Labor calls Brisbane City Council Budget a ‘political tragedy’

BRISBANE’S opposition leader called the latest council budget the “final act of a political tragedy” from a Lord Mayor who had run out of puff. —

Brisbane opposition leader Peter Cumming has made his budget reply. Picture: Peter Cronin

BRISBANE’S opposition leader’s called the council budget the “final act of a political tragedy” from a Lord Mayor who had run out of puff.

Councillor Peter Cumming’s budget reply speech accused the Lord Mayor of stealing Labor policies and shoring up opportunities for councillors in marginal wards to keep their seats.

He repeated his denouncement of the rates rise saying low-income families could not afford it, and 57 suburbs copped a rise that was more than twice the rate of inflation.

Cr Cumming called for the LNP administration to implement a lower cap of rates increases to flatten out the rate rises.

Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has come under fire from the opposition for his 2018/19 Budget.

“This is particularly important in a low-inflation environment, where some people have not had a wage increase for years,” he said.

He took another shot at Brisbane Metro, which has $40m allocated to it even though the council predicted a $78m spend in last year’s forward estimates.

“It’s half the projected spend for a half-baked project that’s stuck in the slow lane,” he said.

He said extra funding for councillors’ Ward and Footpaths Fund, up to $541,000 from $448,000, and Suburban Initiative Funds, from $55,000 to $75,000, was a chance to pork barrel marginal wards.

“These increases are a thinly disguised attempt to protect the Lord Mayor’s massive LNP majority in this chamber,” he said.

“LNP councillors will be able to throw money at their wards from 1st July until the council election in March 2020.”

He said the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation should be shut down as it just put “ratepayers’ funds on a merry-go-round”.

“It operates without competition, hoovering up ratepayer-owned property and leasing it back to council at expensive rates over long leases.”

Finance and Economic Development chairwoman Krista Adams said Brisbane City Council still had the lowest minimum residential rates in Queensland.

Finance and Economic Development chairwoman Krista Adams. Picture: Peter Cronin

She said more than half the suburbs’ rates rise was below 2.5 per cent, and 25 suburbs’ rates would go down.

Cr Adams said she agreed with Cr Cumming that buses were in the “slow lane” — and it was called Victoria Bridge and that was what the Brisbane Metro would fix.

“What is the most important thing about the Metro? This is about better bus services for the people of Brisbane,” she said.

She said the extra money in councillors’ two discretionary funds would allow them to better support community initiatives, like markets and festivals, and work on parks and footpaths.

“That’s half a million dollars to support the community. But he’s going to hand it back, that would be lovely,” she said.

She said dividends from CBIC, totalling about $20m, helped keep residents’ rates low.