MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
The 4454 meeting of the Brisbane City Council, held at City Hall,
Brisbane on Tuesday 25 November 2014 at 2pm
Prepared by:
Council and Committee Liaison Office
Chief Executive’s Office
Office of the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive Officer
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4454 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,
ON TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2014
Dedicated to a better Brisbane
AT 2PM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS _____________________________________________________________ i
PRESENT: ______________________________________________________________________ 1
OPENING OF MEETING: __________________________________________________________ 1
APOLOGY: _____________________________________________________________________ 1
MINUTES: _____________________________________________________________________ 1
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: __________________________________________________________ 2
QUESTION TIME: ________________________________________________________________ 6
CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS: _________________________________________ 20
ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE _________________________________________ 20
A DRAFT TARINGA NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN _____________________________________________ 26
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ___________________________________________________________ 36
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – EFFECTIVENESS OF 40KM/H SPEED LIMIT IN BRISBANE CBD _____ 39
B PETITION – SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION ON BROOKFIELD ROAD, BROOKFIELD __________________ 39
C PETITIONS – PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ISSUES – MONTAGUE ROAD NEAR VICTORIA STREET, WEST
END ___________________________________________________________________________ 41
D PETITION - OVERHEAD OR LEVEL PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, BANYO RAIL STATION ______________ 42
PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE ______________________________________________ 42
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – LOW ROLLING RESISTANCE TYRES INITIATIVE _________________ 43
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE ___________________ 44
A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION UNDER SUSTAINABLE PLANNING ACT 2009: MATERIAL CHANGE OF
USE FOR MULTI-UNIT DWELLING, OFFICE, SHOP – 21 LONGLAND STREET, NEWSTEAD – THE
DIBCORP INVESTMENTS TRUST AND BRODIE DEVELOPMENT TRUST _______________________ 46
ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE ____________________________________ 48
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES PEST MAPPING TRIALS _________ 50
B PARK NAMING – REQUESTING THAT THE PARK KNOWN AS PHILLIP PLACE PARK, COLLEGE AVENUE,
FOREST LAKE, BE FORMALLY NAMED ‘FOREST LAKE SPORTS FIELDS’ ________________________ 51
C PARK NAMING – REQUESTING THAT THE PARK KNOWN AS CELICA STREET PARK, CELICA STREET,
RUNCORN, BE FORMALLY NAMED AS ‘LINDSAY EVANS MEMORIAL PARK’ ___________________ 52
FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE _____________________________________________________________ 52
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – MCDONALD’S RECYCLING TRIAL ___________________________ 56
BRISBANE LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE _________________________________________________________ 57
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BRISBANE DIGITAL HUB __________________________________ 60
FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE ______________________ 62
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BRISBANE GLOBAL CAFÉ _________________________________ 62
B COMMITTEE REPORT - BANK AND INVESTMENT REPORT – 26 SEPTEMBER 2014 ______________ 63
CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION – COMMUNITY GARDEN ON THE OLD ANNERLEY BOWLS
CLUB SITE: ____________________________________________________________________ 64
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:____________________________________________________ 67
GENERAL BUSINESS: ____________________________________________________________ 68
QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN: ________________________________ 74
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4454 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,
ON TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2014
Dedicated to a better Brisbane
AT 2PM
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN: _____________________ 75
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4454 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,
HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,
ON TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2014
Dedicated to a better Brisbane
AT 2PM
PRESENT:
The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR (Councillor Graham QUIRK) – LNP
LNP Councillors (and Wards)
Krista ADAMS (Wishart)
Matthew BOURKE (Jamboree)
Amanda COOPER (Bracken Ridge)
Vicki HOWARD (Central)
Steven HUANG (Macgregor)
Fiona KING (Marchant)
Geraldine KNAPP (The Gap)
Kim MARX (Karawatha)
Peter MATIC (Toowong)
Ian McKENZIE (Holland Park)
David McLACHLAN (Hamilton)
Ryan MURPHY (Doboy)
Angela OWEN-TAYLOR (Parkinson) (Deputy
Chairman of Council)
Adrian SCHRINNER (Chandler) (Deputy Mayor)
Julian SIMMONDS (Walter Taylor)
Andrew WINES (Enoggera)
Norm WYNDHAM (McDowall)
ALP Councillors (and Wards)
Milton DICK (Richlands) (The Leader of the
Opposition)
Helen ABRAHAMS (The Gabba) (Deputy Leader of
the Opposition)
Peter CUMMING (Wynnum Manly)
Kim FLESSER (Northgate)
Steve GRIFFITHS (Moorooka)
Victoria NEWTON (Deagon)
Shayne SUTTON (Morningside)
Independent Councillor (and Ward)
Nicole JOHNSTON (Tennyson)
OPENING OF MEETING:
The Acting Chairman, Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, opened the meeting with prayer, and then
proceeded with the business set out in the Agenda.
APOLOGY:
284/2014-15
An apology was submitted on behalf of Councillor Margaret de WIT (Pullenvale Ward) – LNP, and she was
granted leave of absence from the meeting on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by
Councillor Kim MARX.
MINUTES:
285/2014-15
The Minutes of the 4453 meeting of Council held on 18 November 2014, copies of which had been forwarded to
each councillor, were presented, taken as read and confirmed on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY,
seconded by Councillor Kim MARX.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
-2-
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
Dr Dimity Dornan, AO - Hear and Say: Leading at the speed of change
File number: 137/220/701/203
Acting Chairman:
I would now like to call on Dr Dimity Dornan AO who will address the
Chamber on Hear and Say, Leading at the Speed of Change. Orderly, please
show Dr Dornan in.
Dr Dornan, welcome to the Chamber. You may stand or sit. You have five
minutes. Please proceed.
Dr Dimity Dornan:
Thank you. Thank you very much for allowing me to come and address you
today and I am very pleased to be here. I have worn tropical dress in honour of
your wonderful achievements with the G20, because I think that was one thing
everybody really enjoyed about it, that it was a very relaxed tropical
environment.
I'd like to talk to you about Hear and Say: Leading at the Speed of Change. Hear
and Say is a program for deaf children which I set up 22 years ago. We now
have expanded from six children to servicing 670 children throughout
Queensland with six centres regionally, and we also run a telemedicine program
to help children who fall between the gaps of all of those regional centres.
We're currently rolling out a range of services for these children. Our basic
premise is that we teach deaf children to listen and to speak, so their hearing
technology enables them to hear within the normal speech range. Our specialty
is a child who's diagnosed at birth who has a cochlear implant or a bionic ear at
the age of six months. That child typically will receive two implants, and the
outcomes for that child will be age appropriate listening and spoken language.
At the end of this year, we're graduating some 40 children who will be going
into a regular grade one class, and almost every one of those will have
age-appropriate listening and spoken language, equal to the normal range. We
are really pleased that those children will be able to go on to have a life that is
the same as a child their same age with normal hearing, and those children will
be able to go on to tertiary education and, in fact, do anything they like, have
any career they so choose.
I'd also like to tell you a little bit about two other parts of Hear and Say which
you don't know about, possibly. We have two other big areas of work; one of
them is Hear and Say Research and Innovation through which we are currently
doing some 16 major research projects focusing on neuroscience, on innovation
in hearing technology and techniques, on medical bionics and on eLearning,
because we deliver a lot of our programs through eLearning.
The third part of our program is called Hear and Say Worldwide, and through
Hear and Say Worldwide we deliver professional training programs globally.
We have touched some 44 countries, and we are currently embarking next year
on a mission to train 20 professionals, one for each of the very many cochlear
implant programs in Korea, and also last week I met the Indian Prime Minister
who is introducing me to the Ministers in Education and Health in the states of
Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. We will be teaching professionals in those
areas to teach children who are deaf to listen and speak.
The unique kind of therapy, the reason why we have such success, is that we use
an approach which concentrates on training the child's brain. We do that by
simultaneously training parents and children. The parents go home and train the
child's brain all day long. So basically our core business is to marry the very best
and latest hearing technology with brain training delivered by parents. The
outcomes are awesome. University of Queensland results show that we are able
to progress children at the same rate as a child with normal hearing, so we have
a controlled study that shows that.
But another area you probably don't know about is that currently, because of the
success of the bionic ear or cochlear implant, I am putting together all the
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
-3innovation groups who are developing other bionic devices. So the bionic eye is
well under way; bionic limbs; bionic brains and bionic hearts. There is quite a
raft of those coming about. I called this group Human Bionics Interface
Frontiers, and we're having our first round table next Monday, which is a direct
outcome of the G20.
There are other things on the drawing board: a human bionics international
conference mooted for early 2016, and a number of other things that have come
out of that as well. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you, Dr Dornan. Would the LORD MAYOR or a Committee Chairman
like to speak in response? Councillor ADAMS.
Response by Councillor Krista ADAMS, Chairman of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair, and thank you, Dr Dornan, for coming in this
afternoon. It is wonderful to hear the fantastic advances that you are doing
through Hear and Say. I know we have spoken before at some events about the
work that you are doing, and I know yourself personally raising so many funds
for your new centre, bringing all those bionics together. Can I say as the Chair
of Lifestyle and implementing the Access and Inclusion Plan, it is fantastic to
hear of a local champion for the cause of access and inclusion, and we are
working hard here in Council as well to support so many of those young
children that you look after.
Can I just say from an auntie’s perspective, I have a niece who will hopefully be
able to use a bionic eye in the next five to six years, and that will save a lot of
trauma for our family if those types of things come to fruition as well. So thank
you for sponsoring those types of scientific inventions as well.
As I said, the Access and Inclusion Plan you are aware of, but I just wanted to
tell you about some of the opportunities for the people that come to you, and the
children that come to you with the hearing impairments, that we're undertaking
make sure that they have as much accessibility in Brisbane so that they can
participate as much as they can in normal community life within Brisbane as
well. Auslan is a very traditional way of communicating with people with
hearing impairments, and we have been working very hard to make sure that
Auslan becomes business as usual in Council. We have our interpreters that go
to our Community Connect road shows, to our concerts, to our Green Heart
fairs. We have got a video at the moment that is talking about accessibility in
Brisbane that just won a Spinal Injuries Award, that has the Auslan interpreter
as well. I was at Indooroopilly Shopping Town the other day at the library, and
the Kenmore Choir sang with an Auslan interpreter who was also singing with
the choir. So we are trying to get them involved wherever we can. We have Tai
Chi classes that are also interpreted by Auslan interpreters as well, so we really
are trying to have opportunities for everyone to be involved. Hearing loops are
also something that we have been working very hard on over the last couple of
years, and the hearing loop for those in the Chamber that aren't aware helps
those with hearing aids or implants that takes out the reverberation in the room
and the background noise, and makes it a lot clearer to be able to hear if you
have those aids. It transmits directly the actual sound into their ears without all
of that background noise.
So in the past three years we have installed hearing loops in City Hall and seven
community halls right across Brisbane. We have also planned seven further
hearing loops in our halls coming up this year—Old Inala, New Inala, Acacia
Ridge, Bracken Ridge, Northgate, Toombul and Moorooka, and we've got seven
libraries that also have meeting rooms at the moment with hearing loops in them
as well, so we are trying to make it definitely that—at the moment not every
room has a hearing loop, but we're trying to get a spread across Brisbane so
people can access that type of facility.
Can I just say last, but not least, since you do have young ones that you are
getting for school, our all-abilities playgrounds really are trying to focus on all
abilities. So it is not just about children that are in wheelchairs or maybe
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
-4children that are on crutches. I know in my ward we have a sensory garden
which is absolutely beautiful in the all-abilities playground, where there's noises
for those that might be sight-impaired, but there's the smells and the textures of
all the flowers and the herbs that they are growing in that garden for those to
come and feel and listen and smell, if they can't see or hear as well.
So we are working hard in Council. Love to hear from you if there is something
else we could do that might make a difference, but thank you so much for the
work you are doing, and thank you for coming in this afternoon and letting us
know about it.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you, Dr Dornan.
Mr Russell Page – Work undertaken in Doulton Street Park by local residents through Brisbane City
Council’s Habitat and Adopt-a-Spot programs
File number: 137/220/701/206
Acting Chairman:
I would now like to call on Mr Russell Page who will address the Chamber on
work undertaken in Dalton Street Park by local residents through Brisbane City
Council's Habitat and Adopt a Spot program. Orderly, please show Mr Page in.
Mr Page, you have five minutes; you may either stand or sit, whichever is more
comfortable. Please proceed. You have five minutes.
Mr Russell Page:
Thank you. Madam Chairman, LORD MAYOR and councillors, my name is
Russell Page; I am a Calamvale resident which falls within Karawatha Ward.
Today I want to talk to you about the group of people who have got together to
clean up the forest and park area in a small park in Calamvale. That park falls
between Alfred Circuit and Dalton Street. It includes defined waterways, open
parkland, forest, and it's also got a lagoon area.
The community group is made up of local residents. It began in July 2013, and it
began with one person who is actually sitting up in the Gallery this afternoon.
He wouldn’t come down and make this speech, by the way. So he started it, and
human nature makes sure that people go and find out what's going on in their
park, so that's how it started. One became two, became four, became eight, and
so on.
From that, we got the Council involved, or Councillor MARX involved, and had
a few ideas about what we'd like to see happen in the park. She took on board
most of them, and rejected a few, because some of them were a bit outlandish at
the time. Interestingly enough, the people in our community group come from a
wide range of age groups—young people and people from other nationalities.
We have one or two people who are involved with us who speak no English at
all, but you don't have to have much English, or any English at all, to actually
put your hand up and help, and that's what's happened.
As background, that parkland was virtually inaccessible to the public prior to us
getting involved in it, but today we've managed to clean up quite a bit of weed
area; there's a walking track through the middle of it. It's looking a lot better
than it was. We've picked up something like five wheelie bins of rubbish after
we thought we'd had it cleaned up, so that gives you an idea of how it was
going.
Councillor MARX has provided us with some tools to help us, some safety
equipment which we needed, some sunscreen, some hats—we look a bit like
Council workers now, although we're much slower. So this has helped us to
create a better area for ourselves.
Also, in November last year we were able to, through the Council, have a
concrete pathway put through that joins Alfred Circuit and Dalton Street, which
gives great access to the park and also helps with getting the kids backwards and
forwards to Stretton College. It's a really good asset, and it's used quite a lot. It's
great. The park is being used much, much more now than it used to be. So
thanks again to the Council and the local community group.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
-5We had a film night. The weather could have been better, as Councillor MARX
might remember, but it was a great night. There were 150 people that turned up,
and it was a great opportunity to meet neighbours. I'm from out west originally,
so to meet people in the city is very hard to do. Although I live 40 kilometres
out of town, I knew everybody around me, whereas in the city you've got to
work hard to know people.
The other thing about that, it was also a good place to recruit new volunteers to
the park, so we've done a bit of that as well. So it's a great set up. We've got
Council and community people involved in a program that helps everybody, and
it's good for the Council, too. There's a lot of free labour out there. I often think
that, back in 1788, Captain Arthur Phillips brought a whole heap of people to
Australia and punishment was to walk on a treadmill. Now people actually go to
a health farm and walk on a treadmill and pay for it. I think they should get out
and get amongst the community and get a bit of this good Queensland sunlight.
So, on behalf of the Dalton Street and Alfred Circuit residents, I'd like to thank
the Council for their help. It's been a great experience, and it's an ongoing
experience. Thank you very much.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you, Mr Page. Would the LORD MAYOR or a Committee Chairman like
to speak in response? Councillor BOURKE.
Response by Councillor Matthew BOURKE, Chairman of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability
Committee
Councillor BOURKE:
Thanks very much, Madam Acting Chairman. Can I start off by thanking you,
Mr Page, for coming in today and speaking to Council. Can I also acknowledge
Mr Ryan who is in the Gallery as well. There is really some positive feedback
there. It is wonderful to receive that feedback about the support that Council has
been able to provide your community group in the work that you are doing
down in the little part of Brisbane that you live in.
Obviously Council has over 8,000 hectares of bushland and 6,000 hectares of
parkland across the city that we maintain, and we do encourage residents to
obviously get involved. Not only is there environmental benefits but very strong
social benefits which you really focused on in your speech today. We do have
126 Habitat Brisbane groups across the city, and I know Councillor MARX has
been working really hard with your group to try and get you established as a
Habitat Brisbane group into the future. Groups move in and out of that list year
on year, and we've certainly put you towards the top of that list to get you
obviously onto the list, and with the formal support that being part of a Habitat
Brisbane group would have.
That said, Councillor MARX I know has been supporting you already, and there
is a range of other grants and opportunities in Council where we can partner
with you to obviously deliver benefits and improvements to the local area as
well. We've just gone out for the Lord Mayor's Environment Grants which your
group might be eligible to apply for. We also have our Community Conservation
Assistance money which helps you do major works.
I know that the area that you are working in includes a bio-retention basin
well as some of those bushland areas that might need that little bit bigger set
works to fix up some of the long term problems. I encourage you to talk
Councillor MARX and look at opportunities how Council can continue
support your group.
as
of
to
to
But can I just commend you and all of the members of your organisation on the
great work that you are doing to make Brisbane a clean and green city, but also
to promote that social inclusion and that friendly neighbourhood feeling that we
all enjoy about the city of Brisbane. Thank you again, Mr Page.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you, Mr Page.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
-6-
QUESTION TIME:
Acting Chairman:
Are there any questions of the LORD MAYOR or a Chairman of any of the
Standing Committees? Councillor MURPHY.
Question 1
Councillor MURPHY:
Thank you very much, Madam Acting Chairman; my question is to the LORD
MAYOR. I understand that you recently announced a cracker of a Christmas
program. Can you please provide further details of this fantastic initiative as I
understand that this will be Australia's largest free Christmas celebration?
LORD MAYOR:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I thank Councillor MURPHY for the
question. It will be a cracker of a Christmas, we are hoping, Councillor
MURPHY, and indeed it is only four weeks tomorrow that we get Christmas
Eve, so it is upon us. We as a city government have planned for a bigger than
ever Christmas festivity in the city. It comes off the back of what was as very,
very successful year last year, but I will say more about that a little later.
This year we have themed the Christmas festivities as The Wonder of Christmas
in Brisbane. It is Australia's most extensive free festive entertainment program.
This year we will see more than 200 free events over the 27 days leading up to
Christmas Eve. There are some new events. Of course, last year we had about
180, so it is up a little over 10 per cent in terms of the number of events this
year.
Some new events. Firstly, the South Bank's Christmas Markets in Stanley Street
Plaza. This will operate from Friday 12 to Tuesday 23 December from 11am to
8pm daily. It is essentially South Bank's Christmas Markets. As we have seen
throughout this city, they tend to be very, very popular.
There is also a new one called Christmas Dive-in Cinema Series, and that is at
Streets Beach. This will be from 17 December through to 23 December, from
6.30pm. There will be a Christmas film series shown, and there will be one
feature film on weeknights at 6.30pm and two features on weekends, starting at
6.30 and 8.30. That is a way of staying cool and watching the cinemas as well.
The Community Christmas Celebrations in The Courier-Mail Piazza at South
Bank is another one. There will be several live performances there—6 to 8pm
nightly. We've got Disney's Big Hero 6 preview, and that will take place on
Wednesday 17 December, and Christmas Carols by Hillsong Brisbane will take
place there on Friday 19 and 20 December. We've also got the Queensland
Ballet screening of The Nutcracker on Sunday 21 December, and Vision
Australia's Carols by Candlelight Live will take place on Christmas Eve.
Another new event will be Christmas Fireworks Spectacular, and that can be
viewed from the Clem Jones Promenade and Victoria Bridge. That will be held
on Wednesday night 17, Friday 19, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December at
8.15 each night. Some of the really popular returning events this year will see of
course the lighting of the Christmas Tree which will take place this Friday night
in King George Square, with the pre-show program starting at 6.30. So there
will be a range of opportunities there, with dancers, carols, Santa will be
visiting, I think. That is the biggest solar tree in Australia, some 16,000 lights on
our Christmas Tree which is now assembled out there in King George Square.
The Myer Christmas Parade and Pantomime, another big one; this is operating
again from 12 to 21 December at 6.30 each evening, and of course Gold Lotto
have kindly again sponsored the Christmas Hall Lights Spectacular. That was a
big 3-D projection success last year, and it will be lit up again this year, running
from 12 to 24 December. We had some 328,000 visitors last year to the city.
About 200,000 of those attended the Myer Christmas Parade. We estimate there
was about 120,000 people who viewed the City Hall Lights Show that came up
every 15 minutes. Of course, it is a major economic boost for the city as well,
with about $3.8 million per day we believe was the contribution of the campaign
last year, and the numbers in the CBD were up five per cent last year, and I
expect they will be up significantly again this year.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
-7So thank you to all of our sponsors: Channel 9, Gold Lotto, Myer, Disney, the
Courier-Mail, and Christmas Markets in Stanley Street Plaza. So a big thank
you to all of those people.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you; Councillor DICK.
Question 2
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chairman; my question is to the LORD MAYOR.
Over the weekend, hundreds of residents rallied against your plan to allow
development on the Mowbray Park State Heritage site. Will you listen to town
planning experts, heritage experts, local residents and the croquet club members
and junk your proposal to build high-rise units on this park?
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, I thank Councillor DICK for the question. Of course, there
was a meeting of residents and that meeting was called by the three local
members on the weekend. This is a proposal which has been put forward by the
City of Brisbane Investment Corporation (CBIC). It is a project—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
No, hang on—I will come to that. Don't get too excited. The proposal being put
forward in this particular case does a number of things. It firstly increases the
number of car parks for the use of that park and CityCat terminal from the
current 79 to 108. Those 79 car parks are currently located down in the parkland
area, closer to the river. The intention under this proposal would be to remove
that car park, retaining five car parks for disability purposes, and that would
again recover around 2,000 square metres of area for parkland. Rather than
having bitumen surface, it would return that land closer to the river for park
purposes.
Another part of this proposal is, of course, the establishment of three very
important fields which are a part of the croquet club. They would be top class
facilities. There would also be a purpose built building for the croquet club on
the site. That is the intended social benefit out of this particular proposal being
put forward by the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation.
The structures that are proposed, the unit developments that are proposed and
contained within that sport and recreation land on the site—not parkland as
Councillor DICK was questioning me of last week. In fact, there would be,
through this proposal, additional return of parkland within the site. So, Madam
Chairman, it is out there for public consultation at the moment. There is a plan
which is online, and as people write to me, I am advising people that they have a
look at the proposal which is online and get to know more about the proposal. It
has only just gone out in recent times. The public ought to be given a reasonable
time to have a look at this proposal and to consider it.
I make this point, though: the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation is an
entity which is there for the benefit of ratepayers. When they started a few years
ago, back in 2009, they had a quantum start-up of $137.6 million. They have
grown that future fund for this city now to $236 million. So that is a direct
amount for the people of this city.
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
Of course, they have returned a dividend of $10 million to this Council in the
last 12 months. So that is $10 million we don't have to get in terms of additional
rates. That equates to about 1.25 per cent of general rates in this city. So that
should not be forgotten. The Labor Party do not support the City of Brisbane
Investment Corporation.
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
They have always made that clear.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
-8LORD MAYOR:
They have always made that very, very clear. We, by contrast, support a future
fund for this city. We support the fact that ratepayers ought to get an annual
return on the work undertaken by the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation.
So, in terms of the direct question that is asked—well, firstly the returns that the
corporation have achieved over the years, it was 12.05 per cent last year, 14.6
per cent the year before, 10.04 per cent the year before, 12.4 per cent back in
2010-11, and 24.7 per cent in 2009-10. So they have been consistently returning
double digit figures—
Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor FLESSER! If you continue to interject, I will warn you.
LORD MAYOR:
At the end of the day, that is less rates that have to be taken from every single
householder in this city, as those dividends are returned and will continue to
grow as the fund of the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation grows. It will
be derived through bigger dividends annually. So, Madam Chairman, that is the
position—
Acting Chairman:
LORD MAYOR, your time has expired.
LORD MAYOR:
Thank you very much.
Acting Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor WYNDHAM.
Question 3
Councillor WYNDHAM:
Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to Councillor McLACHLAN, the
Chairman for Field Services Committee. I understand Brisbane City Council are
the reigning State champions and we are competing against seven other finalists
from around the country for the title of overall Australian Sustainable City. Can
you please explain a little bit about this award, and explain in more detail some
of the initiatives in the Field Services Group that are positioning Brisbane so
well in these national awards?
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you very much, Madam Acting Chair. You are right, Councillor
WYNDHAM, Brisbane is representing Queensland in the National Keep
Australia Beautiful Sustainable Cities Awards to be announced later this week in
the city of Marion in South Australia. Brisbane was announced as Queensland's
Most Sustainable City in September.
The Keep Australia Beautiful organisation does great work in encouraging clean
and sustainable communities through its various programs, including Tidy
Towns and here in Brisbane with Spotless Suburbs, as well as this National and
prestigious Sustainable Cities Awards. Brisbane City Council is in the running
for various categories of these National awards, including Community Action in
Partnerships, Resource Recovery and Waste Management, Environmental
Innovation and Protection, Litter Prevention, Energy Innovation, Water
Conservation, Heritage and Culture, and Young Legends.
These are some excerpts from the BCC entry for the National awards in those
various categories and for which Field Services has been responsible, and is
accountable. In the category of Community Action in Partnerships, we have
much of which to be proud in regards to our commitments in achieving a clean
and green city through various community partnerships. Some of the examples
cited in our entry include our highly successful partnership with the Endeavour
Foundation to operate two Tip Shops selling items otherwise destined for
landfill.
Our ongoing support for civic pride through our Clean Community Competition
conducted with Keep Queensland Beautiful. We support voluntary product
stewardship arrangements such as the FluroCycle program with the Lighting
Council of Australia. We're working closely with the University of Queensland
researchers there to develop recycled organic solutions, and we engage with
local schools and sustainability organisations to deliver community education
events, like our free community compost and worm farm workshops.
