Speech by Councillor Seal Chong Wah, to full Brisbane City Council Council Meeting, Tues 29th Oct 2024

I rise to speak on greenspace, sports grounds, deep planting and Barrambin, Victoria Park.

This Council over the last 20 years has not been investing in greenspace or our sports fields, in order to keep pace with Brisbane’s population growth. Their main priority, perhaps their only true goal, is to grow this city as fast as possible. A city that was historically gifted with such a rich biodiversity of the Maiwar river, our great parks and historical trees planted throughout this city. It is clear that our Brisbane greenspace is under attack. 

I have already spoken in these chambers on the 27th August, about the dire shortage and lack of investment of sports grounds by this LNP administration over the last 20 years. Our publicly owned greenspace is now being sold. An example is 21 Sylvan Rd in Toowong, on flood prone land, that is being sold by this council administration. This greenspace could be valued and invested in as a pocket park.Thousands of our historic mature trees are also being cleared through private development. Every week in my office, we have residents horrified at trees being removed by a new development because there are insufficient protections for established trees on private land.

My office and I recently organized a public forum in Milton. The high density - riverside part of Milton - the residents are pleading with me for more greenspace, more street trees and more deep planting. This council has been giving discounts of up to 75% away to developers for important infrastructure charges. At the same time they have been introducing a culture, within this council, that allows developers to remove all the trees they want. Worst of all, our deep planting targets of 10% are being completely ignored. 

At my recent public forum in Milton, along with Brisbane federal MP, Stephen Bates, I presented an analysis of all high-rise developments recently approved in this Milton High Density Area. The Brisbane City Plan multiple dwelling code has a target of 10% deep planting. ‘Deep planting’, of course, means; open-sky planting at ground level.  However, in our planning system, wealthy developers can negotiate their way through the conditions, to find compromises that can increase their profit margins. So in practice, that has translated to an average of 4% of deep planting being conditioned for the last 7 development applications that we analysed in this High Density area. I will repeat that again an average of 4% deep planting has been conditioned by this BCC administration, instead of 10% deep planting for the last 7 development applications in the high density part of Milton.

I will also mention Barrambin. As we heard from Sue Bremmer today. Barrambin - Victoria Park is also under attack. We all know the Lord Mayor will not commit to opposing any new Olympic Stadium in Barrambin. Of course the council will point to the new Master plan, 4 years in the making. 

We now have $120 million committed to Stage 1 from the federal government, state government and Council. But have a look closely at the Stage 1 plans - what is being called the Park Catalyst Works. You will see that the only developments taking place are all around the edges of the Council managed part of Barrambin.  This council is spending $120 million on new car parks, a pathway loop and new offices all around the outer edge. Even the pump track and one playground are also around the outer edges. The stage 1 plans show a gaping huge hole, with no upgrades right in the middle of Victoria park, big enough for an Olympic stadium.  I appeal to this LNP council, please do more to protect Brisbane’s greenspace, to ensure no olympic stadium is built in our most iconic greenspace at Barrambin. And please invest more in long term greenspace and sports grounds that the residents of Brisbane desperately need for play, for health, for recreation, for sports and to navigate the oncoming effects of climate change and heatwaves in this city.

NOTE: We're really pleased to see that residents have started a petition to save 21 Sylvan Rd. You can sign it here: Greenspace matters petition