GreenUpBrisbane

Labor/Liberal public transport shame file

The Greens today released the public transport shame list, proving that both Labor and Liberal have failed on public transport. Ms Jo Bragg, Greens Lord Mayoral Candidate said today, "The best guide to future action is past action, and the Greens have logged the disastrous record of Labor and Liberal on public transport issues and produced the shame file. It is hard to pick out the most nonsensical  things the major parties have done as the shame list is so long."

Greens Accept Debate Offer, but where is Campbell Newman?

Ms Jo Bragg, Greens Lord Mayoral  Candidate for Brisbane advised Mr Greg Rowell's team today that yes she'll definitely be there on Friday to debate with Greg Rowell. The Labor party informed Ms Bragg that Mayor Campbell Newman is refusing to participate in this traditional BCC Mayoral Debate despite two letters and several phone messages from the  Labor Party.

Peition for City Cat Terminal submitted

Greens’ candidate for Hamilton, Tristan Peach, has submitted a petition to Council with 110 signatures for a long overdue City Cat terminal to be built at the Teneriffe Ferry stop. Council must commence design and construction of a City Cat Terminal at the Teneriffe Ferry stop immediately, rather than waiting years for a stop to be built at the Newstead River Park.

Greens Launch Conservation Policy

Today the Greens released their Conservation Policy.  The Centre piece of the policy calls for protection of the Oxley Wedge one of the last areas of Greenspace left in Brisbane. This area is threatened by development. Developer Silvios Pradella Chairs the Oxley Creek Taskforce while the Lower Oxley Creek Planning group is funded by developers who have an interest in pushing development of the fragile region.Those groups control areas that also affect Karawatha Forest such as the Flinders Green bank corridor (Karawatha Section).

Download conservation_policy.doc

Rotten donations culture threatens Brisbane

25 February 2008  Brown paper bag protest outside City Hall

Giant Brown paper bags:

• one  will be filled with wads of cash by named after actual developers who have donated to the Liberal and Labor Parties

• a second will have a giant question mark as to what donations are coming in right  now that the public does not know about

The key ingredients leading to the Wollongong developers donations scandal are all here in Brisbane. Both Queensland Liberal and Labor parties  use the developers as cash cows for their election  campaigns.  Cosy relationships develop. Big money projects go before Council staff and politicians all the time. Donations made today need not be disclosed until months after the election.

The Greens Jo Bragg repeats her 7 February call for a ban on political donations from property developers AND for the major parties to follow the Greens lead and voluntarily disclose all donations to parties or associated entities over $1500 on the website prior to the Council election (see the Green's donation register here).

Light Rail will slash carbon emissions in Western Brisbane

24 February 2008 Greens install example light rail stop at "Trammies Corner" Paddington

The Greens are the only party with a credible transport plan to reduce congestion, slash greenhouse gas emissions and improve access in West Brisbane.

While Liberal and Labor plan to pump more traffic into the west from Hale Street Bridge, the Greens' transport plan will reduce traffic and improve neighbourhood amenity.

The centre piece of their plan for the west is the "Western Line" a light rail service running high frequency services from Roma Street to Kenmore. This would connect with a cross-city light rail line from Indooroopilly to Dutton Park, via the University of Queensland.

Stop the Destruction of Kalinga Park

Tristan Peach, Greens candidate for Hamilton, is the only candidate supporting the preservation of  beautiful gums trees and hoop pines at the eastern end of Kalinga Park, Clayfield. The trees give delight to many residents, yet Labor and Liberal will allow them to be bulldozed to build the Airport Link car tunnel. Mr Peach is promoting a public transport solution which will allow the trees to be preserved while also addressing transport problems.

Garnaut Report shows Brisbane must urgently slash Carbon emissions

22 February 2008

Brisbane is faced with spiralling greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles** and this will get far worse as traffic clogs up the proposed LA style tunnels and bridges. We desperately need to change Council funding priorities from car tunnels to public transport to have any chance to slash emissions. The much awaited Garnaut report tells us once again that Australia will be severely affected by climate change and that big reductions in emissions are needed.

Ms Jo Bragg, Green’s Lord Mayoral Candidate said today,
“Any ten year old school child today knows that walking, cycling and buses are better for the environment than cars. It is an absolute disgrace that both Liberal and Labor Councillors are backing construction of car tunnels and the discredited Hale Street Bridge at this time of carbon crisis and peak oil.’

Newman and Turnbull split over political donations

20  February 2008

On 2 February 2008 Campbell Newman brushed aside Greens Lord Mayoral Candidate Jo Bragg's call for an end to  developer donations to political parties. Yet now Shadow Federal Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull has backed a ban on all corporate and union donations to political parties.

