help him work a solution around so that he can
deliver the works that they want to do at Granard Street Park, Madam Chairman,
with Oxley Creek Catchment Association.
But Councillor GRIFFITHS, once again, after nearly a decade in this place, you
would think, Madam Chairman, that he would understand how some of these
processes work. It’s sad to see that again, as I said, last week, he stood up in this
place, Madam Chairman, and he came and he said things about us sitting on our
hands or me sitting on my hands and not delivering projects for six months,
Madam Chairman, when really it’s Councillor GRIFFITHS who’s trying to push
through something that Council officers don’t and can’t do because he’s trying
to sole source out of his parks trust fund, Madam Chairman. So once again,
through you, Madam Chairman, to Councillor GRIFFITHS, I would say you
should go away and do your homework and do the right thing.
But then the pearler, Madam Chairman, the $130,000 parks upgrade at Veterans
Park. Councillor DICK, through you, Madam Chairman, to Councillor DICK,
next time Councillor GRIFFITHS comes into the Caucus and says I have a
cunning stunt. I’m going to stand up in the Council Chamber and I am going to
lay into the Administration for not delivering for six months, you might want to
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 43 check some of the documents, Madam Chairman, through you to Councillor
DICK. You might want to check some of the documents.
So, Madam Chairman, Councillor GRIFFITHS signed the authorisation for the
funding back in September for this one, five months ago. But he hadn’t done any
consultation. He hadn’t got any quotes. So for the last three and a half months,
after he signed that form, Madam Chairman, if you look at the file, the email
trail is there between him and the Council officers back and forth advising what
he wanted, what the quotes were, right up until Christmas, Madam Chairman,
right up til Christmas.
He didn’t—and through you, thank you, Councillor KNAPP, for that
interjection—he didn’t do it properly, Madam Chairman, because he signed the
form back in September and said there's $130,000 to the Council officers. Then
he took two and a half or nearly three months to decide what was going to go on
in the park and go and get the quotes and tick off on it, Madam Chairman, not
the right way of doing it, through you to Councillor GRIFFITHS.
Then trying to stand up in this place and turn it into this—you know, Councillor
DICK’s obviously running classes on mock outrage—stand up in this place and
go on about six months of this and six months of that, Madam Chairman, you’re
not delivering.
Well, Madam Chairman, through you to Councillor GRIFFITHS, if he did the
work that he was meant to do as a local councillor, rather than trying to duck
shove his responsibilities, Madam Chairman, and then stand up in this place and
criticise the council officers and try and misuse and misrepresent their views
back to him, Madam Chairman.
I’ll quote, Madam Chairman, from the email that Councillor GRIFFITHS quoted
from last week, which says, Mark - which is a council officer, I won’t use his
last name - Mark has been in touch with our construction planners and at this
point they are committing to delivering these works this financial year.
Councillor GRIFFITHS had that in the email he was reading from during his rant
last week. He stood up in this place for nearly 10 minutes and carried on, Madam
Chairman, as if this Administration was doing nothing, the same time, Madam
Chairman, that our officers are out there trying to clean up from that storm event
that happened three weeks ago. They’re still trying to respond and address to the
issues that Councillor GRIFFITHS has raised.
I would say, Madam Chairman, that Councillor GRIFFITHS owes the officers an
apology. He should be trying to work with the Council officers and deliver these
projects for his residents, rather than trying to come into this place and play
cheap political stunts, cheap political gains, Madam Chairman. I would once
again, even though he’s not here, I would encourage him.
He should maybe adopt the approach that Councillor SUTTON has. She’s had a
little bit of a problem down at a dog off-leash area with one of her parks projects.
But she actually approached me and asked me for some help, Madam Chairman,
whereas Councillor GRIFFITHS would rather go and try and play the big
political games, like the big political player that he isn’t, Madam Chairman,
instead of actually doing his job as a local councillor.
So, Madam Chairman, that sets the record straight when it comes to those three
projects that were raised by Councillor GRIFFITHS last week, exposed once
again for his inadequate ability to represent and deliver the projects for his
residents. It’s a shame, Madam Chairman, that he wants to stand up in this place
and make those sort of comments about Council officers that he did last week as
well.
I’ve got nothing else to say, Madam Chairman. I commit the report to the
Council Chamber.
Chairman:
Further debate on the report. I will put the motion.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 44 Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the
Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee was declared carried on the voices.
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.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – THE EVOLUTION OF MORETON BAY
451/2012-13
1.
Dr Justine Kemp from the Australian Rivers Institute attended the meeting to provide a
presentation entitled ‘The evolution of Moreton Bay’. In her presentation Dr Kemp addressed
the following questions:
How has Moreton Bay developed and changed geomorphologically?
What has Moreton Bay, Brisbane River, Logan River and South East Queensland
looked like over the last three sea-level changes?
What did Captain Cook and John Oxley see?
Why is Oxley catchment sandy, whereas the other catchments are mud?
2.
The bay’s ecology is diverse and it is notable for its sand flats and wildlife such as Dugongs
and green turtles. South Stradbroke Island alone features 250 bird species and the bay is also
an important fishery.
3.
A graph was displayed showing sea level fluctuations in the bay over the last 200,000 years.
For a significant proportion of this period the bay was completely dry and was actually a
coastal plain. This is reflected in the stories of local aboriginal people.
4.
Maps showing the development of the Brisbane River delta over the last 6000 years were
displayed. The channels of the Brisbane and Pine rivers eroded across the Moreton Bay Plain
when it was dry during the last ice age. The floor of the bay is now covered by younger
sediments deposited during the last 6000 years and a map showing the current distribution of
mud, sand and coral was displayed.
5.
A number of maps and photographs were then shown, including:
an 1825 map of the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay by Edmund Lockyer
a panoramic view of the bay, circa 1886
the Hamilton Reach of the river in 1889.
6.
In terms of the historic vegetation distribution of the river and its environs prior to European
settlement, it was noted that mangroves were present no further up the river than Hamilton
and there was rainforest present on the banks along most of the reaches between the city and
Indooroopilly. A map of the vegetation distribution was displayed along with an
1892 photograph showing eucalypt forest growing right up to the edge of the river. The
river’s mangrove distribution altered once the open tidal bar at the mouth was removed to
provide for shipping.
7.
Details of descriptions of the river by early explorers were provided. These were by Allan
Cunningham in 1824, Edmund Lockyer in 1829, James Burnett in 1845 and Thomas Archer
in 1846. Other historic photos displayed were of cattle grazing at Cressbrook Station in 1896
and the upper reaches in 1907. There was a change in the water quality and sediment loads by
around the 1850s and the banks had seen significant changes by the end of the 1800s. A graph
of the changes in quality and river bed levels was also displayed.
8.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Dr Kemp for an
interesting and informative presentation.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 45 -
9.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE
REPORT.
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 12 February 2013, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. The wind has been taken out of my sails to an
extent by the preceding speaker in terms of the flagrant misrepresentation of
information provided by a council officer last week to the councillor for
Moorooka Ward. So I won’t repeat any of the comments that were made, other
than to endorse them wholeheartedly. I think that what was said last week by the
councillor for Moorooka Ward, misrepresenting what he had been told by a
council officer, is an absolute disgrace.
Madam Chairman, before us at item A was a Committee presentation on an area
where I’m passionately supporting the officers; the management team in
working through. The Field Services Group, as we all know, these are the men
and women who are at the forefront of providing services on behalf of Council,
literally out in the field, a lot of heavy, manual labour engaged, and quite often
victims of incidents and accidents that can be managed.
The Field Services Group, particularly the Urban Amenities group, is very keen
to bring down the number of accidents that occur and where workers are often
injured. They’ve undertaken a program—this was the point of the presentation
last week—looking at the PERForM (Project Evaluation and Review for
Management) and Wellbeing Pilot Program that looks at helping our Field
Services staff throughout the network; looking at how they undertake various
manual tasks and looking at ways to improve the way they perform those, or the
outcome to reduce the number of incidents and accidents that occur.
I commend the report to the Chamber.
Chairman:
Further debate. Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes. Just briefly on this matter, Madam Chairman. It was an interesting
presentation last week and I can tell you many of them aren’t necessarily,
Madam Chairman. The Committee Chairman chooses the topics. So it’s not a
reflection on the officers. They’re always willing to answer questions and so
forth. But Councillor McLACHLAN chooses the topics and he doesn’t take
suggestions onboard from the councillors present.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, please get on with it. Just debate on this particular
presentation.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Well the groans across the Chamber, Madam Chairman, just inspire me to talk
for longer. So, Madam Chairman, the presentation was quite interesting, as I was
saying, because it talks about a program that just happened sort of out of the
blue. I think that’s the best bit, Madam Chairman. It just happened sort of out of
the blue. When you ask the officers about it, it sort of came out of some existing
money and they just sort of picked West Region out of everywhere in the city to
look at.
Madam Chairman, the results were really quite interesting. I guess there are two
things that I would like to say about those findings here today. Firstly, they
showed that this program can have some very real benefits for our operational
staff. Questions were put to the Committee Chairman about whether this
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 46 program was being rolled out into other regions. He had no answer. Perhaps he’ll
clarify today. But, Madam Chairman, there's no funding commitment to roll it
out anywhere else. There are no plans to put it into other regions or offer it to
other staff.
So in my view that’s a lost opportunity because we’ve seen that there are some
real benefits that flow from this kind of intensive wellness advice and seminars
and services. But, Madam Chairman, this Council does not have a plan to
actually take it forward. One would have thought, Madam Chairman, that’s a key
learning out of the actual survey itself. So in my view, Madam Chairman, that is
something that needs to be addressed and I’m sorry that we have had no advice
in the presentation last week or from the Chairman about that.
Secondly, the results did throw up a couple of very interesting statistics. I just
can’t put my hand on the presentation at the moment. But it essentially covered
four key areas and it benchmarked council officers pre- the program being
undertaken, post the program being undertaken, and against the national
averages for blue collar workers. The source of that, I’m not entirely sure. But
that’s how it was actually quoted by the officer as blue collar workers.
Two of the four of those areas saw both significant improvement before and after
the Council’s program was delivered, and also saw significant improvement
against the national average. But in the other case, in the other two areas, whilst
there was improvement before and after with respect to Council, it showed that
we were still significantly behind the national average for that area.
