February 2025 Newsletter
February 2025 Newsletter
Welcome new sub-committee members
The Committee for Brisbane was excited to bring together the new sub-committee members for a briefing session to start the 2025-2026 groups. The briefing session was a chance to meet the Chairs and other Committee for Brisbane members while finding out more about what they can expect as part of their new role as a sub-committee member.
The sub-committees play a crucial role in the Committee for Brisbane’s vision of making Greater Brisbane the world’s most liveable place. Each sub-committee has a strategic focus that shapes activities and initiatives to achieve this vision. Their work informs the Committee’s advocacy agenda and provides valuable insights for future efforts.
City Vision: Chaired by Professor Karen Vella, this sub-committee focuses on creating a thriving inner-city by leveraging cross-sector networks to address challenges and opportunities, especially in light of the 2032 Brisbane Games.
Games Legacy and Growth: Chaired by Dr. Anne Kovachevich, this sub-committee aims to prepare Greater Brisbane for future growth by planning and investing in physical and digital infrastructure, ensuring the regions ongoing liveability.
Transport, Logistics and Mobility: Chaired by David Hertweck, this sub-committee works on enhancing the movement of people and goods through a data-driven approach, focusing on transport solutions to support a growing population.
#BIG – Brisbane Idea Generators: Chaired by Jeremy Sue, this sub-committee engages young professionals (25-40 years old) to contribute to the city’s development, harnessing their energy and talent to reimagine and improve underutilised precincts.
We welcome all new sub-committee members and look forward to keeping you informed of what they achieve over the next two years.
Find out more about the new sub-committees and their members here https://committeeforbrisbane.org.au/about-us/sub-committees/
Connecting our city-region
Join us for a headline lunch event on Thursday, 27 March as we unveil the highly anticipated update to the 2017 research report, Benchmarking South East Queensland (SEQ) in a Global Context.
Held in partnership with the Council of Mayors (SEQ), this lunch event will explore the region’s future opportunities in infrastructure development, economic diversification and global brand identity.
With speakers including Deputy Premier Hon Jarrod Bleijie MP, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and CEO of QIC, Kylie Rampa, the conversation will focus on SEQ’s trajectory as a globally competitive and liveable region.
Taking place two days after the Government’s 2032 delivery plan is to be unveiled, this is one event not to miss.
Register and find out more about the event here: https://committeeforbrisbane.org.au/events/measuring-our-city-region-connectivity-productivity-and-global-identity/
Games plan to be announced
The Queensland Government will announce its delivery plan for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics Games on Tuesday, 25 March.
More than 5,000 submissions were made to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) during the public consultation period, including one from the Committee for Brisbane.
The final report from GIICA’s 100-day Review is due to be handed to the Government on Saturday, 8 March, with Cabinet to sign off on the Delivery Plan on Monday, 24 March.
As a once-in-forever opportunity, the Committee for Brisbane is keen to see the delivery plan focus on generational infrastructure for the Brisbane city-region, that will provide a lasting legacy for the whole state.
Innovation Mixer- health and medical research
The Committee for Brisbane is delighted to share the success of our recent Innovation Mixer on Tuesday 18 February showcasing some of Brisbane’s most impressive innovators and researchers.
The event highlighted the ground-breaking research, advancements, and innovations happening right here in Brisbane and the pivotal role our city plays in shaping the future of health and medicine.
We were thrilled to discover how these innovations are set to transform not only the biomedicine landscape but also Southeast Queensland’s position as a hub for cutting-edge healthcare solutions.
Thank you to Prof Kris Thurecht, Deputy Director (Research), Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, UQ who set the scene and provided content for the panel discussion.
A special thank you to our panel facilitator, Anne Kovachevich, Sustainable Buildings and Precincts Lead at Mott MacDonald, and our esteemed panellists Miriam Kent, CEO, Gallipoli Medical Research, Michael Junger, Director – Industry and Government Relations, Vaxxas and Christoph Meinert, CEO, Gelomics.
Your insights and expertise made this event truly memorable. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the vibrant discussions. We look forward to continuing these important conversations and driving innovation in our city.
The numbers are in…
It’s been just over six months since the introduction of 50 cent fares, a great initiative aimed at encouraging more people to use public transport. To look at how this initiative might influence people’s travel behaviour we conducted two LinkedIn polls—one in July 2024 before the fares were implemented, and another in February 2025 to assess the impact on travel behaviour.
