BCC Committee Meetings: An embarrassment of democracy and why you should attend

By Michael Swifte

Why should ordinary Brisbane residents attend the Brisbane City Council standing committees held at Brisbane City Hall each Tuesday when council is in session?

The short answer is: 

To witness the embarrassment of democracy that is on offer at this little piece of local government process.

The long answer is:

The BCC standing committees are chaired by the councilor responsible for particular areas of council operations. Standing committee chairs form Brisbane's 'Civic Cabinet'. Standing committee meetings are not minuted, but you can attend along with bureaucrats and local media.

I began attending the BCC Public and Active Transport committee just over 2 years ago. The first time I went along the BCC attendant told me I wasn't allowed to go to committee meetings, but I referred her to the council's own website, I was perhaps the first member of the public to attend. Since that time I have witnessed the occasional member of the public attend along with Translink Ripoff fans. The BCC have instituted new procedures, started a sign in book for visitors, provided numbered lanyards, and redefined a "banner" as any teeshirt that may bear a political slogan.

Cr Matic didn't like me wearing this teeshirt so he organised to have it banned.

I count myself lucky that I attended these committee meetings when I did because I got to witness a proper politician at work. Councilor Nicole Johnston used the few minutes left at each Public and Active Transport committee meeting after the unnecessarily long presentation to hold the chair Councilor Matic to account. Cr Johnston was highly effective, exposed Cr Matic's evasiveness and stonewalling, and was prepared to engage with the public. Cr Johnston, to her immense credit, was prepared to pitch questions that I would tweet to her, and made no secret of this fact. Now, in the first meetings of the Public and Active Transport committee attended only by LNP and ALP councilors, I see only a rubber stamping process.

Each week Cr Nicole Johnston would take the fight to Cr Matic.

I have made my presence at BCC committees as disruptive as possible without breaching behaviour guidelines. Just my presence has an impact on councilors who will use the stairs rather than be confronted by me in the elevator, and they will hush their voices when I enter the waiting room.

Cr Adrian Schrinner has taken over from Cr Matic

Any member of the public who has concerns about the way the BCC operates should try to attend the relevant committee. There are opportunities to speak with and tweet to jounalists and councilors, and to show that their embarrassing, rubber stamping process is being scrutinised.

Check here for details of BCC standing committees:

 https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/governance-strategy/committees-meetings-minutes/meeting-dates-locations

Check here for behaviour standards:

https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/governance-strategy/committees-meetings-minutes/attending-council-meetings

Let's Make Public Transport an Election Issue

The Translink Ripoff is nearly three years old and at this moment in time we think the people of South East Queensland are ready to make public transport an election issue.

New Facebook pages have appeared and people from all over SEQ have been growing more active in the fight against an unfair system. Where are the Translink officers at? was started by a first year uni student who has amazed us with his organising skills. It was an extremely effective response to introduction, masses of red tape, and delay involved with the new Tertiary Transport Concession Card. The TTCC debacle is yet another of example of failed consultation and aggressive regulation. Students have been made into a political football with Translink targeting inner city campuses with new Senior Network Officers deployed to busy student routes to find "students in suits"..

We've decided the time is right for us to bring on new admins for our Facebook page. We believe diversity is strength and new voices will help highlight the range of issues facing SEQ commuters. There is so much to do to keep public transport in the election spotlight for both state and local elections.

Putting the call out for admins has reminded us of why we started The Translink Ripoff in the first place. The lack of concession fares for low income health care card holders makes Queensland the most unfair state in Australia. We want this embarrassing and unfortunate circumstance to change. That's our bottom line.

We look forward to the next six months. We will do everything we can to make sure the stories from people suffering after services cuts, poor service frequency, lack of connectivity, and massive fares get heard.

Daring to Dream: Our visit to the Tramway Museum in Ferny Grove

Brisbane has a little known historic gem thanks to some smart thinking folk back in the late 60's when Clem Jones got rid of the trams. It is a place of child-like joy that brings smiles to all ages.

