Anika Wells (Lilley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to congratulate Bart Mellish, the state member for Aspley, for the fantastic work that he's doing for his constituents in Aspley. In 2017 Bart committed to fix the local level crossing, which was a notorious bottleneck on the busy Beams Road. He recently secured $128 million from the Queensland state Labor government for the removal of the Beams Road level crossing, which is one of seven priority locations for level crossing removal in Queensland. The project will also see 170 new car parks at Carseldine station and deliver over 500 construction jobs in my electorate of Lilley. He has also secured $16 million for two new buildings at Aspley State High School. Construction is already underway on a new multipurpose sports hall and music centre there. He has secured funding for Aspley State School, who have some great projects planned, including completely refurbishing classrooms that are over 100 years old and redoing a patch of concrete to become a vibrant outdoor learning centre. This spruce was part of a $220 million education package that will see schools right around the state benefit. It's fantastic local work that he's doing and I hope that he gets to continue it. I'd like to provide an update on the Lilley grassroots campaign to reinstate three hours free parking at Westfield Chermside. In the midst of a global pandemic, with many people working reduced hours or receiving JobKeeper payments, or JobSeeker payments having been laid off altogether, the re-introduction of paid parking at Westfield Chermside was a cost few could afford. Many groups in our community will be disadvantaged by the changes, including families with young children, senior citizens and people with a disability, whose visits may extend over three hours because of their reduced mobility to get around an enormous shopping centre or the extra stops required to feed babies or change young children.

So I started a grassroots campaign to reinstate three hours free parking at Westfield, which is what we had before the global pandemic. My constituents are backing it. So far we've collected approaching 2,000 signatures on our Westfield petition, with over 700 comments , which are overwhelmingly negative. I'd like to share some of these with the House: 'A very bad move at this time. Many people are finding it difficult to cope as it is because of COVID-19. Whereas many other companies are helping out with reduced fees and length of time to make payments, Westfield is doing the opposite. Think again, Westfield, and reverse your decision. Shortened unpaid hours mean those with a disability or seniors will have much less time to shop, taking into consideration entering and leaving the parking areas within two hours. I am a support carer and take people living with disabilities here for social and family support. It's a long day and most times we manage to get out in just under three hours. A reduction to two hours would mean someone would have to pay for parking, and neither my client nor myself can afford that.'

I am extremely concerned that, after I sought and had a meeting with Westfield about this, they advised that the decision to reduce the three hours of free parking is not only planned to stay but will be rolled out in other Westfield shopping centres across Brisbane before Christmas, at a time when so many small businesses and local people are doing it tough. It seems cruel, and I call on them to change their mind. Our grassroots campaign will continue until they do so.

Like the member for Brisbane, my electorate office has been dealing with an increased number of complaints about aircraft noise following the opening of Brisbane airport's parallel runway. My office has met with representatives of Brisbane Airport Corporation and I am seeking a subsequent meeting with Air Services Australia. I have been corresponding with them regarding the specific nature of the complaints that we have received from my constituents. There may be some relief in sight for residents, with more take-offs and landings over Moreton Bay set to occur once the weather warms up and northerly winds increase. I've been advised that, during the COVID pandemic, much of the operations at Brisbane Airport have been intrastate rather than interstate, and it's those operations that are typically serviced by turbo props.

But questions remain. Residents have questions for the federal government about why turbo-prop aircraft aren't required to be tracked through the BAC flight path tool. Overwhelmingly, the complaints that I've been receiving from my constituents are about turbo-prop aircraft noise and the fact that residents were not warned and were not able to look online to track turbo-prop aircraft flight paths before the new runway opened. This has put a dent in the good faith that the community has around the process and the community consultation that should have occurred. The federal government now has questions to answer. The agencies that govern these matters have questions to answer about why those things didn't happen. If any of my constituents are experiencing noise problems, please reach out to my office so that we can put you in contact with the right people at either Brisbane Airport Corporation or Air Services Australia. Of course, we'll continue to meet and consult with our residents to make sure that their views are heard by this federal government.