Hi Daniel,

I hope you’re keeping well now that we’re reaching the end of the year and Christmas is on the horizon.

In this edition of my digital newsletter I’ve included updates from federal Parliament, including important wins on flight noise and HECs, as well as information on my Christmas community events, my Elizabeth’s Elves mutual aid appeal, Australia Post box removal and more. I’ll be back in Canberra tomorrow for the last two weeks of Parliament for the year, and will be sure to keep you updated.

This newsletter:

• Queensland election reflections
• Bus Network review & 385 changes
• Brisbane City Council sells off public green space
• A community win for post boxes on the west side
• Come along to a pop-up office or community meal
• Help a neighbour this Christmas
• And updates from federal politics and Parliament: 
  • My call for a ban on MP flight upgrades
  • Our win on aircraft noise is now official
  • Greens pressure wins HECS change commitment
  • Albo's answer on gambling donations doesn't stack up
  • One in three big corporations still not paying any tax
  • Worrying steps from Labor and the LNP on aged care

For many of you on this e-list, I can imagine the last few weeks of news in politics has been a bit demoralising. With a change in government in Queensland and Donald Trump in the White House again, there’s a real concern we’re heading in the wrong direction on many key issues. All I will say for now is that the Greens, and I’m sure thousands in our community on the west side, will continue to fight for a positive vision for our shared future, and to show that more is to be gained by seeing what unites us all, rather than being divided by our background, the colour of our skin, our sexuality or gender.

Queensland election reflections

Before getting into local and federal issues, I wanted to acknowledge the recent state election result. Queenslanders now have an LNP government, and sadly we’re already seeing them move to scrap renewables projects, scrap Path to Treaty, and send more kids to jail.

One of the few good news stories out of the state election was Labor and the LNP adopting Greens policy for cheaper public transport via 50c fares. But I’ve heard from many people who are concerned that the LNP may break this promise under the guise of ‘balancing the books’. I don’t blame people for being worried about this, given the massive cuts to public services that happened during the previous LNP state government. I want to give my assurance that the Greens and I will be there ready to defend 50c fares should they come under attack.

I’m excited that Greens MP Michael Berkman was returned in the seat of Maiwar and look forward to continuing to work with him, and with the other state MPs from different political parties across the west side where we find points of agreement. I also want to acknowledge that, although our vote increased statewide, in some of our core seats the Greens vote went backwards. Humility is a rare thing in politics, but I’m sure there are areas where we can improve, and I would love to hear your thoughts on how the Greens went this state election and what you’d like to see from us going forward. To this end, I’m running a big community survey, which you can fill in here.

Bus network review & 385 changes

Many locals in The Gap have raised concerns about the recent changes to the Brisbane Bus Network, particularly the re-routing of the 385 bus. Previously, the 385 service ended at the Cultural Centre, making it a convenient option for commuters travelling directly into the city. However, the new route now requires passengers to change buses at Queen Street Mall, adding an extra step to the journey and causing inconvenience for many.

I’ve already heard from quite a few people who are frustrated by this shift, especially for those that rely on the 385 as a direct route. However, I know there has been some frustrations over the changes to other routes across Ryan and I want to know how these new arrangements will affect your commute.

Unfortunately, this is clearly not a new phenomenon for bus services in The Gap. Earlier, in the year my team and I put together a petition to improve services in The Gap based on data from a survey I ran in 2023, where people expressed extreme frustrations about the lack of reliable public transport in the area. 

You can find that petition here, where I call on the Council to:

• Fix the 385
• Establish a new “Gap Local Loop” service
• Deliver a new high-frequency route that connects The Gap with the Great Western shopping centre and Keperra station.

I’ve also put together some yard signs for people that are interested in letting their neighbours know they want better buses for The Gap. Head here to find out how to get one.

Brisbane City Council sells off public green space

We are fortunate to live in a city with an abundance of beautiful greenspaces where we can relax, enjoy nature, and connect with our community. Unfortunately, one of these valuable spaces is at risk of being sold off to private developers. Last week, the Brisbane City Council put a block of publicly owned land on the corner of Sylvan Road and Land Street up for auction. The site at 21 Sylvan Road is home to several mature trees and plays a key role in flood mitigation for the area.

