Speech by Councillor Seal Chong Wah, to full Brisbane City Council Council Meeting, Wed 25th Jun 2025

The ‘Transport for Brisbane’ Program 2025/26 budget includes over $1 billion dollars in expenses and capital. 

This LNP administration has, for the past 20 years, been spending many billions of dollars, trying to achieve their aim, and I quote, “to deliver modern, integrated, and sustainable public transport services”.

While at the same time most people don’t have a frequent bus service within walking distance. 

If they do, it only runs in and out of the CBD, so a 10 minute drive to the shops would become a 40 minute, 2 bus trip via the city. That’s just not a real option.

We know that Brisbane’s congestion is worsening. The RACQ and INRIX release yearly reports showing how much slower peak hour traffic is becoming.

We also know that the only way to cut congestion is to create reliable alternatives to driving. 

The more roads you build, the more cars will fill them. And most residents getting caught in congestion just don’t have another option.

Strategy 1.2.4 ‘Brisbane Metro’ shows more than $600 million dollars in expenses and capital in this year's budget. We’ve been hearing a lot about the Brisbane Metro Buses these last few years and they are finally coming online, and to give credit where it’s due, I’ve heard that they provide a much smoother ride for standing passengers.

There’s an opportunity here to run Metros around much more of Brisbane. As an example, Musgrave and Waterworks Road have a very inconsistent bus service into the city. 

Expanding Metro service along this corridor could be an incredible change for residents from The Gap, to Ashgrove, to Red Hill.

But as it is, the Metro doesn’t help the vast majority of Brisbane residents. 

Strategy 1.1.1 ‘Provide Bus and Metro Services and Maintenance’ & Strategy 1.2.2 ‘Support Bus and Metro Services and Maintenance’ between them spend another $600 million dollars of resident money, over the next financial year.

However this budget and this Council administration aren’t proposing any new, frequent regular bus services. 

They’re proposing one new Glider through the CBD, and only if the State government funds it.

They’re not proposing frequent services between neighbourhoods, so most people’s everyday journeys still won’t be practical by public transport.

Just look at Brisbane’s west. 

If you live in any suburb in my ward, and just want to go 2 or 3 kilometres across suburbs, the only bus option is a 40 minute trip via the CBD. 

If you live in The Gap, Bardon, Ashgrove or Enoggera, and you want to get to Indooroopilly, you’ve got to go through the city.

Strategy 1.2.1 ‘Provide Ferry Services and Maintenance’ has over $90 million dollars in expenditure. At the same time this Council isn’t funding the purchase of enough City Cats to sustain a high-frequency service to Milton and North Bulimba, nor the construction of a new terminal in West End. 

Milton and West End are some of the most densely populated parts of Queensland, but this LNP administration is not investing in providing alternatives to driving between suburbs, for the thousands of people who need them.

This ‘Transport for Brisbane’ Program 2025/26 budget of over $1 billion dollars will not reduce congestion.

If this Council wants to get serious about congestion-busting, it must plan and fund frequent, inter-suburban public transport, because that’s what we need as a reliable and cost effective alternative to driving overly large and mostly empty private motor vehicles, for everyday commuting. 

I will not be voting in support of this Transport for Brisbane program budget.