Minutes of proceedings

Chairman: Is there any debate?

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, Madam Chairman. Now I turn to this item which is local network improvements in 2.3.2.2. and there is $2.724 million allocated to minor improvements in our suburbs. I would have, I don't know, 12 school projects waiting to be funded. The refuges at either end of Park Road that we're talking about, one end of Park Road has been waiting for 10 years now. The request dates back to Councillor Prentice when she was the Councillor. The other end it's now the fourth year that we've been waiting for this refuge outside a primary school where 900 children go to school.

They're an Active Travel School, they regularly have 60 to 70 per cent of children either on foot, bike or scooters around this area, and there is no safe crossing point between most of these roads. It is wrong. It is just flat plain wrong that the LORD MAYOR refuses to fund the important project, which is really a small project. We're talking—we're not talking a lot of money here. They're about $30,000 each, these refuges, and it is wrong that there is no funding being allocated towards road safety projects around Graceville State School.

I am extremely concerned. The school P&C president, the Active School Travel president, they've all contacted the LORD MAYOR directly and these people are hurt and they do not understand. They live in Chelmer, they live in Graceville, they vote for the LORD MAYOR, they pay their rates, and they don't see any investment being made in the safety of their children around their schools. I can tell you they don't blame me. They understand the situation completely and they don't like being dictated to about how they vote.

Now the reason I've done the swap here is because Councillor de WIT has another road project being funded under this line item in Kenmore so she's not going to miss out completely. There's a $180,000 project at Kenmore for Brookfield Road so she still has a lovely project to go and talk to her residents about. But I think it is vitally important that this funding is shared around fairly to ensure that again this important safety project for young children is actually funded.

I am extremely disappointed that the LORD MAYOR chose not to fund it again in allocating funds in the budget and I think that the school will be as well. I mean I'm not really sure what the LNP thinks is—let's say an LNP Councillor wins next year. Are they suddenly going to put all this money into Tennyson Ward the budget after that? I mean, people aren't stupid and you keep treating them like they are and I think it is very disappointing.

So in light of the fact that there is basically only minor amounts allocated to Tennyson Ward in this budget, I believe this is an important safety project that will assist children who go to school at Graceville, who go to school in this great Active Travel school. It is wrong that for over a decade the Park Road refuge has not been funded, and for the past four years no funding's been provided for the Acacia Street, Richardson Street refuge.

So what this amendment does is ask for $68,000 from a $2.7 million budget allocation to be reallocated to Graceville to ensure there is fairness in the way in which budget funds are allocated to our community.

Chairman: Further debate on the amendment?

Councillor JOHNSTON?

Councillor JOHNSTON: Once again, Madam Chairman, silence and again I can't wait to see who you actually put up to run against me next time because I can tell you I'll go around—I will show them the transcripts—

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, I will go around; I will show them these transcripts. I will take them to every single meeting I go to, Madam Chairman—

Councillor MURPHY: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Point of order against you Councillor JOHNSTON.

Yes, Councillor MURPHY?

Councillor MURPHY: Madam Chairman, this is not about Councillor JOHNSTON's electioneering, this is about the amendment—the amendment.

Chairman: Yes, thank you.

Councillor, the amendment.

Councillor JOHNSTON: I'm summing up the silence, Madam Chairman. I am summing up the silence, and what I will do is make sure that the ratepayers of Tennyson Ward understand that the LNP is silent on the issue of safety around Graceville State School; that they cannot even stand up in this place and justify their actions with a comment on the record. That silence reflects poorly on them in my view.

If they think that playing politics is the way to go, that reflects badly on them, not on the community that I represent, who in good faith pay their rates, contribute to the governance of this city, participate in all aspects of life. It's one of the most volunteer-strong areas we've got. We've got brilliant school participation in—

Chairman: Back to your amendment please, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: —and this Council—this Council can't be bothered to support a road safety program for school children in one of the largest primary schools in the district. I think that's disappointing, and when I think, Madam Chairman, that they couldn't even be bothered to stand up for two minutes and say anything, that is just pathetic and lazy.

Chairman: I will put the motion for the amendment.
Amendment put:

The Chairman submitted to the Chamber the motion for the amendment and it was declared lost on the voices.

Councillor MURPHY.

Councillor MURPHY: Madam Chairman, I rise to speak on Program 2, Moving Brisbane and I've got to say something about Councillor GRIFFITHS's comments just before because they were truly some of the most absurd things I've ever heard in this Chamber.

There's a line from Billy Madison—that was one of the most insanely idiotic things I've ever heard in my life and it rings true from Councillor GRIFFITHS's comments just before. Firstly he said we had no vision, we had no vision. This is from an opposition that hasn't outlined a single public transport alternative vision in now four successive budget reply speeches. So I mean, come on, the fact that they don't have a single other thing to say when it comes to public transport and he tells us that we don't have a vision. I mean come on, Madam Chairman, that is absolutely absurd.