In the category or Resource Recovery and Waste Management, as we will all be
aware, Council offers a range of waste management and resource recovery
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
-9services for Brisbane residents, guided by our Towards Zero Waste Strategy and
our vision for a Clean and Green city. The aim is to reduce the amount of waste
sent to landfill and to increase recycling and reuse. Some of these are things that
we might take for granted, but when compared to other municipalities and cities,
we are often, quite often, streets ahead. For example, in one financial year, we
will have delivered waste and recycling services to more than 480,000
properties across the city, rubbish and comingled recycling for households, plus
the opt-in green waste recycling service for homes and the opt-in recycling
service.
We will have recycled close to 92,000 tonnes of comingled materials, and more
than 14,000 tonnes of garden waste—that is for 2013-14, and delivered waste
minimisation education to more than 5000 people in the schools and the
community, on top of running what is regarded as world's best practice landfill,
which is 100 per cent compliant with permit conditions. So it is no wonder that
the judges from Keep Australia Beautiful keep looking to Brisbane as the leader
in all these measures.
In the category of environmental innovation and protection, we have as all here
would be aware our ongoing community conservations partnerships that include
Habitat Brisbane, the Creek Catchments program, the Wildlife Conservation
Partnerships program, our environment centres and the Community
Conservation Assistance Initiatives. We are also leading the way in the reuse of
glass fines, about 10,000 tonnes per month as a sand substitute in concrete and
asphalt production. Partnering, as I mentioned earlier, with the University of
Queensland, looking into waste reuse research, which is quite promising,
looking at biochar for reuse, using our garden waste that has been recycled. This
is starting to show some benefits in conjunction with Turf Australia.
One of the other categories I can mention is the litter prevention category which
is based on our litter prevention strategy and action plan which, as you will be
aware, has seen a reduction in litter in the CBD and Fortitude Valley precincts
of around 48 per cent since the implementation of this strategy in June 2009, and
again has come to the attention of the judges looking at the Keep Australia
Beautiful awards.
Madam Acting Chair, these are just some of the categories that are coming up
for judging. We are looking forward to seeing what the other councils, other
cities in Australia have been able to put forward. We are very confident that we
will be able to take out the national award this year for Keep Australia Beautiful.
But if we are unsuccessful in that overall category, I am sure we will pick up
some of the awards in some of these other categories. Thank you, Madam
Acting Chair.
Acting Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor DICK.
Question 4
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair; my question is again to the LORD MAYOR.
Despite strong public opposition, you are refusing to junk your proposal for a
235 high-rise unit development in a state heritage listed park. Isn't this proof of
your development at all cost mentality, where the community and parkland
come a very distant second to developers' greed and profits?
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, I thank Councillor DICK for the question again. Again, I
want to make the point that this application has only just been put out to public
consultation. Councillor DICK is wanting me to act immediately around this—
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, I think that that would be unfair to the broad community at
this stage because—
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor SUTTON, if you continue to interject, I will warn you. LORD
MAYOR.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 10 LORD MAYOR:
—because, Madam Chairman, it has been out for a very short time. There ought
to be an opportunity for the community to better get to understand what this
application involves. I am very conscious of the meeting, very conscious of the
meeting, and of the concerns that were expressed at that meeting. I am not
oblivious to what is going on out there. But I just say this: we need to allow time
for the community at large to broadly come to terms with what is being
proposed. I will continue to listen, I will continue to listen.
For Councillor DICK to somehow say that this is about developers, this is not
about developers—
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
This is the ratepayers of this city, the ratepayers of this city. The only
beneficiary out of this will be the ratepayers of the city. There is no other
developers involved, full stop. So that is a nonsense.
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, if you continue to interject, I will warn you.
LORD MAYOR:
Let me just remind Councillor DICK, Madam Chairman, that down there at
Wynnum we are doing a similar thing. We are doing a development on the old
Wynnum school site and that is going to be a new library for that community,
from the 650 square metres of the current library to 2,000 square metres. They
are also getting, as part of that free library to the ratepayers of this city, a
supermarket. We know Councillor CUMMING wants a cinema. No developer
in this city seems to want to develop a cinema down there, so—
Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor CUMMING, if you continue to interject, I will warn you.
LORD MAYOR:
So, Councillor, you go and get one, go and get one and do it, if it is going to be
that popular down there. If it is going to make that much money, go and find
someone and do it. No one is stopping you; do it. Why hasn’t somebody turned
up to have one? Maybe because it ain't going to be viable. Maybe so.
But what Councillor CUMMING is getting for his community down there out of
that CBIC proposal is a 2,000 square metre modern library, up from the current
650 square metre one. That is what the CBIC have been doing. They have been
creating opportunity out of these sites, and they have done that new library at no
cost to the ratepayers of this city.
That is a good deal for ratepayers. That is a good deal for Wynnum, a good deal
for Wynnum. Let Councillor CUMMING, for example, get up here today and
say: I won't have a bar of this new library. I won't have a bar of this CBIC
proposal down here. He hasn't done it; he won't do it because he knows that it is
a good deal.
So, Madam Chairman, the same has applied in terms of what is being proposed
on this site: new facilities for—
Councillor interjecting:
Greed.
LORD MAYOR:
Greed. Greed—greed for whom? Greed for whom, Councillor? Greed for whom.
There is only one party involved, and that is the ratepayers. So I am getting
accused here of being greedy to ratepayers, greedy for ratepayers. That is all it
can be, because they are the only beneficiary. The only beneficiary would be the
ratepayers of Brisbane.
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Just a moment, please, LORD MAYOR. Members of the Opposition, I have
warned a number of you during Question Time already. If you continue to
interject, you will be formally warned. Now, you have asked a question or a
member of your team has asked a question; do the LORD MAYOR the courtesy
of listening to the answer. LORD MAYOR.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 11 LORD MAYOR:
You see, and this is the problem: they are about the spin rather than the facts.
They are saying that this is for developers. It is not. Who are the greedy
developers—who are the greedy developers? Come on, name them. Who are the
greedy developers that are going to be the beneficiary of this proposal?
Councillors interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Yes, there's nobody. There is nobody because, Madam Chairman, the only
beneficiary are the ratepayers of this city—end of story. End of story.
Councillors interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
You can grill me as much as you like on that point.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor GRIFFITHS—
LORD MAYOR:
There is no other beneficiary.
Acting Chairman:
—if you continue to interject, I will warn you.
LORD MAYOR:
Sorry, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, they can grill me as much as they
like; the only beneficiary are the ratepayers of Brisbane through dividend
return—through dividend return.
Councillors interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
The community out there are rightfully, rightfully, having their say in relation to
what is being proposed.
Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS, I have repeatedly spoken to members of your team; as
the Deputy Leader, you need to show a little bit more of an example in this
Chamber. If you continue to interject, I will warn you. LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Every time I give a fact, Madam Chairman, which doesn’t fit with their spin,
they get twitchy, they get upset.
Councillor interjecting:
No, no.
LORD MAYOR:
Yes, yes, I'm afraid so.
Councillor interjecting:
Ratepayers are the losers.
LORD MAYOR:
Well, ratepayers are the losers?
Councillor interjecting:
Yes.
LORD MAYOR:
I am still waiting to hear who these greedy developers are that are the
beneficiaries.
Councillors interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
I am still waiting to hear. Who are the greedy developers? There aren't any. You
see, there aren’t any. It is the ratepayers—
Acting Chairman:
LORD MAYOR, your time has expired.
LORD MAYOR:
Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Acting Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor HUANG.
Question 5
Councillor HUANG:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair; my question is to the Chairman of Public and
Active Transport Committee, Councillor MATIC. I understand that Council is
proposing major upgrades along Gladstone Road and Dornoch Terrace to
enhance safety and connectivity for cyclists as part of our Better Bikeways for
Brisbane program. Can you please provide further information on this project?
Councillor MATIC:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chairman, and thank you, Councillor HUANG, for
the question and the opportunity to raise these two important projects today.
Dornoch Terrace and Gladstone Road are clear indications of this
Administration's commitment to making sure that we're providing better
bikeways for our cyclists across the city.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 12 As this LORD MAYOR's commitment of a record $120 million in our Better
Bikeways for Brisbane program, it clearly shows that this side of the Chamber is
committed to making sure that we are building state of the art infrastructure for
all of Brisbane's residents on the bikeways. This $120 million not only indicates
clearly that this Council is committed, but it clearly shows that, of all the other
capital city councils in Australia, no other is investing like this Council is. No
other has the number of bikeways and land mass that this Council does to be
able to manage.
Importantly, also, this $120 million clearly indicates that there is literally no
other level of government—local, State or Federal—in Australia that is
committing this kind of record investment. Why? Because we are passionate
committed through our strategic planning, through our vision of a city that is
accessible and inclusive through our different bikeways, because our bikeways
provide not only value for money for our residents to be able to get to where
they need to in an efficient manner, but it is also about a healthy and active
community as well.
These two projects have clearly indicated that this is where this Administration
is leading the way. Dornoch Terrace and Gladstone Road have a large number
of cyclists going through them, and we need to be able to make sure that we are
providing the amenity and importantly the safety to those residents. We are
doing that through proper planning and making sure that we are consulting with
all the relevant stakeholders, with the local Councillor and the local community
to get this outcome.
With Gladstone Road, there are a number of proposals there that are quite wideranging in respect of the area of Gladstone Road between Hazelwood Street,
Highgate Hill, and Lochaber Street in Dutton Park. Why? That area is
particularly connected that leads down to the University of Queensland, to the
Eleanor Schonell Bridge and provides an important connection along the
Eleanor Schonell Bridge, along Gladstone Road, and down into Dornoch
Terrace, and then down to Riverside Drive as well. So it is about connectivity all
the way through.
The proposals along Gladstone Road have various changes to the directions of
traffic off the side streets. Importantly, also, it provides a dedicated bikeway
along Gladstone Road which currently is not there in the appropriate fashion. By
providing that dedicated bikeway, we are increasing the level of safety and
amenity to all of those cyclists down there. We are clearly indicating to the
cycling groups, to all the different users, and to the local community, that we are
valuing their role to play, that we are making sure that we are improving their
ability to travel safely along there.
But also Dornoch Terrace in itself provides also that level of connectivity. The
area of Dornoch Terrace that we are dealing with is St James Street, and by
dealing with that particular intersection, we are also then addressing what is a
hot spot down there as well. So, by including this progressive planning of that
whole section, we are looking at those improvements.
I spoke before about the importance of consultation. We did on 9 October
undertake a public consultation with key user groups. So we had Bicycle
Queensland and its members, we had CBD BUG (Bicycle User Group), East
BUG, UQ (University of Queensland) BUG, Centenary BUG, and the Mater
Hospital BUG members there as well. I would like to thank them and
acknowledge their attendance, in taking time out of their day, to be able to turn
up, because they are ultimately volunteers to these organisations, but we
appreciate their passion and their commitment.
By undertaking that consultation with those different user groups, we were able
to provide them with a view of the plan, but also importantly, to get their
feedback. Apart from some minor adjustments along some of the parts, and a
widening of some of the sections, I am happy to say that both proposals were
wholeheartedly accepted, and acknowledged by all those different groups for the
significant improvement that it provides to that particular bikeway.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 13 As part of that consultation, we have been working with Councillor
ABRAHAMS. We provided a briefing to her and sought her feedback on those
particular improvements as well, and taking that on board, we are then
proceeding with going out to public consultation on both those projects. The
preliminary design work on Gladstone Road has been completed, taking on
board all of that feedback, and we are going out to consultation in late 2014 to
early 2015 to make sure that we get enough feedback from the local residents in
those affected areas. By feeding that community consultation into the process as
well, we want to see the work undertaken in mid-2015 with a completion date in
that financial year as well.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor MATIC, your time has expired.
Councillor MATIC:
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Acting Chairman:
Further questions; Councillor DICK.
Question 6
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chairman; my question is again to the LORD
MAYOR. One of the reasons you are justifying your decision to construct 235
units in the State heritage-listed Mowbray Park is because you say 'it will
provide a social benefit' which will enable the refurbishment of a local croquet
club. The croquet club have said clearly they don't want the refurbishment and
that your unit development plans will destroy the club. So, LORD MAYOR,
given the croquet club, the community, don't want this refurbishment, will you
junk your proposal to take away parkland and replace it with high-rise
development?
Councillor ABRAHAMS interjecting:
LORD MAYOR:
No shade, no grass, no croquet club.
Madam Chairman, it is interesting; I thank Councillor DICK for the question. It
is interesting, because obviously before this matter went out for public
consumption, we met with the croquet club.
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Yes, that's right, that's correct. Madam Chairman, again, they just continually
interject. They don't like getting interjected themselves, but they do it over and
over again. So Madam Chairman—
Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor FLESSER, you have already been cautioned.
Warning – Councillor Kim FLESSER
The Chairman then formally warned Councillor Kim FLESSER that unless he desisted from interjecting he
would be suspended from the service of the Council for a period of up to eight days. Furthermore, Councillor
FLESSER was warned that, if he were suspended from the service of the Council, he would be excluded from
the Council Chamber, ante-Chamber, Public Gallery and other meeting places for the period of suspension.
Acting Chairman:
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
So, Madam Chairman, while I personally was not at that meeting, what I
understand from the discussions at that meeting was that the croquet club were
very keen on the proposal—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Here they go again. So, Madam Chairman, I am only relaying the information
that I had back. I have just stated I wasn’t at the meeting, but the information
that I had back was that the croquet club were in fact excited by the prospect of
the fact that they would have some brand new facilities which would see that
club set up for many, many years to come. They would have a new clubhouse
facility out of this as well, a brand new one. But that wasn’t the only issue.
Councillor interjecting.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 14 LORD MAYOR:
The other things that I mentioned earlier—there was the issue of the return—I
am glad Councillor ABRAHAMS finds all this funny. The other issue—
Acting Chairman:
Just a moment, please, LORD MAYOR. Councillor ABRAHAMS, your
behaviour in this Chamber has been unruly and disorderly. You're laughing,
you're coughing deliberately, and your calling out has been repeated acts of
disorder.
Warning – Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS
The Chairman then formally warned Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS that unless she desisted from interjecting
and cause disorder to the proper conduct of the meeting she would be suspended from the service of the
Council for a period of up to eight days. Furthermore, Councillor ABRAHAMS was warned that, if she were
suspended from the service of the Council, she would be excluded from the Council Chamber, ante-Chamber,
Public Gallery and other meeting places for the period of suspension.
Acting Chairman:
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Thanks, Madam Chairman. The other aspects that were out there for public
consideration were the fact that they had that 2,000 square metres as an
approximate measurement, about 2,000 square metres of land down near the
river which is currently hard stand car parking area, could be returned as full
parkland to the people of that area, in exchange for those car parks, those plus
more being placed underground. That was part of the proposal that is out there
for consideration as well.
So, Madam Chairman, they are the aspects of this. There will be more car
parking available—that is for commuters, for example, that are catching the
CityCats from that location—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Gee, it's at it again. I just can't speak without being interrupted continually by
them, Madam Chairman. Again, these are the things that are out there for
consideration of that local community. But I am not going to be rushed into
some sort of kneejerk reaction today just because the Opposition think it's a
good idea. It has just been put out there very recently, and it deserves to have
proper consideration.
But again I want to make it absolutely clear, if there is any element of doubt:
there is only one beneficiary out of this, and that is the ratepayers of this city.
Councillor interjecting:
Rubbish.
LORD MAYOR:
All right, rubbish, rubbish. So who are the other beneficiaries, Councillor? Come
on, it's time to name who these other beneficiaries are. You see, it is all about
trying to create a scare campaign which is devoid of facts. There is no other
beneficiaries, no other beneficiaries, apart from the ratepayers of this city.
Madam Chairman, all I can say—
Councillors interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman—
Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order! Councillor SUTTON!
LORD MAYOR:
The beneficiaries of any—
Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor—just a moment, please;
Warning – Councillor Shayne SUTTON
The Chairman then formally warned Councillor Shayne SUTTON that unless she desisted from interjecting
and disrupting the proper conduct of the meeting she would be suspended from the service of the Council for a
period of up to eight days. Furthermore, Councillor SUTTON was warned that, if she were suspended from the
service of the Council, she would be excluded from the Council Chamber, ante-Chamber, Public Gallery and
other meeting places for the period of suspension.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 15 -
Acting Chairman:
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
So now we're getting to the bottom of it. They're concerned about 235 riverfront
unit owners. Now, why would that be a concern? Why would that be a concern?
If the beneficiaries—
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
If the beneficiaries of this proposal are the returns to the ratepayers of this city,
100 per cent—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Councillor GRIFFITHS—
A Councillor:
So is City Hall.
LORD MAYOR:
Councillor GRIFFITHS, Councillor GRIFFITHS—so, Madam Chairman, the
proposal is out there. It is out there for public consideration—
Acting Chairman:
Just a moment, please, LORD MAYOR.
Warning – Councillor Steve GRIFFITHS
The Chairman then formally warned Councillor Steve GRIFFITHS that unless he desisted from interjecting he
would be suspended from the service of the Council for a period of up to eight days. Furthermore, Councillor
GRIFFITHS was warned that, if he were suspended from the service of the Council, he would be excluded
from the Council Chamber, ante-Chamber, Public Gallery and other meeting places for the period of
suspension.
Acting Chairman:
Those on the Opposition side of this Chamber this afternoon are continuing to
defy my rulings. There are a number of you who have been cautioned and
formally warned. If you continue to persist in disorderly conduct, there will be
consequences for your actions. LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
I am glad that Councillor GRIFFITHS has raised City Hall. He might not have
noticed, but this Administration has just invested some $215 million restoring
City Hall.
Acting Chairman:
LORD MAYOR, your time has expired.
LORD MAYOR:
What a shame; I was just about to get to Trades Hall, Madam Chairman, which
we know about.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you. Further questions; Councillor HOWARD.
Question 7
Councillor HOWARD:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chairman; my question is to the Chairman of the
Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee, Councillor
COOPER. Can you please update the Chamber on the number of ways that
Council is using best-practice planning to deal with the numerous applications
lodged, and in contrast, any alternate planning proposals put forward that are not
best practice?
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you very much, Madam Acting Chair, and I would like to thank
Councillor HOWARD for her question. Councillor HOWARD's question is a
question that is, I think, a subject that we should all be very passionate about.
This Administration very clearly is always looking to see where we can offer
best practice planning and to improve planning practices through a range of
initiatives, including those such as SealSMART. We have got other processes,
such as RiskSMART, AssessSMART. Council has also initiated PlumbSMART
in July of this year.
So, of course, since March 2007, residents have been able to access information
about development applications online through PD Online 24-hours-a-day,
seven-days-a-week. Best practice is embodied in the work that we do in this
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 16 place every day—well, certainly in Brisbane Square it is. So, the local councillor
is always asked her feedback on every application lodged in their ward, as well
as emailed a copy of the decision notice when it has been made.
These things are important to every councillor, but it is very disappointing in
stark contrast we have seen the Australian Labor Party's proposal, which seems
to be a plan largely to outsource their responsibilities on to a select group of
nominated residents—five or six nominated residents—ignoring the rights of
other residents to have a say, recycling a plan already that has been rejected by
the voters at the Council election in 2012.
It is a surprise that it was not, in fact, the Australian Labor Party's head of
planning, Councillor ABRAHAMS, who dreamed up this nonsense. We know,
of course, that her planning policy is not best practice. She told us in the Council
Chamber that she does not have the time in a day to respond to applications to
her ward, and it is also apparently not in her job description, which is very
disappointing, I would have to say—
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
Councillor COOPER:
—Madam Acting Chair. Last Wednesday, one of Councillor DICK's senior
colleagues sent out an email, and in that email—and I am quoting directly from
it: “I am looking for five or six people who have an interest in monitoring
development applications received by Council. That's why I am gathering a
team of locals to work with me to monitor, respond to and inform the broader
community to review development plans and planning reports, preparing media
releases or being a media spokesperson, helping draft and prepare submissions,
and community petitions.”
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor COOPER:
I hear that Councillor 'hear, hearing' herself on the other side of the Chamber.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor COOPER:
Well, apparently—
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
Councillor COOPER:
Did I name that local councillor? I did not. So, it is important to notice that this
local councillor apparently—apparently perhaps they are too busy to do their
job, perhaps they think that the local residents should do the job for that local
councillor, a job, of course, that that local councillor is paid very, very well to
undertake by the ratepayers of this city.
So the Australian Labor Party's planning initiative seems to involve basically
getting people to do the work that they are paid to do. It might not be part of
their job description, but I also note—
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
Councillor COOPER:
I also note that this goes against the very principles supposedly that the
Australian Labor Party is founded upon, because I don't see that there's any EBA
(enterprise bargaining agreement) with these local ratepayers. I don't see that
there's any maternity leave for these local—no rates to being paid for these local
ratepayers, no superannuation, no WorkCover. These residents, who will be
undertaking the role of the local Councillor have no recompense at all that is
going to be provided by that local Councillor. Of course, no union
representation—deeply, deeply concerning to me.
So, for the first time, we have seen the Australian Labor Party's planning
manifesto, and they are against workers' rights quite clearly. So this is the ALP
way, the Australian Labor Party way; they don't want to do their work. They
want everyone else to do it for them. They've even recycled this plan, because
this is a plan that was actually put to the voters in the election in 2012.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 17 Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor NEWTON, if you continue to interject, I will warn you.
Councillor COOPER:
It was comprehensively rejected then, and it should be comprehensively rejected
again. Do your job as the local councillor. It is good to encourage residents to be
part of the process, but it is your job to review the materials, to make comments,
to get involved with the local residents.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor COOPER—
Councillor COOPER:
Do your job that you're paid for.
Acting Chairman:
—unfortunately your time has expired. Councillor JOHNSTON.
Question 8
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, thank you; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. If only Council's DA
(Development Assessment) Planning Team would listen to my comments, we'd
be all better off. My question is to the LORD MAYOR. On Friday afternoon at
approximately 5pm I was advised that asbestos has been found in Yeronga
Memorial Park, one of the busiest district parks in my ward. The asbestos is in
the gutters, maintenance sheds and retaining walls associated with the old
Annerley Bowls Club.
Immediately after receiving this advice, I asked the Divisional Manager of
Brisbane Lifestyle for a copy of the report about the asbestos, and I asked what
was going to be done to fix this. Nothing—I have had no response now for two
days. LORD MAYOR, finding asbestos in one of the busiest parks in my ward,
which is currently used for a range of activities including outdoor activities on
the bowls club lawns, what steps will you take immediately to remove the
asbestos from this site, and to make this area safe? No plan has been given to
me, and I am told that an improvement project will be listed in the future.
Residents, the community groups, the users groups and veterans are all at risk
from the discovery of asbestos on this site—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
—and what steps will you immediately—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, stop. Councillor JOHNSTON, in accordance with
section 33(6) of the Meetings Local Law, your question is non-compliant. You
are able to submit it as a question on notice. Further questions; Councillor
WINES.
Councillor interjecting.
Question 9
Councillor WINES:
Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to Councillor ADAMS, Chairman
of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee. Businesses are a major backbone of our
city's economy. Investment in our city from big global companies right through
to local coffee shops is important as we grow as a new world city. I understand
that the Brisbane Lifestyle Division has implemented a number of important
initiatives to support our business community, such as the graffiti for small
business assist program—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Acting Chairman:
Point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Councillor WINES' question is long. He is making statements. He hasn't asked a
question. In line with your previous ruling, I would ask that you rule this
question out of order and be put on notice.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, Councillor WINES is being relevant in his question and
he is asking it appropriately. Councillor WINES, please conclude your question
so Councillor ADAMS can respond.
Councillor WINES:
Thank you, Madam Chairman; would you like me to begin again, or should I just
go from where I was?
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 18 Acting Chairman:
No, just go from where you were, please, Councillor WINES.
Councillor WINES:
Thank you—and our 133BNE which has just celebrated two years of success,
Councillor ADAMS, can you please update the Chamber on these initiatives and
others within your portfolio that are important to supporting Brisbane's business
community?
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair, and thank you, Councillor WINES for this
very important question, because we do know that the city's economy really is
the most important part for going forward as a new world city and our local
businesses are the backbone of that city's economy. It is a very important part of
our customer focus and our customer service within the Lifestyle portfolio that
we are supporting our businesses as part of a vision for our smart, prosperous
city. We have put in place some very important practical initiatives that reflect
our vision.
We believe that you should actually be doing the actions, not just talking the
rhetoric when it comes to supporting our business community. So of course we
are celebrating the two-year anniversary of our dedicated business hotline, 24hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, where businesses can ring through to 133BNE
and get information on a range of Council topics, including licensing,
development applications, business opportunities and procurement. It has gotten
so popular over the last two years with more than 65,000 responses to business
inquiries since its inception in 2012. That is an average of 2,700 calls each
month.
The most common questions are around cafés, opening a café or a restaurant in
Brisbane. I have to say, before we had the 133 BNE, the people that were
interested in those cafés and restaurants had to navigate the many aspects of
Council that they would have to touch base with to talk about setting up a café,
starting with DA, then talking to permits, talking to licences with CARS
Compliance and Regulatory Services), maybe talking to a FELO (Festival and
Events Liaison officer) if they had to actually set up an event for the opening,
talking to rates and about how they go forward in setting up a business. This
streamlines and simplifies it for business owners. I am pleased to say that more
than 70 per cent of our Brisbane businesses are now aware of 133BNE, and 90
per cent of the people calling the hotline said it actually made it easier for them
to do business.
Another example and a very important part of our 133BNE is FALO, our Film
and Advertising Liaison officers, and they have been doing a really great job in
helping those businesses coming to Brisbane or those companies seeking to do
filming approval around Brisbane. Brisbane has played host to a number of
television shows and feature films, including San Andreas, TV series Secrets &
Lies, and My Kitchen Rules in 2013-14.
