BCC Elections 2020

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane mayoral election: Rod Harding gets Labor's endorsement to run

FORMER Brisbane Lord Mayoral aspirant Rod Harding will make a second tilt for the city's top job after he was officially endorsed by the ALP.

Mr Harding squared off against Lord Mayor Graham Quirk in the 2016 election and achieved the best two-party preferred vote of any Labor mayoral candidate since Tim Quinn's loss to Campbell Newman in 2004.

He confirmed this morning that he had been endorsed by the ALP to run for Lord Mayor again in the 2020 Council elections.

During his previous campaign he promised a light rail system, six months of free rates for first-home buyers and a remodelling of King George Square by adding shade and grass.

He also pledged to slash funding of the Kingsford Smith Dr project to fund congestion busting projects at other suburban hot spots.

Mr Harding secured nearly 32 per cent of the primary vote in 2016 – significantly less than Cr Quirk's 53.53 per cent.

He has continued to criticise the LNP administration on social media since his loss.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/CDStrunk/status/1039698570583007235

[Mr X]

Lets just hope they don't have any more policy brainfarts like "Fare Free Friday" 

[James]

Message #1 for Rod Harding:

No trams! Brisbane's roads are too narrow and busways are too established. Bus network reform please.

[verbatim9]

Message #1 for Rod Harding:

No trams! Brisbane's roads are too narrow and busways are too established. Bus network reform please.

^^The one line which is suitable for lightrail is the (Kenmore) Indooroopilly - UQ - Westend - South Brisbane - City - Valley -Newstead (Hamilton) Corridor. Series of cut and cover and driven tunnels. UQ want light rail too as part of the long term transport plan. Can be upgraded to driverless at a later stage or straight to driverless?

[Aircooled]

^ I hope trams can still figure in some way for Brisbane going forward, even if only to provide a scenic route for visitors like the Rivercats do. Davies Park to Kangaroo Point cliffs would be perfect for trams.

[verbatim9]

^ I hope trams can still figure in some way for Brisbane going forward, even if only to provide a scenic route for visitors like the Rivercats do. Davies Park to Kangaroo Point cliffs would be perfect for trams.

City -Valley - Petrie Terrace - City Loop?

[Aircooled]

^ sure why not. Trams offer a different aesthetic and character - something Brisbane has lost but can be regained, it's not too late. And such a loop as you suggest provides scenics which tunnels and metros cannot.  Davies Park, Petrie Terrace and KP Cliffs can eaisly connect with walkways to Lang Park and The Gabba too.

Trams lend themselves well to battery and driverless too.

[ozbob]

I think Rocket Rod needs to move on from light rail. As both Edinburgh and Sydney have demonstrated the difficulty in putting back light rail with unknown and complex utilities etc. is just a costly nightmare.   It was also a problem in the Gold Coast through Surfers Paradise particularly but not on the scale that the other places have seen.  Brisbane streets would be an absolute nightmare in this regard.  Brisbane is too far down the busways ...  The smart thing is get behind the metro, it will be well advanced by the elections.

I think a concept such as local connect buses (distinct from the route buses) to connect suburbs locally could be a winner.  Mid size electric buses.

He can start talking proper metro rail networks.  In fact there is the plan for a Brisbane subway - Toowong to Newstead and use this as a hook.

[ozbob]

Lets just hope they don't have any more policy brainfarts like "Fare Free Friday" 

+1 

That was sad, sad sad sad ...  I even got trolled at the time for calling it out!  Ha!

[Aircooled]

Understand the 'metro' concept is a necessary evil to relieve an ill conceived and constipated CBD. But I don't think it's a one size fits for all of Brisbane.

All that concrete... brutal.. In what was once a lovely sub tropical town. Let's make the city even hotter.

Glad it doesn't extend too far deep into the Northside.. Southsiders won't mind I guess - they're used to freeways over their heads.

Give me light rail, grassed and tree lined, quiet and relaxed any day. In pockets like west end and new farm especially, it makes sense.

