Minutes of proceedings

5. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM:

Councillor Krista ADAMS, Chairman of the Brisbane Lifestyle Committee, moved, seconded by Councillor Andrew WINES, that for the services of the Council the allocations for the Operations and the Projects for the year 2015-16 and the Rolling Recurrent Operations Contracts and the Rolling Projects for the Public Health and Safety program as contained on pages 103 to 110 so far as they relate to Program 5, be adopted.

Councillor ADAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. Program 5 plays a pivotal role in protecting the health and safety of Brisbane residents and visitors. Council's Public Health and Safety program provides a range of important services through the provision of effective community health services, personal security of citizens and their property, security of the city and community safety services, and of course, Brisbane City Cemeteries.

Council’s Immunisation Services help to reduce Brisbane's exposure to vaccine preventable diseases through three key activities: school-based vaccination programs delivering on behalf of Queensland Health (QH), free community clinics and the influenza vaccination program.

The school-based vaccination program will be delivered to 100 high schools comprising more than 300 individual school visits, 9,000 students and about 45,000 single vaccinations. In 2015-16 we expect to deliver 10 weekly and four fortnightly community clinics across 14 locations in Brisbane, vaccinating approximately 15,000 clients. Currently, 91.6 per cent of children who are five years old in Brisbane are fully vaccinated. Council expects to immunise up to 10 per cent of Brisbane's children between six and five years in the coming financial year. We are currently the top sole service provider in Queensland, administering over 73,000 vaccinations in both the infant and school-based immunisation programs.

In 2015-16, the vaccination program to schools will deliver three vaccines to year 8 female and male students. A study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that the incidences of the precursors to cervical cancer in women under the age of 24 have gradually decreased due to the implementation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that has been in the school-based program since 2007. Council has vaccinated over 158,000 students against HPV.

Public Health Strategies and Services deliver on public health strategies through campaigns, public education and engagement about animals and public health programs. For example, we provide funding to the Australian Veterinary Association to deliver the Pets and People Education Program to schools across Brisbane. In partnership with them, officers attend primary schools to promote awareness of responsible pet ownership, safety around animals and healthy living. More than 440 school programs will be delivered in 2015-16 reaching more than 30,000 primary school students.

We have micro-chipping events at discounted prices across Brisbane. We manage the Local Government Toolbox, a collaborative initiative across South East Queensland councils, where we provide Brisbane and South East Queensland residents, customers and local government officers access, to and sharing of, consistent information and processes.

Improving Water Safety Outcomes project aims to reduce drowning and immersions of young children. With 70,000 backyard pools in Brisbane, we play an important role in proactively and reactively promoting pool safety awareness and compliance.

The Suburban Safety Mobile Technology project provides improved camera technology to keep residents safe and ensure access to footpaths. This project is essential to keeping our roads clear, and motorists, pedestrians and cyclists safe. It is anticipated that project will deliver on a number of key outcomes, particularly from the Parking Taskforce review this year, and a reduction in poor driver behaviour around schools that endangers the lives of children, improve road and pedestrian safety, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance access to community amenities. It will also explore analytics technology in vehicles and static cameras for issues around illegal dumping sites to identify offenders and maintain the amenity of our city.

Controlling mosquitoes by monitoring and treating breeding habits is important to enhance and protect the health of Brisbane residents. The LORD MAYOR has made a commitment to the residents of Brisbane that, based on recommendations from the Council Entomologist, we will always do necessary treatments that are needed at any time. We will have a third rodent detection dog joining our team of Myra and Pepper this year, with Collie coming online to train with our older dogs. With over 800 requests a year from residents and businesses, and 1,750 rodent bating stations, they will be kept very busy.

The rate of Ross River virus unfortunately did increase in 2014-15 with the culmination of ideal freshwater and saltwater mosquito breeding conditions. This steady rise has made sure that Council will treat more than 20,000 hectares in its aerial spraying program in 2015-16. It is driven by tide and rain induced activity, but we will continue to manage our 3,000 recognised mosquito breeding sites and undertake other activities to mitigate Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus. Last year we had the biggest spend and the biggest aerial spray since 1998. We are committed to making sure that we are looking after public health and safety in this arena.

Our law enforcement and animal management team will provide the best practice animal management services across Brisbane. Daily patrols of recreational areas, dog off-leash parks, foreshore areas, known hotspots where we can educate animal owners and ensure public spaces are safe when they are shared by both pet owners and those who don't own pets. The Finding Irresponsible Dog Owners (FIDO) campaign follows up on expired dog registrations by phone and SMS reminders, and we also have FIDO supported by BARC, our Brisbane Active Registration Compliance campaign, where we will go out this year through at least eight suburbs, again doorknocking over 2,500 properties to have direct visit with those that we think may not be in compliance with their registration.

We will likely respond again to more than 22,000 complaints from customers around animal management issues—wandering dogs, dogs not being walked on a leash, unregistered and barking dogs. The micro-chipping events will continue as well, and we will make sure that we invite our local businesses to be involved as we hold those events across the city.

The Animal Welfare League (AWL) of Queensland has managed Queensland animal shelters at Willawong and Warra since October 2014, and will continue to provide that service through 2015-16. The change in the service provided reflects Council's continuing commitment to our fundamental aspiration that every healthy suitable animal will be rehomed. What we are seeing with the AWL is a definite increase in this outcome. More than 85 per cent of dogs and 79 per cent of cats brought to the shelter were rehomed in 2014-15, and we are expecting to see this increase in the next financial year.

AWL's recent four-day promotion, Game of Bones, which was held at Warra Shelter on Queen's Birthday weekend, actually found homes for 118 animals compared with their monthly average of 50 or 60 animals. So they are doing some fantastic work, the AWL.

City Amenity and Food Safety contributes to protecting community health, safety and amenity standards. This is our 24/7 frontline rapid response capacity for matters of public health, safety and risk. Our fantastic Rapid Response Group (RRG), established in 2009, is Queensland's first local government 24/7 front line response, and in 2015-16 they will continue to provide their expedient, professional and collaborative responses to high-priority incidences across the city.

Processing health licence applications in accordance with legislation standards is a huge part of our EatSafe program, with 7,000 food businesses last financial year, and it will be growing. We've got a larger population of business start-ups. We expect an increase of five per cent in food business applications this coming year, and we will make sure that we make it easy for them to do business with Brisbane. We anticipate a 150 per cent increase in licences for our food stall vendors. What we have seen, it will make it easier to do business with Council this year as well.