Cycling danger zones booked by the Greens

The Greens have ramped up their Safer Bikeways campaign (launched Sunday 10 Feb) today by booking five of Brisbane 's worst danger zones with huge red tickets.

Greens candidate for Central slams Hinchliffe flip flop on Regent

14 February 2008

 

Greens candidate for Central ward Anne Boccabella has criticised BCC Planning Chair David Hinchliffe for his backflip on protection of the Regent Theatre.

“After 20 years in City Council, David Hinchliffe still doesn’t seem to recognise a Brisbane icon when it pops up in his Weeties,” said Ms Boccabella.

“This is typical David Hinchliffe: always looking for the easy way out.”

Liberals show their contempt for public transport by arriving at own launch by car

10 February 2008

Today the Liberal Party launched its campaign for Brisbane City Council  Elections in March. The candidates arrived for the launch by car. Today was also the day that the Greens announced a $40 million pa election promise to triple the length of Brisbane’s bicycle network by 2015, by doubling Council’s current annual funding commitment.

Greens pledge $40 million to double Council funding for bikeways

10 February 2008
Brisbane to become Australia’s most bikeable city

The Greens have announced a $40 million election promise to triple the length of Brisbane’s bicycle network by 2015, by doubling Council’s current annual funding commitment.

Ms Jo Bragg, Green’s Lord Mayoral Candidate said, “The Greens are the only party committed to providing healthy alternatives to vehicle transport. Our children deserve safe bikeways so they can go safely to school and  visit their friends in their local community. Our commuters deserve safe bikeways to  local shops and to work.”

Greens warn Labor on web site

9 February 2008

Greens Lord Mayoral candidate Jo Bragg today warned the ALP against crossing the line on their comments with their new web site NewmanFacts.com.

Ms Bragg said Labor had a long history of producing so-called "shit sheets" of unfair, inaccurate and often baseless information about their political opponents - both in official and unofficial publications.

Greens Mayoral Candidate challenges Newman and ALP to release list of donations before BCC elections

7 February 2008

The recent release of political party annual returns for 2006/7 has disclosed that property developers are making major donations to both the Queensland ALP and the Liberal Party. Campbell Newman has a fighting fund of $680,000 including $50,000 funds from Consolidated Properties Group.

Major donors  such as Mirvac, Pradella, Devine  to name  a few are also major developers with numerous active projects. And we have many examples such as at West End Gabba local plan where the local community has opposed high density development yet ALP and Libs have steamrolled local communities in favour of developers interests.

Ms Jo Bragg, Greens Lord Mayoral Candidate says,
“ The political donations system stinks. Property developers are not charities they give to the ALP and Libs hoping for favours and taking advantage of weak laws on donations. Newman’s neighbourhood planning is a joke as major development is foisted on unwilling communities.”

Hutton calls for new vision for Brisbane’s waterways: Norman Creek the starting point

6 February 2008

If Lord Mayor Campbell Newman wanted to leave a lasting legacy for the city, he would be much better served to rejuvenate the city’s waterways than build more tunnels.

Greens candidate for The Gabba, Drew Hutton, said his first choice for substantial waterways improvement would be Norman Creek because of the good work that had already been done there and the high level of activity from the local group – the Norman Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee.

Hutton calls for Neighbourhood Plan for Coorparoo Shopping Centre

5 February 2008

The Greens candidate for The Gabba in the Brisbane City Council election, Drew Hutton, is calling for a Neighbourhood Plan to rejuvenate the Coorparoo shopping centre.

Mr Hutton said the catalyst for such a project would be the new Eastern Busway and the bus station that would be located in the centre.

 

Brisbane Greens propose tax payer funded trip to the world's real liveable cities

1 February 2008

Why won't Brisbane councillors lift their eyes above the steering wheel?

Huge positive changes can be made to a city’s transport system if a Lord Mayor uses the right strategies. This was demonstrated by the former Mayor of Bogota, Enrique Penalosa, who delivered huge reductions in car traffic through serious investment in public and active transport. He will speak in Brisbane on February 7.

As traffic congestions increases again in the first week back to school the failure of the Labor and Liberal Council administration to deliver on their key election mandate is again exposed.

Hale Street Bridge had flawed costs benefit analysis

23 January 2008 Read

Engineer does the missing figures and concludes project is economically negative

Greens say "Can “Major” Campbell make congestion worse? Can he do it? Yes he is!! And he mucked up the vital cost benefit analysis on Hale Street. His economic credentials are in tatters"

Greens Launch Their Local Election Campaign

20 January 2008 Read

Only the greens present an alternative vision for Brisbane. The ALP and the Libs might as well be one party. They vote the same on anything that matters

Greens candidate for Lord Mayor, Ms Jo Bragg, said Greens candidates were the only candidates who were prepared to tackle climate change.

