A rolled gold milestone for a great charity

NEWS

Guide Dogs Queensland on the day our 26 May 2010 edition was published celebrated a half century of providing services to Queenslanders who are blind or vision impaired.

The iconic charity will mark the occasion of its golden anniversary with a special reception at Government House hosted by its patron, the Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley.
GDQ CEO Chris Laine said the first committee meeting of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Queensland was held in Brisbane on May 26 1960 with the first president being Mrs Louise Arnold of West End who had been matched with a Guide Dog called Halda in Perth.
“We owe our formation to the Apex Club of Brisbane which worked hard to inspire people like the Brisbane Lord Mayor to establish an association that supported local people who were blind and in need of help,” Ms Laine said.
She said in the early days Queenslanders had to travel to Perth and then Melbourne for Guide Dog training and the association was able to raise finances to support their travel and expenses.
“GDQ has grown to offer not only guide dogs but the latest in electronic mobility aids and White Cane training – all free of charge to Queenslanders who are blind.
“We have a world class breeding program and an international reputation for the standard of our training and instructors.”
Ms Laine said GDQ still had strong links to its past with Senior Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Marc Lyell having worked with their first Guide Dog client Mr Hubie Morris of Townsville. Mr Morris received his first guide dog in 1960 and his last in 1979 and Marc was his instructor.
“Times have changed but our core mission of providing mobility, independence and freedom to Queenslanders remains steadfast thanks to the support of the Queensland community,”

Anger mounts over bike plan

NEWS

Anger over a perceived lack of consultation with residents and business owners over the looming CityCycle bike-hire scheme appears to be mounting.

Teneriffe resident Amy Frank contacted The Independent to express her frustration at the lack of response from the council adminstration to her concerns about the effects the scheme could have on her Vernon Terrace property. She has been informed a bike station will be directly in front of her ground-floor residence in the Mactaggarts Woolstore.
She says she only found out about the station recently from her body corporate.
She fears such a bike station would:

• Ruin the landscape in front of a beautiful heritage-listed building
• Be directly in front of her ground-floor lounge room window, and as her sash windows are heritage listed she will not be able to put in modern sound-proof windows
• Be excessively noisy
• Mean strangers will be a few metres away from her loungeroom window 24 hours a day • Mean illuminated advertising signs, out of character with the building, will be a terrible nuisance shining into her home
• Possibly lower the value of her unit, and
• waste ratepayers money, seeing the footpath was only recently done up and parking meters installed. These will now have to be ripped out for something the residents were not consulted about.
“I am upset that I have not been consulted, advised or communicated to about the proposed plan by the Brisbane City Council. I had to find out from my body corporate,” Ms Frank wrote in her email sent to this paper.
“I am absolutely astounded about my treatment by the local member David McLachlan, Jane Prentice and the Mayor.
“I was told by the receptionist on Friday that the reason David McLachlan had not returned my calls and emails was that Jane Prentice had not replied to him. I have made a record of every unreturned email and phone call. I feel like no-one cares and no one will listen.”
She had tuned to the media “to get my voice heard as it seems with this council it is the only option”.
“Why won’t the council listen to the residents? Why weren’t the residents not even consulted? They are supposed to be a representation of the people.
“I believe it is not about the ‘green’ cycle scheme; it is about revenue raising from advertising dollars on the proposed illuminated signs. It is a farce. Why [have] the advertising signs been included in this scheme? Commercial advertising outside residents’ windows is a disgrace. How does advertising signs help the carbon footprint and environment?
“Why can’t they look at putting this station where it will not affect rate-paying residents? Like in parkland like the locations in the city. We deserve to have quiet enjoyment of units in a residential area.
“I am desperate from inaction of Campbell Newman, David McLachlan and Jane Prentice.”

• Editor’s note: Ms Frank’s email came into The Independent right on deadline. We will give the local councillor and the Newman administration equal space next issue to respond. However, this paper did send a series of questions about the overall scheme to the Lord Mayor late last week, and no responses were forthcoming as this paper went to press.

QUESTIONS TO THE LORD MAYOR

This is what we sent to the Lord Mayor’s office:
Preface: The Indie has heard a lot of public feedback on the scheme, much of it expressing a belief that the scheme will not be viable, largely because of the problem with the supply of helmets. So our questions are:

1. Did council consider a much more modest trial runout of the scheme to test its viability? And if so, why was that rejected in favour of what appears to be quite an extensive scheme by world standards from the outset?

