Latest news with #BrentMickelberg
ABC News
14-07-2025
- ABC News
Bus driver stabbed in neck on Sunshine Coast as union urges action
The stabbing of a Sunshine Coast bus driver's neck at the weekend has become the fifth high-profile attack on bus drivers and passengers in just four months, according to the industry's major union. Warning: This article contains graphic images The 67-year-old man was stabbed at Caloundra station. He has been recovering since having surgery. An alleged offender has been charged with serious assault, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife in a public place. Transport Workers' Union Queensland director of organising Josh Millroy said the government must resurrect the Bus Safety Forum, in which the industry, including drivers, unions and government bodies, worked together to protect drivers and passengers. Mr Millroy said he had written to Transport Minister and Sunshine Coast MP, Brent Mickelberg, but had not received a response. "We're working closely with the driver and his colleagues." "Translink and the state government's decision to scrap these safety forums, without any consultation with drivers or their union, is a disgrace. "Five serious assaults since March and countless more incidents of aggression and verbal abuse shows the urgency of this issue." The union said the incidents since March included an attack on a teenage girl on the Gold Coast, a Townsville driver being punched and spat on, a Brisbane driver left with facial injuries and possibly permanent ear damage, and four teenagers who were attacked while riding a bus in Cairns. Mr Mickelberg has been sought for comment.
Sky News AU
03-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Leaked documents show $3.7bn Olympic stadium will be built in Victoria Park as Queensland Rail proposes new train station
A new train station will be built beside Brisbane's 63,000-seat Olympic stadium in Victoria Park under plans outlined in leaked Queensland government documents. The commercial-in-confidence briefing, obtained by The Courier-Mail, also confirms for the first time the location of the $3.7 billion stadium at the southern end of Victoria Park, near the waterhole at Gilchrist Avenue and adjacent to the existing pedestrian bridge. Queensland Rail has proposed a three-platform train station on the site of the current rollingstock wash facility next to the Inner City Bypass. According to the documents, the station would serve as 'a key component of the precinct's integrated transport solution, enhancing accessibility, supporting future population growth and ensuring long-term economic and social value'. The cost of the station has not been disclosed. Brisbane Arena will now be pursued as a private sector-led development for infrastructure delivery, with state Treasurer David Janetzki announcing the creation of a dedicated Treasury unit. 'I've tasked Queensland Treasury to establish a dedicated unit to attract private capital to help deliver infrastructure projects needed for a growing state,' he said on Tuesday. 'Treasury's transaction team will be up and running by August 1 to explore different models to deliver commercially for investors while delivering for taxpayers.' The Victoria Park stadium location was backed by the independent 100-day review, which recommended the site due to its connections to Brisbane Metro, Exhibition Station, and proximity to Roma Street and Fortitude Valley stations. However, the panel also warned that upgrades would be required at Exhibition Station to handle increased crowds during Games-time events. That advice was given before the announcement of the $650 million National Aquatic Centre, to be built at nearby Centenary Pool. A second pedestrian bridge is planned above the Inner City Bypass to link the stadium with the aquatic facility. A warm-up athletics track will be constructed at the eastern end of Victoria Park, near the busway station. Between the stadium and training area, space has been set aside for broadcast facilities and a holding compound for Opening and Closing Ceremony logistics. Together with an upgrade to the RNA Arena, the development will feature three Olympic venues - with a combined 108,000 seats - within 1.5km of each other. Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg has acknowledged the precinct will require additional infrastructure investment. 'What we need to do is, we need to design the stadium, stadium infrastructure, and then work out what transport links are required and how to move people in and out of those facilities as quickly as possible,' he said. Exhibition Station is expected to begin year-round services in 2029, following the completion of the Cross River Rail project.
ABC News
23-06-2025
- ABC News
Savannahlander tourist train 'in limbo' with $150m needed for rail line repairs
The operator of an "iconic" outback tourist train says its future depends on the Queensland government's willingness to repair a series of damaged rail bridges. The Savannahlander takes tourists from Cairns through tropical rainforest to the Gulf Savannah and the old mining towns of Einasleigh and Forsayth, about 250 kilometres from the coast. Over the course of the four-day return trip passengers take in attractions such as Chillagoe caves, the Undara lava tubes and Cobbold Gorge and stay overnight in local accommodation. But severe damage from floods and bushfires over the last three years have rendered the first and last sections of the journey accessible only by road. Simon Terry, the owner of Cobbold Gorge and the Goldfields Hotel in Forsayth, described the line as "one of the most iconic rail journeys in Australia". But Forsayth station has not welcomed any passengers since the end of 2023, when an old wooden rail bridge was destroyed. Mr Terry said the tiny towns depended on visitors to help "dollars flow through". "The train has always been a great backstop for tourism in the region and to just wipe it off the itinerary is devastating," he said. The Savannahlander is run by Cairns Kuranda Steam, whose operations manager Michael Lee is seeking Queensland Rail's commitment to a 10-year plan to repair the the 425km line. A decision on funding is yet to be made but Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg put the cost of repairs at $152 million. But Queensland Rail estimated the cost could be as much as $300m over a decade. "I would like to see some independent evaluation of what the costs are to repair the bridges, but it is the wrong side of $100 million, let's just say that, for a total package for the whole line," Mr Lee said. Damage to a section of rail between Kuranda and Koah has led to the Savannahlander beginning its journey at Mareeba instead of Cairns. With its Cairns