MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
The 4524 meeting of the Brisbane City Council,
held at City Hall, Brisbane
on Tuesday 9 May 2017
at 2pm
Prepared by:
Council and Committee Liaison Office
City Administration and Governance
[4524 (Ordinary) Meeting – 9 May 2017]
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE ?? MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,
ON TUESDAY ??
AT 2PM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS i
PRESENT: 1
OPENING OF MEETING: 1
APOLOGY: 1
MINUTES: 1
QUESTION TIME: 2
CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS: 12
ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE 12
A JOHNSON ROAD AND STAPYLTON ROAD INTERSECTION UPGRADE PROJECT – SUBDIVISION AND DEDICATION OF COUNCIL LAND FOR NEW ROAD 37
PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE 40
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – GENERATION 1 CITYCAT RE-LIFE 42
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE 42
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL CRUISE TERMINAL TRANSPORT CONNECTIONS 45
B REQUESTING PARKING IMPROVEMENTS IN RESIDENTIAL STREETS CLOSE TO TOOWONG VILLAGE 46
C REQUESTING TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS IN ENOGGERA 48
D REQUESTING PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN FLINDERS CIRCUIT, FITZGIBBON 50
CITY PLANNING COMMITTEE 51
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – SUBURBAN CENTRE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS – SANDGATE CENTRE RENEWAL PROJECT 53
B PETITION – REQUESTING THE RELOCATION OF AN EXISTING FARM USE (SHED) AT 92LAXTONROAD, PALLARA 54
C PETITION – OBJECTING TO A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION FOR MULTIPLE DWELLINGS (FIVEUNITS) AT 2 HOLMES STREET, TOOWONG 56
ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE 57
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL BRISBANE 2017 60
B PARK NAMING – FORMAL NAMING OF PARK CURRENTLY KNOWN AS ‘PARAGON STREET PARK (NO. 39)’, YERONGA TO ‘LLOYD REES PARK’ 61
FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE 62
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – PEST CONTROL 65
LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE 66
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION – NEW CHERMSIDE LIBRARY 68
FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE 69
A COMMITTEE PRESENTATION AND REPORT – NET BORROWINGS – CASH INVESTMENTS AND FUNDING FOR THE MARCH 2017 QUARTER 70
B COMMITTEE REPORT – BANK AND INVESTMENT REPORT – 24FEBRUARY 2017 70
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS: 71
GENERAL BUSINESS: 71
QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN: 75
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN: 76
[4524 (Ordinary) Meeting – 9 May 2017]
- 78 -
PRESENT:
The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR (Councillor Graham QUIRK) – LNP
The Chairman of Council, Councillor Angela OWEN (Calamvale Ward) – LNP
LNP Councillors (and Wards) / ALP Councillors (and Wards)Krista ADAMS (Holland Park)
Adam ALLAN (Northgate)
Matthew BOURKE (Jamboree)
Amanda COOPER (Bracken Ridge)
Vicki HOWARD (Central) (Deputy Chairman of Council)
Steven HUANG (Macgregor)
Fiona KING (Marchant)
Kim MARX (Runcorn)
PeterMATIC (Paddington)
Ian McKENZIE (Coorparoo)
David McLACHLAN (Hamilton)
Ryan MURPHY (Doboy)
Kate RICHARDS (Pullenvale)
Adrian SCHRINNER (Chandler) (Deputy Mayor)
Julian SIMMONDS (Walter Taylor)
Steven TOOMEY (The Gap)
Andrew WINES (Enoggera)
NormWYNDHAM (McDowall) / PeterCUMMING (Wynnum Manly) (The Leader of the Opposition)
SteveGRIFFITHS (Moorooka)
Charles STRUNK (Forest Lake)
ShayneSUTTON (Morningside)
Queensland Greens Councillor (and Ward)
Jonathan SRI (The Gabba)
Independent Councillor (and Ward)
Nicole JOHNSTON (Tennyson)
OPENING OF MEETING:
The Chairman, Councillor Angela OWEN, opened the meeting with prayer and acknowledged the traditional custodians, and then proceeded with the business set out in the Agenda.
APOLOGY:
510/2016-17
An apology was submitted on behalf of Councillor Jared CASSIDY, and he was granted leave of absence from the meeting on the motion of Councillor Peter CUMMING, seconded by Councillor Shayne SUTTON.
MINUTES:
511/2016-17
The Minutes of the 4523 meeting of Council held on 2 May 2017, copies of which had been forwarded to each Councillor, were presented, taken as read and confirmed on the motion of Councillor Andrew WINES, seconded by Councillor Steven TOOMEY.
