· Web viewSo Mulveen Park in Deagon Ward, Glindemann Park down in Holland Park Ward, Mortimer...

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

The 4419 meeting of the Brisbane City Council,held at City Hall, Brisbaneon Tuesday 29 October 2013at 2pm

Prepared by: Council and Committee Liaison OfficeChief Executive’s OfficeOffice of the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive Officer

Dedicated to a better Brisbane


THE 4419 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,ON TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2013

AT 2PM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS_______________________________________________________________i

PRESENT:________________________________________________________________________1

OPENING OF MEETING:____________________________________________________________1

MINUTES:_______________________________________________________________________1

QUESTION TIME:__________________________________________________________________1

CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS:___________________________________________13ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE__________________________________________13

A BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13_____________________________________38B ADOPTION OF MEETINGS AMENDING LOCAL LAW 2013__________________________________39C BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL AND STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING AND RECESS CALENDAR 2014__41

INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE___________________________________________________________42A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – TELEGRAPH ROAD OPEN LEVEL CROSSING REPLACEMENT PROJECT__

_______________________________________________________________________________52B PETITION – REQUEST THAT COUNCIL IMPLEMENT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES TO

ALLEVIATE THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC IN BRISBANE STREET, SANDGATE______________________53C PETITION – REQUEST THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER MEASURES TO REDUCE RAT RUNNING AND

SPEEDING ON TAMAR STREET, ANNERLEY_____________________________________________55D PETITION – REQUEST THE NAMING OF THE CULVERT EXTENSION ON GOLD CREEK ROAD,

BROOKFIELD, AS THE ‘ALAN HAYCRAFT BRIDGE’________________________________________56PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE_______________________________________________58

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BUS ENGINES___________________________________________60NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE____________________61

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – PLUMBING SERVICES GROUP______________________________62ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE____________________________________63

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF RAMSAR___________________________65FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE_____________________________________________________________66

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF RAMSAR___________________________67BRISBANE LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE_________________________________________________________68

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – COUNCIL’S PUBLIC SPACE LIAISON OFFICERS__________________69FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE_______________________70

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CAMPAIGN UPDATE_____________________________________71

CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION – TO ALTER THE COMMENCEMENT TIME OF THE ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING TO BE HELD ON 5 NOVEMBER 2013:_______________________72

CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION – CALLING FOR A SPECIAL BUDGET REVIEW TO RESTORE TO THE CITYCAT AND FERRY SERVICES:_______________________________________________73

PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:_____________________________________________________88

GENERAL BUSINESS:______________________________________________________________89

QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:__________________________________93

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:________________________93

[4419 (Ordinary) Meeting – 29 October 2013]



THE ?? MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,HELD AT ROY HARVEY HOUSE,

157 ANN STREET, BRISBANE,ON TUESDAY ??

AT 2PM

[4419 (Ordinary) meeting – 29 October 2013]



THE 4419 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,ON TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2013

AT 2PM

PRESENT:The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR (Councillor Graham QUIRK) – LNPThe Chairman of Council, Councillor Margaret de WIT (Pullenvale Ward) – LNP

LNP Councillors (and Wards) ALP Councillors (and Wards)Krista ADAMS (Wishart)Matthew BOURKE (Jamboree)Amanda COOPER (Bracken Ridge)Vicki HOWARD (Central)Steven HUANG (Macgregor) Fiona KING (Marchant) Geraldine KNAPP (The Gap) Kim MARX (Karawatha)Peter MATIC (Toowong)Ian McKENZIE (Holland Park)David McLACHLAN (Hamilton)Ryan MURPHY (Doboy)Angela OWEN-TAYLOR (Parkinson) (Deputy Chairman of Council)Adrian SCHRINNER (Chandler) (Deputy Mayor)Julian SIMMONDS (Walter Taylor) Norm WYNDHAM (McDowall)Andrew WINES (Enoggera)

Milton DICK (Richlands) (The Leader of the Opposition)Helen ABRAHAMS (The Gabba) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition)Peter CUMMING (Wynnum Manly)Kim FLESSER (Northgate)Steve GRIFFITHS (Moorooka)Victoria NEWTON (Deagon) Shayne SUTTON (Morningside)Independent Councillor (and Ward)Nicole JOHNSTON (Tennyson)

OPENING OF MEETING:The Chairman, Councillor Margaret de WIT, opened the meeting with prayer, and then proceeded with the business set out in the Agenda.

MINUTES:236/2013-14

The Minutes of the 4418 meeting of Council held on 22 October 2013, copies of which had been forwarded to each councillor, were presented, taken as read and confirmed on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor Kim MARX.

QUESTION TIME:Chairman: Are there any questions of the LORD MAYOR or a Chairman of any of the

Standing Committees? Councillor MARX.

Question 1Councillor MARX: Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. I

understand that Asia Pacific Screen Awards recognise and promote cinematic, excellence and cultural diversity across the vast Asia Pacific region. Can you please explain what the benefits of this sponsorship are for Brisbane's economy and residents?

[4419 (Ordinary) Meeting – 29 October 2013]

LORD MAYOR: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and I thank Councillor MARX for the question. The Asia Pacific Screen Awards, or APSA as it is known, is a very important part I believe of this city's future. It fits very much with the Brisbane's Unique Window of Opportunity report which came down about two years ago and which I have spoken about on many occasions in this Chamber.

The Asia Pacific Screen Awards are an event which will, of course, be screened out of this facility here at City Hall in December this year. We have allocated in our budget $1.75 million towards this event. This event was established in 2007 and saw the academy established in 2008. Right here in our city, as we speak, we have the Nominations Council from around the Asia Pacific region that are looking at 240 films that have been identified and nominated from 41 countries across the 70 country member nations as part of the APSA awards.

Council members will be shortlisting the nominations, and from there we will have a jury who will make the determination of the final award winners. But this is an event which is, of course, one which is in collaboration with the Paris-based UNESCO and the International Federation of Film Producers Association. So it is that this is a set of awards which carries with it credibility; it carries with it prestige, and importantly from my perspective this event provides us with a golden opportunity to further ingrain that business with Asia, part of the Unique Windows of Opportunity report.

The event which, as I mentioned previously, covers 70 countries—half the world's film, 4.5 billion people, is an award which I believe will grow and with that growth will come a growth in the identity of this city. As I have said before, if people don’t know your name, they can't visit your city, and they certainly won’t invest with your city.

So these award ceremonies are a matter of developing relationships with our closest neighbours, a matter of developing relationships with those economies that are emerging which will provide terrific economic returns for this city over many years. So it is, Madam Chairman, that I am very supportive of the awards.

It is also about of course building cultural awareness. It is a vital part of doing business in Asia. It is a recognition that awards of this type, and the whole basis around performing arts, around film in this case, is such an important part of the cultural makeup of our Asian neighbours.

It has the potential to position Brisbane as the Brussels or Geneva of the Asia Pacific. That is where we are heading with these awards long-term. It is about giving Brisbane something from which to stake its name and its claim. So, Madam Chairman, this is an event which, I believe, when we look back on it in the future, will be reflective of a decision that was visionary, that was to Brisbane's long-term benefit, and already I think we will see some growing accolades for our city out of the event.

The Nominations Council are people that come from a range of nations, headed up by Professor Hong-Joon Kim from the Republic of Korea. We have Jeanette Paulson Hereniko from Hawaii, Kathryn Weir, of course, heads up GOMA; we have Meenakshi Shedde from India; we have Peggy Chiao from Taiwan; and we have Philip Cheah from Singapore. They, together with Maxine Williamson, make up the Nominations Council. So, Madam Chairman, I look forward to this event coming on in December, but more so an event which, over the years to come, will prove to be of great benefit to our city and its economy, and the jobs that we can provide in our city.

Chairman: Further questions; Councillor DICK.

Question 2Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair; welcome back. My question is to the

LORD MAYOR. The 2011-12 Annual Report stated Council had received around 8700 building compliance complaints. In this year's annual report card, you've deliberately hidden the number of these complaints. Isn't it true that you've done this because complaints have skyrocketed as a result of your cuts to Council's Inspectors, which is resulting in more and more inappropriate development going unchecked in our city?


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LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, I thank Councillor DICK for the question, and I am happy to take the question on notice, in that I will provide an answer to Councillor DICK around that. It is not, though, my understanding that there has been some enormous blowout in terms of building compliance complaints. We have seen, of course, improved construction activity, and I think we are going to continue to see more improved construction activity over the year, and I hope years ahead as confidence grows within our community and more construction works occur in our community.

But I just say this: in relation to building compliance, this is something we take seriously. We do follow-up in terms of compliance related issues. Obviously we also categorise those. We have issues that we determine are priority issues in terms of the nature of the complaint, the extent of amenity damage, the extent of environmental damage, and we make those assessments. So we make a call based on the seriousness and the nature of those complaints. That, I think, is the right thing to do.

No Administration, no government entity has endless resources. So we have a methodology which provides for ensuring that the more serious cases are treated with a higher level of urgency. But all cases are examined, and so it is that we have a system in place to deal with that.

In relation to the actual numbers, I am more than happy to provide that. I don't know that the actual numbers will really tell us anything in terms of a story, Madam Chairman, because it is a matter of how those complaints are then dealt with in terms of compliance, and I have outlined the methodology and the systems that we use to deal with those. But I am happy, Councillor DICK, to provide a number for you. I am not sure what that proves beyond giving you that number.

Chairman: Before we continue, Councillor DICK, I would ask that you show a little more respect in asking questions and not impute motive in the way that you did in that question. Thank you. Councillor McKENZIE.

Question 3Councillor McKENZIE: Thank you, Madam Chairman; my question is to Councillor SCHRINNER,

Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee. Could you please update the Chamber on the portable speed warning signs initiative, and the implementation of these signs in each ward as we go forward?

DEPUTY MAYOR: Thank you for the question, Councillor McKENZIE. I am pleased to report that tomorrow I will be joining Councillor COOPER to switch on the first of 26 of the portable speed warning signs that will be installed across our city. As Councillors would be aware, this was part of our election commitment to the people of Brisbane last year at the election. These signs are all about improving safety and reducing speed on suburban streets.

In accordance with our election commitment, we will be rolling out 26 signs, one for each of the 26 wards across the city, and these signs will rotate between different locations nominated by the local councillor in conjunction with Transport Planning and Strategy within Council. These signs are solar powered. They have their own power supply. They will be in each location for around a month. We are recommending a month as a minimum, but as councillors go forward, they can opt to keep the sign in place for longer than a month if they wish, or to rotate that sign to a different location.

The signs will be set up with different messages, depending on how the drivers are approaching that sign. If someone is approaching the sign at or below the speed limit, a little smiley face will come up suggesting that they are doing the right thing and saying thank you to the driver for sticking to the speed limit. If a motorist is travelling above the speed limit, up to nine kilometres an hour over the speed limit, a message will come up with their speed, and then the flashing words Slow Down will come up.

If the motorist is travelling at above 10 kilometres over the speed limit, so 10 kilometres over or more, the message will simply be Slow Down. We won't be putting their speed up on the sign. We certainly don't want to encourage people


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to see how high they can get the numbers on the display. So anything above 10 kilometres an hour will simply come up with a message saying Slow Down.

Now, a major benefit of these signs is that they are moveable. They can be relocated to various spots around each ward based on feedback that councillors are getting from the community and also based on complaints that Council is receiving and Council's own assessment of a particular location. Each of these signs costs around $13,000 to roll out, and there are also some additional costs associated with the back office work in scheduling the locations and also organising the moving of the signs on each rotation.

So in the roll out over the coming weeks, we will be seeing signs located at places like Sirocco Street, Jamboree Heights; in Annerley road, Dutton Park; in your ward, Councillor McKENZIE, in Sterculia Avenue, Holland Park West. I mentioned Bracken Ridge Road earlier, Councillor COOPER; in Pine Mountain Road, Carindale; in Murarrie Road, Murarrie; and a location has been identified for each of the 26 wards to start this initiative.

This is another example of the Administration delivering on its election commitments. This commitment was announced over a four-year term. We're rolling it out the year after it was announced, and each of the Councillors will get the opportunity to benefit from this straight away. So rather than having a staged rollout as was originally planned over four years, we want all of the 26 wards to benefit as soon as possible, so we organised a procurement last financial year. Those signs were ordered and paid for, and in the recent weeks we have been organising the first location for each of these signs.

This is a great initiative I think that will help to show the community that Council is indeed responsive to concerns on speeding. We can't enforce the speed limit. That is a Queensland Police Service role, a police role, but we can certainly help to remind motorists of what the appropriate speed limit is in each street. Where there's locations where we're getting problems and complaints about vehicles consistently speeding, these signs will certainly help to remind motorists to stick to the appropriate speed limit. It will tell them what that speed limit is. If they're going too fast, it will tell them to slow down. If they're sticking to the speed limit and doing the right thing, it will thank them for doing so and offer them a nice smiley face in return.

This is, as I said, an example of us keeping our election commitments to the people of Brisbane, and rolling out an initiative which will benefit all Council wards regardless of whether they are Administration or non-Administration, and I think that is a positive thing, and certainly one thing that the LORD MAYOR is keen to see roll out right across the city. So thank you for —

Chairman: Thank you, DEPUTY MAYOR; your time has expired. Councillor DICK.

Question 4Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. Street tree

maintenance in your report card today has been cut by 20 per cent, meaning 11,335 fewer trees were maintained last year. Isn't this an example of your massive debt and cost cutting directly impacting on bread and butter Council services?

LORD MAYOR: Well, Madam Chairman, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. Again, Madam Chairman, I just say that this Administration continues to monitor the work that we are performing across this city. We are monitoring that work on an ongoing basis on a range of issues, tree maintenance being one of them. We will, as and when we are required to do so, vary the budget in accordance with the requirements of the city and the people of this city.

We have recently brought into this Chamber a proposed draft NALL (Natural Asset Local Law) which is in terms of some amendments to that Natural Asset Local Law. That will be back in due course for this Council Chamber to again make a determination upon. We believe that we have cut the cloth to measure appropriately in terms of our budget this year. Of course, what Councillor DICK is referring to is the annual report which relates to all work completed at the end


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of June this year. So it's a question which relates to works that are now four months behind us.

Again, we will continue to do the works that we believe are necessary in our city, undertaking those works as required. I remind Councillor DICK of this: in January of this year, we had a major storm event, and we had to divert many of our resources to deal with that. I don't know whether Councillor DICK is suggesting that we should have just ignored the fact that we had that major event and leave those people and those city assets to their own devices. But it is true, both in the year of 2011 when we had the major flood, but more so this year with the major wind storm that we had in association with that minor flood event at that time, we did the right thing by the residents of this city and diverted those resources. It was the appropriate thing to do.

We have got a regime of tree maintenance in place. As I said at the outset, we will continue to monitor that year by year, providing the appropriate level of resourcing to meet the community's needs in relation to that. I might say that it is a regime which is, I believe, much better than what Labor produced during their term in office. It is a regime of work which is more efficiently done, making better use of resources, delivering better value for money to the ratepayers of this city. We will continue to drive value for money for this city where we believe that it is appropriate to do so, and where we believe we can obtain efficiencies.

Councillors interjecting.

LORD MAYOR: They can grumble about that, but it is a fact of life that we have achieved that, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: We have achieved that. So, Councillor DICK that is the context to your question, again, this budget brought down in June this year, commencing on 1 July, delivered enough moneys to also make sure that we service the people of Brisbane in regards to tree maintenance over this coming 12-month period.

Chairman: Further questions; Councillor KING.

Question 5Councillor KING: Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the Chairman of Environment,

Parks and Sustainability Committee, Councillor BOURKE. I understand that our open spaces provide great opportunities for all people to enjoy them. Could you outline how Brisbane is making our open green spaces more inclusive?

Councillor BOURKE: Thanks very much, Madam Chairman, and can I start off by thanking Councillor KING for that question. It is true that this Administration under the LORD MAYOR Graham QUIRK does want to make Brisbane the most accessible and inclusive city in the world. Of course, one of the first things the LORD MAYOR did was to bring in Council's Access and Inclusion plan, and that touches on all of Council's assets as well as everything that we do as a Council, and that means that it does flow on into our parks and open spaces.

So we have embarked upon a program to make our parks and open spaces more accessible and more inclusive to all of Brisbane's residents. That has seen a number of projects rolled out over the last number of years, and indeed has seen a number of great wins for our community.

The 2,000 parks that we have across our city have continued to see investments targeted and improving access, and also improving inclusion in play options as well as other activities in those parks. Obviously with the completion of parks like Calamvale District Park in Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR's ward, the foreshore upgrades, as well as Ken Fletcher Park, we have taken the opportunity to make sure that access and inclusion are parts of the elements of all of those playground and park upgrades.

The work that we're doing on Frew Park, which commenced just this week, obviously will take into account all of the access and inclusion opportunities that we can to provide a unique play space and unique opportunity for children and


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other users of that park to engage with that historical side of the former Milton tennis courts, as well as the other play options that are going to be available.

The Whites Hill Reserve, the All-Abilities playground that we are building at Whites Hill Reserve, is going to be a fantastic addition to the eastern, south-eastern suburbs of Brisbane, and provide an opportunity for all residents in those south-eastern suburbs to access.

But that, of course, is built upon our original commitment of some $2 million to build 26 all-ability playgrounds across the City of Brisbane, one in each ward, done in consultation with the ward Councillor, making sure that we are providing a facility and asset that each community could use. So Mulveen Park in Deagon Ward, Glindemann Park down in Holland Park Ward, Mortimer Road Park in Moorooka Ward, and of course Orleigh Park in The Gabba, just to name a few, saw an investment of that money to help provide additional play facilities, inclusive play facilities, for the residents of their respective wards.

But Madam Chairman, obviously we continue to do more and more in this space. It was with some happiness or some excitement that recently, very recently, we actually received an award from the Spinal Injuries Association. I have the award in the Chamber with me today, and it was for the Inclusive Community Champion. This award, handed out by the Spinal Injuries Association, was for the best recreational venue, and it went to none other than Ken Fletcher Park. Ken Fletcher Park, a wonderful addition to the parks estate in the City of Brisbane, something that we on this side of the Chamber have wholeheartedly supported—

Councillor interjecting.

Councillor BOURKE: —something that we have continued to—

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON! Thank you, Councillor BOURKE.

Councillor BOURKE: — something that we continue to support, because we know that the residents of Brisbane value our play spaces and our open spaces. We know that we need to deliver those spaces to help protect the city with the growth that we are experiencing. So it is great that the Spinal Injuries Association has recognised Brisbane City Council, has recognised the work that the LORD MAYOR and indeed all of the Council officers—and I want to thank all of the Council officers that were involved with this particular award, because it is recognition of the work that we do in the inclusive and accessible space.

So, we will continue as an Administration to deliver and roll out programs and projects that continue to improve our open spaces for all of the residents. So the projects that we have rolled out, the additional projects—Wi-Fi in the parks, Chairs to Share—everything that we are doing in this space we will continue to do.

We have a firm agenda. We have a firm policy. We made commitments at the election, and unfortunately, when it came to the vision for Brisbane's parks at the election just over a year ago, those opposite had no vision. They had Sunday Fundays, and free sunscreen in parks — the total sum of their park commitments. That is all they offered to people of Brisbane, in stark contrast to us on this side of the Chamber with a vision and the ability to deliver, and the proven track record to improving Brisbane's parks and improving recreational and open space opportunities for the residents of Brisbane.

Chairman: Further questions; Councillor DICK.

Question 6Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. Your report

card today shows a cut of 12,000 fewer trips through the Council Cab Shared Transport service for seniors and people with a disability. Is this another example of your 'optimisation' of public transport, this time hurting some of the most frail and vulnerable in our community?

LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, I always enjoy the way the Opposition Leader verbals people in his questions. Can I say that we have done nothing to see a reduction in


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numbers in terms of Council Cabs. There may be a reduction in the numbers; what I am saying is that that has not been initiated by this Administration. I don't know what the reasons are as to why there would be a reduction in those sort of numbers, but I would just say this: it is not something that has been initiated by this Administration. We have not gone around cutting Council Cabs. We have not gone around cutting Council Cabs, I say again.


Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: If that is what Councillor DICK is inferring, he needs to put up or shut up in terms of his claim.

Councillor DICK: Madam Chair, point of order.

LORD MAYOR: He needs to put up or shut up in terms of his claim.

Chairman: Point of order against you, LORD MAYOR; yes, Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: This is in black and white in the Annual Report. These figures are not made up. The LORD MAYOR is in denial about his decisions which have reduced these services. If the LORD MAYOR wants me to table his own Annual Report, I will.

Chairman: LORD MAYOR.

LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, it is not a question of the Annual Report being right or wrong; I am not debating that at all. What I am saying to Councillor DICK is: point to me where Council Cabs have been cut. Point to me where they have been cut.


LORD MAYOR: He can't answer because there have been no cuts. There have been no cuts.

Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: He knows that, and that is why it interests me the way he tries to verbal in his questions to position his own particular needs in terms of this —


Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: — political forum.

The fact that there may be less people taking up those offers of Council Cabs is one thing, but this Administration has not reduced the opportunity for people to catch Council Cabs. He grunts, but he can't offer me any examples. He grunts, but he can't offer any examples because there are no examples to offer.

This Administration, much to the hatred of the Labor Party, has made it very clear that we are one which supports a more inclusive and accessible community. We have demonstrated that by putting money up in unprecedented amounts to make sure that our City of Brisbane is one that all the people can enjoy to the very best of their ability, regardless of their circumstances.

We are not an Administration that has gone around cutting Council Cabs. That has not happened. That has not happened, Madam Chairman —


Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: So, madam Chairman, I just say to Councillor DICK, a very good try but come up with some evidence, and you won't be able to because there is no evidence to produce — no evidence to produce.


LORD MAYOR: It's no good trying to interject your way out of this, Councillor DICK, because the fact of the matter is —


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Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: — the fact of the matter is that you have tried to make —

Chairman: Councillor GRIFFITHS!

LORD MAYOR: — tried to make a claim with an indirect verballing style of question which has no grounds to it —

Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: — has absolutely no grounds to it whatsoever. The record of this Administration when it comes to access and inclusion in this city is second to none, and we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to the people of this city through those programs. We are seeing it in many forms across the city each and every week as we continue to open up this city to many people who had previously no opportunity to engage in organisations and activities across this city.

So, Madam Chairman, again it is back to Councillor DICK. Come up with the evidence, tell us where these Council Cabs have been cut and then we might be interested in listening and engaging.

Chairman: Further questions; Councillor KNAPP.

Question 7Councillor KNAPP: Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is directed to Councillor SIMMONDS,

the Chairman of Finance, Economic Development and Administration Committee. Brisbane City Council is recognised as a leader in the field of digital communications and social media. Would you please provide an update on Council's recent achievements in that area?

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and thank you to Councillor KNAPP for the question. I know she is a keen user of social media in her own ward. As I have spoken about previously in this Chamber, Council and this Administration is working hard on our social media engagement with Brisbane residents. I have mentioned before that we have the most 'Likes' of any local government in Australia, a significant achievement.

Let us have no misapprehension; this is not so that we can be hip or cool or with it. What we are trying to do is engage with Brisbane residents in a way that Brisbane residents want to engage with us. That is incredibly important. You can't be focused on one communication channel while Brisbane residents are focused on another; that does not lead to an accessible organisation, and that is what we are all about. So we put significant focus into this area recently.

In that vein — and I know that Councillor COOPER will particularly be pleased to hear this — but Corporate Communications recently won the Australian Marketing Institute Queensland State Award for Marketing Excellence in the category of Social Media, a significant achievement in itself, but Madam Chairman, wait, there is more. All of the state winners then go into the national finals, and I am pleased to say that we have won that as well in this particular category for Social Marketing. So a tremendous recognition of the efforts of the tea. It was particularly their work in social media for the Australia Day weather event.

We know that a lot of lessons were learnt from the 2011 floods, and since then we had and have embraced significant new ways through social media to communicate with our residents. During the 2013 Australia Day event, we used tools such as the social hub and a crowd map. The social hub provided an essential source of emergency information for Brisbane residents and businesses; it aggregated crisis content from all key agencies and media outlets, so the firies and the police and the State Government and the Bureau of Meteorology, all of those kind of people, and put it into one single trusted source operated by Council.


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Crowd map was also deployed to enable the public to see information from Council on flooded and closed roads and sandbag locations. It was also used to collect information and real time intelligence from the public.

Some statistics for the Australia Day weather event, and particularly the use of social media: we had over 4.5 million impressions on our Facebook page; over 18 million impressions on Twitter; 271,508 views of the crowd map; three million website page views; 1.1 million views via mobile devices; and a 92 per cent — I will say that again — 92 per cent positive sentiment rating, a particular achievement. It was a particular achievement to win the award, when you consider we were up against some tough finalists: Murdoch University, Icon, City of Darwin, Adelaide City Council, Cancer Council, Lifeline, Australian Capital Territory Police and the Industry Super Network. So my congratulations again to the team in Corporate Communications for their hard work and dedication in this area.

But, Madam Chairman, it is not just Corporate Comms who are kicking goals in the social media space, I am pleased to say. A new Brisbane marketing campaign, which partners with local businesses to offer a Friday Freebie to international students, has hit its mark, attracting nearly 85,000 Facebook views within just a couple of days — a very successful social media campaign.

The next Friday Freebie will be on 1 November to target a market of more than 75,000 international student enrolments in Brisbane who generate around $5.1 billion in course fees and other spending each year for our city. Brisbane Marketing's Study Brisbane Facebook page already has some 125,000 followers — that is a following any of us would be very pleased to have — which makes it the biggest study destination social media presence in Australia, even bigger than some key international ones such as Study London, another excellent achievement.

The new fortnightly Friday Freebie promotion gives Brisbane businesses an opportunity to capitalise on that social media presence, and provides a new component to give a positive experience to these international students in this city by giving them a chance to win tickets, prizes and other products. Its first success was on 18 October when Brisbane Open Air Cinemas offered some double passes and a discount specifically to the users of Study Brisbane.

In addition, Brisbane Marketing have also had some very successful results in the conference and convention space. We know that delegates spend on average $550 a night on accommodation, dining, retail and entertainment, so they are a considerable part of the economic development plan for our city. I am pleased to say in the first quarter of this financial year alone, Brisbane Marketing Conventions Bureau have won —

Chairman: Councillor SIMMONDS, your time has expired.

Councillor SIMMONDS: — $50.3 million to our local economy.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, please acknowledge the Chair appropriately. Everyone else — no —

Councillor JOHNSTON: I did.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, do not argue with me. Everyone else in this place with one other exception acknowledges the Chair appropriately except you.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: What is the point of order, Councillor JOHNSTON?

Councillor JOHNSTON: I have nodded every time I've come in and out of this Chamber today.

Chairman: That is not a point of order. Further questions; Councillor DICK.

Question 8Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair; my question is to the LORD MAYOR. In your report

card today, you again are hiding the figure of the millions of dollars you are paying in fat cat bonuses to your senior executives. We know you increased their bonuses in 2011 by 10 per cent. How much did you pay in executive


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bonuses last year, and why is this information being kept a secret, and will you release how much and how many bonuses were paid last year?

LORD MAYOR: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I just want to remind the Leader of the Opposition in answering his question that the system of bonuses in terms of our executive staff in this place was something introduced by the Labor Party under Lord Mayor Jim Soorley.


Chairman: Order! Councillor ABRAHAMS!

LORD MAYOR: That is a system which has continued to be in place over — I don't know why they are grumbling. That is a statement of history and fact. Why would you want to grumble and whinge and carry on in that way on something that is a simple fact?


Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, do not interject.

LORD MAYOR: The fact of the matter is that they system was introduced under Lord Mayor Jim Soorley, and he had experience as a human resource consultant prior to coming to the role of Lord Mayor in 1991.

That is a system which has continued. It continued under Lord Mayor Quinn; it continued under Lord Mayor Newman, and it continues today.


LORD MAYOR: It continues — ohh! I wonder why I bother answering these questions, sometimes, Madam Chairman, I really do. The issue of bonuses is something that applies to governments across Australia, whether we are talking about the State Government here in Queensland, whether we are talking about a state government in other states, whether we are talking about the Federal Government. So, it raises the question: why would this Council, or why should this Council be different?

It was all right while the Labor Party was in power, but now that they're in Opposition, they've got to go back to the old class warfare — fear and greed baseline politics. It's what they do best; it's what they understand best. But when it comes to them in Administration, of course they practice something completely different.

Councillor DICK: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Point of order against you, LORD MAYOR; yes, Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: The fact that the Labor Party was in control of this Council 10 years ago —

Chairman: Councillor DICK, that is not a point of order.

Councillor DICK: My issue is, Madam Chairman —

Chairman: Councillor DICK, what is your point of order — and it better be a real point of order?

Councillor DICK: Well, the LORD MAYOR is not answering the question. I have asked him for those figures. My simple question is: will the LORD MAYOR be tabling those figures today? If he is not going to table those figures, that is his prerogative, but I simply ask him to address the question.

Chairman: I don't recall you asking that the figures be tabled in your question, Councillor DICK.


Chairman: Yes, Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: The last part of the question is: will you release how much and how many bonuses have been paid last year?



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LORD MAYOR: In coming to that answer — and I've got five minutes to give that answer — I note with great interest that, when the opportunity arose just 18 months ago for the Labor Party to stand up and say that they would abolish executive bonuses, they did not do so. They did not do so. I challenge Councillor DICK today to stand up in General Business and to announce that, under Labor at the next election, they will abolish executive bonuses —


LORD MAYOR: Oh, here we go; good old faithful come to Labor's support.

Chairman: Point of order — point of order, LORD MAYOR; just a moment. Yes, Councillor JOHNSTON.

MOTION FOR SUSPENSION OF RULES OF PROCEDURE:237/2013-14

At that juncture, Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON moved, seconded by Councillor Milton DICK, that the Rules of Procedure be suspended to allow the moving of the following motion

Calling on this Council today to immediately abolish all executive bonuses henceforth for this Council.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON that is the height of rudeness and discourtesy. The LORD MAYOR is in the middle of an answer to a question from the Leader of the Opposition, and you jump up and do that.


Chairman: Yes, well, you know, the rules unfortunately were written for people who don't behave in that way. So, Councillor JOHNSTON has moved that the Rules of Procedure be suspended to allow her to move an urgency motion, and seconded by Councillor DICK, I take it.


Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, you have three minutes to establish urgency.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, I am sick of the hypocrisy going on in this Chamber —

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, establish urgency.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, and I am, Madam Chairman. I am sick of the hypocrisy going on in this Chamber about executive bonuses. Spending $2 million of ratepayers' money is not a good use of this Council's assets, and —

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, why is it urgent today?

Councillor JOHNSTON: — the LORD MAYOR has said today that this Opposition should be prepared to stand up and vote to get rid of bonuses. Well, now this Chamber can do it. I have moved the motion; the LORD MAYOR needs to immediately allow the suspension of Standing Orders and vote for this. He has just called on every Councillor in this place to do exactly what I have called for in this motion.

It is unacceptable for the LORD MAYOR to stand up and call on others in this Chamber to act, and then not support —

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON —

Councillor JOHNSTON: — an urgency motion —

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, listen to me! You are supposed to be establishing urgency.

Councillor JOHNSTON: I am.

