It’s game on in Battle of Brisbane

Council elections are going ahead across the state today despite fears over the spread of COVID-19. This is what Brisbane’s two challengers want you to know.

ADRIAN Schrinner and Patrick Condren are bracing for a close result in today’s council elections, as the lord mayoral rivals for Brisbane made their final pitch to voters before polls close this afternoon.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has warned some councils may not know results for days if the count is close, after a record number of postal vote applications were made across the state.

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Hundreds of thousands of voters will still be required to vote today amid the coronavirus crisis.

Cr Schrinner – the LNP incumbent – said yesterday there had never been an election like it, and the result was anyone’s guess.

“About a week ago, I effectively paused my campaigning activities because there are so many other important things … to be focusing on,” the Lord Mayor said.

“I suspect it will be a close result. But I would urge the people of Brisbane to consider which is the team that has the experience to guide Brisbane through this challenge … and that is Team Schrinner.”

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE BRISBANE CONDENTERS’ FULL LIST OF COMMITMENTS

Mr Condren also said he had never seen an election like it, and that it was “unknowable” if turnout would be low at polling booths due to the coronavirus.

“Anyone who thinks they’ve got a political crystal ball who can predict the outcome of this election is a fool to themselves and a burden to others,” the Labor lord mayoral candidate said.

“(My campaign) has been unashamedly about the suburbs, it’s been unashamedly about the people of Brisbane and I think now more than ever that is important for Brisbane going forward.”

There are 26 wards up for grabs in the Brisbane City Council election, with most held by the LNP.

Incumbent LNP Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner

Labor challenger Patrick Condren

More than one million people have voted at pre-polls and more than half a million people had requested postal votes.

An ECQ spokesman said no votes would be counted until after polls closed.

“Preliminary counts will be made available progressively on Saturday night as the counting process progresses,” he said.

“Given the record number of postal vote applications, some local governments will need to wait until they are returned by April 7 if the count is close.”

Positions at all 77 of the state’s councils have been declared vacant – including in Logan and Ipswich, which will both have new councils after being overseen by administrators in recent years.

In Ipswich, seven candidates are vying for the region’s top job, including Teresa Harding and former councillor David Martin.

There are eight candidates on the Logan mayoral ballot paper, including Robert Fleming, former federal MP Brett Raguse and former councillor Darren Power.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate will be hoping to secure a third term in today’s poll, alongside Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson and Redland City Mayor Karen Williams.

New regulations came into force yesterday, banning council candidates and campaigns from putting signs up around polling booths until 5am today to help protect students, staff and parents at schools.

The Government also introduced changes that will allow council meetings to be conducted via teleconferencing so that meetings can go ahead when councillors are unwell or stuck in quarantine.

There was an 83 per cent turnout at the 2016 local council elections.

Schrinner’s commitments

RATEPAYERS

■ Continue delivery of free off-peak travel for seniors on buses, CityCats and ferries

■ Free dump vouchers for every household in the city, including renters

- Waiving the $30 yellow-bin fee for a free additional bin or a bigger bin

■ Free compost starter kits or worm farms

■ Continue reducing 16 fees and charges unveiled in 2019/20 Budget

INFRASTRUCTURE

■ $32 million on village precinct projects, with first stage to be rolled out in ten suburbs

■ $10 million for access improvements at Whites Hill Reserve

■ $500,000 to start planning on the Woolloongabba priority precinct as part of the Norman Creek Masterplan and continue works around Glindemann Creek

TRANSPORT

■ An extra $50 million for road and intersection upgrades

■ $2.8 millio n for 100 new Slow for SAM signs around schools

■ $6.4 million investment in the safe paths to school program

■ $1.6 million to boost pedestrian safety around aged care living

■ $1.8 million towards the joint State and Council SafeST travel program

■ Finish Brisbane Metro before end of term

LIFESTYLE

■ $100 million for the biggest parks package in the city’s history. Includes: $35 million to transform Nudgee Recreation Reserve; $30 million for new car park at Downey Park; $3.25 million to build “signature” playgrounds; $14 million for upgrades at Wally Tate Park including sports fields.

■ $15 million for pools upgrades – Chermside Pool and Newmarket Pool

■ $12 million for libraries – rebuild Everton Park Library, upgrade Zillmere and Inala library and extend hours at West End

■ $6 million for City of Light decorative lighting

■ $5.2 million for community halls

■ Waive local event permit fees – around $1.2m

■ $8 million to seek a partnership to redevelop the School of Arts building into a community hub

■ $3.3 million for cultural facility at Witton Barracks

■ Over $3 million to deliver three new dog parks, expand three dog parks and upgrade a third of existing dog parks

■ $2.1 million to improve Brisbane Powerhouse

■ Begin the Victoria Park redevelopment

■ $1.67 million to upgrade three scenic lookouts

■ $200,000 for upgrades at the Brighton Bulldogs Football Club including more changerooms and sporting field.

■ $1.2 million towards a $1.5 million joint upgrade with AFL Queensland and Cricket Queensland at the Chelmer Oval

ENVIRONMENT

■ $9.1 million to embark on the biggest street tree planting drive in city’s history

■ Build five new green bridges

■ Free native plants for every household

GOVERNANCE

■ $6.6 million to introduce a webchat service between council contact centre and business

■ Slash payment terms for small businesses supplying Council to seven days

■ Deliver another four balanced budgets

Condren’s commitments

RATEPAYERS

■ $100 annual rates rebate for those who pay on time (would cost $30 million each year)

■ Produce a “rate saver” report

■ Freeze rate increases for a year for all ratepayers at a cost of $69 million.

INFRASTRUCTURE

■ $11.2 million on a new planning policy, including redoing every neighbourhood plan

■ $10 million to upgrade Brighton Foreshore

■ $6.2 million for a rapid repair footpath fund

TRANSPORT

■ $410 million to fix five level crossings

■ $17 million for suburban intersections

■ $1.7 million for extra bus services

■ $1 million to complete Veloway at Birdwood Rd and $1 million planning study to fix eight other bikeway links

■ An extra $1 million every year to fix potholes

■ $500,000 for Hillbrook school crossing

■ Look at introducing a CBD bike grid

■ Initially allocate $4 million to make public transport free for job seekers during coronavirus crisis

LIFESTYLE

■ $25.5 million to upgrade and deliver new libraries

■ $25.3 million to boost suburban shopping and axe the footpath dining tax

■ $6 million encouraging more women and girls into sport

■ $2 million for Clem Jones Center upgrade

ENVIRONMENT

■ $27.5 million to make council “truly carbon neutral” and make Brisbane carbon net zero by 2050

■ $5 million for greening King George Square

■ Extra $1.8 million every year for tree planting

■ $420,000 for an animal ambulance and increase to wildlife carers grants

GOVERNANCE

■ Boost the number of
women on council boards to 50 per cent

■ Introduce a public benefit test for advertising

■ Scrapping expense of office allowance paid to the Lord Mayor worth almost $100,000

● Scrapping Qantas club memberships for councillors

■ Appoint independent experts for bushland levy spend