QUESTION TIME:
Chairman: Are there any questions of the LORD MAYOR or a Chairman of any of the Standing Committees?
Councillor ALLAN.
Question 1
Councillor ALLAN: My question is to the LORD MAYOR.
This morning you announced the start of construction on the new Sandgate Aquatic Playground which is part of our commitment to upgrade the city’s aquapark facilities. Can you please outline how this Administration is continuing to improve the leisure and lifestyle opportunities for the residents of Brisbane?
LORD MAYOR: Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and I thank Councillor ALLAN for the question. Well, Madam Chairman, the Sandgate Aquatic Centre is one of 22pools that we have around Brisbane. Of course, two more introduced in the last 12 months, being Parkinson and Bracken Ridge. But, Madam Chairman, the Sandgate Aquatic Centre will see the establishment of a new aquatic playground. This is a $500,000 investment by Council, and it’s to ensure that the pool in Sandgate remains contemporary, remains attractive to new users of pools, as well of course to those established users.
The Sandgate pool has been attracting some 55,000 users a year in recent years, and we believe that this new aquatic playground will add to the attraction, will increase those numbers. But what we are seeing across all pools in Brisbane is a significant growth in the number of people that have taken up the use of public pools. We now see around 2.2 million people in the last 12 months that have used one of our 22 public pools in Brisbane. That is a 100% growth in terms of the number that were using pools just 10 years ago.
So, Madam Chairman, the Sandgate Aquatic Centre plays obviously a very important role in contributing to the recreational value of the SandgateForeshore. This project will, in terms of—I suppose its attraction to a younger audience, will only help to assist in the leisure and lifestyle opportunities for people in the Sandgate and district area.
The Sandgate Aquatic Park also forms part of our overall commitment for aquatic parks with $5 million being invested towards new facilities and upgrading existing pools this financial year. So, these upgrade works include accessibility improvements, upgrading of dressing rooms and bathrooms, as well as the pools themselves.
Madam Chairman, what we have seen as part of that 2.2 million people that I referred to, is we’ve seen 450,000 people take part in learn to swim programs. We’ve had 186,000 people complete squad training, and 47,800 take part in aqua fitness classes. So, there are many different types of uses of our pools around Brisbane and we certainly, Madam Chairman, want to make sure that they do remain contemporary, as I said, and attractive to people.
We have seen at Langlands Park Pool, for example, a $6 million refurbishment there over the next three years, and that will be a significant, obviously, upgrade to that pool. The Langlands Park Pool is our most popular pool in Brisbane. I think that’s right, Councillors?
Councillors interjecting.
LORD MAYOR: Yes, Langlands Park.
Councillors interjecting.
LORD MAYOR: Well, no, I think numerically, I think Langlands Park actually beats it in terms of the numerical take-up. So, Madam Chairman, our pools are not only world-class recreation facilities, but they also provide great family friendly opportunities for swim development, local events, and weekend activities. We want to continue to deliver the vibrant, liveable communities that this city deserves, and so part and parcel of that is to ensure that we continue to invest in our swimming pools in our city.
I was only making the comment earlier today, I don’t think there’s as many people out there now that actually put pools in their backyard. It was a real fad, it was the thing you do, once. I don’t know that that is being taken up to the same extent, and so that all goes well, knowing that there are good, modern public pools, locally, Madam Chairman, where people can make use of those facilities in our hot summers, but also, more and more, our pools are being established as all year round facilities. Many of our pools now are heated pools, and they provide that opportunity for residents right throughout the year.
Chairman: Further questions?
Councillor CUMMING.
Question 2
Councillor CUMMING: Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is to the LORD MAYOR.
Eight years ago your LNP Administration spent $28 million turning KingGeorge Square into a grey, desolate, sweltering event space. Just one year after it opened, another half a million dollars was spent trying to reduce the 56degree temperatures experienced in the middle of the square.
Earlier this year, you spent $477,000 to fix the leaky veranda roof, and today workmen have been hoarding over the pavement lighting, which is beyond repair. How much more money will ratepayers be expected to fork out to fix up this monumental stuff-up?
LORD MAYOR: Well, Madam Chairman, I thank Councillor CUMMING for the question, and also for the opportunity to correct the facts.
Madam Chairman, the reality is that at the time when the decision was made about King George Square, we had a Labor majority in Cabinet.
Councillors interjecting.
LORD MAYOR: I’ll say—
Chairman: Order!