This land is not only important for its environmental value, but it is also strategically located next to the planned bikeway along Sylvan Road. As many cyclists in our community know, Sylvan Road is one of the most dangerous cycling routes in Brisbane. There is some concern that the sale of the land could directly impact the proposed bikeway. Another concern is that selling this land to a private developer could result in the clearing of these valuable trees and a net loss of public space in the area. Instead, this site should be preserved for public use, remaining as greenspace, or a community facility like a community garden.

The good news is that, despite the auction, the site was not sold last week. However, the threat of privatisation is still looming. Thankfully, Michael Berkman MP for Maiwar has a campaign to stop the privatisation of the site. You can get involved by contacting the Lord Mayor and Councillor Wolff, urging them to keep 21 Sylvan Road in public hands and stop the sale of land that should be protected for the benefit of all Brisbane residents.

I strongly encourage you to take a few moments to send the email and make your voice heard on what you’d like to see for the area. 

A community win for post boxes on the west side

A few locals have recently gotten in touch with my office concerned with the removal of red post boxes across the west side. It seems Australia Post quietly removed a number of post boxes and hoped no one would notice. This reduction has meant residents have fewer options to send mail, now needing to drive 15 minutes to send a letter.

Unfortunately the move to remove post boxes comes as Australia Post pursues an increasingly corporatised model, which seems more focused on cutting costs than serving the community. What was once a publicly funded service designed to provide accessible mail services to all Australians is now inching closer to a corporate structure where decisions are made based on profit. Australia Post has pushed back on their decision to take away post boxes, citing that “low usage” drove their decision, implying it was no longer “financially viable. With the CEO on a $2 million salary, I’d say there’s more than enough room in the budget to retain vital public services.

Fortunately, a group of proactive locals pulled together a petition calling for the reinstatement of post boxes across the west side. The petition received almost 1000 signatures! In a fantastic turn of events and a true testament to the power of community pressure, Australia Post have now confirmed that they will bring back the post box on Harts Road in Indooroopilly.

However, I’m aware that this is not the only post box that has been removed in Ryan so if you’ve noticed others disappearing or you're concerned about where to post a letter, please get in touch with my office.

Come along to a pop-up office or community meal

I’d love the opportunity to connect with more of you in person and hear about the issues that matter most to you as we head into the last part of the year. That’s why I’m hosting an extra pop-up office alongside our usual weekly community meals. We are also getting into full Christmas celebration swing with 4 Christmas meals across December.

Bellbowrie pop up office

When: Monday 2 December
Where: MoccaBella Cafe, 37 Birkin Rd, Bellbowrie Plaza, Bellbowrie, QLD 4070
Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm

The Gap Christmas Meal

When: Wednesday 11 December 2024
Where: Walton Bridge Reserve Playground
Time: 5:00pm- 7:00pm

Kenmore Christmas Meal

When: Thursday 12 December 2024
Where: Akuna Street Park
Time: 5:00pm- 7:00pm

Auchenflower Christmas Meal

When: Wednesday 18 December 2024
Where: Moorlands Park, Auchenflower
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Upper Kedron Christmas Meal

When: Tuesday 10 December 2024
Where: Upper Kedron Recreation Reserve
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm 

Help a neighbour put a little special something under the tree this Christmas

With the cost of living skyrocketing, many families will face tough choices this holiday season. That’s why last year, my team and I launched ‘Elizabeth’s Elves’ to help people get a few more things under the tree. It was hugely successful thanks to the generosity of our community, raising over $3000! 

This year, we’re hoping to spread even more of that wonderful Ryan generosity to those that need a hand. 

I’ll donate a few dozen gift cards for families to purchase an extra gift or two with, and I’m asking the community if they’d like to add to this. If you’re in a position to contribute, what we’re asking is for you to grab a gift card from local businesses or large chains (they don’t have to be expensive – $25 to $50 is great), and drop it to my office by 2 December. Feel free to add a little card wishing your neighbour a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

After the 2nd, we’ll put the call out to the community to let people know they can access this help, and make sure they’re all distributed to people who need that extra hand these holidays. As we know from feedback from last year, our wonderful community can have a huge impact on those families who are really struggling. 

