2020 Queensland Local Government Elections – Make Your Vote Count

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Written By Guest User
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Queensland’s local government elections are only days away and while many voters have submitted postal votes, questions remain about each candidate’s policies and how they will impact the property industry.

COVID-19 has certainly created a challenging time for everyone and a distraction from the campaign trail, however it’s important to remember that it’s not only how we vote, but what we’re voting for this weekend. The election cycle will outlast the current health crisis and when a sense of normality returns, we need to understand how the various policies will impact community and businesses.

So, before 780,000 Brisbane voters decide on their new Lord Mayor on 28 March, Bluebird has compiled a shortlist of each party’s policies.

Mayoral candidates include the sitting Lord Mayor, LNP’s Adrian Schrinner, ALP candidate and journalist Patrick Condren, The Greens candidate Kath Angus, and six Independent candidates. Currently, the LNP hold 19 strong councillor seats, the ALP holds five, and The Greens and the Independent both hold one each. A loss of six seats would deprive the LNP of a majority.

LNP Candidate, Adrian Schrinner

Sitting Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has served 14 years as a Councillor and eight years as Deputy Mayor, recently ascending to the top job after the retirement of Graham Quirk in 2019. His promoted focus is on creating infrastructure that protects Brisbane’s unique lifestyle and expands our city’s green space. If elected, Schrinner promises a ‘Five Green Bridges’ initiative, which would see the ease of congestion across Brisbane, including a bridge to link Kangaroo Point to the CBD.

Schrinner also promises half-price rates for first-home buyers,  providing a one-year 50% rates discount up to the value of $1000. Small businesses can also expect fee cuts if LNP is re-elected. Schrinner proposes to scrap local event/festival permit fees, slash payment terms for small businesses from 30 days to seven to improve cash flow, and expanding the 133BNE business hotline.

Other Schrinner initiatives include:

  • Brisbane Metro

  • Free off-peak travel for seniors

  • Australia’s first double decker CityCat

  • Victoria Park Vision

  • Better Suburbs Initiative

  • $550 million for suburban road upgrades.

For more information visit Schrinner’s website at https://www.adrianschrinner.com.au/about-adrian/ or https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/governance-and-strategy/lord-mayor-and-councillors/ward-office-locations/lord-mayor-adrian-schrinner

ALP Candidate, Patrick Condren

Brisbane Labor Candidate Patrick Condren has an extensive background in political journalism, spending 17 years as state political editor at Seven News. Although Brisbane has not had a Labor Lord Mayor since 2004, Condren says he is committed to returning Council’s focus back to the suburbs, “stopping the LNP’s rorts” and lowering rates.

Condren has said he will “rewrite the playbook on Neighbourhood Planning and give the power back to the people.” He has also promised a rate relief package, allowing residents who pay their four quarterly bills in full to receive a $100 cash back.

Other Condren initiatives include:

  • Fixing neglected footpaths within one year and a Brisbane Pothole Blitz 

  • Fix top 5 RACQ traffic congestion hotspot level crossings

  • Fix missing links in suburban bikeways

  • More suburban bus services

  • Revitalise suburban shopping strips

  • Freezing Lord Mayor’s wage

  • Scrapping the $100K Lord Major allowance.

For more information on Condren’s polices, visit his website at https://www.patforbrisbane.com/our-plan-for-brisbane/

The Greens Candidate, Kath Angus

The Greens candidate Kath Angus is an early childhood educator, midwife and community volunteer. Like the other candidates, Angus is also dedicated to providing plenty of green spaces and public transport. One of her party’s policies is to create referendums on final drafts of neighbourhood plans, which would allow members of the public to vote on the town planning of their local area. 

Other Angus initiatives include:

  • Increasing infrastructure charges and removing Council’s cap on such charges to better fund public facilities like parks, community spaces and public and active transport infrastructure

  • Enforce stricter and binding height and setback limits

  • Provide and require social housing to end homelessness in Brisbane, including introducing a vacancy levy

  • Introduce a 5% vacancy levy applying to all classes of properties, including residential and commercial properties

  • Give everyone in Brisbane access to a green waste bin for free

  • Allocate dump vouchers to residents, not landlords

  • Free public transport

  • Increase funding for Brisbane festivals, events and cultural organisations

  • Invest in safety programs to make walking, riding or getting public transport to school faster and safer than driving, including 1,000 new safe pedestrian crossings

  • Invest $238 million over the next four years to build and enhance new and existing neighbourhood community centres in Brisbane.

For more information on Kath Angus’s polices, visit her website at https://www.abetterbrisbane.com/

Independent candidates and their policies can be found below:

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This article is a collaboration between Urbaine Communications and Bluebird Property Partners. Bluebird is a specialist development management and advisory company, working in close collaboration with property communications consultancy Urbaine. Together we are bringing robust coordinated strategies and solutions to our clients.

Bluebird Property Partners

Riye Arai-Coupe | 0422 684 454 or email riye@bluebirdpropertypartners.com.au

www.bluebirdpropertypartners.com.au

Urbaine Communications

Sarah Dixon | 0418 748 892 or email sarah@urbainepr.com.au

www.urbainepr.com.au

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