Chairman: You have not done that. Why does that have to be done right here and right now? That is what you have three minutes to prove.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Thank you, Madam Chairman, and I believe I am saying that the LORD MAYOR has just called on the Opposition to stand up and to do this. He stood up —


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Chairman: In General Business, I recall. You are not proving urgency, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, I believe that I am establishing that this LORD MAYOR can no longer engage in the level of hypocrisy that he does in this Chamber by calling on people to act, and then not allowing them to do so. It is urgent and necessary right now to move a motion to abolish executive bonuses; $2 million this year. It is necessary that it is done now because the LORD MAYOR himself has called for it.

If the LNP does not back the suspension of Standing Orders and allow the substantive motion to come through, their hollow rhetoric will be exposed today. Their cheap politicking on this issue will be exposed today. So I am sick of the hypocrisy. I am sick of the rhetoric.

LORD MAYOR, have the guts to back your assertions in this Chamber and stand up and allow the urgency motion to proceed, and let's have a proper debate in this Chamber about executive bonuses, given you won't talk about them in this Chamber today. You have called on the Opposition to act. I have done so, because I am sick and tired of the game playing. Let's have a proper debate, and let's get this motion under way right now.

I expect, given you think this issue is important, LORD MAYOR, that you will —

Chairman: Through the Chair, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: — stand up and you will allow it to proceed.

The Chairman submitted the motion for the suspension of the Rules of Procedure 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: 19 - The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR, Councillor Graham QUIRK, DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Julian SIMMONDS, Andrew WINES, and Norm WYNDHAM.

Chairman: LORD MAYOR, you have more time on that question.

LORD MAYOR: Yes, thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Again, as I have said, I throw out the challenge to Labor to announce in General Business today that they have a policy where they will be removing executive bonuses for any employee that works in this Council Administration, were they to come to power.

It is interesting that we have just heard that. I wonder whether Leightons, for example, have executive bonuses? I wonder if any individuals in this Chamber might have supported bonuses for Leightons' executives over time?


Chairman: Order!

LORD MAYOR: I wonder whether anyone might have got a bonus from a company at any time, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Order! Order!


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LORD MAYOR: Yes, performance based; that may have been an issue. But, they are talking about hypocrisy here today, and it is the Labor Party that are hypocritical. They introduced through their Administration bonuses at that time. They introduced bonuses. A Lord Mayor from the Labor Party subsequently retained that process of bonuses, and it remains in place today. It remains in place for a very good reason. If we want to attract the type of people that we need to lead this organisation, we have to provide bonuses. That is the reality. We are in a competitive market place, and that is why every government in this country provides those opportunities on a performance basis, where performance can be assessed and can be determined.

So, Madam Chairman, if there is any hypocrisy here today—


LORD MAYOR: — it is from those opposite.

Chairman: Point of order against you, LORD MAYOR. Yes, Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Madam Chair, you ruled before the LORD MAYOR did have the full five minutes; his time is almost up. Can you please direct him to answer my question about will he release those figures, and how many today?


LORD MAYOR: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. No, I won't be releasing those figures, in a word. In a word, Madam Chairman. Those figures relate to the individual performances of officers. They have never been released by Administrations in the past of any political colour.

I just want to have it very clearly on the record, because it wasn't on the record at the last election.


LORD MAYOR: When Ray Smith stood up, he did not make —

Chairman: Point of order against you, LORD MAYOR.

LORD MAYOR: He did not make any policy position —

Chairman: Just a moment, LORD MAYOR; Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: The LORD MAYOR is misleading the Chamber. Administrations have let their figures — his Administration —

Chairman: Councillor DICK, that is not a point of order.

Councillor DICK: He's misleading the Chamber.

Chairman: Councillor DICK! I would ask you to withdraw that comment.

Councillor DICK: I'm not doing it.

Chairman: Your claim that the LORD MAYOR is misleading the Chamber.

Councillor DICK: Madam Chair, I won't, because those figures were released on a Questions on Notice by the Administration in May this year, for 2010-11 and 2011-12. That is a statement of fact.


LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, he can seek those answers to those questions through other means if he wishes. What I am saying —

Chairman: LORD MAYOR, your time has expired. Thank you. That ends Question Time.

LORD MAYOR, Establishment and Coordination Committee.

CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS:

ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE


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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 21 October 2013, be adopted.


Chairman: Yes, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Seriatim for debate and voting - Clause AAt that time Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON rose and requested that Clause A, BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13, be taken seriatim for debating and voting purposes.

Seriatim - Clause BCouncillor Nicole JOHNSTON requested that Clause B, ADOPTION OF MEETINGS AMENDING LOCAL LAW 2013, be taken seriatim for voting purposes.


LORD MAYOR: Okay, well, I will come to that later. Madam Chairman, firstly just a few matters that have arisen between the last Council meeting and this. The LGAQ conference of course was held during the course of last week, and Madam Chairman, while I was only there for a short time, I congratulate you on the way in which you conducted that event. The feedback from local government entities around the state, it was a very positive one. It was a very good conference.

I thank those Councillors from this place who were in attendance and made contribution to the conference from both sides. Again, it is our peak body, and very important. It always has been regarded as an important body by me, and should continue to be supported in that context. So, to you, Madam President, as I think the first Brisbane President of the State body — we have had a Brisbane President of the Federal body before, but congratulations to you and to the way you conducted the affairs of that conference.

The Hemmant Lytton Neighbourhood Plan was launched last week, and again another neighbourhood plan that we are preparing in this city, a very important economic precinct of the city, one which has from it a very significant export base which has an economic impact upon the whole of the city. It is appropriate that we look to those opportunities that need to be created with a 20-year horizon down around those facilities, taking in the Australia Trade Coast South precinct and other aspects of that Neighbourhood Plan. I thank Councillor COOPER and her team for the work that they are about to undertake in that regard.

The Museum of Brisbane, as mentioned earlier, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, in the month of October. So, under the new revamped City Hall, we see a tremendous world-class space up there now, with over 200,000 visitations to that Museum of Brisbane since it reopened on 6 April this year. It will continue to house some very exciting exhibitions and presentations in the years to come. So, again, congratulations to the Museum on their 10th anniversary.

There was also an initiative which has gone Australia-wide—I think it is probably in its third year, as I recall now. That is the Garage Sale Trail. There was this year around 70 to 80 participating councils involved in that program. At a local level, we had in Brisbane alone 512 residents that registered for garage sales as part of that reuse and recycle program. One man's trash is another man's treasure. So it is that that Garage Sale Trail event happily occurred on 26 October, last Saturday.

In addition to those items, I just wanted to also today table the report of the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation. The City of Brisbane Investment Corporation is this city's Future Fund. It is not something that has had the support of those opposite in the Labor Party, but this Administration remains committed to it. It has—and this report will reveal again—achieved significant returns for the City of Brisbane, for our ratepayer base, and over time it will continue to provide a significant return by way of dividends back to the people


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of Brisbane, while at the same time growing an equity base for this city and its people.

So, Madam Chairman, I am very much grateful to the board for the work that they are undertaking. This year I can announce that the return is some 14.64 per cent for the year 2012-13. So, to Chairman Mark Brodie and to the board, I offer my thanks for their efforts in delivering that equity return to the city. Since the instigation of the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation, we have seen—and that, of course, was only back in 2009 when it was established - we have seen the assets grow by 57 per cent. It has now grown from $137 million to $216 million in terms of asset base.

I am very grateful for those returns, and it will, as I say, continue to provide investment—


LORD MAYOR: You see, they don't like saving; Councillor FLESSER hates saving. If you've got money tied in the corner of your hankie, you've got to go and spend it. You can't keep it there. You can't wander down to the bank and put a bit in. You've got to spend it, according to Councillor FLESSER.


LORD MAYOR: That is the problem. That's why the nation has developed problems.


LORD MAYOR: That's why this state developed problems —

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON!

LORD MAYOR: — which meant people have got to come along and make some pretty tough decisions then to get us out of a hole, because Labor decided to spend and spend and spend.

Madam Chairman, that is not our way. Our way is to make sure that we plan for the future, that we provide the savings structure for the future. So it is through this City of Brisbane Investment Corporation, through our future fund, that we provide that growing asset base for this city.

That is about all I need to say. The make-up of that fund consists of 81 per cent in property, just under 6 per cent in shares, and 13 per cent in cash and other investments. Again, my congratulations to the board for what they have achieved over the last year. I will table that report.

That takes me now to the three items that are before us today —

Chairman: If we can do A and C, thank you.

LORD MAYOR: A and C, that is okay, I recall that. Item A, for a start, is the Annual Report. This is a summary of the events of the city and the report card, if you like, of the city over the last 12-months period. Certain statistics are required under our Act; other statistics are based around a reporting mechanism. They will vary from year to year. That is the nature of this report. It is simply a summary and report of activities. But those things which are of statutory requirement, they are obviously reported each and every year.

I suppose a few stats that we can put out there. Council's business hotline was launched in October of last year. We saw 447 roads resurfaced last year; 134,786 kilometres of roads were swept. We had 105,000 square metres of footpath repaired or replaced; 9,843 square metres of bikeways were repaired or replaced; 12 pedestrian countdown timers installed. We have 90 new buses; 15,600 new shade trees were planted; seven neighbourhood plans were finalised, and the South Regional Business Centre was opened. That is a summary of some of those things.

Council also introduced a New City Plan for debate and consultation. We also, as part of that, doubled the time period for public consultation beyond our statutory requirement. We saw 100 consultation events, 53,000 website visitors and 16,100 fact sheets downloaded.


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The activities of our Chief Digital Officer is one other thing to report on. In July 2012, we appointed the Chief Digital Officer. He went about establishing a plan and a vision for our digital transformation of this city, whereby we encourage Brisbane business to fully maximise the opportunities of what is now a $20 trillion economy worldwide. I also acknowledge that Brisbane is ranked third in the top 100 employers of graduates as awarded by the Australian Associates of Graduate Employers Limited.

I would also like to acknowledge those Council staff and programs which received awards - people like the 93 SES staff that won the National Emergency medals; people like Sharan Harvey our Manager of Library Services, awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to Brisbane City Council. So, Madam Chairman, many other aspects in that report which has been the subject of Question Time and debate today.

Chairman: LORD MAYOR, before you continue, your time has expired.

238/2013-14The LORD MAYOR was granted an extension of time on the motion of the DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, seconded by Councillor Matthew BOURKE.

Chairman: Councillor McKENZIE, acknowledgement; thank you.

LORD MAYOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I will only be a second, just to say that item C is the Meetings and Recess calendar. It sets out our program for meetings in the coming financial year. Of course, as part and parcel of that, I announced earlier that we will have that City Plan debate in the first week of February. Thank you very much.

Chairman: Further debate? Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Thanks, Madam Chair, I rise to speak on Items A and B. Labor councillors will be supporting Item C and just for clarification Item A is seriatim for voting purposes.

Chairman: Yes.

Councillor DICK: Great. Well, Madam Chair, there you have it for the annual report for 2012-13, I guess the report card on how the Council is tracking, how the Council is delivering services and the LORD MAYOR of this city spent about one minute and 12 seconds on that. You would think there would be extension, after extension after extension highlighting all the achievements, talking about all the great projects. But we know from reading this report and the ratepayers know from reading this report that this Council is going backwards. In fact the report delivers an f for service delivery in our city.

I'm going to go through all of those Items that the LORD MAYOR conveniently or perhaps chose not to refer to. We had Question Time today where the LORD MAYOR was unable to provide basic information and in one case refused to provide information. It's not information for Labor councillors, it's information for ratepayers because we are their employees. We are serving them. So when I asked the questions to the LORD MAYOR and you only need to look at the report in detail and you look at disclosures which begin on page 126.

Well I don't want any more history lessons from the LNP. I don't want any of the rubbish that they've been going on about what happened 20 years ago. They have run this city for 10 years, 10 long years. They are the people in charge making decisions and the buck stops with the LORD MAYOR in our city. So do you know what? The ratepayers deserve to know how much money we are paying our top bureaucrats. Those opposite don't believe that should be disclosed. The LORD MAYOR had the outrage to say we've never released that information.

Yes you have, yes you have. It's listed in questions that we've placed on notice before. Your administration has released this information before. The difference is when you're asked and when you're asked and put on the spot you refuse to do it. You refuse to do it and you tend — the administration carries on and deflects and tries to run away. But you've got a responsibility through you, Madam Chair,


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to own up for what those civic cabinet members are doing sitting around the table.

Councillor FLESSER: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Point of order. Yes, Councillor FLESSER?

Councillor FLESSER: Will Councillor DICK take a question?

Councillor DICK: I always take questions, Madam Chair.

Councillor FLESSER: Councillor DICK you'd be aware of the public companies release information about executive bonuses. Don't you think that should also apply to the Brisbane City Council?

Councillor DICK: Well, Madam Chair, we've heard a pathetic lecture from the LORD MAYOR saying companies do this all the time. The difference between those companies, they disclose that information. They actually include it in their reports. Now good, bad or ugly we've all seen coverage of shareholder meetings who are angry about the fat cat bonuses of the huge companies but not this administration. They know best. They know best and they don't feel they have one jot or one ounce of credibility to actually go out to the community.

Well I say again. Come clean to the ratepayers of the city, fess up. Was it $1 million, was it $2 million? We know 70 bureaucrats in the 2010-2011, 2011-2012 received over $4 million of hard earned ratepayer's money. Not interested in what's happened in the past LORD MAYOR. You may use that as an excuse. I may add this to the record as well. I bet you when Jim Soorley was paying those bonuses all of the then Liberal councillors went that's fine, we're not going to say anything at all. You went on and on and on about it.

Councillor KNAPP says that she didn't. That's fine. I'll put it through you, Madam Chair, I'll take Councillor KNAPP at her word. But I bet former councillors like Councillor Cashman just would have sat back and gone—

Chairman: To the Item, to the Item please Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Do what you want. Well, Madam Chair, the hypocrisy is breathtaking. The fact is that the LORD MAYOR did challenge me to — I've already ruled it out. I already ruled out when those huge millions of dollars came in I said that we would ban those huge excessive bonuses, particularly when staff were negotiating for a one to two per cent increase. They're outrageous. Well, Madam Chair, when you only need to look at what's in the report and you look at — and isn't it interesting they've been talking about awards today.

You always know, you can set your watch by it because they know what's coming, the LNP. Well last year in the 2011-12, Madam Chair, we received 39 awards. That's dropped down by 11 to 28 awards. See no wonder, you can set your watch to it. They are so transparent. We're getting all these awards. But no we're not, we're going backwards. They're going absolutely backwards. Madam Chair, when you look at — and I'm not surprised because the report also shows that under this Council, under this LORD MAYOR we're of course going backwards when it comes to staff.

We know that the LNP is addicted to two things, service cuts and sacking people. We know that at all levels of government, we know that that's a statement of fact whether it be Council, state or the federal government. We know that that is what they are like. But, Madam Chair, what I'm also concerned about particularly when it comes to service and this is the failure that this report card delivers for the administration. The LORD MAYOR in Question Time today said, yes but that's last year's report, we've moved on since then.

The facts are it's in black and white. You only need to look at some of the most basic bread and butter services that this Council should be providing and I of course refer to street tree maintenance. How outrageous when we're hitting summer season and it's funny how the LORD MAYOR says well we had a storm or a wet season last year. It's okay to cut less trees. If that was ever a warning to the administration that you needed to lift your game, you needed to do more and


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is it a wonder we changed the laws because we were cutting less trees in the financial year.

Is it a wonder that they've been caught out with a 20 per cent cut in some of the most basic frontline services, tree maintenance. You only need to look out the door today and we only need to look at the fact that we are seeing climatic change all the time that we shouldn't be reducing tree maintenance. We shouldn't be cutting back in a core business but we know why because of the crippling debt of this Council. We've seen media reports that we are reducing bread and butter services because of our debt. This report, this annual report card demonstrates that in large.

You also need to look at the fact that we are going backwards in public transport, particularly for seniors. But I want to answer this question today about why we've gone backwards from 70,000 free trips for seniors and people with a disability down to 58,000. We've reduced the continual personalised public transport services from 30,369 trips down to 22,000 which is 8639 fewer trips using public transport. Now we know that the LNP is against public transport. We know that they are not investing in public transport. This report demonstrates the fact that when you look at the passengers of the Brisbane City Council that they're using on buses, we've gone from a reduction — wait for it — of 1.36 million fewer people catching buses, 1.36 million.

So the city is growing. We talk about a New World City, we're talking about all the economic jobs and all the investment that's happening but we are reducing in our service delivery in public transport. It's an absolute disgrace that we are reducing the amount of services that are available. This is even before we get to the $16 million of public transport cuts this year. So I can't wait how they're going to shonk up the figures next year, and how they're actually going to redo the report to try and hide that. But they won't be able to because people know what is happening out on the streets.

Madam Chair, there are a few things that aren’t in the report and I did ask the question to the LORD MAYOR about the built environment complaints. We know in 2011-12 that figure was around 8700. It's been whited out in this year's report. It's not included in there. Now the LORD MAYOR has done his best to try and spin that to say well, there are different categories. Well I tell you why we want to know and why the ratepayers want to know what is happening in that area, because we in our offices are getting more and more complaints from local residents who are concerned about development cutting corners, impacting on their streets, impacting on their residences.

We believe, I believe that that rate may have skyrocketed, great if it hasn't but there is no reason why we would not want to include that figure unless the Council had something to hide. We know that that is their default time and time again. Madam Chair, there are a whole range of issues that aren't mentioned in the report. You have to laugh, Madam Chair, when you see on page 109—

Chairman: Councillor DICK your time has expired.

239/2013-14Councillor Milton DICK was granted an extension of time on the motion of the Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS, seconded by Councillor Victoria NEWTON.

Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair, and I refer to page 109 of the report where we look at the controversial issue of city parking. I thought there would have been quite information provided in this. Get this, one, two, three, four sentences, sorry, four dot points. Of course we don't refer to the tens of millions of dollars that the motorists of our city are propping up the Council budget with. We don't talk about the huge fine revenues that we have. We hide that. We don't declare that because that's not good news for the administration.

I've got a theory as to why that is and I'll come back into when we discuss another Item today, Item B, why that's the case and why they are doing that. But, Madam Chair, you only need to look at other controversial issues which are glossed over and I think in a word count it's mentioned once or twice. That of


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course is the dreaded CityCycle, the dreaded CityCycle, yet another failure of the LNP glossed over in the annual report. You only need to take a look around the streets of our city where you see our shop frontages and homes littered with yellow bikes that are gathering dust and rust all the time, over and over again.

You look up as of 2011 there have been 434,000 registered CityCycle trips which based on the 500,000 trip figures used by Council this year, means in this financial year we've only amassed around 65,000 trips. Now that equates to, of the 2000 bikes sitting out there about 110 bikes have been used to date. So 90 per cent of the bikes not being used, laying idle all day, every day. But we don't have it in the figures in this report that it has cost ratepayers around $14 million and continues to drain money all the time.

So, Madam Chair, this report is basically a sanitised report from what the administration won't tell the ratepayers of this city, that won't own up to some of the failures and the tough decisions involved. But worse still, doesn't contain the information that ratepayers deserve and should be finding out what their Council is up to. Well I say this Council needs to do a lot better, particularly in frontline services whether it be tree maintenance, whether it be drainage. Drainage, we know that the administration is against drainage. They cut $2 million last week. This report this year alone says in the 2011-12 report we invested $16.9 million. We've gone backwards to $15.7 million on local and major drainage so $1.2 million less on local major drainage.

Now, Madam Chair, that is a disgrace when we've heard all the nonsense from the LNP, how they want the pats on the back, but the figures are there in black and white. Frontline services delivering an F for failure under this LNP Council. Ratepayers are paying more, are being socked right through the roof, whether you be driving your car, whether you be putting monies into parking metres, whether you be pouring into huge rates picked to pay off the LNP's crippling debt. But what you get out of that is less services, less staff and less value for money as a ratepayer of this city.

Chairman: Further debate? Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes I rise to speak on Item A and Item C. I first will start with some comments on the annual report. I had a read of the annual report over the weekend and was very disappointed with the section towards the front of the annual report which lists out, how do you call them? I think Council refers to them as the corporate plan scorecard which reflects all the, I believe, they're called medium term KPIs for the city. It ranges between pages 6 and pages 12 if anybody would like to follow along with me.

So it's a bit of a snapshot I guess or a scorecard as the LNP has referred to it about how we're tracking against what we say the benchmarks for our city are. Things are rated in four ways, (1) a big star for delivered so this is an objective that's been achieved or completed, (2) a tick for on track, work is continuing as planned and budgeted. A circle, monitor closely, progress is being made but not matching what was planned and budgeted and a square, action required, work has stopped or progress is insufficient to achieve the objective.

Now there is one bit of good news. There are no squares in the corporate scorecard. That's a plus. But you would think with six pages of KPIs or 133 corporate goals that we have and I'll refer to them as goals, that we might have made progress towards 50 per cent. Maybe if we'd achieved progress, 50 per cent maybe, yes, delivered, delivered to 133 corporate goals. That's 1.5 per cent of the objectives that we set ourselves as a Council to deliver have actually been delivered, 129 — sorry there were 133 altogether. One hundred and twenty-nine of them are on track, that is, that work is continuing as planned. That's 97 per cent and two are failing so two are monitored closely.

I want to go back to the two that have been delivered because I think they bear some specific mention. Firstly City Hall restored as the people's place, tick, I agree. I think we can all agree. The building looks magnificent, all the hard work has been done and we're back. But there is another one, now remember there's


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only one of two that have actually been achieved for the year out of the 133 total. So the other one that has been achieved for the year and I'm just looking for—


Councillor JOHNSTON: Page 8 yes it's the road one. Yes thank you. The other one that's been achieved is and I'll read it out and this is a quote, “continue delivery of the Road Action Program.” Now let's be clear it's not actually we've delivered the Road Action Program, it's we're going to continue to deliver the Road Action Program. We give ourselves a star so one of the two things that we've actually delivered on isn't actually delivered. We're delivering on the completion of it. I think as we hear week after week in here there's a lot of debate about whether or not the promises of that Road Action plan have actually been delivered.

I think Councillor SUTTON there would be a major road project out your way that's been missing, promised and promised and not delivered. So I'm a little bit concerned if you take a step back and you do give yourself a big tick for City Hall, there's only one of 133 KPIs that have actually been delivered by this Council in a record or a scorecard of its own work in the past year. Something is going badly wrong. As you read into the annual report you get into the specific sections. I too like Councillor DICK had to have a bit of a giggle at certain places, because some of the statements about the particular programs in here just absolutely are beyond anything reasonable, or anything that I think that our residents would accept as being reasonable.

In particular there are a couple I want to mention. This Council makes a very big deal about the flood mitigation work that it's done over the past year but certainly some work's been done. But the problem with this LORD MAYOR is he is more interested in putting out reports saying he's done things than actually doing them. So backflow valves recommended by an independent engineering report across the city have not been delivered. The LORD MAYOR has cherry-picked some but there are still dozens in areas of this city that flood that the LORD MAYOR refuses to fund.

Secondly drainage; it is disgraceful that quarter after quarter this LORD MAYOR comes in and promises money for drainage around this city and then cuts it. This annual report itself says that x number of dollars were spent on drainage last year. Well we all know it's only a week ago that we actually chopped another $3 million out of the drainage budget. It's not good enough.

You cannot believe a word of what he's written in this report. It goes on. The thing that I'm shocked by and I think that you will be too Councillor ABRAHAMS is on page 54 there's a statement that says, in order to manage the range of possible flood events in Brisbane, the strategy and that's the Flood Smart Future Strategy is based on measures including structural flood mitigation. Well only if the LORD MAYOR thinks it is okay in your area but not everywhere, (2) a hazard-based approach to land use planning. Now that's an extraordinary statement because that's the exact opposite of what this administration is actually doing.

This administration has said you can build anywhere on any land that floods, provided that you meet certain building standards. Those building standards include allowing fill, significant amounts of fill in known catchment areas, in direct contrast to what was recommended under the Queensland Royal Flood Commission Review and Report. The City Plan does not in fact in any way, shape or form look at what land use planning changes we should be making in acknowledgement of flood risks in our city.

It's extraordinary that that statement is in there. It stuck out like it had a glowing neon light on it to me because I know and I see this Council approve developments in parts of my ward that continue to flood, flood after flood after flood. Instead of actually changing the way in which we allow certain developments to proceed, we are compounding every single mistake that has been made in the past 40 years in this city. We've got one right at the minute at Tennyson. Four and a half metres of fill has just gone into an area in Tennyson


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to fill it up and then a building to be built on top of it which is on a slab on the ground.

Do you know what? It's only as high as the 2011 flood which wasn't even close to as high as the 1974 flood. This building will flood. Not only that, it will make it worse for every other resident around it because it has filled a space where water used to divert to. They're mistakes this Council is making—

Councillor SIMMONDS: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Yes point of order, against you Councillor JOHNSTON. Yes?

Councillor SIMMONDS: I think you've taken a very broad interpretation to relevance. We're now talking about an individual planning decision.

Chairman: Yes I agree I was just going through this trying to — I think you're straying a little bit Councillor JOHNSTON. Back to the actual report, not the individual stories from your ward. Thank you.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Well, Madam Chairman, the Tennyson issue is one that's actually canvassed as the case study in here but I need to speak on other issues so I will move on. The other issue I briefly wanted to raise were problems with our staff feedback and also the Council call centre feedback. I've noticed that there's been a significant drop in this annual report in terms of our staff satisfaction. From what I understood only 73 per cent of staff now are happy in their jobs. That's a significant drop on last year. That means that 27 per cent or almost one third of all staff in this place are not happy.

I would have thought that's a major concern to the LORD MAYOR and instead of it dropping he'd be looking at why that's happening and steps to increase it. I don't know if it's job cuts or budget cuts or whatever it might be, but it certainly is obviously impacting on our staff and I think it's very disappointing that it's going backwards. Likewise, and more concerning, we have a — and what I will say is, the LORD MAYOR makes a big deal of receiving a record high response rate for Council staff Your Voice survey. But you've got to dig and dig and dig to find out the results of the actual survey.

It's not the survey that's important. It's the information that is in the survey and what it tells us about how our business is operating. There's also a significant concern with the call centre. Our call centre I would have to say is probably the best single thing that—

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON your time has expired. Further debate? Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I rise in support of Items A and C on today's agenda. Firstly to the Annual Report. Look the report before us today and the papers shows that Council has had yet another strong year in 2012-13. At the outset in case I run out of time, can I congratulate the Council officers on all that has been achieved? It has been a significant workload during the 2012-13 financial year. We had some challenges as the LORD MAYOR mentioned in the Australia Day storms. But we also had some tremendous achievements as well and things like City Hall, the Chief Digital Officer, City Plan going out and that's just to name a few highlights.

So I think they deserve some kudos there. The other thing that I note — I might deal first of all with some of the points raised already in the debate before I go onto talk about some more about some of the things that have achieved. Can I make the overall point in terms of what is reported by this Council in our annual report and that is this. Despite Labor criticism of what is missing or what they think should be there or all the rest of it, I can tell you that last year's report, the 2011-12 annual report and I have no reason to think that this year's report is any different — received a bronze aware in the Australasian Reporting Awards.

So it is held up there as a standard for other organisations to reach an annual reporting mechanism, Madam Chairman. Officers should be congratulated about that and I note that we maintain that high standard this year. The points I'd make about the debate that's already happened and this is an important lesson for those


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who are listening, particularly to the journalists who might have heard what Councillor DICK said and thought okay that's reasonable, off I run to write a story. What you need to do with everything that comes out of Councillor DICK's mouth and probably I should extend this to all Labor councillors over that side, is to run a fact check over it, is to run a fact over it.

Because time and time again you are seeing him, as the LORD MAYOR says, inferring something or using figures and turning them around or in this case just blatantly getting it wrong. The two things he pointed out, the two stats, the two comparisons between last year's and this year's report that he pointed out just showed, where our frontline had gone backwards, was PPT services and Council cabs. In both cases he was comparing totally different figures, totally different. Let me elaborate. This year's data on Council cabs is a record of the number of return trips. So a Council cab goes out, it comes back, that's counted as a return trip, there was 58,000 of those.

Last years was the number of passengers, do you see the difference? Do you see the difference? Council cabs often carry more than one. Right? Do you see the difference? One is trips, one is passengers. It's not a reduction in the number of people using the service at all. Pity the poor journalists who has just written that up and wasted the last 20 minutes of their life based on Councillor DICK's incorrect assertions. But he didn't just do it once and this goes to show the measure of the man I'm afraid because he didn't just do it once. He tried to mislead twice. PPT figures, last year's figures was about 30,000 trips, last year's figures was about 30,000 trips.

This year's figures, passenger numbers. You see the difference again? Trips, passenger numbers, trips, passenger numbers. They're different. You got it — I was waiting — Councillor McLACHLAN well done, gold star for you, they're different. They are different. They don't represent a drop in service. They don't represent a drop in numbers. You cannot possibly infer that, any reasonable person reading those figures. But Councillor DICK for his own political expediency that's exactly what he's done. He should get up in this chamber and withdraw his remarks as far as I'm concerned because they're based on a falsehood.

The second thing is to allow me to deal with executive pay. So we have dealt with this on a number of occasions but I'll deal with it again. We saw, can I just make the point, in this annual report that we talk about, report on the number of staff earning over $100,000 a year in this organisation. In this annual report, that number has reduced. We have less staff down from 184 last year to 177 who are paid over that $100,000 level. That wasn't mentioned by Councillor DICK. Funny, it must have slipped his mind. He was doing a lot of other comparisons, that one must have slipped his mind.

What we are talking about is 2.3 per cent of Council's entire workforce. What we want from these people is quality executives who will take ownership over the large delivery program that Council has. When you're managing a $3 billion budget, as all of the chairmen here know, we cannot be everywhere at every point. We rely on these senior staff to be our eyes and ears and make sure all of the delivery of the agenda of this administration is completed. I don't think it's unreasonable that where they have met certain performance criteria, and I emphasise that point, only if they meet certain performance criteria and achieve what the administration has asked them to achieve, they should be eligible for a bonus.

But in all their protestations as the LORD MAYOR pointed out, in all their protestations is about well why isn't it in the annual report. As the LORD MAYOR pointed out it was a Labor administration that started these bonuses so surely LORD MAYOR they had it in their annual report. Surely it's not a — yet another case in Labor of practice what we say not what we do. Surely they put their money where—



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Chairman: Point of order against you Councillor SIMMONDS. Yes Councillor JOHNSTON?

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, Madam Chairman, the issue about what Labor councillors may have done 12 years ago isn't in this annual report. As you are strictly interpreting relevance with respect to this matter, I would ask that you draw Councillor SIMMONDS back to the report itself.

Chairman: Thank you Councillor JOHNSTON but given that Councillor SIMMONDS is the chairman relevant to any matters regarding pay and given the comments that have already been made in relation to this debate, I think he has every right to defend what has been said.


