MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
The 4537 meeting of the Brisbane City Council,
held at City Hall, Brisbane
on Tuesday 5 September 2017
at 2pm
Prepared by:
Council and Committee Liaison Office
City Administration and Governance
[4537 (Ordinary) Meeting – 5 September 2017]
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THE 4537 MEETING OF THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL,HELD AT CITY HALL, BRISBANE,
ON TUESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2017
AT 2PM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRESENT:
OPENING OF MEETING:
APOLOGIES:
MINUTES:
QUESTION TIME:
CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS:
ESTABLISHMENT AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE
AANNUAL OPERATIONAL PLAN PROGRESS AND QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 2017
BPRESENTATION AND TABLING OF THE AUDITED 2016-17 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE AUDITOR-GENERAL’S AUDIT REPORTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2017
CANNUAL PROCUREMENT POLICY AND CONTRACTING PLAN 2017-18
DSTORES BOARD SUBMISSION – PERMIT TO OCCUPY FOR THE INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF A LARGE OUTDOOR VIDEO SCREEN IN KING GEORGE SQUARE
EBRISBANE CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17
FFERNY GROVE—UPPER KEDRON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
GSPRING HILL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT COMMITTEE
ACOMMITTEE PRESENTATION – WOOLLOONGABBA BIKEWAY UPGRADE
BPETITION – REQUESTING IMPROVEMENTS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF MANLY, WYNNUM AND BELMONTROADS, TINGALPA
CPETITION – REQUEST FOR A BUS SERVICE IN UPPER KEDRON IN THE AREAS OF THE PALISADES AND ELLENDALE, SOUTH OF LEVITTROAD
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
ACOMMITTEE PRESENTATION – RIVER ACCESS NETWORK
BPETITIONS – REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL CEASE AND DEFER ALL PLANS AND ACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED NEWMANROAD AND MAIN AVENUE INTERSECTION UPGRADE PROJECT IN WAVELL HEIGHTS
CPETITION – REQUESTING COUNCIL REMOVE PART OF THE TRAFFIC ISLAND OUTSIDE THE WONDALL GARDENS ESTATE ON WONDALLROAD, TINGALPA
CITY PLANNING COMMITTEE
ACOMMITTEE PRESENTATION – QUEENSLAND HOUSING STRATEGY 2017-2027
ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
ACOMMITTEE PRESENTATION – ENVIRONMENTAL OFFSETS
FIELD SERVICES COMMITTEE
ACOMMITTEE PRESENTATION – MT COOT-THA CONSERVATION RESERVE – SIMPSON FALLS PICNIC AREA UPGRADE
BPETITION – REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL REMOVE THE GUM TREE OUTSIDE 2 VICTORIA AVENUE, CHELMER
LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE
ACOMMITTEE PRESENTATION – HOARDING AND SQUALOR REDUCTION INITIATIVE
FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
ACOMMITTEE PRESENTATION – SMART, CONNECTED BRISBANE
BCOMMITTEE REPORT – FINANCIAL REPORTS (ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES, RATES, INVENTORIES, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, PROVISIONS AND MALLS) FOR THE PERIOD ENDEDJUNE2017
CCOMMITTEE REPORT – BANK AND INVESTMENT REPORT – 30JUNE2017
DPETITION –REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL REMOVE RELIGIOUS PRAYERS AND REFERENCES FROM ALL COUNCIL BUSINESS
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS:
GENERAL BUSINESS:
QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHICH DUE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN:
[4537 (Ordinary) Meeting – 5 September 2017]
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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)
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)
Jared CASSIDY (Deagon) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition)
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.
APOLOGIES:
116/2017-18
An apology was submitted on behalf of Councillor Kim MARX, and she was granted leave of absence from the meeting on the motion of Councillor Andrew WINES, seconded by Councillor Steven TOOMEY.
117/2017-18
An apology was submitted on behalf of Councillor Steve GRIFFITHS, and he was granted leave of absence from the meeting on the motion of Councillor Peter CUMMING, seconded by Councillor Jared CASSIDY.
MINUTES:
118/2017-18
The Minutes of the 4536 meeting of Council held on 29 August 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 KING.
Question 1
Councillor KING:Thank you, Madam Chair.My question is to the LORD MAYOR. Brisbane is continuing to build our New World City reputation with the launch of our Digital Brisbane Strategy 2.0. Can you please outline how this strategy will build our local economy while creating new and innovative jobs?
Chairman:LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:Thanks very much, Madam Chairman, and I thank Councillor KING for the question. Madam Chairman, the Digital Brisbane 2.0 strategy has been launched today and it comes on the back of the fact that this city was the second city in the world to engage a Chief Digital Officer. We did that, MadamChairman, as the second city after New York, because we were committed to the digital transformation of our city.