Rail not concrete please mr/ms Lord Mayor

[James]

Understand the 'metro' concept is a necessary evil to relieve an ill conceived and constipated CBD. But I don't think it's a one size fits for all of Brisbane.

All that concrete... brutal.. In what was once a lovely sub tropical town. Let's make the city even hotter.

Glad it doesn't extend too far deep into the Northside.. Southsiders won't mind I guess - they're used to freeways over their heads.

Give me light rail, grassed and tree lined, quiet and relaxed any day. In pockets like west end and new farm especially, it makes sense.

Rail not concrete please mr/ms Lord Mayor

This 'romanticised' concept of light rail really works no better than buses.

Trams in Class C row in some respects are worse than buses. Sure, they have legibility (trams can only go along tram tracks) and visibility (tram tracks = 'oooh there's public transport here'), but they get stuck in the same traffic as buses, have turning circle issues, have differing acceleration/deceleration profiles to rubber-tyred vehicles, and may require an additional traffic light phase a some intersections, causing congestion.

You could feasibly make the metro run down a tree-lined boulevard, the issue being it would need to be bus/metro only. If you look at the Gold Coast, this is what light rail would need to be, and it is hardly known for 'tree-lined boulevards'. In areas with narrow streets like New Farm and West End, it actually makes less sense, as there is no way to get it to work effectively without resuming property - not very community friendly!

[verbatim9]

Understand the 'metro' concept is a necessary evil to relieve an ill conceived and constipated CBD. But I don't think it's a one size fits for all of Brisbane.

All that concrete... brutal.. In what was once a lovely sub tropical town. Let's make the city even hotter.

Glad it doesn't extend too far deep into the Northside.. Southsiders won't mind I guess - they're used to freeways over their heads.

Give me light rail, grassed and tree lined, quiet and relaxed any day. In pockets like west end and new farm especially, it makes sense.

Rail not concrete please mr/ms Lord Mayor

Yes! look at Singapore for example, Good underground metro, but surface streets are less to be desired. If Schrinner is taking the Singapore transport system as one size fits all for Brisbane then we have a problem. Of cause a multi mode can work well in Bne.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

15th September 2018

BCC 2020 Election Contenders - Fix the Buses!

Greetings,

RAIL Back on Track welcomes confirmation that Graham Quirk and Rod Harding will contest the 2020 Brisbane City Council Elections.

RAIL Back on Track is calling on all contenders to tackle reforming Council's bus network.
We want to see bus reform again as the policy focus at the 2020 Brisbane City Council elections.
RAIL Back on Track draws special attention to 'Bus Black Hole' areas of Bulimba, the Centenary suburbs, and Yeronga.

The Great Circle Line bus service, which encircles the entire city, should also be reviewed.
It needs improved frequency, clock-face timetabling, a streamlined route, and optimised stop spacing.
People want to go to the bus stop and know that their bus is coming soon. We think these improvements can be
paid for by optimising and amalgamating Council's existing bus services.

For example, if Route 590 (Garden City - DFO Brisbane Airport) were amalgamated into the Great Circle Line,
we could have buses every 15 minutes between Garden City, Carindale, DFO Brisbane Airport, and Toombul Shopping Centre
at minimal cost.  Currently, the Great Circle Line bus service only operates every half hour during the week,
hourly on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays.  TransLink's own data shows that the Great Circle Line has excellent patronage,
carrying 848,969 passengers in 2016-2017. This is decent patronage, despite the service's many flaws.

Let's see excellent bus policies from all sides come next Council elections. The door is always open at RAIL Back On Track
to any candidate or party who wants to explore the issue.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

References:

Graham Quirk confirms 2020 lord mayoral run
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/graham-quirk-confirms-2020-lord-mayoral-run-20180508-p4ze29.html

Rod Harding to run for Brisbane lord mayor, again
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/rod-harding-to-run-for-brisbane-lord-mayor-again-20180912-p5037l.html

Great Circle Line Bus Service
https://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/timetables/170109-598,599.pdf

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner to spray Premier over delaying council projects for political points

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has been endorsed to run for the LNP in next year's local government elections — but not before firing a broadside at the Labor Premier.