EatSafe continues to make sure that we have got the safest restaurants for the public in Brisbane. Approximately 90 per cent of Brisbane's licensed food businesses have a food safety rating of three to five stars, and we provide information for EatSafe in four different languages—Vietnamese, traditional and simplified Chinese, Sudanese and Arabic. We've also got Mandarin speaking liaison officers that are working with us to make sure we provide food safety advice to Chinese community groups.

Our mandatory food audit safety audits are also scheduled according to star ratings. We will undertake a number of measures this year, including 5,800 food safety audits, but also following up the nearly 1,100-plus complaints we get reactively from the community as well. We make no apology that we will immediately close any business that presents serious risks to public safety.

As to response for amenity, litter and safety issues across Brisbane suburbs through the Suburban Amenity and Litter Team (SALT), we have brochures with messages in four languages again—Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and English—which are made available in our regional centres, ward offices and through the schools, if targeted, around the consequences of leaving trolleys outside shopping centres. We have also got our SALT supporting the RRG in the event of any significant weather events as well.

Our Suburban Safety Team will work closely with schools to ensure school zones are safe for parents and children. We will do more than 580 patrols of school zones, conduct 10 weekly patrols of disability parking in four major shopping precincts: Westfield Chermside, Westfield Carindale Centro, Buranda and Centro Toombul. We will respond to more than 11,000 complaints on suburban safety.

Securing citizen safety and that of their property is also essential to maintain liveability in Brisbane. The community expects Council to respond to disaster events which is why we support the Brisbane State Emergency Service (SES) to provide immediate support in the event of a significant weather or disaster event in the city. The SES accommodation provides new depot construction projects; we will see improvements for the Council's south-west SES group at Richlands Primary School site, including vehicle and storage bays. We have also got the development approval to start the work for the depot at Morningside for the eastern SES group.

SES Logistics, Fundraising and Services Program; Council will match dollar for dollar the fundraising efforts by SES volunteers, and make payments to volunteers in recognition for attendance and long service commitments. Volunteers are likely to respond to around five and a half thousand requests for assistance in 2015-16, we are more than happy if that number comes down. The membership volunteer of the SES by the end of 2015-16 is expected to be more than 1,100 members, we are hoping to see that five percent increase going into the year.

Crime Prevention Planning and Services contribute to making Brisbane a city that’s safe through a number of important initiatives. We are developing best practice community safety strategies and embedding Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, or CPTED, into all our planning and development assessment process. We undertake CPTED safety audits in identified locations and coordinate responses to priority safety issues and actions. In 2014-15 we did 35 audits by the end of May we will aim for 25 but we will do more if needed.

In 2015-16 this Council will spend more than $11 million dollars on safety initiative responses. We also empower our residents and business to help them remove graffiti by providing technical advice, graffiti removal kits and paint vouchers. Several projects are supported through this service including Taskforce Against Graffiti (TAG), which will continue the proactive and reactive rapid removal of graffiti across the city, education and engagement. Our TAG units will continue to track activity by reporting on incidents volumes across time and locations and is anticipated we will remove between 25,000 and 30,000 incidents of graffiti from Council and community assets over the coming year.

Madam Chair, since 2011-12 Council has delivered best practice graffiti management services with year-end savings, and the budget proposed for 2015 16 reflects the actual cost of the maintenance of graffiti management that we have been delivering to Brisbane to have such a standard of excellence that the residents expect from this Council.

City Safe continues with our 24/7 closed circuit television (CCTV) operations rooms, to improve the safety in the inner-city and Valley malls across 81 cameras. B-SAFE promotes community safety in Brisbane by making sure sharps bins are delivered and cleared so we can reduce the risk of needle stick injuries. Of course our Suburban Crime Prevention Grants will again offer $250,000 in grants to suburban businesses, not-for-profit, community and sporting groups to support safety initiatives such as CCTV cameras, improved lighting, signage and vegetation management.

It is anticipated in 2015-16 the grants program will be between 40 to 60 organisations from approximately 70 grant applications. The examples of some of the last years safety grants, if you were thinking of some groups that you may be able to support in the next financial year, Aussie Bike Auto & Boat Loan has got CCTV installation—installed, I should say. Seikukan karate club at Wavell Heights had lights and cameras put in as well.

In summary, Madam Chair, Program 5, Public Health and Safety, ensures that Council has the highest possible health and safety standards and protects our residents, businesses and visitors.

In closing I would like to extend my appreciation to all the Council officers who work in our Public Health and Safety program for their commitment and hard work. So often they are the front line and the first person there to help our residents in time of crisis, in time of need or in time of complaint and I have to say they do a fantastic job to ensure the health and safety of residents and visitors are kept at a premium. I recommend the program to the Chamber.

Chairman: Further debate

Councillor NEWTON.

Councillor NEWTON: Yes, thanks very much Madam Chair, I rise to speak on Program 5, Public Health and Safety, and I’d like to start the way Councillor ADAMS finished up, which is to thank the Council officers in this area. I think this is probably one of the most difficult balancing acts we expect any of our Council officers to do, because this is our enforcement area to make sure the public health and safety of residents of Brisbane are protected but at the same time making sure that we are not taking a purely punitive approach. And I think every day our local laws team have to tread that very fine line, and I think between local laws officers and our bus drivers, I think they are probably some of the most difficult jobs that exist within Council; and probably laying asphalt is another one of those, in terms of difficult jobs and hard jobs that people have to do. So my thanks to all those officers.

I also wanted to pay a huge thanks to the 1,082 SES volunteers that are part of this program as well. They’ve had another very difficult year. I think the last three or four years have been particularly challenging, in terms of disaster management and response. Personally speaking, in my area we had a number of challenges both in November, and again on 1 May, where there was some significant damage done in very trying times and some people severely affected for the first time in over 40 years. So my thanks to those amazing people as well.

So this is our public health and safety area where we deal with everything from cemeteries to vaccinations, animal management, mozzies, food safety. So it's quite a broad-ranging area when you consider the seven pages or six pages it takes up in the Council budget. It does encompass a broad range of experience people have with Brisbane City Council.

