Minutes of proceedings

Councillor FLESSER.

Councillor FLESSER: Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I would like to speak about the albatross that is hanging around the neck of this Council and that of course is CityCycle.

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor FLESSER: Madam Chair, I can't believe—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor FLESSER: Councillor MURPHY is in a lot of trouble, Madam Chair, because we know that CityCycle is a bit like Lord Voldemort; you're not allowed to mention that name in this Chamber, Madam Chair. It's gone the way of Campbell Newman, Madam Chair, and I'll tell you why, because, Madam Chair, the LNP Administration is so proud of CityCycle, the LORD MAYOR forgot to mention it in his budget speech and it's not even mentioned in the budget. Not even the word; CityCycle is not even mentioned in the budget. It's such a fantastic program that we could spend so much time talking about it, but not a single mention of CityCycle in the budget program, Madam Chair.

Are there any other programs that are not mentioned in the budget, Madam Chair? No, none that I can think of, but CityCycle certainly is not in there and we all know why. We all know why, Madam Chair, because those bikes are out there in the street gathering dust and rust. That's what they're doing, Madam Chair, and it's costing this Council an enormous amount of money.

Madam Chair, we know that when the contract was signed, we were told by the LORD MAYOR at the time that, oh look it's going to be fantastic, it'll be cost neutral in a couple of years, we're going to make $9 million out of it eventually, it's a great project. You, Madam Chair, yourself said it would reduce traffic congestion in the city. Madam Chair, it hasn't done that. Madam Chair, the cost of CityCycle is just billing up and up and up.

Talking about the cost of it and you'll see there's $3.6 million in expenses in this year's budget and talking about the cost of it, there's been a bit of debate in the media over the last couple of days about what it's actually costing Council. We know there was a question on notice and we got an answer to that question a couple of weeks ago and it sort of says that the total cost of the net expenditure, net expenditure, about $14 million since it was implemented. I don't think that includes this year's expenses either.

Madam Chair, when Councillor MATIC was questioned about it, he said, oh no, no, it's only $8 million, Madam Chair, that's all it's costing. The bike's only costing $8 million. Madam Chair, what he's ignoring is that JCDecaux are making millions of dollars in advertising. Now, Madam Chair, I think there's 167 small signs and 25 larger signs, they're also making revenue from the major sponsor which I believe is Lipton Iced Tea at the moment. Madam Chair, they're doing very well. They don't have a great deal of interest to make sure that more and more people ride the bikes because what we know in the contract and, Madam Chair, I do recall that most of the contract was commercial in confidence when it came to this Council Chamber, Madam Chair, what we know is that Council has to make up any revenue shortfalls for not enough people riding the bikes. Madam Chair, if there was enough people riding the bikes, it wouldn’t be costing this Council money, it would be making money out of it, Madam Chair.

So my question of course to the Administration, directly to the LORD MAYOR, Madam Chair, is what is actually being done about it? Not a single mention in the LORD MAYOR's budget speech, not a mention in the budget about CityCycle. Is the LORD MAYOR actually talking to JCDecaux to find out how can we reduce this burden on ratepayers? Madam Chair, is he doing that? Is Council actively promoting CityCycle to tourists? Because we know, Madam Chair, that commuters are just not interested in it; it's not being used.

So Brisbane's ratepayers are subsidising every one of those CityCycle trips by many, many dollars. So let's think about what those dollars are. We know that the expenses cost accounts is well over $14 million and we hear someone say before that they've almost reached a million rides, so there's at least $14 per ride that ratepayers are subsidising each time someone gets on a CityCycle. Madam Chair, a lot of those riders are yearly subscribers or at least quarterly subscribers. Madam Chair, it's quite clear it would cost ratepayers a lot less if we actually bought those people bicycles. It would cost them a lot less.

Madam Chair, this scheme is just not being properly managed and I'm really pleased that Rod Harding is out there and saying that he is absolutely committed to making sure this scheme works, to try and reduce that burden to ratepayers, to go and talk to JCDecaux, see what Council can do with JCDecaux to get especially more tourists on board, Madam Chair, because we need more people on those bikes to try and save some dollars for ratepayers.

Madam Chair, for Councillor MURPHY to get up and actually talk about CityCycle, I congratulate him; it's a big risk from that side of the Chamber to actually use those words. Madam Chair, we don't just want talk about fixing CityCycle, we need someone who is actually going to go out there and try and solve the problems. Madam Chair, I'm really pleased that Rod Harding has announced he'll be doing just that.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor KING.

Councillor KING: Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise in support of Program 2, Moving Brisbane. I'm first of all going to start off with by a few comments from Councillor GRIFFITHS, Councillor FLESSER and of course Councillor ABRAHAMS. Madam Chair, I don't know what's up with the Labor Party this budget debate, because they seem to be all over the place. All I heard from Councillor GRIFFITHS was blah, blah, blah, blah, which I believe—

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor KING: —he learnt from somebody that he knows. He also said that we implemented paid parking in Chermside. Madam Chair, what planet is Councillor GRIFFITHS on? That's either an outright lie or he's misleading the people of Brisbane. Council did not implement paid parking out at Chermside.

The interesting thing about—and I'll get back to his comments on CityCycle at the moment, because I'll blend that in with Councillor FLESSER—but Councillor ABRAHAMS, I really don't understand or maybe I need a book about how to understand Councillor ABRAHAMS. Because one moment she's saying that she's for congestion tax and it's actually printed, that she supports congestion tax in our city and the next minute she goes, oh no, no, no, no, no, I don't support congestion tax, I meant parking tax; we should have a parking tax in our city. But then I seem to remember her voting against parking meters and, you know—

Councillor interjecting.

Councillor KING: She did pay for park—she voted for it. I just don't understand what she's actually talking about.

Chairman: Order!

Councillor KING: Do you want congestion tax or do you actually want more paid parking in our city?

Now Councillor FLESSER, with all his wisdom and I know he loves riding bikes because he's out there most weekends and he's actually pretty good at it and successful in a lot of his racing on his bike, I hear. But really, CityCycle? It's had over one million people using CityCycle since it was implemented. Even I don't think the Labor candidate outside got the memo, that don't go near CityCycle, because he was actually riding CityCycle yesterday. So obviously you guys, you're going to have to spread your memos out a little bit further about what your messages are.

The Lord Voldemort is of this side of the Chamber supposed to be a successful CityCycle? Well let's talk about the Labor's Lord Voldemort. That would be raising bus fares across this city every year repetitively going up and up and up until people could not afford to get into the buses. Alternatively, the Newman Administration actually cut public transport fares by five per cent.

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor KING: It was the first, State wide across our city—

Chairman: Order!

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Order! Councillor SUTTON!

Councillor KING: So, Madam Chair—

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Order!

Chairman: Order, both sides!