There was actually one for a house renovation, I'm not sure what it was, just
down the road from me the other night that had all the lights up at midnight
getting their renovations done. So there's plenty happening around Brisbane. It is
a lot of work to coordinate those permits and various licences that might be
needed around footpath closures and park bookings. So it is great to see that we
are helping these people make it easier to do business in Brisbane.
The other one I spoke about a couple of weeks ago was the graffiti management
for small businesses. We want to support our small businesses by making sure
that they can keep themselves clean and green, that they are not being restricted
in their access by graffiti and people that are tagging their shops. So we've got a
joint initiative between Council and the Queensland Government to remove that
visual pollution around our actual businesses as well. It has got significant social
and financial impacts. People feel less likely to go into a store if it has been
graffitied, that there is that element of not feeling safe.
What we are doing is getting small businesses to access our prevention and
removal kits through the Business Assist program. They get an assessment of
the property; they get prevention advice and removal method instructions. We
work with the businesses to develop some effective management techniques for
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 19 going into the future, and we supply them with a toolkit for ongoing graffiti
mitigation as well.
So it actually includes a 12-page booklet that details the strategies on how to do
all of those things. So we really are arming them with the best and latest
knowledge that we have within our TAG (Taskforce Against Graffiti) Team—
and it is the best and latest knowledge on how to get that graffiti off quickly,
because rapid removal does really deter the graffiti on coming back.
Also we offer a value for money venue hire with our community halls. We're
making sure that they are open for a range of exhibitions, business functions and
conferences. We've got our stallholders at all our wonderful festivals and
markets that we now have, everything from theme eating areas to vintage
markets to live entertainment and creative pop-up concepts where we are trying
to get Brisbanites involved in the local community.
Madam Acting Chair, there is so much happening in our local businesses, and
Brisbane Lifestyle division is working hard to make sure that they are doing
Brisbane business easy in Brisbane.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you; that ends Question Time.
MOTION FOR SUSPENSION OF STANDING RULES:
286/2014-15
At that juncture, Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON moved, seconded by Councillor Steve GRIFFITHS, that the
Standing Rules be suspended to allow the moving of the following motion
That Council immediately fund an implement a remediation project to remove all asbestos from Yeronga
Memorial Park as a matter of urgency.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, to urgency; three minutes.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. On Friday afternoon, I was advised by the
Divisional Manager of Brisbane Lifestyle that this Council had found asbestos
in Yeronga Memorial Park. This asbestos had been found in the old Annerley
Bowls Club area, and it has been described as appearing in the gutters,
maintenance sheds, railings and retaining walls of this busy park.
I was advised on Friday afternoon—I have checked—it was approximately 3pm.
At 3.15pm I immediately responded to the Divisional Manager asking for a copy
of the report and asking what will be done to remediate the site and remove the
asbestos. It is now seven minutes past 3 on Tuesday and I have had no response.
Finding asbestos in a major public park is a huge issue. This area is right next to
the croquet club, outdoor users who share common infrastructure. It is right next
door to the commemorative area where our veterans, whose health is often a bit
frail as it is, meet, and it is immediately adjacent to residential areas. You could
reach out and touch the neighbouring houses next to this bowls club.
What I want to know, and why this is so important and so urgent today is, that
apparently this was just discovered on Friday afternoon. If that is the case, I
would have thought Council's immediate response would be to implement a
project to remediate and remove the asbestos. Why that has not happened, I
don't know. Why I've had no response to my inquiries about this asbestos, I don't
know. But asbestos is a major risk to our community. When we've seen it in
other parts of our city, we have seen a strong and a vital response from this
Council, and we are not seeing that same response in this part of Yeronga and
neighbouring Annerley.
I am extremely concerned that Council may have known about this for some
time and only told me late on Friday afternoon. I would like to know—and
certainly I would like a proper debate to ensure that we can fund an immediate
remediation project to remove this asbestos. That is the safe thing to do. That is
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 20 the right thing to do. If we know there is a problem there now, this Council must
act.
The deafening silence between Friday afternoon and today speaks volumes about
this Council. Asbestos is not something to be treated lightly. I say we should
have a full debate about this issue now, this afternoon, and this Council should
agree to prioritise funding for an asbestos remediation and removal process so
that this busy district park that is—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
—heritage listed can be remediated.
Acting Chairman:
—your time has expired. Further debate. I will now put the motion for urgency.
The Acting Chairman submitted the motion for the suspension of the Standing Rules to the Chamber and it was
declared lost on the voices.
Thereupon, Councillors Nicole JOHNSTON and Kim Flesser immediately rose and called for a division, which
resulted in the motion being declared lost.
The voting was as follows:
AYES: 8 -
The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors
Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS,
Victoria NEWTON, Shayne SUTTON and Nicole JOHNSTON.
NOES: 18 -
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 and Norm WYNDHAM.
CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS:
ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE
Acting Chairman:
LORD MAYOR, before you commence on the E&C, for all Councillors, I refer
to attachment C of item A, the draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan. All
Councillors may note at the bottom of each page there is a security label which
states: For Official Use Only. This document is, of course, a public document
and the security label in this instance should be disregarded.
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 17 November 2014, be adopted.
Acting Chairman:
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Before coming to the formal item on the
report today, I wanted to make comment on a number of other issues. Firstly in
relation to that urgency motion, Councillor ADAMS will make a statement in
regards to that at the start of her report today. That should allay the fears of
Councillor JOHNSTON.
It is White Ribbon Day today, 25 November. I just want to acknowledge the
work that Dame Quentin Bryce is undertaking with a number of organisations
around this State and the volunteers also that are supporting her in relation to the
White Ribbon campaign. As a part of that campaign, Dame Quentin Bryce
approached me last week, and in consultation with Councillor ADAMS, I gladly
agreed to light up the Story Bridge white tonight. So that will be our
contribution and recognition of White Ribbon Day.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 21 This coming Saturday will also see the launch of the first Brisbane Asia-Pacific
Film Festival (BAPFF) in our city. Many of you would have seen the catalogue
lift-out in weekend newspapers. The BAPFF, as it's called, will be a terrific
opportunity for people to engage with some of those nominated films as part of
the Asia-Pacific Screen Awards and a number of other films. Eighty in all will
be shown over about 120 screenings.
The rich tapestry of film from around the Asia-Pacific region, is a terrific
product that is growing exponentially each year, both in terms of box office and
in relation to the industries. It will be the start of what I think will be an annual
event in our city. So it is out there. Many of them are paid, because they will be
in cinemas, but there are others that will be free of charge for the people of
Brisbane to engage with and enjoy.
Just on that same vein, I wanted to announce that today we announced
Australian producer Emile Sherman as the 2014 recipient of the International
Federation of Film Producers Association's Award for Outstanding
Achievement in Film in the Asia-Pacific Region. We also congratulate Iranian
writer-producer-director Reza Dormishian, the 2014 recipient of the APSA
(Asia-Pacific Screen Academy) NETPACK Development Prize for his second
feature film, Asabani Nistam!—translated into English, that means I'm Not
Angry!
This award is supported by both the APSA and the Griffith Film School at
Griffith University. Australian producer Emile Sherman receives this award
having enjoyed outstanding achievements for a career body of work, while
Iranian Reza Dormishian is an emerging filmmaker, deserving of support and
investment in the development of his next story.
This week I will be sending out letters primarily to corporate Brisbane but to
other individuals as well seeking support for the Lord Mayor's Annual
Christmas Appeal. This is an annual occurrence, obviously, as the title says, and
it is where we ask the people of Brisbane to extend some consideration towards
giving the Lord Mayor's Charitable Trust the opportunity to distribute funds to
those groups that are doing a terrific job out there, making sure that there is a
little bit of joy in Christmas for everybody, regardless of people's circumstances.
I just want at this time also to congratulate all of those organisations that do the
hard yards. Our job here is to simply give them a bit of a hand up, both in terms
of toys, goods and cash, and to make their job of delivery just that little bit
easier. That contribution has been in the form of about $800,000 over the last 10
years, and again we look forward to helping those organisations this year.
During the course of the week, we also announced, together with the State
Government, that the Brisbane sign would be remaining as a permanent feature
at South Bank. The sign that is there currently has a limited lifetime. The Men's
Sheds and other organisations that were involved in that project, including
Multicap and others, have done a terrific job. It's just had terrific coverage. That
sign has been seen around the globe, but we do want to, based on the feedback
we've had, establish some permanent type of sign at South Bank, and that will
be worked up with the State Government over the coming period of time.
Today, item A is an item about a neighbourhood plan, and in this case it is the
Taringa Neighbourhood Plan. This particular item, we saw at a meeting on
12 August this year, Council resolved to amend the Brisbane City Plan 2014 to
include the draft neighbourhood plan to make an associated interim Local
Government Infrastructure Plan amendment. The debate around the Taringa
Neighbourhood Plan has been going on for quite some time. It started back in
2010, and at that time it was looking at the joint areas of St Lucia and Taringa,
but it has evolved into this Taringa plan. So there has been a lot of work done on
it. It is presented by way of an attachment at today's meeting.
Essentially it is designed to do a number of things. It delivers a blueprint to
provide clarity to the community and the development industry in terms of those
locations, so those sites where future development can occur and the nature of it.
It also provides an opportunity to encourage a higher density and mixed-use
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 22 development in the established Taringa Village, to support the area's renewal,
and to take advantage of its proximity to the Taringa Railway Station, where
that opportunity for residential and public transportation disciplines or mixes
can come together.
It also provides an opportunity to create vibrant, high-quality pedestrian scale
streetscapes close to the Taringa Railway Station and indeed to encourage
sustainable transport choices with the new development there. Of course, it will
have both pedestrian and cycling connectivity upgrades, linkages to the Taringa
Railway Station. So we look forward to any considerations that Councillors
might have around the plan today. We intend, after today, given its support, to
move forward. There is, of course, a further State interest check, and further
community consultation that will occur. Then we will obviously be giving
consideration to those submissions down the track. Thank you, Madam
Chairman.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair; I, too, rise to speak on clause A, which is the
draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan. This is a neighbourhood plan which began,
as the LORD MAYOR said, in a different name—the Taringa/St Lucia
Neighbourhood Plan, which began back in 2010. So we're looking at around
four to five years that we've taken to get this stage. I note that it was placed on
hold mid-2011 as a result, of course of the January devastating floods, so that
further work on flooding, transport and infrastructure could be undertaken.
As a result of that, we know that St Lucia was removed; surrounding suburbs
and locations were included, and interestingly at the time it was identified that
there needed to be longer term improvements to Moggill Road. The LORD
MAYOR didn't talk about that, but I will refer to the attachment in a moment,
particularly surrounding Moggill Road. Anyone who lives or perhaps drives
around this part of the world just knows how treacherous and the queuing and
congestion around the whole of Moggill Road, and what a nightmare that can be
for commuters and people going about their lives and business.
As the LORD MAYOR said, the Taringa Neighbourhood Plan came to Council
on 12 August, so that we could then get the State Government tick-off, so that
they could identify any State interest. As the LORD MAYOR said, we will be
going through another State interest check, but I just reiterate what I have said
before about this: I do believe it is unnecessary, the new provisions and
requirements that the State has put in another layer which has been, I believe,
holding up our neighbourhood planning process, where we actually need
approval from the state to continue or even with an existing neighbourhood plan.
On the issue of Moggill Road, I just bring to your attention, Madam Acting
Chair, on page 29 of the attachment of the Draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan
planning scheme, the amendment package, under the Schedule, Works for
Future Trunk Infrastructure, I am concerned that we will be increasing the
amount of people and inviting people to call this part of Brisbane home without
providing the adequate infrastructure to meet a growing suburb.
When you look at the schedule for the year of completion, particularly for the
improvements to Moggill Road, there are a number of road upgrades,
intersection upgrades, and whole associated works required, the majority of
those are due for completion within the 12 to17-year mark. So, within 12 to 17
years, we are going to be seeing those improvements. Now, I am concerned,
whilst I don't have any burning strong objections to what the community has
identified here in some of these issues, I do want to flag particularly that
congestion issue is, I guess, one I think the Council really needs to do a lot
better with. We need to start working with the State Government a lot more
effectively, particularly to address some of those congestion issues. Congestion
is already a problem now. We know from the feedback that we have received,
and obviously from those people who are already existing residents, we know
that congestion is a problem, and I am concerned that we may see further
problems as a result of this neighbourhood plan.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 23 Labor councillors won't be formally objecting or voting against this
neighbourhood plan today. We understand that there has been an awful lot of
work done into this plan and it has taken an enormous amount of time. I think
probably one of the longest ones that we've seen for some time—four to five
years—and we're not finished yet.
Councillor interjecting.
Councillor DICK:
While there's been a lot of controversy around neighbourhood planning, and
once again we flag our concerns that they're not worth the paper they're written
on, we're seeing more and more examples of that, sadly. This Council will agree
to one thing and then turn around and do the complete opposite. So I certainly
hope that this isn’t the case with this neighbourhood plan, and I certainly hope
that those congestion and traffic improvements will be addressed a lot quicker
that have been identified.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor SIMMONDS.
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. As the local councillor, I rise to add
my support to item A, the Taringa Neighbourhood Plan. It is very exciting as the
local councillor on behalf of the local community to see this plan progressing.
Since the initial consultation, we had the floods and other items which meant
this plan took a little bit more time. Given the time period that has elapsed
between the initial consultation in 2010 and now going out with this plan, I do
expect a debate, and a healthy debate, within the community, but I am very
much looking forward to it.
I think it is a credit to the draft plan that we have in front of us that the majority
of residential areas of Taringa as we know them will stay as we know them, and
that they are able to be protected in their current zoning, and that there will be
very little change to the majority of residents within Taringa. Where there will
be change proposed, of course, is in the Taringa Village which is along Moggill
Road and Morrow Street there, that people would know as they drive along that
stretch. That is where there is a truly great opportunity for the area of the Walter
Taylor Ward, and where I am most excited.
I have been dismayed since I have become the councillor in 2010—I think I have
spoken on this issue before—I have been dismayed at the turnover of businesses
in the Taringa area. It is a really tough site to make work. I have commented on
it in other forums, partly seriously, partly to get a bit of a laugh, but in fact the
longest serving business up there is the adult store. That is what survives. What
we want surviving up there is the cafés and the gyms and all the rest of it. In
order to do that, they need the residential population supporting them.
As a community, we can talk about this area of Taringa having a village feel, and
that is what I also want to maintain, along with residents, and what residents
have spoken to me about. But it is one thing to talk about this area as the
Taringa Village and quite another to face the realities of the topography of this
location and the transport restrictions that are imposed, where people have to
travel up the hill from the Taringa residential populations or drive along Moggill
Road and find the limited parking between Moggill Road and the railway
corridor to service these businesses.
What they really need to make these businesses work is a residential population
of a certain base within the Taringa Village area. That is where this plan offers
those opportunities, to bring those residents to the area to support good, local,
hard-working businesses at the same time as preserving the majority of the
Taringa residential area as they currently know it. I note Councillor DICK's
comments.
My view of it is that we can certainly support the possibilities that this plan
brings. We have a railway corridor on one side, including the Taringa Station,
which is accessible from the Taringa Village itself, so you've got a train line
directly there on the village. You also have, of course, Moggill Road where
you've got a bus running every two to three minutes in peak hour. That is a
location that is about as well serviced by public transport as you will find in this
city. Therefore there is the opportunity there to make more of it.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 24 I also welcome within the plan the further clarity on what the future corridor of
Moggill Road will look like. I think this is yet another important step forward in
terms of traffic management within the western suburbs. It adds to the work that
has already been completed by this Administration, including Legacy Way
which is predicted to take up to 18 per cent of traffic off Moggill Road, the new
Coonan Street intersection delivered through the development assessment
process as part of the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre upgrade, the Congestion
Reduction Unit project that is being undertaken on Coonan Street at the moment
to add another additional lane of traffic.
Council has already purchased the Indooroopilly roundabout for future upgrades,
and then we've got this Taringa plan talking about the future of Moggill Road.
So you can start to see a pipeline of projects building which will address
congestion in the western suburbs in the future years to come.
I have to say it is in stark contrast to previous Labor administrations who
basically threw up their hands and didn’t touch the western suburbs for the
period that they were in office, with very, very—well, I can basically say no
traffic infrastructure coming out of this Council during previous Labor
administrations for those western suburbs. They certainly weren’t in a hurry to
touch Moggill Road.
So, in contrast, this Administration is building this pipeline of good, solid
projects to help cater for traffic congestion within the western suburbs. On that
basis, I just reiterate again and thank very much Councillor COOPER and the
planning officers who have worked to bring the Taringa plan to this stage. I very
much look forward to the discussion once this goes out with my local
community. Thank you.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, just a few quick comments on the draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan.
Firstly, I note that just the suburb of Taringa is included in this neighbourhood
plan, and that is interesting, because that is not how other areas of the city are
being treated. But I am happy for Taringa that their one little suburb is being
addressed by its own individual neighbourhood plan.
But as I've been listening to the debate, I have become concerned about the
comments of Councillor SIMMONDS and his justification for the changes
within the neighbourhood plan area. They are that there is extremely good
public transport; there's a rail line, and there are frequent buses. There are areas
in need of revitalisation from an urban amenity and retail point of view. What
we are seeing, then, is a lost opportunity.
The other thing I should note is that the Walter Taylor Ward, as we've all found
out recently, is now under its population target for the ward. So there is a—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, that does not have anything to do with the draft
neighbourhood plan—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Population—
Acting Chairman:
Confine your remarks to the neighbourhood plan, please.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Madam Chairman, both the South East Queensland Regional Plan and this
neighbourhood plan address the issue of where population growth in our city
should go. I note that, on the latest figures, it is not going in this area of the city.
That is the point that I am making. I am concerned that the way in which this
neighbourhood plan has been drafted is further restricting those growth
opportunities around Taringa.
The reasons that Councillor SIMMONDS has outlined today—public transport,
population growth, retail and urban amenity—are reasons that he says there
should be more growth in the area. I am concerned that this has been a lost
opportunity. Councillor SIMMONDS has hived off a tiny part—a tiny part—of
Taringa which is already under enormous pressure with access. Anybody who
drives through there understands the area that he is talking about.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 25 If there was to be a genuine look at where growth should go in this part of our
city, it should certainly be beyond the narrow corridor that relates to Moggill
Road. Moggill Road is four lanes; there is a rail line; and there are buses every
five minutes, as we have heard. In other parts of the city where this Council has
forced zoning increases, those sorts of infrastructure criteria aren’t there. So why
is it that we are seeing such a tiny change, preservation largely of an otherwise
urban inner-city area with excellent public transport, why are we seeing it
preserved?
The South East Queensland Regional Plan makes it clear that there should be
further growth, particularly around Toowong—that is one of our secondary
centres. Why has that part of Taringa running down to Toowong not particularly
been included in that growth zone? These are all questions that have not been
answered. I suspect that it is because that Councillor SIMMONDS doesn’t really
want to see that kind of growth in his ward. But if he is not going to see it
through the rezoning of parts of his ward, he is going to see it through boundary
changes.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor COOPER.
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and that was a rather bizarre series of
comments by the previous speaker. Let's speak about the facts of the matter,
shall we? Okay, so this item A is the draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan. It has
gone out there for community feedback. We have been talking to the community
on a range of different occasions. We actually had three Talk to a Planner
sessions; we had surveys; people have been really interested in commenting on
the local area.
Of course, there was a lot of feedback from the community asking for us to make
sure that we would plan for infrastructure to keep pace with the planned
population growth. Particularly the community were very keen to talk about the
future of Moggill Road. In fact, that is what is encompassed within this plan.
There are very specific provisions relating to Moggill Road.
But it is not just going to happen overnight. It is going to be a gradual thing. By
doing this plan, Council is planning for that future and making very clear to the
community as to what our expectations are and what are commitment is to the
community. We have also had, when we changed the boundaries and removed
St Lucia, we really had clear advice from the University of Queensland that they
would be considering master planning over the whole of their site, so that is 114
hectares of land—a huge influence in that local area.
Until they have come out and finalised and made it clear as to what they intend,
that particular part of our city, which is the second largest traffic generator after
the CBD in Brisbane—so think about the outcomes of that if it makes significant
changes—those things need to be factored into any plan. That is one of the main
reasons why we actually did remove St Lucia from consideration. Of course,
there were considerations of the flooding in January 2011. So a range of things
meant that that outcome was desirable.
We have also reviewed the draft plan area, and we have included Brisbane Boys
College. They've got significant road frontage on to Moggill Road, so that is
now incorporated in part of the site. Specifically, we have gone out to the
community in March of this year advising them about the revision of the draft
plan area and telling them we would be focusing primarily on Taringa.
We have also made other changes relating to building heights, the building
alignment to allow for a road upgrade, widening and addressing of public
benefit requirements. Both Moggill Road and Taringa Village have been
identified as areas of growth in City Plan 2014, so Taringa is a growth node, and
is part of the Brisbane south-west rail transport corridor.
In the neighbourhood plan, there are three particular precincts that are proposed
for higher levels of development potential. The Taringa Core Precinct is
designed to be the heart of Taringa with a mix of shops, cafés, restaurants,
commercial, residential and community uses. It is proposed to be eight storeys;
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 26 that is consistent with what was proposed under the St Lucia/Taringa Strategy. It
is currently five under the current City Plan.
The Gateway Precinct is proposed to have a maximum building height of
12 storeys, and this is consistent with the draft renewal strategy. It is currently
five storeys under City Plan 2014. This is proposed to be mixed use and about
providing that streetscape link with the railway station to the village. Harrys
Road East Precinct—development within this precinct is proposed to have
activation at ground, with a high focus on residential development. This has a
maximum building height proposed to be 10 storeys, with building height
proposed to transition to the adjoining residential areas as required in the centre
or mixed use code.
So there are a range of particular proposals. The draft plan is really also about
ensuring we get a vibrant and high-quality streetscape, so we want to have nonresidential uses at the ground level with residential development above. We
have also got specific provisions about setbacks. For example, if a site fronts
Moggill Road or Morrow Road, the draft plan proposes a maximum three
storeys within 10 metres of the street boundary. If the building site is in Harrys
Road Precinct, the draft plan proposes a maximum of three storeys within five
metres of the street boundary.
The plan also includes parks; we've got two new parks that are proposed within
the plan. We've also got upgrades proposed for existing parks. Also, we have
added to our significant landscape tree overlay code—thank you very much to
Councillor BOURKE for his team's input to that. Councillor SCHRINNER is
going to be very busy; we have given him within this plan six intersection
upgrades and seven road upgrades which are planned for in the medium term.
In particular, this plan is a plan that has been delivered in consultation with the
local community. We are now going to be sending it to the State Government.
Once it has been approved by them, then it will go out for formal consultation
for further feedback from the residents of the local area.
I would particularly like to thank the local councillor; he has been a very active
and passionate advocate for the urban renewal process. He has been involved the
whole way through. I really appreciate him acting as a genuine champion of the
local plan. I would like to thank the Urban Renewal Team. They have done a
fantastic job, and we look forward to working more on the plans for Taringa.
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you, Councillor COOPER. Further debate; 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.
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
DRAFT TARINGA NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
152/160/516/388 and 152/160/516/402
287/2014-15
1.
The Divisional Manager, City Planning and Sustainability Division provided the information below.
2.
At the meeting of 12 August 2014, Council resolved to amend Brisbane City Plan 2014 (the planning
scheme) to include the draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan and to make an associated interim Local
Government Infrastructure Plan amendment (interim LGIP amendment).
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 27 -
3.
By letter dated 14 October 2014, the Queensland Government Minister for State Development,
Infrastructure and Planning confirmed the state interests to be addressed in the planning scheme
amendments (Attachment B, submitted on file).
4.
The draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan Planning Scheme Amendment Package (the proposed
amendment) has been prepared in accordance with Step 3 of Stage 1 of Part 2.4A.1 of Statutory
Guideline 04/14 (the Guideline) and is set out in Attachment C, submitted on file. This includes an
interim LGIP amendment.
5.
The proposed amendment, including the interim LGIP amendment, provides a blueprint to guide future
development in the draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan area and advances the following objectives:
to provide clarity for the community and the development industry, of what future
development can occur in the area including key sites and areas of interest
to encourage higher density mixed use development in the established Taringa Village to
support the area’s renewal and to take advantage of its proximity to the Taringa Railway
Station
to create vibrant, high quality, pedestrian-scale streetscapes close to the Taringa Railway
Station
to encourage sustainable transport choices with new development to enhance pedestrian and
cyclist connectivity and amenity to the Taringa Railway Station
to preserve the opportunity for future upgrade and widening of the Moggill Road corridor.
6.
Community feedback from the earlier Taringa/St Lucia neighbourhood planning process that began in
2010 has been used in the preparation of the proposed amendment. The study area has been revised to
focus solely on Taringa. The community was updated on the Taringa neighbourhood planning process
via a newsletter on 31 March 2014. Internal Council stakeholders and Queensland Government
agencies have been involved in preparing the proposed amendment.
7.
Should Council resolve to progress the proposed amendment, it will be referred to the Minister for
State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, requesting a state interest review and seeking
agreement to publicly consult on the amendment.
8.
The Divisional Manager, City Planning and Sustainability Division provided the following
recommendation and the Committee agrees.
9.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL RESOLVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ATTACHMENT A, hereunder.
Attachment A
Draft Resolution
TO PROCEED TO AMEND THE BRISBANE CITY PLAN 2014 TO INCLUDE THE DRAFT
TARINGA NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
THAT IT BE RESOLVED THAT
Council:
1.