ADRIAN Schrinner has been officially endorsed as the LNP's candidate for Brisbane lord mayor in the upcoming March election.

Cr Schrinner, who was elevated to the top job following Graham Quirk's resignation in April, took to the stage at the LNP state convention today, where he took more swipes at the State Labor Government over its handling of Brisbane Metro.

Party members unanimously endorsed him to take on Labor's Rod Harding in next year's council election.

Cr Schrinner used his speech to urge party members to get behind his team as he ramped up campaign efforts.

"Your support for my team in March will let us continue our strong record of delivering for this great city," he said.

"It will continue the legacy of Campbell Newman and Graham Quirk.

"It will stop the Labor Party bringing to Brisbane the kind of economic vandalism they have shown at the state level."

Cr Schrinner also took the opportunity to thank his predecessor, Mr Quirk, for his service to the party and the city.

"You've set a very high bar for us, and we'll do our best to reach it," he said.

"And to Anne Quirk, thank you also for your dedication to the city.

"As (my wife) Nina and I are quickly learning, being lord mayor of Brisbane is a job for two people."

Taking aim at Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Cr Schrinner again likened his Brisbane Metro project to the Adani mine, saying it was suffering the same state government delays.

"Premier Palaszczuk is particularly good at slowing down our projects — throwing roadblocks and hurdles in our way," he will tell the party faithful today.

"(Brisbane Metro is) very quickly becoming Brisbane's Adani.

"And all the Premier's fake outrage about her government's deliberate hold-ups on the mine could now also be used to describe their go-slow on Metro."

The LNP administration claims it was blindsided last month when the state told them just days before tenders closed for the project that they would have to move their planned underground Cultural Centre Metro station.

In his speech today, the Lord Mayor will urge the Government to approve the $944 million project and "get out of the way".

"Labor's criticism now is that we're moving too fast on Metro," he will say.

"If their approvals process for the Adani mine is their idea of an acceptable time frame, I'm happy to be accused of moving too fast.

"As you know, Queensland will have local government elections in March next year.

"And the Labor Party is doing everything it can to block this project, so they can then turn around in March and accuse the LNP of failing to deliver on our election promise."

Transport Minister Mark Bailey has previously disputed Cr Schrinner's claims, saying they had warned the council months ago about concerns with the Cultural Centre station.

The council is yet to confirm if the scheduled completion date of the project in 2023 will now have to be pushed back or if there will be any significant cost blow-outs.

Cr Schrinner's attack on the Premier comes a day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison used the LNP state convention to accuse her of stalling southeast Queensland's 2032 Olympic bid.

[ozbob]

Backroom moves to dump ALP lord mayor candidate https://t.co/9nshyq6O7c #bnepol is Rod being given the rocket? #qldpol

— ozbob13 (@ozbob13) August 18, 2019

[ozbob]

Premier refuses to back Lord Mayoral candidate https://t.co/KLgUG6Q6Db #qldpol @couriermail

— Sarah Vogler (@SarahLVogler) August 19, 2019

[verbatim9]

New Central ward candidate for the Greens in reference to the upcoming BCC March 2020 elections.

Jonathan Sri------>https://www.facebook.com/14536942182...0697079530928/

[verbatim9]

New Central ward candidate for the Greens in reference to the upcoming BCC March 2020 elections.

Jonathan Sri------>https://www.facebook.com/14536942182...0697079530928/

We don't take corporate donations like the old parties do, so we're running a kickstarter for Trina Massey's campaign for Central Ward to get our team all the resources it needs to be out there winning votes! Donate now and lets win this https://t.co/droSq1s4I5 https://t.co/SI7T5VpiBC

https://twitter.com/QldGreens/status/1168326752759738368

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Labor's lord mayoral candidate a mystery man to voters

Labor is poised for a shake-up at Brisbane's City Hall, amid speculation its lord mayoral candidate could also be dumped within days.

