‘Too expensive’: Brisbane CBD office workers rage against return to work

Brisbane CBD workers say public transport and parking is too expensive amid a renewed push to get more office staff back in the ghost town city.

Brisbane CBD workers are hitting back against the possibility of ditching Friday work from home habits, citing high expenses of transport and parking as the main reason for favouring the WFH life.

It comes as The Courier Mail exclusively revealed that Brisbane CBD shops and landlords will offer discounts, gift card giveaways freebies, coffee deals and more in a desperate bid to drag workers back into the city to stimulate Brisbane’s ‘ghost town’ city centre.

But our readers are not impressed – for some, no amount of free coffee is worth the expensive inner-city parking, train fares, and sacrificing time with family and friends for the lengthy and unnecessary commute.

SEE WHAT READERS HAVE SAID:

“If I work from home 2 days a week I save / have an extra $29.16 on train fares. That’s like $30 a week after tax pay rise or $73 if I can work from home for a whole week. I work in private sector & to get a pay rise like that would normally take 2 years or more. The price of public transport & zoning boundaries is a major problem.” – Bill

“Spending 2 hours a day in overpriced transport to join the city crush is soul destroying and productivity zapping. I alternatively spend my money now in my local community including at cafes, restaurants etc that would previously have never been able to receive my business. I get to see my kids (prior just an hour or less before going in/after arriving home – prior to bed) leading to a happier home life. Why is this never considered??” – Matthew

“Try reducing parking costs, last visit, 4 hours + = $79. No amount of free coffee in a day will cover that. Will be back for a day every 6 months/” – Andrew

King George Square Bus and Carparking station in the Brisbane CBD, Brisbane CBD Brisbane Monday 10th May 2021 Picture David Clark

“Queensland would have to have the most expensive public transport costs in Australia. I can save over $100 dollars a week in bus and train fares without having to go into Brisbane and another $100 dollars by not having to buy expensive lunches. That saving of $200 dollars a week is a great help for me.” – Stuart

“It is idiotic to expect everything to return to the way it was before COVID. The pandemic highlighted the numerous benefits to be gained from working from home.” – Karl

“How about free buses ferries and trains to the city on Fridays? And cheap parking deals like $5 a day.” – Jodi

“A free coffee in Brisbane or a soul destroying 2 hour daily commute on a train with a broken airconditioning unit which smells like a students armpit.......decisions, decisions.” – Andrew

“Maybe offer free parking? I refuse to go into the city and pay $20, for parking when i can park for free at westfield.” – Stephen

“There is no way a free coffee, a coupon, etc, is worth the three hours of commuting that some have to do to get to the city and back. The sooner the CBD and the ‘9 to 5 grind’ dies the better.” – Brad

General Brisbane City Streetscape images - Bank of Queensland (BOQ) signage in the Brisbane CBD, Brisbane Monday 10th May 2021 Picture David Clark