2. Who is paying for the rollout of bike stations, advertising signs, all necessary additional street signage, etc etc, that is now under way?

3. Ratepayers have clearly outlayed a lot of money in the leadup to this scheme, through leaflets, council interfacing with affected residents and businesses, media advertising, public information sessions run by council staff, and the like. What will be the council’s own total expenditure on the scheme up to its projected start point late this year? And does the agreement with the company that won the tender to run the scheme allow for those costs to be reclaimed from that company’s profits?

4. Can you give the ratepayers of Brisbane an assurance that whatever assistance has been, or is to be given to the operator by council under the agreement as it stands is the final contribution by the people of Brisbane? Or put another way, can you give an assurance that there is nothing in the agreement that commits ratepayers to outlay any further funds, in any shape or form whatsoever, to come to this operator's rescue if it struggles to run a profitable scheme?

5. At a recent protest meeting in New Farm, a local couple who says there will be a bike station directly outside their residence claimed that while council had stated there had been three “face-to-face” meetings with them, none had occurred. Given their statement, do you stand by your claim that all residents who would be directly affected. i.e. stations or advertising signs in front of their homes, had been consulted fully.

6. Why were residents in neighbouring houses or nearby businesses not consulted with directly? Don't they stand to lose just as much from the loss of parking spaces for either visitors or customers?

7. The New Farm protest meeting suggested the siting of some stations on busy streets could lead to riders entering and leaving the stations being struck by motorists. Are you confident that the siting of all stations as outlined in council leaflets are in the best possible locations and are totally safe?

Signs of the times?

NEWS

The Valley is “drowning in a sea of signage” according to local councillor David Hinchliffe. As part of his Clean up the Valley campaign being run in the pages of The Independent, he has highlighted the huge number of signs vying for attention, such as those above in Wickham Street, and has called for council to issue a moratorium on new signage and progressively wind back existing signage approvals.

“The Valley has more heritage buildings than any other part of Queensland outside of the CBD, but most of the time you can’t see them for the signs,” the Central Ward councillor said.
“Traders need to know that with signage ‘less is more’.
“It’s an alphabet soup of signs. “More people would see signs if there were less signs competing for attention. I’ll buy a dinner in Chinatown for anyone who can drive down Wickham Street between Gipps St and Brunswick and recall every sign. “This is a problem that’s been building for years. It’s happened under Labor administrations as well as the current council.
“Now that we have a Valley Neighbourhood Plan, let’s clean up not just the streets and gutters, but the signs. I think the signage policy needs to be rewritten to take into account heritage buildings and I will be putting that to the CEO of Council, Jude Munro.”

• Councillor Hinchliffe’s open letter to Council CEO Jude Munro on this issue was printed in our 26 May issue as part of his Grot Spot advertisement.

Wharves battle ‘far from over’

NEWS

Residents are claiming a tactical win so far in the battle for Howard Smith Wharves next to the New Farm cliffs under the Story Bridge – but they believe the fight is still far from over.

Residents anxious for the area to be converted to a mix of parkland and renovated wharves applauded Lord Mayor Campbell Newman’s recent decision to can a two-year development application to add a 15,000sqm hotel/convention centre and an additional three commercial buildings on the site. But the Howard Smith Wharves Appeal Committee, convened by local councillor David Hinchliffe (Central Ward) believes the battle is not over yet.
“The Lord Mayor announced that the council will withdrawal their application,” Cr Hinchliffe said. “However, he has said in the same breath that if any private businesses want to build the new hotel and three other buildings, then he’d be happy for them to lodge their own application.
“So, we’re not out of the woods yet.”
Appeal Committee spokesperson Jane Ann Juhasz, said the committee generally favoured no new buildings on site, with renovation of the wharves and parkland on the balance. “The committee has a range of views. We were all opposed at the over-the-top intense commercial development the Lord Mayor proposed,” she said.
“Any private company will need to think twice about large-scale projects for this area.
“We want it opened up for parkland as soon as possible and will be just as determined to fight excessive private development as we were to fight the Lord Mayor and council development.”
Cr Hinchliffe has said while he does not support a 15,000sqm hotel, he had always favoured a very small boutique hotel – “not more than around 200sqm”, he said. “The fact is everyone of the 30 residents who appealed the Lord Mayor’s application, including myself, opposed the massive increase of building he was proposing.
“If we end up with more park and less building, then I think we’re ahead.”