Then was the outrageous claim that it was the LNP that raised public transport fares in this city by 7.5 per cent. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Year after year Councillor GRIFFITHS stands silent as the former State Labor Government raises public transport fares by 15 per cent year, on year, on year, on year and he says absolutely nothing, but when we cut that increase by half it's an outrage, it's a disgrace, oh. All of a sudden then it's a price-driven thing. Yes, then it's a price-driven thing.

Look, Mark Bailey needs to help Councillor GRIFFITHS out. He needs to tell him a little bit about how public transport works and how price is probably the most important factor when it comes to getting people on and off public transport.

Then was the purler that he accused us of focussing on inner-city projects. Well we know if we read the Brisbane Times from last week that three out of the six announcements that Labor's lord mayoral candidate made were actually inner city projects, one of which was a $120 million bridge that he's promised to go it alone from Kangaroo Point which is Councillor ABRAHAMS's pet project, and we're the ones focussing on inner city shiny baubles. Okay, alright.

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor MURPHY: Yes, oh that must be a southside project; trying to get some money back into the southside, Madam Chairman. Absolutely ridiculous.

We know $120 million would pay for four years’ worth of bikeway projects; it would pay for more than the resurfacing that we have committed to in this year's budget. What an absolute ridiculous speech from Councillor GRIFFITHS.

Then came my favourite part; it was his killing floor moment where he referred to parking meters as a tax—when Julia Gillard last night said, oh you refer to it as whatever you want to refer to it. He said it was our tax and our parking meters are a tax, Madam Chairman. They aren't a service that Council runs to try and get some equity when it comes to parking spaces in the inner city by turning them over. They're now just some sort of a tax.

So we'll be going out to businesses and we'll be telling them that it's Councillor GRIFFITHS program—and look he's throwing his book away in disgust. He's so angry that he's been caught out calling parking meters a tax, that he's upset himself and that he's gone and embarrassed himself in this way. What an absolute disgrace.

Now look, I want to talk about the Program 2, Moving Brisbane. It is where the rubber really hits the road and rightly so, Madam Chairman. This Administration believes, as Councillor SCHRINNER said before, in mobility. It doesn't matter whether you drive a car, it doesn't matter whether you ride a bus, it doesn't matter whether you ride a train, a ferry or a CityCat or whether you use our highly successful CityCycle scheme. This Administration will be your friend, and in the 2015-16 Program 2 allocates—

Chairman: Order.

Councillor MURPHY: —the 2015-16 program allocates $406 million of expenditure rising to $642 million of expenditure in the out years, not including capital. This gets on with the job of constructing important major projects in our city.

We've got three projects that I want to talk about today and the first one is Wynnum Road Corridor - Stage 1. Now we know this corridor was chronically neglected in the Labor years, and we've been working over the last few years to undertake a lot of Congestion Reduction Unit projects on Wynnum Road to try and increase the throughput, but ultimately we know that it's only through a full upgrade that we can get this road moving again. Residents in my ward know that it's only an LNP Administration that will deliver a Wynnum Road upgrade.

So the LORD MAYOR has very wisely recognised that there are now several road projects; there is Airport Link, there is the Go Between Bridge, Legacy Way any day now. There is a range of projects that are now plugging into the ICB and we need to ensure that that road has the capacity to take extra growth into the future. If we can get some good public transport outcomes by connecting it to the Inner Northern Busway then absolutely that's something that we should look at.

Now of course there's the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade. We have of course completed stage 1A of that in past years. This is a major link to the Australian Trade Coast. It's a road that, although it's on the other side of the river, is very important to my residents as well as I'm sure it is to many other residents on the northside and the southside that use this road as an access to the Trade Coast.

We know that the Labor Party put this project in the too-hard basket for many years, Madam Chairman. Because it was such a big road they just said, oh well we just won't do it. What we'll do is we'll just push more people onto public transport, but of course we know you can't do that when you're pushing the fares up by 15 per cent every year. Under this Administration we will see Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade delivered.

This year we also have $28 million in this financial year to complete additional bikeway links throughout the city. We continue to build the network that will encourage more commuter cyclists onto the bikeways throughout our city, and I always say that this city was not a city that is built for cycles; it is a city that was built for cars. So it is a very expensive process going and retrofitting a city that was designed and built for cars to a city that is friendly to cyclists, and it probably will never be completed. It will be an ongoing process, but we are certainly delivering the money to make sure that it is something that we can work towards achieving in the next few years.

Madam Acting Chair, CityCats—these of course were a fantastic initiative of previous administrations, Labor Administrations, but these first CityCats that were delivered under the program are now reaching end-of-life, and it's important that we refresh them, that we refurbish them, to ensure that they meet the standards for disability compliance and for safety and electronics reasons. So it's good to see that this budget delivers the funding for a mid-life refresh—sorry, end-of-life refresh for those CityCats.