One of the two areas I can think of is smoking. Council officers here smoke at
significantly higher rates than the average blue collar workforce. That in my
view I think is quite an interesting thing. Why is that? The surveys don’t quite
get to that. I can’t quite remember the other one. I apologise if I mis-state which
one. But I think it was on the obesity issue.
So we certainly still have a way to go with respect to this. But what it highlights,
I think, is two things: firstly, that we can get improvement through this program.
But secondly, what it shows is we are not necessarily meeting or exceeding the
national blue collar average for wellness across these areas of alcohol use,
obesity, smoking and stress.
That should be a concern to this Council because the ultimate aim of this is to
ensure that we have a healthy workforce, that they can go about their jobs safely
and they can return back to their families in a safe way at the end of the day,
Madam Chairman.
I know that Council has put into place additional programs, a smoking Quitline
and things like that. But it’s essential, I think, that the outcome of this survey is
looked at, particularly with respect to the national averages and why we are still
lagging in those two key areas of wellness. I would certainly hope that there is
some advice provided on that down the track.
Chairman:
Further debate. Councillor CUMMING.
Councillor CUMMING:
Madam Chair, just briefly, I’d like to speak on that item as well. The thing that
occurred to me was that it was being trialled in the west with some success. East
region was being used as a comparison. But there was no indication as yet of a
rollout across the Council. So I’d like to see it rolled out across the Council. I
guess with those sorts of programs, a regular follow-up is needed to maximise
the benefits to the Council.
Chairman:
Further debate. Councillor McLACHLAN.
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. Just briefly to that last comment from Councillor
CUMMING. Thank you for that contribution. Perhaps you missed the title,
which is that it was a pilot program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Chairman:
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.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 47 -
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor David McLachlan (Chairman), Norm Wyndham (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors
Peter Cumming, Nicole Johnston, Kim Marx and Ian McKenzie.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – FIELD SERVICES GROUP AND URBAN
AMENITIES BRANCH PERFORM AND WELLBEING PROGRAM PILOT
452/2012-13
1.
Mica Julien, Manager, Urban Amenities, Field Services Group, attended the meeting to
provide an update on the PERForM (Project Evaluation and Review for Management) and
Wellbeing Program Pilot undertaken by officers from the Field Services Group and the Urban
Amenities Branch. Ms Julien provided the information below.
2.
Ms Julien advised that the key injuries sustained by officers in these areas were sprains and
strains, caused by the manual handling of equipment. Statistics of the lost time injury
frequency rate from November 2011 until January 2013 were shown. The data showed that
this rate had steadily declined, from 38.48 hours to 21.76 hours, during this period.
3.
The objective of the PERForM and Wellbeing Program Pilot was to deliver sustainable
improvements to an employee’s wellbeing as well as a reduction in injuries that have been
related to manual tasks.
4.
The program was conducted as a joint partnership with Council’s Wellness Centre. The
method of running this program involved conducting wellbeing surveys, task identification
and risk management workshops, site visits, and body awareness education sessions.
5.
Participation in the program was divided into three separate groups of Parks Operations
officers from the Urban Amenity West and East branches. A diagram of how participants
were involved the program was shown.
6.
Using the PERForM tool, each of the control groups participating in the program were able to
identify the risk factors to their body that are associated with the manual tasks that they
perform. These tasks include mulching, tree maintenance and hedging, which can result in
damage to necks, backs, wrists and shoulders.
7.
The program results were depicted in graphs, which compared the results from the surveys
conducted by Urban Amenity Branch West officers both before and after they had completed
the program. The results of the Urban Amenity Branch West officers was compared against
the Australian blue collar average, and showed that significant health improvements had been
made. In most cases, the results were lower than the Australian average.
8.
A number of other graphs illustrating the improvements in nutrition and body weight of
officers from the Urban Amenity Branch West, as well as the number of lost time injuries
sustained during January to September 2012, were displayed and discussed.
9.
The outcomes of the pilot program were explained. Overall, the wellbeing sessions produced
improvements in the employee’s general health and the education programs ensured that
employees understood the risk factors involved in their core duties.
10.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Ms Julien for
her informative presentation.
11.
RECOMMENDATION:
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 48 -
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 12 February 2013, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair. Last week we saw a presentation on the Contact
Centre’s weather event response plan, in particular relating to our managing of
the events that happened over the Australia Day long weekend.
Our Contact Centre has experienced managing many events over the last couple
of years, the Gap storms, May 2009, January 2011 floods. They’ve learnt a lot
from those events. But the contributor to the success of whole Council is their
response to the recent wet weather in January, under the leadership of course of
the LORD MAYOR Graham QUIRK and our LDCC (Local Disaster
Coordination Centre).
So we have got our specific measures that we put into place to respond to these
events. We’ve used a lot of our learnings to make sure that we can respond to
future events. For instance, our business continuity plan includes scenarios and
actions to be taken once events occur. They’re updated every six months. We’re
already using the learnings from January to be put into these.
We have an event operation plan that was stood up for the storm season, which
contains on-call operations manager teams, leaders’ refresher training, seconded
staff on call, roster call-back and of course messages on queues, which are
regularly updated to inform the community as we go through the events.
Of course I’ve spoken in this place before about our accelerated events response
team, with the laptop and the technology that they can to take the calls from
home. A little bit difficult in January with some of our AER (accelerated event
response) operators out of power themselves.
But we’ve also got a recovery plan that incorporates the implementation of the
volunteer line. We saw a great success in that, in our last event, and we’ll be
speaking more about that next week from today’s Committee presentation. So
the messaging continues as a part of our recovery phase through the Contact
Centre to make sure we are responding to all the high volume of calls that
continue through these types of events.
Some of the statistics on last January long weekend, total call volumes up to 5
February were over 49,000 calls. There were over 4000 contacts from the
community via social media. We had over 800 correspondents who used report
it/write it. Hundreds of thousands of contacts through our page views, whether
that was topical event pages, flood map, disaster and emergency information. Of
course I think most councillors in this place will recognise the top five calls: tree
maintenance, SES, waste transfer stations, floods and stormwater and following
up waste and kerbside general enquiries.
So glad to see that the January wet weather event, even though we had some
downsides and effects obviously across Brisbane, also provided invaluable
insights as far as our processes with coordination and stakeholder
communication. I have to say the many glowing recommendations that we
received from the members of the public attest to the great work done by our
contact centre staff.
Chairman:
Further debate. I will put the motion.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 49 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
Steven Huang, Vicki Howard, Victoria Newton and Steve Griffiths.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL CONTACT
CENTRE WEATHER EVENT RESPONSE PLAN
453/2012-13
1.
Miriam Kent, Acting Manager, Customer Services Branch, Brisbane Lifestyle Division,
attended the meeting to inform the Committee of Council’s Contact Centre’s Weather Event
Response plan. She provided the information below.
2.
In preparation for an event, such as the Australia Day weekend storms, Council’s Contact
Centre has a number of plans and processes in place. These include:
Business Continuity plan
Event Operation plan
Accelerated Event Response team
Recovery plan.
3.
The number of contacts that customers had with Council during the Australia Day weekend
storm event were summarised as:
49,166 phone calls
897 correspondence
4219 social media
666,196 Council’s website (event pages only).
4.
The top five types of calls that the Contact Centre received concerning the storm event were:
tree maintenance (5823 calls), State Emergency Services (SES) requests (5676 calls),
waste/transfer stations (3779 calls), floods and stormwater (2153 calls) and waste/kerbside
general enquiries (1333 calls).
5.
Following events such as the storm on the Australia Day weekend there is an opportunity to
assess and improve the processes by evaluating the coordination, stakeholder communication
and reviewing/updating the Business Continuity plan.
6.
Ms Kent displayed examples of the positive feedback regarding the Contact Centre’s
performance on Council’s Facebook page.
7.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Ms Kent for her
informative presentation.
8.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE
REPORT.
ADOPTED
FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 50 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 12 February 2013, be adopted.
Chairman:
Is there any debate? Any debate? Councillor KNAPP, sorry.
Councillor KNAPP:
I was waiting for someone else to speak. Madam Chairman, I’d like to speak on
the bushland levy report that was tabled to the quarterly end of 2012. Madam
Chair, in it we have acquired another block in the Gap, which is Currawang
Street, the Gap.
Madam Chair, I also looked at the whole of the acquisitions of this bushland
levy, which I would like everybody in the Chamber to note, because most of the
people, including myself, were not here, except for the LORD MAYOR, in 1990
when the bushland levy was commenced.
It was an initiative of the Sally-Anne Atkinson’s administration. The councillor
who preceded me, Brian Hallinan, was one of the councillors instrumental in
getting the bushland levy implemented. The first block of land that was acquired
was at Whitehead Road, the Gap.
Madam Chairman, I think that the legacy that has been given us via setting up
the bushland levy—and we look at the amazing amount of land that has been
acquired through the bushland levy, Karawatha Forrest, all of the koala
bushlands down through Councillor SCHRINNER’s ward—through there, has
been an amazing legacy from all administrations, which was started with a very
simple idea.
In 1987, the City Plan that was implemented by Councillor Atkinson protected—
it had a Mount Coot-tha plan. Basically it implemented protection of Mount
Coot-tha. It back zoned the blocks that backed onto Mount Coot-tha. The legacy
of that is of course, Madam Chair, that Mount Coot-tha and the areas that are
sitting around Mount Coot-tha and those environmental blocks today actually
allowed Mount Coot-tha to become the iconic point in the city that everybody
can see.
So congratulations to everybody because I am delighted that there are five
blocks of land that have been contributed in the Gap since 1990. I commend 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 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 Fiona King, Ryan Murphy, Shayne Sutton and Kim Flesser.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION - LORD MAYOR’S BUSINESS FORUMS
454/2012-13
1.
John Cowie, Manager Economic Development, City Planning and Sustainability Division,
provided a presentation to the Committee on the Lord Mayor’s Business Forums.
2.
The business forums provide tips on how to grow a business and increase the customer base.
Three forums have been held in locations that include:
Jindalee, on 7 November 2012 with 61 attendees
Morningside, on 14 November 2012 with 92 attendees
Mitchelton, on 11 February 2013.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 51 -
Eighty-six per cent of the people attending have rated the event as 4 or 5, where 5 indicates an
attendee being very satisfied.