Councillor KING: Madam Chair, I would like to speak about the benefits of this budget to the Marchant Ward residents and north side residents, because obviously we've still got the north and south side little debate happening in the Chamber today. Marchant Ward will be receiving over $4 million worth of work and bikeways in conjunction—it's on our border, so I can't take all the credit—it's on the border of Councillor WYNDHAM and Councillor WINES as well. But this bikeway is connecting Stafford City to Shand Street, also the facilities along in the park in Shand Street and across over to Councillor WYNDHAM's area. So it's a great linkage for Councillor WINES, Councillor WYNDHAM and I and we're looking forward to this being finished.

Councillor interjecting.

Chairman: Order!

Councillor KING: This bikeway has been promised, well has been talked about for seven years, Councillor WINES, I would say and it's finally being delivered. So I would like to thank the LORD MAYOR for putting this in his budget. It's also connecting, as Councillor COOPER was speaking about, parts of Aspley and I'm delighted to hear that the Councillor working the State Government thanks Councillor MATIC, with working on safer cycleways from Herston to Chermside. So that's not all in Marchant Ward of course, but Chermside is where it goes through Councillor HOWARD and Councillor McLACHLAN's area.

With record numbers spent on road resurfacing, over $100 million being invested in road resurfacing across our city; Marchant Ward, although I didn't get as much as I wanted, we did get approximately 12 local roads being resurfaced and some of those, our major roads on the north side: Shand Street, Webster Road and Hamilton Road. The Hamilton Road bit—sorry, Rode Road bit is up closer to Councillor FLESSER and my boundary. So they are great work.

To complement last year's budget with the stage two of Strathmore Street—Scott Street traffic management, we held a very large public meeting at Little Flower Hall up at Padua with residents to see how it was working. Lots of great ideas came out of that meeting and I'm happy to see that Nieppe and Cremorne will be receiving the traffic splitter and also there will be work done on Turner and Jardine Streets. If anybody knows that particular area, there are 3,000 kids up there at the school and the Turner and Jardine is a bit of an issue with parents going into the pick-up areas. So I'm looking forward to see what the Council officers come up with that one.

Councillor interjecting.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON!

Councillor KING: I will take that interjection, I do not have a child up at that school, so Councillor JOHNSTON is misleading the Chamber and trying to impute motive.

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Well, she shouldn’t be interjecting and that goes for both of you.

Councillor KING: The Congestion Reduction Unit—

Councillor interjecting.

Chairman: Order.

Councillor KING: —initiatives in the Marchant Ward, again Webster and Wilgarning Street will be receiving some work and I'm looking forward to working with residents and the Council officers to see what they come up with, with that particular intersection.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor KING: Suburban safety—

Chairman: Just a minute, Councillor KING.

If you want to have a conversation with someone, please take it outside. Councillor JOHNSTON!

Councillor KING.

Councillor KING: Thank you, Madam Chair, I'm just so used to her interjecting and bullying ways in this Chamber, if I misheard, I apologise.

Suburban street safety enhancement along Kirby Road, Aspley, it's good to see for some of the residents, especially in Jethro Street, have been looking forward to this upgrade that they're doing along Kirby Road. It does run into Councillor COOPER's area, so again, we do like sharing out on the north side and share our projects through.

Councillor COOPER mentioned about Zillmere State School, even though it's in her area, I'm delighted to see the improvement works there because it is close enough to our boundary and I do have students from Marchant Ward who do attend the Zillmere State School.

So again, Madam Chair, there is so much in this project for the Brisbane and also the north side and I commend the report. Thank you.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Thanks, Madam Chair, it's always delightful to follow on from Councillor KING and I'll take a leaf out of Councillor BOURKE who said, I don't know where to start, with some of the rubbish that we've heard from the LNP. Well first of all I've got to start with CityCycle. I wasn't planning on talking about CityCycle, but after hearing the fact that the LNP Council thinks CityCycle is a success—they're nodding, they believe it's a success. Well I suggest through you to the LNP councillors, through you, Madam Chair, they need to talk to any Brisbane resident because they don't think CityCycle is a success.

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor DICK: Any dud scheme that can drain $20 million after the LNP promised that we would make $9.5 million; quote, ‘so ultimately it won't cost the ratepayers of Brisbane’. Is anyone seriously thinking draining $20 million is making the ratepayers $9.5 million? I mean it beggars belief, the CityCycle deniers over there, who genuinely think it's a success. Quote from Councillor MURPHY, ‘it's the highly successful CityCycle scheme’ and they're saying, ‘here, here’.

This is what your successful scheme looks like: backpedal on hire price, bike hire racks up big bill for ratepayers, slow uptake for CityCycle, CityCycle losses hidden, so that, under your definition and that's just a handful of the media reports, look, Madam Chair, if in summary today Councillor SCHRINNER can simply table all of the glowing reports about CityCycle, I'm happy to be proven wrong, I really am. I really am. The army of spin doctors up in the LORD MAYOR's office will be listening to every word I'm saying now and I'm sure they'll be able to provide all of the positive glowing coverage. I'm yet to see it. I'm yet to see it. I'm yet to see one positive article about CityCycle.

I'll take Councillor KING's suggestion, you bet you our LORD MAYORAL candidate will continue to keep talking about CityCycle; you've got absolutely no worries, Councillor KING. We will remind—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor DICK: We will remind voters—

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Order!

Councillor DICK: —that your promise, Councillor KING, was to deliver a $9.5 million benefit to ratepayers and instead they've been racked up with a $20 million bill. So if you think that's a success and you want us to talk about that, very, very happy to do so.

Now turning to the program to Moving Brisbane and look I want to quickly focus on the Inner City Bypass (ICB) upgrade. Now listen I need to put this on the record and it really goes to show just how much the LNP rewrites history. The ICB was delivered by a Labor Administration, without a toll and vigorously and viscously opposed by the LORD MAYOR Graham Quirk, campaigned against it, went out in the community, rallied against it and now is an ICB convert. Well I know it's—

Councillor DICK: —well it's a bit—you know what it's a bit like? It's a bit like CityCats. Those people opposite who were serving at the time opposed CityCats. Can you believe it? The LNP elected people of the day went out and said, ‘oh it's going to be the death of the Brisbane River, we're going to see the wash coming up’. Can you believe it?

Councillor DICK: Can you believe that? That was the LNP's spin. So I'm not having any lectures from the LNP about some conversion about public transport.

Now when you talk about public transport and I'm glad Councillor NEWTON put on the record that once again we're seeing broken promises from the LNP regarding the bus build allocations and we know, in the annual report from last year, 980,000 fewer residents hopped on buses. Now we know that is a direct result of the millions and millions of dollars of cuts from the LNP. We know that. We know that because residents have told us that and until we have a dedicated Council committed to public transport, we are going to see less people using public transport.