I want to talk a little bit about CityCycle. We know that that program has been a massive success and it grows every year. We saw in the media recently that CityCycle will have its millionth trip. I think it's this month; fantastic to see. We've got the monthly reporting stats for it here; 984,000 trips taken since it opened on 1 October 2010, Madam Acting Chair, and we've got to think how many cars has that taken off the road.

You want to talk about a roads diet; look at CityCycle. That is taking people out of cars and putting them onto a public bike hire scheme, and we know that most world cities have public bike hire schemes okay. As I said, yes, we are a city that was built for cars, but we need to be leaders in this space. We absolutely need to lead other capital cities here in Australia and to lead the world when it comes to public bike hire schemes. So this Administration makes no apologies for CityCycle. We think it's a great scheme and we will continue to support it into the future.

Madam Acting Chair, this program also delivers $100 million for road resurfacing. It has been worrisome to watch over the last few years how the several major storm events and floods have affected our road network, as Councillor SCHRINNER has identified. The amount of rain that we have received does impact on our roads in this subtropical city, and so we do need to be investing all that we can in ensuring that our roads are smooth.

When you go down to Sydney and you have a look at their roads, the roads that you get from several Councils operating out of sync in an area, you see just how lucky we are to have this Council operating the roads in Brisbane as they do. Even as you go further out from Brisbane into other Councils that will remain nameless, and of course the state road network, you see what a good job this Administration does with road resurfacing. To see this boost to $100 million in this financial year I think will really see Brisbane roads just take that next step up.

Madam Chairman, just quickly, in these schedules for Doboy Ward, we have the Active Communities Carina project which is $545,000. This is delivering a range of bikeway projects across Doboy Ward that underwent consultation in the last financial year and this year we'll get on with that construction. There's a bikeway connecting the Minnippi Parklands to Kate Street at Carina, as well as a bikeway connecting through Richmond Road, also in Carina.

We have the road network design for Green Camp Road, Manly Road to Ricketts Road at Wakerley which is $380,000 allocated in this budget. Madam Chairman, this is a very important road for—

Deputy Chairman: Councillor MURPHY your time has expired.

Councillor MURPHY: Thank you.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor NEWTON.

Councillor NEWTON: Thanks very much, Madam Chair. I rise to speak on Program 2 of the Council budget today. I'm pleased to be up speaking on Moving Brisbane.

The Infrastructure Chair spoke earlier in this debate about freedom of choice. I note that this a term that he frequently uses when he talks about Brisbane residents and how we move around our city. Now you'd write—my apologies—I'd like to borrow—I've completely lost my train of thought—Madam Chair, I can see that Councillor SCHRINNER does enjoy a bit of a libertarian streak because, of course, this is about the right of the individual choosing their own actions. I'm not commenting on whether that's a good thing or a bad thing; I'm just particularly noting I guess the philosophy that is the basis of Councillor SCHRINNER's statements.

I'd like to borrow a phrase from somebody else today too, Madam Chair. I'd like to borrow a phrase from new wave musicians, Devo. They had a song called Freedom of Choice, but of course the song ends with freedom from choice, and the reality is when it comes to Moving Brisbane in this year's budget, that's how residents and visitors to this city are being treated in the way they move around.

If you use terms like freedom of choice you'd be forgiven to thinking there's some sort of level playing field when it comes to funding choices in this year's budget. Let's look at the choice the LNP has made and this LORD MAYOR has made when it comes to the prioritisation of how ratepayers' dollars are spent in this year's budget. If you take a look at the capital spend, Madam Chair, which I know is nearly half of last year's, Madam Chair, the capital spend in total is $354.966 million in total. We see $34.529 million spent on active transport, we see $44.987 million on public transport and the remaining $275.45 million spent on the transport network, Madam Chair.

So the choice the LNP have made in terms of how capital spend is being made is on the transport network. Seventy-eight per cent is being spent on the transport network; not on public transport, not on active transport in this budget. But the expenses reflect that as well, Madam Chair. When you look at the total expenditure in the expense column, $638.254 million spent in total in expenses. On public transport, we see $141.888 million on public transport, as I mentioned. Under active transport we have $6.688 million on the active transport, but the transport network itself, $489.678 million. That's 77 per cent of the budget.

So that's the choice. So when the LNP use the term, freedom of choice in this Chamber, we know that their freedom of choice is to spend more on the road network than any other form of transport in this city. It's indeed freedom from choice for Brisbane residents.

But, Madam Chair, I'd like to take us back and remind people on what we were to expect this term. Because I guess this year's budget is a little bit of a report card on how things have gone. There were promises made back in the lead up to the 2012 election, and now's the time to reassess, or asses. We've had a lot of reflection today from other members on the other side of the Chamber. I'd like to reflect on what has happened over the past four years in terms of bus purchases.