LABOR is poised for a pre-election shake-up of its Brisbane City Hall team, with the party expected to announce a new opposition leader amid speculation its lord mayoral candidate could also be dumped within days.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the ALP is moving to ­resurrect its chances at the looming March 28 council elections, with opposition leader Peter Cumming set to step aside for current deputy Jared Cassidy.

Six months before polling day, speculation is also growing lord mayoral candidate Rod Harding could also be replaced.

The looming reset comes as a survey of 100 people in Brisbane's CBD found just two people knew exactly who Mr Harding was.

One asked if he was a missing person.

A defiant Mr Harding insisted he ­remained the party's candidate.

"I've been out talking and listening to people right across Brisbane, and I have been delighted by the response I've received so far," he said.

"I'm looking forward to continuing the fight to deliver change in City Hall come March next year."

The Courier-Mail revealed in August there were moves behind the scenes of the ALP to have Mr Harding dumped amid concerns of a lack of visibility on the hustings.

Former 7 News political editor Patrick Condren and current Morningside councillor Kara Cook were among several candidates mooted to replace him.

Labor has not held the lord mayoralty since 2004.

It lost control of the council chamber in 2008 and currently only holds five out of 26 wards.

As recently as Tuesday, Mr Harding was pictured on the streets of Brisbane with Labor's Coorparoo Ward candidate Matt Campbell, and also marched with other Labor candidates during last weekend's Pride March.

With about six months to go until the March 2020 election, The Courier-Mail showed 100 visitors to Queen Street Mall a photo of Mr Harding to gauge his profile.

While four people knew he had something to do with the council, only two people could name him.

Jordja Trenaman, 19, said she had "no idea" who he was.

"I don't vote for Labor so I feel like I wouldn't really keep up," she said.

"I do feel in relation to politics they need to start their campaigns early to allow people to get to know them."

Jamie Walker, 31, could not say who he was, but said he did not follow politics.

"I wouldn't know any of them (the lord mayoral candidates) from anyone else walking past on the street," he said.

Coralee Ingram couldn't identify Mr Harding, but said she did know his rival, incumbent Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

"I know Adrian Schrinner because I've seen his advertising all over Facebook, so he (Mr Harding) might need to advertise more," she said.

"Either that or he isn't connecting with people."

[verbatim9]

Couriermail.com.au-----> PATRICK Condren will lead Labor's charge for Brisbane City Hall after Rod Harding was unceremoniously dumped as the party's lord mayoral candidate.

Labor's Brisbane Lord Mayor candidate shafted for TV journalist

A TV journalist has been drafted as Labor's new Brisbane lord mayoral candidate after the party mercilessly axed Rod Harding for failing to cut through with voters.

PATRICK Condren will lead Labor's charge for Brisbane City Hall after Rod Harding was unceremoniously dumped as the party's lord mayoral candidate.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Labor will today announce a refresh of its Council team, with Mr Condren to take on LNP Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner in the looming March 2020 election.

After weeks of speculation about Mr Harding's political future, Labor yesterday finalised moves to axe him – opting instead for a candidate that they believe will have better cut through with voters.

Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Mail, Mr Condren said the opportunity to run for the city's top job was too good to pass up. The veteran journalist and long-term Brisbane local said he wanted to the offer the city the "leadership it's been missing".

"I spent 17 years as a political editor at Seven News critiquing politicians, and the opportunity has come along for me to actually get into the trenches and make a difference," he said.

"From the outside looking in, I've been disappointed by how badly Australia's largest local government has been run by Adrian Schrinner and the LNP."

He acknowledges his media background will give him some name recognition, but insists that he is entering the mayoral contest as a "political cleanskin".

"At first blush, I'm the anti-political politician, if you like," Mr Condren said. "I'm not a career politician. I am not someone who has drunk the political Kool-Aid. I'm just an ordinary bloke ... who's been given an opportunity to make a difference and I'm going to give it an absolute red-hot go."

