Ipswich Today

This month’s council meeting again exposed deep divisions, verging on outright hatred, between two increasingly distinct factions in the chamber. Fortunately, there was some important council business dealt with, but the future looks far from rosy for all sides. Mayor Teresa Harding joins the show after the September 12 meeting of Ipswich City Council. Recorded: 12 September 2024. Published: 13 Se...

A by-election will determine who fills the Ipswich City Council Division 4 vacancy. Russell Milligan missed out on a councillor spot in March. This week he announced he will be a candidate with a platform which includes no place for party politics in local government. Will voters give him another chance? Russell Milligan is hoping so and he joins this episode. Published: 11 September 2024. Theme m...

It all started with civility to decide which of two options councillors would vote for in order to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former councillor David Cullen. There were tense moments, but it was clearly a done deal beforehand with the numbers having it for a by-election. Hear the arguments for and against in a special meeting of Ipswich City Council held 5 September 2024. Publishe...

How best to avoid swooping magpies and is it possible to make friends with an aggressive bird? All your questions answered from a wildlife expert, plus tips on reducing your chances of encountering snakes around the house. Published: 3 September 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: Magpie by photographer Rebecca Tregear (Pixabay) Ipswich Festivals: https://www.ipswichfestivals.com.au/ I...

In a shock announcement first-time Ipswich councillor Dave Cullen has resigned citing on-going health problems. Dave Cullen joins this episode of Ipswich Today to discuss what's behind his decision. Ipswich City Council CEO Sonia Cooper issued a statement which confirmed that under Section 166 of the Local Government Act 2009, there are two options to fill the vacancy Cr Cullen’s resignation creat...

Ash Barty donates books for kids to libraries across Australia, UniSQ announces new chancellor, council shortens the shortlist for new western waste centre, Colleges Crossing Recreation Reserve to open before Christmas and Galvanized festival kicks off this week. Published: 27 August 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: University of Southern Queensland vice-chancellor Professor Geraldi...

Mihi Grove flood buy-back drags on while council considers what to do with other properties purchased under the scheme, Greenwood Village Road right turn issue unresolved, greyhound facility approved at Purga with additional noise conditions, regulations dropped for sex workers and why council needs, or doesn’t need, advisory committees. In this episode highlights from a three-hour August council...

Federal member for Blair Shayne Neumann criticises Ipswich mayor Teresa Harding under parliamentary privilege, school plan for Scott’s farm quashed, countdown to the state election, copper theft costs council dearly, Galvanized heritage festival and I, Object comes to Ipswich Art Gallery. All this and more with Walter Williams and Ashleigh Mac who join the show for another yarn over the back fence...

Scott’s Ripley farm saved from school plans, Ipswich councillors agonise over solutions to problem intersection on Redbank Plains Road and sex workers now in the same classification as other home-based businesses. What does this mean for the typical suburban street? Published: 15 August 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: Ipswich MP Jennifer Howard and Bundamba MP Lance McCallum visit...

Copper thieves cost Ipswich City Council more than $750,000 since 2020, the rebirth of Fire Station 101 as a place for creative arts, Riverview green waste area doubles in size, National Science Week at UniSQ and later in this episode Rachel Vickary co-creator of Queerswich joins the show (5:04 from start). Published: 11 August 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: The Drowsy Chaperone r...

Technology and soundproof booths are being used to help teach young Indigenous teens in Ipswich coping with life skills. Places are now available in a new 10-week program. VitalHub’s Russ Wright joins the show to explain more. Published: 7 August 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com VitalHub Ipswich: https://www.vitalprojex.com/ Ipswich Festivals: https://www.ipswichfestivals.com.au/ Ipswich C...

Labor’s Wendy Bourne hasn’t stopped campaigning since her loss at the state by-election in March. The hot issues in the seat of Ipswich West are mostly due to rapid population growth. Wendy Bourne joins the show for the first time. Published: 5 August 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: ALP candidate for Ipswich West Wendy Bourne (supplied) Ipswich Festivals: https://www.ipswichfestiva...

Healthy lifestyle habits are easy to start but hard to maintain. Failed diets, lack of exercise and sleep can bring us unstuck. Ipswich-based Loz Antonenko has a fresh take on how to stick with these healthy habits in her new book with an edgy title. Published: 3 August 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: Loz Antonenko (supplied) Loz Life: https://lozlife.com/ Ipswich Festivals: https:...