Chairman: Yes Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: As I understand the rules of procedure, it is within the purview of the relevant chairman of the matter being discussed, in this case the LORD MAYOR, to speak on matters under their portfolio. But no other councillor has the right to speak generally on matters. Madam Chairman, as those rules have not yet changed I would ask, Madam Chairman, or suggest, Madam Chairman, that that rule should be enforced and that Councillor SIMMONDS, just like you asked me to do, refer to matters in the report today itself.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON I do not uphold your point of order, I have already indicated that Councillor SIMMONDS is a chairman of the portfolio that deals with pay, with staff pay. You are not a chairman Councillor JOHNSTON and on that basis—


Chairman: Don't interrupt me when I'm speaking. On that basis I do not uphold your point of order and do not raise the same point of order again.



Councillor JOHNSTON: I move dissent in your ruling. It's not correct.

The dissent motion lapsed for want of a seconder.

Chairman: Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you, Madam Chairman, well lest we be thought of that there is less in our annual reports than that of Labor, I went back and checked. I looked at the 2002-2003 annual report because this is the last one the Labor administration produced. I'm thinking the information should all be there. Of course it wasn't. I went back to 2001-2002 to have a look, again nothing. Well I take Councillor DICK's interjection. What were you hiding Councillor DICK? What were the Labor councillors hiding when they didn't put it in their annual report?

Because they're happy to accept the bonuses or they're happy to set up the bonus scheme, they're happy to give the bonuses, they're happy not to report on the bonuses. Yet that's completely turned on its head when they're not in an administration, such is the hypocrisy of these people. Councillor DICK had a throwaway line, Councillor DICK had a throwaway line as he often does, political expediency about sacking people, it's not true. It's not true. There is a reduction in staff numbers from 7900 to 7700 in this annual report but anyone who knows anything about this place knows that there are no forced redundancies in this place.

That reduction is a result of voluntary redundancies or staff leaving of their own accord, Madam Chairman. It's as simple as that so the — well they're laughing over there, Madam Chairman, but it's the difference between — he may think a little hype — this is Councillor DICK's thoughts — a little hyperbole, nothing wrong with that. Well there is something wrong with it because there's a difference between fact and hyperbole. The hyperbole is the word sacking people. The fact is we can't sack people. It's a fact we can't. Voluntary


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redundancies or natural attrition, that's it for this organisation right? Fact, hyperbole, again another big difference.

He talked about public transport. Well look all I can say about the patronage of public transport, if he's wondering why that happened is to go and look at the fare structure of the previous Labor state government put in place. We congratulate the current state government for trying to pull that back and encourage people back onto public transport. In terms of, there were also some comments made by other Opposition councillors about backflow. Well again all I say is the hypocrisy of these people.

They had their chance last week to vote to accelerate the backflow program, to put another $2 million into it. They had their chance last week. What did they do? They made the courageous decision to abstain. Well good on them. Good on them. That made a difference to your local residents through you, Madam Chairman, to abstain, making all the courageous decisions in this place. Some other comments were made about staff on happiness. Well again I simply say look at the facts not the fiction. Any organisation in this day and age that gets an 82 per cent yes vote on an EBA that has to say something.

Guess what? Unhappy staff don't vote yes on an EBA. They don't, they don't, Madam Chairman, an 82 per cent yes vote on an EBA. Fact, fiction, fact, fiction. Madam Chairman, so with your indulgence, that said, I'd like to talk about some of the bread and butter issues that this administration, this Council has continued to deliver and is recognised in this annual report. If I could, if you would indulge me to look at my own programs first, Program 7 there are a number of achievements. Six Lord Mayor Business Forums, with more than 430 attendees with a 90 per cent satisfaction rate.

Foreign language societies delivered to more than 30 inner city locations, provide work experience for 30 university students. Brisbane Marketing results included over 400 events over six weeks in the Christmas 2012 campaign.

Chairman: Councillor SIMMONDS your time has expired.

240/2013-14Councillor Julian SIMMONDS was granted an extension of time on the motion of the DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, seconded by Councillor Ryan MURPHY.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Madam Chairman, thank you to the chamber for your indulgence. Perhaps if I didn't have to correct so many misnomers from the Opposition I would have got to these exciting achievements a little earlier. We attracted conventions to Brisbane generating an economic value of some $266 million across 439,920 delegate days. We continued the delivery of the Windows of Opportunity report. What's that I hear Councillor GRIFFITHS saying? We launched a guide to hotel investment in Brisbane and of course we delivered the Lord Mayor's Business Awards.

Program 9 also has some significant achievements. We retained our strong credit rating with an increase in our outlook to neutral. We provided 31 business scholarships to assist residents from a migrant background to obtain business qualifications. We continue to train 106 fulltime apprentices. Our graduate development program continued with 45 fulltime graduates across Council in everything from civil engineering to town planning. We delivered the most successful Brisbane Ready for Summer campaign ever with 15,106 new severe weather early warning alerts service registrations, Madam Chairman, just to name some.

That's my program. That's my program but the delivery of this administration on bread and butter issues does not stop there. While Councillor DICK can cherry-pick, I would simply ask anyone who is listening to this debate or a journalist who was thinking about this, to read the annual report. Read the document. Look at each program because under each program it has an impressive set of things that this administration has delivered on the ground. Just to take some examples Program 1, 57.7 hectares purchased under the Bushland Acquisition Program.


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More than 450,000 visitors to Brisbane Botanic Gardens, in Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, 50,000 residents using the green waste service, 642,534 tonnes of waste managed through our transfer stations, 839,000 vehicles visited our transfer stations. I want to share the lot around a little bit, water smart city, $11 million spent on protecting waterways, $48 million spent on stormwater construction and maintenance, 327,094 FloodWise Property Reports downloaded and 85 per cent compliance with erosion and sediment control on building sites.

I do acknowledge and I'm still with you Councillor BOURKE so I'll continue on. Program 4 for example, seven neighbourhood plans adopted and eight notified. Five Vibrant Laneway projects completed. One hundred consultation events on the new City Plan. Program 5, $215 million of course on our beautiful City Hall, 1.7 million people using Council city pools, 6.18 million visiting libraries. Seventeen community organisations funded to improve access and inclusion.

Program 6, 128,916 square metres of illegal graffiti removed across Brisbane, $3 million spent on graffiti management, 95,715 dogs registered, 570 free community immunisation clinics delivered. Madam Chairman, I could go on and on but my colleagues and everyone else in this chamber will get a bit sick of hearing my voice. My point is this, that you can turn to any page of this report and see the achievements of this administration, this Council. Those achievements that I just read out are not the achievements of an administration which is cutting frontline services like Councillor DICK has claimed.

They simply — if Councillor DICK's hyperbole was to be believed, those kinds of things simply could not be achieved. So I will end to you on this note and that is again look at the fact not the fiction. Madam Chairman, not much has been said about Item C, the recess calendar. I assume that's because everyone is excited about the program for next year. I would encourage everyone to support it. Thank you very much.

Chairman: Further debate?



Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, I refer you to page 131 of the annual report where a defamatory and untrue statement appears. Madam Chairman, I would ask that you withdraw the annual report from circulation. There is a statement in there that I think that puts this Council at risk. I would like your ruling with respect to those issues which I have raised also in writing with the CEO.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON the page has been replaced. The replacement page was sent to all ward offices and I believe has also been handed out in print version. Is that correct?

Councillor SIMMONDS: Point of order, Madam Chairman, if I may.

Chairman: Yes Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: It was handed out at respected party rooms but Councillor JOHNSTON, it was both emailed to her by the CEO's office and a copy placed under the door of her office.

Chairman: Thank you Councillor SIMMONDS. It is also corrected on the file. So there is no reason to withdraw the report when the correction has been made.



Councillor JOHNSTON: I think perhaps that you misunderstand me. I'm aware of the action that was taken today but I believe that the annual report contains a defamatory statement about me, Madam Chairman. I'm going to table the minutes that reflect why that statement is defamatory. Madam Chairman, I would ask that you withdraw the annual report from circulation today because I am extremely concerned about the statements that are made page 131.


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Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON I have already indicated that — well number 1, I can't withdraw a report. The report is now on the floor. It is well into the debate on the program. Furthermore having seen the objection that you raise to it and also having read the transcript from that particular meeting, the section, the words that were incorrect on page 131 were that you were ordered to leave the meeting. That was not correct and that has been withdrawn from the replacement page that has been distributed.



Councillor JOHNSTON: I just refer you to the Meetings Local Laws that do say you are the responsible person for ensuring that defamatory statements and defamatory matters are not considered in this Chamber. I don't actually have the rule number in front of me but I could find that. But you are specifically responsible for that matter under our Rules of Procedure.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON I don't need a lecture from you and I do not uphold you point of order. Further debate?

Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.

Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I rise to speak to this report this afternoon. What is quite apparent from those on the opposite side of this chamber is that they are completely devoid of any substantial financial argument. We are discussing the annual report of this Council and can they come up with anything tangible on that side? No, Madam Chairman, no they can't. Madam Chairman, what they forget, they stand up in this chamber and they bleat and carry on and on and on, yet they forget that this Annual Report has been compiled in accordance with the Australian Accounting Standards and it has been appropriately audited with a proper audit opinion provided.

Of course, they probably didn't understand what was documented in pages 244 and 245 in the audit opinion, Madam Chairman. There are a substantial number of projects across this city that has been delivered by this Administration and the Council officers in many of the divisions. It is through this united team effort that this Council is kicking some major goals. Now, Madam Chairman, I refer to Councillor JOHNSTON's statements in respect of the corporate plan scorecard. Again, Madam Chairman, it clearly indicates an absolute lack of comprehension with reading the document and understanding what is before them.

Because the Corporate Plan Scorecard is not purely for the financial year 2012-2013. It is for the years 2012-13 to 2016-17. So, of course, when we have so many ticks that we are on track that means that we have a number of years to complete those projects. You don't complete all of the projects in the first financial year. That is what a scorecard is all about, to plan for the future, to deliver projects and to do it in accordance with your financial plan. That is what good corporate financial responsibility is all about.

Councillor ABRAHAMS may sit over there and try to mock me but it just shows that they are totally indifferent to the proper financial management of this city. They don't really get it, Madam Chairman. One of the important things that is reflected in this annual report, Madam Chairman, and I would just like to particularly reference this, is on pages 36 to 38 the awards and recognition. Particularly those National Emergency medals that were awarded to those members of the SES, who provided a substantial and very important service to this city in times of need.

Madam Chairman, they are the people and the Council officers behind the scenes who certainly stepped up to the mark and have done a lot of work behind the scenes. They deserve to also be recognised and Council officers do not need to be denigrated by those on the other side. It is absolutely appalling, Madam Chairman. Another factor in this Annual Report is the very important building that we stand in today, the City Hall Restoration Project. I think the people of this city recognise the substantial effort and restoration project that this was.


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They have; the feedback that has come back on the newly-restored building has been substantial. They are very happy that we actually took that action.

Madam Chairman, to some of the other comments that have been made about this Annual Report today, in particular, relating to the Road Action Program; yes, that was a $1 billion program. It was 15 years’ worth of work that was pulled forward into a four-year program. Madam Chairman, yes, promises were made and yes, promises were delivered and one of those was in my ward and it was the $55 million Blunder Road project. So for Councillor JOHNSTON to sit over there on the other side of this chamber and carry on saying projects haven't been delivered, well she needs to get her facts straight.

It is not appropriate to come in here and say that things haven't been delivered when they certainly have. There is tangible evidence to prove that, Madam Chairman. There are a number of Council officers that take substantial time to produce this report and I would just pass on my thanks to them for the effort that they put in. Being an accountant myself I know how many hours go into producing this document. They have certainly put in a lot of effort and particularly with the Accounting Standards, making sure everything is in compliance, it is a very big effort. So my thanks do go to them through you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chairman, I also want to make a comment. It's very interesting that we haven't had any comment this year about certain items within the notes to the financial statement, because obviously those on the other side, they probably haven't got to them. But also I just want to point out that this is a very substantial organisation. There are certain Council officers who regularly present to the Finance Committee, who do a fantastic job in ensuring that our financial position is well assured, and particularly in the financial instruments that are used to minimise the possible adverse financial effects associated with adequate interest rate changes, commodity price changes and also foreign currency fluctuations.

They are very significant impacts that could impact one way or another on Council but these Council officers are always working hard. They're very vigilant to ensure Council is put in the best position. Madam Chairman, I don't know why those on the other side have to be so negative about the substantial work that is done by the financial officers in this Council because they do a great job.

Certainly if they took the time to actually read the audit opinion, it clearly states that, and I will quote this from the Auditor-General's audit opinion. It says, “in accordance with section 202 of the City of Brisbane Regulation 2012, in my opinion in all material respects, the current year financial sustainability statement of Brisbane City Council for the year ended 30 June 2013 have been accurately calculated.” Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Further debate? Further debate? LORD MAYOR.

LORD MAYOR: Well thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I thank all councillors for their contribution. We had obviously a range of different perspectives of the annual report delivered there. Madam Chairman, it is of course a mechanism both in a statutory sense and in a reporting sense an opportunity for the administration to account for the work carried out over the last financial year. So a number of issues raised from different perspectives, Madam Chairman. I would just say that I am very satisfied with the work that has been undertaken and the results that have been achieved by this administration over that last 12 month period.

Or course any administration worth its salt continues to review that work and that performance. That is something that as LORD MAYOR of this city I want to assure all councillors that I will be continuing to look for ways in which we can improve, ways in which we can examine our performance and deliver in accordance with community needs and community affordability. So, Madam Chairman, it is with that if you like overall perspective that I'm happy to see this annual report on the table today, and am pleased and congratulate all the officers that made the work happen over that 2012-2013 year. Madam Chairman, it is a team effort across the whole of the organisation that gives these results.


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I believe as we look back at that year, through this report, we have left Brisbane a better city than what it was a year before that.

Clause A putUpon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of Clause A of the report of the Establishment and Coordination Committee was declared carried on the voices.

Thereupon, Councillors Milton DICK and Helen ABRAHAMS immediately rose and called for a division, which resulted in the motion being declared carried.


AYES: 19 - The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR, Councillor Graham QUIRK, DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Julian SIMMONDS, Andrew WINES, and Norm WYNDHAM.

NOES: 7 - The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS, Victoria NEWTON, and Nicole JOHNSTON.

Clause C putUpon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of Clause C of the report of the Establishment and Coordination Committee was declared carried on the voices.

ADJOURNMENT:241/2013-14

At that time, 3.59pm, 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 have vacated the chamber and the doors locked.

Council stood adjourned at 4pm.

UPON RESUMPTION:Chairman: LORD MAYOR, Item B of the Establishment and Coordination Committee

Report please.

LORD MAYOR: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. Item B is the adoption of the Meetings (Amending) Local Law 2013. These are now back from the State Government. These changes of course were needed to the Meetings Local Law 2001 and the Meetings Subordinate Local Law 2005 to reflect legislative change in the City of Brisbane Act 2010 and the City of Brisbane Regulations 2012. The Meetings Local Law 2001 and the Meetings Subordinate Local Law 2005 have been combined in the Meetings (Amending) Local Law 2013 to make one local law, as separation is no longer required.

We are now bringing this law back to Council for adoption. Council considered this law on 3 September. After that, Council consulted about State interests with the Department of Local Government and Community Recovery and Resilience, and the Department of Justice and Attorney-General and the Queensland Police Service. Only the Queensland Police Service had any changes which were minor in nature, and they are recommended to the Council contained within this report. Again, this law has already been consulted on within Council through the bipartisan committee previously established. So it is here for consideration of Council.

Chairman: Any further debate; Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Thanks, Madam Chair, and I rise to speak on this item and rise to oppose what the LNP are planning to do. The LORD MAYOR did not really give any I guess information or detail about why or how these are going to impact on the


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running of Brisbane City Council meetings and the impacts that it is going to have particularly for the information that ratepayers will now be denied under these sweeping changes by the LNP.

Just as Councillor SIMMONDS said in the last debate, my message out to anyone listening, including the journalists, is the LNP are doing this because they want to avoid scrutiny. That is why we are dealing with this debate today. I made these issues when this item came to Council before they went up to the State Government, and what a surprise; the State Government ticked off on what this Council wanted to do. We know that the Council and the State Government are virtually one, as an entity, in some ways, and I am not surprised.

Although looking through the files - and the LORD MAYOR touched on this briefly - there was one person who objected to what the LNP Council were doing, and that was the Commissioner of Police. He basically said - and I don't know this, because it is not on the file, it is not there, the information is not there. I would have thought the Police Commissioner of our state, that information, and the LORD MAYOR today can table that correspondence, put it on the record or provide a copy to me confidentially or whatever to Councillors as he wants —


Councillor DICK: Of course it should be on the file. But this Administration has a poor track record when it comes to releasing information. The Police Commissioner basically said: stop wasting our time. That is what that information basically said. We don't want to be part of your rubbish. Don't involve us in the operations of the Brisbane City Council. Quite frankly, the LNP have a massive majority, and as I said in my remarks last time this came to Council, it is the responsibility of the LNP to maintain order of this Council. That is the responsibility of this organisation.

I am not surprised when I raised these issues in the debate back on 3 September that the Police Commissioner stepped in and, at the time I said it was unnecessary; it wasn't an appropriate use of police resources, and the Police Commissioner now has endorsed, and clearly said that the Council should be able to sort out its own affairs.

There are a number of serious changes coming through today. I will go through some of those. One of the biggest concerns I have is now we will see the politicisation of Questions on Notice. We are now enshrining in part of the package that we are dealing with today when we put questions on notice, we are now enshrining the fact that they will be sanitised and they will be politicised by the relevant chairperson. That is a fundamental shift in how this Council has operated and how Opposition Councillors have obtained information.

We know that, and it is a bit ironic today that we are dealing with this item particularly when the LORD MAYOR got caught up before not knowing what information he was releasing with the Questions on Notice strategy, when he said, no, that information - and I am referring to fat cat bonuses - no, that information has never been released before. Well, it was, when I put Questions on Notice to the CEO, it was released earlier this year. My challenge and question to the LORD MAYOR is: do you have any plans or any intentions to now intervene and make sure that you stop that information being released? I will be placing that information on Questions on Notice next week about how much the - exactly the same wording - about what those bonuses were, as I did earlier this year, and I am going to be really interested to see what the response to those questions are. When I placed those questions on notice, when the Opposition did through our Whip, we received that information. Well, here is the challenge, to see if he —

DEPUTY MAYOR: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Point of order.

DEPUTY MAYOR: My point of order is about the relevance to this particular item.


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Chairman: Yes, DEPUTY MAYOR, thank you for that. Councillor DICK, you are straying a fair bit.

Councillor DICK: Well, Madam —

Chairman: Please get back to the item.

Councillor DICK: Okay, Madam Chair, I will refer specifically to the item in the report, which we were circulated, regarding Questions on Notice. But I have made my point, and I will move on. But that is a spurious point of order, and Councillor SCHRINNER knows it, because my final issue on that is: the proof is in the pudding. If there is no change to the process as we are led to believe by the LNP, well I will get exactly the same information. That's fine, and I look forward to that data being released, even though the LORD MAYOR today said we have never released that information. Well, the LORD MAYOR hasn't, but the CEO has, through my questions on notice.

Moving right along, still on the same thing on section 34 of the Local Law, what I am also concerned about is now under the new provisions, there is limited time on the same question being answered. We know that this Council has a huge problem with managing the city's finances and the debt is crippling the way that we are providing bread and butter services, but to simply now say you can only ask a question once and once alone - well, this Council has track record, month after month it seems, week after week they keep changing the budget, because they are either blowing out costs or they're actually not meeting their key deliverables.

Well I, on behalf of the ratepayers, think we have a job to hold this Administration to account. They don't like it; they don't like being asked questions. They don't like having to explain themselves. They know better than the ratepayers. Well, we have a responsibility. So, yet further erosion of scrutiny will occur with that change, and I don't think that is good enough.

I think any administration should be held to account, and shouldn't be afraid of being asked financial questions about things like parking meters, about things like fines, about things like bonuses, things like - I don't know - CityCycle or poor performance investments by this Council. We have a right to ask those questions, but to simply say, no, you're only allowed to ask it once and that's it; I don't think that is good enough. That is simply not good enough.

Every question on notice will, as we know, get a standard response in the way the information being compiled. Now, if the information is not immediately available and would take an unacceptable amount of time to collate. Now, substantial answers to legitimate questions may take, I know, some time to answer, but the changes that we are dealing with today, that the LNP are asking for us to support, will make that worse.

Not only is the responsibility at the moment for timely responses to be made; these changes are now at the complete discretion of the political chairperson of the day. I don't think that is in interests of good governance, particularly when this Council has such a poor track record, aided and abetted by the State Government with the changes to the City of Brisbane Act in terms of releasing information. I accept that, when that came in, and I opposed the then Labor State Government's changes, but they pushed them through nonetheless, and then went further when Campbell Newman couldn’t get his way under the former government, he has now rammed through even further secrecy provisions.

So, the new meeting rules also enshrine, as we know, the confidential stamp - basically documents to be stamped at will. I think that is a terribly backward step. We shouldn’t be hiding more information; we should be releasing more information. Governments around the world at every level have been shown: those who want to hide information are simply hiding from their taxpayers and ratepayers. That is a backward step and it is something I am bitterly opposed to.

So, Madam Chair, there is a whole range of minor changes. I don't support the draft law, and sections 55(2) and (3) that Councillors will no longer be able to criticise Council officers by name; they will only be allowed to name them when


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saying nice things about them. Every government around the world, in Australia, could you imagine any government in Australia not being able to mention or talk about Council officers? What does the definition of 'nice' mean? What does that mean? I think when you are coming to the size and scale of this size government, we've got a duty and responsibility if we see —

Chairman: Councillor DICK, your time has expired.

242/2013-14Councillor Milton DICK was granted an extension of time on the motion of Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS, seconded by Councillor Victoria NEWTON.

Councillor DICK: I thank the LORD MAYOR and the Administration for the extension. I won't be too much longer. But fundamentally, I don't support the diminishing or the reduction in the amount of scrutiny that this package delivers, whether it be holding the Administration of the day to account, or whether it be questioning decisions made, or whether there be - this is the avenue, this is the forum, this is what our ratepayers expect us to do when we are representing them. If we feel that there is improper behaviour, if we believe that there is avenues that should be pursued, well, we've got a right to do that in this Council Chamber. I am bitterly, bitterly opposed to any reduction in that level of scrutiny.

Once again, what we are seeing with this package of materials is a backward step. It is something that the Labor Councillors believe will lead to less open and accountable government for the ratepayers of our city. But I understand that the Administration is sensitive, and I understand that they don't like the media scrutiny. They have had a shocking couple of weeks through the media cycles; I understand that. This just maybe I guess coincidental that we are - well, every time they seem to defend themselves, they seem to be making situations worse. I don't know what the LORD MAYOR's media team is up to, but I suppose I am not giving them any advice today —

Chairman: Councillor DICK, they are not in this item, so please get back to the item.

Councillor DICK: Yes, Madam Chair; thank goodness they're not. But what I do say is that —


Councillor DICK: Well, I didn't name anyone, but if I was to, say, name a political appointee, I guess under this I would be breaking the law, and no one wants that, Madam Chair. But anyway, the LNP does.

So I am concerned that this reduces the level of scrutiny that the LNP, with their massive majority, with their huge record majority, are enshrining. I won't be supporting it, along with Labor Councillors today. It's not a step forward in terms of good government, and we certainly will be doing everything we can to overturn some of these regressive changes to make sure that the ratepayers - and that is what this is about, the ratepayers - have the access to information that they deserve, and quite frankly should have, so that they can make informed decisions about the government of the day, just as other levels of government have done so. This is a backward step and we won't be supporting it.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, I rise to speak on the adoption of the Meetings (Amending) Local Law 2013. Like I did in September, I will just put on the record my concerns with both the process and the substance of the matters being debated with us here today.

Firstly can I say if you follow me on Twitter, which I know so many LNP Councillors do, Madam Chairman —


Councillor JOHNSTON: True; they do. If you do follow me on Twitter, you know that there's been a bit of a little literacy discussion, and I have been quoting a bit of Orwell and another member of Parliament has been quoting a bit from Harper Lee. So I would like to start with a little quote today, and I think it aptly reflects the LNP's


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actions with respect to bringing forward the Meetings Local Laws before us today. It is a quote from 1984 - and that quote is as follows, 'We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power for power's sake.'

Councillor MURPHY: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON; yes, Councillor MURPHY.

Councillor MURPHY: Madam Chairman, we are not interested in this quote and it is not in the report. I ask that you draw Councillor JOHNSTON back —

Chairman: Thank you, Councillor MURPHY. I think, Councillor JOHNSTON, get to the report fairly quickly, please.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, thank you, Madam Chairman. I am so disappointed that Councillor MURPHY is not interested in a good literary quote that really gives us some context to reflect what is happening with respect to these Meetings Local Law.

The changes to the Meetings Local Law being introduced today by the LNP are simply about increasing their own power in this Chamber. They are increasing their power at the expense of democracy and at the expense of fair and reasonable debate in this Chamber. This will, in my view, lead to significant issues with the scrutiny of the actions of this Administration by imposing a range of restrictions on a Councillor's ability to access information, ask questions, engage in robust debate.

When we look at other countries around the world, and we look at the way in which some regimes operate, these are the kinds of laws you would expect in countries that do not have a democratic Westminster system. You would not expect to see debate restricted because somebody somewhere might put a confidential stamp on it, simply because they don't want it discussed. That is not the process that we follow in this country. Similarly, the failure to answer questions and to provide answers to Questions on Notice because it is too hard is a ridiculous and a pathetic way in which to respond to questions about how ratepayers' funds are being spent in this Council.

There are a number of issues that flow from what is happening here today. That is the extraordinary statement in the report itself that says that there was a bipartisan council committee. Well, as I heard from the debate in September, I gather the LNP spoke to the ALP and they had a couple of meetings, and from what I understand from the debate last time, there was no agreement, and there is no support from the Labor Party. The LNP didn’t even bother to tell me that there was such a process under way. Last time I said that just reflects a scared and a weak Administration when they are not prepared to engage in a proper consultative process with respect to the Rules of Procedure.

I actually think that that is just such a—I actually find it funny. I know I said this last time. If that's the way they want to roll, that is fine with me, because I will just put on the record my concerns with what they are doing and point out that really, the only reason not to consult on stuff like this is because you're scared of what the others might think. I think that is a reflection upon this Administration.

There are a number of problems that will flow from what will be approved here today, when the LNP use their power and their might to force through these rules that I think they believe will further entrench their power. The interesting fact of it is, though, that there are a number of things that will actually, I think, be very difficult to manage. One of them is, for example, the fact that you are now no longer allowed to adversely mention any member of the public. I am going to look forward, Madam Chairman, to watching how you try and enforce that rule, when any member of the public is adversely mentioned.


Councillor JOHNSTON: Julia Gillard, Anna Bligh, Andrew Fraser, Kevin Rudd - you know, members of the public. I don't think you've quite thought that rule through, but perhaps - and no reflection on you, Madam Chairman, perhaps it is only some members of the


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public that that rule will apply to, not all members of the public, like the rules actually say. So I actually think the LNP has not actually thought through some of these rules, because there are some really bizarre things in here.

There are a number of other issues here today, and we have had a bit of debate about what is defamatory. In section 37 of the new rules, it is pretty clear about what is defamatory. Let me say this: you seemed to be unaware, Madam Chairman, earlier today, so just for the record, section 37 says, 'Whenever the Chairman decides that any motion or other matter before the meeting is one of the following, possible defamatory, the Chairman should rule it out of order.' Now, earlier today, Madam Chairman, you stood and said very clearly in this Chamber it was not your responsibility. Madam Chairman, the old rules said it was, and the new rules say it is, so I look forward to you enforcing that rule in future, now that I have brought it to your attention.

The second matter raised today which you said was not a point of order, or you didn't agree with my point of order, was that any Chairman can talk about any matter, and I would refer you to section 35 about Committee reports. It states very clearly that the LORD MAYOR may speak to matters within the responsibilities of Establishment and Coordination Committee (E&C) - that is in subsection (2), but it says that, when a Committee report, other than the E&C Committee report, is presented, only the mover of that report can talk to it as the nominated Chairman. So not every other Chairman, and not every other Councillor, have the right to speak around the world on issues —

Councillor SIMMONDS: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Councillor JOHNSTON: —and that is clearly reflected in section 35.

Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON; yes, Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Just to relevance. The Councillor seems to be debating an earlier ruling of yours as opposed to the changes in the local laws.

Chairman; Yes, Councillor SIMMONDS; there are lots of comments I could make, but I can't make from the Chair. Back to the report, please, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, I know Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR is itching to get into that Chair so she could take over for you, and you could come and speak on these rules.

What I would say is the rules, with respect to that matter, are also there in black and white, and I look forward to you enforcing those rules going forward. I, too, note the extraordinary extension of what is considered to be disorderly conduct in this place, and I note that now you can only put one question per year about a certain matter on notice. I note that there are all these restrictions that are being brought in about how we engage in debate and seek information. I think that these rules reflect so poorly on this LNP. They've got a record majority, and yet they are governing like they can't run a craft stall at a local fete without having the police on hand to monitor it.

Speaking of the police, I also noticed that they don't seem to support what you are planning to do here, Madam Chairman, and most interestingly, the files are not available to us. They have been withheld from this meeting today. Let me make it very clear: the LORD MAYOR stood up and told us all these things the Police Commissioner has had to say, which seem to indicate that he is not happy with what this Council has been doing. I would like to know why that information is not on the file. Why is it not on the file? Why is it being withheld from us today? That matter, given it is in this report, should be on the file. Week after week things are brought up to this Council that are wrong, that are not on the file, and it is not good enough. It simply reflects the lax governance standards of this Administration.

Just to finish up, what I'll say is: I do believe these Meetings Local Law are all about entrenching the double think that this LNP Administration is so keen on fostering, and is a hallmark of the way in which they go about governing this city. It is a shame, because these meetings will not help run the city better. In


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fact, they will simply restrict the ability to engage in democratic debate, restrict the ability of Councillors to get up and seek information, and I don't think that is good for our city or good for democracy.

Finally, what I will say is that there is very short-termitis going on with these LNP councillors, and I know I have only been here for nearly six years, but there are councillors who have been here for 20-plus. Political cycles turn, and one day, one day—I really hope I'm going to be here - I am going to do everything in my power—

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, your time has expired.

Councillor JOHNSTON: —to make sure I am here when it turns around.

Chairman: Your time has expired; resume your seat. Further debate; Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman; I rise to support Item B of the report today. Certainly the changes that are before us today—these are the same changes that we have previously earlier had the debate on, on 3 September. I note that we haven’t particularly seen any new points raised as part of today's debate that weren't raised on 3 September, other than the comments by the Queensland Police Service, and I will certainly address those.

But just to rehash a little bit, as that is what other Councillors have done, we have to remember that the driver for these changes is that we have had two quite substantial changes to the City of Brisbane Act in a very short period of time, or relatively short period of time usually in the life of an Act. So very much so these local laws needed to be updated to reflect those changes.

We have also, of course, had the change as part of that City of Brisbane Act that means we do not need to have the Subordinate Local Law and we are able to amalgamate two pieces of local law that dealt with the conduct in this Chamber into one, which I think will serve as a benefit for all of the Councillors in this place in ensuring that we maintain to the rules.