Again, I'd like to make a note of a few things. There were some carry-overs again in this budget. This time they were related to the Richlands and Morningside SES depots. So there's some work that was funded last year that's coming over to this year. In terms of easy things to note in this budget, because I think Councillor ADAMS was upset I made an easy observation in the last program, my easy observation in this program is that we're spending $800,000 less on citizen safety in the expenses and nearly $1.9 million less in capital expenses. Just an interesting, easy observation to make, Madam Chair.

There are a few areas I do wish to talk about in terms of animal management to start with. This is a big issue in the city and this is one of those delicate balancing acts. We know that we've got nearly 99,000 dogs registered with the City of Brisbane and last financial year we received 5,500 noise complaints from residents, Madam Chair. Our pounds reunited 2,538 of the 4,242 animals that were surrendered to those pounds. So only 55 per cent of the dogs—sorry, animals that wound up at our animal shelters were reunited with their owners. I think that we've still got a bit of a way to go to make sure that residents are best equipped as possible to ensure that they're able to be easily reunited with their pest. So we've still got a bit of a way to go.

But on a positive note, I think Councillors on this side of the Chamber warmly welcome the change from the Lost Dogs' Home managing our animal shelters to the AWL . We know what a disaster it was with the previous provider and what appalling outcomes there were for many animals that passed through those doors. The feedback I'm getting from animal rescue organisations is that they really are enjoying a much better relationship with the AWL, something that many of them have had for a number of years.

We've got a number of organisations that work in rescue that specialise in particular dog breeds to ensure that the right dog is matched up with the right home. Because there are particular breeds that I know from example talking the arctic breed rescuer over the weekend, Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute Rescue of Queensland, often people are purchasing Siberian Huskies because they look a lot like wolves, thanks to Game of Thrones, Madam Chair, but they're finding that the dogs are very active dogs; they're not used to sitting around quietly and lolling around and looking pretty. So you need to make sure that they're matched up with the right home.

So by having an organisation like the AWL working—who have a good relationship with those specialist rescue breeds, hopefully we'll see some better outcomes for those animals passing through those doors at the end of the day. Because I think that there is nothing—in terms of animal management, there's nothing worse than seeing suitable pets being put down just simply because they haven't got a home, Madam Chair.

On that, we know in March that we still saw, with the figures that Councillor ADAMS raised, if you flip them over, that 14.25 per cent of suitable dogs were euthanised this financial year up to March, and 20 per cent of cats. So we're not talking about feral cats that are unsuitable, Madam Chair. So we've still got a long way to go. I note that Council leaves that responsibility to deal with, with the AWL.

Thankfully the track record to-date proves that they have a very strong commitment to reducing that euthanisation rate of suitable animals, Madam Chair. But I still think Council can still play a role, not just devolve that to the people operating our animal shelters, Madam Chair. After all, this Council will collect nearly $6 million in revenue from dog registration alone, from pet owners, Madam Chair. So I think that—yes, I think there's something we can certainly do in terms of education as well. So, Madam Chair, it's very important.

Just moving through the program as well, I just wanted to note that not all parking fine revenue sits in Program 2. Of course in the—on page 105, Suburban Safety, Mobile Technology, the revenue shown there is the anticipated revenue from fine revenue from enforcement around schools. Just noting that one, Madam Chair.

Also, I wanted to touch a bit on mosquitos and midge management, Madam Chair. Being the Councillor whose area is probably one of the worst affected by mosquitos and biting midgets, having the wonderful privilege of representing an area with a lot of waterways and next to the bay, it is something that's quite a significant impact. We know that, from the information sessions, residents in the suburb of Deagon have the privilege of being in the number 1 hotspot for the biting midge in the whole of Brisbane. Now the problem with the biting midget, Madam Chair, is there is currently no treatment to prevent the biting midge breeding, and we know that this is spreading further and further around the city.

I do note that there is ongoing work within Council, within the entomology team to try to come up with environmentally appropriate ways to manage the biting midget. It is a challenge because current treatments would wipe out all wildlife in the waterways and that's not something we would support. But it is a real problem because it's only recently emerged in the last couple of years in the northern waterways. These biting midges are not deterred by conventional means like screens on doors and windows, Madam Chair, and it's causing great concern, particularly for people who are elderly and people with small children who are particularly affected.

Also this year I cannot talk about this program without mentioning the worst Ross River fever epidemic we've had in over 20 years, Madam Chair. Again, there are residents in my area who were severely impacted by this. Indeed, the first three months of this year from January to March, we saw in the Brisbane area 2,835 cases of Ross River fever, 500 more than the whole calendar year before, Madam Chair.

Now I just want to pay a bit of a contrast here, because I think that we should be looking for what learnings—what went right? What went wrong? What can we do better? What can we do smarter so that our residents aren't left thinking, what's going to happen next season? Are we going to be facing the same kind of outbreak as last year? Because it is a—Ross River fever and Barmah Forest virus are very debilitating illnesses. Not just for that period, but they can have recurring implications throughout your life, Madam Chair.

So obviously, as a local authority we do have a responsibility to try to do the best we can to protect our residents from these viruses, Madam Chair. So I note that Councillor ADAMS was very quick to take credit for the vaccination programs resulting in a reduction in preventable illnesses, Madam Chair, and that's something we all want to see is doing our very best in preventable illnesses. But why isn't—as soon as you mention the jumps in Ross River fever cases and Barmah Forest virus cases, that's deflected; that's somebody else's fault. We'll blame the entomologists and we'll blame somebody else or we'll blame the rain, Madam Chair.

Councillor NEWTON: The residents in Brisbane deserve better. They deserve better and we need to be doing better, Madam Chair. I can't—this is my last Council budget meeting as Councillor for Deagon Ward and I cannot let that one go and see my residents potentially face another bad season.

Madam Chair, also this year represents crunch time in terms of the pool safety obligations. We see that the pool legislation requiring—pool fencing legislation is required to be enacted by the end of this year. There's certainly—

Chairman: Councillor NEWTON, your time has expired.

Councillor NEWTON: Thank you, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor WINES.

Councillor WINES: Thank you, Madam Chairman, I rise in support of Program 5, Public Health and Safety. It's a fantastic program but I'd also like to begin by recognising the efforts and thanking the efforts of the officers. Because I would imagine that there are times when enforcing the regulations to the Council would be very unpleasant. People can be very sensitive when criticised. I just wanted to thank them now, at the beginning of this speech, for the work that they do.

