Mayor tells TMR to go back to the drawing board in Griffin

Moreton Bay Regional Council has today told the Transport and Main Roads department it will oppose State Government plans to resume properties in Griffin.

Mayor Peter Flannery and Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway were briefed by the department on the Bruce Highway expansion proposal today, after last week’s shock announcement broke in the media.

“I think everyone can agree that this process was botched from the start and TMR needs to go back to the drawing board,” Mayor Flannery said.

“The fact that there has been no press release, no public consultation, and no news until TMR updated its website with new maps a couple of days ago has created a cloud of secrecy around this process that TMR urgently needs to clarify.

“Council absolutely supports expanding the Bruce Highway, but we cannot support the way TMR has gone about this.

|“I will be writing to Minister Mark Bailey asking him to intervene on his department’s plans and come up with an alternative road alignment that doesn’t impact as many homes.|

“I can only apologise to residents for the horrific situation they find themselves in because this wasn’t a gazetted road corridor, which means there was no way for Council or the developer to know this would occur almost as soon as their homes were built.

“My preferred road option here remains the ‘Moreton Connector’ which would not require the resumption of these brand new homes, and would instead create a new road along existing road reserve.

“TMR has said they’re not currently investigating that option and they need to explain why.”

Mayor Flannery said he and the Deputy Mayor would meet with affected homeowners because they needed their support in advocating for a better outcome for it to succeed.

“My concern isn’t just for Griffin, my concern is for our entire region as we work to accommodate booming population growth,” he said.

“TMR urgently needs to progress its work on the gazettal of the Bruce Highway Western Alternative so we all know the route that road will take and can plan around it.”

“This will be a David and Goliath battle against a department like TMR, but I sincerely hope common sense prevails.”

Process ‘botched’

Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway agreed TMR had botched this process by not gazetting the road corridor.

“I was reduced to tears just speaking to local families, so I can’t even begin to imagine how they’re feeling right now,” she said.

|“In some cases, residents had only received the keys to their homes hours before they received the email. That is just unthinkable.|

“It’s absolutely galling that residents were notified via email, after business hours, and without any consultation.

“Worse is the fact that the news broke via media literally one day before the State Government’s Housing Summit.

“How does it make sense for the state government to announce they intend knocking down new homes, in the middle of a housing crisis?

“The announcement was shocking, the timing is shocking, and I am choosing to believe that the Ministers weren’t aware of the Department’s actions because it defies all logic.

“Fortunately, our local member is the Deputy Premier Steven Miles and I’m confident he will be able to get the government to see sense.”

Questions asked

Moreton Daily inquired about Bruce Highway upgrades, asking specifically if and where it will be widened between the Pine Rivers Bridge and Anzac Ave and rumours of service roads being built on either side of the highway.

The TMR response, which did not answer specific questions, included: “We are undertaking integrated planning for upgrades to the Gateway Motorway and the Bruce Highway in north Brisbane and the Moreton Bay Region.

“We are currently in the business case phase for the project and will be engaging with the community in the near future,” it said.