I would say as an overarching comment that no set of rules, guidelines, for governing a Chamber such as this, whether it is this one or State Parliament or Federal Parliament, can encompass every eventuality. It is one of those things where it is one thing to have the local laws; it's another thing to see how they are applied in the practice in this place. What I would say to the Councillors opposite who are concerned is: see these local laws in practise. I think a lot of your concerns will not come to fruition because a lot of the changes you are talking about were put in with an intent not to go down that path, and I will elaborate in a moment.

But it has unfortunately been the case that for a long time in this place we have had the local laws which have not undergone a change for a little while, but we have always had the practices in this place, and they have evolved. In the last little while, we've seen incidences where, if you do not stick to the letter of the law, if you are applying the practice, that will be challenged.

So it has been forced upon us - we would have liked to think that, in this place, we could have a debate where we all did it in accordance with an understood practice, but that unfortunately isn’t an option to us in this day and age, so we have had to change these laws as well as change the City of Brisbane Act, and they have had to be perhaps a little bit more prescriptive than they previously had to be.

That said, I don't think they are more prescriptive in a sense that they change too much. They are prescriptive in the sense that they actually enshrine in writing—


Councillor SIMMONDS: —in this place more accurately what is the practice. The Councillor interjects about all the different types of disorder. Well, those things have always been disorderly in this place.



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Councillor SIMMONDS: In the practice in this place, any ordinary Councillor will consider those acts listed under disorderly as disorderly. But we have to put it in writing so that we follow the letter of the law, and that is fine. We will do that.

In terms of the process, the bipartisan committee, I have spoken about this, and perhaps that just leads me to another comment, because the Independent Councillor talked about how she wasn’t informed or involved in the bipartisan committee. So allow me to add another quote to the debate, as she did. This one is actually from the Oxford Dictionary. The definition of bipartisan: of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties. So, the Independent Councillor would need to be a political party or be one of the two political parties in this place; that is probably why she was not involved in the bipartisan committee.

That said, the bipartisan committee I think was very constructive. We had a number of areas where certainly we didn't agree on anything, and I do not make that claim as I didn't on 3 September, but there are a number of items where we did agree. We found common ground on things like, that the Chairman is able to alter the agenda when it relates specifically to a procedural or a minor matter in regards to apologies or a leave of absence. Labor objected to the Cabinet in Confidence protections in the local law drafts, so they were removed.

At Labor's request, the draft now makes it clear that there can be a division on the election of Deputy Chairman and Deputy Mayor. I think they would consider that a step in the right direction. The draft also confirms the provisions around Questions on Notice do not prevent the asking of a fresh question. So here I should make a few more remarks, because it was specifically said by both Councillors in the debate that somehow the Questions on Notice were to be restricted, and you could only ask one question a year about one specific issue. That is not the case.

If they talk to their colleagues on the bipartisan committee, they raised that concern with the Administration that it was restrictive; we made it very clear, and we have reflected that in the local law, that you can ask as many questions about a subject as you like. Asking one question about ferries does not forbid you from asking another question on ferries. If you were to ask specifically for the ferry patronage for 2011-12, and then a week later to again for the ferry patronage for 2011-12, that would be an example of exactly the same question that you could not ask again, because the point is this: once you get an answer to a Question on Notice, just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean you keep asking the same question. That just ties up Council officers' time.

So please feel free - as I said, this kind of thing is all about the practice of how it is applied, and I can give the assurance that they are not restricted to one question on one subject every year. Councillor DICK talked about how this is a new way that the Questions on Notice will work. He made that same claim on 3 September. At that time I reminded him, as I will right now, that on 28 May - so this was long before these amendments to the local laws were considered - he received an answer to a Question on Notice, of all places, so I assume he reads them, because this is where he is saying he wants to have his answers come from.

The answer was this: Questions on Notice process, as outlined in the Meetings Subordinate Local Law, say that the questions shall be put in writing to the CEO. No part of the Meetings Subordinate Local Law 2005 outlines that the CEO shall be responsible for preparing, reviewing or providing an answer to a Question on Notice. That was the response he was provided in May, so he should have read it then. When he raised the allegation in September, I drew his attention to it —



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Chairman: Order!

Councillor SIMMONDS: I drew his attention to it in May that his claim that this was a new process was incorrect —


Councillor SIMMONDS: — based on the information - well, again, I am not changing it. I am enshrining what is the current practice in this place; it's the local law.


Councillor SIMMONDS: Well, unfortunately - I won't say any more than unfortunately it is the case we would all like to just have a gentleman's agreement where the practice is the practice, but that is not possible in the current political environment, because where we don't stick strictly to the rules, that is brought to people's attention.

The other point that Councillor DICK made was regarding the naming of Council officers. Look, again, let me make it quite clear: he is very right. This is something where the Administration does not agree with him. We do not think they should be naming personal Council officers to have a go at them, to put it frankly. We on this side of the Chamber have always taken responsibility. The chairmen from the LNP Administration believe, and have always maintained, that the buck stops with them. We are held accountable at an election.


Councillor SIMMONDS: We are held accountable at an election, and we are happy to go to an election on our record. Council officers I think, or I know, always endeavour to do their very best. Mistakes happen. It is not this Council's place, it is not this Chamber's place to be a star Chamber, to without evidence, to without any of the requirements, without the ability for the Council officer to come and defend themselves, it is not the place in this Chamber for Councillors to stand up and make defamatory and unproven statements about Council officers. So we most certainly disagree.

That brings me to the last issue, and that is the issue with the comments of the Queensland Police regarding the State interest check. The only person who claimed the Police Commissioner said we had to stop wasting his time is Councillor DICK. I find that extraordinary, because he himself admits that he hasn’t seen any correspondence from the Queensland Police Service on this matter. So he has admitted he hasn’t seen any direct correspondence from them, and then he's gone on to put words in their mouth. I think they would find that quite disturbing.

The fact is as the LORD MAYOR has outlined, and that is division itself —


Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor SIMMONDS. Yes, Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Will Councillor SIMMONDS take a question?

Chairman: Councillor SIMMONDS?

Councillor SIMMONDS: No, I am on a roll.


Councillor SIMMONDS: The Queensland Police Service's feedback —

Chairman: Councillor SIMMONDS, your time has actually expired. Further debate; LORD MAYOR.

LORD MAYOR: Thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Well, I have some good news for the Labor Party. These rules presented here today in no way prohibit them from putting some good new ideas on the table in this Council Chamber. These rules in no way prohibit them from presenting a policy alternative for the people of Brisbane around which a healthy policy debate can apply.

These rules give the Labor Party every opportunity to do what this Administration has continued to do, and that is to put forward good ideas, sound


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policies and sound positions for the future development growth and prosperity of this city. I always get amused when Councillor DICK seems to suggest that these things are only happening because of the massive majority, and that I am somehow blamed for this massive majority. There is only a massive majority because the people of Brisbane decided to give a massive majority to this Administration. We respect the decision that they have made.

We at no time take that decision for granted. Every other week I am out there across different shopping centres of this city making sure that I face the music in terms of the people of this city and allowing them to come up and talk to me about whatever they want to talk to me about.


LORD MAYOR: They can interject all they like, but the rules of this Chamber are there to provide a guide for this Chamber to work within. At the end of the day, the people of this city want to see from their civic leaders, whether they are Administration or Opposition, some healthy debate around things that will affect their amenity, things that are affecting their day-to-day lives, and there is nothing in these rules that prohibit that from occurring. That is the important thing that we have before us today.

I have a fundamental view, and I have always held it, that people want to see more time spent on argument around ideas, ideas which will generate a better city outcome, more so than the continued sniping, continued class warfare that we currently see. I just say again that there is every opportunity within these rules for good, strong, healthy debate, debate that the people of this city want to see us engage in, in their interests, to take this city forward to create an even better Brisbane.

Chairman: Before I put the motion, can I just draw your attention to the recommendation that indicates that these new rules apply from 1 November, which is Friday, so that means that they will be in force from next week's meeting. Just to make sure everyone is aware.

Clause B putUpon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of Clause B of the report of the Establishment and Coordination 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.


AYES: 19 - The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR, Councillor Graham QUIRK, DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Julian SIMMONDS, Andrew WINES, and Norm WYNDHAM.

NOES: 8 - The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Kim FLESSER, Steve GRIFFITHS, Victoria NEWTON, Shayne SUTTON, and Nicole JOHNSTON.

The report 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, Steven Huang, David McLachlan, and Julian Simmonds.


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LEAVES OF ABSENCE:

Councillor Peter Matic.

A BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13134/695/586/70

243/2013-141. The Divisional Manager, Organisational Services provided the information below.

2. Section 174 of the City of Brisbane Regulation 2012 (COBR) requires that Council adopt its annual report each year within one month after Council’s receipt of the Auditor-General’s report on Council’s financial statements, or a later day decided by the Minister for Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience.

3. The Minister has approved 30 October 2013 as the date by which Council must adopt the annual report.

4. The legislation stipulates that the annual report must include the following:- the general purpose financial statement for 2012-13 and the current year financial

sustainability statement, audited by the Auditor-General- the long-term financial sustainability statement for 2012-13- the Auditor-General’s audit reports about the general purpose financial statement, and the

current year financial sustainability statement- the community financial report- details of Council’s business activities- particulars of councillors’ remuneration, expenses, facilities, meeting attendance, and

orders and recommendations made regarding councillors- particulars of administrative action complaints- particulars of overseas travel by councillors and employees- information regarding Council’s operational performance and its performance in

Corporate Plan delivery.

5. In compliance with section 174, the annual report has been prepared by Council officers and is set out in Attachment B, submitted on file.

6. The annual report also contains reporting by the Chief Executive Officer regarding Council’s progress in implementing the Corporate Plan 2012-13 – 2016-17 as required by section 157(3) of the COBR.

7. It is therefore recommended that Council resolve in accordance with Attachment A, hereunder.

Implications of proposal

8. In adopting the Brisbane City Council Annual Report 2012-13, Council will have complied with Queensland Government legislation regarding Brisbane City Council’s annual reporting.

Customer impact

9. The Brisbane City Council Annual Report 2012-13 provides accessible information about Council’s operations for the past financial year.

10. The annual report is available to residents, ratepayers, federal, state and local governments, Brisbane’s business sector, staff and other interested parties to accurately and transparently communicate Council activities and achievements in 2012-13.


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Urgency

11. The Brisbane City Council Annual Report 2012-13 must be adopted by Council no later than 30 October 2013, to comply with the date approved by the Minister.

Publicity/marketing strategy

12. Upon adoption by Council, the Brisbane City Council Annual Report 2012-13 will be published online and in hard copy for ward offices and Council libraries. State and local governments, community organisations and other key stakeholders will receive an email directing them to Council’s website to access the Annual Report.

13. The Divisional Manager therefore submits the following recommendation with which the Committee agreed.

14. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT COUNCIL RESOLVE AS PER THE DRAFT RESOLUTION SET OUT IN ATTACHMENT A, hereunder.

Attachment ADraft resolution

DRAFT RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13

THAT IT BE RESOLVED THAT-(1) COUNCIL ADOPTS THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT

2012-2013 (the Report) located at Attachment B, submitted on file, as required by section 174(2) City of Brisbane Regulation 2012

(2) NOTE THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING THE CORPORATE PLAN ON PAGES 20 AND 21 (Corporate Plan scorecard is referenced at pages 6-12) as required by section 157(3) City of Brisbane Regulation 2012, contained in the report.

ADOPTED

B ADOPTION OF MEETINGS AMENDING LOCAL LAW 2013 109/800/148/14

244/2013-1415. The Executive Manager, Office of the Chief Executive, provided the information below.

16. Council proposed to make the Meetings Amending Local Law 2013 (MALL 2013) on 3 September 2013.

17. Subsequent to that resolution, Council consulted about the overall State interest in the MALL 2013 with the Department of Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience (DLGCRR), the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG), and the Queensland Police Service.

18. Neither DLGCRR nor DJAG had any comments on the MALL 2013. The Commissioner of Police asked for minor drafting changes to the MALL 2013.


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19. The minor drafting changes were to clause 30 of the MALL 2013, which amends sections 21 and 22 of the Meetings Local Law 2001. The changes were to remove the words ‘call on’ and insert the word ‘ask’, and to remove the word ‘fails’ and insert the words ‘obstructs the chairman or chairman’s representative by failing’ in both section 21(9) and section 22(5).

20. Those changes better reflect the police powers under the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 and are recommended for inclusion in the amended MALL 2013.

21. A copy of the proposed amended MALL 2013 (inclusive of those changes), as set out in Attachment B, submitted on file, is recommended for approval.

22. Council is also required to adopt a consolidated version of the Meetings Local Law 2001 (including the amendments in MALL 2010). A copy of the consolidated law is set out in Attachment C, submitted on file

23. It is therefore recommended that Council resolve in accordance with Attachment A, hereunder.

Consultation

24. The relevant government entities have been consulted as listed in the background above, as has a bipartisan Council committee.

Implications of proposal

25. The consolidated Meetings Local Law 2001 will provide improved and clearer governance for the Council Chamber and committee meetings.

26. The Executive Manager submits the following recommendation, with which the Committee agrees.

27. RECOMMENDATION:



DRAFT RESOLUTION TO MAKE THE MEETINGS AMENDING LOCAL LAW 2013 AND TO ADOPT THE CONSOLIDATED MEETINGS LOCAL LAW 2001

THAT IT BE RESOLVED THAT-AS(a) Council resolved on 3 September 2013 to propose to make the Meetings Amending

Local Law 2013(b) relevant government entities were consulted about the proposed local law (c) by letter received on 3 October 2013, the Commissioner of Police requested two

minor drafting changes to the Meetings Amending Local Law 2013(d) no other changes were requested by relevant government entities(e) the proposed local law has been amended to reflect the minor drafting changes

referred to in (c) above THEN(i) Council makes the Meetings Amending Local Law 2013, as set out in Attachment B,

submitted on file, to commence on 1 November 2013(ii) Council adopts the consolidated Meetings Local Law 2001 as set out in Attachment

C, submitted on file


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(iii) Council authorises the Chief Legal Counsel to insert the dates of commencement and gazettal and otherwise complete the end notes of the consolidated version.

ADOPTED

C BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL AND STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING AND RECESS CALENDAR 2014137/220/14/1

245/2013-1428. The Executive Manager, Office of the Chief Executive, provided the information below.

29. Council determines its ordinary meeting dates and the meeting dates of the Standing Committees and recess periods as soon as practicable in order to allow for forward planning by both councillors and Council officers.

30. The proposed Brisbane City Council and Standing Committee meeting and recess calendar 2014 is set out in Attachment B, submitted on file. Further the recess periods are in excess of 20 days to allow the Establishment and Coordination Committee and the Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee to carry out their delegated powers and functions during Council recesses.

31. It is therefore recommended that Council resolve as per the draft resolution set out in Attachment A, hereunder.

Customer impact

32. The calendar allows for councillors and Council officers to forward plan.

33. The Executive Manager submits the following recommendation, with which the Committee agrees.

34. RECOMMENDATION:



TO SET THE ORDINARY MEETING DATES AND THE MEETING DATES OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES AND THE RECESS PERIODS

THAT IT BE RESOLVED THAT-(i) AS

COUNCIL SETS ITS ORDINARY MEETING DATES AND THE MEETING DATES OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES as follows—

COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEES11 February to 1 April 2014 11 February to 25 March 201413 May to 17 June 2014 13 May to 10 June 2014Budget: 18, 20, 25 and 26 June 2014 -29 July to 9 September 2014 29 July to 2 September 201421 October to 9 December 2014 21 October to 2 December 2014Resume on 3 February 2015 Resume on 3 February 2015


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Council meets at 2pm on Tuesdays in the Council Chamber, Level 1, City Hall, Ann Street, Brisbane, unless otherwise advised.

The Standing Committees meet at various times on Level 2, City Hall, Ann Street, Brisbane, on Tuesday mornings unless otherwise advised.

(ii) THEN COUNCIL RESOLVES THAT THE RECESS PERIODS FOR 2014 BE AS FOLLOWS—(a) Autumn Recess: from the rising of Council on 1 April, and resume on

13 May.[School Holidays 5 April to 17 April; Good Friday 18 April, Easter Monday 21 April, and Anzac Day 25 April]

(b) Winter Recess: from the rising of Council from its Budget meeting to be held on 18, 20, 25 and 26 June, and resume on 29 July.[School Holidays 28 June to 13 July]

(c) Spring Recess: from the rising of Council on 9 September, and resume on 21 October.[School Holidays 20 September to 5 October; Labour Day 6 October]

(d) Summer Recess: from the rising of Council on 9 December 2014 and resume on 3 February 2015.[School Holidays 13 December 2014 to 25 January 2015; Australia Day 26 January 2015]

ADOPTED.

INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Ian McKENZIE, that the report of the meeting of that Committee held on 22 October 2013, be adopted.

Chairman: DEPUTY MAYOR, Infrastructure Committee.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Yes, Madam Chairman, obviously we've got a Committee presentation on the Telegraph Road open level crossing replacement project which I will deal with in a moment. But in the meantime, I just wanted to talk, given that we have had the Annual Report come through today, on some of the achievements of the Moving Brisbane portfolio and, indeed, the whole Brisbane Infrastructure Division when it comes to improving our mobility around the city.

We have seen reported in the Annual Report today a whole range of achievements, including corridor upgrades across the city, including corridors in various wards, and also reports of improvements in travel times on some key corridors as well. We see, particularly on page 59 of the Annual Report, relating to the congestion report, mention of the Bluetooth trial that we started in 2010 and now have rolled out across all the key corridors of the city, whereby we monitor travel time across the network. That has given us some great information about how things are changing and improving in various corridors across the city, and also information on where we can focus our attention in upgrading certain bottlenecks and congestion points in the network.

I would point out that speeds across the network have improved by approximately eight per cent in the a.m. peak and 7.1 per cent in the p.m. peak. So we have a situation where, in the 12 months referred to in this report, we have seen an improvement in congestion. That is a significant thing, because we have had Labor Councillors get up in this Chamber time and time again saying everything you're doing when it comes to upgrading infrastructure and delivering new projects isn't working. Labor has claimed that congestion is getting worse all the time. But we know that their claims are not based on any real data.

Today we saw in the Annual Report some evidence that indicates that we are making some headway when it comes to improving congestion. Year after year


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after year, particularly under Labor, congestion got worse, and every year travel speeds reduced, the amount of time that people were spending in their cars increased, and Labor did nothing about it. They didn’t invest in the infrastructure required to make our city more accessible. But we have done that. We promised we would do that, right from the beginning in 2004; we promised it again in 2008, and again in 2012. We have been delivering.

We have delivered not only the major projects such as the tunnels and also the Go Between Bridge, but also a whole range of suburban improvements along key corridors across our city. That investment is starting to pay off, and is starting to have an impact in improving travel speeds across the city. I think it is timely right now to reflect on the fact that we are making a difference. There is still more to be done, and we need to continue focusing on ways that we can improve the traffic network, and also the public transport network, but we have made some headway, and this Annual Report today clearly indicates that there are positive things happening when it comes to traffic congestion in our city.

I mentioned earlier about the Telegraph Road Open Level Crossing Replacement project. This is another example of what we are doing to try and eliminate some of these key bottlenecks across the city. Telegraph Road has the appalling reputation of being an open level crossing where people can wait for up to 15 minutes. Sitting in your car, idling for 15 minutes while you wait at an open level crossing is an amazingly frustrating exercise.

I know that Councillor COOPER and other Councillors on the north side are very aware of the community's views on this particular open level crossing, and that is why they were so excited to learn that this Council, together with the new State Government, is finally going to do something about this problem. We have had our offer on the table for years and years to do something about this project, to replace the open level crossing with an overpass. We have put our money on the table; it has been listed in successive budgets, but Labor continually said no at the State level. As a result, people had to wait in congestion; their frustration increased, but Labor just didn't care.

The Newman Government knew the importance of this project, and allocated the funding to match our funding so that both Council and State Government can go forward in a partnership, on a 50-50 basis, to deal with this issue. The project is well under way, and we are on track for an opening later next year. I particularly want to commend the project team for progressing this project under difficult circumstances. Any project that involves construction work around a railway line is always challenging, and there are certain very strict requirements on any work that occurs over a railway corridor, rightly so. We have just seen some great results up to this point in getting that project progressed. So I commend the project team. I also thank Councillor COOPER for her ongoing support of this project, and I commend the report to the Chamber.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor NEWTON.

Seriatim - Clause BCouncillor Victoria NEWTON requested that Clause B, PETITION – REQUEST THAT COUNCIL IMPLEMENT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES TO ALLEVIATE THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC IN BRISBANE STREET, SANDGATE, be taken seriatim for voting purposes.

Councillor NEWTON: This is a petition from residents of Brisbane Street in Sandgate who have asked for Council to tackle their concerns in relation to traffic volumes and potentially increasing traffic volumes in their very small street. While it's a small number of petitioners, it is reflective of the residents who live in that street which terminates as a T-intersection at Wakefield Street.

While it is a small thoroughfare between Wakefield and Deagon Streets, and it is not a big, long major road, it still carries a significant amount of traffic for its size. In the past, as reflected in this report, this was the major way where residents living in Brisbane would drive through Sandgate through Brighton to Redcliffe via this small street. Indeed, when the Hornibrook Bridge opened up in 1935, it saw a massive increase in traffic for day trippers and residents alike to get to and from the peninsula.


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But in more recent years, of course, the Deagon Deviation has opened up an alternative route, and is taking up some of the traffic - I would say a significant proportion of the traffic - but still, I guess old habits die hard, and a significant number of people continue to use Brisbane Street as their main way to get across to the peninsula. That is something that was of concern to these residents. You can see from the traffic surveys mentioned in this report that there is currently 6050 cars a day, which for a street that is only a couple of hundred metres long, it seems like a significant number for those residents, and I understand their concerns.

Their key concerns are, as I said, that traffic is using their street to get to and from Redcliffe, but also it continues to be a route that is encouraged for that kind of use, with the local signage. They are worried about these increasing volumes. It is not necessarily speeding, as you can see from this report. It talks about most vehicles seem to be adhering to the speed limit, and that is not necessarily the concern; it is the amount of traffic.

At that time, 5.03pm, the Deputy Chairman, Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, assumed the Chair.

So for pedestrians trying to move around either end of Brisbane Street, it can be quite difficult, because of course Wakefield Street and Brisbane Street are important thoroughfares for pedestrians and cyclists when moving around the area. Of course, we have two local primary schools nearby, with Sandgate State School and Sacred Heart School both of which have participated or are participating again, in the case of Sandgate State School, in Council's Active School Travel program. So we are looking to try and encourage and increase the amount of non-vehicle traffic to and from those schools. That is being embraced wholeheartedly with an increase in pedestrian movement.

Of course, Wakefield Street, is quite a wide, busy road which is very popular for people going down to the beachfront, particularly for people who just want to get their daily exercise in. They enjoy being able to take a run, a walk or a cycle down to the beachfront and use the pathways and crossing points at Brisbane Street. Coinciding with this is the redevelopment of the Masonic Care Facility which traditionally has been an aged care home but in recent years is growing its independent living onsite.

So, predominately, I guess, or traditionally, the access to and from that site has mostly been staff and visitors - people visiting residents living in that facility, and perhaps not so much traffic generated or pedestrian traffic generated by the residents on that site who are fortunate to have a bus shelter just outside the Freemasons where they can catch services like the 310 services. Also, they have a community bus from the aged care facility. But with the increase of independent living, of course, where we've got younger people moving there, they are still driving, and they are still walking and cycling around that area. So the residents in Brisbane Street have taken the initiative to seek improvements to try and make sure the infrastructure is in place to address those issues.

The report talks about when traffic is exiting the aged care facility or Freemasons, it is off a private driveway; hence they are supposed to give way to everyone else. I would say predominately that is the case, and as you can see, there has not been an incident or too many incidents so far, which is fortunate. But I guess when we are dealing with an increase in potential traffic, pedestrians, cyclists, people getting to and from their local bus services, there is that concern there.

So, Madam Chair, I guess I am disappointed sometimes in our petition process in Council here where I guess I'd like to say I half agree with the recommendation today and half disagree. But you can either say yay or nay when it comes to responding to these reports; hence given the consultation, it says that I don't support the recommendation. But I guess I do support in part, and I am pleased to see that some action is proposed to take place under Program 2, Schedule 209, to deal with some improvements to the pedestrian access points. They were put in very early on in the piece, when Council started rolling out pedestrian refuges, and of course they are not meeting the State's current standards. So I am pleased to see that that is occurring.


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I am pleased to see we are addressing the slip lane which might encourage and confuse pedestrians and cyclists, and hopefully it will make that safer and clearer. But it still lacks any initiative to tackle that issue with the increasing number of people who will be living on the Freemasons site, and I guess that is where I cannot support today's recommendation, and won't be voting in favour of it, because of that quite significant aspect. But I would like to say I do support the other initiatives. So when I say I don't support the recommendation, it is not because I don't support the entire recommendation; it is part of it.

When we discussed this in the Committee, I was pleased to hear that Councillor SCHRINNER, the Chairperson for Infrastructure, said he was prepared to re-look at this issue once the development has occurred at the Freemasons. There is a lot of construction work going on. Residents are moving in now, so I guess we will be watching closely and seeing as the increase in population happens on that particular site, and I will be seeking feedback from those newer residents to see how they are finding that particular intersection.

So, Madam Chair, I appreciate some of the efforts made. It doesn't go entirely the whole way to try and deal with making it easier and safer at that particular intersection. I welcome the initiatives that are provided in the response, but disappointed to see it doesn’t particularly address the entirety of the concerns raised by Brisbane Street residents.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate; Councillor COOPER.

Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Chair. I rise to speak to Item A of the report. I would like to particularly thank the LORD MAYOR and the DEPUTY MAYOR. Indeed, I would like to thank the Finance Chair also and thank the new State Government for finally putting in place the infrastructure that my community have been asking for for probably 40 years. I really do think that this particular project is an outstanding achievement for our local residents. I note that there has been community consultation. I went along down there at Bracken Ridge Plaza to hear what my community had to say about this project, and basically they were 100 per cent in - and I note there are some nasty comments being made by the Australian Labor Party. Some things never change. They don't deliver infrastructure, but they sure can be personally very nasty, so some things don't change.


Deputy Chairman: Order! Order!


Deputy Chairman: We will recommence when everybody shows a bit of decorum in this place and a bit of respect to people who are speaking.


Deputy Chairman: Councillor FLESSER! I hereby warn you that if you continue to interject, you will formally be warned.


Deputy Chairman: Point of order; Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Councillor COOPER is being misleading. There were no comments made; there is nothing in the record to suggest there were any personal attacks.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor DICK, that was not a proper point of order. Councillor COOPER.

Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Chair. So I was absolutely thrilled to be able to talk to my residents about this project. We had officers down there. They walked the residents through what is being proposed, and there was absolute unanimous support for this particular project. So for those of us who have talked to our residents about road projects; that is a pretty extraordinary outcome. So I would like to thank all of the officers for their hard work on this particular proposal. It is going to make a tremendous difference to the northern suburbs of Brisbane.


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I note that the previous State Government was very happy to dump thousands upon thousands of people in Fitzgibbon, so yes, happy to put people in Fitzgibbon with their own planning powers, circumventing the Sustainable Act. That was fine; tick from the previous State Government—


Councillor COOPER: —but they didn’t deliver any infrastructure to cope with those residents. That outrage—

Deputy Chairman: Just a moment, please, Councillor COOPER. Councillor GRIFFITHS, if you continue to interject, I will warn you. Councillor COOPER.


Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much—

Deputy Chairman: Just a moment, please. Councillor JOHNSTON, if you continue to interject, I will warn you. Councillor COOPER, apologies for all the interruptions.

Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Chair. In relation to this, this is a piece of work that responds to what the residents have been calling out for. It certainly does, I think, help to cope with the amount of new residents that have been coming into the area through the ULDA (Urban Land Development Authority), and it also does respond to that significant freight movement from Brendale across to the Gateway. So, Madam Deputy Chair, this is a great outcome for my residents. I thank the LORD MAYOR; I thank the DEPUTY MAYOR; this is a fantastic outcome for Brisbane residents. Thank you.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.

Seriatim - Clause CCouncillor Nicole JOHNSTON requested that Clause C, PETITION – REQUEST THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER MEASURES TO REDUCE RAT RUNNING AND SPEEDING ON TAMAR STREET, ANNERLEY, be taken seriatim for voting purposes.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Firstly, and briefly, with respect to Item D, because I can see that Councillor de WIT is intending to speak on this matter, I was absolutely shocked when I read the substance of Item D. I particularly want to draw the Chamber's attention to the statements that are in the report.

Firstly, I will preface this by saying my comments in no way reflect anything to do with Mr Haycraft. I am sure he is a lovely man, and I think it is a wonderful thing that this bridge is going to be named after him. However, I draw the Council's attention to paragraph 48 of this report. 'When naming infrastructure, Council considers the historical, cultural or navigational importance to the community. As there is no current policy outlining how this type of infrastructure is to be named, requests are to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Council does not traditionally name all bridges.'

It is only a few weeks ago that we had a request in here to name a laneway, and this Council took exactly the opposite position. That is, there—

Deputy Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, the reference to a laneway is not part of this report. Confine your remarks to this report.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, Madam Chairman, and what I would say is, it seems as though this Council has one policy with respect to matters in my ward and another with respect to matters in the Brookfield Ward as is outlined in paragraph 48 of the report.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, you are imputing motive, you are working a very fine line. Confine your remarks to this report.

Councillor JOHNSTON: I'm certainly not saying, Madam Chairman, that there is a reason the council officers are doing it, I'm making a factual observation that they did one thing in my ward and they're doing another in Brookfield ward. I just note that that's a shame because I would have thought that we could honour residents like Mr Haycraft and others who have made a contribution in our local community and recognised them through naming in infrastructure around the city. So I find it just a bit sad that we're able to do this today but not in other circumstances.


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Now, with respect to Item C, I rise just to put on the record, my concerns about the process with respect to Tamar Street, Annerley. Twenty-two households in Tamar Street, so about 50 per cent of the residents in the street, signed a petition calling for Council to consider additional measures for road safety in the street. Tamar Street is a connector street; it connects Annerley Road, near the Dutton Park Rail Station, down to Denham Street and Ensign Street which are at the back of the Fairfield Gardens Shopping Centre.

So it is a connector because the low rail bridge on Denham Street is the link - east, west link that enables people to get through. Tamar Street, well before my time, had traffic calming put in. Was it before your time as well Councillor ABRAHAMS?


Councillor JOHNSTON: Right, Councillor Quinn, so many years ago, traffic calming was put into Tamar Street and it was put in for a reason. I presume that reason was there was a lot of rat running and concerns about speeding. If you know the street at all, it has a big dip and then it dips back up again.

The residents kept their petition fairly neutral; they wanted Council to come back to them with ideas. But I certainly note that the key thing they wanted - and I will quote from the resident who is the chief petitioner - the key thing they wanted is, we would like the street to be 40 kilometres an hour. If it is then we can get some signs put up and we can request patrols. That would be a start; we have some other suggestions too. So that is what the residents were asking for, Madam Chairman, the Council put down the traffic counters earlier in the year and the residents were very concerned because the traffic counters went down immediately in front of the speed bumps.