3.
Council officers attend the forums to answer questions. The areas of Council represented
include:
Economic Development
Development Assessment
Compliance and Regulatory Services
Strategic Procurement Office
Customer Services and Contact Centre, including the 133BNE Business Hotline.
4.
The forums are also supported by leaders of industry, who share their insights and practical
tips learned through their individual business experience. Those attending include:
Kelly Robinson, Chief Operating Officer, Rowland
Sean Ryan, General Manager, Nova 106.9
Adam Penberthy, Managing Director, Fresh Advertising
Roz Shaw, Chief Executive Officer, Hawkins Family Group
Phillip Di Bella, Founder and Managing Director
Shaun Munday, Managing Director and Founding Partner, PLACE Design Group.
5.
Three future forums are planned for locations at:
Sunnybank, on 9 April 2013
Chermside, on 30 April 2013
Mt Gravatt, on 24 June 2013.
6.
The Chairman thanked the Manager Economic Development for his informative presentation.
7.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
B
BUSHLAND PRESERVATION LEVY REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED
SEPTEMBER 2012
173/695/586/3
455/2012-13
8.
The Manager Financial Management, Corporate Finance branch, Organisational Services
Division, provided the Committee with a report on expenditure for bushland purposes for the
period ended September 2012.
9.
The Bushland Preservation Levy Report is prepared on a quarterly basis in order to show the
balance of funds held for environmental bushland purposes along with details of
environmental bushland expenditure.
10.
The Committee noted the information contained in the report and that the balance of the funds
held for environmental bushland purposes for the period ended September 2012 was
$6,475,538.
11.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE REPORT
SUBMITTED ON FILE AND TABLED.
ADOPTED
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 52 -
C
BUSHLAND PRESERVATION LEVY REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED
DECEMBER 2012
173/695/586/3
456/2012-13
8.
The Manager Financial Management, Corporate Finance Branch, Organisational Services
Division, provided the Committee with a report on expenditure for bushland purposes for the
period ended December 2012.
9.
The Bushland Preservation Levy Report is prepared on a quarterly basis in order to show the
balance of funds held for environmental bushland purposes along with details of
environmental bushland expenditure.
10.
The Committee noted the information contained in the report and that the balance of the funds
held for environmental bushland purposes for the period ended December 2012 was
$4,486,685.
11.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE REPORT
SUBMITTED ON FILE AND TABLED.
ADOPTED
CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION - Supporting a referendum
on Constitutional Recognition for Local Government:
(Notified motions are printed as supplied and are not edited)
457/2012-13
The Chairman of Council (Councillor Margaret de WIT) then drew the Councillors’ attention to the notified
motion listed on the agenda, and called on Councillor Milton DICK to move the motion. Accordingly,
Councillor DICK moved, seconded by Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS, that—
That the Brisbane City Council takes an active role in supporting a referendum on Constitutional Recognition
for Local Government.
This Council recognises that this is an historic step for Local Government in Australia and calls on the Federal
Government to hold a referendum alongside the 2013 Federal election.
Brisbane City Council supports a favourable outcome for Local Governments across Australia.
Chairman:
Is there any debate?
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am delighted to rise to support this motion tonight. I
want to do so, first of all, by paying tribute to all of those local government
officials and local government former representatives that have fought long and
hard to see our level of government represented.
Madam Chair, this has been a long time coming for local government in
Australia. Tonight, I dedicate my speech to those trailblazers, those men and
women that have served with distinction local government across Australia
through a number of times to fight for recognition for what I believe is the most
important level of government in our country.
Madam Chair, I move this motion tonight because we are sitting in this Council
Chamber tonight on the eve of the committee, which will be held tomorrow, that
is looking into this matter by the Commonwealth government. Madam Chair, it
is important that this Council tonight, I believe, takes a united stand. This is not
about criticism of any party.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 53 This is not about a criticism from me to the LORD MAYOR or the LNP. It is
simply a formal way that I would like to express, on behalf of the ratepayers of
this city—and as Brisbane represents the largest Council not only here in
Queensland, but in Australia, I think it’s important that we act as one voice to
send a very clear message that, as the largest local government authority in this
country, we say yes. We say yes to a referendum to be held later this year.
Madam Chair, we know that the federal election has been called and will be held
in September of this year. We now have nine months to work as hard as we can
and as diligently as we can, approximately nine months, until we get to have our
say.
Madam Chair, I want to go through a little bit of history tonight. We know that
there have been two referendums held on this issue, one in 1974, one in 1988.
Referendums in Australia are notoriously difficult to get—to be supported. But
for the first time, we have seen demonstrated support from the Coalition, from
the Greens and from the Commonwealth government.
The time is now to act, to say yes to recognise local government. We know there
are a number of reasons why we need to support a referendum and quickly. We
know of the High Court’s decision in Pape and Williams, which has created
significant uncertainty about the ability of the Commonwealth government to
respond particularly regarding financial affairs.
Madam Chair, we only need to look back in the recent storm and flood issues
surrounding our city and back to 2011, the difficulties, the complexities that was
required in setting up the reconstruction authority, of money going through the
state. Well I say that the money should be going directly to the people affected. I
say there should be taxpayers’ dollars funded directly into local government.
Madam Chair, the Commonwealth government is taking a lead role in this
referendum. There has been a number of inquiries and particularly now the—and
I refer to the expert panel on Constitutional recognition and the work that was
undertaken there and also the select committee looking into that committee right
now.
Madam Chair, this evening I have—and I note that the LORD MAYOR has said
in the debate today about stating your record, stating what you believe,
acknowledging, putting on the public record submissions. Well unfortunately
this Council missed the boat. We didn’t provide a submission to the committee.
Other councils did. Redlands City Council did. Other major city councils did.
This Council unfortunately dropped the ball.
Chairman:
No, we did.
Councillor DICK:
We didn’t. Unfortunately and I say that, that we missed an opportunity. That
said, I want to start also by acknowledging the work of the local government of
Queensland, which you are of course the president, Madam Chair. I recognise
the work by you, but also previous presidents and the previous executives have
done that. I’ll say a little more about the Australian Local Government
Association in one moment.
But I do want to acknowledge that other councils, not only here in Queensland,
but across Australia, have taken that lead. I do thank those councils in
Queensland, Logan City Council, Gold Coast City Council, Moreton Bay
Regional Shire Council, Redlands City Council and the other 130—100 odd
other councils that have taken the lead to actually stand up for their councils and
say, yes, we support a referendum and, yes, that we want Constitutional
recognition. Madam Chair, as I said we know that we are having a federal
election this year. The Australian Local Government Association in my opinion
has been found wanting on this issue.
At best I think they have been lukewarm in their support for Constitutional
recognition, at best I'd say that they have been lukewarm. At worst I think they
have dropped the ball when it comes to local government recognition. Madam
Chair, the preliminary report on the majority finding of the expert panel on
Constitutional recognition of Local Government has outlined key timelines, the
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 54 likely success of a referendum to amend Section 96 of the Australian
Constitution to affect financial recognition of local government.
I acknowledge that the hard work of the chair Miss Michelle Rowland, a former
deputy mayor herself of Blacktown City Council and now the federal member of
Greenway who has taken an active and strong role in leading the federal
government to a referendum later this year. It is now time for the Minister to step
up to the plate and show leadership. Tonight I reiterate my calls on behalf of
councillors on this side of the chamber to the federal government, get on with it
to make sure that we see that referendum successful later this year.
Disappointingly there was the minority report into the committee and the
dissenting report was authored by Senators David Bushby, Mr Mark Coulton,
Senator David Fawcett, Mr Steve Irons and disappointingly Mrs Jane Prentice, a
former councillor in this place. Disappointingly, because if anyone should have
had a lead role in this it should have been the former councillor for Walter
Taylor who unfortunately bended to the knee of her political masters in
Canberra. It was disappointing that she was pushed aside in their rush for the
coalition not to come out guns blazing in favour of a referendum.
That said, Madam Chair, I think we have time. That said I think we can make
this happen. We now need to get on to make sure that this becomes a reality. We
know that the federal government has also allocated around $44 million of
taxpayer funds to assist with the referendum tonight my call is also to the state
government. If there was ever a state government that needed to get into this
boots and all it is the Newman Government led by a former LORD MAYOR
with a deputy Premier Jeff Seeney who's also been a deputy mayor, with Tim
Nicholls a former councillor. State government in my opinion has also been
found wanting.
They have not been advocating the yes campaign. Don't even get me started on
the Liberal Government with Colin Barnett in Western Australia who is
campaigning against Constitutional recognition. I say that is shameful on behalf
of the people of Western Australia and the Liberal Government who is not
stepping up to the plate to recognise Constitutional recognition of Local
Government. Madam Chair, tonight is about sending a very clear message so
that tomorrow the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional recognition
of Local Government when they meet will have a very clear message.
I've also written to the chair tonight advising them that this motion is coming
before this Council tonight. I say and I read excerpts from my letter to Miss
Rowland, dear Miss Rowland, I write to you in your capacity as chair of the
Joint Select Committee on Constitutional recognition of Local Government. I
understand that the Brisbane City Council did not put in a submission, nor did
our Council appear at any hearing during the drafting of the Committee's
preliminary report. For this reason I would like to put on the record that Labor
councillors Brisbane City support the recommendations that a referendum take
place on Constitutional recognition for Local Governments.
I understand that the committee will meet tomorrow to further discuss the option
of a referendum so that local governments like Brisbane City Council can be
formally and financially recognised in the Constitution. Madam Chair, as leader
of the Opposition of the largest Council in Australia I offer my full support for
the Committee's recommendation and have submitted a formal motion on the
Brisbane City Council agenda tonight. Madam Chair, I hope that all councillors
will lock up tonight, that we will act as one voice, that we will show constructive
leadership.
If there was ever that required bipartisan support it's right here, right now.
Through you, Madam Chair, to LNP councillors serving on the frontbench and
backbench, I ask you, I urge you to support this motion tonight, to send a very
clear message, a very united message on an important issue that will determine
the future not only of our city but indeed local government across Australia.
Madam Chair, we've got the opportunity, we need to seize it, we need to send a
very clear message to the federal government that we are ready for business and
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 55 we say yes to a constitutional amendment to recognise the most important level
of government.