Madam Chair, I'd just like to remind the Chamber in 2012, the LORD MAYOR and his team announced that there would be 90 new buses a year purchased every year over the term of office. In fact, I can read from the article in The Courier-Mail on 23 April 2012. It says, LORD MAYOR Graham Quirk will today pledge to add another 360 buses to Council's fleet over the next four years if he and his Administration gain office for another term of office in Saturday's poll.

Madam Chairman, that was 360 buses over this term of office. Indeed, the headline mentions in that article that commuters would benefit from 90 new buses a year if the LNP were to retain control of Brisbane's City Hall, Madam Chair. This is what the residents of Brisbane were promised. This is what they were promised and this is what—when they voted LNP, and voted for Councillor QUIRK as LORD MAYOR, they were voting for 360 buses to be delivered in this term of office, Madam Chair.

So as I said, let's fast forward to what has been delivered over the term as opposed to what was promised. Now full marks, when you look at the first budget delivered by LORD MAYOR Graham Quirk. He said in his budget speech, Madam Chair, over the next 12 months, we will build 90 new rigid equivalent buses at the cost of $42 million. He then went on to say, Madam Chair, in this budget speech, we will repeat this investment each year over the next four years to put a total of 360 new buses on the road, Madam Chair.

That was there, in black and white, in the LORD MAYOR's speech in this Chamber in 2012. So yes, indeed, in the 2012 budget we saw 90 buses or bus equivalents, as the phrase is, in the Council budget. In the 2013-14 Council Budget, we saw the LORD MAYOR again, tick, deliver on his commitment for 90 new equivalent buses. Credit where credit's due, Madam Chair.

But what did we see in 2014? We saw the promise abandoned. We saw that commitment to the ratepayers of Brisbane dropped. We saw the pact that had been made torn up and thrown away, Madam Chair. So instead of delivering 360 new buses over the term, we only saw 300 being delivered over the term with the 60 being promised again in this year's budget. So that's for $22 million being spent.

But, Madam Chair, it's actually worse than that. Because we hear people saying, new buses, new buses, new buses, but the reality is, we're barely keeping up with retirement of the old buses, Madam Chair. So we would be forgiven for thinking, and indeed the ratepayers who saw that article would be forgiven for thinking that they were going to get 360 additional buses in the bus fleet to improve services, to make more frequent services, more reliable services. Because that is what people want out of their public transport choice, Madam Chair.

What do we see? Whoa, a dismal result as we know from previous answer to questions on notice where we saw in the 2013-14 year, 159 buses, 159 buses retired from this fleet, Madam Chair. Not bus equivalent, 159 actual buses.

Councillor BOURKE: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Deputy Chairman: Points of order against you Councillor NEWTON.

Councillor BOURKE.

Councillor BOURKE: I've been listening intently for the last four minutes and Councillor NEWTON hasn't referenced the budget book or a service item or a line item in the budget. Can you please bring her back to the budget that we have before us, please.

Deputy Chairman: Councillor NEWTON is referring to the public and active transport part of the budget. Councillor NEWTON, if you can be a little bit more specific as you continue on, that would be appreciated.

Councillor NEWTON: Absolutely, I'm more than happy to talk about this, Madam Chair. I'm talking specifically about the bus build, page 55 for Councillor BOURKE's assistance. If he looks under service 2.2.2.1, it has bus build listed, Madam Chair. I'm talking about what the net result is from this supposed bus build, Madam Chair. So as I mentioned, in 2013-14, we saw 159 buses retire, last financial year we saw up to 60 buses retire. When I asked Councillor MATIC how many buses are anticipated to be retired in the 2015-16 Council Budget, I was told 60 buses, Madam Chair.

So in this year's budget, we're seeing the LNP retiring as many buses as they're putting on the road, Madam Chair. Now I don't disagree with the need to retire old buses. I don't think anyone on any side of the Chamber would say that we should have buses on the road that outstay their appropriate age on the fleet. No one's suggesting that, Madam Chair. But I think it's important that the LNP Administration is honest and upfront with the people of Brisbane.

They promised 360, delivered only 300. But not only are those 300 not additional buses in our fleet, they're merely keeping track with the numbers, treading water. So, Madam Chair, this LNP Administration wants praise and thanks but all that is happening is maintaining the current levels of buses in the fleet. They want praise for holding the ground, which is laughable.

So, Madam Chair, what's the LNP's choice when it comes to public transport? It's maintaining our current bus fleet numbers. As we've seen in the past, it's been selling off the CityCats and bus depots. As we saw only 18 months ago, it was cutting $20 million from public transport, rather than reinvesting it into new services and improving the network.

Madam Chair, what we've seen today is this LORD MAYOR and this LNP have exercised a freedom of choice to do nothing new in the field of our bus fleet, Madam Chair. So March next year, Madam Chair, residents will have a freedom of choice to make a decision about who will really make improvements when it comes to putting a focus on public transport in this city when they vote next year.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor de WIT.