Should councillors have a side hustle and does it pass the pub test, Indigenous wild food and culture coming to Ipswich Turf Club, Goodna park upgrade complete and a proposed revamp for d’Arcy Doyle Place. Published: 1 August 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: Councillor Paul Tully, mayor Teresa Harding and deputy mayor Nicole Jonic at the newly upgraded R J Richardson Park Goodna (su...

Ipswich councillor Jacob Madsen finally admits publicly to having a side hustle, but insists it does not impact his ability to perform the role of councillor. In this episode you’ll hear first-hand from Madsen as he reveals why he applied for a second job. Interview recorded: 25 July 2024. Published: 27 July 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: Ipswich councillor Jacob Madsen (supplied)...

Another chapter in the Swifts saga, AI gets attention in council, Ipswich motions for the LGAQ conference later this year and Ipswich City Council’s We Can’t Wait advocacy almost nuked in this month's meeting when Andrew Antoniolli called for an immediate halt to the campaign. All this and more with mayor Teresa Harding. Recorded: 25 July 2024. Published: 26 July 2024. Theme music: www.purple-plan...

Only eight years until the Brisbane Olympics and local kids are looking to participate in the games, new diabetes service at Ripley Satellite Hospital, Park2Park clocks up 20 years, Galvanized steps back in time and sites shortlisted for a new waste facility in western Ipswich. Published: 23 July 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: Twenty years of Park2Park for Rob Richards (supplied)...

Shock health announcement from Ipswich West MP Darren Zanow and Ipswich City Council campaigns for state funding of major projects. Ashleigh Mac joins the show for another yarn over the back fence. Also in this episode RAAF Amberley supports Exercise Pitch Black and more serious health advice from West Moreton Health. Published: 14 July 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com NAIDOC Week: https:/...

Ahead of the state election Ipswich council launches an aggressive push for more infrastructure spending in the region before two and a half hour commutes from Ripley to Brisbane become the norm, if nothing is done to build more critical infrastructure. Ipswich can’t wait any longer campaign launched on July 7. Also in this episode Crime Action Grants directed at Ipswich schools and Multicultural...

Nominations open for this year’s Ipswich Sports Awards, SPARK Ipswich on now, Ipswich West Greens candidate revealed, Blazin' Bull Ride night coming to Ipswich Showgrounds, a new healthcare service for First Nations people living in Ipswich and West Moreton and the Peaks to Points Festival returns from July 20 to August 4 with more than 50 free and low-cost events. Published: 5 July 2024. Theme mu...

If you’re a male over 40 when was the last time you had a PSA blood test? In this episode a serious message about prostate cancer from ManUp! Australia, which was established in 2010 by Brian and Jill Costello after Brian was diagnosed with prostate cancer and the family had trouble finding relevant information and support about the disease. Sadly, after battling several melanomas and lung cancer,...

As sure as the sun rises Ipswich City Council increased rates in its annual budget for 2024-2025 handed down this week. In this episode you’ll hear highlights from the city’s $663 million budget delivered by mayor Teresa Harding and was that an apology from Andrew Antoniolli near the end of the meeting? Published: 28 June 2024. Theme music: www.purple-planet.com Image: Ipswich City Council 2024-20...

It was sorry business that interrupted an emerging art career and then kick-started it again 15 years later. David Pearce is an Indigenous artist from South Australia living in Queensland. David paints in his own unique style. It is Indigenous art but not as you know it. Ipswich Community Gallery highlights the works of local artists each month and from July 20 - 28 you can view Blak & Abstrac...

The FO (food organics) is going from FOGO in Ipswich, fire ants fire up councillors with a report about who pays for future treatment of council-owned land, first public disagreement over recommended tenancy in Nicholas Street Precinct, Andrew Antoniolli criticises decisions of the previous council, the end is near for River Heart walkways, council establishes two new advisory committees, SPARK Fe...

After a short break Ipswich Today is back and time for another yarn over the back fence with Walter Williams and Ashleigh Mac. In this episode we talk about the cost of living and its impacts on hospitality businesses, River Heart Parklands to lose its over water walkways, from horsepower to SPARK as Ipswich turns on the festivals and we remember Brisbane television’s Mike “Gibbo” Gibson. Publishe...