So I note Councillor NEWTON highlighted the fact that we are seeking broken promises, we aren't seeing the committed new buses as was promised by every single LNP Council and now, under 2.2.2.1, we're seeing the allocation for not 60 new buses, 60 replacement buses and—

Councillor DICK: —that's exactly and I also notice in the budget, we're looking once again in Brisbane Transport are cutting employee costs, cutting employee costs. Also, I note the evidence given today about the commitment to public transport, I think it was Councillor SCHRINNER who said the Legacy Way Tunnel will also be delivering improvements for public transport, nowhere near the 2,000 express bus services that were promised. In correspondence to the ratepayers of Brisbane, quote, ‘bus users will benefit with up to 2,000 express bus services able to use Northern Link’. Then yet last week we saw an announcement by the LORD MAYOR, day after the budget, no other news to actually sell about the budget, we saw the LORD MAYOR announce the P443 via Legacy Way.

Now I'm willing to take the Administration at their word, thinking that this will help improvement. Then I saw the news coverage of this which actually has demonstrated now that the new route would extend the existing trip from approximately 24.6 kilometres to 29 kilometres. The longer overall distance of the route may not be offset by faster travel speeds in the tunnel and ultimately the route would travel into the city via the Inner Northern Busway, potentially adding another three stops to the route which would contribute to the increase in journey time.

Now when I saw that news report, I was horrified that this Council thinks it’s okay to allow people to sit on buses longer just so that they can get their patronage numbers up for Legacy Way. I saw Councillor BOURKE standing behind the LORD MAYOR like a stunned mullet. Now I don’t know what he was doing there at the announcement, Madam Chair, but I've got to tell you, it is not good news for commuters when you see announcements ripped apart by the media and scrutinised which now shows that potentially we'll see longer times for people using public transport and using Legacy Way, not meeting the commitment of 2,000 express buses per day as written by then Campbell Newman Lord Mayor in 2010 to the people of Brisbane, in black and white. Now we're seeing the so-called trial blowing out times. I don't think that is good enough in any way, shape or form.

Now moving right along, Madam Chair, I also want to speak about service item 2.3.4.2 City Parking. Now we are led to believe from the LNP that their new technology that they'll be rolling out will somehow help motorists. Well every time the LNP talks about new technology, what they're really talking about is new revenue and new ways to gouge Brisbane's motorists. Call it parking revenue, call it a tax, what it is, is simply an avenue for the LNP to prop up their failing budget. We know this year that parking revenue on street will be around $20 million, off-street $9.3 million. Parking fines and infringements are expected to hit around $28.2 million. So we're talking $60 million. That's a huge amount of money in anyone's language.

We've also seen an allocation in this program of $600,000 for a parking audit. Well they've gone quiet on that audit and I suspect it's more about finding and the expansion of the parking revenue network where we'll see more and more metered spaces rolled out across the city and $600,000 is an awful lot of money to undertake a parking audit which I suspect is simply more about finding new ways and new areas to raise revenue.

So, Madam Chair, we've got a whole range of concerns surrounding the delivery of infrastructure, the delivery of certainly public transport when you talk about the poor record of the LNP cutting public transport, breaking their promises when it comes to delivering new buses for the city and their solution to managing parking in the city is nothing more than raising revenue.

Which leads me to my final point today; under the LNP we know that congestion is getting worse. We know that from our own research and our own report, Madam Chair, we're seeing an increase in congestion right across the city and we saw that a couple of weeks ago. Brisbane's traffic increasing—

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

Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I rise in strong support of Program 2 of the LORD MAYOR's 2015-16 Budget. Just to put it into perspective, this particular program, for the Chamber, in the budget summary document that's provided to every Councillor, there is a set of info graphics there. It was derided by Councillor ABRAHAMS in her tweets because apparently it's not good enough that the cyclists don't have little people sitting on them—the bicycles don't have little people sitting on them. But if she understood the point and the dog doesn't have the leash—

Councillor interjecting.

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS!

Councillor SIMMONDS: —yes, yes, yes, Councillor ABRAHAMS, we know it. If you read it, if you read it and understood it, what it's there to demonstrate to the Chamber is that of the entire budget—51 per cent of the budget is spent on keeping Brisbane moving: roads, bikeways, public transport. For every cent that a ratepayer puts into their—pays on their rate bill, 51 cents of it goes to keeping Brisbane moving and reducing traffic and congestion and doesn't that speak volumes of the priorities of this Administration. We're very pleased and proud that under this Administration, keeping Brisbane moving has got the priority that it deserves.

But despite that, the Councillors opposite are just desperate to find reasons to oppose it and so desperate are they that they find it incredibly difficult, in fact they don't hold a consistent position. It's impossible for every single one of their speakers, every single one of their speakers, went back on a previous position that they previously held. Not a single one of them was consistent.

Let's start with Councillor NEWTON. Let's start with Councillor NEWTON who derided us because there's less capital spend in that program this year. Well why is there less capital spend? Because we're not borrowing, Madam Chairman. Isn't it Councillor NEWTON's—hasn't it always been Councillor NEWTON's position that borrowing is bad and that we're borrowing too much and we shouldn't be borrowing for infrastructure? So not only are they against borrowing, first they're against borrowing, then they're against paying down the borrowings and now Councillor NEWTON wants me to borrow more so that I can put more capital into it, just to keep the numbers balanced or keep the numbers in alignment for her on a year on year position.

Councillor GRIFFITHS, well he was claiming that his suburbs were left out. Well where is his impassioned speech about the Kangaroo Point pedestrian bridge? Where is his impassioned speech about how the only policy that their side is committed to is an extra $120 million that doesn't currently exist in the budget for the inner city? Well he's not standing up and saying that, is he? He's looking very sheepish, he looks down at his iPad because, whoops, he doesn't have the guts to nudge his neighbour, Councillor ABRAHAMS and say, hey I thought we were meant to be prioritising the suburbs.

So I tell you what, if you're not willing to do that Councillor GRIFFITHS, stand up and tell me now which $120 million worth of projects you're cutting out of the suburbs to fund Councillor ABRAHAMS—

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Order! Order! Order!

Councillor SIMMONDS: It is a worthy project, but one side of this Chamber has to make the responsible decision. Madam Chairman, Councillor ABRAHAMS, Councillor ABRAHAMS again on her old hobby horse waxes lyrical and pretends like we're not spending every single cent of infrastructure charges that we get in on infrastructure and we—

Councillor interjecting.

Councillor SIMMONDS: There she goes again. I'll take the interjection, she says we're not. We absolutely are, we absolutely are and a lot, lot more. It equates to approximately 12 per cent of what we are spending, right? Not only that, but the hypocrite that she is—

Chairman: Councillor SIMMONDS, Councillor SIMMONDS, I ask to withdraw.

Councillor SIMMONDS: I withdraw that, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Thank you.

Councillor SIMMONDS: The hypocrisy that she's shown because a couple of weeks ago she stood up in this place and was in favour of the University of Queensland master plan and the State Government allowing them not to pay infrastructure charges, $40 million of it over the life of the plan she was willing to deny the ratepayers of Brisbane. She was saying, ‘let's reach into the ratepayers of Brisbane’s pocket for that $40 million because the State Government's deemed that we don’t need to get it from reasonable development. So hold a consistent position’.

What about Councillor FLESSER CityCycle, right? He voted for it. Don't rail against the contract, you voted in support of the contract. They all did, every single one of them. They all read it themselves, they had the documents—

Councillor SIMMONDS: —if they can't read a contract for themselves—

Chairman: Order.

Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SIMMONDS: —and make an informed decision, maybe it's not in their job description. Maybe reading things in this place is not in their job description, just like looking at DAs or ringing in rubbish in their own wards, for example, doesn't appear to be in their job description.

As for Councillor DICK, well he cannot even hold a position consistent with the truth, because he stood up and said, well we're cutting employee costs in Brisbane Transport, they're going down. I'm looking at Councillor MATIC and I'm thinking, what, a record subsidy, this can't be right and I simply turn to page 100 to see that employee costs were going up for Brisbane Transport, going up almost $5 million. Just the truth Councillor DICK, that's all we need out of you. We're happy to have a reasonable debate, but just—

Councillor SIMMONDS: —but just if the employee costs are going up, don't stand up and say that they're going down, Madam Chairman. The lengths they will go to oppose a very good budget is evident. It's most evident in Councillor GRIFFITHS because we all remember when he stood up, the Chamber of members, he stood up and he railed against resurfacing; there's not enough resurfacing happening in my ward, my suburbs don't get the resurfacing they deserve. So I thought, sugar, we spent $100 million, $100 million in this budget.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Sugar, sugar, we spent $100 million in this budget, what does it take to satisfy Councillor GRIFFITHS. I went back, I went back and I looked at his Council submission for the budget and guess what? Councillor GRIFFITHS put forward six suggestions for resurfacing and guess what? He got five of the six; five of the six.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Listen to this; listen to this, Mortimer Road, Archerfield—

Chairman: Order!

Councillor SIMMONDS: —tick, over $0.5 million.

Chairman: Order!

Councillor SIMMONDS: Rosebank Square, Salisbury, tick, $187,000. Dunstan Street, Moorooka, tick, $122,000. Fernvale Street, Tarragindi, over $1 million and Cracknell Road, Tarragindi, $1.2 million for a grand total of $3.1 million in his ward alone on resurfacing.

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Right? Five out of six resurfacing projects that he suggested are fully funded in this budget. So he's doing his own residents a disservice by standing up here and pretending like there isn't the resurfacing funding for his ward. He'll be doing them a greater disservice if he votes against the $3.1 million of resurfacing money to go into his ward.

But, Madam Chairman, perhaps the hypocrisy's most stark on public transport because here you see this Administration putting in a record $114 million worth of subsidy. This is the total cost to public transport. Councillor NEWTON tried to stand up and say, oh well there's more expense in moving in the transport infrastructure than there is in public transport. She didn't take into account the full cost of running Brisbane Transport because she forgets that we are the only Council that puts in $114 million into public transport. We're the only ones that even come close within a country mile of that. We are certainly the only Council Madam Chairman that puts in significant capital upgrades. Why? Because it's normally the State Government who funds public transport, right? But every day ratepayers reach into their pockets and they subsidise the Brisbane public transport network and over the course of the year to the tune of $114 million.

But it was Councillor NEWTON's quote and I quote, that she was talking about the ‘net results of bus building program’, right? Well what is the net result of the bus building program? Let's just look at it. One hundred per cent of the fleet is now DDA accessible, 100 per cent of the fleet is now air conditioned. The fleet is one of the youngest, if not the youngest in Australia which for a fleet of its—it is the youngest in Australia, thank you Councillor MATIC—which for a fleet of its size is incredible. Councillor NEWTON set the bar pretty low, but guess what, Councillor NEWTON, unlike under your Chairmanship, they don't set themselves on fire either.

Councillor SIMMONDS: They don't set themselves on fire. Do you know what happens? Do you know what happens? Do you know what happens when you have a Labor Chairman in charge of public transport? They set themselves on fire because they ridicule replacements. They stand over there and they ridicule replacing old buses and the net result of that for the people of Brisbane is that they set themselves on fire. That's what we had. That's what we had before this LNP Administration embarked on a massive bus building program.

Madam Chairman, we are delivering 60 new buses this year because that is what is needed to keep our fleet maintained to the high standards. If the State Government, Madam Chairman, wants to do its part, as it should and fund growth services, Madam Chairman, we'd be able to deliver more buses, right? But the problem is—

Councillor interjecting.

Councillor SIMMONDS: —but the problem is, Madam Chairman, that those—

Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, be quiet.

Councillor SIMMONDS: The problem is that the Labor State Government aren't funding growth services.

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Order!

Councillor SIMMONDS: That's the fact of the matter. That's the fact of the matter, so we do the responsible thing and we build the number of buses that we need to make sure the fleet is the youngest in Australia and the most modern in Australia. But there's a whole range of Council initiatives—

Chairman: Councillor SIMMONDS, your time has expired.

Councillor SIMMONDS: Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Thank you, Councillor SUTTON.

Councillor SUTTON: Thank you, Madam Chair, I rise to enter the debate on this program and just to respond to a couple of things that have been said and some of the projects that have been listed in the Moving Brisbane portfolio.

Madam Chair, I remember when the LNP was elected into office in this place and they were elected on a platform of getting Brisbane moving, the Can Do team. I thought it was important to remind people of that because we are so, so far away from that type of attitude in the—that we see in the LNP ranks. They probably don't even remember what Can Do means, Madam Chair, because certainly I—because they are struggling to finish just one project when it comes to upgrading our suburban road corridors.

Keeping aside for the moment, but we should just remember that since they have been elected, their own traffic data says that traffic congestion in Brisbane is 3.5 per cent worse. Traffic congestion in Brisbane is worse under the LNP Administration in this place. Your own data says that and they fly and they fly around trying to find projects that make it look like they're doing something. They make announcements about the ICB, they make announcements and announcements and announcements about the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade program. They make promise after promise after promise about the Wynnum Road upgrade, Madam Chair, and they do nothing. Nothing!

They have been talking about upgrading Wynnum Road since 2008. They said, in 2008, the Wynnum Road upgrade would be finished, finished, by 2012. That's what you said. I didn't say it, Madam Chair, I didn't say it. I actually welcomed it. I gave—pledged political support to it. But you know what? We're a long way past 2012, Madam Chair, and not only has the project not even started, it's been cut in half. We are now looking at Wynnum Road upgrade that is half the scope of what they initially promised and it has taken more than double the time that they first said that they would upgrade within it.

So as I said, Madam Chair, I go back to the start of my speech, they've forgotten what Can Do means. It's not just about, it's not just about—there's more than one Lord Voldemort in terms of LNP world over there and Campbell Newman's only one of them; CityCycle's the other. So let's focus on CityCycle for a moment. Councillor SIMMONDS said we all supported the contract; we had access to the contract. Well, Madam Chair, we did not have access to the contract. Let me make it very clear because as opposition leader, when that contract was signed, I had to go to great lengths, great lengths, I think it actually took a complaint to the Ombudsman and an Ombudsman order to get them to give me the CityCycle contract.