Madam Chairman, over the last four years now, we have seen significant gains from the digital strategy. About 9,000 businesses have had face-to-face contact; we’ve had 50,000 businesses receive advice online in relation to their businesses, and again, a lot of these are the very small businesses around town. A lot of them are single operator or mum and dad style operators out there in the suburbs;small businesses who face a struggle day to day.
But businesses, Madam Chairman, that can also benefit from undertaking some changes within their business framework, understanding the opportunities that digital can bring to their businesses. So it has been very much a businessbybusiness approach that we’ve conducted through business forums that many Councillors here on both sides of the Chamber have attended, but also, beyond that, Madam Chairman, in terms of follow-up out there around the suburbs of the city.
Madam Chairman, we’ve also seen some 1,200 businesses that have been introduced to digital technology that were simply not in that space at all. We’ve seen about 3,500 young people that have been a part of the CoderDojo program. That’s where, of course, young people between seven and 17 years of age are taught the art of coding, with the use of a number of mentors in our libraries around the city, often during school holiday periods. So, Madam Chairman, that has been again an outstanding result out of the first iteration of the digital strategy.
But now we look to the next phase. While we will continue to do the business forums and those important pieces of work out there making sure that the businesses are getting their social media and business digital strategies together, we’re looking also beyond that. The Lord Mayor’s Global Entrepreneur’s program is one such area, Madam Chairman, where we’re looking at start-ups to scale up and grow and internationalise. It will be a backing to what is already happening at The Capital where we’ve seen 100 businesses and 200entrepreneurs, Madam Chairman, engaged in The Capital. It has seen substantial growth since it opened.
Madam Chairman, we’re also looking at taking the Brisbane Greeters program digital. So, we’ll still continue to have obviously our wonderful 200 Brisbane Greeters out there that speak around 23 different languages, Madam Chairman, but beyond that, there will also be a digital version which makes the opportunity for all people to have a number of different ways in which they can still get the benefits of a Brisbane Greeter outcome.
We’re about the Brisbane Digital Festival, Madam Chairman, which is another component of this new strategy, providing an opportunity there for areas of drone technology, geospatial, robotics—the full rangethat we have available to us. We’re creating an accessibility app Madam Chairman, we’ve done a lot of work in the accessibility and inclusion area of operations within Council, and the accessibility app will help to identify where people can gain access across a whole spectrum of things.
It will be about making sure that, through that app, Madam Chairman, there is a lot of information to be able to be sourced easily in terms of cinemas and shops and bus stops, hotels—a whole range of things which will make it easier for people who live locally, and easier for what is a growing market in terms of the accessibility tourism market.
Madam Chairman, earlier today I also had the opportunity to meet up with three people who have been very much at the forefront of looking forward at these opportunities. One is Skye Anderton from Ruby Olive Jewellery. She has been undertaking innovation in the way of necklaces, often for mothers, Madam Chairman, nursing mothers, you know, a type of texture that babies can chew on and it doesn’t cause any problems or issues, so that’s innovation. Also Alexandra French from Naidoo—
Chairman:Sorry, LORD MAYOR, your time has expired.
LORD MAYOR:Thanks, Madam Chairman.
Chairman:Further questions?
Councillor CUMMING.
Question 2
Councillor CUMMING:Yes, Madam Chair.My question is to the LORD MAYOR. I refer to a unit development by the company Pointcorp at 66 Lambert Street, Kangaroo Point, that was approved by this Council in August 2016, six weeks after independent Council officers declared the proposed development was considered as a significant over-development site and having non-compliance issues, including bulk, appearance, setback and size of balconies. Can the LORD MAYOR confirm the same Pointcorp, that on 26 February 2016, donated $30,000 to theLNP during the Council election campaign?
Chairman:LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:Well, Madam Chairman, I appreciate the question from Councillor CUMMING, though I have some doubts about some of the contents of that question. MadamChairman, the issue regarding News Corp was drawn to my attention through a media inquiry earlier today, I think it was, but Madam Chairman—
Councillor interjecting.
LORD MAYOR:Pointcorp, that’s right, thanks Councillor. But, Madam Chairman, all donations are declared. Everything is on the public record in terms of those donations in accordance with the law. Of course, we all know that the officers of the Council undertake assessments around applications.
Now, there’ve been two applications that Council has received. One of those was on 15 May 2015 that was for 10 storeys, a residential apartment; 66Lambert Street is the address we’re talking about here. Madam Chairman, then that application was approved. That was a code assessable application. The applicant then on 2 March 2016 made an application for impact assessable. This time it was 12 storeys, but the overall height of the building in metres did not increase with the second approval.
Now, Madam Chairman, that approval was impact assessable because of two things; the penthouse was larger than 50% of the floor plate, and there was a roof that was placed over the roof deck. That made it an impact assessable application. So, Madam Chairman, the original application, again, was for 10storeys in September 2015, same height application on the second occasion was technically regarded as 12 storeys under the plan.
So, Madam Chairman, again this application was assessed by Council officers, as they are required to do under law, and obviously in compliance with the Sustainable—
Councillor CASSIDY:Point of order, Madam Chair.