2.
at its meeting on 12 August 2014 decided to:
a.
amend Brisbane City Plan 2014 (the planning scheme) to include the draft Taringa
Neighbourhood Plan; and
b.
make an interim local government infrastructure plan amendment to the local
government infrastructure plan (LGIP) in Part 4 of the planning scheme.
pursuant to Step 3.1 of Stage 1 of Part 2.4A.1 of Statutory Guideline 04/14 (the Guideline), and
having complied with Step 3.2 of Stage 1 of Part 2.4A.1 of the Guideline, proposes to amend the
planning scheme to include the draft Taringa Neighbourhood Plan and to make consequential
amendments as set out in Attachment C, submitted on file; and
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 28 3.
pursuant to Step 2.1 of Stage 1 of Part 2.3B.1 of the Guideline, and having complied with Step
2.3 of Stage 1 of Part 2.3B1, proposes an interim LGIP amendment be made as set out in
Attachment C, submitted on file; and
4.
pursuant to Step 4.1 of Stage 1 of Part 2.4A.1 of the Guideline, directs that the Minister be sent a
copy of the proposed amendment (Attachment C, submitted on file), the reports and statements
pursuant to Step 4.1(d) of Stage 1 of Part 2.4A.1 of the Guideline and requesting:
c.
a state interest review of those amendments; and
d.
the Minister’s agreement to publicly consult on those amendments.
ADOPTED
MOTION FOR SUSPENSION OF STANDING RULES:
288/2014-15
At that juncture, Councillor Milton DICK moved, seconded by Councillor Victoria NEWTON, that the Standing
Rules be suspended to allow the moving of the following motion
That this Council condemns the recommendations within the Abbott Government’s Productivity Commission
Natural Disaster Funding Agreements draft report, which will make it harder and more expensive for local
councils to recover and rebuild following natural disasters.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor DICK, to urgency, please.
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair. It is urgent that this Council today sends the strongest
possible message to the Federal Government that we will not support a cost shift
on to local government when it comes to natural disaster recovery. Madam
Acting Chair, it is urgent that, because as we head towards storm season, as we
head towards flood season, as we head towards natural disaster season, the
people of our city and indeed our state deserve to know if they are hit by natural
disaster we can help them.
It is urgent that we know through media reports today that the LORD MAYOR
has remained silent on this issue. He broke his silence after being questioned by
local journalists. This is the LORD MAYOR who was Chair of the Council of
Mayors (SEQ). This is the LORD MAYOR who needs to show leadership.
It is urgent that today we act in a bipartisan approach to send a clear and concise
message that, when it comes to natural disaster, we won't cop what the Federal
Government has planned. We know through the January 2011 floods that this
bill for this Council was around $399 million in claims to the QRA (Queensland
Reconstruction Authority). If these proposals proceed, and we know that the
announcement is coming before Christmas—that is also why it is urgent—this
Council under that bill would have received a payout that we would have had to
fork out of around $100 million.
It is urgent that today we work together across the party aisles so that we send a
clear, concise, strong, united message to the Federal Government that we won't
cop what they have got planned. Just once, Madam Chair, just once I would like
this LORD MAYOR and the LNP Council to stand up and be counted, to not be
afraid. It is all very well going out in the media being the big lions, but when
they come into this Council Chamber, they're the big lambs. Silent as a lamb.
Well, Madam Chair, it is time; I can see the LORD MAYOR reading this motion
today. He should have got up in E&C today; we should be debating this as a
matter of urgency, as a Council. I certainly hope that, if the LORD MAYOR is
serious—we've had the lectures about Christmas lights, awards—this is core
Council business. This is what the E&C should be deciding. Why aren't they
talking about this? Why aren't they leading by example, showing leadership?
Madam Acting Chair, I am calling on the LORD MAYOR and every single
Councillor today to show leadership, to show a united stance to the Federal
Government: we won't cop what they've got planned, and neither will our
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 29 ratepayers that we proudly serve and represent. All of us, all of us saw the
devastation—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor DICK, your time has expired.
Councillor DICK:
—of those floods. It is time now for action.
Acting Chairman:
I would just, as a point of clarity, Councillor DICK, the urgency motion that
you've presented in writing states that Councillor ABRAHAMS has seconded.
As Councillor ABRAHAMS was not in the Chamber, Councillor NEWTON
stood to second it, so we will amend the written copy to reflect that Councillor
NEWTON actually seconded your request to suspend Standing Orders.
Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I do not need any rhetoric from you. I will now put the
urgency motion.
The Chairman submitted the motion for the suspension of the Standing Rules to the Chamber and it was
declared carried on the voices.
Motion moved
289/2014-15
At that juncture, Councillor Milton DICK moved, seconded by Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS—
That this Council condemns the recommendations within the Abbott Government’s Productivity Commission
Natural Disaster Funding Agreements draft report, which will make it harder and more expensive for local
councils to recover and rebuild following natural disasters.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased that once again I am leading this
Council to actually take action. I know that if we left it up to the LORD
MAYOR, the Civic Cabinet and the LNP Council, they would have remained
silent. But I am happy to play a constructive role always dragging them kicking
and screaming—
Councillor interjecting.
Councillor DICK:
Well, that's what's happened. We had Question Time today; we had an E&C
Report; not a peep out of the LNP, not a word. Well, Madam Chair, today is the
day where we unite as the largest Council in Australia and tell the Federal
Government, and I am glad that we will be condemning the Abbott Government
today, and today, Madam Chair,
So, Madam Chair, allow me to brief the Chamber today on what the draft
recommendation 3.1 actually says: “The Australian Government should, 'reduce
its marginal cost-sharing contribution rate to disaster recovery outlays to 50 per
cent under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements; increase the
triggers for Australian Government assistance, and in conjunction with this
reduction in funding assistance, the Australian Government should provide state
and territory governments with increased autonomy to manage relief and
recovery expenditure in a way that reflects the preferences and characters of
their communities.”
Well, if there was ever, ever cost shifting in place, it is that recommendation.
Governments across all political persuasions have understood the importance
that local government plays in cleaning up as a result of the natural disaster. It is
our Council workforce, it is our Council officers, it is our community working
together to put the community back together. What this recommendation does
by the Abbott Government puts all of that at risk.
The draft report—there are two findings: 2.2 and 2.4. I quote from draft finding
2.4: “the bias in the NDRRA (Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery
Arrangements) toward rebuilding damaged assets to their pre-disaster standards
leads to excessive construction expenditure.” I want to be really clear on this.
The Abbott Government, and through that government, they believe that
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 30 councils should pick up the bill. Well, I say we do enough heavy lifting as it is.
It is bad enough that we see cuts across the board. This cut is too much. It is too
fast, and local governments, not just this local government, but local
governments right across Queensland, will be out of pocket and dangerously
unable to deliver important reconstruction of important infrastructure.
I go on regarding the State Government submission. To their credit, the State
Government, Minister Crisafulli, issued a statement. Nothing from this LORD
MAYOR or this LNP Council, not one peep until I moved this motion today. No
statement, no comments, nothing, zilch. Once again we see time and time again
this Council unable to stand up to the Federal Government.
Well, I am glad I have dragged them across the line today, and do you know
what, Madam Acting Chair? I will keep doing it. I will keep fighting and
making sure that this Council gets a fair go. But what did the State Government
say regarding their submission? Generally this is what they said, and I quote,
“any changes that would see a reduction in Commonwealth NDRRA funding,
such as those in the report of the National Commission of Audit
recommendations would have a catastrophic fiscal impact for State, its local
governments and residents.”
I refer, for your reference, to page 38: “The Queensland Government does not
believe there is a demonstrated need to change the current levels of funding
protection to aid recovery from rapid onset disasters and in fact believes that a
change would have negative impacts on the Queensland and Australian
community.” I agree with the Queensland Government. What I want this
Council to do today is send a very strong united message, a very clear and
concise message: we will not cop what they are planning.
We know through media reports that the decision will be made before Christmas.
This is one step in that process across local government. We can be leaders
today. We can lead the way. It is disappointing that it has taken this motion for
this Council to speak. Not one word since we have been back in Chambers; not
one word from this LORD MAYOR. Not one word from one single councillor.
They are going to get up today and criticise me and say my motives for doing
this, but my motives are very clear, Madam Acting Chair.
As someone who represented a flood-affected community, I could not go back to
that community, look those people in the eye and say, you're on your own. I will
never do that, and I will never stand by and allow this Council or any other
government to take disaster recovery results more than serious, because we have
a duty of care to those people, particularly in our suburbs, across our city, but
more importantly across our State. Today I urge every single Councillor to
support this motion.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Thanks very much, Madam Chairman. I just wanted to enter into this debate,
because we have been sort of on the public record now for some time, and
Councillor DICK is standing here today like he's introducing some new whiz
bang sort of approach. We have been out there on the public record in October
in relation to this matter, so he is a month out of date in regards to that.
The reality is that I was at the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors during the
time of the hearings, but Councillor SCHRINNER, as DEPUTY MAYOR, with
my knowledge, attended that press conference on that occasion to indicate the
position of this Council, the fact that we did not support the recommendations,
or the considerations as it was at that time, of the Productivity Commission.
Also, obviously this Council lodged its submission. It did that by way of
indicating the impact that there would be by way of a reduction of the
percentage of commitment from the Federal Government around disasters. I
wonder whether Councillor DICK has lodged a submission? I don't believe so. I
have checked, and he has not lodged a submission.
So he stands here today, you know, claiming that we've got to get on the front
foot and ra, ra, ra, but he hasn't lodged a submission. Maybe it's because he's
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 31 spent far too much time doing reviews of federal election results and helping out
Annastacia Palaszczjuk, but he did not lodge a submission. So come on, as
Leader of the Opposition, on an issue of this sort where you're saying that local
government has got to stand as one, surely you would do that at the start.
For Councillor DICK, it is about politics today.
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Yes, we did. We put one in, Madam Chairman, as a submission in relation to
this, and as Leader of this Council—
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
LORD MAYOR:
As Leader of this Council, we put one in, absolutely we did. We did it not a
month ago as per our press statements; we did that a significant time ago, some
months ago. We lodged our submission, and nailed our colours to the mast. The
DEPUTY MAYOR, because I wasn't in town on that particular day, he stood
there at that press conference again to indicate this Council's position.
Again, it is about politics. If you read the motion, Madam Chairman, that is
before us, it uses the words, the Abbott Government's Productivity Commission.
Now, Madam Chairman, let's be absolutely clear on this. If you look up the
Productivity Commission, it clearly states that it is an independent research and
advisory group. So again, this is where they play the politics. At the end of this
address, I will be moving the deletion of those words 'Abbott Government'
because—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:
Not predictable, precise. Not predictable, precise, Councillor NEWTON. What is
predictable is that you’re always on about the politics. Come in here today,
waving the red flag, instead of lodging a submission beforehand.
So, Madam Chairman, let's have the motion, happy to have the debate, happy to
stand firm on this issue, as we have been consistently, but let's take the blatant
Labor politics out of it. Let's have a statement which is accurate, which all
councillors in this place can nail their colours to the mast on.
Quite clearly, as was stated in our submission, the move to reduce the Federal
component from 75 to 50 per cent as proposed by the Productivity Commission
would be too great a burden, not only on local governments but indeed on state
governments as well. The actual amount of an event rises from a couple of
hundred thousand dollars as it stands at the moment through to $2 million. That
will affect smaller councils in Queensland particularly badly as well, where they
have those events which cause damage to that extent. To have a new benchmark
of $2 million as a minimum would be a big burden on many of those smaller
local authorities.
But the big one for us, as Brisbane, obviously would be the shift, if it were to
occur, from 75 per cent to 50 per cent. As we know, that would place more
burden on to the state, and the most likely outcome is that there would be a
greater burden upon local authorities. So that is why Councillor SCHRINNER
stood shoulder to shoulder with those others out of that Productivity
Commission hearing in Brisbane on that day to make sure that we were making
our position very, very clear and very known.
MOTION FOR AMENDMENT TO MOTION:
290/2014-15
It was moved by the LORD MAYOR, seconded by the DEPUTY MAYOR that the words ‘Abbott
Government’s” be removed from the motion, so that the motion would now be as follows:
That this Council condemns the recommendations within the Productivity Commission Natural Disaster
Funding Agreements draft report, which will make it harder and more expensive for local councils to recover
and rebuild following natural disasters.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 32 Councillors interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Hang on, point of order.
Acting Chairman:
Order!
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Chairman.
Acting Chairman:
Point of order.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman, the motion has to be moved; then we have a debate and
then you put the motion for the vote. We have missed a step, Madam Chairman.
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order! Order! I am going to wait until everyone is silent in this place. We will
have debate on the amendment. LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:
Madam Chairman, I indicated very clearly that the Productivity Commission's
website clearly states—and this is a direct quote—it is an independent research
and advisory group. That is what it is. By attaching the words 'Abbott
Government's' to this just politicises this motion today unnecessarily so.
The government will have to consider the recommendations of the Productivity
Commission, no question about that. No one is arguing that. But the
Productivity Commission does its work, it puts up recommendations, and then
the government makes its determination. So what we are clearly doing today as
a Council is to express a view in relation to the Productivity Commission's
recommendation. That is where it sits. At some later time, if the Abbott
Government makes a decision, then I'm happy to have the words included at that
time, but I am not going to see the Productivity Commission politicised by way
of words in this motion which removes its very clearly stated intent as an
independent research and advisory group.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Look, Madam Chair, I'll be very brief. If this is what it takes to get the LNP over
the line, and they want to air brush the Abbott Government out of it, because
they are embarrassed or they're ashamed or whatever reason they don't want it
because they don't want to attack the Abbott Government or whatever, it is the
Australian Government Productivity Commission, Tony Abbott is the Prime
Minister, everyone knows the Federal Government is called the Abbott
Government, but—but, Madam Chair, in the spirit of the LORD MAYOR being
dragged kicking and screaming as a result of me moving this today, and, you
know, I congratulate the LNP that they—you know, they didn't want to get up
and talk about it—
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor DICK:
Sorry, Madam Chair, I was just ignoring those interjections—that they didn't talk
about it, that they didn’t want to actually acknowledge it, not a word—
Christmas lights, big awards—but not the actual issues of the day. You would
have thought that someone would have asked a question about something or
somewhere about this issue, considering it was running in the media today, but
nonetheless, Madam Chair, in the spirit of bipartisanship, I am happy to let this
one go to the keeper. I am disappointed, but you know what? Not surprised.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor FLESSER.
Councillor FLESSER:
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a couple of comments. I will support the
amendment, but let's be clear about this. It is the Abbott Government that called
for this report. The Productivity Commission didn't decide it by themselves. The
other thing is that I think this amendment slightly takes away some of the
importance of the original motion. We know that the LORD MAYOR is a
member of the LNP; Mr Abbott is also a member of the LNP. Couldn’t there be
some benefit to this Council if they got together? I think that taking away the
Abbott Government out of this motion does reduce the importance of the actual
motion.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 33 We've got an LNP LORD MAYOR; we've got an LNP Prime Minister. I think
that taking that away does diminish the importance of the motion. But if that is
what we need to do to get this motion over the line, and I assume we will be
sending that to the Federal Government representatives, certainly the ones in
Queensland but certainly I hope that there will be some efforts to make sure that
the Abbott Government is aware of this motion, I am happy for it to go through.
I think it does diminish the importance a bit, but I am pleased that the LNP
councillors are going to support it.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, just briefly, Madam Chairman. Just for the sake of interest, I refer to the
public inquiry terms of reference for the Natural Disaster Funding Initiative of
the Australian Government Productivity Commission, and it reads, “I, Joseph
Benedict Hockey, Treasurer, pursuant to “arts 2 and 3 of the Productivity
Commission Act 1998, hereby request that the Productivity Commission
undertake an inquiry into the efficacy of the current national natural disaster
funding arrangements. The inquiry should take into account the priority of
effective mitigation to reduce the impact of disasters on communities.”
Madam Chairman, I know that there are a lot of people in this year in particular
who think Joe Hockey should not be part of the Federal Abbott Government, but
last time I checked he was. It does seem to be a bit petty to me that the LORD
MAYOR is trying to whitewash the name of the government that requested this
review from the motion today.
Let's be clear: it was the Treasurer, Joe Hockey, who requested this. He is part of
the Abbott Government, and Madam Chairman, the LORD MAYOR perhaps is
unaware of who his Federal colleagues are in the Abbott Government. But let
me say, Joe Hockey is still the Treasurer. He's a fairly senior minister. He has
had a bit of a rocky road this year in terms of the budget and his biography and
some other incidents that have happened, and I can understand why the LORD
MAYOR of this city doesn’t particularly want to acknowledge who the
members of the Abbott Government are.
But Joe Hockey, the Federal Treasurer of Australia, is part of the Abbott
Government. I hear Tony Abbott in fact saying quite often that Joe Hockey is an
important member of his Abbott Government. I think it is a bit sad from
somebody who calls himself Team QUIRK that he cannot recognise—
Councillor KING:
Point of order—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
—the team at the Federal level, the Abbott—
Acting Chairman:
Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON. Councillor KING.
Councillor KING:
Madam Chair, I ask that you bring the councillor back to the actual report.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor KING, we are debating the amendment at the moment which is the
removal of the words 'Abbott Government's'; Councillor JOHNSTON, can you
continue to speak to the amendment?
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I think I have made my point, Madam Chairman. I appreciate your protection,
there. This is about the Abbott Government. The LORD MAYOR wants to
whitewash them out. It is petty, it is unnecessary. The substantive issue is what
is important here, and I say let’s have that debate.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate; Councillor MURPHY.
ADJOURNMENT:
291/2014-15
At that time, 4.10pm, it was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor
Kim MARX, that the meeting adjourn for a period of 15 minutes, to commence only when all councillors had
vacated the Chamber and the doors locked.
Council stood adjourned at 4.11pm.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 34 UPON RESUMPTION:
Acting Chairman:
No further debate on the amendment LORD MAYOR? No right of reply? I will
now put the amendment.
Amendment put:
The Acting Chairman put the motion for the amendment to the motion to the Chamber resulting in its being
declared carried on the voices.
Debate on substantive motion
Acting Chairman:
Debate. DEPUTY MAYOR.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Yes, Madam Acting Chairman, it gives me great pleasure to support this motion.
While Councillor DICK has been a bit of a latecomer to this issue we are happy
to support the intent of this motion, minus the political point scoring words that
we just deleted now. The reality is that the Productivity Commission while it
may be a Federal Government body is independent and it's there to provide
independent advice to governments. It will provide independent advice—we're
not speaking to the amendment, we're speaking to the substantive motion—it
will provide advice to whoever is in government and that's their job and that's
what you would expect.
Now this particular inquiry into natural disaster funding started more than seven
months ago. On 28 April the terms of reference were released. On 9 May an
issues paper was released. On 6 June submissions were due. On 25 September a
draft report was released. On 21 October feedback was requested through public
hearings. There were public hearings held in different locations and finally we
have the final report due in December. So after seven months Councillor DICK
has finally come on board.
He said earlier that he's dragged us kicking and screaming on this issue but I
think that just goes to show the way Councillor DICK and his colleagues
operate. It's all about the politics. It's all about scoring a cheap political point.
This is a serious issue. This is beyond party politics and one side of the chamber
versus another. We should all be united on this issue and I can say that right
from the beginning this Administration has had very grave concerns about these
proposed changes.
Some of the proposals that have been put up say for example to increase the
threshold with which councillors can claim natural disaster costs from $240,000
to $2 million, would really have diabolical impacts right across the state. It
means that fewer natural disaster events can be claimed and that means Council
and ultimately ratepayers will be out of pocket. We also know that, and I think
this figure was mentioned before, this Council was already more than $100
million out of pocket for the January 2011 flood, $100 million, and the impacts
of that have been lasting.
We had to find that money and there were projects that had to be deferred as a
result of that. That was the reality that we face. If these changes are adopted,
that situation will get even worse in the future because living in Queensland,
living in Brisbane, natural disasters are something we have to live with. They
will happen again. We know that we're a city that's susceptible to natural
disasters. Our subtropical location means that we're susceptible to storm
damage; we're susceptible to flood damage and various other types of risk. So
this is vital for Brisbane as it is for other councils across the State and we have
been vocal right from the beginning.
Now the submissions that have been received on this inquiry are all listed on the
Productivity Commission website and Brisbane City Council's submission is
there. That was there in the middle of this year. I didn't see a submission from
the Opposition or Councillor DICK so this is—
Councillors interjecting.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 35 Acting Chairman:
Order.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
—so this is an issue that's so important now right at the end of the process why
wasn't he talking about it earlier when we were talking about it, when we were
lodging a submission, when we were taking up the fight on this issue. Even
around a month ago this issue hit the media again. When the public hearings
were here in Brisbane I stood shoulder to shoulder with Minister Crisafulli and a
range of other mayors from across Queensland. We were united in saying that
we do not support these changes. Nothing has changed on our side of the
Chamber.
I refer to an article from the Brisbane Times, a great publication, 31 October, so
as I said around a month ago; “Brisbane Acting LORD MAYOR, Councillor
SCHRINNER said the recovery bill for the city following the 2011 flood
reached $100 million. He said the proposal would be diabolical for local
governments. The capacity to pay is just not there. The current funding model
needs to be retained. It's essential not only for Brisbane but for all councils
across Queensland. This is about a fair go for people and councils struggling
through natural disasters which are a fact of life through—
Councillor interjecting.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
“—bushfires, floods, storm damage, people deserve a fair go and councillors
deserve the support from Federal coffers.” That was on the Brisbane Times
about a month ago.
Councillor interjecting.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
He obviously doesn't read the Brisbane Times and I need to say—
Councillor interjecting.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
—you need to start reading it. The reality is as I said it's really quite simple. This
side of the Chamber has been laser like focused on this issue right from the
beginning. We made our position crystal clear, crystal clear. We didn't see the
need for political posturing in the way that Councillor DICK has attempted
today. What we wanted to do was make a difference where the decision-makers
were in the Productivity Commission and ultimately in the federal government
and that's what we will continue to do.
So this motion deserves the support of everyone. I thank Councillor DICK for
coming on board even though it was late and this motion deserves to be voted on
and accepted now.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Look just to wrap things up, Madam Acting Chair, look, I'm really happy that
the LNP are in damage control and really happy—
Councillors laugh.
Councillor DICK:
I'll tell you why, I'll tell you why. So if the DEPUTY MAYOR or any LNP
councillor just wants to table how many times I've raised it in this chamber, how
many speeches they've made, how many—sorry—how many times they've
taken questions on this, how many times they've been briefing this chamber
about all the work that they've done, they know they haven't. They know they've
remained completely silent on this issue. Yes, you're right through you, Madam
Acting Chair, the DEPUTY MAYOR, the LORD MAYOR didn't put a
submission in, and the DEPUTY MAYOR didn't put a submission in. Not one
single LNP councillor has but a submission in.
You know what? The Brisbane City Council put a submission in. Where was the
LORD MAYOR announcing that submission, where was—
Councillor interjecting.
Councillor DICK:
—no hang on a sec, hang on a sec.
Acting Chairman:
Order.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 36 Councillor DICK:
Madam Acting Chair, the fact is until I rose to move this motion today, it's a fact
you guys, through you, Madam Acting Chair, have never mentioned this once in
this Council Chamber. If you have; happy to correct the record. You can table
all the speeches that you've done, all the information, all the questions that
you've put on, all the motions that you've moved and I'm glad that you'll be
voting for my motion today. I am glad, Madam Acting Chair, because this is an
important issue. It shouldn't have taken seven months for you to finally speak
about this issue inside this Chamber—not good enough, not enough.
So, Madam Acting Chair, look I'm really pleased that we will be finally as one
Council—it's taken them seven months—to actually address this issue to finally
send that very clear message. Madam Acting Chair, I know they're embarrassed
and I know that they are feeling awkward because unless I move this motion
today we would have completely remained silent on this issue, absolute silence
on this. The issue is, Madam Acting Chair, I can hear from their interjections
they're sensitive about it. I know that, Madam Acting Chair, but I will continue
to raise these issues.
I will continue to drag them kicking and screaming when it comes to matters of
importance. But more importantly I will continue to raise these issues of
ensuring that our ratepayers in this city have protection and are not
disadvantaged as a result of the proposed Abbott Government changes.
Acting Chairman:
I will now put the motion.
The Acting Chairman submitted the motion to the Chamber and it was declared carried on the voices.
Thereupon, the LORD MAYOR and Councillor Kim FLESSER 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,
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,
Shayne SUTTON and Nicole JOHNSTON.
NOES: Nil.
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
18 November 2014, be adopted.
Acting Chairman:
DEPUTY MAYOR.
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chairman. Last week in committee we had a
presentation on the effectiveness of the 40 kilometre an hour speed limit in the
CBD. We're often hearing about initiatives around the world that support
pedestrian and cyclist safety and always looking to other cities for what they're
doing. This is a very interesting example where other cities have looked to us
because in 2009 Brisbane was one of the first large cities to introduce a 40
kilometre limit in the CBD. That was done very deliberately at the time for
pedestrian and cyclist safety reasons.
We had a few horrid years where there were several fatalities in the CBD,
several pedestrians killed, a cyclist killed. This is something that we want to
encourage in the CBD. So we acknowledged at that time that we needed to make
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 37 it safer, a safer road environment for pedestrians and cyclists and we moved to
implement a 40 kilometre an hour limit. The results have been really, really
positive since that time. We've seen a significant reduction in most types of
accidents relating to pedestrians and cyclists in the CBD. Some of those
reductions have been significant.
Most importantly—touch wood—no pedestrians and cyclists have been killed in
the CBD since the 40 kilometre an hour limit was introduced. I think that's a
great outcome and long may that result last. But importantly since we did
introduce that limit in 2009, we've seen Perth CBD come in 2011, Melbourne
CBD come in 2012, and Sydney CBD come in this year. We've seen London
come in and New York come in this year as well, all of them introducing a
40 kilometre an hour limit in their CBD, all of them doing it for pedestrian and
cyclist safety reasons.
