On Thursday 22 August 2024, I spoke about residents dismay about the state of Kangaroo Point's Dockside Boardwalk, the conduct of the boardwalks leaseholder, and the failure of the state Labor government to enforce the conditions of the lease of this public space.
You can read my speech below, or find the full transcript and video link in the official Queensland Parliament Record of Proceedings (Hansard).
Amy:
It is unacceptable that the state Labor government and the Minister for Resources have allowed the Dockside boardwalk to remain closed for well over a year now. This state owned public boardwalk is on the Brisbane riverfront in one of the most densely populated suburbs in the whole state—Kangaroo Point. This is a piece of crucial public infrastructure and it is disgraceful that the government has let the private leaseholder completely ignore his responsibilities for maintenance for over a year now.
In February the minister’s office assured us that the leaseholder was finally going to fix the boardwalk. Almost seven months later, down at the site there is no evidence that any repairs have started. It looks exactly the same—fenced off, rotting boards, decaying. The community has been asking the Minister for Resources to come and meet with them to hear their concerns, but he has not shown up. Why is the Labor government letting the leaseholder—the same leaseholder who owned the ill-fated Drift restaurant—off the hook time and time again? Enough. Minister, it is time for the state government to step in and get this public boardwalk fixed.