Teneriffe festival taking shape

NEWS

Brisbane’s inner city riverside suburb of Teneriffe was officially renamed a suburb earlier this year, and to commemorate its newly acclaimed independence, Teneriffe will host a festival focusing on the suburb’s heritage, history, energy, cultural diversity, commerce and beauty on Saturday July 3.

The festival will have something for everyone, including a farmers, craft and fashion market, fashion parades, family attractions, an outdoor picture show, sheep shearing, spinning and weaving, cooking demonstrations as well as historical displays and bus tours celebrating Teneriffe’s rich history and culture.
Food stands will serve market-fresh produce and snacks and the beverage stands will cater for all tastes. The festival is a partnership event with Nova 106.9FM who are celebrating their fifth year of broadcasting from their Teneriffe studios. Nova will be celebrating with live entertainment featuring some of Australia’s most prominent bands and DJs performing throughout the day outside the Nova 106.9 studios on Commercial Road.
Keeping in line with the Teneriffe’s history as a major wool trader and exporter, the festival will kick start with a sheep muster and a ‘Running of the Rams’ style event at 9am followed by an official opening ceremony by Queensland’s Governor and festival patron Penelope Wensley.
The heritage festival, which launched with a $20,000 donation from the Lord Mayor’s Suburban Initiative Fund through the Central Ward office of Cr David Hinchliffe, is supported by a strong committee of local professionals.
Cr David Hinchliffe said: “I congratulate the management committee of the Teneriffe Festival in taking up my call to establish a truly top class local festival celebrating the area’s new suburb status as well as its rich past and vibrant future. Wool was an important part of this nation’s economy and Teneriffe was at the very centre of that trade. With this festival we take another step in consolidating that wonderful history and equally exciting future.”
Festival co-ordinator Nicole Ogilvie said: “ We are expecting huge crowds of around 20,000 or more people across all of the events, making it one of Brisbane’s most significant new festivals.
“It will be something definitely not to be missed.” The festival will take place on Saturday July 3 from 9am on Vernon Terrace and Commercial Road. Information on how to get there and street parking will be available via the festival website. |

• For more information or to become a sponsor please visit www.teneriffefestival.org.

Ruling looms on fate of kiosk replacement

NEWS

A court decision is imminent on a long-running legal battle over a replacement for the New Farm Park kiosk burnt out almost a decade ago.

Local councillor David Hinchliffe in a recent leaflet letterboxed to local residents said the decision would finally put the matter to rest, with no further grounds for appeal possible.
Cr Hinchliffe wrote: “As you may already know, both parties in council have opposed the kiosk. Both I and the Lord Mayor rejected the application in 2004. The applicant immediately appealed council’s rejection. The appeal is now six years old. The court has heard all evidence and the decision is imminent.”
Cr Hinchliffe said that after the park’s original kiosk burned down in 2000, the existing lessee was given the right to lodge a new application subject to it meeting all town planning criteria.
“His application did not meet those criteria,” Cr Hinchliffe says in his letter. “It was therefore rejected by council. The appeal then followed.
“I hope – and I’m sure the Lord Mayor hopes – that the court will uphold the decision made by all councillors on both sides of council and reject the application. “If the court approves the applications (perhaps with new conditions), the council has no further recourse. The court’s decision is final.”
Cr Hinchliffe says that anyone who wants to know the court decision as soon as it is received, should email him at central.ward@ecn.net.au and he will forward the decision on.

Where am I?

Look, the last one baffled far too many people, so this one’s pretty simple. Well, we think so.

If you know where it is, you’ve got the chance to win a $60 prize voucher to enjoy some tucker and a drink at the Brunswick Hotel in New Farm. Email your answer to editor@theindependent.com.au to reach us no later than 5pm on Friday week, June 4, 2010. Or drop us the answer in the post by the same deadline to PO Box 476 Valley Q 4006. One lucky winner will be off to the Brunnie on us. Bon appetit!

Greg Murphy who works in Transport House in the Valley, didn’t have to look far to recognise the old Waltons sign in Brunswick Street West from our last issue. Greg is off to the Brunnie for some tucker on us!