So if you have any idea—yes, I can see Councillor ABRAHAMS laughing. If you have any idea about the street, the speed bumps aren't in the dip; they're actually up the top, to slow people as they accelerate up the hill. You slow down when you immediately hit the speed bump, so there's no point in putting the black tube counter where the speed bumps are because that's where people have slowed to meet the impasse on the road.

So then I'm told - so the residents, we put that feedback back to Council and Council moved the tube counter to the southern end of the street which is right near the intersection. So again, you've got people approaching a natural barrier in the road, which is the intersection. So the residents were extremely concerned that the black tube counters were not in the right part of the street. As a result, what you can see is that the speeds really - they're well under 50, which is the current signage for the area, but they are well over 40 kilometres an hour and that is the concern to the residents.

The residents would be happy if this street is actually signposted 40. My understanding is that because there is traffic calming on this street, that would be acceptable. It is also in line with practice right around the city for streets of this kind that do have traffic calming to have 40 kilometres an hour. I think that it is not good enough that this Council is proposing to do nothing to address the concerns of 30 residents and half the households of Tamar Street.

So in order to ensure that their concerns about traffic safety in their street are addressed—

MOTION FOR AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE C:246/2013-14

It was moved by Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON, seconded by Councillor Steve GRIFFITHS that Clause C, PETITION – REQUEST THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER MEASURES TO REDUCE RAT RUNNING AND SPEEDING ON TAMAR STREET, ANNERLEY, of the report be amended in the Recommendation as follows:(i) “in paragraph 41, that the words ‘that the existing arrangements in Tamar Street, Annerley be retained’ be replaced with ‘that 40 kilometre speed signs are installed in Tamar Street, Annerley.’”


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Councillor JOHNSTON: Oi, hang on.

Deputy Chairman: So to the amendments, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, and I have the amendment here if anybody wants it. Right, so, as I've said, the recommendation before us today is a do nothing option. I don't believe that that is necessarily the best way in which this Council can address the concerns of our residents who have legitimate safety issues about this street. It does enable a lot of traffic to cut through it and they are very concerned about our speeding in particular.

The street is heavily traffic calmed with both chicanes and speed platforms and it certainly is appropriate within the relevant traffic rules that a street of that kind is 40 kilometres an hour as a maximum. It would be in line with other streets around the city that are traffic calmed, that they are also 40 kilometres an hour. So this is something that is technically feasible within the response that Council can make to this report today.

It would also reflect the strong desire of the residents to ensure that speeds are reduced on what is otherwise a residential street. This would mean that we could get the police to come along and enforce the 40 kilometres an hour, we wouldn't have the street being used as a racing track to cut through between Fairfield and Annerley. It makes sense if we have a heavily traffic calmed street to have it at 40 kilometres an hour. So certainly it would reflect the residents' desire for their street to see the speed limit reduced from 50 to 40 kilometres an hour.

I think this would be a good outcome; it's a low cost solution for this Council. Basically it means swapping some 50 to 40 kilometres an hour signs—there might only be one or two I think, I don't even think there's that many signs, but it would give the residents confidence that Council is listening to their concerns, but most importantly is acting on those concerns by putting in place 40 kilometres per hour to ensure that their safety issues are addressed. I don't believe that the recommendation as stands, which is do nothing, is appropriate and I urge all councillors to support this amendment.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate, Councillor JOHNSTON, anything further?

Councillor JOHNSTON: Okay, Madam Chairman, I advised the residents, actually yesterday, that I was coming to Council and the petition would be debated and I told them I'd give it one last shot in terms of trying to get a good outcome for this. Interestingly, the response of the chief petitioner was, why on earth would the LNP oppose 40 kilometres per hour and I haven't responded to her yet because I'll send her the outcome of the debate along with the other residents here today, which show that the LNP Administration simply don't care and they couldn't even be bothered to stand up and speak to why, I presume they —

Deputy Chairman: To the amendment, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: I'm summing up, yes. Thank you. I presume will vote against the amendment today. It is extremely sad that the Chairman and the responsible person for this Infrastructure matter is sitting in the chamber, Councillor SCHRINNER, but he could not be bothered to stand up and speak either for or against this amendment. I hope that is a signal that he will support the amendment which is a very straightforward one, it will deliver a good outcome for the residents of Brisbane and it is in line with Council policy and practice elsewhere around the city.

If he doesn't, I think it's very sad that he hasn't even been bothered to speak on the matter today. I certainly urge all residents to support this simple amendment that will provide a much needed safety outcome for Annerley residents.


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Amendment put:

The Deputy Chairman put the motion for the amendment to Clause C to the Chamber resulting in its being declared lost on the voices.

Thereupon, Councillors Nicole JOHNSTON and Steve GRIFFITHS immediately rose and called for a division, which resulted in the motion being declared lost.


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 DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Julian SIMMONDS, Andrew WINES, and Norm WYNDHAM.

Deputy Chairman: The motion is lost. Please resume your seats. Councillor JOHNSTON could you please turn off your microphone? Thank you. Further debate, Councillor de WIT.

Councillor de WIT: Thank you, Madam Deputy Chairman. I rise to speak on Item D of this report which is the request for the naming of a culvert extension on Gold Creek Road at Brookfield. Madam Deputy Chairman, this is a bit of an unusual one but just to give you a bit of background, out in Brookfield there's the Brookfield Cemetery, a roundabout and almost right on top of the roundabout is a—really it's a creek crossing where the roadway narrows and there is no room whatsoever for anything other than motor vehicles on that particular piece of road.

It has been very dangerous and it still is at the moment. Over the years, just a bit over a kilometre down the road is a retirement village and the more active of those residents walk down from the village, down to the Brookfield shops or down to catch the bus on Brookfield Road. Really, it has been a concern of mine for a long time, so I have been progressively putting in asphalt footpath to get from the retirement village down to the centre of Brookfield.

However, the sticking point has been this area where this crossing is going on. Now, Mr Haycraft, as it says in the report, is the volunteer caretaker of the Brookfield Show Grounds, that is what his role is. It's supposedly for the Show Grounds but I think there'd be nobody in Brookfield who knows exactly just how much work Mr Haycraft does. He's forever in my office, there is nothing that happens out there that—or anything that needs fixing that he doesn't come to my office and get it done.

Whether it's in the cemetery, the paddock that's next door, the Show Grounds, the footpath, the trees, you name it, Mr Haycraft is very active in that way. I was really rather pleased when I saw this petition come through because in the mean time we have got the money to actually build a pedestrian—well a crossing wide enough that will take pedestrians and horse riders as well. That gets them off the road on this pinch point where they would have been rammed up against the Armco railing.

So when this petition came in with 72 signatures, which is quite significant in that area, I thought it was—whilst I could see it was an unusual one, I thought it was one that was really worth consideration because of the fact that here is a gentleman who asks for nothing, gives his time freely, works so hard. The community is his life and the other point about it is, he is the one - the resident who more than anybody else has come to me, saying, we need a safe crossing in that place.

Now this will not benefit him in any way whatsoever. He does not walk down into that area, but because of the sort of person he is, he has constantly been


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lobbying on behalf of the people who do use that road. The other important aspect to getting this crossing done is that it now will provide a link right through from the retirement village in Brookfield, right through past the Brookfield School out onto Rafting Ground Road. Probably a length of about three or four kilometres will now have a pathway that in the past we've never had those sorts of linkages.

So I am really delighted that this proposal has come through. I think it's so nice to be able to recognise someone who, in normal circumstances, would not get the recognition. As I said before, someone who I don't think, I'm quite sure, no one out there has any idea of just how much work this man quietly does looking after the community. They would really realise it if he wasn't there. I can't imagine what his reaction will be when he finds out that this little crossing is going to be named after him.

The other aspect to it is that I note that the change was made that it's not really a bridge, it's really more a culvert crossing and I'm quite sure that the petitioners would be quite happy to have the name changed to the Alan Haycraft Crossing. So I would like to very much thank the DEPUTY MAYOR and the officers. I know it's an unusual one and I think as paragraph 48 says, requests to be assessed on a case by case basis, and this is one that probably wouldn't fit any particular model or guideline that we have.

But Mr Haycraft will be appropriately recognised and I thank everyone involved.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate, DEPUTY MAYOR.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman, and I thank all councillors who contributed to the debate on this particular committee report today. I just wanted to say, in particular regarding the specific item referred to at Item C, that Council request measures to reduce rat running and speeding on Tamar Street, Annerley. I'd have to say that I am disappointed in the way that this is being handled by the local councillor and I do feel sorry for the residents of Tamar Street who have been let down by their local councillor.

It is quite clear to me that there are many residents in the Tennyson Ward who are being let down by the continual political game playing that we see from the councillor for Tennyson. Now, if there is a request to change a speed limit on a particular local street, well there is a process that needs to be followed to get that investigated and then for a decision to be made. We don't make that type of policy on the run based on a motion that comes up in the council chamber.

A speed assessment needs to be done and it needs to be done according to the state government's requirements in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. We can't just ignore that particular manual and change the speed limit on a whim, it needs to be done through an appropriate process. Now I would provide the advice to Councillor JOHNSTON that if she wants that speed limit changed then Council can investigate that. I can't guarantee what the outcome will be—


DEPUTY MAYOR: —but I certainly—

Warning – Councillor Nicole JOHNSTONThe Deputy Chairman then formally warned Councillor JOHNSTON that if she continues to interject she would be suspended from the service of the Council for a period of up to eight days. Furthermore, Councillor JOHNSTON 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.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Thank you. As I said, I can't guarantee what the outcome of the review will be, but TPS—the Transport Planning and Strategy Branch of Council—takes these types of requests all the time and has a process in place for them to be investigated. I would urge Councillor JOHNSTON to do the right thing, to put


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her request in writing to TPS and ask for a speed limit review to be done. That's the appropriate way for a decision to be made.

Now I have had similar situations in my ward where residents have suggested that a speed limit should be changed, I haven't come to the Council pushing forward a motion, I haven't played those political games, I've had it investigated appropriately. In some cases the answer is yes, in some cases the answer is no based on the actual assessment of the speed limit and the appropriate conditions in that street.

So I'm not in a position to make that decision, neither are we as councillors because there needs to be a technical review done. So I would just point out that that's the appropriate way to put forward the suggestion for a 40k an hour zone. That's what should have been done. I would also point out that at paragraph 39 of this report—

Councillor JOHNSTON: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Deputy Chairman: Point of order against you, DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chair, can I table - thank you, I table the letter dated 18 April where that was done exactly, that we made a request for 40 kilometres an hour.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, that is not an appropriate point of order. DEPUTY MAYOR.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Well, Madam Chairman, I'm interested actually to hear that news because if a request was made and it was investigated, I'd be interested to hear what the outcome of that investigation was.


Deputy Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, you are on a warning. One more time and you will be out of this chamber. DEPUTY MAYOR.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Thank you. But I do point out paragraph 39 of this report. Now this is the consultation with the local councillor that is done on every petition. As councillors know, we ask the councillor whether they support the proposed recommendation or not. Each councillor has an opportunity to provide their feedback and at item 39, it clearly says, Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON, Councillor for Tennyson, has been consulted and declined to have her views recorded as part of the submission to the Committee.

Now once again, I think that's disappointing, because she can come in here and play political games, but when she had to put down her views on this submission, she declined. That is the sad part, because she's letting down residents, she wants to come in here with the theatre and pretend that she is somehow a persecuted councillor and nobody cares and nobody listens. The reality is, there is an appropriate way to do these things, she continually and consistently ignores that process and tries to do things her own way and turns out to be an ineffective representative for her residents. That is disappointing.

So as I said, Madam Chairman, there is an appropriate way to suggest a change in speed limit. If Councillor JOHNSTON has gone down that path, well that's good. That is the appropriate way to do it. The appropriate way is not to come here and make policy on the run and change speed limits arbitrarily without all the information being provided to us at hand. If Councillor JOHNSTON had a letter and any other information, it would have been nice for her to provide that beforehand, rather than at the end of my speech, Madam Chairman.

I commend the report to the chamber.

Clauses A and D putUpon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clauses A and D of the report of the Infrastructure Committee was declared carried on the voices.


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Clause B putUpon being submitted to the meeting the motion for the adoption of Clause B of the report of the Infrastructure Committee was declared carried on the voices.

Thereupon, Councillors Victoria NEWTON and Helen ABRAHAMS immediately rose and called for a division, which resulted in the motion being declared carried.


AYES: 18 - The DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Julian SIMMONDS, Andrew WINES, and Norm WYNDHAM.

NOES: 7 - The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Steve GRIFFITHS, Victoria NEWTON, Shayne SUTTON, and Nicole JOHNSTON.

Clause C putUpon 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 Nicole JOHNSTON and Steve GRIFFITHS immediately rose and called for a division, which resulted in the motion being declared carried unanimously.


AYES: 24 - The DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Krista ADAMS, Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Julian SIMMONDS, Andrew WINES, and Norm WYNDHAM, and the Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Shayne SUTTON, Peter CUMMING, Steve GRIFFITHS, and Victoria NEWTON.

NOES: 1 Councillor Nicole JOHNSTON.


ATTENDANCE:

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Adrian Schrinner (Chairman), Councillor Ian McKenzie (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Milton Dick, Victoria Newton and Norm Wyndham.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – TELEGRAPH ROAD OPEN LEVEL CROSSING REPLACEMENT PROJECT

247/2013-141. Phil Stedman, Principal Project Manager, Civil and Transport, City Projects Office, Brisbane

Infrastructure Division, attended the meeting to provide an update on the Telegraph Road Open Level Crossing Replacement Project. He provided the information below.

2. The Telegraph Road Open Level Crossing Replacement project was identified as a major east-west corridor, which carries approximately 16,000 vehicles per day, with an expected 30,000 vehicles per day by 2026. Construction for the Telegraph Road Open Level Crossing Replacement project commenced during late August 2013, with an expected completion due


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in late 2014.

3. Between 2004 and 2009, there were 70 reported incidents which left the road closed for up to 20 minutes at a time during peak hours.

4. The anticipated budget for the project is $82 million which is a 50/50 funding commitment between Council and the Queensland Government.

5. The Telegraph Road Open Level Crossing Replacement project anticipated benefits include:- improved safety- separate road from rail- reduced traffic congestion- increased freight and passenger rail efficiency- improved pedestrian and cycle links.

6. Community consultation was undertaken in November 2008 and again in August 2013; however, it is ongoing throughout the construction period. Two community information sessions were also held in June 2013. Overall the feedback from the community has been positive.

7. A series of slides illustrating aerial photographs was presented showing the various stages of the project.

8. Some of the other key milestones achieved to date are:- site established in late August 2013- piling commenced in early September 2013- piling completed in early October 2013.

9. Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Stedman for his informative presentation.

10. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE REPORT.

ADOPTED

B PETITION – REQUEST THAT COUNCIL IMPLEMENT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES TO ALLEVIATE THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC IN BRISBANE STREET, SANDGATECA13/311632

248/2013-1411. A petition from residents of Brisbane, requesting Council implement traffic management

measures to alleviate the volume of traffic in Brisbane Street, Sandgate, was presented to the meeting of Council held on 14 May 2013, by Councillor Victoria Newton, and received.

12. The Manager, Transport Planning and Strategy Branch, Brisbane Infrastructure Division, supplied the following information.

13. The petitioners are requesting that the directional sign to Redcliffe located on Wakefield Street be removed, the left slip lane from Wakefield Street into Brisbane Street be removed, a roundabout be constructed at the ‘T’ intersection of Wakefield Street and Brisbane Street, the pedestrian crossing facilities be improved and a right turn ban be installed at the intersection of Wakefield Street and Beaconsfield Terrace.


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14. Brisbane and Wakefield Streets are District Access routes. These routes provide for the movement of people and goods within and through suburbs, whilst allowing access to local roads. The routes generally carry traffic volumes of between 3000 and 15,000 vehicles per day. A recent traffic survey undertaken in Brisbane Street indicates an average traffic volume of 6050 vehicles per day. The survey also indicates that 95 per cent of vehicles travel at 50km/h or lower.

15. The head petitioner raised a number of traffic and pedestrian safety issues at Brisbane and Wakefield Streets. As the Deagon Deviation has been in place for a number of years, the head petitioner believes that this route, which was the previous route to Redcliffe, is now used as a ‘rat run’ for through traffic.

16. As Brisbane and Wakefield Streets are considered as District Access roads and this route is still used as an alternate route to Redcliffe, motorists using these streets are not considered to be rat running. As such, the directional sign for Redcliffe located on Wakefield Street facing the intersection of Brisbane Street should not be removed and the request to install a right-turn ban at the intersection of Wakefield Street, Brighton Terrace and Beaconsfield Terrace to address rat running should also not be endorsed.

17. Site inspections at this location have indicated that the traffic volume entering Wakefield Street from Masonic Care Queensland is generally low. The private road from Masonic Care Queensland joining the intersection of Wakefield and Brisbane Streets makes this an unofficial four way intersection. As mentioned by the head petitioner, the private road is considered as a driveway/access point. As such, vehicles on this road must give way to all other traffic prior to entering Wakefield or Brisbane Streets.

18. A search of Queensland Government’s official crash records at this location between 2001 and 2013 has been undertaken. This identified one crash involving vehicles exiting Masonic Care Queensland due to the drivers failure to give way. Taking into account the low vehicle volumes from Masonic Care Queensland and the low crash history on a road of this nature, it is considered that the requested roundabout at this location is not warranted at this time.

19. From the traffic survey on Brisbane Street, it is considered that the left-turn slip lane on Wakefield Street does not increase the speed of vehicles when turning into Brisbane Street.

20. Due to low turning traffic volumes from Wakefield Street into Brisbane Street, it is possible many motorists take less care when using the slip lane. This can increase the likelihood of incidents at this location, as pedestrians must cross three lanes of traffic to access the opposite side. As such it is considered that the left turn slip lane should be removed and the intersection be redesigned.

21. The pedestrian crossing at the intersection is not in accordance with Council’s current design standard for pedestrian refuges. These refuges were built some time ago in accordance with the standards at that time. As such, it is considered to be beneficial if the refuge island on both Brisbane and Wakefield Streets are upgraded to the current standards. These works can be combined with the removal of the slip lane as part of an overall intersection upgrade. This work will be listed and prioritised in line with other similar citywide projects.

Funding

22. Funding is available under Program 2 – Moving Brisbane, Schedule 209.

Consultation

23. The Councillor for Deagon Ward, Councillor Victoria Newton, has been consulted and does not support the recommendation.


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Preferred option

24. It is the preferred option, for Council to redesign the intersection by removing the slip lane and upgrading the pedestrian crossing points. This will enhance pedestrian safety and also help motorists take due care and reduce speeds when turning left into Brisbane Street from Wakefield Street. This work is to be prioritised in line with citywide priorities

Customer impact

25. Removing the slip lane will ensure motorists slow down to make a ‘right angle’ left turn, thus providing a natural traffic calming measure at the intersection. Upgrading the pedestrian crossing points to current standards will enhance pedestrian safety at these locations.

26. The Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees, with Councillors Milton Dick and Victoria Newton dissenting.

27. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT THE PETITIONERS BE ADVISED OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT AND THAT COUNCIL ENDORSES THE PREFERRED OPTION ABOVE.

ADOPTED

C PETITION – REQUEST THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER MEASURES TO REDUCE RAT RUNNING AND SPEEDING ON TAMAR STREET, ANNERLEYCA13/396401

249/2013-1428. A petition from residents of Brisbane, requesting that Council requesting consideration be

given to implementing measures to reduce rat running and speeding in Tamar Street, Annerley, was presented to the meeting of Council held on 11 June 2013, by Councillor Nicole Johnston, and received.


30. The petition contains 27 signatures representing 22 residences in Tamar Street.

31. The head petitioner is concerned that rat runners take a route from Fairfield Road via Ashby Street, Denham Street, Ensign Avenue, and Tamar Street, to access Annerley Road.

32. There are currently traffic calming devices fitted in Tamar Street including threshold treatments, with a narrow point at the Annerley Road end of the street, two angled slow points, and a speed platform near 23 Tamar Street.

33. Tamar Street is a local access street with a 10 metre pavement width and is approximately 350 metres in length. Local access streets typically carry traffic volumes of up to 1200 vehicles per day and have a 50km/h speed limit. A traffic survey was conducted in May 2013 with data being recorded from two different locations along the street. Data was collected at a site near 23 Tamar Street for a period of three days and, to ensure no bias in recorded speed data, also at a site near 51 Tamar Street, at the southern end of the street, for an additional seven days.


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34. For the location near 23 Tamar Street, the daily two-way traffic volumes did not exceed 800 vehicles. The average vehicle speed recorded was 29km/h and the 85th percentile speed, which is the speed which 85 per cent of vehicles remained below, was 35km/h.

35. For the location near 51 Tamar Street, the average daily two-way traffic volume recorded was below 650 vehicles. The average vehicle speed recorded was 36km/h and the 85th percentile speed was 42km/h.

36. The traffic volumes recorded are below levels considered acceptable for a local access street such as Tamar Street. The average and 85th percentile vehicle speeds recorded at both traffic survey locations on Tamar Street were below the posted speed limit of 50km/h indicating excellent compliance with the speed limit.

37. Given that the distribution of northbound and southbound vehicles was very equally split, and the fact that the average daily vehicle volumes recorded at the southern end of the street were lower than those recorded further towards the northern end of the street, it could be reasonable to conclude that the traffic using Tamar Street is generated from residents in the surrounding local area and is of legitimate use.

38. It is recommended that no additional measures be taken to restrict traffic use of Tamar Street at this time.

Consultation

39. Councillor Nicole Johnston, Councillor for Tennyson, has been consulted and declined to have her views recorded as part of the submission to the committee.

Customer impact

40. The recommendation does address the petitioners’ concerns, however the option of taking additional measures to prevent rat running has been investigated and has been identified as not being an appropriate treatment at this time.

Preferred option

41. It is the preferred option, that the existing arrangements in Tamar Street, Annerley be retained.

42. The Manager recommends as follows and the Committee agrees, with Councillors Milton Dick and Victoria Newton abstaining.

43. RECOMMENDATION:


ADOPTED

D PETITION – REQUEST THE NAMING OF THE CULVERT EXTENSION ON GOLD CREEK ROAD, BROOKFIELD, AS THE ‘ALAN HAYCRAFT BRIDGE’CA13/612859

250/2013-1444. A petition from residents of Brisbane, requesting that the soon-to-be constructed widening of

the culvert on Gold Creek Road, Brookfield, be named the ‘Alan Haycraft Bridge’, was


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presented to the meeting of Council held on 3 September 2013, by Councillor Margaret de Wit, and received.


46. The petition contains 72 signatures, representing residents of Brookfield, Upper Brookfield and other surrounding suburbs, as well as members of the local pony club.

47. Construction will soon begin to widen the culvert to the east, so that there is sufficient room for people and horses to cross.

48. When naming infrastructure, Council considers the historical, cultural or navigational importance to the community. Additionally, as there is no current policy outlining how this type of infrastructure is to be named, requests are to be assessed on a case by case basis. Council does not traditionally name all bridges.

49. The petitioners have requested that Council name the proposed new crossing after Alan Haycraft, a volunteer caretaker at the Brookfield Cemetery and Showgrounds. Mr Haycraft has acted in this capacity for the past 30 to 40 years and is well respected in the community.

50. Mr Haycraft has been active in the proposal to develop a crossing in this location.

51. Given the fact that the culvert is not a bridge, it is considered the alternate name of ‘Alan Haycraft Crossing’ is more appropriate.

52. As a result of Mr Haycraft’s continuing contribution to the local community, his role in developing the project and the support of the local community to formally recognise his efforts, it is recommended that Council name the widened culvert as the ‘Alan Haycraft Crossing’.

Consultation

53. The Councillor for Pullenvale Ward, Councillor Margaret de Wit, has been consulted and supports the recommendation.

Customer impact

54. The recommendation addresses the petitioners’ concerns.

Preferred options

55. It is the preferred option, that Council name the widened culvert the ‘Alan Haycraft Crossing’ after Mr Alan Haycraft.

56. The Manager therefore recommends as follows and the Committee agrees.

57. RECOMMENDATION:


ADOPTED.


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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 22 October 2013, be adopted.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Before I get to the actual presentation, I just wanted to comment a little bit about the work that's currently being undertaken on the Bicentennial Bikeway. I really want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that's being undertaken by officers in its construction. As the Chairman would be aware, stage 3 was completed recently and that in itself was quite a logistical challenge to address the needs of the broader community in the upgrade of that infrastructure which sees so much use but at the same time still trying to continue to provide that use for commuters.

Madam Deputy Chairman, there are almost 6000 users of the Bicentennial Bikeway per day, whether they be cyclists of pedestrians and so when you're looking to improve that level of infrastructure, you've still got to be able to provide that level of service and connectivity and officers were able to do that. Certainly it was challenging but through their hard work and proper planning and communication strategy, they were quite effective in being able to do it.

What we're seeing, Madam Deputy Chairman, in the completion of that stage 3 work, there were a number of improvements in separation of the pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, but also importantly as users would know that the improved pedestrian crossings at the Drift Restaurant or what's left of the Drift Restaurant and the Park Road ramp. There's a 27-metre bridge over the Western Creek for pedestrians and there are a number of rest points along the way, Madam Chairman, with water buffers along the length of that project.

They've also been able to improve a number of retaining walls to achieve that consistent path. Given where it's located the structure of the ground, the uses, the high number of users, it has been a worthwhile exercise in planning and there's a lot that's been learnt from it. That's a good thing because the next stage, stage 4 of the Bicentennial Bikeway, will now carry on from that location of the Drift Restaurant, if you like, to from Land Street up to the Regatta Ferry Terminal, Madam Chairman.

That also is an important part of this link. You can see quite clearly that though the continued investment in this project and I do have to acknowledge the State Government's partnership in this process—we are seeing ever-increasing uses of the Bicentennial Bikeway. It was only a year ago that we were talking about 4500 to 5000 users along the bikeway per year and now we're seeing 6000. As we continue to invest in key infrastructure and key locations such as the bikeway, we will continue to see increased patronage and I have no doubt that as we talk about the completion of Stage 4, Madam Chairman, and the benefits from it that we will see those numbers increase well over the 6000 we're seeing now.

One of the other things too, Madam Chairman, as part of that upgrade is the launch that we had underneath the Coronation Drive overpass or those pod facilities for information, for coffee, for drinks that have been embraced well by users along the path. This level of engagement and amenity improvement, Madam Chairman, is just another part of what we want to see across the city. As we roll this project out, it's good to see that this is being reflected, this commitment by officers and the roll-out of these programs is being reflected across our city.

At that time, 5.45pm, the Chairman, Councillor Margaret de WIT, resumed the Chair.

As we proceed, we're going to see further improvements down at Herston, we're going to see further improvements along Kedron Brook, and we’re going to see further improvements in the eastern suburbs in key pinch point areas along that


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Wynnum corridor and at Carindale as well. It's important to highlight to the chamber that our approach to being able to address these infrastructure issues is done in a logical fashion that makes sure that we look at all the regions, Madam Chairman, collectively, and making sure that we're meeting that ever increasing need.

We work very well with our stakeholder partners in these processes, such as Bicycle Queensland and various parks groups. It's important to continue to get feedback in that, but - and by doing that, the improvements that we're making are reflective of that need. As part of that overall strategy, too, I really do need to note the work of the Active Communities officers in the implementation of our bikeway strategy.

We will see the roll-out of a number of projects in conjunction with local councillors on the north side over the next year or two, but importantly also the work that the Active Communities officers are now doing on the south side is important as well. The feedback that we've received from residents and from councillors through this process will ensure that the projects that are finalised and implemented within this term are a reflection of what the actual need is in those areas.

That's something that is absolutely fundamental to the success of the program, in having that active strategy, active bikeway strategy, it's important that as we roll these programs out that they reflect real need. Because by doing so, we will want to see an increase in the number of people that use them and by meeting those needs, by listening to those concerns, I think that projects that will be established will be absolutely fundamental in the success of increasing patronage and increasing cycle movements along those areas.

The work that's being undertaken by officers in this area is certainly one of commitment and passion and they have certainly put a lot of effort into it. I think as we roll these projects out, we can all agree that the ever increasing amount of infrastructure in the cycle network that we're providing is fundamentally important to our city and of course is being utilised ever more by the residents of Brisbane.

But of course, Madam Chairman, it's a continuing commitment and we will want to see more and more cyclists throughout our city continue to use those networks and we will want to see more and more opportunities to engage with our cycling community to provide safer paths, to provide better amenity, to listen to their needs, to look at those opportunities of not only the separated paths which are at times certainly challenging but importantly too those options that we - where there is the only course of action to go on road, how we can better improve that connectivity as well.

Madam Chairman, there was a presentation to the Committee last week. I wasn't available; I was representing Brisbane at the Local Government Association conference. But I did have the opportunity to have a look at the presentation before then, and I want to thank the officers for a very comprehensive presentation and providing a great amount of detail about what we take for granted and that is our busses in the way that they drive. There've been a number of presentations in the past on different aspects of our busses and this presentation by the officers was certainly detailed, provided really good feedback about how complex a bus really is and I trust that it was most informative to all the other participants and councillors within that Committee presentation. Thank you.

Chairman: Further debate, Councillor GRIFFITHS.

Councillor GRIFFITHS: Yes, thanks Madam Chairman. I was interested to note that the Chairperson didn't mention much about the presentation. I realise he wasn’t there, it was about bus engines. We had a presentation about how the engines work and it was—well, it was interesting but it was nothing really to do with the important business that we have to do in Public and Active Transport. We have in the past had presentations on steering wheels, bus seats and even fabrics, now we've had a presentation on bus engines.


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I suppose what we're looking for is to know what's actually going on with the Transport Committee and it's unfortunate that the Chairperson keeps failing to bring that to the Committee. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Further debate, Councillor HUANG.

Councillor HUANG: Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to speak on last week's exciting and informative presentation on—


Councillor HUANG: —presentation on bus engines. Last week's presentation has been informative and gave all members of the Committee a good and thorough understanding of how different types of engines generate different kinds of performance and how efficiency has been achieved by different engine models. Madam Chairman, this Council operates one of the largest fleet in this country, and any improvement on engine performance and efficiency would have enormous impact on our environment, as well as resource utilisation of this Council.

I would like to thank the Chair for arranging this informative presentation and I would also like to thank all the relevant officers for their hard work in putting together this informative presentation. Thank you.

Chairman: Further debate, Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I'd like to thank Councillor HUANG for his words in respect to the presentation. I think it's important, Madam Chairman, that as we do address all of the issues across the portfolio in this committee that we look at all the different aspects, Madam Chairman, that we understand, too, not only the front end of the business but also, Madam Chairman, everything that goes behind it.

You don't really get to appreciate how complex it is, Madam Chairman, to run a network, to be able to service a network until you actually get to see it. I think for many Brisbane residents the opportunity to simply get on and catch a bus and get off a bus, to better appreciate how much actually goes into that very simple process, Madam Chairman, is something that I think is an opportunity for all councillors within the Committee and I certainly understand from our side of the chamber that our councillors appreciate that.

For the newer councillors in our committee as well, Madam Chairman, they certainly provide the positive feedback that doing these types of presentation gives them a broader understanding of the issues, not only from the political, Madam Chairman, but also importantly from the practical. That's what I want to try to achieve at the end of the day. Thank you.