Fighting for you in Federal Parliament

My call for a ban on MP flight upgrades

Politicians from both major parties have been dominating the headlines over the past few weeks for all of the wrong reasons – soliciting special upgrades on flights, and failures to disclose those upgrades.

Trust in our political system is already at all-time lows, and the aviation industry is clearly a well-connected, influential machine. We found out last week that despite posting a record $2.47B profit last financial year, Qantas paid no income tax. That’s after they took over $2B in taxpayer money during the pandemic and illegally fired 1,700 workers. Those subsidies have never been paid back.

Therefore I think it’s perfectly reasonable to question the relationship between airlines like Qantas, and the MPs and Ministers that regulate them. Particularly concerning to me are reports that Anthony Albanese solicited upgrades while he was Transport Minister, and current Shadow Transport Minister Bridget McKenzie’s failure to disclose 16 upgrades on her register of interests.

As Greens Transport spokesperson, I’m proud to say I’ve never received a free upgrade, and I’m not a member of the Qantas Chairmans’ Lounge or Virgin Beyond Lounge. But we can’t just rely on individual politicians to do the right thing, there clearly needs to be a change to the whole framework.

I’ve called for a blanket ban on free flight upgrades, both for personal and work-related travel. This simple rule change would clear this issue up and begin to restore trust and confidence in our political system.

Our win on aircraft noise is now official

After first making this commitment to the Greens in writing last year, the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure has finally issued the formal directive to Airservices to implement SODPROPs as the preferred operating mode at Brisbane Airport, 24/7.

This means that more than double the number of aircraft will use the best operating mode for noise reduction (SODPROPs, ‘Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations’) at Brisbane Airport, from November 28. Crucially, it means that more flights will take off and land over the water, rather than over homes in urban and residential areas.

This commitment is a significant step in the fight against flight noise and represents the first intervention from any Federal Transport Minister to reduce noise at Brisbane Airport since the new runway was opened in 2020. Importantly, it’s a clear indication that the pressure of our campaign and the community power behind it is weakening the government’s opposition to addressing the devastating impact of flight noise on residents. 

It’s important to be clear this is far from a silver bullet solution, particularly as SODPROPs mode is subject to several operational constraints like weather conditions and air traffic volume that restrict its use. But it’s important to celebrate our wins along the way, and even small changes like this can’t come fast enough for people suffering the worst health effects of aircraft noise.

I’ll continue to stand in your corner and keep fighting for flight noise action, including long term and permanent solutions like a curfew and cap on flights, until everyone in Brisbane gets to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Greens pressure wins HECS change commitment

I can’t tell you the number of young people I talk to who are overburdened by HECs debt. High indexation has been particularly painful over the last few years, with many debts growing faster than they can be paid off. I was lucky enough to go to uni for free, and so was the Prime Minister. It’s not fair that young people now have to bear such a burden for simply getting an education.

My Greens colleagues and I have been talking about this for years, and ran strongly on wiping student debt at the last Federal election. So I’m pleased to see Labor finally committing to some positive steps on this front by increasing the payment threshold, and with a promise to wipe 20% off HECS balances if they’re re-elected next year.

From my point of view, and that of my Greens colleagues, I don’t understand why we should have to wait until after the next election to make this change. With the help of the Greens, Labor has the numbers right now in Parliament right that could pass these changes – but that might not be the case after the election. The Greens have written to the Prime Minister and offered to help pass these changes now, providing desperately needed cost-of-living relief as soon as possible. 

Another thing to point out of course is that, due to indexation, by the time this commitment is passed into law, HECS will have gone up by almost 20% since Labor came to government in 2022. So this change, while welcome, and something the Greens would support, will leave people not much better off than they were in 2022. The Greens will continue to push for deeper changes to the unfair HECS system.

