Election commitments delivered in 2024/25 Budget

Brisbane, June 16 (MCCQ Newsdesk, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner office Media Release)

The 2024-25 Budget confirms the Schrinner Council’s commitments to keep Brisbane moving while taking pressure off household rates and rents.

The $4 billion Budget incorporates Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s suite of election commitments, including the return of $2 Summer Dips, new safety cameras and suburban congestion-busting initiatives.

The commitments made by Cr Schrinner and his team at the election were modest and affordable to prevent forcing unnecessary costs onto Brisbane households during the cost-of-living crisis.

The new commitments are funded while still delivering a balanced Budget that maintains the cheapest residential rates in south east Queensland and continues to deliver the most generous pensioner rebate scheme in Queensland.

The Schrinner Council’s election commitments were in stark contrast to the Green/Labor Coalition of Chaos which made $3.5 billion worth of unfunded promises that would have driven Council spending up by 20 per cent, guaranteeing significant rate rises for years to come.

The first $500,000 round of the Safer Suburbs Community grants to fund security improvements at Councilleased sports and community clubs will be awarded this year, with applications to open soon.

The first cameras as part of the roll out of more than 35 new suburban safety cameras will be installed in high-priority public spaces at Forest Lake, Boondall, Mt Gravatt Outlook, Moorooka and the Caxton Street precinct in the 2024/25 financial year.

In the coming financial year works will begin on the major upgrade to Brisbane’s traffic management system with a global search to get underway for the best traffic management technology to move as many people as efficiently as possible.

The Budget will deliver the promised community storage facilities at Edinburgh Castle Road Precinct at Wavell Heights and Moggill District Sports Park at Moggill next financial year.

The Budget allocated funding to deliver the four-year Safer Suburbs Lighting Program with Kelvin Close Park in Forest Lake, Springfield Street Park in MacGregor and Childs Road Park in Nudgee to receive new and improved lighting in the 2024/25 financial year.

Community consultation and initial design work for the first new Safe School Precincts will commence in the next financial year in Kedron and Mansfield, encompassing six different schools.

The 2024-25 Budget funds the extension of the successful $2 Summer Dips which led to pool patronage doubling during December and saved residents almost $2 million last summer.

The commitment to bring

CityCats to Howard Smith Wharves has been delivered with services starting on 27 May and already proving incredibly popular.

The Schrinner Council’s 2024/25 Budget includes funding for:

• Community storage facilities

• Delivering a sustainable ferry

• Extension of $2 Summer Dips

• Kedron Brook revitalisation

• Koala recovery, resilience and vaccinations

• More coffee carts in parks through reduced fees

• New Suburban Safety cameras

• Planning work for a new northside Brisbane Metro charging station and depot

• Protecting and boosting platypus populations

• Safer School Precincts

• Safer Suburbs Community Grants

• Safer Suburbs Lighting Program

• Sporting club lighting upgrades

• Suburban congestion-busting plan

• Taking CityCats to Howard Smith Wharves

• Upgrading Brisbane’s traffic management system

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner assures:

“We have been able to deliver new and exciting opportunities for Brisbane without passing unnecessary costs onto Brisbane households.

“I promised residents I would be a responsible financial manager and I have delivered on my commitment to hand down a balanced and sensible Budget that delivers the cheapest residential rates in south east Queensland.

“With 89 per cent of spending in our suburbs, we’re investing in all corners of our city and continuing to make Brisbane an even better place to live, work and play.

“Brisbane residents had a choice between an experienced team with a strong track record of making Brisbane better or a radical and risky Green/Labor Coalition of Chaos.

50 cent fares set by the Miles Government

Brisbane, June 16

(MCCQ Newsdesk,Ministerial Media Statement Media Release)

• June 16 marks 50 days until Queenslanders will be able to travel on any Translink public transport service around the state for just 50 cents.

• 50 cent fares will be trialled for six months from Monday, August 5 on all modes of public transport across Translink’s networks.

• Queenslanders planning to use public transport for the first time during the trial are encouraged to visit the Translink website to find their best payment method and plan their journey in advance.

• The countdown to the cheapest public transport fares in Queensland’s modern history is on with 50 days to go until 50 cent flat fares take effect.

The Miles Government will trial 50 cent public transport fares across the Translink network for six months from Monday, August 5.

During the trial Queenslanders will be able to travel on bus, train, ferry, tram, on demand services in South East Queensland, and all regional urban buses for just 50 cents.

Fares on Airtrain services will also be slashed to half-price for the same period, reducing fares to $10.95 when travelling from the city to Brisbane Airport and slashing worker tickets in half as well.

Public transport usage across all modes remains about 13 per cent below pre-COVID levels, but Translink will monitor usage on all services during the trial to help inform future decisions on the cost of public transport fares and service levels.

Public transport users can also visit Translink’s Service Capacity Tracker to view a forecast of the space available on their service based on the day and time they are planning to travel.

More information on the six-month trial of 50 cent fares is also available on the Translink website.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Bart Mellish:

“In 50 days, the Miles Government will trial Australia’s first-ever 50c fares for public transport.

“Whether it is going to save someone more than $100 per week on their work commute,

“Brisbane residents chose to put downward pressure on rates and rents and to keep Brisbane moving.” or just a few dollars here and there, this trial means money will stay in the pockets of Queenslanders.

“It’s really important public transport users continue to tap on off during the trial as this provides Translink with valuable data on which services are busy and where people are travelling, which helps Translink plan an efficient and reliable public transport network.

“Whether you’re a frequent public transport user, a first timer, or coming back after a break, there has never been a better time to jump on-board.

“The rollout of Smart Ticketing is making it easier to pay for your journey, and the trial of 50c fares will make public transport more affordable.

“These investments and initiatives are designed to get more people onto public transport which will help to reduce congestion.

“The only mention of public transport in David Crisafulli’s budget reply speech was their $6.6 billion unfunded ‘promise’ to deliver Sunshine Coast Direct to Maroochydore by2032, which experts says is impossible.

“We know the LNP did not support the Northern Transitway and we know they sacked more than 2000 workers from TMR when they were last in government.

“The Miles Government backs public transport and we will continue to invest in new infrastructure and initiatives for Queenslanders.”