‘Budget Bjelke-Petersen': Organiser lashes lord mayor as court blocks Story Bridge protest
A protest organiser has labelled Brisbane's lord mayor 'budget Bjelke-Petersen' after a protest that would have shut down all six traffic lanes on the Story Bridge during peak hour was blocked by a court ruling.
Protesters had lodged a notice of intention of the protest on May 20, making it an authorised action under the Peaceful Assembly Act, for a one-hour walk across the bridge on Friday from 8am to draw attention to their calls for Brisbane City Council to allocate one car lane to pedestrian, cyclist and scooter traffic while the footpaths were repaired.
The Story Bridge footpaths – used by about 4000 walkers, bike and scooter riders daily – were closed on March 5, with reports later revealing parts of the bridge were an 'extreme risk' to the public, while council has called for cash from the state and federal governments to restore it.
Mediation efforts last week failed, and police took the matter to Brisbane Magistrates Court, with the support of the council.
Prosecutor Acting Senior Sergeant Donna Kay said closing the bridge during peak hour would cause 'mass disruption'.
In making his ruling, magistrate Ross Mack pointed to disruptions for thousands of commuters if the protest went ahead.
Kathryn Good, who lodged notice of the protest and was self-represented, told the court she understood the protest would cause disruption, but pointed to numerous other times the Story Bridge was shut, including for seven hours this Sunday for the Brisbane Marathon.
Mack asked a Brisbane City Council solicitor when the footpaths would be reopened, and he replied: 'I don't have those instructions'.
A business case for the full bridge restoration is not due until 2027, but the council plans to work on a temporary footpath replacement first.
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