LORD MAYOR: I’ll say those words again, Madam Chairman.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman: Order!
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman: Councillor SUTTON! Don’t commence the meeting by being disorderly.
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR: What did I say that was not correct, Madam Chairman? Nothing at all. That’s why they’re interrupting, because they know it’s absolutely correct. So, at the time when the King George Square decision was made, we had in this place a majority leader who was Labor. They had the numbers in this Chamber, they had the numbers in the Cabinet. They didn’t have the mayoralty, but they had control of the numbers in both Cabinet and Council.
So, Madam Chairman, they try to re-litigate history, and I will never allow those opposite to try and change the course of history, and what were the facts.
Councillors interjecting.
Chairman: Order!
LORD MAYOR: Now, I’ve got the Cabinet document right here if you’d like to see it.
Councillor interjecting.
Chairman: Just a moment, please, LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR: I’ve got the Cabinet document here.
Chairman: Councillor SUTTON, I have already cautioned you about calling out and being disorderly in this place. I have called you to order. You are continuing to call out across the Chamber. Do not do so, otherwise you will be formally warned.
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR: Do you know, Madam Chairman, I’d just like to remind Councillors as well that, in that time, when there was a majority of members of Cabinet and Council from the Labor Party, there were some decisions made. One of those decisions, Madam Chairman, was to put out a shortlisted group of designs to the general public for comment. There were six that went out, Madam Chairman. I remember it vividly. They were all displayed down here in the foyer of CityHall, Madam Chairman, where people could view those designs and displays. Madam Chairman, in fact, there were some 3,000 comments that came back from the general public about those designs.
Now, Cabinet decided to use that public feedback that we’d had in relation to those designs, and a selection was made off the back of that. So let’s recount. We had a majority Labor of Council Cabinet, a joint Cabinet decision from all parties at that time in this Chamber, Madam Chairman, to say, ‘go out, put these six designs out for public comment’. The 3,000 comments came back from the general public, and, Madam Chairman, a decision was based around that, and agreed to and signed off by six Labor members of Civic Cabinet, and myself and the Lord Mayor. So, Madam Chairman, that’s the reality. That is the reality.
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR: You remember all this, Councillor CUMMING. I don’t know why you bother asking the question to allow yourself to get beat up like this, because you were around, you were a member of the majority party at that time. You could have stood up and said, ‘Councillor Hinchliffe, as leader of this majority party, I demand that we use our numbers in the Council Chamber and vote this proposal down’.
Didn’t see any of that, Madam Chairman. Councillor CUMMING sat quietly here in this Chamber, waiting for the afternoon tea adjournment, probably, I don’t know. But, Madam Chairman, whatever it was, the point is that the decision was made by that majority Cabinet at that time.
So, what do we see now? We see, of course, King George Square as an event space, Madam Chairman, and the reality is—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR: No, I’ve still got plenty of old photos when we did have some grass out in KingGeorge Square, and more times than not it was barricaded off with chain wire, not allowing people onto the grass because, MadamChairman, even in those days when there wasn’t very many events held in King George Square at all, the grass always had trouble in being maintained. It was forever wearing down.
Madam Chairman, the number of events we have out here now, it would have Buckley’s chance of surviving against the sort of demands it had on it in those days. That’s why we’ve said in this city, there are plenty of places where we accommodate people that want to sit on the grass. You’ve got PostOfficeSquare, you’ve got the Botanic Gardens, you’ve got Anzac Square, you’ve got the Roma Street Parkland area right at our doorstep here. In some of those locations, like Post Office Square and Botanic Gardens, we put out chairs and the old ‘Lay-Z-Boys’ where people can relax and enjoy the lifestyle. So we have added to those parts of encouragement in those locations.
But King George Square, in the same way that Federation Square is in Melbourne, is an event space. Madam Chairman, that was the determination in terms of the selected design that was undertaken at that time. So, the Labor Party ever since they took that decision, when it was all out there and implemented, they have tried to disown it at every turn since. Madam Chairman, they will never disown it, they were a key decision maker.
Chairman: Further questions?
Councillor TOOMEY.
Question 3
Councillor TOOMEY: Thank you, Madam Chairman. My question is to the Chairman of City Planning Committee, Councillor SIMMONDS.
I’ve been working closely with FernyGrove and Upper Kedron communities since I became the local Councillor. I am proud of the work of Council officers to develop a draft neighbourhood plan in response to the State’s direction, and in line with community expectations. I notice there has been significant time since Council passed the draft Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron neighbourhood plan. Can you please update the Chamber on the status of this plan?