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.


ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Steven Huang (Acting Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Steve Griffiths, Nicole Johnston, and Ryan Murphy.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE:

Councillors Peter Matic and Kim Marx.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BUS ENGINES

251/2013-141. Scott White, Branch Manager, Engineering and Assets, Brisbane Transport Division, attended

the meeting to provide an update on bus engines. He provided the information below.


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2. The main structural (stationery) parts of bus engines were explained, in particular the engine block and cylinder cover which:- support running parts- keep them in position- provide jackets and passages for cooling water, and sumps for lube oil- form protective casting- support auxiliaries (valves, camshaft, turbo blowers).

3. Running parts such as the piston, connecting rod, crankshaft and piston rod convert the power of combustion in the cylinders to mechanical work.

4. The engine systems were described. Bus engines vary in actual location and can be located at the rear or middle of the bus.

5. Engine performance can be measured in either horsepower or torque. There are two types of ignition, spark and compression.

6. A series of photographs were shown detailing different engine locations, and some engine statistics.

7. Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr White for his informative presentation.

8. RECOMMENDATION:


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 22 October 2013, be adopted.

Chairman: Is there any debate?

Councillor COOPER: Just briefly, Madam Chair. We had a presentation at Committee last week from the Plumbing Services Group which has now been incorporated within the Development Assessment branch. Particularly, I want to thank the officer, the Manager of Council's Plumbing Services Group. He gave, I think, a very, very interesting presentation. It was great just to understand exactly the work that our plumbers and our plumbing team do in our city and I think every member of our Committee seemed very engaged in the presentation and certainly got a much greater respect for the work that the team does.

So we heard about the work that they do in the field, so that ranges very widely from doing camera inspections on existing drains, checking for plumbing compliance, inspecting commercial buildings, hospitals, schools, sub-water meters and in fact the temperature of hot water systems. That was probably something I think all councillors should bear in mind with the information he provided to us about the devastating effects on particularly young children and older people about the dangers of any hot water services that deliver hot water at over 50 degrees celsius.


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So he provided some really good evidence to tell us about how quickly people can be exposed to this to receive very significant burns and the very traumatic experience that this can be and, in fact, the life-threatening outcome that this can result as a consequence of this. So that was very interesting, very informative, I encourage all of you to go. The Public Health Association of Australia has some interesting information on their website, talking about those particular issues.

I would encourage all councillors to read that information and be aware of the danger of those hot water services being adjusted at a temperature above 50 degrees celsius. So that was particularly interesting. I note that in particular there are all sorts of different things that you can put in your house to make you more water efficient, to protect yourselves against scalding, but to also protect yourselves against a range of, obviously, issues.

We saw - we actually had a physical demonstration of the reflux valve, we had Studor vents, we had the new connector trap being demonstrated, tempering valve, the microtrap, the sink trap and the very mysterious RPZD which is the reduced pressure zone device. All of these, I think, are very interesting new innovations to actually improve our built environment in our city.

I also note that some of these new pieces of infrastructure can save building owners thousands of dollars. So they don't have to retrofit plumbing, for example in multi-storey buildings that can take up a significant amount of space in those buildings. These new—particularly the Studor vents, can be incorporated to save quite a bit of space and, of course, cost. We also talked very briefly about Councillor KNAPP's—one of her passions, that's combine drains and the challenges that they pose across the city and why it's so very important—and I reiterate that to all councillors in this place—when people are seeking to purchase a home, to understand whether or not they are going to be purchasing a combine drain at the same time.

So that can be a significant cost on future property owners. We also noted how vital it is to do a yearly plumbing check. So just like checking your gutters, just like checking that your entire house is functioning correctly, your plumbing, your drains are so very important. I was absolutely thrilled to discover that we actually have plumbing breaking the glass ceiling. It's a very traditionally male-dominated industry but Council in fact employs the only female plumbing inspector in Australia.


Councillor COOPER: She holds a Plumbers and Drainers License and she's been very involved in going and speaking to young women and advocating to them to be involved in this important industry. So I'd like to thank the officers involved, they do a tremendous job on behalf of Council, on behalf of all residents. It was a very insightful presentation and I urge all councillors to find out more about these very pertinent issues. Thank you.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee was declared carried on the voices.

The report as follows

ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Amanda Cooper (Chairman), Councillor Vicki Howard (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Helen Abrahams, Geraldine Knapp, Shayne Sutton and Andrew Wines.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – PLUMBING SERVICES GROUP

252/2013-141. Eddie Denman, Manager, Plumbing Services Group, Development Assessment Branch, City

Planning and Sustainability Division, attended the meeting to provide a presentation on


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Council’s Plumbing Services Group. He provided the information below.

2. On 22 October 2013, Plumbing Services Group moved from Council’s Compliance and Regulatory Services Branch to its Development Assessment Branch. The work undertaken by Plumbing Services group includes:- investigations - plumbing inspections - ‘notifiable work’ audits - drainage plans - Backflow Prevention Device register - On Site Domestic Sewerage Treatment System (ODSTS) register - issuing final compliance certificates - commercial applications - domestic applications.

3. Images of Plumbing Services Group’s Senior Management Team, Notifiable Work Team and plumbing inspectors were displayed. Their roles and the roles of other group members were discussed.

4. Photographs of the different types of investigations were shown. Some of these were:- house drainage camera inspections- notifiable work audit inspections regarding plumbing compliance and checking hot

water temperatures- commercial site inspections of schools, hospitals and sub-water meters- domestic site inspections of additions to existing houses and house drainage.

5. The presenter displayed examples of some innovations in plumbing including the RPZD (Reduced Pressure Zone Device), sink trap, micro trap, tempering valve, reflux valve, Studor vents and a new type of connector trap.

6. Following a number of questions and comments from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Mr Denman for his informative presentation.

7. RECOMMENDATION:


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 22 October 2013, be adopted.


Councillor BOURKE: Thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, just very briefly before I turn to the committee report before us. Can I thank Councillor KING for her stewardship of the portfolio last week while I was attending the LGAQ conference in Cairns with yourself, Madam Chairman. Last week marked a couple of milestones, one which is the focus of the committee report but also another event last week was the presentation of the Healthy Waterways Annual Report Card, Madam Chairman. I trust all councillors have had a look at the report card.

Most of our systems across the Brisbane area that we're responsible for either held their rating where they were, Madam Chairman, and obviously, it's an


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ongoing investment into those spaces in terms of the protection of our waterways and protection of our projects that we continue to do so. The Archerfield Wetlands project down in Oxley Creek, Madam Chairman, the creek filtration devices that the LORD MAYOR's rolling out, our waterway health enhancement projects that we are delivering across the city, Madam Chairman.

As well as a whole range of other projects that Council undertakes each year as part of its business, goes to continuing to support our overall goal of improving the water quality across our city, Madam Chairman, in our creeks and obviously also in Moreton Bay. The most interesting thing, though, Madam Chairman, out of this year's Report Card—and I think this is the real—I guess the real point and Councillor COOPER and other councillors in this place will appreciate this particular fact, is the trend data starting to emerge for sediment control and also diffused nutrients, Madam Chairman.

So diffused nutrients were possibly the greatest threat to Moreton Bay in our waterways, they are now continuing to show a steady decline, Madam Chairman. Getting down to a level where they aren't having anywhere near the impact they were 10 years ago when the Healthy Waterways Report Card started measuring for those factors. So that's because of investment by this Council, by our partners across the region but also now by Queensland Urban Utilities and other organisations to help reduce those diffused nutrient loads from sewage treatment plants and other sources entering into our waterways.

So it's great to see the Report Card, Madam Chairman, and the work that we do as a Council and others do across the region delivering some results. That flows on, Madam Chairman, to the Committee presentation from last week which was the 20th anniversary of our signature to the Ramsar Convention, Madam Chairman, for Moreton Bay. Madam Chairman, it was signed in 1993, obviously to protect the significant amount of shore birds and the wetlands and foreshore area that those shore birds use, Madam Chairman.

Forty-thousand shore birds attend our shores each year before they migrate back up north, Madam Chairman. Obviously, it is a tourist draw card, it adds something to our city, it is an attraction to our city, Madam Chairman. We as a Council are very proud to continue to invest to protect that space, Madam Chairman, but also to promote the fact that we have some of the largest populations of shore birds, one of the most diverse populations Madam Chairman, as well.

So there was a number of activities, Madam Chairman, held in conjunction to mark the 20th anniversary. I know that Councillor KNAPP attended some, Madam Chairman. There was other activities in the Queen Street Mall as well as out at the Boondall Wetlands, Madam Chairman. From all reports, it was a great opportunity for representatives from Council and other groups to get together and to celebrate the significant work that we've done in the space over the last 20 years.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee was declared carried on the voices.

The report as follows

ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Fiona King (Acting Chairman), and Councillors Kim Flesser, Geraldine Knapp and Ryan Murphy.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE:

Councillors Matthew Bourke and Peter Cumming.


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A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF RAMSAR

253/2013-141. Jenny Staples, Senior Program Coordinator - Community Partnerships, Natural Environment

Water and Sustainability Branch, City Planning and Sustainability Division, attended the meeting to provide a presentation on the 20th anniversary of Ramsar. She provided the information below.

2. The Ramsar Convention is a convention on wetlands of international importance that was adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. It is an intergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for national action at the Ramsar sites and promotes international cooperation for the conservation, and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Due to its outstanding wetlands, Moreton Bay was recognised and listed as a Ramsar site in 1993.

3. Moreton Bay is an important Ramsar site for the following reasons:- over 40,000 shorebirds arrive in Moreton Bay each year- shorebirds make up about 10 per cent of Australia's species of birds- shorebirds travel distances of up to 25,000 kilometres to Moreton Bay each year,

coming from as far away as Russia and Siberia- 32 species out of the 42 international migratory shorebirds visit the Moreton Bay

region.

4. In response to Moreton Bay being listed as a Ramsar site, Council and the city of Narashino, Japan, signed an agreement in 1998 to undertake activities that support the protection of migratory shorebirds. This agreement, known as the Narashino Agreement embraces the idea of thinking globally and acting locally, has shared initiatives for the conservation of migratory shorebirds and their habitats and responds to increasing concern and awareness of both cities and their citizens regarding the conservation of wetlands.

5. Some of the celebratory activities being undertaken as part of the 20th anniversary include:- on 22 September 2013, ‘Ellie’ the Eastern Curlew shorebird mascot, landed in Queen

Street Mall to meet her fans and entertain children as part of the celebrations- on 19 and 20 October 2013, guided walks were conducted through the Ramsar listed

wetlands at Boondall- on 19 October 2013, a morning canoe paddle showcasing the protected wildlife and

mangrove species of Moreton Bay occurred- from 24 to the 28 October 2013, eight Yastuhigata Nature Observation Centre

delegates from Japan will participate in five days of activities that will take them to various important wetlands within Moreton Bay

- on 24 October 2013, Councillor Geraldine Knapp and the delegates will unveil the commemorative bird scope and plaque at Sandgate Foreshore Park

- on Saturday 26 October 2013, community groups and Council staff will be hosting educational information stalls at Sandgate Foreshore Park.

6. Activities that occurred in June 2013 in Narashino, Japan, included:- Cleaning up Yatsu Higata project which involved cleaning up the wetland and

monitoring the wildlife at the wetlands- a symposium titled ‘Lets open the door for the future’ that considered the meaning of

being designated a Ramsar site- musical events and festivals involving 49 local groups and had over 7000 visitors in

attendance.

7. Following a number of questions and comments from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Ms Staples for her informative presentation.


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8. RECOMMENDATION:


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 22 October 2013, be adopted.


Councillor McLACHLAN: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Just briefly before I get to the item before us at Item A, the Committee presentation on risk management units utilising iPads, there are a couple of things I just wanted to mention. First, just a reflection on the Annual Report tabled in the chamber earlier and the most important page therein, page 44 which goes to managing and reducing Brisbane's waste and litter. Very important page of information there about the achievements that were attained in the 2012-13 financial year for reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, the increasing amounts of recycling and other milestones such as the delivery of the second Tip Shop on the north side of the city.


Councillor McLACHLAN: A growing number of businesses taking the Council's recycling service and the big leap in amount of materials that residents are choosing to reuse via the Tip Shops rather than simply chuck out. These are good outcomes, still lots of work to be done but good achievements being made. Clearly by the Opposition's silence on all matters to do with waste, they entirely endorse the Administration's program in relation to waste management.


Councillor McLACHLAN: Two other elements I just wanted to mention. The first being the Garage Sale Trail which was held this weekend just past on Saturday. This was supported - nationwide program but supported by this Council and by all accounts very successful, certainly in terms of the numbers of people who participated. It had been anticipated that there might be some 200 residents that got on board with that, in fact the number at the end was some 512—so a very large number of individual participants, including the two Council Tip Shops and the ABC also ran a suitcase sale in their forecourt and I understand that was very successful as well.

But a lot of goods being reused and recycled, rather than thrown out and that's extremely good news for the city and Brisbanites, as always, getting on board with recycling and reuse. To that end, also, I'd like to mention the National Recycling Week coming up, that's the week after next. There'll be plenty of activities in relation to National Recycling Week and there'll be announcements forthcoming from the Council in terms of its involvement.

Madam Chairman, the item before, the Committee presentation, Item A. This was one of the internally-focussed units of Field Services, the Commercial and Operational Services Manager was keen to show the Committee the benefits of using iPads in their day-to-day activities and a trial has been undertaken of iPads for risk management and use, specifically in this instance, during a trial to conduct safety and environmental audits rather than a paper-based system.

The outcome of this has been significant savings in terms of time. It is a very good use of the technology. I'm sure if Councillor SUTTON were there she would have said, buy a pencil, but this is good use of modern technology and to be encouraged and it will be rolled out further. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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.


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ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Fiona King (Acting Chairman), and Councillors Kim Flesser, Geraldine Knapp and Ryan Murphy.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE:

Councillors Matthew Bourke and Peter Cumming.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF RAMSAR

254/2013-141. Jenny Staples, Senior Program Coordinator - Community Partnerships, Natural Environment

Water and Sustainability Branch, City Planning and Sustainability Division, attended the meeting to provide a presentation on the 20th anniversary of Ramsar. She provided the information below.

2. The Ramsar Convention is a convention on wetlands of international importance that was adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. It is an intergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for national action at the Ramsar sites and promotes international cooperation for the conservation, and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Due to its outstanding wetlands, Moreton Bay was recognised and listed as a Ramsar site in 1993.

3. Moreton Bay is an important Ramsar site for the following reasons:- over 40,000 shorebirds arrive in Moreton Bay each year- shorebirds make up about 10 per cent of Australia's species of birds- shorebirds travel distances of up to 25,000 kilometres to Moreton Bay each year,

coming from as far away as Russia and Siberia- 32 species out of the 42 international migratory shorebirds visit the Moreton Bay

region.

4. In response to Moreton Bay being listed as a Ramsar site, Council and the city of Narashino, Japan, signed an agreement in 1998 to undertake activities that support the protection of migratory shorebirds. This agreement, known as the Narashino Agreement embraces the idea of thinking globally and acting locally, has shared initiatives for the conservation of migratory shorebirds and their habitats and responds to increasing concern and awareness of both cities and their citizens regarding the conservation of wetlands.

5. Some of the celebratory activities being undertaken as part of the 20th anniversary include:- on 22 September 2013, ‘Ellie’ the Eastern Curlew shorebird mascot, landed in Queen

Street Mall to meet her fans and entertain children as part of the celebrations- on 19 and 20 October 2013, guided walks were conducted through the Ramsar listed

wetlands at Boondall- on 19 October 2013, a morning canoe paddle showcasing the protected wildlife and

mangrove species of Moreton Bay occurred- from 24 to the 28 October 2013, eight Yastuhigata Nature Observation Centre

delegates from Japan will participate in five days of activities that will take them to various important wetlands within Moreton Bay

- on 24 October 2013, Councillor Geraldine Knapp and the delegates will unveil the commemorative bird scope and plaque at Sandgate Foreshore Park

- on Saturday 26 October 2013, community groups and Council staff will be hosting educational information stalls at Sandgate Foreshore Park.


- 67 -

6. Activities that occurred in June 2013 in Narashino, Japan, included:- Cleaning up Yatsu Higata project which involved cleaning up the wetland and

monitoring the wildlife at the wetlands- a symposium titled ‘Lets open the door for the future’ that considered the meaning of

being designated a Ramsar site- musical events and festivals involving 49 local groups and had over 7000 visitors in

attendance.

7. Following a number of questions and comments from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Ms Staples for her informative presentation.

8. RECOMMENDATION:


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 22 October 2013, be adopted.


Councillor ADAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, last week's Lifestyle Committee presentation was very interesting, it picked up by quite a few media outlets all very keen to hear about what we're doing in this space with Public Space Liaison Officers (PSLOs) across Brisbane. It's great to see our officers responding to homelessness and people sleeping rough in our public spaces. It's a program that has been running since 2001 at a time where there were very few services responding to homeless people and rough sleepers.

The great thing about the officers now is that they are working and interacting with many different agencies and services and outreach and brokerages services that just weren't available at that time and now we can give a far more holistic approach to the issues that we need to deal with. 2010 saw a big change with a Federal and State Government initiative, Street to Home project, 50 Lives, 50 Homes. With that project, since that's been rolled out, since 2010, and the work with our PSLOs, we've seen over 200 people have been moved into transitional housing and have now sustained their tenancy since that time.

So that's some great outcomes that we're seeing and I believe that the announcement is that that is going to be extended by the State Government to get to 500 lives and 500 homes in the near future. Our PSLOs undertake daily visits and inspections, they focus around the five kilometres of the CBD where we find, mainly, our rough sleepers, including those homeless, backpackers, people sleeping in cars, parks, bus stops and other public spaces tend to congregate. Where we have the infrastructure, where it's activated.

It's also where a lot of our stakeholders, internal and external, are situated as well. Each of our PSLOs are either responsible for the north or the south sides of the city, so they do maintain and strengthen those relationships with our targeted numbers of rough sleepers, which varies anywhere between 25 to 50 people, depending on the seasons and how we're going with that transitional housing.

We do green space audits twice a year to gain a snapshot of the people living in the parks and public spaces and recently our rapid response group have actually joined with our PSLOs to provide some staffing and vehicles to really get some consolidated data on gender, age, cultural background and where we're seeing these rough sleepers coming from on a large geographical space as well.


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The audit covers approximately 400 parks and informs the service providers of where they need to target their services as well and where they can help the people most at risk with follow up service support. Our access and equity team, obviously, also involved in this space and it's great to see that the Homeless Connect event that is their - the highlight of their year comes around again on 13 November this year. Our PSLOs work with them too, to make sure we identify some of those rough sleepers to make sure that they get to the event and they can access some of those services that they would not be able to usually access in their daily lives.

We are finding some of the hotspots around Bicentennial Bikeway, Kurilpa Park near William Jolly Bridge, Anzac Square, South Brisbane and also in Kangaroo Point. I think the point that was made very clearly by the council officer, Vanessa Fabre who actually gave the presentation, is that there are many reasons why people are sleeping rough in our public spaces. That can be mental health, it can be drug and alcohol related, it can be a lack of money, travelling between places. It can be about social engagement or disengagement or it can just be a lifestyle choice. As hard as you try to put them into transitional housing, they want to go back to where home is which is some cases may be the Queen Street Mall.

The beauty of the program we're running out at the moment is that our PSLOs are working with all those service providers so whatever reason it is why people are finding rough sleeping attractive, we can work with their particular case on a very concentrated basis and make sure we have those wrap-around services once their issues can be identified. Our hotspots go through cycles, so the ones I've mentioned are not necessarily the ones that are always the current hot stops, but on a daily basis we are seeing Botanic Gardens, King Edward Park, Little Roma Street and Adelaide Street as places we need to work with.

Look, I have to say I'm very proud of the PSLOs and the work they do with our homeless and rough sleepers, with the agencies that they're doing all this meaningful conversation with about making sure they build that engagement and that connection and that we can get over 200 people in the last three years into transitional housing is a fantastic outcome. I look forward to just expanding on that project in the years to come. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber by the Chairman, the motion for the adoption of the report of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee was declared carried on the voices.


ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Krista Adams (Chairman), Councillor Andrew Wines (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Vicki Howard, Steven Huang, Victoria Newton and Steve Griffiths.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – COUNCIL’S PUBLIC SPACE LIAISON OFFICERS

255/2013-141. Vanessa Fabre, Manager Inclusive Communities, Brisbane Lifestyle Division, attended the

meeting to provide an update on Council’s Public Space Liaison officers. Ms Fabre provided the information below.

2. The 2011 census statistics showed that there were approximately 20,000 homeless persons in Queensland, including approximately 3500 children and 2000 teenagers and young people. A person is considered to be homeless in Australia if they do not have:- safe, secure or adequate housing, or housing that may cause damage to themselves or

their health- security of tenure, or no legal right to continue occupation of a home.


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Circumstances, which threaten or adversely affect the adequacy, safety, security or affordability of housing, may also result in a person being homeless.

3. The key responsibilities of Council’s Public Space Liaison officers were outlined. These include:- assisting to link ‘rough sleepers’ with necessary support services- attending case coordination meetings to help respond in an integrated way with key

services- covering over 2000 public spaces across the whole of Brisbane- conducting Green Space Audits and regular patrols - assist in the delivery of Homeless Connect events (in May and November).

4. Green Space Audits are undertaken twice a year to collect data on the number of homeless persons in the city. The audits are conducted by four teams, across 400 parks within a five kilometre radius of the CBD, in the 8.5 hours between 10pm and 7am. The data collected includes the locations, gender, age and cultural background of the homeless within these parks.

5. The results from each Green Space Audit assist the Public Space Liaison officers to direct their focus in collaborating with non-government agencies and community groups to better respond to the needs of homeless persons. Images were shown of a Green Space Audit being conducted and Green Space Audit results between June 2009 and August 2013.

6. Images were shown of the locations where Public Space Liaison officers engage with homeless persons including: Anzac Square, Kurilpa Park, South Brisbane, Kangaroo Point, Spring Hill, Victoria Park and the City Botanic Gardens.

7. The City Botanic Gardens is a known ‘hot spot’ for Brisbane’s homeless and transient population. The Public Space Liaison officers have developed an action plan to assist with the transition of these people into more stable, secure and long-term accommodation.

8. Working in conjunction with the Micah Projects – Street to Home Team, and with assistance from Council’s Field Services and Rapid Response groups, as well as the Queensland Police Service, the Public Space Liaison officers are involved in daily patrols, cleaning up spaces, housing applications and case coordination meetings with ‘rough sleepers’ in the City Botanic Gardens.

9. Images were shown of two locations, Downey Park and King Edward Park, where the Public Space Liaison officers have successfully been able to engage with, and transition, long-term homeless persons into supported accommodation facilities.

10. Following a number of questions from the Committee, the Chairman thanked Ms Fabre for her informative and comprehensive presentation.

11. RECOMMENDATION:


ADOPTED.

FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

Councillor Julian SIMMONDS, Chairman of the Finance, Economic Development and Administration Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, that the report of that Committee held on 22 October 2013, be adopted.


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Chairman: Is there any debate? No debate, I will put the motion.

Upon being submitted to the Chamber, the motion for the adoption of the Finance, Economic Development and Administration Committee was declared carried on the voices.


ATTENDANCE:

Councillor Julian Simmonds (Chairman), Councillor Angela Owen-Taylor (Deputy Chairman), and Councillors Fiona King, Ryan Murphy, Shayne Sutton and Kim Flesser.

A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – CAMPAIGN UPDATE

256/2013-141. Anne-Maree Moon, Director, Leisure Tourism, Brisbane Marketing, presented an overview to

the Committee on the ‘Campaign Update’ to attract visitors to Brisbane. Ms Moon provided the information below.

2. Brisbane Marketing’s investment into the Autumn/Winter Campaign was a success with six million domestic and international visitors coming to Brisbane and spending $4.9 billion on trips in the financial year ended June 2013. This represented an increase of three per cent and six per cent respectively.

3. This data is supported by Tourism Research Australia (TRA). TRA has pointed to events and tourism marketing activities profiling cultural, dining and sporting experiences helped boost Brisbane’s tourism appeal as a holiday favourite amongst Australians during the financial year ended 2013.

4. Some of the domestic statistics include:- almost one million Queenslanders opted for a holiday in the state capital during the

financial year to June 2013 (a 12 per cent increase compared with the previous financial year)

- 1.4 million visitors (up nine per cent) - 4.3 million visitor nights (up 14 per cent).

5. The international statistics include:- 496,000 visitors (up 14 per cent)- 6.1 million visitor nights (up 17 per cent)- increased visitation by residents of Singapore (25 per cent), China (20 per cent),

United States of America (19 per cent) and the United Kingdom (14 per cent).

6. Council also worked in partnership with several other local government association members to market the south-east corner. Ms Moon presented a number of slides to demonstrate various marketing mediums that included television, print, billboards and digital that are used to capture the attention of intrastate, interstate and international audiences.

7. The digital marketing campaign was particularly successful with the ‘Visit Brisbane’ website experiencing an increase in visitation of 32 per cent. The digital ‘deals’ page had 1000 partner clicks per month with the average time spent on the page being 2.53 minutes.

8. You Tube views for the campaign continued to be strong, with:- 18,814 views in April- 52,287 views in May- 38,160 views in June.


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This is mainly due to You Tube advertising and media linking.

9. Between May and June 2013, Brisbane Marketing instigated a New Zealand campaign. Some features of the campaign include:- ‘New Zealand Deals’ page received 5308 unique page views and an average time on

site of 2.2 minutes- 161 per cent increase month-on-month in traffic from New Zealand to the Visit

Brisbane website- New Zealand ranked as the highest source of international traffic to

visitbrisbane.com.au ahead of the United States of America and the United Kingdom (which has not been seen in over 12 months).

10. The events planned for the ‘Summer Campaign’ include:- Sports

- Brisbane Roar A-League Season- the First Ashes Test versus England (21to 25 November)

- Christmas- The Nutcracker (5 to 21 December)- Myer Christmas Parade and Pantomime (13 to 22 December)- Lord Mayor’s Carols in the City (14 December)

- Culture- Asia Pacific Screen Awards (12 December)- Australian Performing Arts Market (18 to 22 February).

11. The Chairman thanked Ms Moon for the informative presentation.

12. RECOMMENDATION:

THAT COUNCIL NOTE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE REPORT.

ADOPTED.

CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION – TO ALTER THE COMMENCEMENT TIME OF THE ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING TO BE HELD ON 5 NOVEMBER 2013:(Notified motions are printed as supplied and are not edited)

257/2013-14The Chairman of Council (Councillor Margaret de WIT) then drew the Councillors’ attention to the notified motion listed on the agenda, and called on Councillor Andrew WINES to move the motion. Accordingly, Councillor WINES moved, seconded by Councillor Vicki HOWARD, that—

Council alter the commencement time of the Ordinary Council Meeting to be held on 5 November 2013 from 2pm to 2.30pm.


Councillor WINES: Yes, thank you, Madam Chairman. As is customary, we'll be moving the meeting from 2pm to 2:30pm so that we and this Council may enjoy the race and each other's company and fellowship for half an hour. They say that this race stops the nation, well this Council cannot be stopped, but it can be postponed for half an hour to enjoy each other's company. Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Further debate, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, Madam Chairman. I am delighted by Councillor WINES' invitation for us to enjoy some comradeship and fellowship. Certainly at afternoon tea every


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sitting week we don't see any in this place. The LNP councillors file in in one line—

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, that's not relevant to this motion.

Councillor JOHNSTON: —get their cup of tea and get back to their rooms.

Chairman: Resume your seat.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, I certainly am concerned that this is just unnecessary; we should just be getting on with it—



Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON. Councillor JOHNSTON, I had asked you to resume your seat because you were not speaking; you were going away from what the motion is saying. You don't listen.

Councillor JOHNSTON: I'm just trying.


Councillor JOHNSTON: But he was just saying that this is all about comradeship and—

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, you were talking about afternoon tea every week in the Council Chamber which is nothing whatsoever to do with this meeting.


Chairman: Yes, DEPUTY MAYOR.

DEPUTY MAYOR: Councillor JOHNSTON has clearly ignored your direction to resume her seat and I'd ask you to remind her that she needs to follow your directions.

Chairman: Yes, DEPUTY MAYOR, I have attempted to do that. Councillor JOHNSTON, I am very tempted to go one step further. You are already on a warning but if you are prepared to speak purely to the motion in front of you and not bring in any other information, you can continue your debate.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I'll leave the perceived comradeship and fellowship to Councillor WINES, then, seeing I'm not allowed to comment on it.

As there was no further debate, the Chairman submitted the motion to the Chamber and it was declared carried on the voices.

CONSIDERATION OF NOTIFIED MOTION – CALLING FOR A SPECIAL BUDGET REVIEW TO RESTORE TO THE CITYCAT AND FERRY SERVICES:(Notified motions are printed as supplied and are not edited)

258/2013-14The Chairman of Council (Councillor Margaret de WIT) then drew the Councillors’ attention to the notified motion listed on the agenda, and called on Councillor Shayne SUTTON to move the motion. Accordingly, Councillor SUTTON moved, seconded by Councillor Helen ABRAHAMS, that—

Given the significant and adverse effects on commuters as a result of the Lord Mayor’s $2 million ferry and CityCat cuts; this Council urges the Lord Mayor to bring forward a special budget review to reverse his cuts to CityCat and ferry services and restore these services.


Councillor SUTTON: Yes, thank you Madam Chair. Obviously, since the effect of LORD MAYOR Graham QUIRK'S cuts came into effect last Monday 21 October, they have caused all sorts of problems throughout the network. Last week, on behalf of the residents I represent, I raised their legitimate concerns about these service changes and these service cuts here in this chamber. I was initially encouraged by the LORD MAYOR's response that he would investigate any unintended consequences of these cuts. However, as the week went on, it seems that the


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LORD MAYOR and members of his administration changed their tune and started to claim that there was no basis to the concerns I had raised.

In fact, he has even claimed that the legitimate concerns of residents which I have raised are nothing but a beat-up. Madam Chair, nothing could be further from the truth. What they have done in response is that they have failed to produce physical log book accounts kept by the ferry operators. Instead, relying on the less-accurate Go Card figures. Despite the DEPUTY MAYOR not having access to these figures earlier on in the week, once they finally acquired them, they chose, as I said, to use the less accurate Go Card figures.

They are less accurate because we all know that not everybody tags on and off properly—intentionally or unintentionally. A more accurate record, as I said, is the physical log books which they are refusing to release, and they have certainly refused to release them for Monday 21 October when these service changes commenced.

The LNP LORD MAYOR and his councillors also refuse to admit that ferry operators have been ordered to leave people behind at ferry terminals. They refuse to acknowledge that people have been left behind in morning peak and afternoon peak times at Bulimba, Hawthorne, Mowbray Park and Sydney Street terminals. Not just one person being left behind just once; there are people who are routinely being left behind at a whole range of terminals. They are being left behind for two reasons: at downstream terminals like Bulimba and Hawthorne, the ferry operators are being told to leave space for people at the upstream terminals, and at the upstream terminals, the vessels are too full to take people that are waiting and queuing for the ferry services.