State housing construction ‘on the cusp’

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

Dwelling projection figures recently released confirm the underlying strength of the housing construction industry, according to Master Builders, Queensland’s peak body for housing and construction.

While the industry’s long-term prospects are positive, underpinned by strong population growth, Master Builders’ Director of Housing Policy, Paul Bidwell, said that the latest finance commitment figures tell a different story about current conditions.
The figures came from Queensland Treasury’s Household and dwelling projections Queensland local government areas 2010 report that predicts that Queensland will need an additional one million dwellings, or 40,000 homes per annum, to meet the projected population growth during the 25 years to 2031.
Yet, in 2008/2009 just 35,700 new dwellings were built in Queensland.
“These predictions make the medium to long term seem rosy; however, the latest finance commitment figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics clearly highlight the fragile nature of Queensland’s housing construction industry,” Mr Bidwell said.
Finance commitments for the construction or purchase of new dwellings have fallen for ten consecutive months, with the largest declines occurring since the Reserve Bank of Australia began to lift interest rates in October 2009 and the end of the First Home Owners Boost in January.

Are you ready to paint the town ZED?

PROPERTY NEWS

Artists from all over the world are being invited to enter a competition to paint the front wall of one of the Valley’s most famous old buildings, the home of 4ZZZ, aka Zed Towers.

The headquarters of the famous radio station sits in the heart of Brisbane’s entertainment precinct, it’s three storeys tall and the station is looking for someone to redecorate the entire facade with a fabulous work of art. It’s a global competition, and what’s more, the station will pay for all travel expenses for the chosen artist from anywhere in the world.
4ZZZ will also supply all the necessary art supplies, including the cherry picker. Designers and artists will need to be able to manage the project and to be able to execute the majority of the mural design and painting themselves, with support from a group of volunteers.
To make a submission, email: info@4zzzfm.org au 4ZZZ is an independent community radio station that broadcasts fresh local and underground music and local and alternative news.

Houseseekers are quite keen on green, says poll

PROPERTY NEWS

Some 59 per cent of home hunters would pay more to buy an environmentally friendly property, a poll by PRDnationwide shows. And 30 per cent of respondents said they would fork out up to $10,000 more to buy a house that was environmentally friendly, while nine per cent would spend $30,000 or more.

PRDnationwide managing director Jim Midgley said sixteen per cent of respondents would pay $10,000 to $20,000 extra to ensure the next house they bought was environmentally friendly, while four per cent would pay an extra $20,000 to $30,000. “Most people have a small voice inside of them which wants to protect and ensure the environment stays ‘green’,” he said.
“It really is a question at the moment of ‘at what cost’ are they willing to pay to have their own environment friendly home,” he said. “The research shows that installing enviro-friendly features could make the difference to potential buyers, possibly as much as a nicely finished kitchen or bathroom would,” he said.
Mr Midgley said water conservation must rank as one of the most highly desirable Australian green features, due to the nationwide battles with periods of long drought. “Second to this, solar energy is quickly becoming the ‘it’ feature to install in not only new dwellings, but existing older homes as well,” he said.
Aaron Maskrey, PRDnationwide research director, said only 41 per cent of home hunters will not pay extra for green features. “Having an energy efficient home that results in savings long term would appeal to most buyers,” he said. “However, there is a point where potential buyers will be put off by the initial cost to installing these features, as they may be out reach.”
Mr Maskrey suggested that investors who didn’t want to ‘over-capitalise’ on being green when it comes to sale time should look to install low cost enviro-friendly additions. “If they are looking to keep the property for a long period of time, enviro-friendly additions to the property could prove to be a key differentiator in the market and sellers would have the time to slowly introduce these additions into the property, not putting strain on the budget,” he said.
Mr Maskrey believes in the short-term, as interest rates slowly increase and facilitating home loans become the main priority, enviro-friendly additions to the home could take a back seat.
“However, over time, as buyers finances improve and mortgages become smaller, I would expect enviro-friendly additions to the home to become more important than landscaping and almost as important as renovating other rooms in the home,” he said.
Adam Gray, PRDnationwide New Farm director, said solar and other ‘green’ upgrades are becoming more important to home buyers.
“I think Generation X and Y have a stronger desire for these environmental aspects,” he said. “Buyers are interested in anything that has been installed that they don’t have to including tanks, grey water and solar,” he said.