Albo's answer on gambling donations doesn't stack up

New analysis shows that political donations from gambling companies have spiked 600% in the past decade, up to $2.7M. It’s no wonder that Labor and the LNP have resisted banning online gambling advertising, as called for by their own Parliamentary Inquiry.

The Greens advocate for a complete ban on corporate donations, but donations from the gambling industry – with the potential to cause such significant harm – are particularly insidious. Losses from gambling have gone up to $36B annually in Australia, the highest in the world. That’s a lot of money to influence the political establishment for their benefit.

Last week in Parliament, on Melbourne Cup Day, I asked the Prime Minister about this and why his government refuses to take action. Frankly, his answer is a little embarrassing – completely avoiding the substance of the question, and refusing to take any responsibility for the role his government plays in harm from gambling, given the refusal to crack down on advertising. The Greens and I will continue to push the government on this to protect our most vulnerable from the harms of gambling.

One in three big corporations still not paying tax

Above I mentioned that Qantas didn’t pay any tax last financial year. But it wasn’t just Qantas, it was also Virgin Australia, and over 1,000 other large companies like Canva, Dominoes and AGL. That’s almost a third of large companies in Australia paying no tax. 

It hardly makes sense that Qantas can make a record profit of $2.47b in the same financial year that they paid no income tax. They managed this by carrying forward pandemic-related losses, a luxury that many Australians like nurses and teachers don’t have access to. Nurses, who are still dealing with the aftershocks of the pandemic, paid more in tax than both Qantas and Virgin combined. Meanwhile, teachers contributed more in income tax than the entire oil and gas industry did in Petroleum Resource Rent Tax. In the last financial year, the industry's contributions to this tax actually fell by 6.5%.

If we’re allowing resources to be extracted, it should be for the benefit of all Australians, not just to line the pockets of a few multi-billion-dollar corporations. The Norwegian government, for example, takes a total of 55% of all revenue from the oil and gas sector and uses that to fund free university, double the number of teachers per child compared to Australia, and a massive sovereign wealth fund.

Currently, Australia collects far less tax revenue than most other OECD countries. If we raised our tax revenue to the OECD average, the Commonwealth would have an additional $140 billion this financial year—more than enough to fund the Aged Pension, JobSeeker, the NDIS, and the Child Care Subsidy combined. This lack of tax reform means Australia ranks among the lowest in the OECD for pension benefits (including the aged pension), all while we face one of the worst cost-of-living crises in decades. Both of the major parties seem content to tinker around the edges on tax reform. The Greens and I will continue to push to close tax loopholes for big corporations, and for a tax on the excessive profits of large multinationals.

Worrying steps from Labor and the LNP on aged care

The Royal Commission into Aged Care exposed the appalling neglect and abuse in our aged care sector and made recommendations designed to fix these systemic issues. Unfortunately, Labor’s response to the Royal Commission has been to make some small improvements in some areas, while potentially taking a big step backwards in others. 

We don’t know all of the details of this deal because they have been kept under wraps by the major parties. But what we do know is that most older Australians will pay more out of pocket for aged care – initial indications are that 30% of full pensioners and 75% of part-pensioners will contribute more. We also know that aged care providers will be able to keep some of the refundable accommodation deposit, and proposals to impose criminal penalties on providers who do the wrong thing have been dropped in negotiations. It all points to the major parties capitulating to the for-profit aged care sector, instead of prioritising the health and wellbeing of older Australians.

Upcoming Events

As always, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Get in touch if you have any feedback, questions, or if there’s anything my team and I can do to help.

Yours in hope,
Libby

Elizabeth Watson-Brown MP
Greens MP for Ryan

PS. I don’t normally share Greens political events in this newsletter, but I thought this may be of interest to some people on this list: I’m hosting my re-election campaign launch party on Friday 22nd December at The Indooroopilly Hotel from 6pm. Everyone is welcome. So please join me if you’d like to hear about my positive vision to keep Ryan Green!

(07) 3378 1599
elizabeth.watson-brown.mp@aph.gov.au
188 Moggill Rd, Taringa
www.elizabethwatsonbrown.com