Councillor de WIT: Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Chairman, and I rise with pleasure to speak on Program 2, Moving Brisbane. It's really a mega program and at the outset I would like to extend my thanks the DEPUTY MAYOR, the LORD MAYOR, Councillor SIMMONDS and everyone involved in the preparation of this budget. Because having been there, I know it's no easy task. I think as the years go on, it becomes more difficult as the demands become greater and the dollars become less.

But, Madam Deputy Chairman, I can say that this is what we call a very balanced funding program. It would be easy with the $2.6 billion that is the entire Council budget, you could easily spend it on this program and you would still have a long way to go. Because in a growing city, new world city, the demands on infrastructure are such and they continue to grow. So when I say it's balanced, it's balanced because not only do we have to be providing new infrastructure and in this budget of course we've got the headline items like Kingsford Smith Drive, Wynnum Road, the widening of the ICB. There are major projects like that which are absolutely essential.

But also, there has to be significant money for the maintenance and replacement of ageing infrastructure. That is something that people often overlook. I think you have to look at the age of infrastructure in Brisbane—a lot of our roads, our bridges—and they are reaching that stage where they either need replacement or a lot of money spent on them. So that's not the headline stuff that will get you a pat on the back, but it's work that must be done and as a very responsible Administration there is money allocated for these things.

For example, a previous speaker mentioned the $17.5 million in this budget for footpath reconstruction. Not new construction, that's reconstruction of old footpaths across the city. We look at $4.5 million upgrading ferry terminals to make them DDA-compliant. Again, this is a program that has been ongoing and likewise with the buses, reaching DDA compliance for our bus fleet, for our terminals, it is all part of our access and inclusion policy that requires a lot of funds in order to meet the standards and provide the right level of service for all of our residents.

Madam Deputy Chairman, something that took me back to my early days in this place was when I read the line item about the re-life of the first CityCats. Again, I remember the CityCats coming online, and it's just hard to believe that they're at that age where they need re-lifing, as they call it. I guess I'm saying I've been here a long time—not as long as Councillor KNAPP—no, same time as Councillor KNAPP, that's right, we did start together didn't we, and Councillor FLESSER.

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor de WIT: Probably do, Councillor CUMMING. There are times when I feel like that. But, Madam Deputy Chairman, I shouldn't be distracted should I? Bridge and culvert reconstruction and rehabilitation. Now page 160 of this document, if you look at some of the line items that are in there, again it just drives home my point—if I find page 160, the Walter Taylor Bridge for example. Footpath barrier, gantry upgrade, steelwork painting. Then the William Jolly Bridge repair river piers. That's the sort of work that really is not visible, is not obvious to the general public, nor do they have any idea of just how much money it takes to keep this infrastructure up to scratch.

I can well recall when I was Chairman of Infrastructure, the work that we had to do on the Story Bridge in terms of major maintenance. The Wynnum Road bridge there to Tingalpa, $346,000. So even some of those small bridges around the city require ongoing maintenance and rehabilitation.

Madam Deputy Chairman, one of the—and in fact, I think I've got a bridge in my own area there, the Kholo Road bridge, Kholo Bridge, $141,000. That's a little one lane bridge which is owned a quarter by Ipswich and three quarters by Brisbane. We have had a lot of problems with that in recent years with the flooding and the footpath barrier, repeatedly we've tried to put in barriers to stop people jumping off the bridge into the river which is very attractive, but it's an ongoing problem.

In talking about a balanced budget, in this program—again it's not just about the new and replaced infrastructure—but if we look at page 49, for example, you see a lot of these other functions under this program that are funded. For example, the continued operation of the Congestion Reduction Unit, that very excellent unit which was established by former Lord Mayor Campbell Newman. They do some great work around the city. Again, I guess it's something that the average person doesn't realise who they are or what they do, but they do great work in helping to free up congestion. Because that's what they're about, congestion reduction.

We've got the continued rotation of the portable speed warning signs. Again, it costs dollars every time one of those signs has to be moved and there's 26 of them in the city and they all need moving about every month. Another one there, another 100 free motorcycle spaces to be installed within the inner city. This is a program that has been ongoing for some years—very valuable program because a motorcycle certainly takes up less space on the road than a motor vehicle.

Also, assisting Queensland Rail with the installation of the bridge strike breams and safety signage; helping out the State Government yet again. But, Madam Deputy Chairman, just looking locally—and it's a pity about Councillor JOHNSTON depriving me of one of—trying to deprive me of one of my projects; I don't get that many out my way, and particularly at a very dangerous intersection. But anyway, I didn't expect that she would know anything about it.

When we look at the road resurfacing program that we've got, there are some very major ones in my ward. In particular I'd mention Lake Manchester Road at Kholo. Last year, we had funding to finish sealing Lake Manchester Road. It's quite a busy road and it's been gravel forever. We got that sealed but now the asphalt section from Swensons Road through to Ben Varden Avenue has to be resealed—resurfaced and there's about $400,000 to do that. It's quite a long distance.