When it showed up on my desk, Madam Chair, half of it was redacted. Then I had to go back to them and actually ask for the commercial in confidence information that they had blacked out in the original version that they gave me. It was only after I had done the proverbial getting blood from a stone, almost 12 months after the contract came to Council, that I got a copy of that contract. That is what the information that we had—that is how hard it was to get information about the CityCycle contract, Madam Chair, because at the time they were out there with their fabulous marketing pitch that it was going to give us $9.5 million in revenue, it was going to fix traffic congestion.

Well, Madam Chair, it hasn't. It hasn't delivered on anything that they promised the residents of Brisbane. In fact it has been a big fat $20 million flop and you go out and ask anyone, anyone, any Brisbane resident that pays their hard-earned cash to this Council through their rates or through the charges that they pay, they will tell you CityCycle is nothing but a big fat $20 million flop courtesy of this LNP Administration, Graham QUIRK and all the rest of the minions sitting on the other side of the Chamber. CityCycle was always about billboard and advertising revenue for this LNP Council; it was never about bikes, it was never about active transport and it was never about busting traffic congestion. That's why they got an advertising company to run the scheme and not anything or anyone or any company that had anything to do with active travel services anywhere in the world.

Moving along to this LNP's lack of commitment to public transport, absolute lack of commitment to public transport; not a single extra bus on Brisbane roads this year, not a single extra bus on Brisbane roads this year as a courtesy of this LNP Administration and they think they should be thanked for it. They think they should be thanked for it and in fact they don't like being reminded of the fact that they are actually delivering 60 fewer buses this term than they committed to going into the 2012 elections. So, Madam Chair, don't listen to what they say, look at what they do; 60 less buses than what they committed to at election time and you know who, Councillor SIMMONDS, cheeky little monster that he is, tried to buy the State Labor Government.

Well what do you know, it was actually Campbell Newman that cut the State Government contribution to those buses and they all know it, they all know it. They all had—and you know what, what did LORD MAYOR Graham Quirk do when Campbell Newman cut that funding? You know what he did? You know what he did, that passionate advocate for Brisbane? He copped it sweet. He absolutely lay down and took it and just said, Campbell I will do and take whatever you dish out to me. He did not once stand up to Campbell Newman and say, this is not on. Not once. He is not an advocate for Brisbane when it comes to public transport. He does not believe it, he does not believe in it and that is why he is not funding any real public transport infrastructure and he is ripping money out of public transport services left, right and centre at any opportunity he can, rather than investing in the services that people need.

Finally, Madam Chair, I want to talk about the road resurfacing increase in funding. Madam Chair, this money, this $100 million is nothing other than catch up. We have got Brisbane roads out there that are no longer—and I've got one in my ward—it's no longer a road, Madam Chair, it is just simply a collection of potholes merged together, being held together. That is the state of some of the Brisbane roads and people are sick of it. People are sick of it and you don't get gold stars for doing the basic services that you should be, that you should be delivering anyway.

For the last four years road resurfacing funding has hovered around that $60 million mark, despite all of the additional need and pressure placed on our network from our severe weather events. It has stayed reasonably consistent, Madam Chair. This $100 million is catch up and catch up alone for funding that should have been more consistently delivered. But what he has done, rather than proper, adequate planning, he has put it all into a pre-election budget sweetener. Well I've said it before and I'll say it again, Brisbane residents are smarter than that. They can spot a phoney from a mile away and I'll tell you what, they spot it—

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor SUTTON: They spotted Campbell Newman and they've spotted Graham QUIRK too and you will be smiling on the other side of your face, Councillor MURPHY, you'll be smiling on the other side of your face, you just wait and see.

Councillor SUTTON: Madam Chair, this road—this Moving Brisbane 2 program leaves a lot to be desired and that is why I just cannot believe that this Administration and the Councillors within it will stand up so often and speak ad nauseam to it. Because really, it lacks substance, it lacks any type of direction and it really once again proves that this LNP Administration has lost its way when it comes to Moving Brisbane.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor McKENZIE.

Councillor McKENZIE: Thanks, Madam Chairman. Well, after we've whipped ourselves up into a frenzy over a couple of issues that were raised by Councillor SUTTON. Just have a look at some of the more sensible issues, the more reasoned way that we're running this city. For example, I understand there was a recent survey that said that Brisbane is one of the least congested cities in Australia. We are going ahead in leaps and bounds in this city. You may use your own guides, but on a basis of most of the cities in Australia, Brisbane is one of the least congested. That's not due, in no small part, to this Administration.

Also Councillor SUTTON, your main obsession with Wynnum Road, which we're all obsessed with of course, but your main obsession with Wynnum Road, I have to remind you that there are other roads in this city apart from Wynnum Road. We look at the whole of Brisbane, not just individual sections like that.

Councillor McKENZIE: Yes, well the south side, Councillor DICK, I was surprised at your criticism of parking fees and parking revenue, I mean what's the alternative? Are we going to have free parking? Are we going to have no parking restrictions in the city? I'd love to hear something that will—

Councillor McKENZIE: —yes, a free for all, why not? But look let's get back to some of the issues that this Administration is very positive in putting forward. Look, every individual in this city has diverse needs of transport as stated by the DEPUTY MAYOR. Just the other day I was at a mobile office and a gentleman came to me on his mobile scooter, his contrivance, and he said, well he loves the bikeways because he can actually get around on them. Now that's something that we have to consider. The joint bikeways and pedestrian ways for people who are disabled, getting around, being able to drive into the city on that is a wonderful freedom for this man.

All cities face challenges in transport these days and now that the TransApex is complete with the construction of Legacy Way, this tunnel builds on previous infrastructures of Clem7 and Go Between Bridge and the State Government's Airport Link. All of these have been criticised by the ALP now and it measurably reduced surface traffic. In the area of public transport, Brisbane City is the only Council which maintains and operates its own public transport bus fleet. This budget will deliver 60 new buses. Now that's nothing to scoff at. Sixty new buses during this current four year term, 300 new air conditioned and accessible rigid equivalent buses, making our fleet the most modern in Australia.

This Administration will continue to fund free CityHopper service and Brisbane's first free inner city ferry service. It will continue to operate the Blue CityGlider and the Maroon Glider, which has been very popular with my constituents as it terminates adjacent to the Holland Park Ward. The 2011 floods caused significant damage to Council's ferry fleet infrastructure and with Federal and State financial assistance, Council was responsible for building permanent, flood resilient terminals at the Regatta, Queensland University of Technology Gardens Point, Sydney Street, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Holman Street, Marine Museum and North Quay.

The building of a network of bikeways throughout Brisbane and in particular the Holland Park Ward received some $344,000 around Greenslopes through the Active Transport. It's proven to be a farsighted and practical strategic policy of previous LNP Administrations and this Administration. This Administration has spent $100 million on bikeways between 2008 and 2012 and will spend a further $120 million between 2012 and 2016. These bikeways and shared pathways will allow future generations of city dwellers safe access to practical, day-to-day bike transport and important recreational activities.