Party insiders have suggested the decision to dump Mr Harding was a sign of how seriously they took the election, adding that Mr Condren was an outside-the-box candidate and not an ordinary politician.

Mr Harding yesterday said he accepted the party's decision and that he wanted Labor to have the best chance to beat the LNP administration.

"It has been an incredible honour to be Labor's candidate for Lord Mayor," he said.

"I am proud of the work we have done to hold this arrogant and out-of-touch LNP Council accountable."

The Courier-Mail first revealed in August that there were moves behind the scenes of the ALP to have Mr Harding dumped amid concerns that he had a lack of visibility on the hustings.

Mr Condren will today hit the ground running, announcing that if he wins in March, he will freeze the lord mayoral salary and direct any recommended pay increases from the independent tribunal to improving Brisbane's "neglected" footpaths. He has also taken a swipe at Cr Schrinner for being an unelected Lord Mayor and accused the LNP of handing the city's top job around as a plaything.

"The LNP have had their day at City Hall and they have run out of puff," he said. "The Lord Mayor inherited his position but he's no Graham Quirk. He's out of his depth and has demonstrated he just can't deliver for the people of Brisbane."

Mr Condren took aim at the LNP administration's cost blowouts on the Kingsford Smith Drive project, its costly IT bungle, and the ratepayer money it spent on advertising.

"Rates are going up by too much because of LNP waste, but people aren't seeing a return for the money," he said.

As part of the pre-election shake-up, Council Opposition Leader Peter Cumming will stand aside for Deagon Ward councillor Jared Cassidy, while Morningside Ward councillor Kara Cook will be appointed deputy leader. "We face a huge task fighting an LNP administration that spends millions of ratepayers' dollars promoting themselves but I sense a strong mood for change," Cr Cassidy said.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1177965583993696256

[#Metro]

Missed opportunity really.

They didn't put forward a female candidate?

[ozbob]

Missed opportunity really.

They didn't put forward a female candidate?

There were some short listed, didn't make the cut .. 

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Veteran journalist steps in as new lord mayor candidate for Labor

Veteran journalist Patrick Condren will replace Rod Harding as Labor's lord mayoral candidate at the Brisbane City Council election next year.

Mr Condren, who has been a state political reporter for 7News Brisbane, took to social media to express his eagerness for the position.

"Having spent 17 years critiquing politicians as ... Brisbane's political editor and seeing the good, bad and ugly I've decided to join the fray," he wrote.

"Brisbane residents deserve better than the drunk on debt, wasteful LNP administration presenting running city hall.

"While 2,000km of footpaths are in desperate need of repairs the LNP spend ratepayers money on shameless self promotion ($4m) and $300 cab rides to Cher concerts.

"My first policy announcement is that if I'm fortunate enough to be elected I will freeze the Lord Mayoral salary and spend any increases on repairing some of those neglected footpaths."

Labor also confirmed the announcement on Facebook and Twitter and thanked Rod Harding for his hard work and service.

"Make no mistake, Labor is the underdog in this battle as we take on a ruthless LNP machine that will spend millions of dollars of ratepayer's money on self promotion in a bid to hold on to the ratepayer purse strings," they wrote.

"It will be tough, but together we can win this."

https://twitter.com/QLDLabor/status/1178032398371409925

[#Metro]

There were some short listed, didn't make the cut ..

So, in 30+ years, all the teams couldn't find one woman to lead BCC as Lord Mayor?!

Last one and only one was Atkinson I recall. ~ 1985


 

[HappyTrainGuy]

There were some short listed, didn't make the cut ..

So, in 30+ years, all the teams couldn't find one woman to lead BCC as Lord Mayor?!

Last one-day and only one was Atkinson I recall. ~ 1985


 

Just because your a woman doesn't mean they should get a free pass because of the equality of this and that. You put forward who will be the best to win. Especially if it fits in with the party campaign which it looks like they are doing by the fact they've selected someone who isn't a career Polly with a name behind them.

Otherwise you end up with another repeat of the last few council elections where their ass was handed to them by Newman and Quirk.

