The Story Bridge should serve as a warning
The future of the Story Bridge, one of the few Brisbane landmarks truly worthy of 'iconic' status (take note, self-promoting restaurateurs), remains a little uncertain as questions about its long-term maintenance finally catch up to the 85-year-old landmark.
The footpaths on either side of the bridge were closed in March as Cyclone Alfred approached, and have remained closed since. Months on, we still don't know when they'll reopen with the Brisbane City Council citing 'extreme risks' associated with concrete falling off the structure.
There's been plenty of finger-pointing since. Late last month, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused the council of letting the Story Bridge fall 'into disrepair', but Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said experts found they had been 'excellent stewards' of the famous bridge.
But the fact remains, for a structure so frequently maintained, the problems should have been found – and addressed – years ago.
Which is why it is so important history doesn't repeat itself a couple of kilometres downstream, where the Captain Cook Bridge has already reached middle-age.
The concrete box girder road bridge, which feeds into the aesthetically jarring Riverside Expressway, opened its lanes to traffic in 1973 – almost 40 years after its steel companion downstream.
A 1997 paper notes the bridge has a 'nominal 100-year' design life, as did the Riverside Expressway, as then-transport minister Paul Lucas confirmed in 2007. The previous year, a two-metre hairline crack appeared on the Ann Street on-ramp.
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"These may be small percentage changes, but the increases represent an additional 20,000 Australian students performing at the highest proficiency level - exceeding - in 2025 compared to 2024". Year 3 and year 5 students recorded better reading and numeracy results compared to last year, however there was a jump in year 7 and 9 students classified as needing extra support in both subject areas. NAPLAN results released on Wednesday did not give reasons behind the trends and a school-by-school breakdown will be released later in the year. Participation rates have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels as some 1.3 million students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sat the tests in early March - equivalent to 93.8 per cent of students. That includes students in Queensland, who did their exams in the days after Cyclone Alfred struck and still managed the highest participation rates since 2019. 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How kids' gender and location impacted NAPLAN results
KEY TAKEAWAYS * Almost one-in-three Indigenous students not meeting basic education standards and classified as needing extra support, compared to just under one-in-ten non-Indigenous students * Two thirds of students classified as 'strong' or 'exceeding expectations' levels in literacy and numeracy, with results relatively stable * Location, family background and socio-economic status continue to be factors in students' scores RESULTS * Year 3 and 5 students recorded better literacy and numeracy results compared to 2024 * A jump in year 7 and 9 students classified as needing extra support * Small improvement to numeracy skills for year 5, 7 and 9 but results generally relatively stable GEOGRAPHIC AND BACKGROUND DIVIDES * One-in-five students in very remote areas were considered strong or exceeding expectations, compared to 70 per cent of students in major cities * High percentage of Indigenous students classified as needing additional support compared to overall student population * Small increase in Indigenous students in years 7 and 9 achieving 'exceeding results' in writing and numeracy * Students from highest socio-educational background, classified by parental education or occupation, scored higher than other students GENDER * Girls performed better on literacy testing and boys performed better on numeracy testing * The literacy gap emerged in early secondary school, with 71.1 per cent of year 7 female students achieving strong or exceeding writing results, compared to 57 per cent of males * The numeracy gap began in primary school, already by year 3 some 6.1 per cent fewer female students achieved exceeding results than male students PARTICIPATION * 1.3 million students sat the tests and participation is back up to pre-pandemic levels, with 93.8 per cent sitting at least one test * Highest participation in Queensland notable as testing happened in the days after Cyclone Alfred struck QUOTES * "The latest results also continue to highlight areas that need collective attention, such as supporting students from our regional and remote areas, those from a disadvantaged background, and Indigenous students" - Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority chief executive Stephen Gniel KEY TAKEAWAYS * Almost one-in-three Indigenous students not meeting basic education standards and classified as needing extra support, compared to just under one-in-ten non-Indigenous students * Two thirds of students classified as 'strong' or 'exceeding expectations' levels in literacy and numeracy, with results relatively stable * Location, family background and socio-economic status continue to be factors in students' scores RESULTS * Year 3 and 5 students recorded better literacy and numeracy results compared to 2024 * A jump in year 7 and 9 students classified as needing extra support * Small improvement to numeracy skills for year 5, 7 and 9 but results generally relatively stable GEOGRAPHIC AND BACKGROUND DIVIDES * One-in-five students in very remote areas were considered strong or exceeding expectations, compared to 70 per cent of students in major cities * High percentage of Indigenous students classified as needing additional support compared to overall student population * Small increase in Indigenous students in years 7 and 9 achieving 'exceeding results' in writing and numeracy * Students from highest socio-educational background, classified by parental education or occupation, scored higher than other students GENDER * Girls performed better on literacy testing and boys performed better on numeracy testing * The literacy gap emerged in early secondary school, with 71.1 per cent of year 7 female students achieving strong or exceeding writing results, compared to 57 per cent of males * The numeracy gap began in primary school, already by year 3 some 6.1 per cent fewer female students achieved exceeding results than male students PARTICIPATION * 1.3 million students sat the tests and participation is back up to pre-pandemic levels, with 93.8 per cent sitting at least one test * Highest participation in Queensland notable as testing happened in the days after Cyclone Alfred struck QUOTES * "The latest results also continue to highlight areas that need collective attention, such as supporting students from our regional and remote areas, those from a disadvantaged background, and Indigenous students" - Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority chief executive Stephen Gniel KEY TAKEAWAYS * Almost one-in-three Indigenous students not meeting basic education standards and classified as needing extra support, compared to just under one-in-ten non-Indigenous students * Two thirds of students classified as 'strong' or 'exceeding expectations' levels in literacy and numeracy, with results relatively stable * Location, family background and socio-economic status continue to be factors in students' scores RESULTS * Year 3 and 5 students recorded better literacy and numeracy results compared to 2024 * A jump in year 7 and 9 students classified as needing extra support * Small improvement to numeracy skills for year 5, 7 and 9 but results generally relatively stable GEOGRAPHIC AND BACKGROUND DIVIDES * One-in-five students in very remote areas were considered strong or exceeding expectations, compared to 70 per cent of students in major cities * High percentage of Indigenous students classified as needing additional support compared to overall student population * Small increase in Indigenous students in years 7 and 9 achieving 'exceeding results' in writing and numeracy * Students from highest socio-educational background, classified by parental education or occupation, scored higher than other students GENDER * Girls performed better on literacy testing and boys performed better on numeracy testing * The literacy gap emerged in early secondary school, with 71.1 per cent of year 7 female students achieving strong or exceeding writing results, compared to 57 per cent of males * The numeracy gap began in primary school, already by year 3 some 6.1 per cent fewer female students achieved exceeding results than male students PARTICIPATION * 1.3 million students sat the tests and participation is back up to pre-pandemic levels, with 93.8 per cent sitting at least one test * Highest participation in Queensland notable as testing happened in the days after Cyclone Alfred struck QUOTES * "The latest results also continue to highlight areas that need collective attention, such as supporting students from our regional and remote areas, those from a disadvantaged background, and Indigenous students" - Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority chief executive Stephen Gniel KEY TAKEAWAYS * Almost one-in-three Indigenous students not meeting basic education standards and classified as needing extra support, compared to just under one-in-ten non-Indigenous students * Two thirds of students classified as 'strong' or 'exceeding expectations' levels in literacy and numeracy, with results relatively stable * Location, family background and socio-economic status continue to be factors in students' scores RESULTS * Year 3 and 5 students recorded better literacy and numeracy results compared to 2024 * A jump in year 7 and 9 students classified as needing extra support * Small improvement to numeracy skills for year 5, 7 and 9 but results generally relatively stable GEOGRAPHIC AND BACKGROUND DIVIDES * One-in-five students in very remote areas were considered strong or exceeding expectations, compared to 70 per cent of students in major cities * High percentage of Indigenous students classified as needing additional support compared to overall student population * Small increase in Indigenous students in years 7 and 9 achieving 'exceeding results' in writing and numeracy * Students from highest socio-educational background, classified by parental education or occupation, scored higher than other students GENDER * Girls performed better on literacy testing and boys performed better on numeracy testing * The literacy gap emerged in early secondary school, with 71.1 per cent of year 7 female students achieving strong or exceeding writing results, compared to 57 per cent of males * The numeracy gap began in primary school, already by year 3 some 6.1 per cent fewer female students achieved exceeding results than male students PARTICIPATION * 1.3 million students sat the tests and participation is back up to pre-pandemic levels, with 93.8 per cent sitting at least one test * Highest participation in Queensland notable as testing happened in the days after Cyclone Alfred struck QUOTES * "The latest results also continue to highlight areas that need collective attention, such as supporting students from our regional and remote areas, those from a disadvantaged background, and Indigenous students" - Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority chief executive Stephen Gniel
