The budget will focus $11 million on the upgrade of the Edward Street shopping precinct over the next three years, transforming the strip into a showcase street. The project will cover the area between Queen Street Mall and Charlotte Street and include resurfacing, kerbside, footpath and beautification works. With Edward Street establishing itself as the ‘Paris end’ of the city, home to luxury brands such as Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Hermès, the aim of the redevelopment is to complement the high-end retail precinct with broad footpaths and tree-lined streets, and reducing the vehicular traffic to three lanes.

The budget has considered smaller suburban precincts and their importance to local residents and small business owners. Approximately $9.9 million will be dedicated to the upgrade of suburban centres in Alderley and Graceville. Alderley Shopping Centre will receive a $5.3-million transformation, commencing July 2015, and Graceville’s Honour Avenue will be given a $3.75-million refresh, which is currently in its concept design phase. In addition, more than $1.2 million per year will go towards refreshing existing older suburban areas to keep them looking fresh and inviting.