Council accused of waste over city cycle scheme

The Brisbane City Council is facing criticism over the CityCycle Scheme, an initiative that encourages people to hire bikes to help with city congestion, environment and personal health. More than 1000 bicycles have been placed all around the city of Brisbane since the scheme’s launch nearly eight months ago and about 180 are hired out each day. The Council’s Opposition has called the cycle roll-out “another failure from the LNP”, but Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has... Read More

Markets evacuated as gas line ruptured

A ruptured gas line is causing chaos in Rocklea. Emergency crews are at the scene and have evacuated the Sherwood Road Chemist Warehouse. At about 3.30pm a truck reversed into the gas line. “There was a loud hissing noise and it smelt like gas. Then the truck driver came in and told us what happened,” a Chemist Warehouse employee said. A police spokeswoman said the Brisbane Markets were evacuated as a precaution and there have been no injuries. The evacuation... Read More

Mayo’s ‘Boy’ a sculpture of innocence

The Queensland Art Gallery’s current exhibition “Myth to Modern” displays a fascinating exhibition of bronze sculptures. This piece entitled Sketch (of a boy) by Daphne Mayo, standing only a few inches tall, struck me from across the room of raw, sculptured bodies. The piece embodies the femininity of a young boy that perhaps sets out to challenge the stereotype of visual masculinity. Neck, stomach, hips, legs: this boy child’s sculpted body accentuates... Read More

Street poll: What did you think of the Budget?

The Gillard Government’s first budget drew praise and criticism from Brisbane people after its unveiling this week. People interviewed by Newsbytes praised increased expenditure on mental health, while criticising the free desktop box policy for pensioners. Comments on the budget included “tough on the right things”, “not for the people”, “bland”, “could do more for senior citizens” and “hasn’t affected me in any... Read More

Not only homeless need food hand-outs – Council

Hand-outs of food, linen and toiletries are needed not only by the homeless, but by many other Brisbane people facing difficulties, including those suffering marriage breakdowns or job loss. Brisbane City Council’s Geraldine Knapp said Homeless Connect was helping provide these people help where it’s needed including food and warm clothes to help rebuild their lives. “We as a council could actually make a difference,” Cr Knapp said at this week’s... Read More

Exhibition helps raise awareness of mental illness

Art is helping raise awareness of schizophrenia through the annual art exhibition, Colours of Hope. Held this week in Brisbane’s King George Square it is the 20th anniversary of the exhibition in support of Schizophrenia Awareness Week. The Mental Illness Fellowship of Queensland (MIFQ) said it aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma and support local talent among mental illness sufferers. Schizophrenia affects at least one in a hundred Australians. Acting project manager... Read More

Flood details on 60,000 homes released

Information was released today on how floods affected 60,000 homes across Brisbane. Sources of flooding, predicted flood levels, habitable floor levels and whether homes are located in a flood zone have been provided to the public. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the report was written in a way that would improve customer comprehension and understanding. “The report helps communities understand what Q100 is,” he said. The report will be helpful to home buyers and people... Read More

Council refuses north-side plea for speed limit

The speed limit on Main Road in Wavell Heights will remain at 60 kilometres per hour despite local residents petitioning for slower speeds. The decision was made in Brisbane City Council yesterday, with Transport chair Cr de Wit saying she saw no need for traffic calming measures. “It will put pressure on surrounding roads,” Cr de Wit said. Nearby roads were less equipped to handle heavy traffic, she said. The Opposition criticised the council’s decision, with Cr Flesser... Read More

Time up for Earth Hour?

The relevance of the annual Earth Hour has been questioned by a Labor councillor. Helen Abrahams said participation rates failed to impress, with only eight schools across Brisbane being involved in the event. According to Cr Abrahams only 14 restaurants took part in the “candle-light dinner” initiative. Participation was “extremely disappointing”, she said. “Earth Hour is at its used by date and it needs to be made more relevant to Brisbane residents,”... Read More

Council accused of inflating flood money request

Brisbane City Council has been accused of artificially inflating its funding request to the Federal Government. Council opposition leader Shayne Sutton slammed the Liberal National majority at today’s meeting, accusing them of waste of taxpayers’ money while siphoning funds from federal and state governments. “You’re artificially inflating the gap in order to hide your mishandling of the flood inquiry,” she yelled from across the chamber. The federal government has... Read More

Sherbet icon braves the sun for Green Heart

Skin cancer victim Daryl Braithwaite endured the strong Queensland sun yesterday, to wow the crowd at the Council’s Green Heart Fair at Chermside. The Australian pop icon, who made his name in the ’70s band Sherbet, was the climax of the festival, a initiative of Council’s Green Heart (sustainability) campaign. Green Heart is Council’s attempt at encouraging environmental consciousness, with many companies present to promote their green credentials. A crowd... Read More

Labor attacks Go Between Bridge losses

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk came under fire in this week’s city council meeting for the revenue shortfall of $866,000 for the Go Between Bridge. The loss was revealed in last week’s Brisbane City Council budget review. Labor also criticised the Liberal National Party administration for the cost of collecting tolls. “We also discovered motorists are paying 40 cents in every dollar to a private business, just to collect their toll money,” Cr Kim Flesser said. But... Read More

Photo book helps flood victims

Brisbane photographer Ashton Welsh has raised almost $1000 to help flood-affected Queenslanders. He has put together a Fundraising Photo Book, giving 100 percent of profits from sales to the Premier’s Disaster Relief Program. Surrounded by suburbs submerged by flood waters in January, Ashton began his project after being turned away due to an overabundance of volunteers. “I am simply one individual citizen doing what they can to help the community recover after such... Read More

‘Some days are diamonds’ – helping the handicapped

Sandwiched between a stairwell and office space in a narrow Brisbane side street are the modest, compact headquarters of community radio station for the print handicapped (4RPH). Catering to the vision impaired, the station was started by philanthropic Greek businessman, the late Spero Dragona. The first broadcast of an hour-long newspaper reading aired in 1982. Hidden behind the darkened façade of the recessed entrance, the spirit of volunteerism for which Queenslanders are... Read More

Mother, toddler pinned between cars at shopping centre

Screams were heard when a woman and her two-year-old son were pinned between two cars at Ashgrove this morning. A car hit a pillar and then pinned the mother and child against another car at the Highpoint Shopping Centre. The badly-injured woman and child were rushed to hospital. “A car collided with a concrete pillar and pinned a 37-year-old woman and her child against another car,” a police officer said. Attendants at a nearby Pilates studio heard the loud crash... Read More