One of my favourite parts of this program is a thing called the Taskforce Against Graffiti, which is a seven year old program now, that basically is a Council and Queensland Police Service joint initiative designed to combat graffiti in our suburbs. Earlier today I spoke about the benefit of public art in combating graffiti, but while that's a shield, there needs to be a sword to go with that program to make sure that people who do do the wrong thing around graffiti do face the consequences for damaging the private property of other people, but also the public property belonging to this Council.

Because while many people feel—particularly younger people feel that it may well be a harmless act, it is not. It is an extremely expensive act that causes huge amounts of cost to be incurred by this Council, and therefore the public, in merely restoring and protecting existing assets. That's really well demonstrated in an ongoing program that we work with the Crime Stoppers Queensland organisation.

The cost of crime this year, this calendar year—so it's already commenced, we'll be continuing through the second half of this year—cost of crime, vandalism—of course many will remember last year’s cost of crime graffiti. It demonstrates the power of the actual cost per item to repair these things. So I just wanted to point out that relationship with both Crime Stoppers and the Queensland Police Service who are working with Council to ensure that we protect our assets but also explain to people the value of our assets and how much it costs them and what could have been there had we not had to spend the money on repairing graffiti damage and vandalised equipment.

I also wanted to point out in the program, there's a specific line item about a high school education program. it's approximately 7,500 students, are explained to them why it's uncool; why graffiti is uncool and they should not do it, support it or think that people who engage in graffiti and vandalism, that it's something that's good for them, because it has an ongoing cost.

I also wanted to point out that the thing about TAG—I'll just go back to TAG briefly, what has been good about it is that people have been held to account for what they've done. This year, it is anticipated—or it is probably that 80 offenders will be charged with somewhere between 1,800 to 2,000 graffiti-based offenses in this financial year coming, which is pretty concerning considering that after all these years there are still people who tag, there are still people who vandalise and there are still people who actively graffiti in this city. They do it knowing—because it's getting to be an older program now—they do it in a full knowledge that this Council takes battling graffiti very seriously.

I also want to talk about working with local businesses and community groups to ensure that these things don't continue on. One of the programs is through our CCTV grants program, which is also here. It has been a really successful program and I know that a number of my businesses, principally auspices through the Chambers of Commerce, have taken up this opportunity. I must recommend it to all people in this room because it is excellent, if you can encourage your communities to get involved to do it as well.

So I recognise that the CCTV program both through the Council and that supported by Council has been taken up by many groups, both community and supporting and as well as private and community services organisations, to ensure that—again, it's all about holding people to account for what they've done and making sure that there's a disincentive there for those activities to occur.

I also just wanted to speak briefly about the entomologist and thank him for his work. because he and his team—this Council relies on their advice to give the people, particularly in the north-eastern suburbs and where there are a number of creeks and still waters, the best opportunity to battle airborne diseases or mosquito-borne disease—not airborne but mosquito-borne diseases. So I just wanted to recognise their efforts and their ongoing contributions to this city.

There is so much in here, Madam Chairman, to recommend and I know that there are a number of speakers still to come. So I recommend this program, I'll be voting for it today, and I encourage all Councillors to do so.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor GRIFFITHS.

Councillor GRIFFITHS: Yes, thanks Madam Chair, I'll speak to Program 5 and the various parts of that program. Just to note in relation to the program with citizen security, there was a drop in expenses. Madam Chair, it was ingesting to hear that the Rapid Response crews that go out across our city with regards to the top five issues that they had to respond to last financial year—and it's expected to be the same this year—the first one was illegal parking complaints. The second one was blocked footpaths. The third one was animal attacks. The fourth was illegal activities in parks. The fifth was trucks in the suburbs. So it was interesting to get that feedback in terms of how they are dealing with the rapid response issues in the city.

Madam Chair, once again we had announced by the Chair that there were going to be at least 25 CPTED audits. Once again, there seem to be no indication—or there was no indication, none had been planned, for the areas that we're going to be auditing; our parks or our streets in terms of safety. So can I suggest to any Councillor in this Chamber, if you have somewhere that you would like to have audited in terms of safety then now is the time to let Councillor ADAMS know because she doesn't—or isn't aware of how that money's going to be spent at this time.

Similarly, it was interesting in the program information session with regards to Brisbane cemeteries—and I know I have the Mount Gravatt Cemetery in my electorate—that overall there are 60 complaints. Frankly I was surprised there weren't more complaints than that. The complaints that I was advised that were received related to memorabilia and maintenance but also to the sinking of the graves.

Can I say—I know it's a sensitive issue, I know it's a humorous issue for some people, but for—I'm just saying, I'm just watching some people on the other side of the Chamber—can I just say that the residents that I've dealt with in terms of these issues, and I've always just forwarded them onto the CEO, are very upset when they come across a sunk grave. They're very upset—I had a lady—a Muslim lady rang me this week—contacted me this week who said that the burial for her family member couldn't go ahead because the area where they are buried, in terms of the cemetery, was so boggy that people couldn't get into that area for the burial on the day.

Madam Chair, I think our cemeteries aren't up to scratch in terms of what we're doing and in terms of the complaints I'm hearing. I don't believe that people should be having to come to us and say, hey, the grave's sunk and it hasn't been filled in for some time. I don't believe that's appropriate. I believe we should just be onto that, have dealt with that. So I would question whether we have enough money in this to be looking at those issues. I don't think that at this stage, from my experience and having to deal with residents who are very upset and distraught, that they're getting that level of service at the moment.

The other thing with Mount Gravatt Cemetery, just out of interest, for those of you who haven't been there, is that it actually has—the only way to get into that cemetery is by a road. So I've seen people and I've had people contact me saying, we struggle up into that cemetery on the road from the bus stop and there is no form concrete either in the cemetery grounds to walk on or to the bus stop. I probably think really in this day and age we should be doing something a bit better than that.

Madam Chair, in relation to the cats and dogs, once again we had 793 cats and dogs euthanised. That's a hell of a lot of cats and dogs. Now I understand the need to euthanise some pets that aren't suitable, but 793 is too many for this city. We need to be getting more proactive with what we're doing. We need to be thinking a bit bigger picture. We need to be going and talking to the State Government about what can they do and how can we work with them to strategically reduce the numbers of cats and dogs that need to be put down in our city and in the cities beside us and around us.

