Kurilpa Riverfront Plan leaves residents behind

Member for South Brisbane Jackie Trad has raised serious concerns that the LNP State and Council Administrations are leaving Brisbane residents behind after the pay-to-view launch of the Kurilpa Riverfront Renewal Draft Master Plan.

Ms Trad attended the launch of the Kurilpa Riverfront Renewal Draft Master Plan as a guest of Business South Bank but was angered that the State Government and Brisbane City Council hadn’t provided an opportunity for locals to be given a briefing or have their questions answered.

“I am appalled that the vast majority of Brisbane residents were denied the opportunity to attend the launch and learn about the plan with a ticket to the event costing $150,” Ms Trad said.

“The Newman State Government & Quirk’s Brisbane City Council have been developing this plan for 10 months, but are giving the people of Brisbane only six weeks or 30 business days to have a say.

“Consultation with the community should be at the heart of this plan, but instead it seems to be an afterthought.”

Ms Trad said while the inclusion of parkland in the plan is positive, it is offset by a proposal to significantly increase the number of high rise buildings in the West End peninsula.

“I know locals hold serious concerns about the impact this massive development will have on already stretched local services,” Ms Trad said.

“When I asked for details on the population projections at today’s launch, Councillor Amanda Cooper merely answered that there were projections but refused to detail the actual population numbers.

 

“Ultimately the Kurilpa Master Plan is incomplete and until I am confident that locals are happy with it, Labor will press the restart button to ensure all interests are included and reflected in any final document.

“The secretive and privileged LNP has handicapped a legitimate process and arrogantly undermined public confidence in this project.”

Ms Trad said the last LNP State Administration in the 1990s had exactly the same development-focussed plan for South Bank, but the people of Brisbane had a different vision.

“In 2014, it’s hard to imagine Brisbane without South Bank and I think most Queenslanders would shudder to think of what the Nationals and their developer mates would have left behind if their plan had gone unchecked.

“With this second opportunity to redefine our City before us, I call on Premier Newman and Lord Mayor Quirk to restore confidence in this project by listening to the people of Brisbane first.”