On Wednesday 14 June 2023, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner handed down a $4.3 billion Brisbane City Council (BCC) budget, which will be his last before next year’s council election. Like the state and federal budgets delivered yesterday and last month, this annual budget comes against a background of global and nationwide economic volatility.

IAQ is pleased with the commitment BCC has shown towards delivering key infrastructure projects and legacy outcomes, particularly given the aforementioned challenging circumstances in which the budget was drafted. The Lord Mayor recognised the population, supply chain and material acquisition challenges that IAQ has written extensively on in the previous months, and claimed that they have contributed massively towards the following price increases:

• A 15.5% increase in electricity prices
• A 10.8% increase in road and bridge construction
• A 9.1% increase in residential building construction, and most importantly
• A 7.4% increase in the overall consumer price index (CPI)

Despite this, the Lord Mayor was clear in stating that BCC will not be stopping or slowing down any building plans.

Infrastructure

The 2023-24 budget invests $1.43 billion this financial year into important infrastructure projects, and a record $3.8 billion over the next four years, of which 87% is allocated to the suburbs and 13% to the CBD. Important commitments in infrastructure and notable funding outside of the infrastructure sector are outlined below:

Better Community and Suburban Infrastructure

IAQ was pleased to see the $1.08 billion commitment of BCC to improving community and suburban infrastructure. Of this, $267 million, $86 million, $61 million and $36 million have been committed to environment and sustainability, parks, libraries and community facilities and city management respectively.

Important funding includes:

• $109 million for drainage
• $103 million for road resurfacing
• $82 million for libraries (Which includes planning for a new library in Indooroopilly)
• $41 million for footpaths
• $17 million for pools and aquatic centres
• $1.2 million for dog park upgrades
• $3.7 million over three years for a new SES depot at Bracken Ridge

The remaining $632 million has been allocated to improving the transportation network in the suburbs, and they are outlined in the following section.

Improving the Transport Network and Roads

The budget allocated $1.9 billion to improving the transport network. Notable commitments are:

• 794.2 million to improve the connectivity and accessibility of Brisbane’s public transport network
• $103.3 million to build smoother streets across Brisbane’s 5800km road network, with 200 streets to be resurfaced in 2023-24
• $86 million in river-based infrastructure including ferry terminals and sea and river walls
• $80.2 million in bikeways, footpaths and the Active Transport Infrastructure Fund

The BCC budget also outlined plans to continue the delivery of the fully electric Brisbane Metro and the two ‘green bridges’ at Kangaroo Point and Breakfast Creek, all while moving towards a decarbonised public transport network. More specifically, $431.8 million has been put aside for Brisbane Metro this financial year, and $125.3 million has been allocated to the ‘green bridges’ over the next four years. IAQ is in firm support of these measures, which will assist Brisbane, Queensland and Australia’s transition to a renewable economy.Also included is $3.3 million for a new Gold CityGlider and funding for a special feasibility project aiming to introduce a new battery-powered ferry – labelled the EVCat, and a $5 million increase in 2022-23 in public transport subsidies, which now total $263 million.

$320 million has also been allocated to critical road upgrades that aim to reduce suburban congestion. These include:

• $100 million over two years for the Moggill Road corridor
• $14.7 million for Fig Tree Pocket and Kenmore Road
• $38.5 million over three years for the Gardner Road extension
• $8.9 million for Hamilton Road and Western Avenue
• $76 million for Beams Road upgrades, pending Federal review
• $3 million for Wynnum Road and Hemmant-Tingalpa Road signalisation
• $3.5 million for Dandenong Road, Sirocco Street and Central Avenue in Mt Ommaney
• $1.8 million for Blunder Road and Wallaroo Way signalisation in Doolandella
• $739,000 for Ritchie Road, Pallara Stage 2 design
• $1.2 million for Bowen Bridge Road corridor upgrade designs
• $630,000 for Sylvan Road, Croydon Street and Jephson Street, Toowong intersection upgrade designs

Housing

The Lord Mayor outlined that the BCC budget aims to deliver on the Sustainable Growth Strategy, namely, meeting housing demand while maintaining the low-density, unique character and green space that Brisbane’s residents love. This includes:

• Increased building heights in Kurilpa
• Incentivising and fast-tracking build-to-rent developments
• Planning for suburban renewable at Stones Corner, Toombul and Yeerongpilly
• Reviewing major centres to unlock housing supply in Carindale, Chermside, Garden City, Indooroopilly, Toowong and Toombul

Other Key Measures

IAQ also recognises funding allocated to alleviate cost-of-living pressures, disaster relief, housing, parks and quarry transformations.

Cost of Living

The budget included an $80 million cost-of-living package, which includes:

• $7.8 million in green waste recycling bin discounts
• $22 million in rate increases below inflation
• Implementing a flat $2 rate for entry into public pools in the Summer Dips Initiative
• Reducing permit fees for hundreds of events and festivals
• Maintaining the cheapest rates in SEQ
• Providing free off-peak travel for seniors

Disaster Prevention and Relief

BCC made a $2.6 million commitment to boost the flood resilience of 51 community clubs in Greater Brisbane. The funding will be used to help the clubs be better prepared in the event of future flooding.

Housing

BCC committed $1 million to activate the Pinkenba facility for emergency housing and $4 million over years into the Pathways Out of Homelessness grant program.

Parks

$141mn investment over the next four years into Victoria Park and Barrambin Master Plan, which will create a large natural space for exploration and discovery. In the next year, BCC will move from the planning to the delivery stage.

Quarry Transformation

Over $500,000 to plan for the rehabilitation and transformation of two urban quarries at Mt Coot-tha and Pine Mountain into future greenspace reactional assets.

IAQ supports the infrastructure emphasis in the 2023-245 budget, particularly funding allocation to improve transportation networks, roads, and community projects, which will form part of Brisbane’s transformation.