I think everyone—well I don't think anyone in this room could argue against that. So I would call for the state, call for Council to work with State Government and the RSPCA and any other stakeholders to look at options, reasonable options so that we can reduce the number of animals that we're putting down.

Madam Chair, overall it was concerning that 10 per cent—so 579 of the 5,791 food venues that were checked, 579 were deemed to be below a two star rating. That means they need a fair bit of work. So that's a lot of food venues in this city that really aren't up to scratch or that certainly have a long way to go. So that would indicate that there are problems there and more effort needs to be put into those restaurants and places that provide food in our city.

Madam Chair, overall it's a budget that really just maintains things. It doesn't offer anything really exciting, doesn't offer any great visions for the future in terms of the LNP. Once again, it's just a steady-as-she-goes budget. But hopefully there'll be some new ideas in the coming months as we lead up to the election. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor MARX.

Councillor MARX: Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I, before I just start on Program 5, Public Health and Safety, can I just put on the record there was a technical issue with one of the phones somewhere here in the Chamber which is why people were smiling. It wasn't anything reflecting on what Councillor GRIFFITHS was talking about. I just wanted to make that very clear. No one would ever make any derogatory comments about anything to do with cemeteries.

So I just want to also say that from my point of view you're either a half-glass empty or a half-glass full type of person, I tend to be the half-glass full. Councillor GRIFFITHS mentioned the problems with the star rating that he said that there were so many there with just a two-star rating. My suggestion would be that perhaps if there was no star rating there, we would have a 100 per cent problem and we wouldn't even know about it. So to me I'm suggesting the star rating is actually working because we have a record of those places that do need some work. I know for a fact Council officers are working with those places.

Councillor NEWTON was talking about the pool fencing and actually finished on her speech when she didn't quite get to finish what she was talking about pool fencing. So I wasn't sure what she was going to say about it, but I just wanted to reassure her that yes, we are aware that the five-year period ends on 1 December 2015 with regard to the safety that the State Government introduced, and that we're following it up. Council has proactively carried out more than 1,200 fall inspections.

I want to put it on the record; I know that that is absolutely a fact because I was home one morning when I had a knock on the door from a Council officer wanting to inspect my pool. I can tell you that I was taken by surprise but anyway, he came through the house, he went out to the pool and we were having a chat and he said to me, I actually looked over your back fence before I knocked on your door, so there was no way I could tell him any furphies about anything about my pool, because he had already checked it out before he even spoke to me. So they're on the ball, they know what's going on and they're keeping our children safe.

The other way we're keeping our children safe, that's something that perhaps we would think is a good thing but perhaps half the residents don't necessarily like, is the immunisation program. I don't know about anyone else but I absolutely hate needles and I know my children do too. But having children—and as a mother we know—they're essential and I think it's just a fabulous idea that the Brisbane City Council once again has a program that not many people know about and it's for the greater good of everyone. I think that we just need to keep behind our Council officers and our Chairs for the great work that they do. Thank you.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor FLESSER.

Councillor FLESSER: Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, people that live in new world cities aren't held captive in their homes because of mosquitos in summer, Madam Chair. Councillor Victoria NEWTON spoke before about the problem we have with Ross River fever and also Barmah Forest virus; 2,385 new cases this year for Ross River fever.

So, Madam Chair, what would you expect in this budget? You'd expect a big announcement, we're going to do something to fix this mosquito problem, it's not good enough, a New World City, people being held captive in their homes because of mosquitos. Madam Chair, they certainly are suffering in Northgate Ward, in the Deagon Ward and other wards close to the bay or where there is water that lays around.

So, Madam Chair, you would recall that not long ago I presented a petition to this Council Chamber that had 700 signatures, making it clear what they expected this Council to do. You would think that you would see that reflected in this budget. Madam Chair, you don't, you just don't see it, there's nothing. No new ideas, nothing in here to reduce the mosquito problem in Brisbane. Madam Chair, in that petition, you would recall that residents were calling for Council to undertake a trial of runnelling to try and get rid of some of the flood water that lays around after a flood, especially in my area around Kedron Brook, Madam Chair.

If Councillor McLACHLAN or Councillor ADAMS wants me to show them where we could do some runnelling to stop water from laying around for months and months, I'd be happy to take them there. Of course, we know that the State Government have produced guidelines for Councils to follow as far as runnelling is concerned and I just don't know why there's no funding for even a trial of runnelling in this budget. It's badly needed, Madam Chair. We know that other councils have done it down the coast in Western Australia. It seems to work all right; we should at least give it a go.

Because what we're offering up to the residents in this budget, as far as mosquito control, is nothing, absolutely nothing. As a matter of fact, it's worse than nothing—I'll get onto that. Now, Madam Chair, in that petition also you'll recall that we need better funding of mosquito spraying. I know that Councillor McLACHLAN gets up and he says, look the budget doesn't set any limits for what the Council officers can spend as far as mosquito spraying is concerned.

Madam Chair, this budget—after this debate today, Madam Chair, the people who look at this budget are the Council officers. They look at what this Council voted on what should be spent in the upcoming budget. To follow the argument that Councillor McLACHLAN sometimes says that there's no limit, we just give them whatever they want, Madam Chair, why do we even have a budget? Why do we have a budget with figures in there telling Council officers what this Council expects should be spent in the coming 12 months?

Madam Chair, we put figures in there saying this is what we think the officers should be spending on the various programs, and it's the same for mosquito spraying. It is very, very disappointing that we see that the boost to mosquito and pest services that was in last year's budget, $139,000 was supposed to be spent and in the forwards it had $144,000 for this year, $146,000 the year after and $149,000 the year after that. That's completely disappeared.

Madam Chair, there's a small boost to the base funding but, Madam Chair, that's going to fall way short of what Brisbane's residents expect this Council to be spending on and actually performing actions out in the suburbs to reduce those mosquitos.

Madam Chair, the other issue that I've raised before in this Chamber doesn't seem to have been taken up by the Council, is that—a question of why don't we have Council officers—Councillor MARX has just spoken, through all the muddled vowels from New Zealand but she's doing pretty good, it's obvious she's been here for a while. But, Madam Chair, I was able to decipher that she spoke about Council officers coming and inspecting her pool.