So Brisbane has been a leader in this field and I think it's a great thing. It is good
that other cities are looking to us for examples like this where we can do a small
but practical thing that helps improve safety for everyone. Obviously the great
thing about this initiative is that it's not a big inconvenience for motorists.
Obviously during peak times they'll have trouble getting above 40 kilometres an
hour but certainly in those off-peak times it's only an extra few minutes of travel
time at the most for them but it makes a safer environment for everyone. So this
is a great example of practical policy that can help save lives and I commend
that presentation to the chamber.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor ABRAHAMS.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. Madam Acting Chair, I wish to speak on Item
C which is a petition seeking to have improved pedestrian crossing issues in
Montague Road near Victoria Street.
Seriatim - Clause C
Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS requested that Clause C, PETITIONS – PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ISSUES –
MONTAGUE ROAD NEAR VICTORIA STREET, WEST END, be taken seriatim for voting purposes.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Okay. Madam Acting Chair, this is a petition that was signed by 115 signatures
of residents of West End who simply wish to cross Montague Road safely.
Madam Acting Chair, the response they get is that there will be investigations
and priority against the funding on a citywide basis. This means that they may or
may not get traffic lights at some time in the next few years. Madam Acting
Chair, it is not good enough. The report itself acknowledges that it is unsafe
stating that to put a pedestrian refuge at this point. We all know this is the cheap
alternative by having just a mid-road safety spot for pedestrians as they cross,
but the report says that due to the topography of the road that would be unsafe.
So, Madam Acting Chair, an improvement that is usually used to make the road
safer is unsafe at this point because of the road topography. But, Madam Acting
Chair, this is where the residents cross to go to the CityGlider bus stop and to
the new Aldi shopping centre. Madam Acting Chair, those people are going to
continue to cross. Because of the development in this part of my ward there will
be more people continuing to cross at that point. So, Madam Acting Chair, to
acknowledge in this report it is unsafe and then to say that in line with citywide
priority one day there may be traffic lights, is not good enough.
That is exactly why these people got a petition, stayed outside Aldi, got people
to sign it because it is unsafe now and they wish for measures to improve safety
now. All we've learnt from this report is the only safe measure is in fact traffic
lights. Those traffic lights are scheduled in the PIP (Priority Infrastructure Plan)
for the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan. Therefore funds have
been accruing for that as well as other traffic lights in this area.
I believe this petition response should have said that priority will be given for
traffic lights and they shall be funded in the next budget time, using monies that
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 38 have been collected through the development and that PIP process. It is not good
enough. Residents and pedestrian safety is being ignored.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor HOWARD.
Councillor HOWARD:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chairman. Madam Acting Chairman, I rise in
support of item A. I believe that apart from emergency vehicles nobody should
drive faster than the speed limit, Madam Acting Chairman. So I'm happy to rise
to speak to the committee presentation on the 40 kilometre area in the CBD. I'm
sorry I missed the presentation but I know that from general feedback from the
city community, our commuters, our residents and our visitors that the 40
kilometre rule is widely supported. We heard the DEPUTY MAYOR talking
about other cities following our lead.
Speeding is an important area where it would desirable to affect a change in
attitude not only of drivers but the public in general. Sadly, Madam Acting
Chairman, there is still a misconception that moderate speeding is okay and
regarded as socially acceptable. Drivers seem to regard speeding as having very
little risk associated with it, either by way of getting caught or being involved in
an accident. So the data presented at the committee indicates that if people
would just slow down a little, a safer environment is an instant result.
The value of research lies in its contribution to our understanding of what is
happening on city streets. Who is involved in road accidents, why the accidents
occur and how the issues can be addressed by policy implementation. Although
we are taking the lead to make roads safer in the city we cannot achieve these
commitments alone. There are many other partners involved whom we rely on
to realise our shared ambitions for a safer city. My office talks regularly to the
Queensland Police Service about speeding enforcement in the area and we are
greatly appreciative of their efforts in monitoring that.
We also talk to cyclists and pedestrians so that we have a continued awareness
of our surroundings. So I'd just like to put on record my thanks to the DEPUTY
MAYOR and his team for their efforts in making our CBD safer and thank him
very much for the presentation.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? DEPUTY MAYOR? I will now put the report for Items A, B
and D.
Clauses A, B and D put
Upon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clauses A, B and D of the report of the
Infrastructure Committee was declared carried on the voices.
Acting Chairman:
I will now put Item C.
Clause C put
Upon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clause C of the report of the Infrastructure
Committee was declared carried on the voices.
Thereupon, Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS and Milton DICK immediately rose and called for a division,
which resulted in the motion being declared carried.
The voting was as follows:
AYES: 17 -
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.
NOES: 8 -
The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors
Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS,
Victoria NEWTON, Shayne SUTTON and Nicole JOHNSTON.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 39 -
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 – EFFECTIVENESS OF 40KM/H SPEED
LIMIT IN BRISBANE CBD
292/2014-15
1.
Chris McCahon, Transport Network Operations Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch,
Brisbane Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to provide a presentation on Effectiveness of
40km/h speed limit in Brisbane CBD. He provided the information below.
2.
The role of speed in traffic accidents is established. Stopping distances for vehicles are shorter with
reduced speeds. This presentation looks at both, the impact of reduced speed on accident numbers and
on the severity of the accidents. Seventy per cent of residents and visitors to the Central Business
District (CBD) who were surveyed prior to the implementation supported the lowering of the speed
limit.
3.
A graph depicting the reaction times, breaking distances and associated stopping distances was
displayed showing the relationship between vehicle speed and stopping time for an average sized
vehicle.
4.
The relationship between speed and injury severity is particularly critical for vulnerable road users such
as pedestrians and cyclists. This was explained with the help of a graph, plotting the probability of
death against the impact speed of a car.
5.
Brisbane was the first metropolitan city in Australia to introduce the 40km/h speed limit within the
CBD in early 2009. This was introduced across the entire CBD, with the exception of Ann and Turbot
Streets. Since that time, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, London and New York City have also introduced
40km/h speed limits within their CBDs.
6.
Statistics displaying the number and severity of accidents in the Brisbane CBD were shown, signifying
the marked reduction in the number and severity of accidents, fatalities, hospitalisations and minor
injuries.
7.
A graph showing the reduction in the number of crashes per year in the Brisbane CBD since 2009 was
displayed.
8.
Statistics support the existing research stating that a reduction in speed limit creates a safer road
environment for all users.
9.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr McCahon for his
informative presentation.
10.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
B
PETITION – SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION ON BROOKFIELD ROAD,
BROOKFIELD
CA14/560938
293/2014-15
11.
A petition requesting Council for a speed limit reduction along Brookfield Road, between Deerhurst
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 40 Road and Gold Creek Road, Kenmore, was received during the Winter Recess 2014.
12.
The Branch Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, provided the
following information.
13.
The petition contains 222 signatures.
14.
Brookfield Road is a 3.9 kilometre long Suburban Route with a 60 km/h speed limit. The Brookfield
Road segment between the Gold Creek Road roundabout and Deerhurst Road is approximately 650
metres in length. The alignment is generally straight with moderate bends near Boscombe Road and
Deerhurst Road, and a moderate crest at the Boscombe Road intersection.
15.
This section of Brookfield Road is a centre of community activity. Adjacent land use includes three
shops (a real estate agent, a general store and a hairdresser), the Brookfield Showgrounds, Brookfield
Pony Club, Brookfield Historical Cemetery and Memorial Gardens, Brookfield Community Hall and
the Brookfield Tennis Centre. The Brookfield State School is situated nearby on Boscombe Road, but
does not have a direct frontage onto Brookfield Road.
16.
Speed limits are determined in accordance with the guidelines set down in Part 4 of the Queensland
Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The guidelines direct that a minimum 60 km/h speed limit
should apply to roads with a traffic carrying function. A traffic carrying function is defined as the
movement of goods and people within a suburb, with a traffic flow of between 3,000 and 10,000
vehicles per day.
17.
Lower speed limits may be applied where supported by constrained or changed physical environments.
The speed limit may also be reduced if it would improve safety and would be credible to drivers, selfcompliant and require no additional enforcement measures.
18.
A traffic survey conducted in May 2012 found Brookfield Road carried 5350 vehicles per day. The
survey recorded average speeds in both directions of 54.5 km/h, with 85 per cent of vehicles travelling
below 63km/h. This is consistent with Brookfield Road’s function as a Suburban Route.
19.
In addition to the previously installed ‘Children’, ‘School’ and ‘Horse Riding’ warning signs on
Brookfield Road, large high visibility SLOW markings have now been applied to the roadway on both
approaches. A refuge island was also installed near the Gold Creek Road roundabout, but is not used by
all pedestrians as it is approximately 120 metres from the shops.
20.
With respect to pedestrian safety improvements in the area, Council has twice previously proposed
another pedestrian facility to be located near the shops along Brookfield Road. The proposed refuge
island would have had substantially more benefit for pedestrians in reducing their crossing distance
time exposed to vehicle traffic than a reduction in the speed limit. The most recent proposal in 2013 did
not proceed due to a lack of support from the community and concerns from local businesses with the
loss of on-street parking.
21.
Council is currently investigating options to improve safety at the intersection of Brookfield Road and
Boscombe Road. Funding has been allocated to develop options and a detailed design to be completed
by the end of the 2014 financial year. This intersection is located near the Brookfield community hub
and consideration will be given to features to reinforce the speed limit and alert drivers to the adjacent
land uses, such as the pony club and shops.
22.
A search of crash records since 2000 also revealed two crashes; 2003 and 2011. In both incidents, the
driver failed to observe a vehicle stopped on the roadway in front of them. Additionally, on 8 June
2014, a five year old boy was fatally injured in an incident. However, neither the speed of the vehicle
nor the speed limit along Brookfield Road was considered to be a contributing factor in this tragic
incident.
23.
Based on the available information, reducing the speed limit is not warranted on safety grounds.
Consultation
24.
The Councillor for Pullenvale Ward, Councillor Margaret de Wit, has been consulted and supports the
recommendation.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 41 Preferred option
25.
It is the preferred option of Council, not to reduce the speed limit on Brookfield Road, between Gold
Creek Road and Deerhurst Road, Kenmore.
26.
The Branch Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
27.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREFERRED
OPTION ABOVE AND OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
C
PETITIONS – PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ISSUES – MONTAGUE ROAD
NEAR VICTORIA STREET, WEST END
CA14/792728, CA14/875982 and CA14/900505
294/2014-15
28.
Council received three petitions to consider pedestrian crossing upgrades near the intersection of
Montague Road and Victoria Street, West End. Of the three petitions, CA14/792728 was received
during the Winter Recess 2014, CA14/875982 was presented to Council at its meeting of 21 October
2014 by Councillor Helen Abrahams, and received, and CA14/900505 was presented to Council at its
meeting of 4 November 2014 by Councillor Helen Abrahams, and received.
29.
The Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, provided the
following information.
30.
The three petitions contain a total of 115 signatures.
31.
The petitioners have requested the construction of traffic signals and or a pedestrian refuge facility near
this intersection to:
improve pedestrian safety when crossing Montague Road when accessing the Brisbane River,
City Glider bus stops and the new Aldi store; and
manage the increasing vehicular demand on Victoria Street and Montague Road given the
continuing construction of apartment buildings within the area.
32.
A recent site inspection found that the construction of a pedestrian refuge facility on Montague Road
near Victoria Street would be unsafe due to the topography of the road. However, intersection and
automatic traffic surveys which were carried out by Council in October 2014 suggest the construction
of traffic signals may be beneficial to improve pedestrian access and road safety at the intersection.
33.
To ensure available resources are directed to intersection upgrades that offer the greatest benefit with
respect to safety and amenity, and to the wider community, it is recommended that this intersection is
listed and prioritised so funding for further detailed investigation and design work can be considered
relative to the priorities of similar projects across the city.
Consultation
34.
The Councillor for The Gabba Ward, Councillor Helen Abrahams, has been consulted and does not
support the recommendation.
Preferred option
35.
It is the preferred option of Council to carry out a pedestrian and traffic volume survey and assessment
and consider pedestrian crossing upgrades, if required, in line with citywide priorities of this type.
36.
The Branch Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
37.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREFERRED
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 42 OPTION ABOVE AND OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
D
PETITION - OVERHEAD OR LEVEL PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, BANYO
RAIL STATION
CA14/903304
295/2014-15
38.
A petition requesting Council for an overhead or level pedestrian crossing at the library end of the
Banyo Rail Station, Banyo, was presented to Council at its meeting of 4 November 2014 by Councillor
Kim Flesser, and received.
39.
The Branch Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, provided the
following information.
40.
The petition contains eight signatures.
41.
The petition advises the original overpass was a desired crossing point between the park, library and
shopping centre located on St Vincent’s Road, Banyo, to Royal Parade, Banyo, at the northern side of
the tracks.
42.
Banyo rail station is managed and operated by Queensland Rail (QR) and are responsible for
implementing any required upgrades or infrastructure changes. Due to Council not having the relevant
authority to investigate the concerns raised, the petition should be forwarded on behalf of the head
petitioner to:
Customer Feedback
Queensland Rail
PO BOX 1429
Brisbane QLD 4001
Consultation
43.
The Councillor for Northgate Ward, Councillor Kim Flesser, has been consulted and supports the
recommendation.
Preferred option
44.
It is the preferred option of Council, to advise the head petitioner that the location is within Queensland
Rail (QR) property, which is external to Council and the petition will be forwarded on their behalf to
QR.
45.
The Branch Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
46.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREFERRED
OPTION ABOVE 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 18 November 2014, be adopted.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor MATIC.
Councillor MATIC:
Just briefly, Madam Acting Chairman, I want to acknowledge and thank the
officers for their presentation on the low rolling resistance tyres initiative. It's an
important part of what Brisbane Transport (BT) does as part of its day to day
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 43 activities to look at those opportunities of a more efficient BT but also about
reducing cost as well, Madam Acting Chairman. The officers gave a very
informative presentation about something that is so basic yet necessary to our
entire network. It's about the type of tyres that we use and the cost and also the
usage out of that tyre that is also significant.
When you look at a network that carries that many people and you have a public
transport network that is so large you need to be able to provide all of those
efficiencies but also to adapt new innovative technologies in being able to run
that network. The presentation was very good in setting out the different types
of trials that are being undertaken at the moment with the different types of
tyres, looking at how those low resistance tyres work under different scenarios,
and looking also at the wear and tear on the vehicle, the amount of fuel that is
consumed and importantly also the wear and tear on that tyre, and how we can
get better outcomes for Brisbane residents and for Brisbane City Council. Thank
you.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Nothing further Councillor MATIC? 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), and Councillors
Nicole Johnston, Kim Marx and Ryan Murphy.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE:
Councillor Steve Griffiths.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – LOW ROLLING RESISTANCE TYRES
INITIATIVE
296/2014-15
1.
Scott White, Engineering and Assets Manager, Engineering and Assets, Brisbane Transport Division,
attended the meeting to provide a presentation on Brisbane Transport’s low rolling resistance tyres
initiative. He provided the information below.
2.
Brisbane Transport currently uses both new (supplied by Bridgestone) and retread (supplied by
Bandag) tyres on buses. Tyres are located at both drive and steer, and the sizes used are 295/80R22.5
(40 per cent) and 11R22.5 (60 per cent).
3.
The objective of the low rolling resistance tyres initiative is to investigate whether the use of low
rolling resistance tyres will reduce fuel consumption and total cost of tyres. The tyres used in the trial
will be the: Bridgestone Ecopia R109, Bridgestone G611, Bandag BRL3 retread, Bridgestone R295,
Bandag HWY retread and the Bandag RT retread. The comparison will take into account the cost of the
low rolling resistance tyres versus the cost of standard tyres and the fuel consumption of the two
different types of tyres.
4.
The presenter showed some company and Australian Bus Fleet comparisons for the tyres and explained
that low rolling resistance tyres work by having a shallow tread depth and reducing the generation of
heat in the tyre. This reduction of heat means less fuel is used to turn the tyre, thus reducing fuel
consumption.
5.
The initiative testing will be undertaken on the two tyre sizes: 11R22.5 and 295/80R22.5. The
outcomes that are to be measured are:
tyre cost per kilometre (CPK) per bus (steer and drive)
fuel CPK per bus (steer and drive)
combined fuel and tyre CPK per bus (steer and drive).
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 44 -
6.
The testing will be performed on 12 buses (using 11R22.5 size tyres) and four buses (using
295/80R22.5 size tyres) at Toowong Bus Depot. MAN A69 diesel buses will be used for the trial that
will commence in December 2014 and continue for a minimum of six months.
7.
The presenter discussed with the committee some of the predicted savings in fuel and emissions that
may be achieved as a result of the trial.
8.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr White for his
informative presentation.
9.
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 18 November 2014, be adopted.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor COOPER.
Councillor COOPER:
Thank you much, Madam Acting Chair. There was a development application
that came to committee last Tuesday for 21 Longland Street, Newstead, which is
zoned MP2 under the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront Neighbourhood Plan.
The site sits in the Commercial Road Precinct. The application was properly
made with Council on 26 June this year and lodged under the then planning
scheme City Plan 2000. It's a site which has three street frontages, Longland
Street, Masters Street and Wyatt Street, and has already been the subject of a
number of development approvals.
So it's got approval as a temporary car-park. It's also got two nine-storey MUD
(multi-unit dwelling) proposals which are currently under construction to the
south of this site and are valued at over $20 million. This particular application
was a code-assessable application and a proposed 15 storeys with 156 units on
that site to the north of the premises that are currently under construction. As we
heard last week, these units are proposed of a range and this is something to be
noted that we're starting to see a mix of different outcomes.
So we've got 44 one bedroom units, 78 two-bedroom units, 30 three-bedroom
units and four four-bedroom suites. So this is something which is really
interesting to look at, the changes that we're seeing in the particular market. This
proposal has two towers of 11 storeys each, an east and a west tower. There are
four levels of podium with shops proposed along all street frontages at the
ground level and offices at the podium levels. Two hundred and 51 car-parking
spaces have been provided with 207 for the units, 34 for visitors and 10 for nonresidential which will we anticipate service that retail component.
In particular we talked about this precinct as a very important part of our city.
It's a bit of a favoured haunt for a number of our committee members. We talk
about it on a fairly regular basis but it's certainly a great example of where we're
seeing the urban renewal process truly realised in Teneriffe and Newstead. I
note both of the local councillors have certainly been very keen to see some high
quality designs and great outcomes. This I believe is truly one of those.
So the Council officers had a number of planning challenges to take into
consideration including access, flooding and the design treatment. There was an
information request that was issued to the applicant on 23 July and asked for a
number of issues particularly focusing on streetscape, setback and podium
design. As we saw quite clearly last week they took, the applicants certainly
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 45 took into very careful consideration this feedback and the development was
modified accordingly. In particular there was an excellent outcome in relation to
the treatment of the podium.
So the site experiences, as I said earlier, flooding so there is river, storm tide and
overland flow flooding. Officers took that into careful consideration and
conditioned all construction and basement works to be constructed to the
defined flood level and certified by an RPEQ (Registered Professional Engineer
of Queensland) As Councillor McLACHLAN would be very well aware there
are existing metered car-parking spaces along all three street frontages of the
site. This particular application is unusual because it looks at having an
opportunity to improve the access. With the removal of two driveways we will
see a possibility of two more metered spaces that will be able to be delivered as
a consequence of this particular proposal.
It's a site that's well serviced, very well serviced in fact by public transport. It's
got high frequency buses operating along Skyring Terrace; the CityGlider stop
about 300 metres away, with Teneriffe Ferry just under 500 metres away. So it's
certainly very, very well supported by those opportunities. This particular
development offers over 500 square metres of communal recreational space, a
public pedestrian pathway, and it also promotes commercial and retail activation
as well as of course continuing to deliver on the network of safe access for
pedestrians in this particular precinct.
I would also like to thank the local councillor. He is certainly a great fan of
planning. He always gives us excellent responses in request to our seeking of
advice from him on behalf of the local residents. I think particularly he has
really helped inform the planning work that the officers have done. So thank you
to all of the officers that have been involved. We actually had an officer who
stepped into present as the North Team; their assessment manager was actually
taking a well-deserved break so we thank the officers for stepping in and
presenting at committee.
This application was unanimously supported, something that doesn't happen
very often at all unfortunately in my committee. It is a significant investment in
our local area; $65 million plus of development that will create hundreds of
onsite jobs and certainly I'm delighted to be able to commend this application to
the chamber this afternoon. Thank you.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor McLACHLAN.
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. I rise briefly to speak to this item before us,
and in support of this development application which is as Councillor COOPER
has said a reflection of the confidence of investors in this area. It also highlights
the great attraction of this area to residents. The investors and builders recognise
that this is an area that residents in Brisbane and prospective residents in
Brisbane are flocking to, that has a number of attractions of course all as a
consequence of a great urban renewal program.
They've centred on the wonderful Gasworks development which as Councillor
COOPER has mentioned, is a favourite haunt of many committee members and
I look forward to seeing them there from time to time. But also plenty of others
recognise the great opportunity for fine dining and other recreational activities in
that precinct. It is, as Councillor COOPER said very attractive because of the
public transport connections, the CityGlider in particular, the CityCat. I'm very
pleased to see the mix of unit types.
I think as Councillor COOPER said this does reflect what the market is asking
for and that is a mix of investor type of units, but also those which are going to
see a high number of owner-occupiers. So I'm very pleased to see this
application come forward and that it has received unanimous support in the
committee is very welcome. I look forward to seeing the sods being turned on
this one as soon as possible. It will add to the quality of the developments that
are already taking place in the area.
Again I'd like to thank the officers for their diligent scrutiny of this, the response
of the developers to the information request which did address the issues that
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 46 were being raised by officers and we have arrived at a very good outcome in this
approval.
Acting Chairman:
Any further debate? Councillor COOPER? I'll now put the report.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption 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
DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION UNDER SUSTAINABLE PLANNING ACT
2009: MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE FOR MULTI-UNIT DWELLING,
OFFICE, SHOP – 21 LONGLAND STREET, NEWSTEAD – THE DIBCORP
INVESTMENTS TRUST AND BRODIE DEVELOPMENT TRUST
A003896417
297/2014-15
1.
The Acting Manager, Development Assessment Branch, reports that a development application was
submitted on 16 June 2014 by Tam Dang Planning Pty Ltd, on behalf of Dibcorp Pty Ltd:
Development Aspects:
General description of proposal:
Land in the ownership of:
Address of the site:
Described as:
Containing an area of:
Carry out building work (preliminary approval)
Material change of use (development permit)
Stage 1 building work for multi-unit dwelling, office and shop
Material change of use for multi-unit dwelling, office and
shop
Stage 2 building work for multi-unit dwelling, and shop
Material change of use for multi-unit dwelling and shop
The Dibcorp Investments Trust and Brodie Development
Trust
21 Longland Street, Newstead
Lot 2 on RP125694, Lot 87 on RP9292, Lot 88 on RP9292,
Lot 89 on RP9292, Lot 90 on RP9292, Lot 91 on RP9292, Lot
1 on RP113080, Lot 131 on RP9287, Lot 132 on RP9287, Lot
99 on SP198927
4,649 square metres.
2.
This code-assessable application was properly made on the 26 June 2014 for a 15-storey building
consisting of 156 units in four podium levels and two 11 storey towers. The proposal also includes
retail at the ground level and two storeys of offices above. The development has a total gross floor area
of 18,227 square metres. There are 251 car parking spaces provided over three and a half levels of
basement and a partially raised ground level, including 207 residential spaces, 34 resident visitor
parking spaces, and 10 spaces for non-residential uses.
3.
This application is over land currently included in the multi-purpose centre – Major Centre (MP2)
designation under the Brisbane City Plan 2000 (City Plan) and is within the Commercial Road Precinct
in the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront Neighbourhood Plan. The site is currently used in part as a
temporary car park and an approved multi-unit dwelling is under construction on the remainder of the
site.
4.
The proposal meets the planning intent of the Commercial Road Precinct (Precinct 2) in the Newstead
and Teneriffe Waterfront Neighbourhood Plan in that it provides high-density urban form that takes
advantage of high-frequency public transport in the area, including the City Glider bus service and
CityCat ferry terminal. Residential and commercial uses are encouraged throughout the precinct, with a
focus on commercial uses along Commercial Road and Longland Street. Retail development is of a
small scale and does not contain large shops. This development reinforces the pedestrian linkages
providing safe pedestrian thoroughfare from Longland Street to Wyatt Street.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 47 -
5.
A shared access connecting Masters and Wyatt Streets is proposed and is consistent with the prior
approval over the southern portion of the site. No vehicle access will be provided to Longland Street.
6.
The site is subject to flooding (Brisbane River flooding, storm tide and overland flow). A technical
engineers report has been provided that demonstrates flooding immunity has been achieved and
reflected the development proposal. The development has been conditioned to ensure minimum
building, habitable floor, basement and floor parking levels. Further, all new construction and basement
works below the 100-year ARI (Average Recurrence Interval) flood level, storm-tide level and, or
Brisbane River defined flood level and any ancillary works are to be designed, constructed and certified
by a registered practising engineer of Queensland.
7.
The proposed development includes a high level of streetscape activation and public realm
improvements, through the incorporation of activity generating uses along the Longland and Masters
Streets frontages. The pedestrian pathway along the eastern edge of the site provides increased
opportunity for activation and connectivity between Longland and Wyatt Streets. Ground floor retail
and podium-level commercial space contribute to activating this street and provides increased activity
and visual interest. The proposal incorporates two towers which achieve a 20-metre separation. This
separation affords a high level of amenity to residents and neighbours of the site through increased
access to views, solar penetration and breezes. The podium levels are distinct from the tower elements
and serve to reduce the appearance of building bulk through improved articulation and variation in
form and appearance to the street. The towers do not achieve the compliant setback from the front
boundary, however it is noted that the towers do not dominate the streetscape due to the large physical
break between the buildings.