Chairman:
Further debate? LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Yes thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Well, Madam Chairman, I thank the
Opposition leader for his address and I just want to say you'll get no arguments
from me in relation to this resolution before us today. It is true as the Opposition
leader said that we need to see an amendment to section 96 of the Constitution to
achieve this. We need a majority of votes around Australia.
We need a majority of votes within the states themselves, Madam Chairman, the
majority of states to support it for it to be successful. Of course before we reach
that point we need to actually get it on to the agenda as a vote at the federal
election when next held.
Madam Chairman, it's true for all intents and purposes we are the third level of
government. We have operated as a nation with three tiers of government for
decades and it is time that that be acknowledged and recognised within the
Constitution of Australia. Madam Chairman, I obviously, through the Council of
Capital City Lord Mayors have been continuing to work through that body as
well to encourage all to take on board the need for Constitutional recognition.
It is true there has been some direct grafts from federal government to local
government already occurring unchallenged thankfully. Madam Chairman, it is I
think important that an opportunity is there for a direct grant system to be made
without it having to go through the states without double handling the money
which I believe is an inefficient way of doing things. It is a costly way of doing
things which achieves no real purpose. Madam Chairman, if a federal
government wishes to contribute towards certain projects being undertaken by
the tier closest to the people, local government, then I think that that is an
appropriate thing to occur within our system of government within Australia.
Madam Chairman, we have in fact lodged a submission and we did that through
Mr Glen Worthington, the secretary of the Joint Committee into the
Constitutional recognition of Local Government addressed to him at Parliament
House, PO Box 6021. Madam Chairman, that was done through cabinet. The
reason it was done through cabinet and not brought back to here is because this
place has had a longstanding position, it has debated the matters previously. It
has a position on this issue which is very clear and for that reason, I've got a
copy of it here, thanks, that was sent down on 14 January.
So, Madam Chairman, just for the sake and perhaps I was remiss in not reporting
that to the chamber through an Establishment and Coordination committee
report. But nonetheless I just want to make it clear that we are on the case and
we're very much, Madam Chairman, not only with my hat here but as I say with
that other role I have on the Australian Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, we
will be pushing this for all that we can. So I thank you Councillor DICK for
bringing the matter to the chamber as you say on the eve of an important meeting
and you will certainly be guaranteed the support from this side of the chamber
on this issue.
Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor ABRAHAMS.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'll be brief. I really just wish to say
this is an historic thing where we have got bipartisan support for Constitutional
recognition of Local Government, both as an entity and also financially. I would
like to congratulate Councillor Milton DICK for bringing this motion to the
chamber and then congratulate both sides of the chamber that we are giving
bipartisan support for this issue. We have all known as councillors how
important it is to have Constitutional recognition.
We are the tier of government that we have the most pride of, we know it has
most relevance to many of our constituents and Constitutional recognition is
important for the community to understand just some of the roles that we
undertake. But a recent court case in the High Court has put significant
uncertainty into 20 years' practice of direct funding from the federal government
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 56 to local government. Now the time is right. It is important for us to stick with the
other local governments so that we can say to the state governments, sorry you
may be perceived as losing out some power, some ability to manage and control
funds through your intermediary role, but that is not appropriate for our three
tiers of government.
It is important that we have direct funding, it is inefficient, it does cause delays
and sometimes it even means projects do not proceed. So I am delighted that we
have support and I understand we all, and our local governments need to go to
our State Government colleagues and educate them about the need for them to
support the referendum when it's put. As well as that, we all, in all three tiers of
government have a collective responsibility to undertake community education
on the local government and its role, which is part of the community having an
informed debate at the referendum.
It's very important that we undertake that in a bipartisan way as we do this
motion, because without it I would hate to see this referendum in fact fail due to
an overall conservative nature of the Australian vote when it comes to
referendum.
Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor MATIC?
Councillor MATIC:
Thank you, Madam Chairman, I rise to speak in respect of the motion. Like the
LORD MAYOR, Madam Chairman, I have no argument with Councillor DICK
on this motion today. Madam Chairman, for the very simple reason that all three
elements of this have already previously been addressed in this chamber through
a debate, Madam Chairman, in 2010, September 2010 actually, where we went
through the history of this matter in great detail. At the end of the day, Madam
Chairman, a motion was actually put forward which the ALP at that time did not
agree with and voted against, Madam Chairman.
But irrespective of that issue this side of the chamber, Madam Chairman, has a
very clear track record on supporting this particular referendum issue. Madam
Chairman, there are three elements to the motion that the Brisbane City Council
takes an active role in supporting a referendum on Constitutional recognition of
Local Government, well we already do, Madam Chairman. You yourself,
Madam Chairman, in 2007 attended a speech, a meeting at the time that the
Australian Council of Local Governments with the then former Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd where he spoke at great length, Madam Chairman, about the
importance of local government, the importance of strengthening Australia's
economy through the recognition of local government and providing the
necessary funding in order for that process to be undertaken.
Madam Chairman, I attended in 2008 a conference in Canberra with the
Australian Local Government Association held over two days where we sat and
discussed the very type of model that we would look at, the history of this
particular referendum, its failures in the past and how we would try and make it
better in the future. Madam Chairman, from that you and I attended another
Australian Local Government Association conference in Melbourne in
December of 2008 again, where all the councils represented across Australia
attended this conference and we deliberated, debated, had great and very
involved conversations looking at three different types of models and how we
would try to approach the question to the Australian people in a way that really
reflected how important it was for a yes vote on this issue and wanting to learn
from the past mistakes of why that particular question failed.
It was passed, Madam Chairman, unanimously by all in attendance as to the
approach that we would take and from that, Madam Chairman, has come a long
series of conversations with you as the Local Government Association
Queensland representative, with the previous Local Government Association
Queensland president, Madam Chairman, wholeheartedly supporting this
position. In fact Queensland has lead, Madam Chairman, I can confidently say
has led the way in respect of getting a yes response and working towards that
outcome. Madam Chairman, where we've seen unfortunately the failure of
commitment politically in this area is from the federal government, Madam
Chairman.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 57 This particular question was to be brought at the next federal election that was
then to be led by Kevin Rudd but it did not occur obviously, Madam Chairman,
as the then Deputy Prime Minister Gillard then took control. But, Madam
Chairman, ironically part of the deal that was done with the independents for her
leadership role, Madam Chairman, was to put forward the question to the
Australian people at the next election, which they did not, Madam Chairman,
which the federal government at the time failed to do so in 2010.
It was discussed in this chamber, Madam Chairman, at the time, the failure of
federal, of Australian Labor Party to not follow through on this issue, Madam
Chairman, despite extensive representations from the Local Government
Association Queensland, from yourself, from the LGAQ president and from
other councils across Australia at that point. Now, Madam Chairman, we
continue to carry the ball in that regard. Once again we are passionately
committed towards a yes response in this particular case, Madam Chairman. This
Council has throughout this entire process from 2007 to now, Madam Chairman,
always had the answer yes at the front of its mind, Madam Chairman, to this
important issue.
Madam Chairman, this is what this is about. What we get today, Madam
Chairman, from Councillor DICK is a motion which he puts on the table and I
say to Councillor DICK the intention is right but where have you been,
Councillor DICK since you were in this chamber. Where have you been in this
debate and how do you fail to recognise, Madam Chairman, the important steps
that were taken.
A councillor interjecting.
Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS.
Councillor MATIC:
By this chamber, Madam Chairman, by this Council and by the Local
Government Association Queensland in this process. Councillor DICK why have
you not stood up before? Why do you bring this motion now? He says, Madam
Chairman, because we're reaching a pivotal point in the conversation in moving
forwards with this question by the federal government. Madam Chairman, they
should have done this before but they are bringing it forwards and that is
something to be said. It has to be acknowledged that this federal government,
even though it is incompetent and slow, Madam Chairman, is getting around to
this particular issue.
But I say to Councillor DICK, Madam Chairman, you ride on the heart of others,
of Brisbane City Council to representatives federally, Madam Chairman, putting
forward and spruiking your own motion, when in fact, Madam Chairman, this is
something that this administration, this Council has already done in the years
past. You represent others outside of this chamber, Madam Chairman, but you
are somehow a supporter and a leader in this place, Madam Chairman, but you
failed to acknowledge those that have come before you in this place, Madam
Chairman, in this administration and in this Council, Madam Chairman.
You make representations that have failed to make a submission without first
checking your facts, Madam Chairman, and you come forwards today and put a
motion up on an issue that is so basic and so fundamental, Madam Chairman,
that those that have been here before including you have already debated this
issue. This side of the chamber, Madam Chairman, in September 2010 voted in
the affirmative, voted in the affirmative, Madam Chairman. So those opposite,
Madam Chairman—
Chairman:
Order. Councillor DICK.
Councillor MATIC:
—choose not to criticise their federal colleagues, Madam Chairman, for their
slow handed approach, for their failure of commitment, for their failure of the
promises that they made, Madam Chairman, previously in this chamber? No,
Madam Chairman, what they choose to do is stand up in this chamber today and
forget the past and want to put forward, Madam Chairman, a motion as if this is
a new day and that they somehow are doing something that we have not done
before, Madam Chairman. That, Madam Chairman, is disgraceful.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 58 Chairman:
Councillor DICK.
Councillor MATIC:
Absolutely disgraceful. Councillor DICK says that we never moved a motion.
We actually did move a motion in September 2000—
Chairman:
Order. Councillor DICK, Councillor NEWTON.
Councillor MATIC:
Councillors opposite chose not to support it, Madam Chairman. We had a vote,
Madam Chairman, in this chamber and the motion was moved, Madam
Chairman. Councillor DICK says—but, Madam Chairman, Councillor DICK
once again chooses to forget—
Chairman:
Councillor DICK if you continue I'll warn you.
Councillor MATIC:
That, Madam Chairman, that the motion was put up in this chamber by this side
of the chamber and they chose to vote against it. Not caught out Councillor
DICK, the only person at the end of the day Councillor DICK who was caught
out is you, is you Councillor DICK for choosing to forget the past. But, Madam
Chairman, like all Australian Labor Party councillors they're very good at
creating a present whip but at the same time forgetting where they come from,
Madam Chairman, forgetting what came before. But, Madam Chairman, when
we look at this question, I sat here and I wondered everything that's gone before
and—
Chairman:
Order.