Well, Madam Chair, why don't we have Council officers going round industrial estates looking for pooling of water where mosquitoes are breeding? Now, Madam Chair, we try to encourage residents to make sure that doesn't happen. I don't think we're doing enough. But clearly the industrial estates that have got small businesses and large businesses just trying to make a dollar, you've only got to drive around in some of those estates to see the rubbish laying around, and clearly there's water containers lying around.

I think that we have a responsibility to go around and make those businesses clean up their mess where there's water laying around. In my ward, there's plenty of those areas in Banyo, Northgate and Nundah, that I think that there clearly needs to be a concerted effort by Council to address those issues.

So, Madam Chair, I just can't see anything new in this budget as far as addressing the mosquito problem is concerned. When residents contact me—and I'm sure they contact Councillor McLACHLAN as well, I know they contact Councillor NEWTON—there's nothing in this budget that we can say, well look, Council is actually acknowledging the problem you've got, we're allocating more money, we're going to look at runnelling, we're going to do better management of the spraying on mosquitos, we're going to get Council officers going around looking for where water's laying around where mosquitos breed. Madam Chair, there's nothing on that.

So, Madam Chair, mosquito control in this city, as I've said before, both sides of the Council Chamber are at fault. This issue has not been taken seriously enough by this Council for at least the last 50 years. It's time that we started taking the matter seriously. While I've still got some breath in me until March next year, I'll continue to keep arguing that this Council should be doing more for mosquito management.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor McLACHLAN.

Councillor McLACHLAN: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I can't resist the opportunity to get up and speak now to Program 5 following that speech from Councillor FLESSER. Although the greatest disappointment of all is that he didn't go to his favourite pet subject when it comes to mosquito control and that is the release of an illegal fish called Gambusia. Where was the Gambusia, Councillor FLESSER? What a huge disappointment that we didn't hear from you this time round, your great suggestion of taking a fish that's regarded as the cane toad of the waterways and releasing it into the wetlands so that it can gobble up everything in its path, including occasionally mosquito larvae, but everything else would go as well. All the eggs for all the other little critters out in the waterways would be destroyed by the release of your favourite mosquito control program, the Gambusia. Hugely disappointing, Councillor FLESSER that you didn't go to that subject.

I did hear you, though, go to your other secondary pet subject and that is runnelling, which is, as we know, a massive land form change, a change in the land form throughout the wetlands, that effectively would destroy the wetlands. Councillor NEWTON went there as well. So what the ALP is standing for in the objective they're suggesting—although it didn't come up in any other forum other than in today's debate—that to control mosquitoes in Brisbane, that we should destroy the wetlands.

That is, they pretend to be friends of preservers of the environment, friends of the conservationists. Yet when it comes to talking about solutions or potential solutions, what they talk about is the destruction of the environment. That's a complete and utter disgrace. Madam Chairman, we have had a Ross River fever issue in Brisbane over the course of the summer, that's very true. It was also true of the entire eastern seaboard.

It was true of everywhere from north of Bundaberg to Sydney. Sydney had its highest Ross River fever statistics in exactly the same timeframe. Why was that? Because along the entire eastern seaboard it was the wettest summer and early autumn in history. It was extremely wet. What happens when it's wet? We get mosquito breeding. This was true along the entire eastern seaboard, Madam Chairman.

I know they'll say, oh you're just blaming the weather, in fact they were Councillor NEWTON's words, blame the rain. Well look, I'll quote here Nigel Beebe, the Vector Biologist at the University of Queensland who said, in The Courier-Mail on 12 May, the mosquito explosion over summer and early autumn had coincided with high populations or other insects such as butterflies and grasshoppers. It's been a very good season for insects, he said. Well that's true.

Look, if there was anything that was possible with the objective of reducing mosquito populations in Brisbane, the entomologists that we employ—and we are the only Council in Australia that employs medical entomologists to provide us with advice on the world's best practice control mechanisms—we would do it. We would do it.

Councillor FLESSER talks about a trial of runnelling. Well, Councillor FLESSER well knows that we've been involved in a trial of runnelling now for several years with the University of Southern Queensland and our entomologists are monitoring that trial. If there's anything that comes out of that trial that informs their thinking, their decision making about alternatives to the existing program then they would recommend it to the Council and we would adopt it.

But we don't believe that, and certainly it is not the advice of the entomologists, that to undertake wholesale destruction of the wetlands is the way forward for mosquito control. It is a complete and utter fallacy on their part to suggest that there are alternatives to the program that we do undertake, which is to get up in the choppers with spraying programs after wet weather, after high tides, that gets to the mosquito larvae at the time just before they're about to get on the wing as mosquitoes.

That is the best and most effective control mechanism for mosquitoes, that's undertaken by the officers of Asset Services in the Field Services Group. So Councillor FLESSER's point about getting around to all those other little wet spots around the city, there are thousands and thousands of those that the Urban Amenities crews get to on quad bikes. They undertook something like 75,000 treatments on those sites in 2014-15. That's a 52-week-of-the-year program that's undertaken by Urban Amenities staff.

So for Councillor FLESSER to come in here, yet again, in his swansong speech and to suggest that we should undertake instead of this successful program, a wholesale—instead a wholesale destruction of the wetlands is, I've got to say, despite the fact that this is his almost swansong, an absolute disgrace. Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Just briefly, a couple of items on Program 5, Public Health and Safety. I also would like to speak about our city's cemeteries just very briefly. The floods and the storms have caused very significant damage to the South Brisbane Cemetery which is, I think, the oldest in the city and is an historic cemetery on the south side of Brisbane. This is not a well-maintained cemetery; either the grave sites themselves or public access around the cemetery.

In writing to Council about this matter over the past few years, I've been told the same thing which is, the graves are the responsibility of individuals to maintain. Now in many cases though, these are historic plots and there are no families to maintain them. As a result, they are falling into ruin. These are some of the earliest settlers of our city. That's not good enough as far as I'm concerned. We need to find a way to ensure that this historic cemetery is maintained.

