The Council Opposition is demanding answers from LNP Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner as millions collected from ratepayers and developers for environmental purposes remain unspent.
Despite receiving over $21 million in Environmental Offsets from developers this financial year (as of May 29, 2025), the LNP Council has invested only $5.5 million in tree planting.
Further, of the $19.5 million raised from ratepayers via the Bushland Preservation Levy (3.5% of general rates), not one property has been acquired for environmental protection.
With over 100 properties on the Council’s acquisition wish list, the Opposition questions why these funds are not being used to protect Brisbane’s bushland.
Brisbane Labor say the LNP Council is quick to take money from both ratepayers and developers, but slow to deliver on its promises for real environmental action.
Shadow Environment Chair, Cr Steve Griffiths said this is a missed opportunity to address Brisbane’s declining tree canopy and to secure vital bushland for future generations.
“The LNP Council is diverting money from the levy to pay for parks, repay debt and stay on top of maintenance because they don’t have spare budget elsewhere for these basic council services,” Cr Griffiths said.
“Residents expect that when they pay a bushland levy, those dollars will go directly towards protecting and expanding our city’s green spaces.”
“Instead, we’re seeing a growing gap between what’s collected and what’s actually spent on the ground, Cr Griffiths said.
Ratepayers and the community deserve transparency and a genuine commitment to reinvesting these funds where they were intended – in planting more trees and preserving our natural environment.