Included in the strategic vision is the Active School Travel program, some $600,000 being earmarked for this budget. All Councillors who participate in this and there's 45 schools across Brisbane, will attest to the multiple benefits of developing transport independence for young children, promoting a healthy attitude and of exercising their bodies and reducing congestion around schools. I'm very pleased with the activities in my ward with the Active School Travel and I'm very much supportive.

The key asset among the city's walkways and bikeways is Riverwalk which has been built with Federal Government funding. Council is rehabilitating this walk and bikeways along the Brisbane River from Bretts Wharf at Hamilton to the William Jolly Bridge which is a wonderful ride or a wonderful walk.

Some of the important activities of Council that can go unnoticed are the important areas of catering for those less fortunate in terms of disabilities and include people who have chronic injury or just difficulty moving and they're older residents. Council's infrastructure bus network has nine bus exchanges, approximately 6,700 actively serviced bus stops, seven bus and three ferry park and ride facilities. To make it possible for commuters of all physical capacities to use these facilities, Council is working towards upgrading these stops to make them Disability Discrimination compatible at a cost of around $7 million in this budget.

Areas that are more observable during the day-to-day activities are basic maintenance areas, most important, road resurfacing has been mentioned; $100 million. Curb and channel, $8 million. Bridges and culverts, $10 million. Footpaths, $17 million. Line marking, signs and public lighting; safety is of paramount importance to this Administration and that is why we are introducing and continue to roll out and fund pedestrian countdown timers $271,000 and portable flashing speed warning signs, $854,000, which nobody can deny are an incredible safety asset in this city. Countdown timers are technology which give pedestrians added information for safely crossing streets. We, however, are powerless to control human behaviour, that is, stop pedestrians stepping off a footpath when the red man lights flash. But now pedestrians can make a safer decision as to whether or not to crash, determining on the amount of time before the light stops flashing.

The portable speed warning signs as mentioned above are a great assistance to most drivers who, by and large, are unintentionally speeding in our suburban streets. With a reduction of speeding of about over nine kilometres per hour across our streets, I believe it is the only measure short of threatening drivers with fines that has quantitatively reduced speeding in our suburban streets.

Finally, I'd like to call attention to the Congestion Reduction Unit and the DEPUTY LORD MAYOR's Parking Taskforce. The Congestion Reduction Unit, with expenditure of $6 million in this budget, will continue to deliver well planned and low cost changes to our streets, which bestow benefits well in excess of the value of the money spent. Well thought out changes in my ward, such as a right turn into Sterculia Avenue from Logan Road and Holland Road continue to provide safe and effective traffic movements, also Holland Road and Cavendish Road. The DEPUTY MAYOR's Parking Taskforce recommendations resulted from detailed consultation with industry groups such as the RACQ and community groups such as parents and citizens. The taskforce's findings are a positive move to address the increasing numbers of vehicles and the static areas of road on which our vehicles have to move and eventually park.

Safety around schools, for example, Holland Park State School, Loreto College and Marshall Road State School will benefit from the examination of the taskforce. $3.5 million spent on this will be well spent and already returning dividends, for example, in the Holland Park Ward through more visual and policing of illegal parking in and around schools in pick up and drop off areas.

Madam Chairman, in conclusion, I strongly support the expenditure in Program 2 of this budget and look forward to working with Council officers to further improve outcomes in this important part of our city's Administration.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor ADAMS.

Councillor ADAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. I rise to speak on Program 2 and to thank the LORD MAYOR and the DEPUTY MAYOR on keeping Brisbane moving and surprisingly I may even speak about a few projects that are actually happening on the south side because there are projects that are happening on the south side.

First of all I'd like to speak about 2.3.4.1 Managing the Network and it is very important in so many parts of managing the network to look at large congestion, small congestion spots that we can fix up very, very simply, but I have to say the project that is of most interest for me, as the Lifestyle Chair, obviously, is the Parking Taskforce recommendations. I have to commend the DEPUTY MAYOR on his magnificent leadership of this taskforce and the recommendations that we see that came from this taskforce and the independent panel. They met regularly, they met for many hours and they reviewed many, many incidences and examples and anecdotes right across the city to come up with their recommendations. I look forward to working with the DEPUTY MAYOR and the Transport Planning and Strategy through our Compliance and Regulatory Services (CARS) in delivering a lot of these recommendations in the coming months and years.

The one I would particularly like to say that is close to my heart as a local Councillor, though, is the school safety improvements. I think all of us are quite aware of the issues that we have around our schools, particularly pick up times in the afternoon and the Parking Taskforce recommendations really do address not only school safety improvements and active travel, but they're also about putting back some responsibility onto the schools to make sure that they are accepting the management plans around their schools so that we can work with them.

The compliance officers are always on the friendly, firm and fair when it comes to around schools. We do realise too, though, that some parents forget about being friendly, firm and fair themselves when it comes to parking around schools. So the idea to actually develop and implement their own traffic and parking management plans, in consultation obviously with traffic and planning support with the local Councillors, with their P&Cs so they can take ownership of the management plans around their schools is going to be an increased bonus for local Councillors to manage their local schools and the traffic management issues around the schools as well.

Another one from the Parking Taskforce recommendations which we will see rolled out through the compliance officers is at the request of schools, trialling driver behaviour monitoring around the school. So many of you will already have seen our highly visible vehicles, I like to call them our Willy Wonka cars, very bright blue and yellow, you cannot miss them. They're out there, our officers are uniformed, they're suburban safety and parking control officers and they are, in the instances around the school, really focusing on suburban safety. They are committed to reducing the risk of injuries to students and their family and they will do this by educating and talking to parents around the school zones, but if needed, they will be enforcing that safe and legal behaviour around the cars as well.

So I think the recommendation around school safety for improvements and traffic management plans is one of the many, many great outcomes we're going to see from the Parking Taskforce and we can see in this budget the LORD MAYOR Graham QUIRK has actually made a commitment to rolling out these recommendations in the next 12 months as well.

Still going with the projects with managing the network, I have to say as a local Councillor, thank you very, very much for the extra money funding towards the portable flashing signs. Again, I think every Councillor in this place, whether you're on the north side, south side, east or west, will gladly accept the funding for them to make the independent decision on whether they get another sign or whether they move the sign they have more frequently, but they can manage the signs themselves to what their residents need. I know my residents are always asking for the sign to come back to their street. I think the opportunity to have more signs is very, very exciting and I think my residents will appreciate that. More than anything, it is a lot easier than Local Area Traffic Management for people to realise that they do need to slow down in our local streets.

Guess what, Madam Chair? Every Councillor is getting that allocation of money, not just those on the north side. People on the south side are getting the portable flashing signs allocation as well.