8.
The Councillor for the Hamilton Ward, Councillor David McLachlan, supports the proposal.
9.
The Acting 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
developmental requirements.
10.
The Team Manager recommended that the application be approved, subject to the approved plans and
conditions included in the Development Approval Package submitted on file and marked Attachment
A. The Committee agrees unanimously.
11.
RECOMMENDATION:
(i)
That it be and is hereby resolved that whereas –
(a)
a properly made development application was made on 26 June 2014 to the Council
pursuant to section 260 of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, as follows:
Development Aspects:
General description of
proposal:
Land in the ownership
of:
Address of the site:
Described as:
Containing an area of:
(b)
Carry out building work (preliminary approval)
Material change of use (development permit)
Stage 1 building work for multi-unit dwelling,
office and shop
Material change of use for multi-unit dwelling,
office and shop
Stage 2 building work for multi-unit dwelling, and
shop
Material change of use for multi-unit dwelling and
shop
The Dibcorp Investments Trust and Brodie
Development Trust
21 Longland Street, Newstead
Lot 2 on RP125694, Lot 87 on RP9292, Lot 88 on
RP9292, Lot 89 on RP9292, Lot 90 on RP9292,
Lot 91 on RP9292, Lot 1 on RP113080, Lot 131 on
RP9287, Lot 132 on RP9287, Lot 99 on SP198927
4,649 square metres.
The Council is required to assess the application pursuant to Chapter 6, Part 5,
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 48 Division 3 of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, and decide the application under
section 324 of the Act;
The Council—
(ii)
(c)
Upon consideration of the application and those matters set forth in sections 314 and
324 of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 relevant to the application considers that:
i.
the site is within the urban footprint of the South East Queensland Regional
Plan 2009-2031, and the use is consistent with an urban activity;
ii.
the proposal is consistent with the Brisbane City Plan 2000;
iii.
the proposal advances the intent and development principles of the Newstead
and Teneriffe Neighbourhood Plan, in particular the Commercial Road
Precinct;
iv.
the proposal will not create adverse amenity impacts on the surrounding
area; and
v.
the development can be accommodated within the existing essential
infrastructure networks.
(d)
Accordingly considers that were reasonable and relevant conditions imposed on the
development, it would be appropriate that the proposed development be approved on
the subject land;
(e)
Considers that a Brisbane City Council infrastructure charges notice should be issued
for the development pursuant to the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 and Brisbane
adopted infrastructure charges resolution (number four) 2014, for the transport,
community purposes and stormwater trunk infrastructure networks; and
Whereas the Council determines as in (i) hereof, THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE
DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION referred to above and subject to the conditions in the
Development Approval Package submitted on file and marked Attachment A, and directs that:
(a)
the applicant be advised of the decision;
(b)
the applicant be given the Brisbane City Council’s Infrastructure Charges Notice for
Community Purposes, Stormwater and Transport;
(c)
the Central SEQ Distributor-Retailer Authority be advised of the decision; and
(d)
the Councillor for the Ward of Hamilton, Councillor David McLachlan, be advised of
the decision.
ADOPTED
ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
Councillor Matthew BOURKE, Chairman of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee, moved,
seconded by Councillor Fiona KING, that the report of the meeting of that Committee held on 18 November
2014, be adopted.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor BOURKE.
Councillor BOURKE:
Thanks very much, Madam Acting Chairman. Just very quickly before I turn to
the report that I have before us, a timely reminder, last Wednesday, Madam
Acting Chairman, the city of Brisbane experienced a significant storm and
rainfall event. It reminds us that of course Brisbane doesn't just suffer from
creek flooding events, but indeed suffers from four different types of flooding;
overland flow, river, creek and storm surge, Madam Acting Chairman.
Obviously that event last Wednesday was a creek flooding event and very fast
moving water in our creeks and waterways draining into the river, Madam
Acting Chairman.
It might interest the Chamber to know that across the city, well reported by
media outlets of course, there was significant rainfall but particularly in some of
the south-western suburbs and indeed in some of the northern suburbs, they
experienced some very significant events. So for one 15-minute period down in
Inala, Madam Acting Chairman, 55 millimetres of rain fell which is equivalent
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 49 to a one-in-100-year rainfall event. Up in Geebung which I think is partially in
Councillor COOPER's ward, for one 15-minute period there was 52 millimetres
of rain which is one-in-75-year event, Madam Acting Chairman.
Out in Richlands there was a 30-minute duration where 78 millimetres of rain
fell which is equivalent to one-in-85-year rainfall event. So, Madam Acting
Chairman, it just is a timely reminder for all councillors in this Chamber but
indeed the community to be prepared for summer storms and be prepared for the
rainfall events. Council has a range of products on its website, flood awareness
maps, the flood wise property reports and a whole host of other tools to help
people be prepared to deal with these sorts of events, Madam Acting Chairman.
Turning to the formal committee, Madam Acting Chairman, and it's a shame
that Councillor MURPHY isn't with us in the Chamber because he took a great
interest in the committee presentation last week, Madam Acting Chairman,
unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, Madam Acting Chairman. Some might
refer to them as drones. Madam Acting Chairman, we had a great presentation
from the Council officers about some of the work that we're currently
undertaking and trialling opportunities for unmanned aerial vehicles to assist us
in a range of different applications in Council.
Some organisations, so the State Government here in Queensland, the state
government in New South Wales and other parts of the country, are looking at
how these particular pieces of technology can improve some of their existing
systems. This application, Madam Acting Chairman, is helping us manage
invasive plant and animal species but also helping us gather information about
some of our bushland and some of our assets across the city.
So to put this into context, 8,000 hectares of bushland in the City of Brisbane
controlled by Brisbane City Council is very difficult to go and do visual
inspections of that land, Madam Acting Chairman, some of it is quite
inaccessible. So the ability to launch an aircraft and aerially map those areas,
Madam Acting Chairman, makes it a lot easier to gather the information that we
need to inform our rolling program of weed-removal works, invasive
pest-animal management works, Madam Acting Chairman.
The cameras that you can actually fit to some of these devices can pick up or
detect fuel loads so you can help it inform your bushfire risk management tools,
Madam Acting Chairman. There's a whole sweep of different applications that
this particular technology could have when it comes to managing Council's
bushland assets and indeed other assets across the city, so quite an interesting
presentation.
We have done a trial out at the University of Queensland site, Madam Acting
Chairman. We launched a drone out there. I was actually out there for a little
while and watched one of the flights happen. Launched a drone, the drone did a
pass down the river, taking photos of the river as well as Mt Ommaney
Bushland Reserve. The point of that survey was to try and identify deer, Madam
Acting Chairman. So we were able to pick up six deer out of the imagery that
came out of that particular flight, and obviously that will help us inform where
and how we can do management of those particular species.
Madam Acting Chairman, a very exciting space. I just say to the Chamber watch
this space. We're going to continue to explore the opportunities, Madam Acting
Chairman, and obviously explore the applications and the ways that this can
deliver better return for the dollars that we invest for invasive species
management for both plants and animals across the city, Madam Acting
Chairman.
Two other items on the agenda, Madam Acting Chairman; one is a formal park
naming in your own ward, Madam Acting Chairman, and the other is a formal
park naming in Councillor MARX's ward. I look forward to any debate in the
Council Chamber.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor MARX.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 50 Councillor MARX:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. Yes I rise to speak on Item C which is a park
naming. So it's the formal naming of Celica Street Park in Runcorn to be named
as Lindsay Evans Memorial Park. All councillors in this Chamber would know
that parks by default are named by the streets that they're located on or next to. I
have more than 86 parks in my ward and most of them are named by default by
their street name. So since I've been elected I've been having a fairly heavy
campaign to try and get some of these parks named after local residents.
Not an easy feat by any means, particularly as it's a fairly new ward and there's
not a lot of people around who have that old history. The ones that do have that
history are the ones that already have got parks named after them. So I was
lucky enough to get two responses to my latest request. It was both actually to
do with exactly the same park which was a bit of a quandary because one
wanted one name and then the other person wanted the other name.
But after doing some investigating, the person who wanted a particular name, I
actually ended up—he didn't know who the owner of the original land was. He
just knew it was a nursery in that area that grew roses. He didn't know the
people's names. As luck would have it, I was at a Lions dinner meeting, sat next
to a gentleman by the name of Mr Joe Sester. I got talking to him because he
was old and obviously knew some of the history. It turns out that he was the
original owner of that piece of parkland which was the nursery of roses and
there was actually already a park named after his wife in the ward so that was all
good.
So then I had this other gentleman by the name of Mr Genders who was very
keen to have this particular park named after a local resident by the name of
Lindsay Evans. I met with the wife and the daughters for one afternoon. We sat
and had a cup of tea and a chat and everything. As you can imagine there were
quite a few tears at the meeting from the family. They were so excited about the
possibility of this park being named after their beloved husband and father. They
actually even gave me a copy of the eulogy from his recent funeral. I didn't
know the man personally myself but he was obviously a well-known and wellloved community member.
So this is my first official park naming so I'm very excited that it's finally come
to Chambers and that we can vote on it today. I certainly look forward to going
back out to my residents, telling them that yes, it's all been approved and that the
petitions from the local residents was worthwhile and that it's all been approved
after we vote on it today. I'm very happy with that process. Thank you.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor BOURKE? I will now put the report.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption 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 – UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES PEST
MAPPING TRIALS
298/2014-15
1.
Andrew Meiklejohn, Senior Program Officer Invasive Species Native, Parks and Natural Resources
Team, Urban Forest and Conservation Reserves Management, Natural Environment, Water and
Sustainability Branch, attended the meeting to provide an update on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)
Pest Mapping Trials. He provided the information below.
2.
UAV’s are small remote-controlled aircraft which vary greatly in size, design and function. They are
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 51 capable of rapidly and accurately mapping areas for a variety of purposes.
3.
Flight operations were conducted on 14 and 15 October 2014 over the Mt Ommaney Reservoir to
capture imagery and test flight operations. A composite map was shown compiled from stills and video
data that was captured.
4.
Deer could not be detected in the shade and a proposed solution is to use infrared thermal so that the
deer will be more distinguishable.
5.
Another proposed solution is the use of multi-spectral imagery which can highlight contrasting
vegetation reflectance values. In this instance imagery obtained using multi-spectral cameras can be
post-processed and cross-analysed against the Normalised Differential Vegetation Index.
6.
The next steps will include: re-trialling technology using thermal sensors and cameras to test if the deer
can be more effectively identified; gathering multi-spectral imagery in the same pass to commence
assessment of vegetation mapping capabilities, and consider alternate applications on data sets
obtained, for example waterway health, emergency response and fire-risk management.
7.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Meiklejohn for his
informative presentation.
8.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
B
PARK NAMING – REQUESTING THAT THE PARK KNOWN AS PHILLIP
PLACE PARK, COLLEGE AVENUE, FOREST LAKE, BE FORMALLY
NAMED ‘FOREST LAKE SPORTS FIELDS’
161/540/567/118
299/2014-15
9.
The Acting Executive Manager, Field Services Group, supplied the following information.
10.
A petition, containing 14 signatures, was presented to Council on 17 June 2014 by Councillor OwenTaylor, Councillor for Parkinson Ward, requesting that Phillip Place Park be formally named ‘Forest
Lake Sports Fields’. The petition submission was adopted by Council at the meeting held on
9 September 2014.
11.
Phillip Place is one of eight entries to access this park. The two main frontages are Forest Lake
Boulevard and College Avenue. Phillip Place Park Sports Fields are home to Forest Lake Junior Rugby
Union, Forest Lake Little Athletics and the Forest Lake District Junior Sporting Facility.
Funding
12.
Funding for the park name sign is available in Council’s Asset Services South recurrent budget for the
2014-15 financial year.
Consultation
13.
Councillor Angela Owen-Taylor, Councillor for Parkinson Ward, has been consulted and supports the
recommendation below.
Customer impact
14.
There should be little or no impact on local residents.
15.
The Acting Executive Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 52 16.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED THAT THE PARK KNOWN AS PHILLIP PLACE
PARK, FOREST LAKE BE FORMALLY NAMED AS ‘FOREST LAKE SPORTS FIELDS’.
ADOPTED
C
PARK NAMING – REQUESTING THAT THE PARK KNOWN AS CELICA
STREET PARK, CELICA STREET, RUNCORN, BE FORMALLY NAMED
AS ‘LINDSAY EVANS MEMORIAL PARK’
161/540/567/119
300/2014-15
17.
A petition, containing 47 signatures, was presented to Council on 17 June 2014 by Councillor Marx,
Councillor for Karawatha Ward, requesting that Celica Street Park be formally named ‘Lindsay Evans
Memorial Park’. The petition submission was adopted by Council at the meeting held on
9 September 2014.
18.
One of the first homes to be built in Vidler Close, Runcorn, beside the park, was built by Lindsay
Evans.
19.
Mr Evans was a licenced builder and he also ran a small business called 'Evans Cabinets'. He and his
family lived in the house for approximately 20 years. Mr Evans was a community-minded man and he
often helped elderly local residents doing odd jobs.
20.
Councillor Marx has met with the family including Mr Evan’s wife and two daughters, and they are all
supportive of the proposed name change.
21.
Celica Street Park is a local informal park and Celica Street is one of three entries to access this park.
Funding
22.
Funding for the park name sign is available in Council’s Asset Services South recurrent budget for the
2014-15 financial year.
Consultation
23.
Councillor Kim Marx, Councillor for Karawatha Ward, has been consulted and supports the
recommendation below.
Customer impact
24.
There should be little or no impact on local residents.
25.
The Acting Executive Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.
26.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED THAT THE PARK KNOWN AS CELICA STREET
PARK, CELICA STREET, RUNCORN BE FORMALLY NAMED AS ‘LINDSAY EVANS
MEMORIAL PARK’.
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 18 November 2014, be adopted.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor McLACHLAN.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 53 Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you very much, Madam Acting Chairman. To the Item before us at Item
A. This was a committee presentation on a recent trial undertaken at a
McDonald's store in Albion, which was part of the allocation of funding for an
encouragement of recycling in the last Council budget and quite a few projects
were undertaken. One small part of that was to try and better understand what
happens at a fast-food franchise in terms of their recycling because their
recycling rates weren't particularly good.
There are a variety of reasons for that but as a consequence of the agreement of
this particular franchise to allow officers to go in and talk to the management
team and to look at their layout inside the store, a number of changes were
introduced, have been introduced by that store. The good news is that this may
be the template for a rollout of a greater focus on recycling amongst McDonald's
stores not only in Brisbane and Queensland but throughout Australia.
We all know that this is one particular franchise that doesn't do anything unless
it can be rolled out to all their stores. So they're very keen to look at this
particular opportunity to see if this does or did provide an opportunity to look at
what could be done throughout their entire network. At this particular store they
did during the terms of the trial, the time of the trial, get a 17.5 per cent increase
in recovered recyclables and this was this was working with suppliers. At the
end of the day the contractors are taking material away that weren't the Council
contractors so we're working with other contractors because it's a commercial
arrangement.
But this was mainly looking at the in-store layout of where particular bins could
be located and then the physical layout of their bins at the back of the store so
that they could encourage their staff in particular to recycle plastic which wasn't
being done previously. So the big increase, the big uplift has been through the
simple measure of encouraging those in that store to recycle plastics which was
something that was not previously being done.
If we can make one small change like that here in Brisbane with one store to
reduce the amount of material that could be recycled, could be reused ending up
in landfill, that's a great outcome. I certainly look forward to this initiative as a
consequence of this trial being rolled out in other stores.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Acting Chairman, I rise to speak on Item A regarding the waste
trial at McDonald's. As I did in the committee I would just like to make a few
points about this matter. McDonald's is a multinational corporation that would
have a presence of I suspect hundreds of stores across Brisbane and certainly
Queensland. Their website indicates they have a turnover of something like $30
billion a year and make a profit of around $10 billion per year.
Now I commend this Council for trying to work with local businesses to address
the waste issues but this project was actually funded by Brisbane City Council
and cost ratepayers $50,000. Now I don't think that is the right way. Here is a tip
for Councillor SIMMONDS and Councillor McLACHLAN. If this Council has
waste expertise that we can outsource to businesses, we should be charging a fee
for that service, not the other way around. We should not be subsidising
multinational corporations to do the right thing. McDonald's is big enough that it
should have these sorts of things in place already.
If this Council wants to spend ratepayers' money I do not think that is the best
allocation of our resources in Council on waste issues. In fact I think that
Councillor McLACHLAN you should look at this as a revenue raising
opportunity with large businesses and use the expertise of the waste team in
Council to make some money. If they have valuable skills about how to improve
the efficiency of waste operations in large multinational corporations, let's make
some money off that instead of handing over ratepayers' funds to subsidise
multinationals.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor MARX.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 54 Councillor MARX:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair, I rise also to speak on this committee
presentation, McDonald's recycling trial. I think trial being the operative word
here in this particular thing. Now there was someone who made this statement.
I'm sure some other people in the Council will know who it was because I don't
but it basically says all great journeys start with one small step. I think that's
exactly what's happened here. Councillor McLACHLAN as a local councillor
and chair of waste management services saw an opportunity and ceased it. I
think that's what we should all do as local councillors and particularly as chairs
in the portfolios.
You see something that has to do with waste management, you see an
opportunity—
Councillor interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order, Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor MARX:
—and you take that opportunity and think how can I make this work better for
the ratepayers of Brisbane? McDonald's were always the people who when you
were asked what was the most rubbish seen when you were picking up on
Clean-Up Australia Day it was always McDonald's. Now I don't know whether
that was because they were just new; I remember when I was growing up there
wasn't certainly any McDonald's where I came from but they certainly are
prevalent now all over the place.
As has been mentioned they are a multinational company but they do work from
a template. Everything they do is done on a template. You cannot make anybody
with a sledgehammer do something they don't want to do. The best way to deal
with these people and these kinds of situations is the gently, gently approach. Go
and talk to them and say to them listen, this is an issue that we have discovered.
Are you interesting in being involved in a trial where we can see if we can
increase your recycling capacity.
Quite clearly the report stated, as Councillor McLACHLAN said, it was
increased by 17.5 per cent. Now I don't know about you but in anybody's
standards I think that's quite a reasonable amount of recycling saved. So you
start with one store, they were keen, they embraced it, they took it on. They will
go back to their headquarters, who will then go back to their headquarters and
then you know what, before know we know it, when our children are grown up
and of our age, it will be just a standard way of doing things. You used to smoke
on planes; you don't smoke on planes anymore. You used to buy Coca Cola in
schools, you can't buy that anymore.
It will just be the way that things are but it all starts with that one first step. I
congratulate Councillor McLACHLAN on this initiative. Thank you.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate? Councillor DICK.
Councillor DICK:
Look thanks, Madam Acting Chair. I wasn't going to enter this debate until I
heard the pearls of wisdom from Councillor MARX who started off by quoting
the great Chairman Mao as the great communist.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor DICK:
I'm happy to make them laugh, Madam Acting Chair, I'm happy with that, any
time, any time, any time. Look I guess what's pricked my interest here is that as
Councillor MARX just said, we need to do something, the stick approach
doesn't work. But this is $50,000 of ratepayers' money and listening to
Councillor MARX I'm not a little bit more confused from—normally I'm
confused from Councillor McLACHLAN—does this mean of the 80
McDonald's stores, we'll be spending $50,000 in each of them which is $4
million. Now I don't support that for one second. I want to be really clear on
this.
Councillor MARX may think subsidising a multinational corporation is a use—
they're nodding—they think that's a wise use of ratepayers' money. I don't. I
think it's an obscene waste of money if we are going to be spending millions of
dollars propping up McDonald's. What planet are you people on?
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 55 Councillor MARX:
Claim to be misrepresented.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you, Councillor MARX. It's alright.
Councillor DICK:
So what's next? Kentucky Fried Chicken, are we going to help Coca Cola with
their recycling? I mean what rubbish. What rubbish—pardon the pun—are these
people peddling? Madam Acting Chair, whilst I was happy to see that this is a
trial I certainly think we need some confirmation from Councillor
McLACHLAN we won't be ripping into the ratepayers' pockets, courtesy of
Councillor MARX if she has her way of spending millions of dollars helping out
McDonald's.
It's ridiculous, it's a nonsense, and I would be very concerned and alarm bells
should be raised if this is the LNP's approach to dealing with waste services,
shovelling money—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor DICK there's no reference to the LNP in this report. This is a trial so
you need to come back to the report thank you.
Councillor DICK:
Sure, Madam Acting Chair, I would be very concerned if it is this Council
which is LNP controlled and dominated, was to be going down this path.
Madam Acting Chair, we all want to see the multinational companies do the
right thing. We all want them to be playing by everyone's rules but we don't pay
ratepayers or community groups to help with their recycling. We shouldn't be
helping multinational companies to do their recycling either. They should be
doing the right thing.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor MARX you claim to be misrepresented.
Councillor MARX:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. Yes, Councillor DICK said that I had said that
we were prepared for ratepayers' to pay $4 million to be spent on this project.
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order. Councillor MARX, please continue.
Councillor MARX:
That's not what I said. I said that we had done a trial on one McDonald's and we
were hopeful that that would work and other McDonald's would roll it out
themselves.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you. Further debate?
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order. We will not continue until the Chamber is silent. Councillor
McLACHLAN.
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Thank you very much, Madam Acting Chairman, what pathetic
misrepresentation from the knockers and blockers on the other side, the
knockers and blockers. That's all they are. That's all they stand for. Not prepared
to look at anything new. Never express any interest whatsoever in waste
management or recycling in this place until they get a kernel of something that
they think they can have a crack at. But all they are are pathetic knockers and
blockers. They've got no interest at all in understanding what this was about.
Thank you Councillor MARX for your support for this trial which was to look
closely at how one store deals with waste issues with recycling. Guess what
Councillor DICK? One of the great things we get out of this trial, one of the
great benefits we get out of this trial, is information that helps inform waste
services' role in the planning of new stores. As development applications come
forward from stores like this, as a consequence of the great learnings we've been
able to get from looking closely at one store, we're better able to determine what
requirements, what infrastructure those stores need to better handle their rubbish
and recycling.
That's great information that is now available as a resource to our waste services
and resource recycling teams. That will prove invaluable over the years as more
and more stores like this come along. We can point to an example of a store
that's been able to provide the back of house services to improve waste and
recycling. If McDonald's adopts this, which I sincerely hope they do, and it
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 56 won't be to your pathetic misrepresentation Councillor DICK, at ratepayers'
expense. If McDonald's choose to take up the lessons that this store has learnt
and applied them in stores across Australia, what a great revolution that will be
for recycling in this place.
Acting Chairman:
I will now put the report. Those—Councillor GRIFFITHS, I remind you you're
on a warning. I will now put the report.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Field Services Committee
was declared carried on the voices.
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor David McLachlan (Chairman), Councillor Norm Wyndham, Deputy Chairman and Councillors Peter
Cumming, Nicole Johnston, Kim Marx and Ian McKenzie.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – MCDONALD’S RECYCLING TRIAL
301/2014-15
1.
Arron Lee, Branch Manager, Waste and Resource Recovery Services (WaRRS), Field Services Group,
Brisbane Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to provide an update on McDonald’s Recycling
Trial. He provided the information below.
2.
Brisbane City Council has been working with McDonald’s head office for a number of years regarding
their waste and litter management.
3.
In 2013-14 as part of Council’s Encouraging Recycling Project, WaRRS officers approached
McDonald’s head office with a view to increasing resource recovery.
4.
The franchise owner of the McDonald’s Albion Restaurant had expressed interest in partnering with
Council on a recycling trial.
5.
This trial was seen as an opportunity to drive changes in McDonald’s national guide to best practice for
waste management, increased resource recovery and diversion of waste from landfill. With
40 McDonald’s stores in Brisbane this was seen as an important opportunity for Council.
6.
A pre-trial study was undertaken in February 2014 for waste characterisation of all waste streams at the
Albion restaurant. Data from this study was compiled into a report. This report provided information on
the levels of waste and recycling and suggested areas for possible improvements. As part of the waste
characterisation project, existing waste management data was requested from the existing waste
management company, Veolia, to establish baseline conditions.
8.
The six month trial commenced in May 2014, with a focus on back of house waste streams. Staff
training was undertaken and five recycling collection containers and one recycling bulk bin were
installed.
10.
Photos of the bin layout amongst work areas were displayed and explained. These included bins near
the McCafe, behind the counters, in the food preparation area and in the drive-through servicing area of
the kitchen.
11.
An image of the recycling information displayed throughout the back of house (for staff) was
displayed. This signage was placed above the bins, in the staff lunch room and on the corridor walls.
12.
Some of the constraints faced during this trial included the franchise being sold back to McDonald’s,
which resulted in the waste collection contractor changing from Veolia to Toxfree.
13.
The successes of the trial included:
successful introduction of the recycling system
the staff of McDonald’s embraced the trial on site
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 57 -
there was an average increase of 17.5 per cent in recovered recyclables
the general waste collected decreased
there was a reduced level of contamination in collected recyclables.
14.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Lee for his
informative presentation.
15.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
BRISBANE LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE
Councillor Krista ADAMS, Chairman of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor
Andrew WINES, that the report of that Committee held on 18 November 2014, be adopted.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor ADAMS.
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. As I mentioned earlier via the LORD
MAYOR in his report, I will respond with some comments about the screaming
falsehoods we heard from the councillor for Tennyson earlier this evening about
asbestos, and the scare campaign that she's intending to lead through her
community about Yeronga Memorial Park and asbestos in that area.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Acting Chairman.
Acting Chairman:
Point of order Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Madam Acting Chairman, Councillor ADAMS just said that I'm intending to
lead a scare campaign. Madam Acting Chairman, I've done no such thing.
