As it happened: Brisbane on Tuesday, October 15

Billionaire Harry Triguboff’s bid to build two towers opposite the Botanic Gardens has been approved by Brisbane City Council.

Triguboff’s Meriton development arm applied to build the towers at 204 Alice Street. With more than 1000 units, the towers would replace the 45-year-old Gardens Apartments, whose owners were bought out by the developers.

The council’s formal development approval affords appeal rights to representatives of the Sultan of Brunei, who had lodged a submission opposing the Triguboff towers.

The Sultan’s representatives also used their submission to flag his intention to redevelop a neighbouring site, the Royal on the Park, that he owns.

His representatives wanted the council to draft a master plan for the wider area.

“It is our opinion the proposed (Meriton) development has not achieved a tower design that responds appropriately to the precinct … nor to the future development opportunities of our land,” the company said.

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of today’s news. We’ll be back tomorrow, when we’ll also provide live blog coverage of the next leaders’ debate at the Queensland Media Club.

In case you missed them, here are some of today’s top stories:

Anthony Albanese’s purchase of a $4.3 million property in NSW has baffled Labor MPs, who have questioned the move ahead of an election that will be fought on housing affordability.

Veteran journalist George Negus – a founding member of the 60 Minutes team and the founding host of the ABC’s Foreign Correspondent – has died aged 82.

A teenage boy accused of murdering grandmother Vyleen White during a carjacking west of Brisbane has been granted a court order for prosecutors to disclose all evidence in the case.

City worker and cyclist Jo Qualmann rides down George Street, which lacks a separated bikeway.Credit: Glenn Campbell

Brisbane city cyclists are highlighting the logistical difficulties of riding along George Street, which has no separate bike lane aside from a 180m stretch that riders have dubbed the “bikeway to nowhere”.

Premier Steven Miles has sought to allay fears that his election commitments will jeopardise Queensland’s credit rating, saying his pledges were “within range” to keep the rating stable.

A $500,000 reward has been announced for information on one of south-east Queensland’s most enduring cold cases – a suspected arson attack on an Ipswich boarding house, in which five people died.

And Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga’s changing of the guard has continued, with veteran utility Ben Hunt not chosen to take the field against Tonga in Brisbane on Friday night.

The state election is not until October 26 but some Queenslanders have already made up their minds.

Yesterday, the earliest people could vote in person, almost 150,000 Queenslanders lodged their ballots pre-poll centres across the state.

Another 1600 people took up the option of telephone voting, due to illness, impairment or disability.

“There are over 3.68 million Queenslanders enrolled to vote in the 2024 state general election to determine the members of the Queensland Parliament for the next four years,” the Electoral Commission said in a statement.

By last night, when applications for postal votes officially closed, more than 610,000 people had asked to be sent a ballot rather than have to attend a polling booth in person.

In 2020, more than 900,000 postal votes were issued, but that was partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A $500,000 reward has been announced for information on one of south-east Queensland’s most enduring cold cases – a suspected arson attack on an Ipswich boarding house, in which five people died.

The Oakdale Guest House was burnt down on December 29, 1990. During the initial investigation, leads dried up quickly, but the case was reopened this year.

The Oakdale Guest House was a Queenslander-style residential boarding house at 5 Milford Street, Ipswich.Credit: Queensland Police

Inquiries have revealed reports of multiple “physical altercations” the night before the blaze between residents and unknown men, possibly over stolen cigarettes.

Read more.

The Greens have derided Anthony Albanese’s purchase of a $4.3 million home on the NSW Central Coast, with the party’s housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather suggesting the Prime Minister is a property investor out to benefit himself.

Chandler-Mather, addressing reporters in Queensland this afternoon, said the federal government was giving property investors $176 billion in tax handouts in the middle of the housing crisis, “while property investors like the Prime Minister are buying expensive, big-time property”.

Max Chandler-Mather at a June press conference.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“It is Labor that’s blocking real action on the housing crisis,” Chandler-Mather said.

“The Greens are ready to work with Labor to take real action on the housing crisis.

“It’s a big concern that the Labor Party, 75 per cent of whom are property investors, and the Coalition, 65 per cent who are property investors, both oppose any changes to negative gearing with a capital gains tax discount.”

Australia’s housing system benefited very wealthy property investors while screwing over renters and first home buyers, Chandler-Mather said.

“It’s of genuine political concern that politicians far too often make decisions to financially benefit themselves in parliament while refusing to take real action on things like the massive housing crisis,” he said.

Billionaire Harry Triguboff’s bid to build two towers opposite the Botanic Gardens has been approved by Brisbane City Council.