The far western end of my ward has benefited from a number of road resurfacing projects; Mountain Vista Court at Mount Crosby, Karana Court at Karana Downs and Acacia Court at Mount Crosby. So the people in the far west will be very happy with that.

Another quite expensive project is resurfacing Witty Road at Moggill and it's another one of these quite long, rural roads. Councillor BOURKE, you're probably familiar with Witty Road, I'd imagine, and Councillor SIMMONDS. Narrow, rural road which is starting to get a lot of urban development along it. So there's money there for that as well. A big one: Kenmore Road, that is the chief rat run from Moggill Road to try and avoid the Kenmore roundabout and Moggill Road to get to the Western Freeway, has a lot of traffic. I've been watching that one deteriorating in the last year. That is listed for resurfacing, as is Marshall Lane, another one of very busy streets in Kenmore.

If only we could get the State Government to build a Kenmore bypass, we would be able to overcome an awful lot of the traffic congestion through my ward. But I realise that that's not about to happen. But, Madam Deputy Chairman, I would just like to commend the people who have been involved in this program. As I say, it is a mega program. There is so much that you can talk about in here. It is very balanced; it's dealing with all of the issues that we have to deal with. It would be very tempting to say, well this would be more popular than doing that, so that's what we'll do. But that's not the approach of this LORD MAYOR and this Administration. Because they are a responsible Administration in how they determine what is going to be funded and when.

It's easy to be in opposition and sit and throw stones, I've been there. But you've got to be realistic. If people want more, it's going to cost more and where does the money come from? I'm sure that the people of Brisbane can't wear more in the way of increased rates, so it's a case of balancing the books and having a very balanced approach to doing the budget and determining what is the highest priority when it comes to the Moving Brisbane and other programs that we have today.

I strongly commend this program to the Chamber.

Deputy Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor ABRAHAMS.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. I also wish to join the debate and I will be particularly focusing on the active transport and other parts of the program. Madam Chair, in active transport there has been a $2.5 million reduction in expense from what was predicted, with also a just-under $3 million reduction in the capital of what was predicted to be in this budget. Madam Chair, those two together are significant, being almost $6 million less than should be designed and ready to go in this project area.

Madam Chair, as well as that there has been a $2.2 million increase in infrastructure charges that were taken, and again that should be money that should be—as I've often said on this matter—spent quickly and timely while it keeps its dollar value. So I look for what projects would most likely be funded from some additional infrastructure on transport. I believe it would be the congestion reduction program because that's where it is part of the network and to maximise the network.

So, Madam Chair, was there any increase in that area to reflect the increased infrastructure charges? No, absolutely not. It was $5.9 million which was exactly what they predicted last year and what they're spending this year. So, Madam Chair, money is being accrued and not being spent very wisely at all. That means you end up in a situation of having to play catch-up. Catch-up on the provision. There could be nothing clearer than the catch-up that is required in this program than in road resurfacing, Madam Chair.

It's either catch-up or pork barrelling, and when you say pork barrelling, the other side of the Chamber don't seem to like it, so let's just call it catch up. Because the previous budget document said there was going to be $16 million for road resurfacing and we have got $100 million in this budget. Now I suggest to you, Madam Chair, the roads that are being done in my ward have needed to be done for the last three, four, five years. It was clear they were deteriorating—and I'm particularly talking about Vulture Street that hasn't been done and Annerley Road and Stanley Street that thankfully are being done.

So, Madam Chair, I am concerned that while we're seeing the need of what the additional cost is for catch-up in road resurfacing, the LNP are doing exactly the same where it comes to the other major projects in terms of reducing congestion in our city, by not using that $2.2 million wisely.

Madam Chair, it was very interesting because Councillor SCHRINNER said, oh we've got a balanced approach; we haven't got an ideological approach to transport. I would suggest to you that the tunnels is probably one of the most ideological approaches to the transport of our city that we have seen for a long time. Madam Chair, when those tunnels bit, what did we see but a reduction in the money allocated to public transport. Tell me that's not ideological. Of course it is, Madam Chair.

But I'm just a bit interested in—it's the defending some of the positions I've had. The road diet—and I will do it more in the next program because it actually applies to that. But this Administration, while they are still ridiculing my comment when made as a Council officer about road dieting, are in fact doing it in this budget. So how's that for total hypocrisy? Because that is exactly what the Edward Street upgrade is.

Madam Chair, when it comes to a congestion toll, you go to everybody who comes into South Bank using the train and using the public transport, and asking them why they are doing so, it is because of the parking and the cost of parking. Madam Chair, that shows there is appropriate in a strategy to actually have a cost to encourage people to use our public transport. The visitors to South Bank probably reflected par excellence and I would also suggest that workers coming into the city do so.

Parking is a toll. Talk to the residents and they will tell you it is a toll that actively prevents them coming to the city. What do they need to still be able to come to the city? Appropriate public transport. Madam Chair, I will defend that statement that appropriate public transport, better public transport, is what we need if we are going to reduce congestion in our city.