If what I am saying is untrue, I challenge Councillor MATIC to produce those figures, to stand up, and Councillor QUIRK, and Councillor SCHRINNER, to produce the figures that say that they are not being left behind. These are eye witnesses that are seeing these people being left behind. They are being left behind themselves, and I have had a number of people saying that they have overheard the transmissions inside the CityCats and City Ferries where the operators are receiving these instructions.

Over and above all this, the LORD MAYOR and his LNP Councillors simply refuse to listen to the day in and day out experience of ferry commuters who are simply trying to get to and from work on time. They are the people who are standing at the ferry terminals actually witnessing people being left behind and being left behind themselves.

The truth is the LORD MAYOR has never believed in CityCats. He voted against them when Labor Lord Mayor Jim Soorley introduced them back in the 1990s, and his decision to cut the funding for this critical public transport service shows he still does not value the CityCats as an essential mode of transport for Brisbane.

My challenge to the LORD MAYOR is to get out of your chauffeur-driven limousine and come down to the Bulimba Ferry Terminal and speak to the residents affected by your $2 million CityCat cuts yourself. If you truly believe the figures that you are quoting in the media, that your officers are telling you, get out of the air-conditioned chauffeur-driven limo and try to get to work on time from the Bulimba Ferry Terminal.

My question is this: if you don't do this, I ask, what are you afraid of? According to your figures that you are quoting, there is nothing wrong. Everything is fine and dandy. There is no problem. There is capacity. It is simply not true. So come down—come down—I promise I will make it as pleasant as I possibly can. I'll even shout you a coffee from the Jetty Restaurant opposite the ferry terminal. Just come down, stand with me—


Councillor SUTTON: —stand with me and talk to those residents. If we are to believe what you are saying, those residents will simply pat you on the back saying, nice one, LORD MAYOR, there's no problem here, but thanks for coming.


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Madam Chair, I am not an armchair critic. I went down to the Bulimba Ferry Terminal; I stood with those residents; I asked them about their experience, and I heard what they had to say. They are clearly saying that, as a result of these changes, it is taking them longer to get to work. They are being left behind. They are being forced into overcrowded, hot, humid conditions on the City Ferry. They are afraid for safety. They have been telling me a number of times the ferry operators have issued them warnings to hold on to something so that they don't fall over when the CityCat docks.

If you don't believe me, Madam Chair, I am happy to read into the transcript here tonight some of the things they are saying to me, and they are saying to the LORD MAYOR. So don't take me at my word, Madam Chair, but please have the courage and decency to listen to what the real people affected by these changes are saying, because this is what they are saying. 'This is one of the outcomes of the bad decision making by Graham QUIRK and his so-called team of experts when it comes to re-scheduling what was a very good service. When we left Bulimba this morning with all the confusion about people thinking about getting to Teneriffe, we were full from Hawthorne with three more stops to go. Upon reaching Sydney Street, the deckhand refused half the people waiting to get on board. The boat was already overloaded. See attached photos.'

Another one. 'We missed the first CityCat at 7.31am because it left at 7.30am. There was a huge queue for Teneriffe once again. We finally got on the next boat at 7.50am. We left people at Bulimba and was full from Hawthorne. They left 10 people on the jetty at Sydney Street again. Why don't we band together to stop paying our fares as a mass protest against these ridiculous service cuts?'

Another one. 'This morning I caught the 7.50am Hawthorne to Riverside CityCat service, and unfortunately the service was full again. Due to the overcrowding of this service, the CityCat was only able to pick up half the passengers at Mowbray Park stop and could not pick up any passengers at Sydney Street, overall approximately 30 people. The service behind us was an express; however, because the 7.50am service was full, the express service had to stop at Sydney Street, so it was not an express service at all. As you can see, the changes to the CityCat timetable are not working. Can you please advise what measures you are taking to fix the problem?'

Another one. 'Unfortunately the amended CityCat timetable continues to have issues. This morning I tried to catch the 7.30am service from Hawthorne to Riverside. However, myself and 10 other people were left at the CityCat terminal as the service was full. Therefore we had to wait for the next service. With the next service, the CityCat had to leave approximately 15 people at Mowbray Park due to overcrowding. As you can see, reduced services means people are being left at CityCat stops. Can you explain how cutting back services and leaving people at CityCat stops leads to an efficient service? This did not happen with the old timetable.'

Here is another one. 'As a long-term resident of Bulimba and long-term user of the CityCat service, I write to express my concern and dismay regarding the recent changes to the CityCat services for our area. I know I am not alone in expressing these views, and it is very obvious from discussions with other residents that the changes to CityCat services are causing severe hardship. My husband and I commute from Bulimba to Riverside and return each day, and the recent cuts in services has severely impacted us in several ways. Were you aware that there are now only two CityCat services—?

Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, your time has expired, thank you.

Councillor SUTTON: Madam Chair, there's plenty more where that came from.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I rise to speak in opposition to this motion. It is something that I cannot support. It was all going well for Councillor SUTTON, I have to say, when she was speaking about Bulimba residents. From my understanding of the LORD MAYOR's answer to his question last week, the LORD MAYOR has undertaken to look at the issue


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between Bulimba and Teneriffe, to consider what Councillor SUTTON has said. He has certainly asked her to provide some detail and some backup to her claims. I hope she has done that. But I am sure that he will give a detailed response and a considered response in due course.

But the problem is Councillor SUTTON then wanted to play politics with it, as always. She can't help herself. She can't help herself but to play politics with it. She wants to play politics. All of a sudden, it was, oh, the LNP doesn't support CityCats, and all of a sudden, oh, it's the whole issue with all of the changes. That is the problem with this motion. That is the reason I cannot support this motion.

This is not about Bulimba residents. This is political game-playing about the CityCat changes that have been made. I could not let it pass, being a councillor with two CityCat stops in his area—Guyatt Park, UQ—very busy stops. I could not let it pass without rising in support of the changes on behalf of my residents. Because the feedback that I have received through my ward office is that these changes have been clearly understood and they have been considered a very practical change from the point of view of residents.


Councillor SIMMONDS: Let's remember—well, let's remember, councillors, why—

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS, you can have the opportunity to speak. Don't interject.

Councillor SIMMONDS: The interjecting was that these are cuts. Well, that's what they labelled them. That is their label. But these changes were flagged; these optimisations to the timetable were flagged very clearly in page 58 of the budget this year. They were flagged there because there was a very clear understanding that we were going to have some operational challenges coming up. We have a lot of work going on in the river. It is not just Riverwalk where we have already got a go-slow imposed on the CityCats, but we've got work, as Councillor MATIC has said, coming up to the Bicentennial Bikeway; we've got CityCat terminals that we've got to re-do from the flood—

Councillor interjecting: Riverwalk.

Councillor SIMMONDS: We've got—yes, Riverwalk, as I mentioned; we've got new CityCat terminals that we have to build, and Milton, so all of this work is going to impact because, inevitably, Maritime Safety Queensland, who are the arbiter of these things, are going to impose a go-slow on the CityCats, and quite rightly, for safety.

This has all meant that the CityCats are going to struggle to meet their existing timetable. Now, we could have said to the residents, look, you just have to suck up the delays. I know these are the timetable figures, but because of the go-slows, you have to suck it up. But why? Why not communicate effectively to residents? Why not change the timetable so that the CityCats can actually meet it, so that a resident can plan their day around it, as they do. We know that residents plan their day around their transport, the CityCat timetable. So if a CityCat, because of the go-slow, is not going to be able to meet the 12-minute timetable, well of course you change it. Of course, you change it to accurately reflect for the residents.

I have to say the clock face timetable that has been adopted, the 15 minutes and 30 minutes, I have had feedback that it is easier to understand. It makes more sense. It's easy; I turn up at 15 minutes, I turn at half an hour. That makes eminent sense to them, Madam Chairman. So I don't want the residents of Walter Taylor, the CityCat users of Walter Taylor, to be lumped up in this political game playing. They are not a pawn to be used in Councillor SUTTON's political game.

Remember, we have had significant growth. This idea that the LORD MAYOR and this Administration don't support CityCat is totally ridiculous. I have never heard - well, that is not true, because they do it all the time - but that is one of the better over-reaches I have seen from Labor Councillors opposite. No one, when you stand there and you almost double the CityCat fleet in the time that you are in Administration, how does somebody then turn around and accuse you


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of neglecting that mode of transport? It is inconceivable, Madam Chairman. We have delivered vessel after vessel after vessel. Not only that, but we have delivered brand new terminals, brand new terminals to provide more transport options for people via CityCat.

I’ll ask you this: if we didn't want people to catch CityCats, why are we providing more options for them to travel on CityCats? Why are we providing them with more destinations? The only reason that there is such an issue between Bulimba and Teneriffe—and I make this point—because this Administration put a CityCat terminal at Teneriffe. Up until then, there was far less capacity, because it was only the monohulls.

The only reason all these people can use the CityCat between Bulimba and Teneriffe is because of this Administration, because of this Administration and this LORD MAYOR in Graham QUIRK.

You know what it reminds me of? It reminds me of another issue regarding CityCats that Councillor SUTTON wanted to play politics with, and that is the Bulimba Ferry Terminal. Again, her undoing was the political over-reach; the desire to play political games. Because here she took a few residents with concerns about views; she took that and she extrapolated it into the whole program was no good. The whole upgrade of Bulimba was no good, because of these residents' concerns about their views. Do you know what that meant? It meant that her residents in Bulimba are still waiting at an old upgraded terminal. Right now, if they were waiting, they could be waiting under a sheltered covered area with seating. That is what would be happening if Councillor SUTTON had not played politics with that issue. Again, I see it again with her playing politics with this issue.

I reiterate my desire not to see the residents of Walter Taylor and the CityCat users of Walter Taylor caught up in this kind of political game playing. I am quite certain that the LORD MAYOR, once he has considered the issue, will respond to her when it comes to the Bulimba Teneriffe issue. But in relation to this motion, I urge councillors not to support it.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. I speak in favour of this motion. It is very interesting to hear what we have heard today in reference to what the LORD MAYOR said last week. The background, as the LORD MAYOR is always so keen to start with the background, is the fact that there are 19 CityCats on the river, but at the same time as an additional CityCat was introduced, $2 million was taken from the budget.

That means that there had to be cuts to services. It was foreseeable; it was predictable, but not the extent of the cuts, not which cuts. So, last week, when the LORD MAYOR straight off said he would find out some information, he came back very quickly and said, it was because the CityCats had low patronage, and that was why the specific services were cut. I am aware that in Councillor SIMMONDS' area, some of the university students have lost the final service. The final service, so they can leave the library at closing time and travel by CityCat home, has been lost, as a cut.

As a result of the media, someone who will not put their hand up because they are frightened as many are, they have advised me that, in the past, there has been less staff on the CityCat, so the cabin staff that kept an eye and to make sure that everyone actually used their pass card and paid and so were counted, has not been present. Therefore the numbers, particularly late at night, are wrong.

As the LORD MAYOR used that as an excuse to cut services and cut the evening services, I request that he looks at the services prior to any cuts of staff on our CityCats and brings them to the Council Chamber to justify the cuts he has put in place. But what we have heard today is it's got nothing to do with the patronage; it's actually got to do with the fact that the CityCats have to go more slowly on the river, because we're rebuilding Riverwalk, we're building new terminals; we're making them DDA (Disability Discrimination Act). There are a number of challenges to the services, so they couldn't meet the timetable;


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therefore we changed it. But Councillor SIMMONDS just forgot to mention there were cuts of services at the same time.

Well, Madam Chair, I believe that is a misrepresentation of the facts. But if I were generous enough to believe it, why wouldn’t Councillor SIMMONDS be saying in the very next sentence, but as soon as the ferry terminals are put in place, as soon as Riverwalk is done, don't worry, Councillor SUTTON, your services will be restored to the level that they were. In fact, because we have a River Strategy that promotes the river as a commuter transport, I would have thought he would have said, we have got a surprise for you. We are actually increasing the services because we've now got the entire infrastructure in A1 condition. Therefore we can actually deliver more services to the residents of Brisbane.

What we've got at the moment, Madam Chair, is fantastic infrastructure, but it's actually not operating as often. It's actually been cut in the amount of time it is operated, and that is the problem that we have got. But finally, I understand when you make changes, I understand when you make cuts, that sometimes they're a bit more severe, or there's something unexpected. I believe that is what has happened with the Bulimba terminal, all because rather than just keep the ferries going from A to B to C terminal, they decided they'd go A to C to B. That change, of which one they went to first, is directly why Councillor SUTTON's residents have the problem in Bulimba.

So, Madam Chair, if they even said, well, we've changed it because we're doing the infrastructure, or we really genuinely believe the patronage numbers were down, surely the Administration on the other side would say, oops, we got it wrong; we can tweak it very quickly without any other changes, and just go back to the same routine of the terminals previusly. But this Administration hasn't even got the integrity to admit they have made an error by just changing the sequence, reversing it straight away and at least solving some of the problems.

Instead of which, they are attacking a Councillor who's purely representing the constituents in her area, and by attacking her, they are attacking the residents. Does that mean that the LORD MAYOR, who is getting every one of the emails that Councillor SUTTON has read out, and many more that she didn’t, the LORD MAYOR, when he receives them, is saying to himself, oh, they're a bit deluded. They're not really saying the right thing. Perhaps they're just exaggerating it a little bit.

Surely that is not the case. You don't have a flood of emails, a flood of petitions that are over 600 petitioners, I understand, already in just one week, and convince yourself you haven't got a problem. It is where the LORD MAYOR and Councillor MATIC should get up and say, this is an unexpected consequence of the changes; it is something we can change readily, and by the way, as soon as the infrastructure is done, we will be increasing the CityCats, we will be returning that $2 million into the budget, and because we have growth in our city, it will be $3 million. That is an appropriate response to our city to this problem.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: Thank you, Madam Chairman, I rise to speak against the motion for a number of reasons. In starting, I want to certainly clarify that, in speaking against this motion, I am not actually in any way attacking Councillor SUTTON or Councillor ABRAHAMS, but what I am doing is raising concerns about the comments that they made.

What I am wanting to do is clarify for the record, what the actual facts are and not mislead the residents of Brisbane by statements which I have to say are fundamentally wrong. There are a number of statements that were made by Councillor SUTTON last week, when I was not in the Chamber, which I am aware of, but there are further more statements made by Councillor SUTTON and Councillor ABRAHAMS this evening in respect of this matter which are fundamentally wrong.


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If we are going to have a proper discussion about this review, if we are going to actually look at the issues, if they are going to provide feedback from their residents on this issue, then what they bring to this Chamber and what they tell the media has to be correct. That is the very least that we can expect from any Councillor, whether on this side of the Chamber or the other. What we don't want is the kind of scaremongering that we have seen in the comments both from Councillor SUTTON and Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Let's go through the facts. We have a motion before us that talks about $2 million worth of ferry cuts, as if, based on the comments made by Councillors SUTTON and ABRAHAMS, we need to find the money to continue to pay for the expansion of the network. Let's get something right. The previous Administration of Campbell Newman and this Administration are fully and totally committed to our CityCat fleet.


Councillor MATIC: The money speaks for itself. We hear the brains trust, Councillor GRIFFITHS, of the ALP in respect of this portfolio who says I'm a—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor MATIC: —joke, and he scoffs. He cannot read his book—

Chairman: Just a minute, Councillor MATIC. Withdraw that comment, Councillor GRIFFITHS.


Chairman: No, do it properly.

Councillor GRIFFITHS: At your direction, Madam Chair, I withdraw that Councillor MATIC is a joke.

Chairman: Thank you.

Councillor NEWTON: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Yes, Councillor NEWTON, point of order.

Councillor NEWTON: Given your ruling in relation to Councillor GRIFFITHS' comments, would it be appropriate, then, to also ask Councillor MATIC to withdraw his comments referring to Councillor GRIFFITHS as a brains trust in a sarcastic manner? If we're going to change the tone of this meeting and treat people with respect, I think it is only fair; it goes both ways.

Chairman: Okay. Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: Madam Chairman, I definitely and unequivocally withdraw the comment that Councillor GRIFFITHS is the brain trust of the ALP—


Councillor MATIC: —or the brains trust of the ALP—

Chairman: Thank you, and let's have no more name calling—

Councillor MATIC: —for public transport—

Chairman: —since it becomes so petty.

Councillor MATIC: —because he certainly is not. I can categorically accept that.

Madam Chairman, when you talk about these things and you see Councillor GRIFFITHS' comments, you really just want to say to Councillor GRIFFITHS that that window of opportunity that Councillor GRIFFITHS might have to make an intelligent comment about this is probably closed by now. I am sure he understands what a window of opportunity is, or better yet, maybe he doesn’t.


Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor MATIC. Yes, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, you just asked Councillor MATIC to show respect to other Councillors in the Chamber. He has continued to personally attack Councillor


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GRIFFITHS in contravention of your ruling. I would ask that you either advise him again that you require him to be respectful to others, or that you warn him for failing to comply with your first ruling.

Chairman: Thank you, Councillor JOHNSTON. Councillor MATIC, back to the motion please.

Councillor MATIC: Thank you, Madam Chairman; let's get back to the real issues here. Let's clearly understand what is going on. A review was done of our ferry and CityCat services to look for efficiencies, and I don’t expect the ALP to understand that because the ALP does not understand what the word efficiency means. The ALP does not understand what the word transport planning means. The ALP, we can clearly see from the previous State Government, that they completely misunderstood what the meaning of efficient transport planning was, and how to run a proper network without blowing the budget, and how to try and keep fares down.

But this Administration does get it.

So what we did, as any good government does, which I am sure they don't understand the meaning of that either, was to undertake a review of our CityCat services and our ferry services. We looked at the network as a whole. We looked at those patronage numbers. We got feedback from our contractor, Transdev, on this whole process as well, and we also got recommendations from them as well. So when Councillor SUTTON says that we are not actually liaising with the provider of the service, that is wrong. We actually are working hand-in-hand with them on this issue.

What we did, Madam Chairman, was we looked at those peak hour services, we looked at the off peak hour services, we looked at patronage numbers, and guess what: we decided to take an appropriate response to get a more efficient service. Because there are times, either on the ferry service or on the CityCat service, that you literally had one or two people on it. You had a personal service running for one or two people and the operator. Now I am sure the ALP will find that to be efficient, but for the real world, that is not an efficient use of ratepayer funding.

So what did we do at the end of the day? Well, surprise, surprise to the ALP, because I am sure they completely missed this point, when you look at the peak hour services of our CityCat and ferry services, in respect of our CityCat services, we left the peak hour services alone.


Chairman: Order!

Councillor MATIC: Madam Chairman—

Chairman: Councillor SUTTON!

Councillor MATIC: —we left the peak hour services alone.


Chairman: Just a moment, Councillor MATIC. Councillor SUTTON! Councillor SUTTON, do not interject and yell like that. Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: In respect of the CityCat peak hour services, we left them alone. Now, Councillor SUTTON, you stand there and say it is not true, but again, she's wrong. In respect of the ferry service, which runs—


Chairman: Order!

Councillor MATIC: —from Bulimba to Teneriffe, the service was reduced. Why, Madam Chairman? Councillor SUTTON cannot stand here in all honesty and integrity and tell me that that service was running to capacity, because it wasn't. It was not running to capacity at all. It hasn't at all. But yet Councillor SUTTON wants to stand here and tell us that there were people who were using the service. They were not.


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Councillor ABRAHAMS: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor MATIC. Yes, Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Would Councillor MATIC take a very quiet, gentle question?

Chairman: Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: No, Madam Chairman, I am running out of time.


Councillor MATIC: I need to talk about something important. Councillor ABRAHAMS had her opportunity to tell this Chamber her story.

Councillor SUTTON: Point of order, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Just a moment, Councillor MATIC. Point of order, Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SUTTON: Sorry, Madam Chair, I know I am a bit delayed, because other stuff was going on, but I claim to be misrepresented.

Chairman: Thank you. Councillor MATIC.

Councillor MATIC: What we did in respect of the off-peak services was change those by two to five minutes. So Councillor SUTTON and Councillor ABRAHAMS are sitting here and telling us that people are being left behind in record numbers. So peak hour services we left alone. Off-peak services after 8.30am, a two to five minute variance in the timetable. The services after 11pm., from Sunday to Thursday, we cut those back. Why? Because there was virtually no one on them. Literally no one on them. If the ALP thinks that is a good use—


Chairman: Order!

Councillor MATIC: —of ratepayer dollars, go right ahead, go right ahead. But those responsible people on this side of the Chamber don't think that that is a proper use of ratepayer dollars.

Let's go further into the discussions that were had here. Councillor SUTTON is telling us that there are people left on the network all alone. She said, go down there, LORD MAYOR, in your air-conditioned motor vehicle and go down to Bulimba and have a look at the service. Well, guess what, Councillor SUTTON; we did. We went down there. We sent officers down there last week, after your circus parade—


Chairman: Order!

Councillor MATIC: Madam Chairman, how delirious was it, that Councillor SUTTON—oh, and Councillor DICK, he is suddenly excited that we actually went down there. We actually went down there to get the truth, to find out—


Chairman: Councillor DICK!

Councillor MATIC: —what was actually going on. We sent officers down there, and they stood there, and they did an actual head count, and we saw Councillor SUTTON's staffer down there on Thursday morning, between 7am and 8am; had the little A-frame out, had her petition standing there.

Let's give you the facts, Madam Chairman, around those numbers. A CityCat at 7.06am on that Tuesday, last week, 20 per cent—20 per cent actual use. The City Ferry service at 7.10am, 12.96 per cent; the City Ferry service at 7.25am, finally, 68.52 per cent. On Tuesday, this morning, this very morning, the CityCat service at 7.06am, 25 per cent; the ferry service at 7.10am, 25 per cent; the ferry service at 7.25am, finally some usage, 70 per cent. The CityCat service at 7.36am, 46 per cent; the City Ferry service at 7.40am, 33 per cent. Madam Chairman, at 7.55am, finally the ferry service, 88 per cent, the highest we have seen since this was implemented last week.


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This is the reality of the situation. Even with the single ferry service from Bulimba to Teneriffe, for those people who are catching the CityGlider, we are still not at 100 per cent capacity, yet Councillor SUTTON will come into this place and tell us and the world that people are being left behind. Councillor SUTTON, if you want to tell the truth, please come in here, get your facts right. That is all I am saying to you. Get your facts right. Because we have officers out there who are actually doing a head count. We are actually doing it.

Councillor SUTTON and Councillor ABRAHAMS are telling us that this is because we want to find savings—

Chairman: Councillor MATIC, your time has expired.

Councillor MATIC: —to pay for it. Nothing could be further from the truth, Madam Chairman, and I—

Chairman: Councillor MATIC, your time has expired.

Councillor MATIC: —now put the motion.

Chairman: Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to—oh, he didn't put the gag through like he was told, Madam Chair. That is what they're saying now. That's why Councillor MURPHY jumped up and Councillor SCHRINNER told Councillor MATIC to put the gag —

Chairman; Councillor DICK, are you speaking to this motion or not?

Councillor DICK: You betcha, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Well, get on to it.

Councillor DICK: In fact, because after that disgraceful performance by the Chair of Public Transport—


Chairman: Order!

Councillor DICK: I'll take the interjection. Councillor MATIC, the person—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor DICK: —responsible for delivering these cuts, to making sure people will be waiting longer for their public transport just to get to work, says, Did I go down to the ferry terminal? That's his question. Well, right back at you, through you, Madam Chair: you didn't have the guts to front up and face those people in the eye. Hiding once again behind Council officers. He and the LORD MAYOR hid in their office, to live in denial that their cuts that they have delivered are now impacting on the community.

Well, I say to you, through you, Madam Chair: have the guts to actually face and look people in the eye. You get paid the big bucks. You sat in and slashed and impacted on their lifestyle, and you don't even have the decency to front those people who are waiting, line up after line up, every morning. If you listen to Councillor MATIC today, we heard that everyone is wrong. Councillor SUTTON is wrong. Councillor ABRAHAMS is wrong. The local paper is wrong. The Brisbane Times is wrong. The Courier-Mail is wrong. Gary Hardgrave is wrong, apparently. Kelly Higgins-Divine is wrong; and we know that Councillor SCHRINNER won't be saying anything about this after he got whacked on the 4BC show when he couldn’t provide even the most basic of information to the presenter.

We know that Councillor MATIC was hiding from the media last week. He didn't have the decency even to pick up the phone and give his side of the argument. The people lining up in the photographs are wrong. The local residents, who are writing to the LORD MAYOR and to Councillor SUTTON as their hard-working representative, they're all wrong. The only person who is right is Councillor MATIC. What arrogance, once again, from the LNP.


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Complete disregard; we know best. And we are hearing a flip-flop story today from the LNP.

Councillor SIMMONDS got up and said this isn't about savings; this isn’t about saving money; it's because we're building Riverwalk, and we're building ferry terminals. That's why we're providing more ferry terminals, but we're cutting the service. You only need to read what the LORD MAYOR said in his own speech, as we referenced today, when he said, and I quote on page 6 in his budget speech, ‘A review of the CityCat and bus timetables to identify further opportunities for optimisation.’

There was no talk from the LORD MAYOR about the Riverwalk being built or new CityCat terminals or infrastructure. That's a con from the LNP. That's rubbish from the LNP. Madam Chair, they are all over the place on this, just as they are addicted to reducing public transport services, when first of all we saw with bus services, and everyone was wrong about that. Remember?

They were all wrong about that. All the coverage, all the complaints were all wrong. All those people waiting for public transport, they're all wrong, just as we're seeing with Councillor SUTTON who is out there fighting for her community. No wonder you are in damage control over this. You only need to see what happened with the local coverage of this, and it is going to continue. Stop being in denial; start listening to the community; start doing your job and provide decent public transport for this city.

Chairman: Further debate; Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, very briefly, Madam Chair. I would just like to put on the record that, for the first time, I think we heard the truth from Councillor MATIC in all the time that I've sat on the Public and Active Transport Committee, and most tellingly during his speech. He finally admitted that there have been cuts to public transport services, and the ferry services. He won't even speak the word in Committee. Today he has come clean; he has admitted it, and this is all about cuts. I think that Councillor MATIC has been caught out today by what is, I think, a pretty pathetic performance to ignore the genuine concerns of residents.

ADJOURNMENT:259/2013-14

At that time, 6.53pm, it was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor Kim MARX, that the meeting adjourn for a period of one hour, to commence only when all councillors had vacated the chamber and the doors have been locked.

Council stood adjourned at 6.56pm.

UPON RESUMPTION:

Chairman: Further debate on the motion, Councillor GRIFFITHS.

Councillor GRIFFITHS: Yes. Thanks, Madam Chair. I rise to speak in favour of the motion. I did notice, and I just want to make a few points before I get into some more detail that the LORD MAYOR did not support originally CityCats, when he was a councillor and that the LNP have done $2 million worth of cuts to our CityCat, which has just been reinforced by the chairperson, Councillor MATIC, who was talking about the cuts undertaken with regards to—cuts, was the word—undertaken in relation to services.

Of course, we’re seeing further cuts, in terms of the buses, as well. Councillor SUTTON is a strong representative. In fact, I believe one of the strongest representatives that this chamber has. Councillor SUTTON certainly fights for her constituents and that’s something that I and the whole chamber have observed over a number of years. I believe that that is also a reason why the LNP are taking such a strong stand on the fact that these cuts are really not happening.

Madam Chair, we’ve seen tonight that the LNP have said that the facts disagree with what Councillor SUTTON’s saying. I do not believe that to be the case and


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I would like to present some evidence from residents of Bulimba that have provided feedback both to Councillor SUTTON and to the LORD MAYOR. I would just like to provide some feedback for Rhys and Rhys says, I wanted to take time to provide some feedback on your recent ill thought through, poorly implemented changes to the CityCat services in Brisbane.

For the record, I am a long standing Liberal supporter. I won’t finish - yes. Yes. Let’s go on to see what Rhys said, ‘I catch the Bulimba ferry each day to Teneriffe and then the CityGlider to the CBD, as do many of my friends, family and colleagues. I’ve always praised the services as an example of significantly improved Brisbane public transport over the last five years.’ He goes on to say, ‘however, the changes to this service that have been implemented by your office is nothing short of a joke.

It doesn’t make sense. It causes confusion. It forces overcrowding of small ferries and will add about 20 minutes to a previous 30 minute commute to the city. Both Bulimba ferry terminal and the Teneriffe bus stop are in complete chaos.’ I suspect Councillor MATIC hasn’t seen that, because he actually hasn’t been down there himself. I honestly feel like I’m in a third world country with mobs of people having no idea which line to be in.

Mobs fighting to get on the buses that are filled too quickly, because the spacing of the ferry services have been reduced. So that was Rhys. Sorry. I won’t any more say names. This resident says, ‘in the past three days, I’ve caught the CityCat under the new timetable and I’ve found that services are overcrowded and waiting times have been increased greatly. This has consequently resulted in the connecting CityGlider bus service being overcrowded with aisles being full of standing commuters.’

‘I’ve just read an article in the Brisbane Times where Adrian SCHRINNER stated that these changes will mean that those services travelling from Bulimba to Teneriffe in the peak can now do so faster and more efficiently without unnecessarily holding up passengers heading further downstream. I couldn’t disagree more with this statement and believe that, if anything, the new timetable is far more inefficient.’ It goes on. We have another one.

This is to the Lord Mayor and cc’d to Councillor SUTTON. ‘I’m writing to you as a very concerned resident about the changes to the CityCat timetable which took effect at the start of this week, 21 October. I live in Balmoral and work in the city and rely on CityCat to get me to and from work. I’m a busy mum also and have a busy morning getting my daughter to childcare and myself to work, because I need to get home to take care of my daughter.’

‘I don’t have a lot of time to play with and need to be able to get to work efficiently. These changes to the CityCat timetable significantly affect me, because of the cuts to the frequency of the express service. It’s very tight for me to be able to get to the 7.52am express service with my daughter’s drop-off and if I miss this one, I’m late to work.’ She also goes on to say that her husband, who is an apprentice, is also affected by these changes and needs to catch a cab, because he can’t get CityCat services home at night.

Now, this one. This is a resident writing from the service. ‘An update on the 7.36am trip to Teneriffe this morning. In the infinite wisdom, this morning boat was one of the older boats with far less capacity than the newer boats and overcrowding was down-right dangerous. There were passengers everywhere. The front and decks were overflowing and people were standing in the walkways, making it difficult for the crew to move round. I don’t know where the Council gets their statistics from, but my experience is very different.’

Madam Chair, this one is from another resident and these residents go on and on. So I know we heard the stats before from Councillor MATIC saying how the boat wasn’t full, but it’s not what’s showing here. Yes. The residents are obviously wrong. Here’s another one. The on-board announcements about new timetable invariably refer to slight changes to the timetable and that must be Councillor MATIC. Ludicrous. The services have been cut.


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Particularly in peak hour and they’re producing discomfort for many passengers and leading to serious overloading. ‘I board at Hawthorne and over the last past week, since the timetable took effect, I have observed at least 20 of the people boarding there unable to be seated. By the time the CityCat reaches Riverside, there are more than 50 people standing. This creates discomfort for everyone. What is the point of such overloading and isn’t this considered dangerous?’

