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Hi everyone

After three long weeks the Electoral Commission of Queensland finally declared the Brisbane City Council election on Friday night.  I was strongly returned with 73.44% of the two-party preferred vote (no.1 in Brisbane) and I want to thank you for putting your trust in me again as the Councillor for Tennyson Ward. I look forward to working with you over the next four years to support community life in our district and progress an important range of Council issues.

The city-wide result also saw a status quo result with the Lord Mayor and his team elected with the same number of seats, albeit quite a few of them are now very marginal.

Swearing in is being held by ZOOM on Wednesday at 10am, you can watch it online here  and whilst we have not been told yet, ordinary Council meetings will most likely commence the following Tuesday. They will be live streamed as usual, but the Committee and Council meetings will be held via ZOOM. I think it will be a bit unwieldly for such a large group but we've been told, not consulted, about what is happening.

I know it troubled a lot of people to have to vote and there were some significant shortcomings with the ECQ process. In the end though there hasn't been a spike in COVID-19, the participation rate was about 80% (it's usually about 85-90%) and there was a clear result. Our democracy is pretty robust it seems.

As you know community life has been extensively disrupted by COVID-19 and hearing the Premier's announcement yesterday of zero new cases on Sunday we are clearly heading in the right direction. I've included both a Council COVID-19 post and a post supporting our local businesses. Over the past few weeks many businesses have found innovative ways to keep going and many are doing it very tough or have closed. They really need our help so I look forward to your feedback, as outlined below.

Regards, Nicole

P.S. Check out the fabulous winners of the #tennysonwardeasterart footpath chalk competition. WOW to everyone who participated and thank you for your creative and joyous contributions.

Due to the ban on large gatherings in response to COVID-19, all ANZAC Day services and marches across the city have been cancelled.

RSL Queensland have suggested the following as a means of honouring our Defence force at home this ANZAC Day:

"Instead of attending a large gathering, we are calling on all Australians to honour the service of our Defence forces, past and present, by standing at the end of their driveways or on a balcony for a minute's silence at 6am this ANZAC Day."

I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to recognise and honour our current and ex servicemen and women.

Father Bernard Thomas, Chaplain for the Yeronga/ Dutton Park RSL, has asked me to share the following message for ANZAC Day 2020:

As chaplain of the branch
I send my love, care and thoughts for you all.

COVID-19 Update

Council
Council libraries are closed until further notice. Library members can access resources online, including E-books and audiobooks. Membership is free. You can apply via Council's website.
Council's Active and Healthy programs are suspended.

Bus passengers (except those requiring assistance) must board from the rear door. Ferry and bus services are only accepting Go Cards no cash ticket sales.
Council pools are closed until further notice.

The kerbside collection that was scheduled for June has been cancelled. Tips remain open.

Council's outdoor gyms, skate parks, playgrounds, exercise equipment, basketball facilities, BMX tracks, dog parks and barbecues are closed until further notice. Parks remain open for those wishing to exercise, but please adhere to social distancing rules .

Pedestrain traffic signals in high demand areas are now automatically triggered. This means you do not have to press the button when wanting to cross the road.

State
QLD Care Army Hotline
1800 173 349
If you need help at home or want to volunteer.

QLD Health
13 43 25 84

The State Government has released its development application for the old Oxley Secondary College site for public consultation. You can view the proposed development application and reports online here.

The development number is DEV2020/1099 and street address 53 Seventeen Mile Rocks Rd, Oxley.

The current development application is for Stage 1 which includes:

• Stage 1A - 41 residential lots (houses) ranging from 590sqm to 3000sqm in size;
• Stage 1B - stormwater bio-retention area on the lower ovals; and 
• Stage 1C retirement/aged care (commercial proposal currently under consideration for the State Government) and childcare centres (Yuingi and the Dept of Education are working on a plan for relocation to the new facility).

The scale of the proposal has the potential to impact significantly on the surrounding community, road network, drainage and open space. Once approved by the State Government the decision is final.

It is important that you speak up now. You must submit your comments by 11 May 2020.  I remain concerned about the following aspects of the development:

• some 655 trees will be lost to roadworks, bushfire buffers and earthworks - 400 will be planted in the hillside slip area and street trees along the new internal roads. This is good but not enough;
• the traffic management plan does not include traffic lights for the round-a-bout and only a vague promise of a future upgrade. The State and Council need to be upfront with our community about plans to manage safety traffic and congestion at the round-a-bout and failures to provide these details is concerning;
• beyond a natural bio-retention basin, which takes up a huge part of the lower ovals, no stormwater improvements to the open drains of Council's drainage network is proposed. Cliveden Ave will still flood, the stormwater drains are not being increased in capacity and flooding will still cause significant problems for Corinda residents below the site. Whilst I am not a drainage engineer, after 12 years as the local Councillor I have seen the ongoing impacts of development without adequate stormwater infrastructure; and 
• intensity of development high rise retirement/aged care is not supported. Oxley just does not need more high rise and the scale of the retirement community proposed. A development application will be released for the retirement village in due course but we don't know when or have any details on the State's preferred developer yet.   

The good news is the Bushland along the western boundary (apart from some tree loss) together with the hillside remediation are a new pocket park, and what remains of the lower ovals is protected. After a lot of pressure from me and our community over the past few years, this land will be handed over to Brisbane City Council by the State Government after the site has been fully developed.

Stage 2 of the development which includes additional housing and ovals, hillside and bushland remediation/works has not been released yet.

Sherwood Arboretum

The playground upgrade at the Sherwood Arboretum is complete, and will be ready for you and your family to enjoy once the playgrounds re-open.

Thank you to all the Sherwood State School students who voted and helped to choose the new equipment. My next project at this lovely play space is new basket, child and baby swings when budget funds permit.

Construction of the Indooroopilly Riverwalk has commenced, with works taking place Monday to Saturday, 7am to 5pm. In the coming weeks, the contractor will install two barges along the river to support a large crane and drill rig for piling works. Residents and businesses may experience an increase in noise and low-level vibration during piling works, but Council will monitor noise and vibration levels to ensure they do not exceed reasonable limits. A temporary jetty is currently being built to offer access to the barges, and is due for completion Saturday 2 May.

As part of the Indooroopilly Riverwalk project, Council will upgrade the intersection at Foxton St and Radnor St, Indooroopilly. There is currently no access into Foxton St for traffic travelling westbound on Radnor St and vice versa. Alternative access is via Station Rd and Riverview Tce.

I am still pressuring Council to convert the temporary works pontoon into a permanent public pontoon at the end of construction. Council's failure to replace the pontoon lost in the 2011 floods was a great disappointment to our community and I will keep pushing to renew public access to the river at Chelmer.

I know that a lot of local businesses are struggling at the moment, and so I will be publicising local businesses who have altered their operations in response to COVID-19 on my website and via this e-newsletter. I need to your help to compile a list of businesses located within Tennyson Ward so I can share their contact details and services. I know there are a lot at the moment. 

Please email my office at tennyson.ward@bcc.qld.gov.au and include your business name, phone number, a link to a website or facebook page and a description of the services you offer (no more than 25 words).

Council is offering free immunisation clinics throughout the first half of 2020. Clinics will be held at the Corinda Bowls Club, 58 Hall Avenue, Corinda from 9-11am each Wednesday starting on 8 January with the final clinic on 24 June.

For more information, including immunisation fact sheets, visit the Council website here.