Councillor MATIC:
—in this chamber—
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor MATIC:
—the true intention behind this motion, Madam Chairman, what is Councillor
DICK actually aiming for, Madam Chairman? Is he wanting that federal
recognition? He must be, Madam Chairman, but why? Why does he want federal
recognition? Isn't he happy in Council, Madam Chairman? The answer must be
no, Madam Chairman. The answer must me that Councillor DICK is looking at
some kind of federal opportunity in the future. Councillor DICK come forward
and tell us, is this actually part of—
Councillor NEWTON:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Point of order against you Councillor MATIC. Yes, Councillor NEWTON?
Councillor NEWTON:
I'd ask that the Councillor withdraw those comments. That's clearly imputing
motive. He's attributing motive behind Councillor DICK's moving this motion
this afternoon which has nothing to do with bipartisan support for constitutional
support Constitutional recognition of Local Government.
Chairman:
Thank you Councillor NEWTON. Councillor MATIC I think just stick to the
topic thank you.
Councillor MATIC:
I will, Madam Chairman, I will. I won't go on to say first it was Les Bryant and
now it's Bernie Ripoll next on his hit list, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Back to the motion, Councillor MATIC.
Councillor MATIC:
I won't go even go there, Madam Chairman, I won't. What I will say, Madam
Chairman, that is very sad indeed that Councillor DICK can bring a motion to
this chamber on something that we have gone to extensive effort and time and
resources, Madam Chairman, as a Council to go through since at least 2007 on
this issue and choose not to acknowledge that, Madam Chairman, but put
forward a motion that is simply self-serving at the end of the day and reiterates
the position of this Council which it has consistently held, Madam Chairman,
throughout this whole period, has consistently held through your representation,
Madam Chairman, as Brisbane City Council's representative, also, Madam
Chairman, now as your role as president of the Local Government Association
Queensland.
We have held this position consistently all the way through. For Councillor
DICK to finally join the debate well I say congratulations Councillor DICK.
Let's put on the record that Councillor DICK has joined the conversation finally,
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 59 Madam Chairman, and that I, Madam Chairman, congratulate him on
acknowledging the fact that the rest of Australia has already been doing this for
at least the last five years. Welcome to the debate Councillor DICK, welcome to
being able to engage in this conversation and making sure at the end of the day,
Madam Chairman, that your side of the chamber finally does join this side of the
chamber, Madam Chairman, in the yes argument, Madam Chairman, and taking
it forward.
Madam Chairman, to your, Councillor DICK and to your colleagues and your
factional friends down in Canberra I say do your best to make sure that they now
support this and importantly when we get to election in September, Madam
Chairman, that the Prime Minister actually puts the question to the Australian
people.
Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman, and it didn't take long at all for this debate to descend
into childish schoolboy antics led by the school prefect himself, Madam
Chairman.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON. If someone called you that you would complain so
please withdraw it.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
We call—
Chairman:
Refer to councillors as councillors and don't talk over me.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Well I'm just saying that if it—
Chairman:
Just get on with your debate.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes thank you, Madam Chairman, and it was a simple point. I'm sorry you're
cranky about it, Madam Chairman, but it's a fair observation I think about the
quality of debate from Councillor MATIC here today, Madam Chairman. The
motion itself as put forward did seem to be quite bland and I presume and I won't
assert motive to anybody but I presume it was to give the best chance of getting
up and passing with Council today. It's been said it will. But, Madam Chairman,
there are a couple of things I'd like to put on the record.
Firstly I seem to recall that debate in September and I'm sure others will have
looked up the record by now or are looking up the records about what happened.
I suspect it might be completely different to the way Councillor MATIC outlined
it but I'll leave that to others to discuss. Certainly not how I recall it. I'm not sure,
perhaps someone can help me, I'm pretty sure Councillor PRENTICE was still
here in September 2010 and perhaps someone could check that while I'm
speaking as well. No? She was gone? Councillor SIMMONDS was here? Ah
well then. Not to worry then. I'll just have to, she's only flip flopped twice then
instead of three times so I'll come back to that in a moment.
But firstly, Madam Chairman, can I say and this has been a rather interesting
issue for the Liberal Party over the years. I remember Howard was never very
keen on recognising local governments. I recall that quite strongly from my day.
Yes, yes, yes. Yes I do know. A few years down there and he was never very
keen on recognising local governments. But, Madam Chairman, to his credit, the
next prime minister of Australia, Tony Abbott is, Madam Chairman, and what I
will say is he's clearly on the record supporting Constitutional recognition of
Local Government, Madam Chairman.
He's written to local councils saying these words and I'm quoting from a letter
that's been published by a local council stating his position. “The Coalition
supports the Constitutional recognition of Local Government.” Now you can't be
any clearer than that. So, Madam Chairman, no. So the leader of the Liberal
Party federally clearly supports the recognition of local government. Now,
Madam Chairman, he's not the only one. The other person I've noticed that
supports the recognition of local government is Barnaby Joyce.
Now you won't often find me quoting Barnaby Joyce, Madam Chairman, but for
about five minutes here we're in the same political party so I'll quote him now,
Madam Chairman, and here's a direct quote from his public comments in the
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 60 newspaper. “Recognition is essential to ensure local governments can continue
to deliver vital services to each other and every community across Australia.”
Now, Madam Chairman, that's a pretty straightforward, a very straightforward
position as well but what perplexed me when Councillor DICK was speaking is
that our former Councillor here, Councillor PRENTICE didn't support the
Constitutional recognition of Local Government because that's at odds with her
publicly stated position about this matter.
I've got a few different sources here that I'll point to. So on 22 November 2010
in federal parliament, certainly from the Hansard, Councillor PRENTICE said
and it's almost a direct quote of Barnaby Joyce, which I think we'll probably in
our heads be having trouble combining those two comments. But recognition—
this is a quote from Councillor PRENTICE—“recognition is essential to ensure
that local governments can continue to deliver their vital services to each and
every community across Australia.” Local governments are dynamic and she
goes on. Now in 2010 Councillor PRENTICE was clearly on the record
supporting this position.
I'm a little bit unclear why she doesn't anymore and I think perhaps that might be
something I tweet out about and we might see why she's changed her mind. Her
leader supports it, the deputy leader of the National Party federally supports it
and presumably Warren Truss does to. But I'm a bit concerned as to why a
former local government representative and now federal member here in
Queensland one of the states in 1988 that did vote most strongly for the
referendum, it was 38 point something per cent but it's still one of the three
highest votes out there, I'd be a bit surprised as to why she's flip flopping about
on this issue.
Her leader supports it, the leadership of the National Party supports it federally
so why isChairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON you're not debating the motion in front of us. Please get
back to the motion.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes I am, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes thank you.
Chairman:
Don't argue with me.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Well thank you, Madam Chairman, I'm not.
Chairman:
I have asked you to get to the motion in front of you which you haven't
commented on the content of that. You are commenting on all sorts of other
things.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Well, Madam, I'm not the first one, Madam Chairman, I've taken my leaf from
Councillor MATIC. But, Madam Chairman, I believe I am speaking to it which
is the importance of recognition of local government. It's been raised by other
speakers here today about the position of other leading figures on this matter and
I just thought I'd clarify that one. Madam Chairman, I note that and perhaps
Councillor PRENTICE will choose to do so at some point. Madam Chairman,
what I note is that when the Australian Constitution was set up in 18—it took
quite a few decades but essentially all the heavy lifting was done in the 1890s,
we had a very distinguished Queenslander who worked on that, Sir Samuel
Griffith.
He is one of my political idols for want of a better word. He was a very brilliant
man and he contributed much to the governance of our political administration
as well as the law. But, Madam Chairman, at that time local government didn't
have a seat at the table and as a result there was no discussion about the role of
local government in the Constitution. Clearly that's an oversight. Local
governments actually were established before colonial governments or state
governments so they predate the role of the states as they've come into being
since Federation, Madam Chairman. We all know that the state governments
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 61 certainly around the place certainly can't do the job of local governments as well
as local governments can, Madam Chairman.
Largely one of those reasons is because of the financial arrangements. The
federal government collects 80 odd per cent of revenue in this country. We don't
have a secure source of revenue other than our own rates base and we need to do
that by securing recognition of our role and financial recognition in the
Constitution. That will ensure that the level of government that has the most
money to hand out for the development of community resources, economic
resources and other resources in this city can directly contribute, Madam
Chairman. Certainly anything that bypasses Campbell Newman down in George
Street would be a good thing, Madam Chairman, so I'm all for it.
I think that we should be ensuring the federal government which will be led by
Tony Abbott no doubt in the future, is well placed to ensure that it can support
Council directly, enshrining recognition of that role in the Constitution is a good
idea, Madam Chairman. Certainly I think it would provide greater impetus than
for stability in future funding arrangements. I note that, I think it was Councillor
ABRAHAMS said that we don't tend to have much luck with referendums in
Australia and that's very true. I think maybe eight have been successful since
Federation or something, it's tiny, Madam Chairman, so it is going to take
everybody pulling together if we're going to get this over the line.
Certainly, Madam Chairman, it will require a bipartisan approach federally
which I don't know, Tony says yes, Jane says no. I wonder what's happening
there. Madam Chairman, I certainly would hope that the associations that
represent us continue to do so strongly. Thirdly, Madam Chairman, this Council
takes an active role in stimulating public debate over the course of the next few
months to outline why it's important for us as a Council. Finally, Madam
Chairman, just to correct the record on one little thing the LORD MAYOR said
and then Councillor MATIC also picked it up as well. He said pretty much
Councillor DICK was a dill because he didn't know that a submission had been
put in by—
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON?
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes?
Chairman:
I ask you to withdraw that comment.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Okay well he—
Chairman:
I didn't hear anyone say that.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I withdraw, I withdraw. He chastised Councillor DICK for not knowing that this
administration, sorry that this civic cabinet had put in a submission. Well,
Madam Chairman, as I recall this Council changed the law so we don't have
access to civic cabinet matters anymore. No councillor can look at any civic
cabinet matter unless they're a member of civic cabinet. So unless we have a
crystal ball, Madam Chairman, there's no way of knowing if this civic cabinet
has actually written off in secret and made a submission, Madam Chairman.