The Tramway Museum on Tramway Street in Ferny Grove is a great place to dream big about public transport in South East Queensland!

We say 'blue sky thinking" shouldn't be just for big wigs and corporate types. It should be for all of us!

Why shouldn't we say bring back the trams?

Thanks to support from the Brisbane City Council the Tramway Museum is able to keep rolling.

Peter the driver at the helm.

Peter steering the tram forward.

Leon sells the tickets and souvenirs.

We wish they had saved the trams!

Alex the conductor wont accept gocard.

An unmissable photo opportunity.

Why the bus cuts fell to pieces.

by Michael Swifte

 

Yarn bombed bus stop on Sarah St in Annerley.

When we first saw this photo posted to the Annerley Junction Annerley Arcade facebook page we knew we were witnessing a pivotal moment in the relationship between the people of Brisbane and their public transport providers. We've watched the public transport scene very closely over the past 2 years and have seen nothing online or elsewhere that showed such a positive and fierce response to the brutal strategies of Translink under successive governments. This image was shared widely on facebook and twitter, spawned newspaper stories and blog posts, and also made it onto local TV. This image/action helped to strengthen the resolve of  the many local groups who were lobbying their councilors to save their bus routes. It also led to the transport minister Scott Emerson handing over the Brisbane bus routes review process to the Brisbane City Council.

For many Brisbane bus users there is one route that is most important, it passes within a short walking distance of their house, and there are generally just enough services during peak times to get to and from work. They have an intimate knowledge of the small part of the network that they rely on, and they know the only other options available to them are infrequent, inconsistent, and much further to walk.  In the last 4 years Brisbane bus users have seen a 72.5% increase in fares, little improvement in service frequency, congestion on busways and in the CBD, and no improvement in buses arriving on time. So when Translink presented their review and suggested cuts the people clung to what they knew could be relied upon.

Most Brisbanites don't have time to analyse the latest political squabble or planning trend and are understandably suspicious of the transport minister's latest promises and spin. Most have a general understanding of their political representation and most know who is responsible for running the buses. It's not surprising then that in frustration at Translink they saw an opportunity to seek advocacy as constituents and rate payers. Brisbanites turned to their local councilor to defend what they knew worked for them. 

The handover of the reform of Brisbane bus networks to the BCC revealed in technicolor that Translink is at odds with its largest bus service provider. It also revealed that Translink had failed to consult effectively with the public. Planners and transit boffins decried the loss of Translink's new high frequency network plans,  but the people whose local buses were set to disappear were happy that they had retained that last sliver of convenience. In failing to effectively consult the people Translink failed to identify an important component of public transport provision that industry leaders call 'coverage' (not leaving huge unserviced gaps). They also failed to identify an important trait shown by people who have been beaten down and boxed into a corner - they rise up and fight back harder than ever!



 

Notching up. It's growing! Mark my words!

The team were out the front of central station handing out our 'notching up' offer to commuters saying "The Translink Ripoff" and "We are being ripped off!". I lost count of how many times I heard "We sure are!".

Though we only got one taker for our offer we think it was a successful outing. Terry who lives in Lawnton will save $18 because of our notching service. He was not only happy to get a saving but stoked to see some active resistance against Translink's coercive strategies.

While I was on the busway notching up Terry's unregistered go-card I bumped into Andrew who lives at the Gold Coast and commutes to Brisbane daily. He said he had seen last weeks Brisbane Times article and had decided to have a go at notching his own card. We hopped buses for forty minutes together while I shared some of the finer points of notching. Andrew stands to make a significant saving for his efforts (roughly $90) saying that the time he took off work was worth it. Andrew will be sharing his experiences with the local Chinese language community online.

We are of the opinion that an enterprising young bicycle courier could earn a few bucks by offering a notching service.

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