But secondly and more importantly, the major problem, which is a direct Council responsibility, is the unsafe public access through the South Brisbane Cemetery. I've received multiple complaints by my residents who live on the Fairfield side of the cemetery who, when visiting loved ones or walking through the cemetery, have come across downed trees, broken footpaths, headstones that have smashed and fallen over, that are blocking pathways, and the lack of safe, universal access through the cemetery is a significant problem.

This has been neglected for many years; I'm not saying it's one person's problem or anything like that, but it's a clear area of need. It was highlighted to me during the floods, and then again with the super storm last year, that Council puts little effort into maintaining safe access through this cemetery. So the paths need to be fixed, we need to have a process for dealing with the history grave sites and we certainly need to increase the safe thoroughfare through that site.

I'm certainly calling on Councillor ADAMS and the LORD MAYOR—who is in the Chamber now, which is good—to do more to fix the access around one of our city's most historic cemeteries, because it's not being done well enough at the moment.

I just also want to briefly mention the suburban amenity and litter issues. I'm starting to despair at the state of Rocklea and it's really disappointing. Between Councillor GRIFFITHS and myself, I think we would be logging half a dozen jobs a week about the level of rubbish in this suburb. I have 125 homes in my part of Rocklea and certainly Councillor GRIFFITHS has a few more on his side of Ipswich Road.

But this is a suburb that people live in and it's not a wealthy area by many means. They're salt of the earth people but they love where they live, they're proud of where they live. The footpath they have to get to the shops on or to the bus stop is constantly coated in litter and rubbish.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, can you just explain to me what part of Program 5—

Councillor JOHNSTON: 5.1.2.2, local laws enforcement, suburban litter. I appreciate it's complicated, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Okay. I beg your pardon? Yes, I can see it.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Good, may I continue?

Chairman: Waste collection is really—

Councillor JOHNSTON: I'm not talking about waste collection, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: I'm not sure what you are referring to.

Councillor JOHNSTON: I'm not referring to waste collection, Madam Chairman, let me make it clear. I am talking about Council officers attending, rapid response gangs, Council waste teams, picking up rubbish that is all over our streets, the breaches of the local laws by major businesses in that area that are going unenforced and the amenity issues that should be enforced when it comes to litter in our suburbs, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON, it was Program 1 that had—that would have been the appropriate place to raise these issues, not Program 5.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman—

Chairman: Yes?

Councillor JOHNSTON: Well, Madam Chairman, I'll be more specific then. In my view, the Brisbane Markets have fallen down on their responsibility to keep Sherwood Road in Rocklea clean, Madam Chairman. Now I wasn't going to be as specific as that, but the markets are a significant rubbish generator in the middle of my ward and week after week I lodge complaints about the waste that comes from their premises and is strewn up and down Sherwood Road.

Now this is a local laws matter and this is something that I think this Council can do more to enforce. I've been told that we've upped the collections and the checking to twice a week, but every single day this area is filthy. I don't think that is good enough and I don't think the officers in the rapid response gangs should be called out repeatedly to deal with the situation. We need to do more from an enforcement point of view to ensure that the local laws are being enforced. That is what I'm talking about here.

I simply am identifying a problem. I know where the problem is, Madam Chairman—

Councillor SIMMONDS: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Yes, Councillor SIMMONDS.

Councillor SIMMONDS: You've given plenty of latitude; Program 5 can't be an excuse to raise every Compliance and Regulatory Services issue. This program doesn't involve littering at all.

Chairman: Yes, Councillor SIMMONDS, I believe it's Program 1. However, there is a section here that Councillor JOHNSTON is using which is page 106, City Amenity and Food Safety. But—that's under the Suburban Amenity and Litter Team project that she's referring to.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, Madam Chairman, and to put on the record.

Chairman: But I still think it's Program 1 what she's talking about.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Let me be clear, I'm going to quote from the budget book now. This is service 5.1.2.2, and this is the purpose of the program about which I am speaking: “Response for amenity, litter and safety issues across Brisbane's suburbs.” Then there is a line item that says, Suburban Amenity and Litter Team. There is $904,000 of expenditure that is allocated to, presumably, responding to amenity and litter issues in the city.

Now I don't know how on earth you can say I'm not talking to the relevant part of the budget based on what's in the budget book before us today. I see Councillor ADAMS shaking her head and all the rest of it. But, Madam Chairman, I think I've made it pretty clear as to what I think the problem is. My point here is that this Council needs to do more, the source of this problem is well known to Council. I've called for additional rubbish bins, I've done pretty much everything that I can do over the past eight years and it is clear that this Council is not prepared to use its existing powers to take action.

I think that more needs to be done and I am calling on the Councillor to do that as part of the program in 2015-16.

Chairman: Councillor MURPHY.
ADJOURNMENT:

697/2014-15 At that time, 3.14pm, it was resolved on the motion of Councillor MURPHY, seconded by Councillor Kim MARX, that the meeting adjourn for a period of 15 minutes, to commence only when all Councillors had vacated the Chamber and the doors have been locked. Council stood adjourned at 3.15pm.

UPON RESUMPTION:
Chairman: Is there any further debate on Program 5?

Councillor ADAMS, if you would like to sum up.

Councillor ADAMS: Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm happy to sum up and I realise that we are into the last session for the afternoon, so I'll make it brief. But there were few things that I did want to answer, some of the questions, some of the comments that were made from those in the Chamber. First of all, I just would like to speak about AWL and the euthanasia rates, yes, and thank you Councillor NEWTON for your support of AWL, they are doing a wonderful job. But they have only been in situ for 10 months, so we are looking forward to greater outcomes in the next 12 months.

I just wanted to get some of the numbers right down on the page, because there wasn't a full amount of numbers given out in the session the other day, so there was some misconception from Councillor NEWTON and Councillor GRIFFITHS about the numbers of animals that we actually see euthanised and what type of animals are euthanised as well. So yes, we do have 1,091 adopted of our 4,200 plus animals, we do have 2,350 plus reunited. I note there was a comment from Councillor GRIFFITHS that we should be doing more to reunite animals and their owners, but if owners don't want to be reunited, which is many reasons why we end up with the animals being in the shelter, there is nothing we can do about it. So we make sure we do everything we can to reunite pets and their owners, but sometimes, unfortunately, the case is that the owners don't want to be reunited with their pets as well. So our adoption rates are definitely increasing.

