Speech by Councillor Seal Chong Wah

Council Chambers :

GEBBIE STREET KELVIN GROVE DRAINAGE UPGRADE PROJECT 

10TH FEBRUARY 2026

The Gebbie Street, Kelvin Grove Drainage Upgrade project is replacing a section of old, undersized pipe between Park and Gebbie Streets that has reached the end of its useful life. This project aligns closely with the objectives of a ‘Gebbie Street Kelvin Grove Drainage Investigation’, conducted in 2023. This was a study of the existing local stormwater network Council commissioned following the collapse of the existing stormwater pipe, under private property on Gebbie Street in May 2023.  

As these 80 year old undersized stormwater pipes collapsed, new pipes were required to go around the endangered property, replacing those that previously went under the dwelling. This new upgrade will help reduce the occurrence of sewer overflows during storm events. Larger pipes were installed, so on paper, it will provide residents along the natural drainage path with 10-year Average Recurrence Interval immunity from stormwater flooding. However we now know these flood interval classifications don’t correlate with the actual occurrences of flooding in our new climate change reality.

Due to the local topography of the area, the overland flow path goes through private properties, so this project requires underground drainage easements through multiple properties. This project was listed in this year’s 24/25 budget and is actually already well underway.  It started in November last year and is due to be completed by the end of March this year.

As I have said in these chambers previously, this council is under-investing in stormwater upgrades. This year’s budget delivered dangerous cuts to stormwater resilience, at a time when Brisbane can least afford it. $37.4 million was stripped from stormwater and drainage budgets in a city where so-called “1-in-100-year” floods are hitting every few years. 

So I welcome this Gebbie St project in Kelvin Grove, as one of the lucky projects approved by this LNP council administration. I thank the administration for funding this project. However, in reality, the main reason this project received funding, when others didn’t, is because 80 year old stormwater pipes actually collapsed under private property on Gebbie St. 

It is well known that this Liberal National Party, has for decades, actively undermined climate change awareness and action. For the many communities desperately waiting for stormwater upgrades, they may also have to wait until local stormwater pipes collapse.