Madam Chair, the issue Councillor MURPHY—Councillor MURPHY decided it was time to defend CityCycle. Now, Madam Chair, I have not been one on this side that has really got into gusto of attacking CityCycle because I know—

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Because I know if there is any hope of them ever working, it will be my residents that do so, and possibly some of Councillor HOWARD's. So let's be quite clear. But, Madam Chair, for Councillor MURPHY to get up and say it is a very successful program and it is taking people out of cars, well Councillor MURPHY, the data shows you're wrong. A Mr E Fishman in 2014 actually undertook the research. What did the research show—and the heading of the research was, ‘Bike Share's Impact on Car Use’. He was comparing the USA, Great Britain and Australia.

In Australia, it was Melbourne and Brisbane, and what were the figures for Melbourne? What is the greatest number of people who are using CityCycle compared to what other transport they previously used? Not cars, buses—with 43 per cent using buses. So, more room for buses—on the buses for those that need it, jolly good, not knocking that at all. But it is interesting at the same time as we had CityCycle, we have had a reduction in the amount of money spent on buses. So maybe this is a microcosm of a larger strategy on their side.

What was the second greatest mode share that used CityCycle? Walkers, at 24 per cent were walkers. When it got down to people getting out of their cars and using CityCycle, what do you think the average might have been? Looks like seven to eight per cent. So I would suggest, that isn't even one in five. So, Madam Chair, I would refute what Councillor MURPHY has said in terms of that area.

The other one that needs refuting is the Kangaroo Point pedestrian bridge, the promised Kangaroo Point pedestrian bridge, a bridge that has been in every strategic document that has—

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS, I don't think that one's in this budget at all, actually.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: —no, because it's been cut.

Chairman: Exactly.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Because it's been cut, that's the whole point, Madam Chair.

Councillor interjecting.

Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, stop yelling. We are supposed to be debating the current budget.

Councillor ABRAHAMS: Madam Chair, I am making the comparison between the forward estimates of other budgets and this budget, and it is not—it should be in this budget, Madam Chair. The LORD MAYOR stated not that it didn't have benefit, but he just didn't like the new cost. Councillor MURPHY said, it was to serve the southern suburbs. Wrong again. That bridge is an important link for active transport for the eastern suburbs, being Norman Park, East Brisbane, Hawthorne and Balmoral. All that is low and can very readily and very quickly have access to the city.

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS, your time has expired, thank you.

Further debate?

Councillor COOPER.

Councillor COOPER: Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and I rise to speak to Program 2. Before I enter into my debate, I'd just immediately like to respond to a comment made by Councillor ABRAHAMS where she said that parking is a toll. I think it's quite interesting to hear that commentary from Councillor ABRAHAMS when we all know in 2002, in the Australian Labor Party's transport plan that was approved by full Council late 2003, there was something in there, Madam Chair, that you might recall, I'm sure the LORD MAYOR would recall, and it was specifically a specific proposal put forward about—I think it was about taxing car parking in the CBD.

Councillor COOPER: It was about exactly what Councillor ABRAHAMS now seems to be changing her mind on where she's saying that parking in the city is a toll and it impacts on businesses. But who was the person, who was the party who was actually proposing this not so very long ago? In fact, it was the Australian Labor Party. So the hypocrisy, disappointingly, Madam Chair, continues.

Councillor COOPER: There was also CityCycle, thank you for reminding me—through you, Madam Chair, thank you Councillor SIMMONDS. They had all sorts of goodies tucked away in their transport plan which they have now completely stepped away from, Madam Chair. Now in terms of Program 2, what it's currently got in it, has got some fantastic outcomes.

Chairman: Order!

Councillor COOPER: Particularly, I think a number of Councillors have spoken about the Active School Travel program. It has, I think, been something that has been a fantastic success across the city. I know that Saint Dympna's, one of my schools, has seen a whole huge upsurge with the parents, in particular, taking responsibility for promoting these sorts of outcomes. They have had all sorts of special days. I've been down there, they've dressed up, they have created special walk to school programs, the parents have really gone to it with an absolute vengeance.

It has really; I think for most schools which tend to be surrounded by residential areas, they have taken on this as a real challenge. I'd like to congratulate all the schools across the city who participate in this program for their efforts in their regard. In particular, we've also got the active transport in the community. So this initiative which was set up by LORD MAYOR Graham Quirk, I'd particularly like to thank him for this initiative to encourage active travel goals for our entire community.

This is—particularly we've got $445,000 for active communities for Aspley. So Councillor KING, Councillor WYNDHAM and I all share Aspley, we all meet at three points there at the corner of Robinson and Gympie Road. We all share very nicely and we are delighted to see this funding that has been proposed. So we all get something out of it, we're all very good at sharing.