When it comes to the smoother suburban streets, we have seen a 66 per cent increase on the resurfacing of roads. I hear Councillor SUTTON saying it’s just catch up, it’s just catch up. This money is not the money that's being used to fix all of those streets four or five years ago that were inundated by floods. I can assure you right now I've been sitting very patiently in the Wishart Ward, totally accepting the fact that there were suburbs in the Tennyson Ward and suburbs in the Walter Taylor Ward and suburbs in the Morningside Ward that used millions of dollars for flood repair and we understand that, Madam Chair. We understand that. So the absolute ridiculousness of the outrage we see here, because I didn't get as much as they got and they didn't get this on the north side and we got it on the south side—it is just ridiculous. It is absolutely—

Councillor ADAMS: It's pathetic, thank you, Councillor KNAPP, I'll take your interjection. This 66 per cent increase will see smoother, safer suburban streets and yes, I did get many streets in my ward and thank you very much, DEPUTY MAYOR, because even though Wishart is a reasonably new suburb, Mt Gravatt—

Councillor ADAMS: —it's on the south side, I know, shame. Mt Gravatt East and Mansfield are not reasonably new suburbs and they do have streets that are desperately in need for resurfacing and I thank you for recognising that across the priorities across the city, not the priorities on the north side versus the south side, the priorities across the city where these lists have come together from our recommendations and from officers' recommendations on the streets that need it most. Not on the ones that can spit the dummy the furthest, Madam Chair, that is not how I believe DEPUTY MAYOR sits down and goes through the list with Council officers. We come up with a priority list and I would like to recognise and thank the DEPUTY MAYOR for the work that will be done particularly in the Mt Gravatt East and Mansfield suburbs over the next 12 months.

We also see local access network improvements, again something in my ward which I greatly appreciate having the Brisbane urban corridor travelling through my ward. Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road is an increasingly busy road and it's the connector of our streets onto that road that we really do need to look at and I thank the DEPUTY MAYOR for the support on that with Broadwater Road connections with Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road, Newnham Road at Mt Gravatt Capalaba Road and just further down onto another State intersection, Newnham and Logan Road. All hotspots, very big hotspots when it comes to peak hour, Broadwater when it comes to school hours as well and to be able to do tweaks around these intersections to make my residents and those travelling the ward to the coast, for example, to the Gateway Motorway, most people will need to go through these intersections from the south side. They'll make great improvements to the traffic flow through those local suburbs in the south side of Brisbane, Madam Chair.

Last but not least, I would just also like to, I suppose thank the State Government for recognising that even schools on major roads need flashing signs to indicate school zones as well because I've been a strong advocate for even if schools are on main roads, that our residents need to realise they need to slow down around school hours as well. So it's fantastic to see that schools that are along Logan Road, Klumpp Road and Newnham Road will see the upgrades for the school zone signs coming up in the next 12 months. They are very busy schools, they have all worked well in the Active School Travel and they have been petitioning me for this for many years as well and they're very excited.

One of the interesting comments was that maybe Logan Road didn't need it because it is difficult to do more than 40 anyway in the afternoon at school pick up time, but I think the realisation on Logan Road is that there is many, many students, three schools within a kilometre of each other, there needs to be awareness of those without children, without kids at school, that it is school pick up time and it's a major road connector and it's fantastic to see this being delivered in the local ward. I commend LORD MAYOR Graham QUIRK and the DEPUTY MAYOR to Program 2.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR.

Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I rise to speak in support of Program 2 and this is a very important program within this budget. It is a significant aspect of what we do across our city and particularly it does encompass all aspects of generations across our city. We do the education programs through our schools, with our Active School Travel. We also, as part of that Active School Travel, teach the young people in our schools how to appropriately use our public transport system and this, in itself, is a very valuable part of the Active School Travel program.

Madam Chairman, I know I've spoken in this place many, many times about the fact that I believe I have the best bus depot in the whole city in my ward, being the Willawong Bus Depot and I refer to outcome 2.2 Public Transport, Madam Chairman, about providing high quality public transport services. That is what our drivers at our depots do. They are the face of Council in our buses and I would just like to take this opportunity to thank them for all the work that they do getting people across our city in a very safe and responsible manner.

Madam Chairman, I would like to refer to service 2.3.2.1 Building the Transport Network. Madam Chairman, I am extremely pleased to see that on page 59 of the budget document that we have the Stapylton Road and Johnson Road intersection upgrade in the forwards, detailed in this budget document. That is very important because after the 2011 floods there were certain decisions that needed to be made across this city to ensure that certain areas were supported at that time and this was one of the projects that, also due to Logan City Council not coming up with the dollars at the time as well, a decision was made that we would look at it at a later date because there were major priorities that needed to be addressed straight away in other wards.

So it's great to see that this project is back in the budget document and certainly I have got a meeting set up with representatives from Logan City Council to start the discussions again to make sure that they come up with the dollars to meet us on this joint project, given that it is on our city boundaries.

I would also like to refer to major traffic improvements in the intersections, because Algester Road is listed there, Madam Chairman, and there certainly is a very dangerous bend on Algester Road where there has been a fatality in the past. If people are going around that bend too quickly, it is very dangerous. There will be a new sign going up to warn people of that bend which is a great project and certainly it will enhance the safety.

Madam Chairman, I refer now to service 2.3.2.2 and in particular the bridge and culvert constructions and listed in this appendix as well is the boardwalk in Billabong Place and there's $649,000 there. Madam Chairman, I spoke earlier in Program 1 about the erosion controls that have been funded in Program 1 in Billabong Place and this all comes together because what has been happening is where the creek goes through Billabong Place, it has actually eroded under the boardwalk and these two programs complement each other nicely and we will see a major reconstruction of that boardwalk and that will improve accessibility for residents in that local area.

I also note in that same appendix there is the King Avenue bridge bearings and that is very important because that is a major contributor to the east west corridor and it is a very vital piece of infrastructure. So I appreciate that that is getting addressed as well.

Madam Chairman, in relation to the enhanced school zone signage, this is a fantastic project that we are really embarking on in a very positive way. School zone signage is something that I have championed for many, many years and particularly in my area, the schools have been very receptive to improvements that Council has made. I know that the St John's College junior and senior campus and Forest Lake High School will be very appreciative of the new signage that will be going up outside their schools.

Madam Chairman, also in this service area is the Paradise Road upgrade and this realignment is also very important as well because there has been one child fatality and one very near death experience for a child as well as a result of motor vehicle accidents on the bend in Paradise Road. I know that the officers have been doing extensive work behind the scenes to get this to this stage and I do thank them for all of their efforts.

In respect of safe school travel, I do note that there is funding that has come through for the Algester State School access improvements to the drop off zone. This will allow people in wheelchairs and mothers with prams to actually go down a ramp instead of having to try to navigate stairs around the drop off zone which is a great outcome for the local community.

Madam Chairman, work is underway, it has commenced on the Stapylton Road Widening project that is detailed also in this service area and can I say that the residents are seeing very prompt action as a result of what is going on out there. I was out there a few days ago inspecting it and they are not wasting any time; they are really getting on with the job and I expect that this project will be completed very quickly because they are working considerably hard.

Now referring to service 2.3.3.1, Madam Chairman, the Roads Network Resurfacing, this is an extremely welcome component of the budget, particularly in my ward. Anyone who knows my ward knows that we have many of the top 10 bus routes operating throughout the Algester/Parkinson area, particularly for a lot of those residents who come into the CBD. Most of those buses will either travel on Nottingham Road, Algester Road or Ridgewood Road and so within this schedule, there is about $2 million of funding for resurfacing that major road corridor which is greatly appreciated.

