Zipline flyer cost ratepayers $78,000

A GLOSSY leaflet spruiking the controversial Mt Coot-tha ziplines has cost ratepayers $78,000.

Mount Coot-tha zipline artists impressions — Treetop Canopy Tour. A Council flyer on the zipline cost $78,000 to print and distribute.

A GLOSSY leaflet spruiking the controversial Mt Coot-tha ziplines has cost ratepayers $78,000.

Hundreds of residents have piled on to social media since it began appearing in letterboxes across Brisbane to criticise what they saw as a waste of public money.

Shadow Brisbane City Council environment spokesman, Councillor Steve Griffiths, said the flyer, printed on high-quality thick stock and delivered to tens of thousands of homes, was a flagrant misuse of ratepayer funds.

“It was delivered the day after the last council meeting,’’ Cr Griffiths said.

“We are now in recess for five weeks and can’t ask questions about it, but based on mailouts of this size in the past and of similar quality, these flyers cost up to $100,000 for production and delivery.’’

A council spokeswoman said 516,000 brochures were distributed, at a cost of $78,000.

“All Council-funded communication is governed by a strict policy to ensure no political parties are mentioned or promoted, and the CEO’s office has oversight of this,’’ she said.

“Part of the Lord Mayor’s responsibility as the directly-elected leader of Brisbane is to update the public about projects and services that impact their day-to-day life, which is undertaken through a variety of communications.

“In fact, the City of Brisbane Act specifies that councillors are accountable to the community for the council’s performance and the Lord Mayor is responsible for leading and controlling the business of council.’’

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The flyer, which features a picture of outgoing Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, does not mention the project is to be owned and operated by a private company, Zipline Australia.

It also does not mention the 3600 public submissions against the council’s development application, or that an appeal has been lodged in the Planning and Environment Court, likely delaying the start of construction by two years or more.

Council wants to build six side-by-side fast ziplines, running for 1.1km from the Mt Coot-tha summit to the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens Australian Plant zone, necessitating the removal of rare plants in the gardens, as well as thousands of vehicle movements on gardens walkways.

Council also wants to construct a 335m-long suspension bridge as part of a “Skywalk’’ and another, 1.5km long single zipline to the J.C. Slaughter Falls picnic area, running past a Powerful Owl nesting site.

All vegetation up to 2m high will need to be removed under the 1.1km “mega-zip’’ route for a fire break, including an unknown number of small trees.

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However, the glossy brochure says there will be “no corridor clearing and that eight trees will be planted for every one removed.

The brochure does not mention that the economic case for the project relies on visitor numbers for all three attractions being similar to the Cairns Skyrail cableway, or Ayers Rock (Uluru) at its peak several years ago.