Redland City Council is seeking community feedback about the Council’s spending priorities to inform preparation of its 2026-27 budget.
Mayor Jos Mitchell said the feedback received from a short survey would help guide Council in prioritising services during budget discussions starting in early 2026. “It is important to note that essential Council services such as waste, water and roads will continue to be funded” she said.
If you’ve ever thought that the Council should spend ratepayers’ money more wisely, now is the time to have your say about spending priorities.
It’s often said that local government is about the three Rs: roads, rates and rubbish. But Redland City Council has for several years been pursuing a more extravagant and fanciful agenda including Toondah Harbour, Weinam Creek, Heinemann Road, the proposed Olympic whitewater stadium at Birkdale, and speculative investments in Cleveland CBD real estate. And for the past few years Redland City homeowners have been paying the highest rates and charges in southeast Queensland. Coincidence?
When you have your say about the Council’s spending priorities, say what you really think about the things you want the Council to continue doing, and the things that Council should stop wasting money on.
Survey questions
Presented below are some of the questions in the Council’s online survey (link below). [comments in square brackets are added by Redlands2030.]
3. Thinking about your neighbourhood and Council’s services, how would you choose to prioritise spending on:
- Local road resealing
- Maintenance of parks and open spaces (e.g. mowing frequency)
- Design and maintain safe public spaces (signage, lighting, reducing vandalism and graffiti, etc)
- Upgrades to park infrastructure (new playgrounds, more bins, sitting areas, barbeques, etc)
- Community and cultural development (new arts programs, grants and sponsorships spending, event attraction incentives)
- Ride and walking improvements (e.g. footpaths, bike lanes, etc)
- Unlimited waste disposal at Council Recycling and Waste Centres [AKA Free tips]
For each of these seven points, you get four choices: Spend more / Keep the same / Spend less / Postpone to 2027/28.
4. Have we missed something important to you in question 3? [Your response is either Yes or No. If you pick Yes, an extra question pops up: Please list any one or two EXTRA things you feel Council should consider spending more on, less on, or postpone spending on until 2027–2028]
5. What would you like to see MORE funding for in your community? [Perhaps a new / refurbished 50 metres swimming pool]
6. What would you like to see LESS funding for in your community? [Perhaps the Council’s vanity projects e.g. the Olympic whitewater stadium]
7. Please tell us which THREE existing services you would be most willing to SEE REDUCED to fund any of your suggestions:
[For this question, start with the last option which is Other and in the space provided include your suggestions. You don’t have to select three options.]
- Community events (e.g. AdventureFest, Candle Light Vigil)
- Christmas events
- Community grants programs
- Library service
- Arts programs and/or gallery services
- Road maintenance
- Tree maintenance
- Facilities available for community use (e.g. public halls)
- Environmental and wildlife protection programs
- Bushfire corridor protection of private addresses
- Mowing of parks and green spaces
- Mosquito programs (e.g. frequency of spraying)
- Waste / rubbish bin collection (e.g. frequency of collection)
- Maintenance of public amenities (parks and public toilets)
- Council response times for service requests
- Number of contact centre counters open and call centre answer times
- Shoreline erosion programs
- No reduction. I understand extra services may come at additional cost but am not prepared to reduce Council services
- Other (please specify)
The survey closing date has been extended to Sunday 7 December 2025.
Redlands2030 – 14 November 2025
Updated 27 November to advise that closing date has been extended to 7 December 2025.