We do have 55 per cent reunited of the animals that come into the shelter. Now then, Councillor GRIFFITHS came up with the number of 793 for euthanised. Well that's not the case. The actual euthanasia numbers are more around the 550 mark and I have to correct a statement made by Councillor NEWTON that they are not suitable dogs and cats that are euthanised. No suitable dogs and cats are euthanised. We still have over 550 dogs and cats that are not suitable. Now I'm not talking about our feral cats, that is a separate number. This doesn't include feral cats, but this is about dogs and cats that may be too old or diseased or injured or may not have the right nature because they've been out too long to actually be rehabilitated.

The one thing AWL does very, very well is to try and rehabilitate animals, but sometimes that cannot be the case. We do know that training cats is a bit like trying to herd cats; once they have their nature, they have that nature. So unfortunately there is a certain amount of animals, dogs and cats, that get euthanised, but they are not suitable animals for rehoming.

That leaves us with a number of just over 230 animals that are still in the shelter that are not accounted for and they're the ones that are there, if you come along to a Game of Bones weekend or get your lucky charm for St Patricks, that you can adopt. They also have a fostering program, so there's a program where people will take the animals temporarily, to look after them while they're waiting for that special owner to come along as well. So there is a lot of conjecture around the numbers there, but can I just make that very, very clear, that it is not 793 for euthanised. The percentage is down to 14.25 per cent for dogs, 20 per cent for cats. That is an outstanding improvement on what did see in the last contract and I commend AWL for the work that they're doing.

Mosquitoes and pest services, Councillor NEWTON mentioned about the work with Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus. Yes, it was very disappointing to see Ross River Virus increase last season, but unfortunately it is not a blame game. It is what it is; it was a perfect ideal season for freshwater and saltwater mosquito breeding conditions. It was warm, it was wet and it kept raining. So I am quite a competent Chair, but I can't change the weather unfortunately.

But we do look at a lot of ways to try and mitigate the risk of Ross River Virus. We will continue the land and aerial spraying, as said. We have extensive fogging programs after rainfall, which deals with a lot of that as well. We work very closely with QH around early detection testing for mosquito borne viruses as well. So it is a really integral part that we work with QH. We monitor virus detection traps, so we trap the mosquitoes to check if they are carrying the virus. So we have very, very early warning points if there is going to be an outbreak and what area they may be in. If they do carry, they become positive for the infections, we make sure that with QH we get out and tell those local residents quick-smart that they should really be taking proactive steps to minimise their exposure to mosquito bites.

We do a lot of public education plans. I'm sure all of you heard it in the programs last year around tipping out the water in your back yards, making sure that you're covered up, making sure that you're using repellents and all of that type of thing. So we are doing as much as we possibly can in this space. As I said in my opening, this year was the most work we'd done in this space since 1998. We had those many, many years of drought and we're back to having to deal with many, many months of wet weather and we are very proactively working on trying to keep that down for Ross River virus.

Councillor GRIFFITHS mentioned the crime prevention planning services and the safety audits and that I had no clue about what audits we were going to be doing in the next 12 months. Well the reason is, is because there is very different priorities for safety audits. There's definitely some audits on the list that could be done, but if somebody calls in, if the police request an audit, or if there is a reported incidence, or there is an ongoing concern that leads to significant damaged to Council assets, we will prioritise that audit.

So again, no crystal ball to actually say what audits will be done in the next 12 months; we aim to get 25 done if that is what is requested. If there is more, we will get more done. But it is about information gathering and making sure we work with all our stakeholders to make sure we get those priority hotspots as well. I would hope that we have less priority hotspots or incidents reported that we have to go out and do audits for, but we are prepared and ready and ready on this side to deal with it if we need to.

Councillor GRIFFITHS mentioned also the cemeteries. He was surprised that there was only 60 complaints. We do work very hard in cemeteries, Madam Chair, to deal with complaints instantly, but also proactively work on maintaining our cemeteries as well. Yes, those issues that were called in were around maintenance, memorabilia, sunken or damaged plaques and we respond to them very quickly.

But we do have an issue and it is an issue that Councillor GRIFFITHS is very aware of at Mt Gravatt Cemetery. It is a big cemetery on a big slope, so there is always going to be a lot of sinking, there is always going to be difficulties if it's too boggy to get into a grave. Again, I can't stop it raining. If it rains, the ground gets wet. If it is too boggy, we can't brace a grave for a casket to go in. There is also workplace health and safety for our officers and our staff that work at cemeteries as well.

What we are trying to do, as I explained on Monday as well, is make sure that we get out there and we are working on beaming a lot of our plaques, which will reduce the cracking on the plaques, that will increase our ability to maintain the cemeteries around the mowing in between the beams so that they are looking tidier, that it doesn't matter if it's a bit wet because it's a lot easier area to maintain as well. But we have a rapid service response across all of our 12 cemeteries to make sure we can look at that prompt maintenance as well.

Last but not least, Madam Chair, the SALT. I just wanted to clarify because there were some issues around what they could and could go out and do and fix and it's not about rubbish on the side of the road; that is Program 1 and the work that Asset Services do around tidying them up. The SALT is about the amenity and the safety of Brisbane residents. It is about enforcement, but it can only be enforcement if they see the people that actually flick the rubbish out the window and that actually is the responsibility of probably all our different RRG officers.

Our SALT response to advertising material on Council assets, that may not be placed in letterboxes properly, unsightly and overgrown land, amenity issues such as car shells, rubbish resulting in unsightly streetscapes where it's obviously been dumped, so an issue where somebody decides they're going to call it a kerbside collection if it really isn't a kerbside collection, that's something that the SALT guys can go and look at. Rubbish bins, containers, shopping trolleys left on footways, things that they can track and investigate and maintain, not just your rubbish that's on the road. If there is litter hotspots where somebody is doing significant dumping, absolutely, SALT team to come in. But general untidiness along roadsides and around specific areas is something that's dealt with in Program 1.

Madam Chair, I have to say, I'm very proud of Program 5 and its commitment to making sure public health risks are reducing in Brisbane and that Brisbane is a place where everyone feels safe, without fear for their personal safety or their property security and I recommend the program to the Chamber.

Chairman: I will put the motion for the adoption of the Public Health and Safety program.
Motion put:

The Chairman submitted to the Chamber the motion for the adoption of the Public Health and Safety program and it was declared carried on the voices.