Another one. ‘I’m writing to express my dissatisfaction with the new CityCat timetable. I travel on the CityCat from Bulimba to Riverside, Monday to Friday. Fewer services equal too many people per boat, equal an uncomfortable journey, equal poor service, and equals low quality of life.’ Another one, and this one’s to the LORD MAYOR, cc'd to Councillor SUTTON.

‘I catch CityCat or City ferry from Bulimba to Teneriffe and back every day and my short commute has been significantly affected by these changes. My travel time has been doubled or sometimes more, due to the decrease in services travelling from Bulimba to Teneriffe in the morning peak hour and also on the return trip in the evening peak time.’ So much for Councillor MATIC’s claim that no services were changed during these times.

The timetable changes do not seem to help with the enormous line that accumulates at Bulimba terminal in the mornings and the terminal ferry in the evening. This is due to most people using CityGlider bus service provided from Teneriffe. The number of people using the CityCat to travel to the city from Bulimba is very limited. People choosing to use a bus service are being delayed. It goes on. Madam Chair, here’s another one.

‘I’m writing to express both my disappointment and frustration at the new CityCat timetable introduced this week.’ He goes on and explains the reasons why and it’s similar to what I’ve said before. He then finishes by saying, previously the morning services were efficient, while being well patronised. Here’s another one. It just keeps going on, Madam Chair. I don’t know where the LNP is saying there’s no evidence for these changes. ‘I live in Cannon Hill and I work in Teneriffe and it came to my attention on Monday the service timetable had been changed.

There were many, many people at the terminal on Monday that were extremely upset and angry about the changes. We were all trying to get over to Teneriffe, but there were no ferries that were coming to take us.’

Chairman: Councillor GRIFFITH, your time has expired.

Councillor GRIFFITH: Thank you, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Further debate. Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SUTTON: Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to sum up this debate. Firstly and foremost, I want to ask one single question. Where is the LORD MAYOR? He is treating CityCat commuters with contempt by refusing to participate in this debate. He should be here. He is the LORD MAYOR of this city. These are his cuts being implemented and to not be in this Chamber for this debate is treating CityCat commuters everywhere with contempt.

I am absolutely gobsmacked by Councillor MATIC’s contribution to this debate tonight. It smacks of someone who has the privilege of sitting in the leather chair making the decisions and having absolutely no understanding of how his decisions are impacting people on the ground. Councillor MATIC, if you had been here last week—

Chairman: Through the Chair, thanks, Councillor.

Councillor SUTTON: Madam Chair, through you, you would have heard me say, acknowledge, that the peak services, CityCat services have not been cut. But what has changed is the order in which the CityCat services dock. They used to go from Apollo Road to Bulimba over to Teneriffe. They now go from Apollo Road to Teneriffe first then to Bulimba, taking away 14 CityCat services that used to pick up from Bulimba and take residents across the river.


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That, Councillor MATIC, is how you are cutting cross river services in this city. That is how you have made the decision to more than halve cross river services in the peak hour from Bulimba to Teneriffe. If you don’t understand that, then shame on you, through you, Madam Chair. You have a privileged position in this chamber and you should understand the ramifications of the decisions you make and the fact that you don’t is downright appalling.

Councillor SIMMONDS, last week, I used the example of the morning peak cross river services as an example. An example of the impact that these cuts are having on commuters across the network. If you don’t understand the concept of an example, I can’t help you. You shouldn’t be in your chair. But Councillor SIMMONDS, one thing, through you, Madam Chair, that I will tell you is that I have collected in seven days more than 600 signatures on a petition calling for the $2 million in funding to be reinstated.

Guess what, Councillor SIMMONDS? There are people from St Lucia; there are people from Taringa who have signed that petition. So for you to stand up in this Chamber tonight and say your residents are not affected and your residents aren’t concerned smacks of the fact that you are out touch of residents in your own electorate.


Councillor SUTTON: I have a question for the LORD MAYOR. I have a question for Councillor SHRINNER. I have a question for Councillor MATIC and Councillor SIMMONDS, none of whom responded to this question that I raised in my opening speech. Do you acknowledge that people are routinely being left behind? Not one of you. Not one of you who spoke answered that question. They are being left behind. You know they are, which is why when you had the opportunity to speak, you were silent on that point.

That is arrogant and that shows contempt for what is going on. You had the hide to accuse me of misleading people and the claims of people who are catching this service every day. I haven’t just spoken my own words tonight. Myself and Councillor GRIFFITHS have highlighted and read into the transcript of this meeting the comments that are coming from users of this services. Users of this service. But you had the audacity to sit in this place and say residents who are being impacted by these service cuts are wrong.

Well, Councillor MATIC, I can tell you there are a lot of angry people out there, standing in queues, in the rain tonight trying to get home, who have got you in their sights, who have got the LORD MAYOR and Team Quirk in their sights. I repeat my challenge. LORD MAYOR, get out of your chauffer driven limousine, come down to the Bulimba ferry terminal, stand in the line, try to catch the right CityCat and let’s see if you can get to work on time.

You know what? Councillor MATIC, Councillor SIMMONDS, if everything that I am saying is misleading, if we are to believe what you say, that there are no capacity issues, there won’t be a problem. What are you so scared of? Don’t send the officers down there to your dirty work. Have the courage and intestinal fortitude to come out and face people yourself. Because you know what? According to you, no one will say anything to you. No one.

No one will raise any issues. If you truly believe that, come down. Come down to the Bulimba ferry terminal, and Councillor HOWARD, I wouldn’t sit over there with a smirk on your face either, because your residents are being affected too. Don’t worry, the Teneriffe ferry terminal is going to see some action down there too in terms of people collecting petitions in the coming weeks, as well.

Madam Chair, rarely do I agree with Gary Hardgraves. Rarely do I agree. I would go so far as to say I have possibly have never agreed with anything that Gary Hardgraves said, until he said last week that someone should be sacked over this. Someone who—whoever it was that concocted these bizarre changes to the CityCat services should be sacked.

There are hardworking decent people who are just trying to get to and from work, home to their families at night, that are being delayed and it is taking them


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anywhere from an additional 20 minutes to 40 minutes to get home to their families, to get to their work, to their paying jobs and they are the people who are being impacted. You do not get 600 signatures on a petition in seven days if this is not an issue. You do not get in excess of 50 emails to the LORD MAYOR in the space of four days, if this is not resonating with people.

This is an issue and for you turn a blind eye and for you to play this as politics is contemptuous. It is an Administration that is out of touch. It is the Administration that does not understand how the decisions it is making are impacting on Brisbane residents. This motion is not an irresponsible motion. It does call automatically for $2 million to be reinstated immediately. It calls on the LORD MAYOR to bring forward a budget review to do this in the right way.

To do it in the right way in a financially responsible way and for all of you on that side of the chamber to vote this down will be absolutely appalling. I can tell you right now, we will be reminding CityCat commuters every single day of the decision you have made that is impacting on their ability to get to work and home to their families. It is not good enough.

As I said, Councillor MATIC, you can stand there and you quote all the facts and figures to me, but until you have the intestinal fortitude, you and the LORD MAYOR and you, Councillor SIMMONDS, have the intestinal fortitude to come down to the Bulimba ferry terminal and you stand there and you face the residents, then you have not got a leg to stand on. You will be seen as treating the residents with contempt and arrogance.

Madam Chair, I reiterate again, come down. Come down. Sorry, I can’t hear you? Is there anyone prepared to listen? Is there anyone?


Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, Councillor SUTTON, Councillor SUTTON, through the Chair—

Councillor SUTTON: Madame Chair—

Chairman: —and stop yelling. Please.

Councillor SUTTON: Sorry. Madam Chair, through you, I am sorry I’m yelling, Madam Chair, but you might have noticed I am particularly passionate about this issue, because it is about the ability of people to get to work and to their families. Madam Chair, I want someone, someone, who is in the decision-making Chairman who sits on the Civic Cabinet leather here in this chamber every Monday to come down to the Bulimba ferry terminal. Do I have any takers over there?


Councillor SUTTON: Do I have any takers over there? Again, I’m waiting. I’m waiting. Bulimba residents are waiting. Residents at Hawthorne ferry terminal, at Mowbray Park, at Sydney Street, residents of St Lucia, residents of Taringa. We’ve even had a signature over there in Paddington, Councillor MATIC, if that makes you any more interested, given it is in your ward. I’m waiting. I’m waiting. They’re waiting. You know what? All we need is for someone—

Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, through the Chair, please.

Councillor SUTTON: Madam Chair, all we need from over that side of the Chamber is for someone to have a bit of self-reflection to lose a little bit of arrogance—

Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, your time has expired.

Councillor SUTTON: —and allow this—

As there was no further debate, the Chairman submitted the motion to the Chamber and it was declared lost on the voices.

Thereupon, Councillors Shayne SUTTON and Helen ABRAHAMS immediately rose and called for a division, which resulted in the motion being declared lost.


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AYES: 6 - The Leader of the OPPOSITION, Councillor Milton DICK, and Councillors Helen ABRAHAMS, Peter CUMMING, Steve GRIFFITHS, Victoria NEWTON and Shayne SUTTON.

NOES: 17 - The DEPUTY MAYOR, Councillor Adrian SCHRINNER, and Councillors Matthew BOURKE, Amanda COOPER, Margaret de WIT, Vicki HOWARD, Steven HUANG, Fiona KING, Geraldine KNAPP, Kim MARX, Peter MATIC, Ian McKENZIE, David McLACHLAN, Ryan MURPHY, Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, Julian SIMMONDS, Andrew WINES, and Norm WYNDHAM.

PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:Chairman: The motion is lost. Councillors, are there any petitions? Councillor OWEN-

TAYLOR.

Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I have a petition from residents of Forest Lake requesting tree removal.

Chairman: Further petitions, Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SUTTON: Yes, Madam Chair. I have a hard copy petition from residents calling on the LNP LORD MAYOR Graham Quirk to immediately reverse his $2 million funding cut to Brisbane’s iconic CityCat services. This is a hardcopy petition. The electronic version will come in the coming weeks.

Chairman: Further petitions, Councillor CUMMING.

At that time, 8.19pm, the Deputy Chairman, Councillor Angela OWEN-TAYLOR, assumed the Chair.

Councillor CUMMING: Yes, Madam Acting Chair. Two petitions. One is in relation to the Wynnum Manly district’s Men’s Shed, calling for council to allow them to continue using the area they’re using and the other one is for the Brisbane City Council to resurface Raeburn Street, Manly West.

Deputy Chairman: Thank you. Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Madam Chair, for the second week in a row, I present a petition about a need to modify the 2, 3, 4 bus route so it goes to the PA Hospital, for it provides a public service, as all public service should, which is to public hospital.

Deputy Chairman: Further petitions? No. Councillor MURPHY, can I have a motion for the petitions, please.

260/2013-14It was resolved on the motion of Councillor Ryan MURPHY, seconded by Councillor Victoria NEWTON, that the petitions as presented be received and referred to the Committee concerned for consideration and report.

The petitions were summarised as follows:

File No. Councillor TopicCA13/748501 Angela Owen-Taylor Requesting the removal of a Illawarra Flame Tree situated on

the footpath between 12 and 14 Blaxland Place, Forest LakeCA13/748525 Shayne Sutton Calling on Council to reverse its $2 million funding cut to

Brisbane’s CityCat and City Ferry Services and restore the services that have been cut

CA13/748558 Peter Cumming Calling on Council to ALLOW THE Wynnum Manly and Districts Men’s Shed group to continue to use the areas they occupy under the old Wynnum Central State School.

CA13/748433 Peter Cumming Calling on Council to resurface Raeburn Street, Manly West.


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CA13/748398 Helen Abrahams Calling on Council to make recommendations to TransLink to modify the 234 bus service from the CBD to Woolloongabba, to meet the needs of the elderly and mobility challenged residents.

GENERAL BUSINESS:Councillor de WIT: Thank you, Madam Deputy Chairman. I rise to speak on the Brookfield Rural

Fire Brigade. Madam Deputy Chairman, this is one of the oldest rural fire brigades around, having started in 1957. This little group of people, I think, really deserve recognition for the work that they do and particularly in the last couple of weeks where members of that brigade have gone to assist with the New South Wales bushfires.

I’m sure everyone in this chamber joins with me in thanking them and showing our appreciation for the work that they have done to assist down south. I was trying to imagine what it must be like to go down when you see those pictures on TV of the terrible bushfires down there and you go into a strange area to assist with fighting fires. They were down there for six days and have only returned in the last day or so.

But this little group, as I say, started in 1957. They fight fires anywhere. These rural fire brigades do not just exist in the area for which they were appointed. In this case, it’s Upper Brookfield, mainly, where there’s no town water. They go everywhere. Usually, within a radius of about 200 kilometres to help other brigades that need assistance. They’ve been out to Roma to assist with a bad fire.

They’ve recently been to Kingaroy. They will travel anywhere in Queensland and, as I say, interstate. They’ve got about 40 active members, some of whom are in their late seventies and early eighties, which is quite amazing. We have one member who is still active who is a foundation member from 1957. He has knee replacements and all sorts of things and he is still an active member, which I think is just extraordinary. I pay tribute to these people.

I think these sorts of volunteers are the real heroes in our society. I think we - there are many accolades heaped on people from other professions from other areas of endeavour, but these people who give so much of their time, one for the training, to be trained as a volunteer firefighter and then to be available, to be on call virtually whenever there is a fire anywhere at all and I just would like to say that this little group has had quite a few difficulties in the last couple of years.

About 12 months ago, we had arsonist up in the Upper Brookfield area and this group was out almost for six weeks continually. It was quite an extraordinary effort. They so many fuel bills, they couldn’t meet the cost of the fuel that they had to use to get to where the fires where. The local community rallied and did a lot of fundraising for them and in fact, we had a ‘firies’ calendar and it’s just gorgeous. Its these members in their - actually out fighting fires and unlike the other sorts of ‘firies’ calendars, this one is a little bit different with the 80 year-olds and so on.

But I will keep it forever, even though the year is slowly coming to an end. But again, I would just like to put on record my appreciation of the Brookfield Rural Fire Brigade. They are a wonderful group of people and in doing that, I really also extend my thanks to every other rural brigade that we have. Thank you, Madam Deputy Chairman.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, thank you and thank you for recognising me tonight. I appreciate it. Madam Chair, I wish to speak on the 475 bus service that no longer is in existence and the 234 bus service that has replaced it as part of the LORD MAYOR’s cuts and amendments to our bus service. Madam Chair, the 475 bus service went from the Princess Alexandra


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(PA) Hospital at Tottenham Street, which is right beside the Buranda Plaza and the hospital.

The hospital actually has a courtesy bus that used to pick their patients up, take them up to the hill and outpatients. So Madam Chair, it was the best example of an integrated bus service, where our buses delivered people who wished to go the hospital and the hospital facilitated their access to where they wished to go. Madam Chair, part of those changes, the 475 service has been amended.

It has been cut, so it no longer extends as far as it used in Councillor MATIC’s area and starts at the city. It then travels quickly through Main Street, Kangaroo Point to Woolloongabba Busway station, where it terminates, only to turn around again and go back again. But Madam Chair, on that route, there are two main trip generators, where people wish to go. One was the Valley, where many people wish to go and buy all of that lovely, exotic food that only you can buy in the Valley and I would love to have the Valley in my ward.

The other one is the PA Hospital, where many of them have actually come to live in Kangaroo Point, so they were close to the PA Hospital. So in one change to that route, it meant the service to the Valley and the service to the PA Hospital was thwarted. Now, I wasn’t aware of who used that service to get to the PA Hospital or the Valley until 14 October, Monday 14 October and the bus did not arrive.

Then I became very aware of who was using it. Madam Chair, in Kangaroo Point, there are five or six state housing apartments and in those, there are many pensioners. In fact, I think probably the profile of Kangaroo Point is skewed, because of it. Those residents use the bus to go shopping and to the PA Hospital. They had a direct route that no longer exists. Madam Chair, pensioners in state housing very rarely mobilise, but oh, by golly, they have over this matter.

Because they cannot understand why the bus has to terminate at Woolloongabba and not continue to the PA Hospital as it did. What they have to do at the moment, Madam Chair, is hop out of the bus at Woolloongabba, flag down another one, which takes them through the tunnel, but drops them at a completely different place, Madam Chair. That place is high up in the air, where they walk through the car park, then walk through the whole hospital to get to where they need to go. Then they’re at much distance from the shopping centre.

So it’s no longer a one trip, two activities. It’s actually one trip and a lot of hard work for you even to think about shopping. Madam Chair, I believe this is another one of those oops that we just talking about in terms of the CityCat changes, where the administration, and I don’t blame them for not understanding the full impact changes to public servants, because public transport services need to be integrated.

But once the changes become evident, Madam Chair, I then believe this administration should change. It would be a very simple matter, Madam Chair, of a service that terminates at Woolloongabba Busyway Station to just continue another half a kilometre down the road to where the terminus is already, and to make sure we maintain that service in the 234 service, which I totally support in everything else it’s achieving.

It is a short, reliable service that is linking the city with a little amendment to the Valley and to Kangaroo Point, including the area of Kangaroo Point that had never had a bus service. That being the peninsula. Fantastic. Wonderful change. Totally support it. But it’s only 80 per cent there. We’re just a little tweak to get it down to the PA, its a hundred per cent, Hospital. So today, I think we’ve heard three or four councillors on the other side of the council chamber saying this side never has a suggestion.

Councillor MATIC and the LORD MAYOR in your absence, here is the simplest suggestion you’re ever going to have from this side of the chamber to restore a service. The bottom line of what I’m asking for is we know public transport is for those that are disadvantaged, those that are aged, those that don’t drive, for various reasons, whether that’s age or health or those that are young.


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Madam Chair, this service presses every button in those groups of people that are not served through this change.

So Councillor MATIC, let’s not play politics. Let’s work together where you and I together can tweak a change that has total support, just a wee bit, to restore this service to the hospital, which would need no increased buses, no increased bus drivers, very little change to the service and therefore, we together can tell the community at Kangaroo Point, the pensioners, as well, of Kangaroo Point they matter and we consider them when they’re doing their services.

This is not a big thing to ask. It is not a big to ask if Council is genuine in being open, committed to help and provide services to our residents.

At that time, 8.25pm, the Chairman, Councillor Margaret de WIT, resumed the Chair.

Chairman: Further general business, Councillor HOWARD.

Councillor HOWARD: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, I rise to speak briefly on the recent death of Domenico Gambaro. He’s was the head of an iconic Italian family in Brisbane and particularly as an important contributor to the community of Central. Italian icon Domenico Gambaro came in Australia in 1948, unable to speak a great deal of English. In his pockets, young Domenico carried very little money. In his heart, he carried a rich love and devotion for his family that stayed strong throughout his life.

My great friend, Teresa, is the eldest of his four children who has also made a great contribution to the inner north of Brisbane, particularly in recent years as our federal member. It is to Teresa and her family, her children, Ben and Rachelle, her siblings and her nieces and nephews and to her very special mother, Rosetta, that I say thank you for letting the community of Central share the life of Domenico. Thank you for sharing your father as the cane cutter farmer in Far North Queensland, as he helped build that part of our state.

Thank you for sharing Domenico with the community as he opened a corner store in New Farm, which went on to become one of the first local supermarkets in the area. Thank you for being there for Domenico in the fifties, when with his parents and brother, Michael, he started a fish and chip shop in Petrie Terrace, which was to become as famous for its fish as it is for its hospitality, it’s local job creation and its export arm.

Finally, thank you for backing Domenico, the accomplished builder, who was visionary in his development of residential unit complexes like Gemini Towers in New Farm. Buildings that were to transform the way we live and move about in our inner north. Building a better Brisbane is what we all want. It’s what’s Teresa is focused on and it’s what Domenico achieved in his ninety years’ service to our community. Thank you.

Chairman: Further general business. Councillor CUMMING.

Councillor CUMMING: Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. I wish to speak on the Local Government Association of Queensland Conference, which I attended last week and it was a very interesting conference and it was held in, obviously, the beautiful surrounds of Cairns. The official opening was done by Jeff Seeney, the Deputy Premier, and Jeff did mention about some infrastructure charges, which is a big issue for a lot of councils.

There were only eight councils that were charging the full cap of infrastructure charges. Others were charging less and any support of the idea of councils charging less to attract development. Sir Merrick Cockell was the Chair of UK Local Government and from Kensington in Chelsea Council spoke on shared services in the London burrow. This was an arrangement the UK councils are suffering badly from, receiving less funds from the Federal Government.

There’s no State Government, the Federal Government is responsible over there. They’ve had to cut their costs to stop themselves going into severe problems in terms of high levels of debt, or having to scrap large numbers of services. He outlined a number of initiatives taken by the councils over there, sharing services amongst the three adjoining London councils to save money. I guess,


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that tied in with a theme from the Local Government Association of Queensland and which I understand they’ve been running for some years.

That there are savings to be made for councils in Queensland, if they would share some of the services that they currently provide or share things like payroll costs and the like. I attended one of the sessions for South East Queensland Councils and about their issues. There was some severe concern shown by some councillors. Pam Parker from Logan and Allan Sutherland from Moreton about how much they would lose if infrastructure charges were reduced.

Moreton would be looking to, over a 20-year period, losing a billion dollars in revenue and Logan $900 million in revenue. They were really worried that if the State Government reduced the cap on infrastructure charges, their councils would be placed in a very difficult situation of either having to incur large amounts of debt or alternatively cutback on services or yet again, I guess, to scrap providing some services all together. They felt that the amount of any savings for developers, in terms of an individual block or a house and land package wouldn’t be great.

They’re talking about something like $7000 for a house and land package of three or four hundred thousand dollars. It wouldn’t be a great saving for the developers. It wouldn’t be a great saving for someone proposing to buy the houses. But in terms of what the loss would be for the councils, it would be quite severe. They were very concerned about possible cuts with infrastructure charges. The overall program was a very good program and I thought it gave a good range of topics. One of the main topics, I’ve got to say and I think it was the main topics of the conference was flying foxes.

Flying foxes, which are obviously—I’m not trying to mock it. It’s obviously a concern. It’s a considerable issue in a lot of the smaller councils. For example, Charters Towers, which people might recall is a town that has got a lot of boarding schools in it and some of the flying foxes have chosen to take up residence in school grounds and that might seem like something not too serious for us, but there is a real concern about the spread of disease.

In fact, the mayor was concerned that, in fact, the - some to schools had actually lost enrolments since the flying foxes had taken over the school grounds. There were various measures suggested for dealing with flying foxes. Some of them which weren’t very nice, but it occurred to me, there must be some science around. I hope the science is good, in terms of why are there flying foxes congregating in the areas they are now?

Perhaps, their original habitat has been cleared over the years and perhaps we need to plant some more habitats. In fact, the flying foxes do some good work, as they’re considered giant bees in terms of being great pollinators in forest areas. Also, the fact that some of these species, despite this apparent spread of flying foxes in various areas, you know, the allegations seem to be more and more of them, well, some of the species are still endangered.

So it’s hard to work out how there could be more and more of them, yet some of them are still endangered, but anyhow, so I think there’s a lot of science required and a lot of thought before any drastic action is taken in relation to flying foxes. Overall, I thought it was a good conference. I went to a couple of things on the last day, a couple of professional development courses. One was on social media and it’s interesting to hear how people use social media. I was sitting next to one of the experts, Paul Tully, from Ipswich.

But an expert on social media, but it was interesting and they are talking about having some training for councillors on social media, which I think would be very worthwhile. The last group that I attended was on homelessness and that was a good session, as well. Unfortunately, by that time, a lot of people had left and there was only about five of us there.

But it was an interesting session and the young gentleman from LGAQ who was presenting the session said he would be in touch with people with more information about the issue and that LGAQ are working with councils, including Brisbane, on that issue. I think that was a very worthwhile session, as well. So I


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would like to thank the Brisbane City Council for paying for me to go to the conference. I really enjoyed it and I would be interested in going in future, as well. Thank you.

Chairman: Further general business, I declare the meeting closed.

QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:(Questions of which due notice has been given are printed as supplied and are not edited)

Submitted by Councillor Nicole Johnston (received on 22 October 2013):Q1. Would the CEO please provide a breakdown of funding for parks maintenance for the 2012-2013 by:

A) south regionB) north regionC) east regionD) west regionE) central region.

Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (received on 24 October 2013):Q1. The Lord Mayor claimed the introduction of the Carbon Tax would add $15.8 million to Council Rates

needed to be collected in the 2012/2013 financial year. Accordingly, could the CEO please provide a full break-down of costs to Council attributed to the Carbon Tax for the 2012/2013 financial year?

Q2. Can the CEO please advise how many public wood barbecues are in Council parks in each of North, South, East, West and Central regions?

Q3. Can the CEO please advise how many public barbecues are in Council parks in each of North, South, East, West and Central regions?

Q4. Can the CEO please advise how many public wood barbecues in Council parks were replaced with electric barbecues for each of the following financial years: - 2008/09- 2009/10- 2011/12- 2012/13

Q5. Can the CEO please advise how many public wood barbecues in Council parks were removed but not replaced for each of the following financial years:- 2008/09- 2009/10- 2011/12- 2012/13

Q6. Can the CEO please advise how many wood barbecues in Council parks are planned to be replaced with electric barbecues in 2013/14 financial year?

Q7. Can the CEO please provide a breakdown of each of the following costs for each of the Lord Mayor’s Business Forums being held in the 2013/14 financial year:- Marketing costs- Printing of materials- Venue Hire- Catering- Brisbane City Council officers wages for their time spent at each event- Speakers fees- Total event costs.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:


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(Answers to questions of which due notice has been given are printed as supplied and are not edited)

Submitted by Councillor Nicole Johnston (from the meeting on 22 October 2013):Q1. Would the CEO please advise if all Council staff were entitled to vote on EBA 8?

Q2. Would the CEO advise if all Council staff were entitled to vote on EBA 8 how were they advised about their voting rights and how was the ballot conducted?

Q3. Would the CEO advise if not all Council staff were entitled to vote on EBA 8, how many staff were entitled to vote and what were the criteria for participation?.

A1. to A3. Information being compiled.

Submitted by Councillor Victoria Newton (received on Thursday 17 October 2013):Q1. Can the CEO please advise what was the marketing and promotion costs for the:

- GreenHeart Fair held on 2 June at 7th Brigade Park in Chermside?- GreenHeart Fair held on Sunday 13 October at Carindale Recreation Reserve?

Q2. Can the CEO please advise what was the total event cost (minus marketing and promotion costs) for the:- GreenHeart Fair held on 2 June at 7th Brigade Park in Chermside?- GreenHeart Fair held on Sunday 13 October at Carindale Recreation Reserve?

Q3. Can the CEO please advise what was the total cost of Council staff wages for the:- GreenHeart Fair held on 2 June at 7th Brigade Park in Chermside?- GreenHeart Fair held on Sunday 13 October at Carindale Recreation Reserve?

Q4. Can the CEO please advise what was the total entertainment cost for the GreenHeart Fair held on 2 June at 7th Brigade Park in Chermside?

Q5. Can the CEO please advise what was the total entertainment cost for the GreenHeart Fair held on Sunday 13 October at Carindale Recreation Reserve?

Q6. Can the CEO please advise how much did it have Peppa Pig to attend the GreenHeart Fair held on 2 June at 7th Brigade Park in Chermside?

Q7. Can the CEO please advise how much did it have Dirt Girl to attend the GreenHeart Fair held on 2 June at 7th Brigade Park in Chermside?

Q8. Can the CEO please advise how much did it have Dirt Girl to attend the GreenHeart Fair held on Sunday 13 October at Carindale Recreation Reserve?

Q9. Can the CEO please advise how much did it have Dora the Explorer to attend the GreenHeart Fair held on Sunday 13 October at Carindale Recreation Reserve?

Q10. Can the CEO please advise how many people visited each of the following Council pool facilities in 2012/13 financial year:- Acacia Ridge Leisure Centre- Bellbowrie Pool- Carole Park Pool- Centenary Pool- Chermside Pool- Colmslie Pool- Dunlop Park Memorial Pool- Hibiscus Sports Complex- Ithaca Pool- Jindalee Pool- Langlands Park Memorial Pool


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- Manly Pool- Mt Gravatt East Aquatic Centre- Musgrave Park Pool- Newmarket Pool- Runcorn Pool- Sandgate Pool- Spring Hill Baths- Valley Pool- Yeronga Park Pool

Q11: Can the CEO please advise of the total cost of providing catering for Establishment and Coordination meetings held in 2012/13 financial year?

Q12: Can the CEO please provide the number of passengers using the City Hopper service (ie the free CityFerry service with City Hopper livery) per month between 1 January and 1 July 2013?

Q13: Can the CEO please provide the number of passengers using the City Ferry Service other than the City Hopper per month between 1st January and 1st July 2013?

Q14: Can the CEO please provide the number of passengers who board the City Hooper Service and the number of passengers who board the City Ferry Service at the Thorton Street ferry terminal per month between 1st January and 1st July 2013?

Q15: Can the CEO please provide the City Ferry Service Terminal with the greatest number of passengers boarding the ferry per month between 1st January and 1st July 2013 and provide a breakdown of the passenger use per month?

Q16: Can the CEO please provide the City Hooper terminal with the greatest number of passengers boarding the ferry per month between 1st January and 1st July 2013 and provide the breakdown of the passenger use per month?

Q17: Can the CEO please provide the running costs of the City Hooper services between 1st January and 1st July 2013?

Q18: Can the CEO please provide the running costs of the City Ferry Services between 1st January and 1st July 2013?

Q19: Can the CEO please advise how many dogs were abandoned/ surrendered/ seized and taken to Brisbane City Council animal shelters at Bracken Ridge and Willawong by both the public and dogs seized by Council’s CARS officers for each of the following financial years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13?

Q20: Can the CEO please advise how many cats were abandoned/ surrendered/ seized and taken to Brisbane City Council animal shelters at Bracken Ridge and Willawong by both the public and cats seized by Council’s CARS officers for each of the following financial years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13?

Q21: Can the CEO please advise how many dogs were returned to their owners from Brisbane City Council animal shelters at Bracken Ridge and Willawong for each of the following financial years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13?

Q22: Can the CEO please advise how many cats were returned to their owners from Brisbane City Council animal shelters at Bracken Ridge and Willawong for each of the following financial years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13?

Q23: Can the CEO please advise how many dogs were adopted by new owners from the Brisbane City Council animal shelters at Bracken Ridge and Willawong for each of the following financial years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13?

Q24: Can the CEO please advise how many cats were adopted by new owners from the Brisbane City Council animal shelters at Bracken Ridge and Willawong for each of the following financial years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13?


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Q25: Can the CEO please advise how many dogs were euthanized at Brisbane City Council animal shelters at Bracken Ridge and Willawong for each of the following financial years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13?

Q26: Can the CEO please advise how many cats were euthanized at Brisbane City Council animal shelters at Bracken Ridge and Willawong for each of the following financial years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13?.

A1. to A26. Information being compiled.

RISING OF COUNCIL: 8.56pm.

PRESENTED: and CONFIRMED

CHAIRMAN

Council officers in attendance:

Andrew Langford (Team Leader, Council and Committees Support)Stephanie Thompson (Council and Committee Liaison Officer)Billy Peers (Personal Support Officer to the Lord Mayor and Council Orderly)


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