There may not be any “big-ticket items” but Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk thinks his $3.1 billion budget is a “perfect 10”.
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Brisbane City Council’s “workmanlike” plan for 2018-19, handed down on Wednesday, aims to tackle road congestion, improve city transport and create a liveable and sustainable city - but hits ratepayers with a 2.5 per cent increase, or about $40 a year.
Cr Quirk said he was confident his eighth budget was the right balance between expenditure and keeping Brisbane on a growing infrastructure track.
The budget had millions of dollars to wind up existing projects, including the Inner City Bypass upgrades and Howard Smith Wharves, while millions more was put towards ongoing projects such as the Brisbane Metro, Kingsford Smith Drive, the Mt Coot-tha precinct plan and the Wynnum Road corridor upgrade.
Cr Quirk said the 2018-19 budget was all about mobility, liveability and sustainability.
“I am confident that by delivering our plans around these key principles, we will keep Brisbane heading in the right direction,” he said.
The 2018-19 budget showed a borrowing figure at $170 million for the next financial year and forward estimates indicated borrowing would jump to $250 million for 2018-19.
The borrowing figure was $49.6 million in the past budget.
The average debt per person would be $1495 in 2018-19.
Funding continued for Cr Quirk’s $944 million Brisbane Metro, with $708 million budgeted over the next four years. About $40 million was allocated in 2018-19 to start underground construction works and start purchasing metro vehicles.
New money in this year’s budget was allocated for a community hub at Witton Barracks at Indooroopilly, and the School of Arts Building on Ann Street in Brisbane City, bringing the old building back to life after it was closed in 2014 because of a fire risk.
Almost $9 million was allocated over three years for the refurbishment of the School of Arts Building with $831,000 to be spent in 2018-19, while $545,000 would be spent in 2018-19 towards the $4 million Witton Barracks project.
More than $1.7 million was proposed over the next four years, with $651,000 in 2018-19 to bring a light show to the city.
The light show, which would be projected onto William Jolly Bridge, would be a regular nightly show.
A projector is on the bridge at present, but part of the funding is for the projector to be replaced while the remainder would go towards developing the new light show.
A total of $11.1 million was budgeted over the next three years for new sports and community parks.
Of this, $2.2 million was allocated in 2018-19 for new parks at Windsor and Rocklea.
Other new initiatives include:
- $332,000 for a four-month cultural event across different venues called Brisbane Art Now.
- $133,000 to support historical groups in Brisbane.
- $550,000 for a Brisbane event history art trail.
- $166,000 to introduce the lord mayor’s children’s concerts at City Hall on school holidays.
Cyclists were also given a $40 million commitment towards projects including the Woolloongabba, Kangaroo Point and Indooroopilly bikeways, and the Botanic Gardens Riverwalk.
A further $90 million would be allocated for the resurfacing of almost 600 suburban streets while $33.9 million was allocated for the purchasing of 60 buses.
In the lead-up to the budget, Cr Quirk announced a $12 million cash-grant program for residents in flood-prone areas to flood-proof their homes as well as a $5.5 million boost to his previously committed pool upgrade initiative.
About $1 million in funding for the council to deliver on its election commitment for new “SpeedyCat” CityCat services was also announced ahead of the budget day.
Join us and lord mayor Graham Quirk on our Facebook page at 3pm on Thursday for a live discussion on the budget.
