Email Response from Seal Chong Wah (Councillor for Paddington Ward)
Below is an email response from the Councillor for Paddington Ward, Seal Chong Wah. The email below is responding to a local resident who had written to Seal Chong Wah expressing concern about the proposed stadium in Victoria Park / Barrambin.
Dear [Redacted for Privacy],
Thank you for your detailed email outlining your concerns of the threat of a stadium in our precious greenspace, Victoria Park Barrambin. I also share deep concerns about the possibility for a stadium in Victoria Park Barrambin.
I am very committed to protecting the “green lungs” of our city. Therefore, I completely oppose a stadium in Victoria Park Barrambin.
We are currently experiencing more severe weather events due to global warming. We need to protect and draw down CO2 from the atmosphere. Therefore, It's critical to protect and expand greenspace.
Also, greenspace is essential to stop or mitigate against the urban heat island effect. To combat heat waves our parklands and tree canopy cover cools our city through transpiration.
The Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has been openly spruiking the possibility of a stadium in Victoria Park (Brisbane Times article), and I have been supporting Victoria Park Barrambin Residents Action Group (VICRAG) in the community campaign to Save Victoria Park. You can follow the great work that Save Victoria Park is doing either on Facebook, or their website (savevictoriapark.com).
I also attended a protest organised by VICRAG on Sunday, 15th of December, 2024. Here’s a post with Stephen Bates, Federal MP for Brisbane and myself on our stance: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1124694149271882
As you are aware, Victoria Park Barrambin is a location of high ecological value and also holds immense historical and cultural value for the Traditional Owners of the land. It is the green lungs of our growing city, and it must remain public parkland. I have also had many conversations with First Nations People and understand the connection and cultural significance of Barrambin which means “Windy Place”.
It is well known that the Olympics cause huge cost blowouts for host cities. The LNP Council is already experiencing massive cost blowouts on infrastructure projects and our community is suffering as a result. In the last 12 months we’ve seen a $400 million dollar cut to expenditure last year, a 25% reduction to popular literacy programs for children, selling off of our greenspace, and just last week it was revealed Council has cut 500 jobs in the last 12 months (apologies that the link is paywalled). This is all taking place at the same time as the Lord Mayor and LNP Council give massive tax handouts to wealthy developers.
While our community suffers through housing and rental crises, it is shameful that a Council administration that underfunds housing and homelessness services could also be spruiking plans for mega stadiums in our Victoria Park Barrambin.
If you’d like to read more about my position and advocacy on saving Victoria Park Barrambin and greenspace in Brisbane, here’s a few links to my website:
Victoria Park/Barrambin under threat: https://www.sealchongwah.com/victoria_park_barrambin_under_threat
Brisbane is Unsustainable: https://www.sealchongwah.com/unsustainable
Brisbane Greenspace Under Attack by the LNP: https://www.sealchongwah.com/greenspace_under_attack
Council Sells off Greenspace to cover budget shortfalls: https://www.sealchongwah.com/greenspace_sell-off
There’s more speeches, articles and webpages on how I have been fighting to protect Greenspace and Barrambin on my website at https://www.sealchongwah.com/ and also on my social media accounts including Facebook and Instagram
I have also spoke out in the media, 31st October, 2024, see the Brisbane Times article (again apologise for the paywall): https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/greens-councillor-claims-lnp-cabal-plotting-to-build-victoria-park-stadium-20241031-p5kmua.html
I supported plans for greening and rewilding, First Nations representation, free and publicly accessible community facilities, while raising many community concerns about the amount of commercialisation, buildings, hard surfacing, car parks, and its future use as a temporary venue for the 2032 Games.
I was part of a submission by Stephen Bates MP for Brisbane and myself on the 15th September, 2023, during the master planning process. This is our submission: Local Government Infrastructure Designation submission.
I am currently strategising with our other Brisbane Greens colleagues to determine the best next steps for the campaign. I encourage you to get involved with VICRAG – people power is our strongest asset in this fight against wealthy developers, corporate interests, and a political party beholden to rich donors.
Warm regards
Seal Chong Wah
Councillor for Paddington Ward
My pronouns are she / her
Languages: English