By Andrew Jefferson, Editor, Redland Bayside News
As we welcome 2026, my hope for the Redlands and the wider Bayside is simple: a year of cohesion, collaboration, and meaningful progress.
Our communities have long been promised better transport, safer streets, and infrastructure that matches the pace of growth — and this year, it must be about delivery, not just discussion.
At Redland City Council, I hope the new Governance Advisor can help lay the groundwork for a more unified approach, where councillors and leadership work together for the common good rather than division.
The Redland Bayside News also has an important role to play here: by shining a light on the achievements of councillors and projects that genuinely benefit the community, we can celebrate progress rather than dwell on political friction.
With cooperation, we can tackle the big challenges facing our city and ensure every project meets the needs of the people who live, work, and invest here.
Across the region, the agenda for 2026 is clear: fast-tracked transport, safer streets, and long-promised infrastructure.
The Capalaba Metro extension is ready to move from planning to reality, cutting travel times and strengthening the area as a commercial and cultural hub.
Road infrastructure, including upgrades to key crossings and commuter routes, is critical to ensure our growing population can move safely and efficiently.
Local priorities include the Toondah Harbour and Dunwich port upgrades, which aim to unlock better mainland–island connectivity and position Cleveland as a strategic gateway ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games.
Community safety remains a constant concern, with initiatives to make our town centres and neighbourhoods more secure, quieter, and welcoming for families.
Projects like the proposed Redland Whitewater Centre remain under close scrutiny, and I hope 2026 brings more clarity and confirmed costings to ease the concerns of skeptical ratepayers and allow informed debate on the centre’s potential benefits.
At the same time, we need more homes on the ground to ensure our region keeps pace with growth across South East Queensland and that the Redlands and Bayside do not become unaffordable for young families.
Across the border in Brisbane, major projects such as the Wynnum Centre Suburban Renewal Precinct and foreshore masterplans promise improved public spaces, stronger local centres, and more homes close to transport.
These initiatives, combined with targeted road upgrades, will make life safer and smoother for commuters and businesses alike.
I hope we can see fewer delays on major projects, less red tape, and visible progress that strengthens both the economy and community.
For the Redlands and Bayside to thrive, these long-awaited projects must be delivered, not deferred.
My wish for 2026 is that we — leaders, councils, businesses, media and residents alike — seize this moment.
Let it be a year where action replaces talk, promises become reality, and the Redlands and Bayside grow together as connected, vibrant, and thriving communities.
Here’s to a year of collaboration, delivery, and progress — a year the Redlands and Bayside deserve.