The way that would normally come to light is that it would be brought in here
for noting saying this happened in the recess. What I've noted, Madam
Chairman, is it wasn't brought in here for noting after the—
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON your time has expired. Further debate? Councillor
ADAMS.
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair, and I stand in support of this motion and I think, I'm
not quite sure from the last speech but most people have stood in support of the
motion
458/2012-13
Motion be now put
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 62 It was moved by Councillor Krista ADAMS, seconded by Councillor Julian SIMMONDS, that the motion be
now put. Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion, that the motion be now put, was declared carried
on the voices.
Chairman:
Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair, and I'm disappointed that we have cut short the
debate given that it's such a light on meeting today. I would have thought all
Councillors would have been afforded the opportunity to actually speak on this
important issue. Look, Madam Chair, I want to thank the LORD MAYOR for
his remarks and Councillor ABRAHAMS for her support and the good grace
that the LORD MAYOR showed in support of the motion, in saying that he had
no issue with the motion and recognised and made a valuable contribution so I
do want to thank him for his support.
I can't say the same for Councillor MATIC because you can always rely on
Councillor MATIC to take the low road when it comes to issues and values
inside this Council's chamber, Madam Chairman, but I do need to clarify given
that it was such a vicious political speech and some sort of an attack on me.
Madam Chair, I've got no problem with Councillor MATIC attacking me. It goes
nowhere as always but, Madam Chair, what I'm more worried about is this
Council supporting this motion tonight and I'll tell you why. Not because of
Councillor MATIC feeling bad or embarrassed that he's been caught out in any
way but because this is an important issue.
Because in five years that I have been in this Council chamber there was a
motion previously moved and it was that this Council supports a referendum to
give local governments Constitutional recognition. Did Councillor MATIC move
that, did the LORD MAYOR at the time move that, has the LORD MAYOR
who is currently now moved that motion? No he didn't, neither of those people
did and no one from the LNP did. In five years there have been two motions
come to this Council both moved by either myself tonight or the previous leader
of the Opposition.
Of course Councillor MATIC is misleading the chamber and of course when
you're caught out you make things up and that's what Councillor MATIC does
because that's what the Hansard shows.
Councillor MATIC:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Point of order. Yes, Councillor MATIC.
Councillor MATIC:
Claim to be misrepresented.
Chairman:
Thank you.
Councillor DICK:
Madam Chair, I didn't, I'll let him do that. Madam Chair this is the fact, which is
what Hansard shows. There have only ever been two motions regarding this so
forget all the nonsense that Councillor MATIC goes on with. No one takes it
seriously; no one's listened to it. You look at the eyes on those opposite on the
backbench and they're just rolling their eyes whenever he speaks, Madam Chair,
because they know and they're laughing now because they know what I say is
true. Madam Chair, when you look at the facts on this and Councillor MATIC
seems to think that the conservative side of politics has led this issue.
There's been two referendums held on this, one in 1974 put up by the Whitlam
Government and one in 1988 put up by the Hawke Government. Now those
governments initiated the referendum. Who opposed them, not just sat idle and
said nothing. Who actively went out and advocated a no vote, who went to the
Australian community and said don't vote for the referendum? It was the Liberal
and National Parties. Through you, Madam Chair, how dare Councillor MATIC
get up and criticise any Labor politician for moving , supporting, advocating
because it is on that side of politics that every time that this motion and this
referendum has come up that they have actively campaigned against it.
It goes further. Councillor MATIC's got the hide to criticise this government. For
nearly 13 long years that Australia had to endure the Howard Government, how
many times did this issue come up? How many referendum were put up? Zero,
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 63 zilch, nothing because the then coalition Liberal and National Parties didn't
support it. That's great that you've changed your mind and you're all on board
now, well some of you are, not the member for Ryan because she's been caught
out as well. So let's not have any nonsense from Councillor MATIC that
somehow the Liberal and National Parties have played a constructive role in
recognising local government because the facts show you haven't.
But, Madam Chair, tonight is a different story. Tonight I'm thankful that
Councillor MATIC and all of his colleagues when I call a division will be
joining with me and supporting this motion, because this is the second time in
five years that this Council has shown some leadership on this issue. I'm really
proud of the fact that it's been the Labor councillors that have led the issues. We
need to show action and tonight we are going to do that. Tonight we are going to
tell the federal government that we want a referendum. I'll say publicly I'll be
bitterly disappointed if a referendum is not held on September 13.
I don't mind criticising my own side, you never hear that from that side of the
chamber, you will never hear that, too busy protecting and supporting their own
political masters. You'll never hear them stand up for Brisbane or advocate on
behalf of their local residents. It is always politics first, residents second. Well in
this—
Chairman:
Councillor DICK your time has expired.
Councillor DICK:
On this side of the Chamber we say yes.
Chairman:
Sorry Councillor MATIC yes, you claim misrepresentation.
Councillor MATIC:
Yes, Madam Chairman, Councillor DICK is purposely misleading the chamber.
The actual motion that I spoke to, Madam Chairman, which the ALP councillors
refuse to accept which is in Hansard read as follows, Madam Chairman, this
Council applaud a position of Constitutional recognition of Local Government.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Thank you Councillor—yes just resume your seat Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON I am addressing Councillor MATIC. Resume your seat.
Councillor MATIC you have raised an issue of misrepresentation. What's the
date of the motion that you're referring to without reading the whole motion?
Councillor MATIC:
Seventh September 2010, Madam Chairman, raised by this side of the chamber
and rejected by that side of the chamber.
Chairman:
Thank you Councillor MATIC. I will put—order. I will put the motion.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:
Yes, Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Madam Chairman, I just would seek your clarification on that issue because it's
the same as Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR two weeks ago. Councillor MATIC
was not speaking to a matter of Councillor DICK said something that was
incorrect. He was—no—he was reading out a motion which, Madam Chairman,
was not actually part of what was said initially. So, Madam Chairman, I can't see
how that was a matter of misrepresentation as you have said you will strictly
enforce. I just ask you to clarify the rule for people so that we don't have these—
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON do we have to have a lecture?
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Well, Madam Chairman, yes I believe Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR and
Councillor MATIC are defying the ruling that you've made and I'm just seeking
clarification please.
Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON I will take the time of the chamber to explain to you—
perhaps if you listened a little bit more. Councillor DICK indicated in his speech
that Councillor MATIC had his facts wrong in relation to who moved some of
the motions. Councillor MATIC claimed misrepresentation on that and
Councillor MATIC advised what the motion was that there was a
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 64 misrepresentation. You got to your feet, you will notice that I stopped Councillor
MATIC because he was going too far in his point of explanation and I brought
him back to what the misrepresentation should have been. So I don't know what
your problem is. I will put the motion.
As there was no further debate, the Chairman submitted the motion to the Chamber and it was declared carried
on the voices.
Thereupon, the LORD MAYOR and Councillor Milton DICK immediately rose and called for a division, which
resulted in the motion being declared carried unanimously.
The voting was as follows:
AYES: 26 -
The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR, Councillor Graham QUIRK,
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, and the Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK,
and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER,
Steve GRIFFITHS, Victoria NEWTON, and Nicole JOHNSTON.
NOES: Nil.
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:
Chairman:
Councillors are there any petitions? Councillor FLESSER.
Councillor FLESSER:
Yes, Madam Chair, I've got a petition from residents at Nundah calling on the
LORD MAYOR to reverse his decision and allow a traffic engineer to come to
an NDDA meeting.
Chairman:
Further petitions? Councillor MURPHY.
At that time, 5.27pm, the Deputy Chairman, Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, assumed the Chair.
459/2012-13
It was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor Victoria NEWTON, 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.
CA13/102518
Councillor
Kim Flesser
Topic
Nundah Village Shopping Centre – Parking Problems
GENERAL BUSINESS:
Deputy Chairman:
General Business? Are there any matters of General Business? Councillor de
WIT.
Councillor de WIT:
Thank you, Madam Deputy Chairman. Madam Deputy Chairman I rise today to
speak about three very special residents in the Pullenvale ward. The first one is
Emeritus Professor Graeme Wilson. Professor Wilson was named senior citizen
of the year in the LORD MAYOR's Australia Day Citizenship Awards this year.
He really is a very special person. Graeme Wilson is 95 years old. He attended a
one teacher primary school at Victoria Point and then went to Brisbane Boys'
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 65 College from 1931 to 1935 where he excelled both academically and in many
sports.
He was awarded an open scholarship to the University of Queensland in 1936. In
1936-37-38 he was UQ's athletics champion and won many of the inter-varsity
competitions. He was second in the Australian 120 yard hurdles in 1937. He was
a member of the Australian team for the British Empire Games held in Sydney in
1938 and captain of the combined Australian Universities Team to tour New
Zealand in that same year. Graeme graduated with first class honours in
agricultural science with a University medal in 1939 and was Queensland's
Rhodes Scholar for 1940.
He has lived the past 56 of his 95 years in Brookfield. He had a distinguished
career as an agricultural scientist and rose to the position of professor of
agriculture at the University of Queensland. In recognition of his contributions to
agricultural research, Graeme is awarded a fellowship of the Australian Institute
of Agricultural Science. He served in World War II and was captured by the
Japanese. In his later years he has used his enormous expertise in the interest of
bushland restoration in Moggill Creek catchment.
I met Graeme in 1998 when the Moggill Creek Catchment Group was started
and he is one of the first five voluntary conservation agreements that were
established by this Council and I think it was around about 1998 that that took
place. He started with a property that had barely a tree on it and it is now a
magnificent standard bushland. What is so amazing about this man is that at age
95 he's in charge of a plant nursery which provides seedlings of native trees at no
charge to local landholders. Over the last few years, 10,000 to 15,000 plants
have been raised and given away each year.
Much of the seed is gathered by Graeme himself, treating it as appropriate and
sowing it. He edits the quarterly Moggill Creek Catchment Group Newsletter
which I had intended to bring in with me which is a very professional eight page
publication and he writes about a third of it himself. He writes articles of
biological interest from throughout the catchment including native plants,
animals and their interactions.