In July 2024, we asked our LinkedIn community whether the 50 cent fares would incentivise them to travel more on public transport. Out of 156 respondents, 49% indicated they would use public transport more, while 42% said they would not.
Fast forward to February 2025, we conducted a follow-up poll to see how the reduced fares have influenced travel behaviour. This time, 223 people participated, with 44% of respondents using public transport for all their travel needs, 19% use public transport for work, 15% use public transport for weekends or social events and 22% do not use public transport at all.
It seems that the introduction of 50 cent fares has had a positive impact on public transport usage. As more data is collected over time, we hope to see even more people making the switch to public transport.
World Science Festival Brisbane 2025
21-30 March 2025
World Science Festival Brisbane 2025 has been officially launched, unveiling an exciting lineup of events that will transform the city into a vibrant hub of science and creativity. From 21 to 30 March, the festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary, delving into a range of topics, from groundbreaking scientific discoveries to engaging discussions and interactive experiences. Commemorating 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics, this year’s festival embraces the theme of Infinite Awe with programming responding to questions larger than our humanity and tackling some of the pressing questions of our time, including First Nations knowledges, space exploration and the future of quantum.
The 2025 festival will feature more than 200 events including a robust conversation series featuring international speakers, including Prof Brian Greene, Prof David Sinclair and NASA astronaut Christina Koch, as well as leading Australian researchers, presenters and scientists, including Leigh Sales AM, Annabel Crabb, Gamilaraay astronomer Karlie Noon, Founder and Director of the Critical Care Research Group Prof John Fraser, Brisbane-based neurosurgeon Dr Alex Koefman and so many more.
And to further position Brisbane as leaders in Quantum research, Quantum Australia’s Quantum Conference will be presented as part of the festival at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Australia’s premier event dedicated to the cutting-edge field of quantum science. The conference will bring together world-leading quantum researchers, businesses, government decision-makers, startups, and big tech to share the latest developments and ideas in this rapidly evolving field.
Tickets now on sale! visit www.worldsciencefestival.com.au
Pat Rafter Area to host Billie Jean King Cup Qualifier
Affiliate Member of the Committee for Brisbane, Tennis Australia, has announced that Australia’s top-ranked woman, Kimberly Birrell, will lead the Australian Billie Jean King Cup team when they begin their 2025 campaign in Brisbane in April.
Pat Rafter Arena at Tennyson will host the upcoming qualifying round for the second consecutive year, from 10-12 April.
Birrell, a Queenslander, is excited to the leading the Australian team.
She became the No.1 Australian woman in January and hit a career-high ranking of world No.75 last week.
“It is incredible to wear the green and gold. It’s what I dreamt of doing as a kid, watching and wanting to be a professional tennis player,” Birrell said.
“In Australia, we have such a rich history of the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup, so to be a part of that now, and to play here at home, in Australia, is incredibly special.
“I feel so at home here on this court (in Brisbane), I’ve had so many special memories, watching and playing in the Brisbane International and training here a lot of the year. To get to play a home tie so close to where I grew up is absolutely amazing.
“We can’t wait to play in front of a home crowd, especially because my friends and family will be able to come and watch.”
Billie Jean King Cup is the biggest women’s team event in tennis. It is the equivalent of the Davis Cup and was launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Tennis Federation.
In 2025, a record 146 nations will compete in the competition.
Schedule
- Thursday 10 April 12pm AEST – Australia v Kazakhstan
- Friday 11 April 12pm AEST – Colombia v Kazakhstan
- Saturday 12 April 12pm AEST – Australia v Colombia
Further information on Birrell and tickets to the Billie Jean King Cup can be found here- https://www.tennis.com.au/news/2025/02/19/birrell-to-lead-australias-billie-jean-king-cup-team-in-brisbane-qualifier
Member Update
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New members
This month the Committee for Brisbane was delighted to welcome new members:
Corporate Members:
- Brisbane City Council
- City of Moreton Bay
Associate Members
- Helen Driscoll
- Slaven Drinovac
- Stewart Armstrong
- Greg Atkinson
Interested in joining the Committee? Reach out at admin@committeeforbrisbane.org.au or call us on 0494 375 523
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