In particular for me, there'll be a new three metre wide concrete pathway on Zillmere Road, so we've got a number of schools; Aspley Special School, Aspley High School, Aspley East State School, who all really do benefit from this particular project. We'll see a signalised pedestrian crossing at the state school, so that's already there, but this will continue on to Fred Campbell Park and through to Cooyar Street. So this is a great outcome.

We've also got a traffic island being installed at the corner of Hutton and Zillmere roads to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists crossing at this location. This area's also used by Guide Dogs Queensland to do training for their dogs and for people who are soon to be able to use those dogs. So they will also be able to benefit from that significant investment by the LORD MAYOR. I also want to of course thank Councillor MATIC for his support.

So it's a great outcome, it really does link schools with public transport outcomes. It delivers good bike and pedestrian pathways, it promotes a much more enjoyable, safe and shady connection throughout our suburbs. So our local area are delighted to see that opportunity coming forward.

In particular I really want to thank the DEPUTY MAYOR for service 2.3.2.2, that is the improved local transport networks. So Murphy Road, which is a multi-lane road which was previously unable to be delivering an outcome to improve the safety for Zillmere State School, will now see through the enhanced school zone signage. So this program will see new school zones, including enhanced flashing signs, which will benefit Zillmere State School—so that's one of my schools—and also Saint Flannan's Catholic Primary School, so that's in Deagon Ward but also has a number of my residents who do, and it's a great school.

Both of those schools will be absolutely thrilled to see this project come forward. They've been really keen to try and promote safety. Murphy Road is a very, very busy road for our northern suburbs and I know that both I as the ward Councillor for Bracken Ridge and I'm sure that Councillor NEWTON would be thrilled to see St Flannan's getting that as well as Zillmere State School.

Also in the budget for Program 2, we've got the corridor upgrade to Telegraph Road corridor. Particularly it's extremely welcome, we have significant growth in the northern suburbs and I note the former Urban Land Development Authority, now Economic Development Queensland, with Fitzgibbon with those thousands and thousands of people who've moved into that local area, without any upgrades to existing infrastructure at all. No infrastructure charges also paid. So pretty disappointed to see that didn't actually deliver any outcomes for my local residents and this Council—thank you, Councillor ABRAHAMS—this Council has had to pay the bill, basically, that was written by the State Government.

So this project with Telegraph Road Stage 1b capital of nearly $17 million—

Councillor interjecting.

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS!

Councillor COOPER: —over three years. So this will take the project from Norris Road to Mustang Street to follow on with that fantastic $82 million investment in the open level crossing for my ward. So this is something that is a significant corridor. It carries a lot of heavy vehicles. So Brendale through to the Gateway Arterial, through to Gympie Road, those sorts of vehicles that move and make that east-west connection across the northern suburbs. So an important part of our city, we will certainly see a really big improvement as a consequence of that improvement. This will also make a big difference to my local residents. So I thank the LORD MAYOR and Councillor SCHRINNER for supporting this project.

Also service 2.3.3.1, Business Improvement Projects (BIPs) and Suburban Centre Improvement Projects (SCIPs) maintenance and rehabilitation, so we're seeing over $1 million being invested in capital per year from 2015-16 through to 2018-19. This has been a fantastic project that the LORD MAYOR has very kindly given us some additional resources to fund some revitalisation of existing SCIPs. So at the moment we've got 44 SCIPs, Suburban Centre Improvement Projects, in our city. Soon to be 46 and I know there's a couple of excited Councillors in this Chamber looking forward to seeing those new SCIPs opened.

These SCIPs of course, with the passing of time, need sometimes some careful attention. With that very strong focus on asset maintenance, we have now got a program to ensure that all of our SCIPs are kept in very good working order. So we've got specialised maintenance works to replace some of the street furniture, to review the public art, to do some new plantings, to really do a whole refresh and revitalisation to make sure it's a safe environment and to of course continue to make sure that our city is a great place for doing business.

So those strip shops that certainly I think really had a great outcome as a consequence of the SCIP program. Also this will see them continue to look fantastic and promote not just our city centre but also to promote our suburban strip shops which are so very important to us in the middle and outer-ring suburbs.

In terms of locally, I also want to thank the LORD MAYOR for the—I also want to thank the LORD MAYOR for the Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) funding. So $187,000 for Bellicent Road, Bracken Ridge in 2.3.2.2. This is particularly a great outcome because I know my residents have been very much actively asking for us to put some traffic calming in this location.

Of course, as all Councillors in this place I think should do, I would particularly like to acknowledge that significant commitment to road network resurfacing in 2.3.3.1, with that record investment, $100 million investment in our suburbs. I've got different roads such as Norris Road, Bracken Ridge, Farnell Street, Zillmere, Kluver Street, Bald Hills, Beams Road, Carseldine, Ellerdale Street, Aspley who are all going to benefit from this significant investment and I thank the LORD MAYOR very, very much, and Councillor SCHRINNER for making sure that not just the inner city but our whole city looks fantastic over the years ahead. Thank you very much.

Chairman: Councillor MURPHY.