Read this blog to discover 10 top highlights from Council's 2023-24 Budget that are helping make Brisbane better including cutting the annual cost of green waste recycling bins from $93 to $45, reduced public pool fees during summer, free off-peak travel for seniors and new suburban improvements.
Helping residents save money and ease cost of living pressures, while also building for Brisbane's future, is at the forefront of this year's budget.
1. Get a green bin for less than $1 a week
Dispose of lawn clippings, prunings and leaves easily and affordably with Council's green waste bins which can now be ordered for less than $1 a week (or $45 a year).
Since 2009, more than 290,000 tonnes of compostable waste has been diverted away from waste depots – that’s almost 26,557 Council buses!
2. Dive into summer fun with $2 dips
This summer you can splash about without breaking the budget.
Take advantage of $2 dips from December 2023 to February 2024 at one of Council's 22 pools.
3. Smart library lockers
Budget: $50.5 million total spend for Council's libraries
Borrowing from your local library just became easier with Council's new smart, 24/7 library lockers. Jump online or onto our BNELibaries App to place a hold on your next page-turner and select one of our library lockers for pick-up. The lockers, featuring radio frequency identification (RFID) and contactless collection, are already available at Holland Park Library and Carina Library.
Keep an eye out as we'll be adding additional library locations for our smart lockers over the next year!
4. Victoria Park Master Plan
Budget: $691.9 milion for clean and green initiatives
An exciting new master plan has been released for Victoria Park / Barrambin including wetlands, watering holes, a kids treehouse, and temporary equestrian cross country and BMX freestyle venue.
We'll be hosting some great weekend events at this parkland this year. Come and enjoy the first Outdoor Adventure Festival this August.
5. Upgrades to some of your favourite suburbs
Council's Better Suburbs - Places & Spaces Program will help restore and revitalise four Brisbane suburbs - Indooroopilly, Nundah, Salisbury and Stafford - to make them more attractive for locals.
The program will include new art, lighting, trees and footpath upgrades in local shopping strips and places where people like to gather.
6. Rebuild and Recover program for sporting clubs
$2.6 million dollars is being invested into sporting clubs across Brisbane to improve their flood resilience.
Under the new Rebuild and Recover program, 51 sporting clubs will benefit from major upgrades to protect them against flood season impacts, including upgrades to electrical switchboards, power points, air conditioning compressors and hot water systems.
7. Record investment for pathways
Council has hit the ground running, investing over $41 million into making our city's footpaths safer. This includes $16.6 million towards new and upgraded path reconstruction projects.
8. Safer school travel for Brisbane kids
Budget: $4.1 million investment for safer school travel
Our Active School Travel program is celebrating its 20th birthday in 2024.
The program, with over 169 participating schools and 130,000 students in the last two decades, is making it safer for your kids to get to school. It promotes road safety and sustainable and healthy travel options such as walking, riding, scootering, carpooling and public transport.
9. Meet 'EvCat'
Budget: $94.4 million investment into active transport infrastructure
Council is committed to delivering our first-ever electric ferry. The proposed 15-metre prototype 'EvCat' is expected to carry more than 50 passengers on cross-river services, making it ideal for the Bulimba to Teneriffe route.
10. Free off-peak travel for seniors
Budget: $44 million for transport rebates for senior citizens
Council is making it easier for senior citizens to explore Brisbane by offering free off-peak public transport. This year Council will invest $12 million into free off-peak travel for seniors on buses, CityCats and ferries.
Find out if you're eligible.