base cut off, Savannahlander operators had to set up a temporary maintenance workshop inland at Mount Surprise, where extensive maintenance is more difficult and expensive. The Savannahlander operating contract is up for extension at the end of this year and negotiations for a new deal between Cairns Kuranda and Queensland Rail are underway. "I would be quite prepared to keep this service running for another 12 months, even if we had to remain isolated from Cairns, because I do understand there's a lot of expense involved in the bridges between Kuranda and Koah," Mr Lee said. Savannahlander driver Wil Kemp said he felt like he was "in a state of limbo". He said the Savannahlander generated employment and helped keep families in the small towns it passed through. "If you just look at [the cost of repairs] on paper, it probably doesn't make sense," Mr Kemp said. Mr Terry said having sections of the line closed made it difficult to develop tourism packages. Mr Lee said he would like to see repairs to the Copperfield River bridge prioritised to allow the train to cross the spectacular Newcastle Range and get to within 15 minutes of Forsayth. Tourist numbers have dropped slightly and coaches have replaced the train for parts of the journey. "One thing we have received, though, is some positive feedback from some people that you might say almost reluctantly did the trip despite the road transport legs," Mr Lee said. The Savannahlander, now in its 30th year, is the only train that operates between Kuranda and Forsayth. "However, Queensland Rail continues to support their operations with a $4.5-million investment in the maintenance of the Mareeba to Forsayth section each year," Queensland Rail regional network head Scott Cornish said.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Calls for e-bike riders to be hit with a string of new laws in one major city
A Queensland MP has backed calls for e-bikes and e-scooters to be registered and covered by compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance. Hermann Vorster MP for Burleigh, on the Gold Coast, called on residents to have their say after the state announced a parliamentary inquiry into e-bike safety last month. 'There are just hours left to have your say about how e-bikes are regulated here in the state of Queensland,' he said in a video shared to Facebook. 'For months, so many of you have contacted my office with great frustrations seeing kids flouting the rules, putting their lives at risk but also putting our first responders in jeopardy.' Public submissions on the government's online portal include demands for better enforcement of speed limits and a registration scheme for all e-bikes and e-scooters. Between 2021 to 2024, injuries involving personal e-mobility devices (PMDs) more than doubled and eight people were killed last year alone. Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said the Queensland government was committed to improving safety for all road users and pedestrians. 'We have heard the concerns of the community about injuries and fatalities linked to unsafe and illegal e-scooter and e-bike use,' Mickelberg said. 'Labor failed to respond to growing community concern and left our police service under-resourced to enforce the rules. 'We're calling on Queenslanders to share their views, whether you're a parent, a commuter, a health expert, or part of the e-mobility industry.' The inquiry will consider factors including the benefits of e-mobility devices, safety risks, current rules and how they compare with other jurisdictions. Importation laws, education and stakeholder views will also be explored. Changes, if any are agreed upon, will only come into effect after the final report is released in March 2026.
ABC News
16-06-2025
- ABC News
Four people have died in e-scooter crashes in Queensland so far this year, data reveals
Data has revealed four e-scooter riders have died on Queensland roads so far this year, with users urged to take the laws more seriously. Police data shows more than 2,700 infringements for illegal road use were issued to users of personal mobility devices — or PMDs — between November 2022 and December 2024. More than 65 per cent of infringements in that period involved failing to wear a helmet, carrying passengers, or illegal road use. Already this year, police have issued 1,094 infringements for riding without a helmet. Eight people died while riding e-scooters or e-bikes in Queensland last year. Queensland laws permit the riding of PMDs on suburban roads with speed limits at or below 50 kilometres per hour, and they can't be used on highways or major arterial roads. E-scooters and e-bikes must travel at a speed of 12kph or slower on footpaths and 25kph on roads and bike paths. Children under 12 are prohibited from riding e-scooters or e-bikes, with adult supervision required for those under the age of 15. The Queensland government launched a parliamentary inquiry last month into the safe use of PMDs, citing a 112 per cent rise in injuries to riders, passengers, and pedestrians from 2021 to 2024. Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said he is committed to a "whole of government" approach to regulation. "What's clear is the current framework isn't working, that's why we've announced this parliamentary inquiry," he told ABC Radio Brisbane. "This is all about trying to collate all of the views and opinions, the evidence base, to be able to better put together a framework that works. "Tragically, we've seen far too many injuries as well over the last couple of years — 112 per cent increase since 2021 to 24. "So, it's not just the enforcement, it's also resulting in both deaths and injuries, and we must tackle it in a different way." The inquiry is accepting public submissions until Friday. In one submission to the inquiry, made by resident Geoff Thomas, he called for PMDs that can travel over a certain speed to be registered like motor vehicles. "These are basically motorcycles without any form of regulation," he said. "Registered owners would be required to follow road rules, wear appropriate safety equipment, be of a certain age to operate them and obviously pay fines and a registration fee, which could also raise revenue." E-bike user Mal Shipton submitted that restricting PMDs to privately-owned devices would regulate the "casual attitudes" of current users. "At Kangaroo Point, we suffer a lot of scooters being abandoned so as to even block a footpath," the submission read. "According to the stats on the Green Bridge, bicycles outnumber scooters by double yet do not have anything like the impact as mentioned above. "I would think this is because most bikes are privately owned." The committee is due to report by March next year.