[verbatim9]

I prefer Schrinner, He has integrity, vision and believes in Daylight Saving. Just a reminder that Patrick Condren doesn't.

[#Metro]

Just because your a woman doesn't mean they should get a free pass because of the equality of this and that. You put forward who will be the best to win.

Women make up  ~ 50% of Brisbane City.

In the entire 95 years of BCC, there has been just one female Lord Mayor.

And that was 30+ years ago.

(Coming to think of it, maybe Trad should have resigned and taken the role!!)

Clearly, something is wrong.

[verbatim9]

Also hoping that we end up with three tiers of the same Government by the end of 2020. We might get things moving again

[techblitz]

Also hoping that we end up with three tiers of the same Government by the end of 2020. We might get things moving again

No doubt most of the gender fluid virtue signalling, pro green open border progressives would rather red team than blue team in at every level....but then again the very same people also didn't want Donald trump, boris Johnson or scott morrison running their respective countries.....and look how that turned out..

[verbatim9]

Also hoping that we end up with three tiers of the same Government by the end of 2020. We might get things moving again

No doubt most of the gender fluid virtue signalling, pro green open border progressives would rather red team than blue team in at every level....but then again the very same people also didn't want Donald trump, boris Johnson or scott morrison running their respective countries.....and look how that turned out..

^^The good thing about Council now it's has very good female representation and is well balanced and progressive.  Free from union influence.

[verbatim9]

Interesting E petition that has appeared on the State E petition site. Limiting Councillors and Mayor's to 2 terms 8 years.

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3204

TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that a major risk of corruption is the length of time councillors/mayors are in council. Long serving councillors in Queensland have been found guilty of misconduct. According to the CCC's report it has become apparent that a major risk of corruption is the long working relationship of councillors and executive employees and the relationship formed over years with developers. On the international level it appears that mayors who serve for too long acquire disproportionate power, opening the door to abuse of privilege and to problematic behaviour with a clear connection between long periods in power and corruption. Hence, it is important to restrict the number of times a mayor/councillor is allowed to serve in office. Councils in Queensland have the power of making policies without restrictions which is propelling the mayor into the most powerful person of the city. During the period leading up to elections, mayors in office can allocate budgets as they see fit to enhance their popularity at elections, as seen in Ipswich.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to call on the Minister and the members of parliament to impose a two-term limit (8 years) for mayors and councillors with the main goal being to reduce corruption in local government

[techblitz]

it's has very good female representation and is well balanced and progressive

'balanced and progressive' doesn't always lead to desired results....raw ability,passion,thinking power while being free from gender politics will do far better no matter what scenario..

[verbatim9]

it's has very good female representation and is well balanced and progressive

'balanced and progressive' doesn't always lead to desired results....raw ability,passion,thinking power while being free from gender politics will do far better no matter what scenario..

That's just speculation. It's only due to political correctness that gender balance has come into the equation across professions. It should be also based on the best person for the job.

[AnonymouslyBad]

Interesting E petition that has appeared on the State E petition site. Limiting Councillors and Mayor's to 2 terms 8 years.

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3204

The idea has merit for mayors, I think, but councillors is trickier. How do you pick an experienced councillor as mayor if councillors are limited to two terms?

There probably needs to be a lot more oversight of local councils, but I'm not sure how to implement this in a way that isn't deeply unpopular politically.

[verbatim9]

Interesting E petition that has appeared on the State E petition site. Limiting Councillors and Mayor's to 2 terms 8 years.

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3204

The idea has merit for mayors, I think, but councillors is trickier. How do you pick an experienced councillor as mayor if councillors are limited to two terms?

There probably needs to be a lot more oversight of local councils, but I'm not sure how to implement this in a way that isn't deeply unpopular politically.

Yeah that's what I original thought as well two terms for Mayor's but councillors maintain re-election.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Just because your a woman doesn't mean they should get a free pass because of the equality of this and that. You put forward who will be the best to win.

Women make up  ~ 50% of Brisbane City.