Madam Acting Chairman, that is an adverse reflection on my motives and I
would ask that you ask her to withdraw that please.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON you did instigate this issue and you made certain claims
earlier in the meeting today. The indication that you gave is an impression that
Councillor ADAMS has. I don't believe based on what we've heard here tonight
it is a misrepresentation of certainly what you have portrayed here tonight.
Councillor ADAMS.
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. I think it was made very clear that Councillor
JOHNSTON had every intention of running out and speaking to all of her users
of that park, to tell them to be aware of the deadly materials that Council will
not remove because they are heartless when it comes to Yeronga Memorial
Park. So therefore I'm just going to clarify why these are all falsehoods and why
this misrepresentation has been made by Councillor JOHNSTON because when
she gets an answer she doesn't like it just must be wrong. That is exactly what
has happened in this stage.
Yeronga Memorial Park has a variety of users but the buildings are actually
leased by the Brisbane Bridge Club. What the councillor conveniently forgot to
mention about the correspondence from my office from the divisional manager,
from the Lifestyle division's office last week, was this was based purely around
the intensification of a use on this site. Councillor JOHNSTON has asked for a
community garden on this old bowls club site and as is standard procedure for
any type of site like this where there's a change of use or intensification of use,
we need to do a soil test.
Now the response last week was specifically related to the community gardens
soil test that we did on this site. The results showed, as we do have on some of
our older sites around Brisbane, that there was asbestos on the bowls club site,
specifically in the undersoil, obviously in and around the buildings, in the
undersoil and around the greens gutters and the construction of those gutters by
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 58 the materials that were used many, many decades ago by the people that made
bowls clubs in Brisbane, a common occurrence.
The risk analysis though clearly shows that this at this point of time is a low risk
and the best management is to remain in situ, however, not if we were to change
the intensification of a use to a community garden. So the only asbestos that did
rate a higher than medium risk was actually in the shed. We have been working
with the Bridge Club over the last couple of months to make sure that they're
aware of how to manage this. We are supporting them through grants processes
to look at how they can deal with the minor issues that they have at the shed but
the shed is not a publicly access site.
The Bridge Club are doing their utmost best and a very good job in managing
the issues around that shed. The soil testing was as I said purely in relation to the
use of the site as a community garden because that definitely, as everybody
knows, changes the type of use that you would have on a bowls green, a site that
has been fertilised heavily for many, many, many decades in this case in the
memorial park—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Acting Chairman.
Acting Chairman:
Point of order against you Councillor ADAMS. Councillor JOHNSTON?
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Madam Acting Chairman, I'm just concerned that Councillor ADAMS is
misleading the Chamber. I just draw your attention to the fact that I've been
advised in writing that the report provided a level of assurance that the soil
presents no significant risk of hazardous chemicals. Now Councillor ADAMS is
stating that there is a problem with the soil. That is in direct contrast to the
written advice I was given on Friday afternoon. Madam Acting Chairman, I
would say that that is either misleading or Councillor ADAMS needs to clarify
her comments to ensure that the correct information is given to the Chamber
today.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, Councillor ADAMS has 10 minutes and this is quite an
in depth topic. I'm certain that she will be able to cover all of the aspects in
relation to this matter within her allocated 10 minutes. Councillor ADAMS.
Councillor ADAMS:
The interesting point is she just admitted she got a report that told her there was
nothing wrong with the soil. Not what she said about two hours ago. So
whatever works for you Councillor JOHNSTON; who is misleading the
Chamber is my question? That was the other Councillor JOHNSTON. The soil
has no chemicals that are a hazard at this point of time.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Point of order, Madam Acting Chairman.
Acting Chairman:
Point of order Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Claim to be misrepresented.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor ADAMS.
Councillors interjecting.
Acting Chairman:
Order.
Councillor SUTTON:
Point of order, Madam Chair.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor SUTTON:
Point of order, Madam Chair.
Acting Chairman:
Point of order, Councillor SUTTON.
Councillor SUTTON:
Councillor McLACHLAN just said—made an absolutely inappropriate
comment that went—that questioned Councillor JOHNSTON's mental state. It
was massively uninformed and I ask that he should withdraw the comment and
apologise unreservedly.
Acting Chairman:
Okay, Councillor SUTTON—Councillor SUTTON, I didn't hear what
Councillor—order. Councillor JOHNSTON, there's no need to interject when
I'm speaking. I am dealing with this matter. Councillor McLACHLAN, I did not
hear what you said or allegedly said because there was a fair bit of audible noise
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 59 in the Chamber. Councillor McLACHLAN, I ask if there was something that
was said, would you care to withdraw it? Your call, please.
Councillor McLACHLAN:
Of course, Madam Acting Chairman, I withdraw.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you. Councillor ADAMS.
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. The soil testing again in relation to the
community gardens. There's no hazardous chemicals at that right now for the
use. But if we were to put in gardens in those greens, there would have to be a
removal of at least the topsoil on those greens, at the very least.
This site is like any other community facility that has asbestos, that is safe if it
remains in situ. Just like, for example Jagera Hall that we were talking about just
recently, there is a program. It was in the questions on notice just a couple of
weeks ago. It's listed on the council register, it is considered against citywide
priorities for the asbestos removal program which is provided for in the budget
every year and that is what we're doing for Yeronga Memorial Park.
Two happier things, Madam Acting Chair, I would like to remind everybody
that they can wave goodbye to their overdue book fees again for December. If
you just happened to keep the books a little bit too long throughout the year,
don't forget we have our Christmas spirit at the library. Bring in your canned
food and non-perishable items to give to Food Bank in exchange for getting
your fees waived, any outstanding fees.
So we'll run for the whole month of December. It's a great way for users to clear
their account to start fresh in the New Year. It's a great way for council and the
libraries to support Food Bank. This is the sixth consecutive year that we've held
the library amnesty and partnered with Food Bank and I think it's a fantastic
way. Last year, we saw over 37,300 cans of food donated to Food Bank. We
saved library customers $205,000 on top of that.
More importantly to us, we tend to get books back that we were missing. So
that's what we love about the amnesty is that the people come back with the
books that we want to get back into our shelves as well. So please pass that on to
your local communities to let them know that that opportunity is there.
To the report, Madam Chair, last week's presentation was around the Brisbane
Digital Hub. This program is strategically aligned with our smart, prosperous
city. It's been a great way to connect our residents to each other, to trades, to
services, to leisure activities by using the internet in a way that they may not
have been familiar with in the past. It came from a grant from the Department of
Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy. We had a grant for just over
$348,000 and we have set up the hub within the Sunnybank Library.
It was launched on 1 July in 2013, it's been a great way for locals to increase
their online engagement, understand the opportunities that's going to be offered
by high speed broadband and gaining some digital literacy skills as well. So as I
said, Sunnybank Hills Library, they've had a new video conferencing, a smart
television, touch screen computers, tablets, e-books, web cameras so that we can
get the locals to learn about their digital literacy.
In particular, we've really been focusing on our young innovators and
entrepreneurs through our CoderDojo. Also our late adopters, so our seniors that
are taking a little bit more time to get into the digital space. Also some
nonspeaking people too—nonspeaking English, so our CaLD residents as well
so that they can link in. We've had some wonderful stories about people that
learned how to use Skype and could touch base with their relatives overseas for
the first time. There was a lot tears in the libraries and with the local residents as
well.
It's a fantastic opportunity that we've had and the skills and the workshop that
we've developed through this grant will be continuing to roll out through City
Council over the coming years. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, you claim misrepresentation.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 60 Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman. Earlier today when I spoke on this matter in the urgency
motion I made it very clear that I was referring to several areas which were the
gutters, the maintenance shed, the retaining wall and the railing of the old
Annerley Bowls Club. I didn't mention soil at all. Councillor ADAMS has
completely misrepresented my earlier debate in this place.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate, Councillor HUANG.
Councillor HUANG:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. I rise to speak briefly on item A of last week's
Brisbane Lifestyle Committee report on Brisbane Digital Hub. Madam Acting
Chair, going digital is an irreversible trend and the benefits of going digital
permeate into every part of our lives. To ensure citizens have better access to
and can benefit from digital literacy, this Council has developed Brisbane
Digital Hub program. This program has a focus on reaching future digital
innovators and entrepreneurs and the late adopter segment that made up of
residents, seniors aged 50 plus, people from non-English speaking backgrounds
and new arrivals.
Brisbane Digital Hub was launched on 1 July 2013, as Councillor ADAMS
mentioned, with the support of Federal Government funding. A two-year grant
was received from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the
Digital Economy. The grant is being used to promote Brisbane Digital Hub to
enable local communities to increase their online engagement and better
understand the opportunities offered by high-speed broadband and the digital
economy, as well as individuals in gaining the digital literacy skills needed to
participate in the digital economy.
With this grant, Brisbane City Council was able to provide the following
dedicated online training facility and teams promoting the initiative, the grant
allows us to upgrade an existing learning lounge in Sunnybank Hills Library,
including the addition of video conferencing, a smart television, touch-screen
computers, tablets, e-book readers and web cameras. Also a buddy site at
Chermside Library has been enhanced, user catchment with a higher proportion
of late adopters.
Digital hub staff utilising the existing learning lounge and providing training one
day per week. Madam Acting Chairman, with the support of this federal
funding, we were able to provide better facilities and services through our
libraries to allow our citizens to be more digitally literate and enable our
businesses to be better connected to both local and international markets, which
aligns with this Council's vision of Digital Brisbane and a smart and prosperous
city.
I'd like to take this opportunity to commend the work of all the officers
involved, especially the frontline library staff for their dedication, and
congratulate the Chairman for Lifestyle and the LORD MAYOR in delivering a
program that has enormous benefits for the future of our city.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate, Councillor ADAMS. I will now put the report.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption 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
Steve Griffiths, Vicki Howard, Steven Huang and Victoria Newton.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BRISBANE DIGITAL HUB
302/2014-15
1.
Ms Sharan Harvey, Manager, Library Services, Brisbane Lifestyle Division attended the meeting to
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 61 provide an update on Brisbane Digital Hub. She provided the information below.
2.
A two-year grant from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy was
received for $348,380. The grant is being used to promote Brisbane Digital Hub, an initiative to enable:
Local communities to increase their online engagement and better understand the
opportunities offered by high speed broadband and the digital economy.
Individuals in gaining the digital literacy skills needed to participate in the digital economy.
3.
Brisbane Digital Hub program has a focus on reaching future digital innovators and entrepreneurs and
the ‘late adopter’ segment; made up of residents, seniors aged 50 plus, people from non-English
speaking backgrounds and new arrivals.
4.
Brisbane Digital Hub is strategically aligned with Brisbane Vision – Our Smart, prosperous city.
Digital technology will better connect Brisbane businesses to local and international markets, and
connect residents to each other, to trades, services and leisure activities worldwide. Brisbane’s
residents and workers are eager lifelong learners. People use many pathways to learning, including
libraries
5.
Brisbane Digital Hub is aligning to the Digital Brisbane Strategy through creating an ecosystem that
supports digital start-ups with global potential; stimulating a pro-entrepreneurship culture, particularly
among young people; and improving the public’s experience of Brisbane through digital economy
providing world-class public digital services that support residents and visitors.
6.
The opening of the Brisbane Digital Hub was launched on 1 July 2013 with the following dedicated
online training facility and teams promoting the initiative:
Sunnybank Hills library had an existing learning lounge upgraded and the upgrade and
addition of including the addition of video conferencing, a smart television, touch screen
computers, tablet computers, eBook readers and web cameras.
Buddy site at Chermside Library has enhanced user catchment with a high proportion of ‘late
adopters’, Digital Hub staff utilising existing learning lounge and providing training one day
per week.
7.
Council has developed a Brisbane Digital Hub team to promote digital literacy training packages
including pilot and rollout to groups and one-on-ones, as well as tailored sessions for community
groups. The team also engages in trade expos, Ekka and projects that promote digital awareness to
support digital CoderDojo and QUT (Queensland University of Technology) partnership across Library
Services.
8.
Learning courses have been developed to support the initiative including:
Six existing courses updated.
27 new training courses developed in November 2014.
Additional sessions delivered in Cantonese including computer basics, internet basics, email
basics, iPad basics Skype basics, Smartphone Photography and Library eBooks.
Group sessions held from July 2013 with 12 different group training courses.
In November 2014 the Hub will deliver 33 training courses.
Total of 331 group training sessions held that exceed the Federal Government targets by 23
per cent for ‘group training’.
Individual sessions were facilitated with 30 minute sessions engaging the customer with
customised training based on a topic nominated by the trainee. Over 54 sessions each month
have been held that exceed the Federal Government targets by 13 per cent for ‘individual’
training.
9.
The CoderDojo program is a global initiative that Brisbane City Council is supporting in partnership
with Brisbane Marketing. The program aims to:
Achieve the aims of the Brisbane Digital Strategy’s Cyber City Program.
Global program to teach kids aged seven to 17 to code.
Developing digital literacy, creative problem-solving practical skills and entrepreneurial
thinking in young people.
Mentorships by volunteer IT professionals and educators with 130 mentors to date.
Sunnybank Hills Digital Hub and seven other libraries including Brisbane Square, Carindale,
Chermside, Garden City, Indooroopilly, Kenmore and Mt Ommaney with 22 blocks
comprised of 98 sessions including 278 participants.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 62 10.
The Digital Hub program is promoting awareness of the Brisbane Digital Hub and Council’s libraries.
The benefits of this program enhance library services with upgrades to physical facilities and IT
equipment, existing training packages updated, rigorous development, piloting and release of new
training sessions, increased staff skills and knowledge including digital literacy and learning sessions
developed by Digital Hub which are now available to all Brisbane Library customers.
11.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Ms Harvey for her
informative presentation.
12.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Councillor Julian SIMMONDS, Chairman of the Finance, Economic Development and Administration
Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Fiona KING, that the report of that Committee held on
18 November 2014, be adopted.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor SIMMONDS.
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you, Madam Chairman. I don't have any further debate. The main item
that the committee received was a presentation on the Global Cafe. I've spoken
extensively about it over the last couple of weeks so I'll leave the debate to the
Chamber.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate. I will now put the report.
Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the Finance, Economic Development and
Administration Committee was declared carried on the voices.
The report read as follows
ATTENDANCE:
Councillor Julian Simmonds (Chairman), Councillor Angela Owen-Taylor (Deputy Chairman); and Councillors
Kim Flesser, Fiona King, Ryan Murphy and Shayne Sutton.
A
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BRISBANE GLOBAL CAFÉ
303/2014-15
1.
Mr Shane Rodgers, Chief Operating Officer, Brisbane Marketing attended the meeting to provide an
update on Brisbane Global Café. He provided the information below.
2.
The Brisbane Global Café was a G20 related event staged in Brisbane from Wednesday
12 November 2014 to Thursday 13 November 2014. The Global Café was an extension of the
international discussion with over 2,300 people in attendance throughout the duration of the event.
3.
The Brisbane Global Café was created to leverage off the G20 spotlight, provide access to global
thinking and position Brisbane in a global context.
4.
The event saw over 75 international speakers, 113 media representatives, 15 international media
representatives, seven media conferences and programs were conducted promoting the event as an
iconic initiative of Brisbane. The following themes and issues were promoted as part of the Brisbane
Global Café program:
Powering Future Economies – Energy
Cities of the Future
Technology
Improving Human Life
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 63 -
Tourism’s New Frontiers
The Digital Age – Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Youth Forum
The Asian Century: Insights and Opportunities
All Themes.
5.
The schedule of events including speeches, panel discussions and workshops promoted engagement
through forums and online web sessions to enhance the outreach of the initiative and to support the
G20 Leaders Summit program of events. Some of the key support programs included:
Brisbane ambassadors including promotions of Team Brisbane
Y20 – Youth group to engage young audiences
6.
The Choose Brisbane and Global Café online website had over 39,000 page impressions during the
G20 week. On the first day of the Global Café there were over 5,000 individual sessions on the website
and around 1,400 Twitter posts viewed by over a million people. The hashtag #BNEglobalcafe was the
most popular in Australia on 12 November 2014.
7.
The Global Café was an innovative initiative of Council and was received positively by worldwide
audiences. The initiative establishes a legacy of Brisbane following the G20 event.
8.
Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Rodgers for his
informative presentation.
9.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
B
COMMITTEE REPORT
26 SEPTEMBER 2014
134/695/317/3-03
-
BANK
AND
INVESTMENT
REPORT
–
304/2014-15
10.
The Chief Financial Officer, Organisational Services Division, provided the Committee with the
monthly summary of Council’s petty cash, bank account and cash investment position as at 26
September 2014.
11.
During the September period, total Council funds held by banks and investment institutions (per
general ledger) decreased by $153.7 million to $343.9 million excluding trusts (Ref.1.4) The net
decrease is mainly due to payments for Legacy Way project, quarterly debt service payment to QTC
and repayment of working capital borrowings from QTC.
12.
Council funds as at 26 September 2014 held by banks and investment institutions (per statements)
totalled $354.5 million (Ref: 2.4 + 3.1). The variance relates to timing differences between transactions
recorded in the general ledger and those reflected in the bank statements.
13.
Unreconciled bank receipts and payments relate to reconciliation of variances at the end of the period.
The majority of these transactions have since been reconciled.
14.
Surplus funds are invested daily with approved counterparties.
15.
The Chairman and Committee noted the report.
16.
The Bank and Investment for the period ended 26 September 2014 is presented for noting by Council.
17.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.
ADOPTED
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 64 -
CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION – COMMUNITY GARDEN
ON THE OLD ANNERLEY BOWLS CLUB SITE:
(Notified motions are printed as supplied and are not edited)
305/2014-15
The Acting Chairman of Council (Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR) then drew the councillors’ attention to
the notified motion listed on the agenda, and called on Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON to move the motion.
Accordingly, Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON moved, seconded by Councillor Kim FLESSER, that—
This Council supports the establishment of a community garden on the old Annerley Bowls Club site, currently
the Brisbane Bridge Centre, at Yeronga Memorial Park and will fast track approval as a matter of urgency.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, thank you, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, I rise today because the
Annerley and Yeronga community are seeking to establish a community garden
at Yeronga Memorial Park. For the past almost four years, they have been
actively campaigning for a site in a district level park which meets all the
guidelines for community gardens. It's a bit sad, I think, that in the first term of
this administration, community gardens were often talked about in this place and
there was strong support for them. But community gardens appear to have
dropped off the radar.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
The funding seems to have dropped off and there doesn't seem to be any support
coming from the Administration. Now, I have a group of Annerley residents and
Yeerongpilly residents together with the local high school, the Yeronga State
High School, who are very keen to establish a community garden in Yeronga
Memorial Park. We did put a proposal to Council in 2011 and that was rejected
by Council.
In October 2011, I wrote to Council asking them to review the decision and to
allow a community garden to be established on the site. I received a response
from the acting CEO in November 2011, stating that Yeronga Memorial Park is
not an appropriate place for a community garden, that it is a zone for sport and
recreation and a community garden does not fall within that zoning. Now that is
a copy of the letter that I got from the CEO of Council in November 2011.
He also stated that there was a moratorium on additional leases and licenses in
the area and that limited the potential for any community garden. He said then
that people should go up to Koala Park in Moorooka which is kilometres away,
if they wanted to participate in a community garden. Now, there are a number of
things that are wrong with that. Gardening is a recognised recreation in this
country and to say that it's not is just ridiculous. Secondly, the CEO—acting
CEO in his letter said that it was prohibited under the Land and Conservation
Management Plan, also not true.
The Land and Conservation Management Plan in section 9.13 specifically notes
that a new community garden is an approved use on the old bowls club site. It
was a big part of all the consultation with the residents at the time and it is wellsupported by the community. So being efficient, I wrote back to the CEO of
Council and pointed these things out to him in December 2011. I made the point
that certainly the bowls club site would be a reuse, not a new leased area. That
gardening could certainly be considered a recreation.
I also three years ago made the point that this would be a no-dig garden. We do
not want access to the soil. Let me be clear and say that again. We do not want
access to the soil. We were seeking a no-dig garden at this location. Councillor
MARX looks confused. So by that, I mean that these would be raised garden
beds above ground level. So just so you know that's what I'm referring to.
So I wrote back to the CEO and then in February 2012, he came back to me and
I got a new excuse this time. The excuse I got was, there's possible soil
contamination and we can't have the community garden because there's soil
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 65 contamination. So I wrote again saying, we don't want access to the soil, we
want to create a no-dig garden. He said, we'll have to undertake further testing.
So in April again this year, I wrote to the Divisional Manager, Brisbane
Lifestyle and said, look, some time's gone by, what's happening? Why is there
no action on this matter? The Divisional Manager, Brisbane Lifestyle got back
to me saying that they were looking into it. On 6 May this year, he said—in
response to my email of 4 April—that Council acknowledges my suggestion of
a no-dig garden to overcome the soil testing issue, that option will be considered
once further testing has been obtained.
So months and months go by again and then a few weeks ago, I wrote to
Council again saying, look, another six months has passed, what's happening
with the testing? On Friday afternoon, I received the memo. I note this memo
came after my motion was put to Council. Now that memo, to be very clear,
says that this Council will support or would support a community garden on the
site.
So let me be clear, following the removal of the asbestos, which Council says
should happen, this Council will consider the establishment of a community
garden. Now this is the opportunity today to tell this community that we support
a community garden on the site. That is what they want. It's a no-dig garden, it
should not be any problem for this Council given there are no soil contamination
issues.
Now Councillor ADAMS essentially has stood up here today and tried to imply
that there was a problem with the soil. So I want to quote from the memo I was
given on Friday. Council appointed an independent contractor to complete soil
testing to ascertain whether any contaminants would prohibit the establishment
of a community garden. The report provided a level of assurance that the soil
presents no significant risk of hazardous chemicals.
However, the report identified other issues to consider, including asbestos
materials within the gutters of the bowls greens, the maintenance shed and the
retaining walls. Now these are the issues that I raised earlier today. It is clear to
me that there are two things that need to happen with respect to this. (1) the
asbestos in this area needs to be immediately removed. This Council is
proposing to list it against citywide priorities. Now that's not good enough as far
as I'm concerned. If there is asbestos here, it should not be incumbent upon a
bridge club to go out and get a grant to remove asbestos from their site.
This Council needs to step up, do the right thing and remove the asbestos now
they have identified it on the site. Now Councillor ADAMS indicated there's a
lot risk attached to this issue. On Friday afternoon, 15 minutes after I got this
memo—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, your motion is about the establishment of a community
garden not about the removal of asbestos. That was your urgency motion earlier
today. I ask you to bring your remarks back to the establishment of a community
garden.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Okay, that's fine, Madam Chairman, I'll sum up because if Councillor ADAMS
raises it then I'm sure you're going to tell her the same thing. So the asbestos
issue's apparently not relevant to the community garden. So I'll go back to my
first point, Madam Chairman, this community wants a community garden in this
location. It's a district level park, there is access to storage, there is access to
water, there is access to parking. There are all the things that the community
garden policy requires for a community garden to be set up.
There is a high level of community support in this location and I certainly think
that if this Council believes that there is some sort of impediment and that's what
they've been saying all day today then it should be addressed and it shouldn't be
left to the community to sort out through a grant. So, Madam Chairman, there is
no reason we cannot have a no-dig community garden at this location. We do
not need access to the soil, we do not need access to the bowls club.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 66 These bowls lawns are currently being used for jousting, which is a pretty
intensive kind of use and I would hate to think—and as far as I know, all the
jousting materials used to get stored in the shed. So as far as I know it has been
used, but anyway. What I think should happen here, Madam Chairman, is if this
Council should improve, in principle a community garden at Yeronga Memorial
Park, it should then remove any impediments to the establishment of that
community garden as a matter of urgency.
I would say that all residents need to support this motion—all councillors, sorry,
need to support this motion.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate, Councillor ADAMS.
Councillor ADAMS:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. We will not be supporting this motion. My
officers and myself are happy to speak to any community group that wants to set
up a garden in this area. The position has been clearly outlined today and in the
correspondence to Councillor JOHNSTON last week, all works will need to be
considered in a citywide priority.
306/2014-15
Motion be now put
It was moved by Councillor Krista ADAMS, seconded by Councillor Peter MATIC, 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.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, right of reply.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Madam Chairman, let me be clear about the motion that I've put forward to this
Council today which has not at any stage today been debated in this place. This
Council supports the establishment of a community garden on the old Annerley
Bowls Club site, currently the Brisbane Bridge Club at Yeronga Memorial Park
and will fast track approval as a matter of urgency. Now, Madam Chairman, that
is the motion before us today.
Councillor ADAMS has stood up in this place and she has spoken for—sorry,
Councillor ADAMS has stood up in this place and she's spoken for less than 30
seconds, apparently claiming that that is all the justification that this community
needs to refuse to support this motion. Well, Madam Chairman, that's not good
enough. For four years, this community has consistently been asking for a
community garden. I even had another request last week for a community
garden.
If there is some sort of impediment, as Councillor ADAMS tried to imply—
without mentioning what that impediment might be—it is incumbent upon this
Council to address it as a matter of urgency. The failure to do so sends a clear
signal to this community that their desire to enhance the local environment, to
provide sustainable food sources, to provide an opportunity for fellowship, to
provide an opportunity to grow fruit and vegetables in a highly urbanised area is
not important to this Council.