Bicycle safety on approaches to Green Bridge

The Greens are concerned about an accident waiting to happen with bicycle approaches and exits to and from the Eleanor Schonell Bridge from Dutton Park to the University of Queensland.  Cars are travelling at quite high speeds on Gladstone Road and represent a serious threat to cyclists.

Greens candidate for the Brisbane City Council ward of The Gabba, Drew Hutton, listed his concerns as:

Woonerf needed in the Gabba

The Greens would try to introduce the Dutch concept of woonerf to some Brisbane streets if their candidates are elected in the Brisbane City Council elections next March.

Greens candidate for The Gabba said he believed the practice, common in Europe and North America, prioritised pedestrians over cars in certain streets and structured those streets accordingly.

Greens Challenge Newman & ALP to Bring Forward Funding of Brisbane Walking and Cycling Plan

10 December 2007 Greens say  "His free bike hire if sponsors come forward an insult."

Today Campbell Newman announced that he hopes to get an European free bike  hire system going for short trips but only if supported by sponsors and advertisers.
Newman noted that cycling is a healthy alternative that does not create any Greenhouse Gas emissions.

Earlier this year Ms Bragg challenged the Mayor to travel to work by clean non car transport 4 days a week, something she has done for over 15 years as a busy lawyer in Sydney and Brisbane. His office brushed the challenge aside and said he needed to drive his car everyday.

Hale Street Bridge breeds unhealthy congestion from start to finish

6 December 2007

Greens say "Can Campbell make congestion worse? Can he do it? Yes he is!! His honeymoon period is over."

Scrooge Newman tells us to change our light bulbs: Bah, Humbug! What about fixing public transport?

30 November 2007

Today the Lord Mayor Campbell Newman urged us all to change our Christmas light bulbs to save greenhouse gas emissions. This was part of his $670,000 Greenheart advertising campaign.

Ms Jo Bragg, Greens Lord Mayoral candidate had earlier criticised the $670,000 of advertising expenditure on this campaign. While citizens have a role to play in saving greenhouse gas emissions, they prefer Council's limited funds spent on desperately needed cycle ways, pedestrian improvements and public transport. The Transport sector is responsible for around 15% of Brisbane's Greenhouse gas emissions.

Record result for Greens in Queensland: boost for Greens in upcoming Brisbane local government elections

26 November 2007, Read here or below

Campbell chokes on NSBT costs: traffic estimates expose double-edged dagger

15 November 2007

BRISBANE: Last week the Greens released independent estimates showing the NSBT construction alone was responsible for 34 Mega tons of CO2 emissions before  passage of a single car. The Mayor did not deny those figures.

NOW The Greens have accused Campbell Newman of covering up the climate change impacts of NSBT operation, announcing that the traffic forecasting used to calculate the tollway's profitability will equal CO2 emissions way above the Council's current emission reductions targets on climate change.

Greens call on Newman to come clean on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

4 November 2007

On Sunday 4 November  4000 Brisbane people will view progress on the North
South Bypass Tunnel.

The Mayor and ALP are taking no responsibility for the immense greenhouse
gas emissions to be released from tunnel construction. The tunnel involves
energy inputs in extraction of rock and soil, transport of spoil out and
construction materials in, the embedded energy in construction material such
as steel and concrete,  and the needs of workers.

Council's Greenheart campaign a joke. We are not New York

29 October 2007

"Mayor Campbell Newman's proposed spending $670,000 on a Greenheart advertising blitz is a waste of money given our transport crisis. While all citizens need to play a role in cutting Greenhouse gas emissions, its hard to do that when the we have insufficient buses and cycle ways are under funded," said Ms Jo Bragg, Greens' Lord Mayoral Candidate for Brisbane

Greens celebrate outstanding by-election result

13 October 2007 Read

The Queensland Greens have polled an outstanding 33.96% of the primary vote and 42.83% of the two party preferred vote in today’s by-election for the seat of Brisbane Central, the highest Green vote in a state seat in the party’s history.

By-election candidate announces unique pledge

9 October 2007 Read

Contest between Greens and Labor in by-election as Coalition fails to find a candidate

26 September 2007 Read

Local, State and Federal Greens launch visionary light rail plan for Brisbane

25 September 2007 Read

Urban Land Development Authority Act 2007 threatens Brisbane

18 September 2007

“This Act, passed last week is not a quick fix for the affordable housing
crisis. It is a dangerous gateway to more unsustainable high density
development which can be imposed  over local planning schemes anywhere in
Queensland with no public appeal rights.” said Ms Jo Bragg, Green’s Lord
Mayoral Candidate.

What dung heap? Greens slam Brisbane ALP and Libs links to big business.

13 August 2007