Madam Chairman, I would just like to finish with the portable flashing speed warning signs. These signs have been extremely well received in my local community and knowing the number of requests that I get for them and the consistency of those requests to be in certain locations, I can advise the Chamber that I think I was the first Councillor to put in my order for some new signs and also I've coordinated with the officers already about the turnover of those signs as well. So to the DEPUTY MAYOR and also to the LORD MAYOR for this new funding, this is a great initiative and it will certainly enhance the safety of our local communities, so on behalf of the residents of Parkinson Ward, thank you for the investment in our local community to make it safer. Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Further debate?

DEPUTY MAYOR, would you care to sum up?

DEPUTY MAYOR: Yes, thank you, Madam Chairman, and thank you to all Councillors who participated in the debate on Moving Brisbane. I did want to address a few things briefly. There has been extensive debate about a range of things in this portfolio and I won’t cover all of those things and go over ground that has already been covered, but I do want to raise a couple of points and particularly some of the strange comments that have been made by opposition Councillors.

Councillor MURPHY said it and he referred to Councillor GRIFFITHS' comments about parking meters being a tax. Well parking meters were introduced in this city I think back in the 1950s, back in the 1950s, so they're nothing new in the City of Brisbane and I'm not sure who was in office back in the 1950s, but it certainly wasn't the Liberal Party or the National Liberal Party in Queensland didn't exist back then and we certainly weren't running for Council elections. It was probably a Labor Administration that first introduced parking meters in Brisbane.

But what I will say is that if parking meters are a tax and they're all about revenue raising, then we're not particularly good at it in Brisbane, because the price of CBD on-street parking is $4.40 today per hour. Twelve years ago under Labor it was $4, so over that time we've seen an increase of 40 cents in 12 years. The GST has come in since then, there's been inflation. If you took just inflationary increases on Labor's parking charges from 12 years ago, it would be about $5.40 today and that's just with inflationary charges alone. But we know that Labor didn't ever stick to inflation when it came to parking, they like to increase parking fees and charges well above inflation. So Brisbane has parking that has not increased above inflation compared with Labor's price of $4 twelve years ago.

But more importantly, Labor won’t talk about their secret plan for a parking tax or a parking levy. They refuse to acknowledge it. It was in their 2002 transport plan for Brisbane shortly before they were punted. That plan involves the imposition of a tax on every single CBD parking space. That's both Council spaces and private spaces, so if you think the parking in private parking stations is expensive now, can you imagine what it would be under Labor?

Now this is not something that is unusual for—

Councillors interjecting.

DEPUTY MAYOR: —this is not something that is unusual for Labor governments to do, because it has been done in other cities in Australia and I will point out that it was done in Melbourne. Back in 2006 a parking tax or a parking levy of $400 per space in the CBD was imposed. Do you think its $400 now? It has risen from $400 to $1340. So the Victorian State Government is addicted to this revenue from the parking tax and it continues to go up and up and up and up. So when Labor talks about parking meter revenue somehow being a tax, no, taxes are in their DNA, we know they want to introduce a parking levy and we know that if they ever get onto this side of the Chamber, that will be coming and it will go up and up and up and up, just as it's done in other areas in other cities.

Councillor DICK talked about parking revenue and he mentioned that the revenue from parking meters and parking stations and also parking fines will be $60 million. Well it's not, it's less than that. It's estimated to be about $57 million, which is actually less than it was estimated to be last financial year and I would point out that this budget sees the second consecutive year where we haven't increased parking charges. The only thing we've done is reduced parking charges because we've introduced the 15 minute free parking at more than 7,500 meters across the city and in the King George Square and Wickham Terrace car parks and off peak we've introduced $5 parking in those inner city parking stations as well. So we've reduced parking fees; Labor's record is the opposite, which is to increase parking fees.

This speculation about the CBD kerbside audit and about whether it may roll out extra meters, I addressed this in the information session and I've said it publicly and to the media, this will likely result in fewer metered spaces in the CBD and it will result in more than likely more loading zones and drop off areas, more clearways, more taxi ranks, more disability parking and opportunity for access and probably more extended footpaths like we will see in Edward Street going forward. So far from increasing the number of metered spaces in the CBD, it will probably reduce metered spaces. So I will be happy to come back when the results of that audit are ready, to prove that fact to Councillor DICK, if he's still here, that is.

Councillor SUTTON mentioned that traffic congestion is getting worse and according to our own figures, apparently, it's 3.5% worse. This illustrates that Councillor SUTTON and her colleagues don't actually understand the reports that are produced on traffic congestion. Traffic volumes are 3.5% higher, but traffic congestion isn't 3.5% higher. We measure volumes and the increase in volumes and then we measure travel times and we had a 3.5% increase in volume year-on-year but we only had a six second increase in travel times and that was in the AM peak. In the PM peak, it was only a three second increase in travel times. So despite a significant number of extra vehicles on the road, we're talking about a matter of seconds here. So Councillor SUTTON and her colleagues would make you believe that you're sitting in the car for an extra half an hour because of what the LNP may or may not have done. We're talking about seconds, despite continued and sustained growth in volume on the Brisbane road network.

She likes to talk about Wynnum Road and how we're not getting on with it, but Councillor SUTTON has performed a very acrobatic manoeuvre in recent times about the Wynnum Road upgrade. I remember time and time again she came in this place saying, I fully support this project, I just want it to happen, fully support it, let's get on with it, I'll back you up 100 per cent. But then suddenly, in recent times, she's said, oh should be bus lanes—

DEPUTY MAYOR: —bus lanes and this is a bit of a new thing here.

Chairman: Councillor ABRAHAMS!

DEPUTY MAYOR: So I'm not exactly clear on what it is that Councillor SUTTON wants, because unless she wants us to build six lanes plus bus lanes, six lanes plus bus lanes, eight lanes of traffic, additional property resumptions, additional cost, then we can only assume that it's four lanes plus bus lanes, which is basically what it is right now. There's four lanes of general traffic on the road right now, so she's basically saying we should spend $120 million to provide a few hundred metres of bus lanes and she's saying that we should provide bus lanes that don't connect into any other bus lanes, so you'll essentially have a situation where there's four lanes, suddenly 700 metres of bus lanes and then back into general traffic again.

It just doesn't make sense to me and she can harp all she wants about this project, but her own position has been inconsistent and is constantly changing with this latest acrobatic backflip that she's done. I can only assume that she now doesn't support six lanes of general traffic; she supports four lanes of general traffic and two bus lanes, one on each side.

So someone else mentioned, I think it was Councillor SIMMONDS, mentioned very clearly that Labor Councillors' position on a whole range of issues just continues to chop and change. One minute they're for something, next minute they're against it—

Chairman: DEPUTY MAYOR, your time has expired.

DEPUTY MAYOR: —yes.

Chairman: Thank you.