Chairman:Point of order, Councillor CASSIDY.
Councillor CASSIDY:The LORD MAYOR was asked whether he can confirm or not that Pointcorp was the entity that donated $30,000 to the LNP during the last Council election.
Chairman:And, Councillor CASSIDY, the LORD MAYOR is providing an answer.
LORD MAYOR.
LORD MAYOR:Madam Chairman, it was drawn to my attention following the media inquiry that Pointcorp was a donor, but I don’t know the amount. Again, I just say to anybody interested, it’s all on the public record. So I just suggest you look up the Electoral Commission records, Madam Chairman, where all donations are declared.
Chairman:Further questions?
Councillor HOWARD.
Question 3
Councillor HOWARD:Thank you, Madam Chairman. My question is to the Chairman of the Finance and Economic Development Committee, Councillor ADAMS. Fortitude Valley is already renowned as one of Brisbane’s most popular entertainment precincts. Now, with the launch of the ‘My Valley’ website, residents will be even more connected to the dining and entertainment highlights that the Valley has to offer. Can you please outline how this new site is creating more lifestyle and leisure opportunities and building on our local economy?
Chairman:Councillor ADAMS.
Councillor ADAMS:Thank you, Madam Chair, and I thank Councillor HOWARD not just for the question but for her very strong advocacy we see in the Valley and the precinct that we have down there. Fortitude Valley is growing and transforming very quickly, and this has been enabled in no short measure from the fantastic Fortitude Valley neighbourhood plan which was brought through in this place in 2010 and has allowed the transformation of many redundant industrial sites into urban living and working environments.
The plan recognised that Fortitude Valley is Brisbane’s premier entertainment precinct with a strong night-time economy, and being so close to the CBD, it really is about attracting investment and redevelopment to support that emerging knowledge economy, create a digital economy and, of course, inner city living as well. So there’s been a number of large commercial, retail and residential developments that have occurred in the Valley over the last few years.
In the east we have Ann Street, Wickham Street and James Street developing.At the west end we have Brunswick Street transforming in a more gradual manner and, more importantly, preserving our historical buildings and re-using them as well. We’ve also worked in partnership with the Fortitude Valley Chamber of Commerce around the refurbishment of the Chinatown Mall in 2009 and the Brunswick Street Mall in 2014. So we really have been putting our best foot forward within this precinct to make sure we can support not only the night time economy but the re-emergence of the daytime economy as well.
The result of these projects means there has been a lot of new developments occur, and new businesses in that area have emerged as well. We’ve seen an emergence of the new laneway economy, especially with Winn Lane and Bakery Lane off Ann Street, and I suppose it is time now that Brisbane residents and visitors wanting to experience the best of Fortitude Valley can now find recommendations, the latest news from local retailers and events listings all in one place following the launch, last week, of Brisbane City Council’s My Valley website which is
So this is a mobile-friendly site which should showcase a wide variety of dining, retail and night life in our very famous inner city precinct. It offers the onestopshop for anyone wanting to eat, shop or play in Fortitude Valley, and that is whether it’s day or night, most importantly. It’s got the dates of events, it’s got the line-up, it’s got the details. You’re also able to get the inside track on what’s going on at the local entertainment venues, preview the range of global experiences, markets and the cuisines available as well.
So, as part of Council’s commitment to creating new lifestyle and leisure opportunities for people of all ages, I encourage everybody to check out this site as well. Whether you’re looking for food, fashion or fun, there’s always something going on in the Valley. We know already we are home to our flagship event of the Valley Fiesta, the Chinese Moon Festival and the Chinese Lunar New Year. We have the highest concentration of live music venues in Australia, and it is recognised as an iconic 24-hour destination.
Over the last few years, we’ve funded initiatives like free Council Wi-Fi, CitySafe amplified speakers, our upgrade to the Halo cameras, decorative lighting through the Chinatown Mall and the Brunswick Street Mall through fairy lights and lanterns. We’ve got a marketing consultancy service provided to the Mall businesses to improve their capacity to improve their daytime businesses as well, and we have reallyincreased the public relations through the media to up the ante on the image and the perception of a place for all to come and enjoy that leisure and lifestyle we have here in Brisbane.
Obviously the boost for the area in this local economy really is around building those businesses for the daytime as well. We’ve got some fantastic small and emerging businesses which make a great contribution to the area’s vibrant character, and we’re hoping that this website will give them an exposure for the creative, for the avant-garde retailers that are there in the existing precinct that not a lot of people know about already They’re on the global trend; we just need to make sure that residents and visitors alike know that they’re there to come and see them.
So we’ve got the Valley Fiesta approaching at the end of October; we’ve got Big Sound happening this weekend; free Wi-Fi in our pedestrian areas of Brunswick Street and Chinatown Mall. It really is the beating heart of our city’s creative and performing arts economy. There has never been a better time to find out what’s on in Fortitude Valley; myvalley.com.au, don’t miss it.