Graeme Wilson is one of those people that he's a very quiet person, one of those
very quiet achievers but when you sum up his background, good at sport, went to
the Empire Games, was a Rhodes Scholar, was captured by the Japanese during
the war and at age 95 he is still editing the local newsletter, gathering seed and
propagating seed from the local area, that is quite an extraordinary record. He
was very deserving of the title of Senior Citizen of the Year. At the event and I
think Councillor ABRAHAMS might have been there? No? The Australia Day
Citizenship Awards, yes. Graeme, when he was given his award got up and
made a fabulous speech and there was dead silence in the place and just that
quiet professional way that he has about him. He is a special person.
The second one I want to speak about is Allan Weiss. Now Allan Weiss is 84
years old and he is the longest serving member of the Brookfield Rural Fire
Brigade. He is still an active member of that fire brigade at 84 years old. He's
had heart bypasses, knee replacements and he attended the very first meeting of
the brigade in 1957 which was before probably most people in this place were
even around. He is another extraordinary person who gives his all for the
community and he is the font of all knowledge when it comes to fire trails, fire
issues, and what needs doing.
Recently the Westside News did an item on Allan which was really good when
they were talking about volunteering. It said with extensive knowledge of the
area Mt Coot-tha, the Gap, Moggill, Pullenvale, Mr Weiss said the reason he
stuck with the brigade was to mentor new volunteers. They are learning very
quickly and I might only be here for another year but I would still like to be
involved until they put me in a box, he said. I've no doubt he's going to be
around for a lot more than a year and as long as he's around he's going to be out
there fighting fires.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 66 Last year they put out a calendar, the Brookfield Rural Fire Brigade calendar,
and it is a most striking publication. There's this photo of Allan with the ash all
over him and to see them trudging through the burnt embers up there in Upper
Brookfield, it's really quite a poignant photo.
Madam Deputy Chairman, the third person I'd like to quickly comment on is a
102 year old lady called Hazel Swanwick. Hazel Swanwick—the reason, I mean
I guess there are a few 102 year olds around but there would be very few who
are in church every Sunday and who do the washing up after the morning tea
every Sunday. Hazel is just an inspiration to anybody who meets her. The local
Anglican Church has a habit of having a cup of coffee afterwards—nobody else
can touch the sink. That's Hazel's job. She only recently got a walking frame but
she's still totally mobile. She's mentally 100 per cent. She gave up her driver's
licence when she was about 95 and another one of those people who just inspires
you when you meet them and you talk to them.
So it is with pride that I speak in relation to these three very special residents and
there are many of them in the Pullenvale ward but these three deserve
recognition. Thank you.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you Councillor de WITT. Further General Business? Councillor
GRIFFITH.
Councillor GRIFFITH:
Yes thanks, Madam Chair, I rise to speak about a number of issues in Moorooka
ward, the first one being about budget submission. Recently we put our budget
submissions in for what we'd like from the LORD MAYOR or what we'd like
considered by Council to be funded in the ward. I'd just like to raise a couple of
points in the chamber so that they're clearly on the record and that there can be
no excuse for the LNP or the LORD MAYOR to say that we didn't know of
these issues.
The first one is to restore funding for the buyback of homes to $10 million rather
than the slashing of the funding to $5 million which they did last year. There are
a number of people who are still outstanding with the purchase of their homes
and we need to broaden that program so that we can accommodate all the people
who want to be taken in as part of that particular program. So I would clearly
call on the LORD MAYOR to honour his commitment to keep funding at $10
million.
The second one is a very big issue for Wellers Hill State School and that's in
relation to getting a car-park for the students and the parents at the rear of the
school. This has been a commitment that I have received from Councillor
SCHRINNER in writing. I know the Parents and Citizens are very happy that
they've received that commitment. I just would like to ensure that this
commitment is honoured in the upcoming budget.
The next issue is in relation to the Salisbury Seniors Car-park. The seniors down
at Salisbury their car-park is in a disastrous state, very unsafe and there's been no
money allocated despite it being repeatedly put up. There are a number of other
issues that are lodged in my submission and I once again put those up for the
LORD MAYOR to look at, and I equally support those as well but those are the
three issues that the public are really concerned about. With Wellers Hill State
School there are a lot of children, there are 900 children, a lot of parents
involved in that school and certainly they're following whether Council keeps to
its word or not with regards to the car-park.
Second point I'd like to make is in relation to thanking Salisbury Rotary. On the
weekend they celebrated their fiftieth year of service. We put on an event with
them and I worked with Allan Charles and his team. Salisbury Rotary over the
last 50 years has contributed strongly to the area.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor GRIFFITHS can I just remind you that when you get up in General
Business you are supposed to specify all Items that you're going to speak on.
Salisbury Rotary wasn't what you mentioned. However I will grant leniency and
I'll allow you to continue.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 67 Councillor GRIFFITHS:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will speak about Salisbury Rotary, I will speak
about cleansing for Moorooka skip and I also want to speak about Veteran's
Park. So I'm sorry that I didn't outline these subjects. But with regard to
Salisbury Rotary they have been very active in the local community over the last
50 years, they've helped build the Blind Hall up at Annerley. They've built the
senior's halls at Salisbury and at Moorooka and they've recently completed a
project at QEII so I wish them all the best for their next 50 years. I'd like to
thank them for assisting me in putting the event on at the weekend where we got
several hundred people along.
The third point is a request to restore funding and cleansing to Moorooka skip.
This, like a number of projects across the city, have been cut due to the storms
and we're not into our third week. Residents, visitors and shop owners are
certainly noticing deterioration in the maintenance of the skip and in any repairs
that need to be done to the skip. The skip is a highly used space. It is not an area
where we should be withdrawing resources from. Certainly we haven't
withdrawn resources from Queen Street Mall so I don't know why we'd be
withdrawing resources from our local shopping centres because we've had a
storm.
In fact I believe we should be maintaining those resources and looking after
them. But once again I wasn't one of the people who voted to get rid of 800 staff
from this Council. So I am keeping residents informed about that. Residents are
very upset about the current state of the skip and I have written to the LORD
MAYOR asking that services get restored as soon as possible.
Finally with Veteran's Park I still haven't had the approval signed off yet. I
haven't heard from Councillor BOURKE with regards to submission which I
think is very disappointing and a tad unprofessional. I know the local community
are following this very strongly and they want to see this go ahead. Today in
Lifestyle Committee we had presentation of the involvement of the construction
training centre in the clean up around the city following the storms and they're
the very same group that would benefit from restoring this park or helping
progress this park along as well.
So Councillor BOURKE I hope that you can get your act together and that you
can see that this submission which has been in for the last six months actually
gets signed off so that we can get on with the job of providing this for the
community. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Deputy Chairman:
Thank you Councillor GRIFFITH. Further debate? Councillor HOWARD.
Councillor HOWARD:
Thank you, Madam Deputy Chairman. Madam Deputy Chairman, I rise to speak
about One Billion Rising, a global effort to stop violence against women. I
believe all Councillors in this chamber have a rare chance to bring about real
change to the lives of the women in this city, this state and this country. For me
politics is about principles, about fighting for progress and there is no greater
principle and no greater representation of progress than equality. As women and
as a society we have made great strides but there is still much to do. Sadly,
Madam Chairman, one in three women on the planet is raped or beaten in her
lifetime. That's one billion daughters, mothers, grandmothers, sisters and friends.
So, Madam Chairman, I was very pleased to lend my support to the recent
activities to promote the One Billion Rising initiative on Valentine's Day, 14
February. One Billion Rising is a global activist movement to end violence
against women and girls. It is a rising that raises funds and awareness through
events that move the earth, activating women and men to dance across every
country. So to show support for these women this fifteenth anniversary of One
Billion Rising provided the direction for women and those who love them, to
walk out, dance, rise up, and demand an end to this violence.
Councillors, that is what we did last Thursday evening in the city where
Catherine Robson led the charge in our flash mob dancing between our historic
lions in King George Square. King George Square was a perfect platform for this
local community event, an event that was just one of the many thousands of One
Billion Rising dances worldwide last week. Thank you to Megan from Epicure
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 68 and Staging Connections for their assistance as well. Violence is not an aside for
me or for Catherine. It's not an afterthought or a secondary consideration and I'm
grateful that Catherine and all the women and men who joined the dancing took
photos or if only briefly paused to see the spectacle in the square on Thursday
had been part of the effort to affect real change. Thank you.
Deputy Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor JOHNSTON?
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman, I rise to speak on several things, petitions, committee
meetings last week, backflow valves, the LORD MAYOR and now women in
the city. I'll start with women in the city given it's a hot topic and I respect and
admire the councillor for Central ward's views on this matter and believe she
genuinely wants to progress the interest of women in this city, Madam
Chairman. But I would say that that's an agenda Item she needs to take back to
her party room, given Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR's offensive comments in this
place just a few weeks ago.
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON to the topic.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes women in the city and you and I are women in the city, I appreciate you
don't like it. So, Madam Chairman, I would say that Councillor HOWARD
should start with her own colleagues with respect to this matter and she should
recognise and I think she does, but perhaps it's a matter that she needs to discuss
with them, that women do come in all shapes and sizes with different interests,
Madam Chairman, not all are married, not all have children. But, Madam
Chairman, women are more than capable of making informed and reasonable
debate about issues of importance.
Certainly we do want to see those principles about equality and respect for
women's rights being reflected in this chamber and I certainly don't think they
were two weeks ago.
Madam Chairman, petitions. Three times since I have been a Councillor, well I
know Councillor HOWARD is shaking her head but you can thank Councillor
OWEN-TAYLOR for that. Three times since I've been a Councillor, this
Council deliberately in my view recorded incorrect petition responses from me.
Today Councillor SCHRINNER publicly in the committee corrected the petition
response with respect to Juliette Street. I note that he didn’t correct the
documents but simply spoke to it, Madam Chairman, and in my view that is not
good enough.
This Council has also published factually incorrect statements by Councillor
BOURKE respecting my position with respect to petitions to do with Tennyson
parkland, Madam Chairman. The CEO of Council has said that they were
factually incorrect statements published, Madam Chairman, but there's no one to
blame. So, Madam Chairman, that's the second time this year that this Council,
this administration and these chairmen have signed off when I have in writing
put my comments in. Or with the case of Councillor BOURKE wasn't even
advised about the petitions until I got here. Not even advised, Madam Chairman.