Triguboff’s Meriton development arm applied to build the towers at 204 Alice Street. With more than 1000 units, the towers would replace the 45-year-old Gardens Apartments, whose owners were bought out by the developers.

The council’s formal development approval affords appeal rights to representatives of the Sultan of Brunei, who had lodged a submission opposing the Triguboff towers.

The Sultan’s representatives also used their submission to flag his intention to redevelop a neighbouring site, the Royal on the Park, that he owns.

His representatives wanted the council to draft a master plan for the wider area.

“It is our opinion the proposed (Meriton) development has not achieved a tower design that responds appropriately to the precinct … nor to the future development opportunities of our land,” the company said.

A teenage boy accused of murdering a grandmother during a carjacking has been granted a court order for prosecutors to disclose all evidence in the case.

Vyleen Joan White, 70, died after being stabbed in the chest outside a shopping centre at Redbank Plains, west of Brisbane, on February 3.

Police said White was killed during the theft of her 2009 model Hyundai Getz hatchback.

Ipswich grandmother Vyleen White was fatally stabbed at a shopping centre.Credit: Nine News

A 16-year-old boy from the nearby suburb of Bellbird Park was arrested two days later and charged with one count each of murder and unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and three counts of stealing.

The youth’s charges were mentioned in Ipswich Children’s Court today, but he was not required to appear in person or via videolink from custody.

Read more.

Campaigning in Ipswich West, LNP leader David Crisafulli dismissed suggestions his stance of “no change” on abortion access laws could cause dissent within his party.

Crisafulli sought to “vehemently disagree” to suggestions of division in his party, even though LNP members have ties to pro-life groups and some have spoken publicly of their desire to unwind Labor’s 2018 reforms.

Queensland LNP leader David Crisafulli (centre) was keen to campaign on law and order in Ipswich.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt

“There will be no change, and my team has backed that position really hard,” he said.

“I know what the Labor Party’s doing, I know they’re trying to make this some sort of issue, and it’s desperate and it’s a lie – and it’s very rare for me to use the L word.”

Crisafulli insisted it was just another Labor “scare campaign” as he had made his position clear.

The Labor campaign went back to the regions today, with a $50 million commitment to expand the emergency department at Rockhampton Hospital.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said there would be a “significant” expansion of the 14-bed facility, the scale of which would be finalised when master planning is completed in the new year, should Labor be re-elected.

Premier Steven Miles (centre) campaigning with Labor’s candidate for Rockhampton Craig Marshall (left) and Member for Keppel Brittany Lauga (right).Credit: Cameron Atfield

The campaign stop in Rockhampton, held by Labor since 1932, led to questions about sandbagging in the regions.

Making it harder for Labor is the impending retirement of Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke, who is not contesting this election. He held the seat with an 8.6 per cent margin.

Premier Steven Miles, who also visited Rockhampton in the first week of the campaign, said there was not much to be read into visiting such a safe seat.

Premier Steven Miles meets a baby on the campaign trail after promising more funding for the emergency department at Rockhampton Hospital. Credit: Cameron Atfield

“Regional Queensland is really important and it’s been important in every single election campaign,” he said.

“I’ve always visited Rockhampton regularly. We have a great new candidate here in Craig [Marshall] and we have a fantastic local [Keppel] MP in Brittany [Lauga].

“I want to see them re-elected and elected as part of my team.”

LNP treasury spokesman David Janetzki has defended his absence from David Crisafulli’s campaign.

Treasurer Cameron Dick has frequently joined Steven Miles on the hustings and has questioned Janetzki’s low profile, in contrast to that of deputy LNP leader Jarrod Bleijie.

On 4BC this morning, Janetzki said he had also been travelling the state, with “a lot to be said and a lot more campaigning to be done”.

He shrugged off suggestions the LNP was not being upfront with voters about its intentions for the state budget.

“Like oppositions since time began, we’ll release our full funding and costing at the end of our final announcement being released,” Janetzki told host Bill McDonald.

Janetzki said he was the son of a dairy farmer – he understood the need to “make that milk cheque go for longer” – and had worked in the banking sector.

He said the LNP would grow the economy, to boost revenue, and not borrow as much as a Labor government.

“They are literally promising billion and billions of dollars in operating expenses, which we are not,” he said.

Janetzki has received a Treasury briefing in line with the caretaker convention.

Police are investigating after a man was hit and killed by a car in Brisbane overnight.

The victim was hit by a 2014 Subaru WRX sedan on Granard Road in Rocklea about 6.35pm on Monday.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and transported the man to Princess Alexandra Hospital with serious head injuries. He was declared dead a short time later.

“Investigations into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing, and anyone who may have information that may be able to assist is asked to come forward,” a statement from police said.