That is the way in which Councillor ADAMS has treated these residents' request
today, by refusing to debate the substantive motion. Now I don't think that's
good enough, Madam Chairman. Not only will I now very strongly be
campaigning on the asbestos issue, now I'm aware of it, and—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I have already told you once, there is nothing in
relation to asbestos in this motion. You need to confine your remarks to the
motion at hand. Otherwise, if you fail to be relevant, I will sit you down.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Yes, Madam Chairman—
Acting Chairman:
Microphone, please.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Sorry, let me just quote again from the memo entitled community garden in
Yeronga Memorial Park. An improvement project which includes the removal
of asbestos in the gutters and maintenance shed as well as the railing over the
retaining wall will be given consideration in future budgets against citywide
priorities—
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 67 Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON. Councillor JOHNSTON—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Following—
Acting Chairman:
Stop. The motion is about Council supporting the establishment of a community
garden and fast tracking that approval. I have asked you twice not to go down
the asbestos track because that is not contained in the motion. Please resume
your seat.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
I'd just like to finish.
Acting Chairman:
Please resume your—
Councillor JOHNSTON:
Following this work, Council can—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON. Councillor JOHNSTON, I have given you a clear
direction as Chairman of this Council. Resume your seat otherwise you will be
in contempt of this Chamber and you will be completing an act of disorder.
Resume your seat please.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
The whole—this is ridiculous. Perhaps you haven't seen it, would you like a
copy of it, Councillor ADAMS, because it's entitled—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON.
Councillor JOHNSTON:
—community garden in Yeronga Memorial Park.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor JOHNSTON, I direct you to cease speaking and resume your seat.
Thank you. I will now put the motion.
As there was no further debate, the Acting Chairman submitted the motion to the Chamber and it was declared
lost on the voices.
Thereupon, Councillors Nicole JOHNSTON and Milton DICK immediately rose and called for a division,
which resulted in the motion being declared lost.
The voting was as follows:
AYES: 8 -
The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors
Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS,
Victoria NEWTON, Shayne SUTTON and Nicole JOHNSTON.
NOES: 17 -
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.
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:
Acting Chairman:
Councillors, are there any petitions? Councillors, are there any petitions?
Councillor CUMMING, no? Councillor SIMMONDS, yes, thank you.
Councillor SIMMONDS:
Thank you, Madam Chairman, I have a petition to table from residents in
Clarina Street about a footpath. Thank you.
Acting Chairman:
Thank you, further petitions? If there be no further petitions, Councillor
MURPHY, may I have a motion for receipt of the petitions?
307/2014-15
It was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor Victoria NEWTON, that
the petition as presented be received and referred to the Committee concerned for consideration and report.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 68 The petition was summarised as follows:
File No.
Councillor
Topic
CA14/972059
Julian Simmonds
Opposing the installation of a concrete footpath on Clarina
Street, Chapel Hill
GENERAL BUSINESS:
Acting Chairman:
Councillors, are there any statements required as a result of a Councillor
Conduct Review Panel order? As there be no councillors rising to their feet
requesting to speak, we will now move to general business. Councillors, are
there any matters of general business? Councillor HOWARD.
Councillor HOWARD:
Thank you very much, Madam Acting Chairman. I rise to speak about three
items this evening. The LGAQ (Local Government Association of Queensland)
Annual Conference that was held in Mackay from 27 to 29 October. White
Ribbons and Red Ribbons. Madam Acting Chairman, I was delighted to attend
the 118th LGAQ Annual Conference held recently in Mackay. The theme was
going for growth and the presentation by Katrina Houghton who was the
Director of Economic Development and Community Services for the Cook
Shire Council certainly reflected the title of the conference.
Katrina only took up her role with the Cook Shire Council in December 2012
following extensive experience in Northern Ireland's most disadvantaged
communities.
She's embarked on a number of key projects, including the Cook Town
Foreshore, the Cook Shire solar project and the Cook Town Airport subdivision
which has revitalised the area with Cook Shire Council now having a vision to
create a more economically sustainable shire through tourism, knowledge and
key infrastructure development.
Growth was also reflected by other speakers at the conference and I was pleased
to attend the workshop on the local government policy plan where there was
robust discussion by delegates, providing input to ensure that the local
government is best placed to contribute and to plan for the implementation of
key State Government initiatives. We also had a presentation by Queensland
Beautiful for the tidiest town award and that was one of the other highlights, as
were the many exhibitors allowing local government representatives to interact
with suppliers of services to councils throughout Queensland.
Madam Acting Chairman, I thank Council for allowing me the opportunity to
participate at the 2014 LGAQ conference. Madam Acting Chairman, I would
now like to speak briefly on two important campaigns in Central Ward and
globally in the coming week. Today, as the LORD MAYOR mentioned earlier,
we mark White Ribbon Day. The world's largest male-led movement to end
men's violence against women.
Originating in Canada in 1991, White Ribbon was brought to Australia in 2003
as part of UNIFEM and it's an important message that fosters and encourages
male leadership in the prevention of violence against women. In my life prior to
being a councillor, I was involved with victims of crime. My time with the
organisation reinforced with me that victims of violence are not merely
statistics; they are wives, sisters, mothers, daughters and friends.
Good men cannot and will not sit on the sidelines while those they love are at
risk of harm. One of these good men in my area is Tim Klaas Olof who
organised his regular White Ribbon Day event on Sunday at St James Anglican
Hall at Newmarket. Tim's family's story is heartbreaking and I am just so
thankful that there are many good people, churches and charities around our
inner north that support families going through similar situations.
Speaking of charities and good people, Madam Acting Chairman, next Monday
is another important day for Central Ward. It's World AIDS Day. It's over 30
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 69 years since the first case of HIV was officially diagnosed in this country. During
that time, huge strides have been made in treatment and prevention. Reducing
undiagnosed HIV by getting people tested is essential to continually fighting
HIV.
Anyone who has been at risk should test, nothing should stand in their way.
that's why, this World AIDS Day, it's important that all of us, government,
families, workplaces, do what we can to tell people the facts about HIV,
particularly that if diagnosed and treated in time, people with HIV can live just
as long as people without it. If together we can educate more people about HIV,
we can literally save lives.
That's why I'll be wearing my red ribbon on World AIDS Day and I have
provided funding to the Candlelight Vigil in New Farm Park to show my
support in the fight against this disease. It's also why I am pleased to announce,
Madam Acting Chairman, that City Hall will be lit red. Making this big
statement to the whole of Brisbane by lighting our City Hall is important and I
thank Councillor ADAMS and her team for helping me deliver this important
recognition as together we all stand in solidarity with those living with HIV and
AIDS, thank you.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I wish to speak on the proposal to
develop the East Brisbane Bowls Club for 235 units. Madam Chair, on the
weekend there were, in my estimate, 350 people on a hot day there to protest.
Many said it was 500, but all I know is that the former senator Ron Boswell was
there—
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
—and was very interested and gave his support afterwards to fight for the park
of East Brisbane. Madam Chair, this park was bought by the South Brisbane
City Council in 1903. It was bought at that time, Madam Chair, because there
“was a population and residential boom in the surrounding suburbs”.
Madam Chair, I suggest now, when the LORD MAYOR is seeking to sell some
of this land for development, there is a residential boom in the surrounding
suburbs. One century has passed but there is no difference except the value of
that parkland has become even more valuable, more important than it was a
century ago. Madam Chair, there has been approved development applications,
just since the beginning of January 2014, 2,200 units in the vicinity of this park.
Not approved, lodged with Council, I stand corrected—development
applications for 2,200 units.
So, Madam Chair, surely anyone in this Council Chamber would have to
acknowledge that is a population boom. So, Madam Chair, what really is the
difference between that time and now? Well you've got a very determined
community who knows their parkland is precious. They knew that, Madam
Chair, and have known it from all the time they have resided in East Brisbane
and Kangaroo Point and enjoyed this parkland which is one of the most used
parks in my ward.
Madam Chair, they know that because it is state heritage listed. In toto, Madam
Chair. The whole of Mowbray Park and the listing in the state heritage includes
the former Brisbane Bowls Club and the croquet club. They are specifically
mentioned in the listing of this park. The boundary of that State listing involves
the sites under question.
Madam Chair, the listing of this site is the site where the Reverent Thomas
Mowbray had his family estate. He bought this large parcel of land and when he
sold it to Council, it hadn't been subdivided, the back paddock hadn't been given
away, it was in toto, representing a riverine residential estate on the river. That
makes it incredibly unique as we were told at our meeting on the weekend.
What is this Administration doing? They're subdividing it. It was bought by as a
park by the foreparents of our city and now this LORD MAYOR, aided and
abetted by his financial chair, are selling off 4,000 square metres of land for
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 70 residential development. We heard the LORD MAYOR talk about the benefits
to the community, how we should feel wonderful that we are benefiting from
this proposal. Well what was the benefit? 2,000 square metres of parkland.
But, Madam Chairman, that parkland is parkland anyway. It might have a
park-related car park on it, but when has a park—car park on a park land,
suddenly not been parkland? Only when the LORD MAYOR wants to give it
back to the community when it's already parkland. Well you can't do it, LORD
MAYOR, it is in the park. Whether it's got a car park on it or not, it is parkland.
So don't tell me we're benefitting by parkland coming back to the community,
all that is doing is obfuscating the issue that 4,000 square metres of parkland is
being subdivided off for the private sector, for private development, private
property owners, 235 units that will be privately-owned. That is what we are
seeing here with this proposal. The other community benefit is 29 car parks.
Well sure, we need car parks, but isn't our proposal not to encourage cars to
come into the inner city for—sorry, I'm being distracted—coming into the city
for commuter parking, which is what is related to the ferry terminal. Surely we
have a different strategy than that?
The 79 car parks are certainly adequate for the park users' needs. So I would
suggest there is no benefit. Then finally, the other benefit that the community
has is that the croquet club will have a state of the art croquet club as part of a
$4 million package croquet club. Well, Madam Chair, I've just read the
development application. It is a refurb. It's not new, it's a refurb; bit of paint,
take a few walls out, make it look a bit new, a refurbished club house.
Madam Chair, not only that, the croquet club doesn't want it. The croquet club
says, if you tell us members to disband for two years—that's what they were told
less than 24 hours before the announcement, there will be no croquet club. So
don't tell us you're giving the croquet club a benefit, you are actually killing us
off as a club.
Madam Chair, if in fact there were people who did remain with the club for two
years to play croquet, they can't play croquet. Because if you have a 12 storey
building on the northern side of a croquet field, that means shade, shade means
no grass and I have checked, you can't play croquet on synthetic grass. It
actually has to be lawn. So you have got a specific design in this proposal that
kills off the croquet club. Yet the LORD MAYOR's saying it's a benefit to the
community. What rubbish. What complete misrepresentation of the facts.
This is what happens when you're too smart by half. It's what happens when you
have a profit at all cost land development unit—the CBIC—that is a Council
entity that hasn't got any accountability to anybody except the LORD MAYOR.
This land development unit which decides they'd just like riverside parkland for
development. Madam Chair, if they like this site for development, what other
site will they like for development?
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor ABRAHAMS:
It'll be every recreational site, every park site in Brisbane. Don't think that once
they've finished with the riverside parks, they'll stop there. No way, it is just hell
for leather. That is what the—the demon that the LORD MAYOR has unleashed
with the CBIC and we're seeing it now in completely out of control.
Madam Chair, it is the most deceptive thing to do; (a) suddenly removing signs
when the club is trying to alert the community to what's happening, (b) to put a
development application which didn’t use the correct address. Now that they
don't have to, but if the Council had any integrity they should use the Lytton
Road address.
Not even show the buildings in the development application. Sure it's
preliminary, I'm sure Councillor COOPER's going to come and say I don't know
anything about planning. Well I know that Pellicano when they have a
preliminary develop application, put a diagram of the building in it. The same
with Anthony John and it was a much bigger preliminary approval. But the
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 71 CBIC, meaning the LORD MAYOR, can't be honest enough with the
community to even show what the 12-storey building looks like.
Do you know why, Madam Chair? Because as soon as he puts that up, the
residents next door in Kangaroo Point who have been told in the development
application that the proposed development is on scale with them, will say,
tommy rot, of course it isn't. Because what is the height of the development
across the other side of Park Avenue? Three storeys, six storeys and one nine
storeys right up the back. Not 12 storeys, not at all.
Madam Chair, do you know why they also didn't show where the buildings
were? Because then they don't actually have to show how many huge, NALL
(Natural Assets Local Law) listed fig trees are going to have the chop. Because,
Madam Chair, one of the reasons the croquet club has been looking for my
support is that there are fig trees on the northern side of their site. They're only
about two and a half storeys high but they are sufficient to stop their lawn
growing.
When you have 12 storeys of the 235 unit dwellers who know that they're in
clover, having got a Council park for their development site, do you know what
they don't want? Trees in front of their site.
Acting Chairman:
Councillor ABRAHAMS, your time has expired. Further general business,
Councillor BOURKE.
Councillor BOURKE:
Thanks very much, Madam Chairman. It's always great to follow the councillor
who wanted to pave a park down in her ward for a smash repairer. Madam
Chairman—
Acting Chairman:
Councillor—thank you.
Councillor BOURKE:
—I just rise to speak about the Local Government Association of Queensland
annual conference that I attended with Councillor MATIC and Councillor
HOWARD. Of course, Councillor de WIT was there and Councillor FLESSER
wet his line a little bit during the three days, Madam Chairman. Madam
Chairman, another wonderful conference by LGAQ. Well attended by the
councillors, Madam Chairman.
This was the first conference, of course, since some of the de-amalgamation. So
there were three or four new councils who were with us—who used to be with
us who were with us again, Madam Chairman, in Mackay. Mackay put on a
wonderful show for the three days that we were there. A number of guest
speakers and Councillor HOWARD has mentioned some of them and
Councillor MATIC has mentioned some of them.
But one of the stand-out guest speakers for myself was Andrew Demetriou from
AFL fame. The ex-CEO of the Australian Football League, Madam Acting
Chairman, he spoke in depth about his leadership of the AFL, the transition and
the change and then how the theme of the conference, going for growth,
transferred into what the AFL did for about that 10 to 15 year period where they
saw this rapid expansion of their code across the whole of the country, Madam
Chairman, and obviously the rapid expansion of their business and the needs to
continue to focus on the core and key outcomes of managing the expectations of
the players, managing the expectations of the fans and obviously managing the
expectations of the sponsors as well, Madam Chairman.
It was quite in depth, he was very open with the detail. It was quite an in depth
presentation, Madam Acting Chairman, and I found it quite interesting. Other
speakers, Charles Landry, Madam Chairman, spoke in depth about creating
creative cities. This is something that this administration has taken on board and
Councillor COOPER does it with our Vibrant Laneways, Councillor ADAMS is
doing it through her range of festivals and grants and activation programs in the
CBDs, Madam Chairman.
The parks portfolio is already doing some of these things and we're always
looking for new ideas with Chairs2Share and other activations across the city,
Madam Chairman, and it's always great to see some of the interesting things that
are happening around the world. Madam Chairman, there was some breakout
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 72 sessions as well, in amongst all of the speakers and other items, Madam
Chairman, and Councillor MATIC led a breakout session for the South East
Queensland councils where we talked as a region about some of the key issues
that are facing our councils.
It did allow, as you can imagine—there is a very diverse range of councils that
are at these particular conferences from the smaller councils out west to the
north Queensland councils, to the councils in the south-east corner. Each group
of councils or each region is really facing some very unique pressure, very
unique challenges.
So the breakout session where we broke down into four different regions or
areas really gave the opportunity for councils to drill down on some of the key
issues that they had but also to highlight some of the issues and how we might
be able to go forward when it comes to the state election next year as an
organisation for LGAQ in terms of lobbying parties on their platforms and ideas,
Madam Chairman.
One of the other things, Madam Chairman, of course is the motion debate. A lot
of motions, as always. Some of the same motions that we seem to debate every
year at the conference, Madam Chairman, motions on flying foxes and various
other issues. Madam Chairman, obviously from the motion we had here from
Councillor DICK earlier, Councillor FLESSER gave him a copy of the program
because there was no less than six motions on the NDRRA funding, Madam
Chairman, which we debated and voted on and Brisbane had its say and we
supported the motions. They were all calling on the Federal Government to not
implement the changes that they were doing, Madam Chairman.
So it's great that the Labor Party is three to four weeks behind the rest of the
world, Madam Chairman, in this place. But, Madam Chairman, another
wonderful conference as I said. It really goes to show the strength of local
government. But also highlights the need for us to continue to focus on what is
the next challenge, what is the next issue that's coming up on the horizon. But
always thinking and reminding ourselves that at the end of the day, we're here to
represent our residents Madam Chairman, we're here to get outcomes for our
residents and to do the best for the people who elect us.
Acting Chairman:
Further general business, Councillor CUMMING.
Councillor CUMMING:
Thank you, Madam Acting Chair. Madam Acting Chair, I'd like to speak about
the survey Council's currently conducting in the Wynnum Manly Ward about
house building heights. This arose out of an undertaking given during the City
Plan that given the substantial number of objections put in about building
heights in the—from the Wynnum Manly area that Council would conduct a
survey of the area. It's being done, so I give credit to the Council for that. But
I've got to say that I've got a few problems, my constituents have a few problems
with the way the survey is being conducted.
The first thing is the voting system. The voting system is, if you vote to go back
to the 8.5 metres, that's okay, if you don't vote then you're considered to be in
favour of the 9.5. Now, I've got to say that's not a voting system that operates at
any level of democracy in Australia. It's caused great concern to a lot of people.
In fact, it's probably had a good result in one way in that some people have been
so annoyed about that idea that they weren't going to vote at all but they've
decided to vote in favour of the 8.5 because they were concerned about the
voting system and the fact that it was a rort and they thought that therefore they
would vote on the issue.
The other thing is the areas that have been surveyed. There are view-sensitive
areas in Wynnum Manly and there's non-view-sensitive areas in Wynnum
Manly. There's been a number of areas surveyed that are west of the crest of the
hill and therefore non-view sensitive and in my view more likely not to vote.
Not because it’s an irrelevant issue to them and something that would boost the
anti-8.5 metre vote.
There's one other area that's surveyed—the survey was sent out with a fact sheet.
The fact sheet contains an interesting paragraph about the low-medium density
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 73 area. It says house heights in the low-medium density residential LMR
(low-medium residential) zone will remain unchanged because this zone allows
for a range of housing types including unit style development and building
heights of up to three storeys and 11.5 metres in some locations.
Now that's correct. So if anyone lived in a low-medium area and read that,
they'd think well, waste of time us voting, waste of time us voting. But the fact
sheet then goes on and has a map of the survey area. When you look at it,
approximately one third of the survey area is guess what? It's an LMR area. One
third of the area is an LMR area. So I can see a big boost from that area from the
can't be bothered voting because it's not going to affect us vote. Because if
you've read the factsheet that's what it said.
It's also an area where there are—on a map it's a third of the area, given that
there are—some units have been built in that area over the years, the population
densities probably a bit higher, it's probably more like 40 per cent of the actual
number of households that are in that area. So that's going to be extremely
difficult to turn around the vote from that area. Quite frankly, if we're going to
put a paragraph like that in, which is correct, you should—that area shouldn't
have been surveyed. It shouldn't have been surveyed and we should have stuck
to low density areas.
There are some other very view-sensitive areas of Wynnum Manly which were
left out of the survey. At Wynnum North there's about six streets running from
the bottom to the top of the hill which have got great views all the way to New
Zealand and they weren't surveyed at all. Nor were some streets down at Lota
which some—the locals now these days call Lota Heights, Macdonald and
Armytage Street, again excellent views and not surveyed.
I've actually taken it upon myself, I thought I should do the right thing and let
the people in that area know that they were being left out of the survey and I've
got to say, there's a number of them that are very upset. There's another section
in the newsletter which is interesting because it talks about if you did vote for
the 8.5 then you might be reducing the value of your house and you might have
to sign an indemnity to say you weren't going to sue Council for loss of value of
your property.
Well I sat through the debate on the City Plan on this topic and I've got to say at
no stage did those officers say that 9.5 metres would be giving a boost to your
property values. I thought that would have been an obvious argument. They
could have said, well that's one thing we're doing for you. By allowing your
house to be built up to 9.5, we're going to boost your property values. You
should like us for that.
But now when there's a chance of possibly removing it, oh hold on, you'll have
to sign indemnity because your property value might go down. Or if you read
this, it's likely to go down. The fact that the argument that property values might
increase wasn't used during the debate shows the strength of that argument. But
that will no doubt scare some people, they'll think, oh hold on, I could be
reducing the value of my property, oh no, all too hard. I either don't vote or vote
to keep the 9.5.
A couple of other matters that need to be said, there's the online response
that's—two letters have been sent out on this survey, the online response address
is different in each one. A few people who have tried to send in the response
form with the address shown on the first letter couldn't get through. I've tried
again today and you can't get through on that one. The second letter out is
correct.
But of course, as everyone knows, if you have a survey and you make it difficult
for people, if you get the address wrong and they fill it in and it doesn't go
through, well they might just put it aside and never do it. So I think that was
very unfortunate. The second letter was sent out and a few people were not
really impressed by the way the letters were sent out. They were sent via
registered post, that's a good thing, but we had the second one that came out, we
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 74 had postage riding round on a Saturday morning. I don't know what—they were
getting paid overtime for doing it—seeking to deliver the letters.
It was a funny registered post delivery because my understanding with
registered post, unless they actually hand it to you, they should leave a card in
the letterbox and you go down to the post office and pick it up. Well that
happened for some people but it didn't happy for others. Others got it left. A lot
of people in the area got the letters left in their letterbox, just like a normal mail
delivery. Well that's not registered post.
Anyhow, and then there was one letter—letter one was signed by the
Infrastructure Coordination and Urban Design Manager, City Planning and
Sustainability Division, and letter two must have been really important because
the CEO signed it. So yes so it—and letter two did extend the time for the
closure of the survey from 13 November to 19 December. So anyhow, you won't
be surprised to hear that my views were not sought before the survey was
formulated, didn't ask me about areas that would be appropriate to survey and
anything like that.
In fact, the first I knew of the survey was when my office received a copy of the
letter being sent out at 5.45pm the day before the letters started being delivered.
Councillors interjecting.
Councillor CUMMING:
That's not surprising to you is it, Councillor JOHNSTON.
Acting Chairman:
Order.
Councillor CUMMING:
You get that sort of treatment—you probably couldn't get the letter at all. No.
Acting Chairman:
Order.
Councillor CUMMING:
I think the survey has been carefully formulated to guarantee one restful and that
means the 9.5 metres will be retained. But I've told people not to let them put
this off. I said, they need to vote and they need to go down swinging. I'll predict
the result, even though there's still weeks to go in the survey, I'll predict the
result. There will be a big majority of those who actually vote against the 9.5,
wanting to return to 8.5. But this majority will be swamped by non-voters.
The issue won't go away and once the 9.5-metre houses start being delivered in
the area, there will be a lot of concerned residents down there and I'll get in a lot
of good publicity. Thank you for that.
Acting Chairman:
Further debate. I declare the meeting closed.
QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:
(Questions of which due notice has been given are printed as supplied and are not edited)
Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (received on 17 November 2014)
Q1.
Please advise how much Council will be paying in membership or subscription fees to the Local
Government Association of Queensland this financial year?
Submitted by Councillor Nicole Johnston (received on 18 November 2014)
Q1.
Will Councillor Adams please advise how many fines were issued by CARS officers over the G20 long
weekend and provide a breakdown of the total by description of the top five types of fines?
Q2.
Will Councillor Adams please advise the total value of fines issued by CARS officers over the G20
long weekend?
Q3.
Will Councillor Adams please advise the number of jobs attended by CARS officers over the G20 long
weekend?
Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (received on 20 November 2014)
Q1.
Can you please provide the total figure for all of the speakers fees and associated costs for the
international speakers who attended the G20 Global Café.
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 75 Q2.
Can you please provide the total figure for all of the speakers fees and associated costs for the domestic
speakers who attended the G20 Global Café.
Q3.
Can you please provide the total figure for all of the appearance fees and associated costs for the
moderators who attended the G20 Global Café.
Q4.
Can you please advise how many full price tickets were sold for the G20 Global Café
Q5.
Can you please advise how many discount tickets were sold for the G20 Global Café.
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 (from meeting on 18 November 2014)
Q1.
Please list the amounts of rates and charges budgeted to be collected in the following Wards in the
2014/2015 financial year:Bracken Ridge
Central
Chandler
Deagon
Doboy
Enoggera
Hamilton
Holland Park
Jamboree
Karawatha
MacGregor
Marchant
McDowell
Moorooka
Morningside
Northgate
Parkinson
Pullenvale
Richlands
Tennyson
The Gabba
The Gap
Toowong
Walter Taylor
Wishart
Wynnum Manly
A1.
WARD
BRACKEN RIDGE
CENTRAL
CHANDLER
DEAGON
DOBOY
ENOGGERA
HAMILTON
HOLLAND PARK
JAMBOREE
KARAWATHA
MACGREGOR
MARCHANT
MCDOWALL
MOOROOKA
BUDGETED NET
$19.359 m
$141.076 m
$27.198 m
$27.044 m
$33.590 m
$25.190 m
$66.319 m
$28.065 m
$19.378 m
$20.975 m
$23.141 m
$30.763 m
$21.285 m
$40.422 m
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]
- 76 -
WARD
MORNINGSIDE
NORTHGATE
PARKINSON
PULLENVALE
RICHLANDS
TENNYSON
THE GABBA
THE GAP
TOOWONG
WALTER TAYLOR
WISHART
WYNNUM-MANLY
RISING OF COUNCIL:
BUDGETED NET
$35.560 m
$33.361 m
$24.963 m
$20.310 m
$31.276 m
$31.020 m
$60.778 m
$23.171 m
$39.956 m
$32.791 m
$23.630 m
$30.286 m
6.20pm.
PRESENTED:
and CONFIRMED
CHAIRMAN
Council officers in attendance:
James Withers (Senior Council and Committee Officer)
Jo Camamile (Council and Committee Officer)
Shivaji Solao (Council and Committee Officer)
Billy Peers (Personal Support Officer to the Lord Mayor and Council Orderly)
[4454 (Ordinary) Meeting – 25 November 2014]