There is no question, Madam Chairman, that there is a problem.
The third time was couple of years ago and it was when Councillor de WITT
was the chairman of the Infrastructure Committee. This Council also recorded
my position on a bikeway that was clearly and demonstrably untrue. Again the
CEO of Council had to apologise and said the record would be corrected. Three
times, three times since I've been a Councillor. That is not on, absolutely not on.
So, Madam Chairman, I've advised the CEO that I'm not responding to petitions
any longer. I will do so in this chamber where I can put my views forward
without the silly political antics of the LNP administration.
Madam Chairman, I don't blame anybody other than the chairmen. They are the
ones who sign off on the statements that are brought forward to committee for
discussion and then present them here in this chamber, Madam Chairman. So
before anyone stands up and says she's criticising officers, let me say this. I don't
blame them. I blame the people who put these motions and agenda Items
forward or not recording the information correctly.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 69 So, Madam Chairman, I know Councillor SCHRINNER decided to attack me on
that matter earlier today but let me make it clear. I will comment in this place, I
will vote in this place but I will not be part of the silly political games that the
LNP administration play. We say them today very clearly, very clearly, Madam
Chairman, with the backflow valves. Apparently I don't speak to the LORD
MAYOR. Now that would be a shock I think to most people who come along to
watch this chamber because I have to fight for a question every week but I'm up
and down and I ask him questions regularly about local issues in my ward.
Madam Chairman, he often doesn't know, he says he'll take it on notice and
doesn't get back to me. He gives one word answers, Madam Chairman, that's
been quite common and I think that anybody reading Hansard would see very
clearly the person who's not actually engaging in debate is the LORD MAYOR.
I also note, Madam Chairman, that when I write to the LORD MAYOR about
issues I get one line responses. I've noted your comments I'll respond to the
residents. That's it. That's it. So let me say I think the LORD MAYOR needs to
take a good hard look at himself because today he exposed his political games
and right in front of several residents who were here for matters being
considered in this chamber today, Madam Chairman.
They know very clearly what happened here today particularly the Chelmer
resident who was present because he comes in quite regularly, Madam
Chairman. Now, backflow valves. Madam Chairman, the LORD MAYOR said
he had no knowledge of any delays with the backflow valves at Chelmer. Well,
Madam Chairman, I suspect he's not doing his job then and he's unaware of the
problems that are going on. Given the importance of this project to people in my
ward I would have thought he would make it his business to check what is
happening, Madam Chairman.
Now I've been advised by the City Projects Office and I will—(officers name
removed to maintain privacy) is the name of the officer who provided me with
the briefing regarding this matter and it's only a week ago, Madam Chairman,
that he put these issues to me. The State Government has not signed off on the
relevant permits needed to undertake the approval for the new valves on the inlet
and outlet at Leybourne Street and Nadine Street in Chelmer, Madam Chairman.
Now the LORD MAYOR says no, not my problem. It's only a year ago he was
crowing about how wonderful it would be to have an LNP Lord Mayor and an
LNP Premier because it would advance the interests of the city.
Well in this case he couldn't even be bothered to try. Now I've written off to
Scott Emerson the state member and no doubt in about two months’ time I'll get
a response, Madam Chairman. I'm certainly doing all that I can but what I would
ask is if I put a genuine question to this LORD MAYOR in this place about a
local issue of importance that Council officers have told me is being delayed by
the state government, he would use his influence as the LORD MAYOR of this
city to make sure that the issues are addressed. Because it's not just my area
that's going to have this problem, it's all the other areas in the city if the state
government are not signing off on backflow valves.
So, Madam Chairman, I think that the LORD MAYOR needs to take a good
hard look at himself. His behaviour in this chamber and Councillor
SCHRINNER's today was certainly exposed in front of residents in my ward.
I've got no problem with them coming in. Last year or two years' ago, LNP
councillors were writing out the LNP branch members saying come in and watch
Councillor JOHNSTON in action. Bring it on. Come in, come and watch how
people don't speak for the motions that they put up. Or they engage in personal
attack rather than addressing the issue.
Remember the question put to the LORD MAYOR today was what will you do
to assist getting the backflow valves for the Chelmer residents given the state
government's delay. He said he wasn't going to do anything, I should talk to
Scott Emerson. Well I did that week ago, Madam Chairman, I don't need to be
told what I need to do. But, Madam Chairman, when I bring legitimate issues to
this chamber, I raise them with the LORD MAYOR through the appropriate
forum, Madam Chairman, I expect the LORD MAYOR to respond and so do my
residents.
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 70 Every time the LORD MAYOR ignores their concerns like he did today, Madam
Chairman, I'll publish it, I'll show people and I will let them know how
disrespectful this administration is being to issues of concern to my community.
Deputy 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 Nicole Johnston (received on 12 February 2013)
Q1.
Would the CEO advise why the Lord Mayor's letter of December 2012 regarding the Translink bus
review was not provided to Councillor Johnston as per her request for all documents about the
Translink review and inspected on 25 January 2013?
Submitted by Councillor Nicole Johnston (received on 13 February 2013)
Q1.
Would the CEO please advise how many zebra style pedestrian crossings and their street location were
installed by Council in:
a)
2010
b)
2011
c)
2012
d)
2013
Q2.
Would the CEO please provide a list of projects by name, location and value that were cut from the
2010-11 Budget in response to the January 2011 floods that have not yet been refunded by Council?
Submitted by Councillor Nicole Johnston (received on 14 February 2013)
Q1.
Would the CEO please advise how many streets in Tennyson Ward have been requested or identified as
in need of resurfacing by Asset Services South, the Local Councillor or any member of the public?
Q2.
Would the CEO please advise the number of streets by year of request made for resurfacing of streets
in Tennyson Ward?
Q3.
Would the CEO please advise how many footpaths in Tennyson Ward have been requested or
identified as in need of repair or replacement by Asset Services South, the Local Councillor or any
member of the public?
Q4.
Would the CEO please advise the number of footpaths by year of request made for repairs or
replacement?
Q5.
Would the CEO please advise the amount of a Chairman’s discretionary allowance of office for the
following years:
a)
2008-09
b)
2009-10
c)
2010-11
d)
2011-12
e)
2012-13
Q6.
Would the CEO please advise who made the decision to restrict access to City Hall hallways leading to
the Council Chamber to certain Councillors?
Q7.
Is the CEO aware that in Parliament House Canberra hallways are shared by members of all political
parties and are not restricted on the basis of whether they are in government or opposition?
Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (received on 14 February 2013)
Q1.
Could the CEO please advise what the net revenue to Council from toll collection was for the GoBetween Bridge for the 2011/2012 financial year?
Q2.
Could the CEO please advise what is the expected net revenue to Council from toll collection for the
Go-Between Bridge for the 2012/2013 financial year?
Q3.
Could the CEO please advise how many people visited each of the following Council pool facilities for
each of the financial years of 2008/09; 2009/10; 2010/11; and 2011/12 (where the pools were in place
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 71 as some were not yet built):
Acacia Ridge Leisure Centre
Bellbowrie Pool
Carole Park Pool
Centenary Pool
Chermside Pool
Colmslie Pool
Dunlop Park Pool
Hibiscus Sports Complex
Ithaca Pool
Jindalee Pool
Langlands Park Pool
Manly Pool
Mt Gravatt East Aquatic Centre
Musgrave Park Pool
Newmarket Pool
Runcorn Pool
Sandgate Pool
Spring Hill Baths
Valley Pool
Yeronga Park Pool
Q4.
Council the CEO please advise how many people visited each of the following Council libraries for
each of the financial years of 2008/09; 2009/10; 2010/11; and 2011/12:
Annerley
Ashgrove
Banyo
Bracken Ridge
Brisbane Square
Bulimba
Carina
Carindale
Chermside
Coopers Plains
Corinda
Everton Park
Fairfield
Garden City
Grange
Hamilton
Holland Park
Inala
Indooroopilly
Kenmore
Mitchelton
Mt Coot-tha
Mt Gravatt
Mt Ommaney
New Farm
Nundah
Sandgate
Stones Corner
Sunnybank Hills
Toowong
West End
Wynnum
Zillmere
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN
GIVEN:
(Answers to questions of which due notice has been given are printed as supplied and are not edited)
Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton on 6 November 2012
Q1.
Could the CEO advise the traffic volumes for the GoBetween Bridge for the period from 1 July 2011 to
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 72 30 June 2012 and the figures to be
a)
The average monthly vpd figures for north bound cars
A1.
a)
WD/WE breakdown based on monthly business day ratio for all vehicle types and total flow in
both directions
Q1.
b)
The average monthly vpd figures for south bound cars
A1.
b)
WD/WE breakdown based on monthly business day ratio for all vehicle types and total flow in
both directions
Q1.
c)
The average monthly bikes per day figures for south bound bicycles
Q1.
d)
The average monthly bikes per day figures for north bound bicycles
A1.
c) and d) Information available for total flow in both directions for the months of April to June 2012
only
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 73 Q1.
e)
The average monthly trucks per day figures for trucks using the bridge
A1.
e)
WD/WE breakdown based on monthly business day ratio for all vehicle types and total flow in
both directions
Trucks assumed to be Class 4 Heavy Commercial Vehicles
Q1.
f)
The average monthly bus per day figures for north bound buses
Q1.
g)
The average monthly bus per day figures for south bound buses
Q1.
f) and g) Exact figures are unavailable but at least 102 scheduled Brisbane Transport buses
travel over the Go Between Bridge on a weekday.
Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton on 18 September 2012
Q5.
Could the CEO provide the number of infringement notice for non payment of tolls that were
issued in the period from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012 have been contested?
A5.
12,778 appeals which were for 2,865 vehicles. Many of these were for multiple infringements.
Note: These appeals are not necessarily for infringements issued during the same period as
customers can take months to contest the infringements.
RISING OF COUNCIL:
PRESENTED:
5.52pm.
and CONFIRMED
CHAIRMAN
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]
- 74 Council officers in attendance:
Andrew Langford (Team Leader, Council and Committees Support)
Jo Camamile (Council and Committees Support Officer)
Billy Peers (Personal Support Officer to the Lord Mayor and Council Orderly)
[4396 (Ordinary) Meeting – 19 February 2013]