In the entire 95 years of BCC, there has been just one female Lord Mayor.

And that was 30+ years ago.

(Coming to think of it, maybe Trad should have resigned and taken the role!!)

Clearly, something is wrong.

Stop over analysing everything would you.

So what if half the population are made up of women. Has nothing to do with it. Just because you are a woman doesn't mean all women are going to vote for said person. It's something that has spawned out of all this PC bullcrap. Its about your strategic campaign and how the party goes about itself. Something which labor has not put any thought into for over the last decade allowing the lnp regulars to sink their claws in and establish very good links with the local community - McLachlan (man), Cooper (woman), King (woman), Owen (woman), Adams (Woman), Wyndham (man - he's been reelected everytime since 2003/2004? until his retirement this year due to health problems) are some people who have been in power for over 10 years. Remember when lnp metro came out and Harding/labor responded with a light rail project with no formal proposed route, no costings, no funding and no timeframe. Total joke. Not many of the female labor candidates could really take the role on as they don't have any real experience or anything behind their name and that limits their strategic play especially when you go up against other females in the same ward such as King, Cooper and Owen let alone taking on a Lord Mayor role. Having someone who has extensive political background knowledge, is viewed as somewhat independent and isn't in it for a lifetime career opens up what voters you can target. And what do voters see every day? Bickering with the state, stupid PT proposals, project issues with cost blowouts on KSD, cost blowouts and project bungling on Metro, project bungling on its IT contract, project bungling on zipline money being wasted when the public didn't want it, council overspending on road projects and money being wasted all over the place. Having someone with media experience and can articulate things very clearly could be an issue if Schrinner or other Councillors want to get vocal.

[verbatim9]

Just because your a woman doesn't mean they should get a free pass because of the equality of this and that. You put forward who will be the best to win.

Women make up  ~ 50% of Brisbane City.

In the entire 95 years of BCC, there has been just one female Lord Mayor.

And that was 30+ years ago.

(Coming to think of it, maybe Trad should have resigned and taken the role!!)

Clearly, something is wrong.

Stop over analysing everything would you.

So what if half the population are made up of women. Has nothing to do with it. Just because you are a woman doesn't mean all women are going to vote for said person. It's something that has spawned out of all this PC bullcrap. Its about your strategic campaign and how the party goes about itself. Something which labor has not put any thought into for over the last decade allowing the lnp regulars to sink their claws in and establish very good links with the local community - McLachlan (man), Cooper (woman), King (woman), Owen (woman), Adams (Woman), Wyndham (man - he's been reelected everytime since 2003/2004? until his retirement this year due to health problems) are some people who have been in power for over 10 years. Remember when lnp metro came out and Harding/labor responded with a light rail project with no formal proposed route, no costings, no funding and no timeframe. Total joke. Not many of the female labor candidates could really take the role on as they don't have any real experience or anything behind their name and that limits their strategic play especially when you go up against other females in the same ward such as King, Cooper and Owen let alone taking on a Lord Mayor role. Having someone who has extensive political background knowledge, is viewed as somewhat independent and isn't in it for a lifetime career opens up what voters you can target. And what do voters see every day? Bickering with the state, stupid PT proposals, project issues with cost blowouts on KSD, cost blowouts and project bungling on Metro, project bungling on its IT contract, project bungling on zipline money being wasted when the public didn't want it, council overspending on road projects and money being wasted all over the place. Having someone with media experience and can articulate things very clearly could be an issue if Schrinner or other Councillors want to get vocal.

Why make KSD an election issue. It's pretty much done now. Time to move on. Labor also don't have a good track record re IT projects. Metro only costing more because it's been delayed by the State Government re project changes. It doesn't really change my mind who I vote for anyway. Most people drive in Brisbane so they will be voting for smoother and wider  roads. The new active parks have also been a vote winner.  I also think that the latest announcement of having  the City Library open until midnight is another good idea.  Real visionary ideas done by Council. I also like Schrinner' s 5 new Greens Bridges project and the Bikeway project at Indooroopilly.