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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

Thousands gathered in Brisbane on Sunday to run in support of breast cancer research. They were part of the 120,000 people Australia-wide taking part in the nation’s largest community fundraising event, the Mothers Day Classic. The annual event gives people of any age or athletic ability the chance to take part in a 4.5km or […]

Brisbane’s restaurants have fallen under harsh scrutiny from critics and the press alike. Its culinary scene has received harsh criticism over the years, with claims that Brisbane food culture represents a “cultural desert”. Alchemy Restaurant manager Edward Bray rejects the criticism. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a cultural desert as such, it’s constantly evolving, desert […]

This Sunday 46 countries around the world will honour their mothers with this ancient Greek custom. Australia is one of those countries that commemorates Mothers Day on the second Sunday of May. Founders of the modern observance of Mothers Day were Americans Anna Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe. It is an opportunity for people to […]

France has passed laws to ban the wearing of the burqa in public places. The ban has attracted criticism from many people, including human rights groups, but some say there should be similar laws in Australia. We asked people in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall what they thought.

Brisbane’s new Lord Mayor, Graham Quirk, was sworn in at the Brisbane City Council Chambers today. Cr Quirk has been deputy for the past three years to former mayor Campbell Newman, who resigned last week to enter state politics. He said although existing plans for Brisbane would continue, there would be some changes in emphasis […]

A $39 million disaster relief package will fund services for the emotional and psychological well-being of Queenslanders affected by cyclone Yasi and the recent floods. “We want them to know they’re not alone,” Premier Anna Bligh said in Parliament today. Ms Bligh announced another $10 million for mental health services, $20 million for community recovery, […]

Queenslanders need to dob in potholes, according to the Minister for Main Roads, Craig Wallace. “We all hate potholes,” Mr Wallace said. Following the floods and recent bad weather, Queensland roads have worsened, with 4000kms of road damaged in the past few weeks. And although repair crews have been working constantly to repair the estimated […]

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is calling Queenslanders to reach out and take care of their neighbours, families and friends, especially over the Easter holidays. “We all have a role to play in looking out for our family members, our friends, our neighbours, and our work colleagues [who were affected by the recent natural disasters],” Ms […]