By Susan Price
BRISBANE — The Brisbane City Council has been forced to release plans for a $60 million inner-city freeway, after details were leaked to local media here last month. The joint council and state government project to construct a bypass through inner-city suburbs was kept under wraps throughout the entire City Council election, only coming to light after the votes were counted.
In a joint statement issued on April 21, Lord Mayor Jim Soorley and state transport minister David Hamill attempted to control the damage by announcing that an environmental impact assessment and "comprehensive public consultation" would begin at the end of June, despite the fact that agreement on the proposal has already been reached by state and local authorities.
In response, at an organising meeting on May 13, around 50 residents, business owners and supporters voted to form an action committee, entitled "No Inner City Freeways (NICF)". The meeting heard from June O'Connell, BCC opposition spokesperson for traffic, who told the group that the decision on the Inner City Bypass was made at civic cabinet without discussion and that details had been kept secret until they were forced to be revealed.
NICF spokesperson Paul McCarthy says, "There is considerable disquiet among residents and business operators in Bowen Hills. We're losing patience with Mr Hamill. He has not responded to our letter requesting details of the terms of reference for this project. My suggestion to Mr Hamill is that he give us a voice and listen very carefully."
Willy Bach, convener of the West Brisbane Greens and member of the NICF Steering Committee, echoes these sentiments and is demanding that details of the terms of reference be released to the public.
"This government has a very bad track record in pushing through ill-considered, short-sighted and environmentally unsound projects. Mr Hamill, in keeping the terms of reference a secret, is allowing no room for the community to suggest better ideas. The government has seriously underestimated the public's views on this issue", Bach stated.
According to a statement published by the Urban Renewal Taskforce — a tripartite body of representatives from local, state and federal government, the Inner-City Bypass will "divert thirty percent of traffic from Fortitude Valley" and "boost the city's Urban Renewal program". The Fortitude Valley/New Farm area has been designated by the BCC as the major precinct for the council's "urban renewal" project.
Under the guise of retaining the diversity and uniqueness of the area, these suburbs have been the sight of increased police presence and harassment of homeless and Aboriginal youth, and a concerted campaign against IV drug users and sex workers. New Farm, Teneriffe and Fortitude Valley are already experiencing greater attention from property developers, causing an explosion in rental prices and a decrease in low-cost housing. This has forced out many long-term residents.
According to plans released by council, the bypass will also run close to the Royal Brisbane Hospital, where wards closest to the freeway are not air conditioned, posing potential health risks from an increase in air and noise pollution.
The bypass will then link up with the Northern Freeway, after crossing the Brisbane River at Hamilton and, according to the state government, facilitate the transportation of goods by truck from train depots in Acacia Ridge to their final destinations at Eagle Farm and the Brisbane airport.
This freeway proposal is taking place while the state government is closing rail lines to country areas and allowing inner-city rail to deteriorate. Further information on NICF is available by phoning Paul McCarthy on 369 6823.