Bush buy backs favour LNP wards: councillor

If you’re a koala, it pays to live in an LNP ward, a Brisbane councillor claims.

A koala at Toohey Forest. Photo: Toohey Forest Wildlife

A Labor councillor will refer Brisbane City Council’s Bushland Preservation levy scheme to the Auditor-General after his analysis showed the administration has bought only two properties in an ALP area this term.

Cr Steve Griffiths (Moorooka) was one of only two Labor councillors to be rewarded with a bushland acquisition since 2016 — a small 1.6ha block at Van Dieren Rd, Pallara, which cost ratepayers only $2.4 million.

The only other block bought in a Labor ward was a 0.4ha parcel at Florence St, Brighton, bought for $589,000 in September, 2017. It is in the Deagon ward held by Labor’s Jared Cassidy.

In contrast, the administration splashed out a total of about $70.7 million for more than 30 blocks in LNP wards covering more than 400ha — 200 times the size.

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS + JABRA WIRELESS HEADPHONES

While Environment Parks and Sustainability chair Fiona Hammonda denied “Team Schrinner” was politicising protection of the city’s bushland areas, Cr Griffiths said he and Cr Nicole Johnston (Tennyson) had repeatedly written to council this term to ask for significant land parcels to be bought, without avail, including one at Oxley.

He also recently called on council to buy State Government-owned land at Nathan adjacent to Toohey Forest.

The administration instead called on the government give it the land.

“It’s an amazing pattern (of acquisitions). It does seem like the system is being rorted to benefit LNP councillors,’’ he said.

“If we’re talking about looking after the whole city, then this (levy) needs to be spread around.’’

Cr Steve Griffiths. Picture: AAP/Renae Droop

Cr Griffiths said he would be referring the matter to the Auditor-General.

He said up until about 2013 acquisitions seemed to be better spread around the city.

OTHER TOP STORIES

Leading European designer opens store in Brisbane shopping centre

Brisbane’s best little park coming to the westside

Principal says P&C committee behind a vote on the school’s uniform must be scrapped

Action at last to fix notorious Brisbane intersection

Cr Hammond said “Team Schrinner” continued to work towards achieving 40 per cent natural cover by 2031.

“We’re greening Brisbane’s suburbs to safeguard and restore the city’s most important green spaces, including in Archerfield, Brighton, Camp Hill, Nathan, Pallara and Sandgate,” she said.

“Brisbane currently has about 37 per cent natural green cover across the city, with large amounts in non-urban areas on the outskirts of Brisbane such as Toohey Forest, Kholo, the Brisbane Koala Bushlands, Fitzgibbon Bushlands, Ellen Grove Bushlands and Glider Forest.

“Council is also planning to transform 1000-hectares along Oxley Creek into a world class green sanctuary, which will showcase Brisbane’s natural environment and preserve an important green corridor for future generations.”