Brisbane’s lord mayor has accused the prime minister of peddling “misinformation” over Story Bridge funding.Anthony Albanese told ABC radio last week the crumbling asset was a “local road” and therefore responsibility for its maintenance fell on council. Adrian Schrinner disagreed.The Story Bridge.Credit: Courtney Kruk“It’s called the Bradfield Highway and part of the national movement network and listed on the federal Department of Transport’s website,” he said in council chambers yesterday afternoon.“Calling it a local road is a bit of an interesting thing. I think that would have been fed to him by the local Labor opposition here.Loading“It was misinformation because it certainly isn’t a local road.”The stoush comes amid calls for a funding arrangement with the federal government for multimillion-dollar restoration works.The lord mayor said Albanese was otherwise being “very reasonable”, and federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King was engaging in negotiations.“We’re dealing very closely with minister King, who didn’t call it a ‘local road’ and actually said it’s the second most important bridge in Australia,” Schrinner said.Latest postsLatest postsThe cost of land for housing development has skyrocketed by 75 per cent over the past five years, pushing homeownership further out of the hands of average potential buyers.The median development site cost has risen from $4.8 million in 2020, to $8.5 million this year, Ray White analysis of Real Capital Analytics data shows.It comes as construction costs remain elevated from their pre-COVID-19 levels, putting further pressure on affordability.Ray White Group chief economist Nerida Conisbee said it would take considerable time before building costs fell enough to make new housing genuinely affordable for average buyers.“Land costs haven’t come back down and what’s happening is developers want to build, but they can’t do it affordably,” Conisbee said.“We’re not seeing the crashes in the market we previously saw so we’re in a kind of holding pattern.”In past economic downturns, rising interest rates would put pressure on some owners of development sites, forcing them into distressed sales at reduced prices.But this time was different, and Conisbee said many had built financial buffers while interest rates were at record lows, and developers have been in a better position to hold onto land.Leader of the Greens Larissa Waters has described Senator Dorina Cox’s split from the Greens as disappointing, and admitted she has no memory of the WA senator allegedly telling the new leader to “grow a spine”.“We’re disappointed to have lost one of our Greens senators of course, but we remain focused on acting on the cost of living, protecting the planet, and getting on with the job,” Waters told Nine’s Today Show on Wednesday.Senator Dorinda Cox in Parliament House last month.Credit: Alex EllinghausenCox’s move to Labor comes less than three weeks after she lost a bid to become the party’s deputy leader last month. Her frustration led to heated scenes in the party’s leadership vote meeting. One source said Cox confronted Waters and told the new leader she needed to “grow a spine”.Asked whether Cox had made those statements, Waters said: “In all honesty, I can’t remember that, but there was a lot going on that day. I am a conciliatory sort of person, but I’m also pretty firm, so let’s wait and see”.LoadingThis masthead also revealed bullying allegations raised against Cox last year, where the senator lost 20 staff in three years, while five lodged some form of complaint with the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, and several lodged complaints with the leader’s office and with the WA branch of the Greens.“I wasn’t involved in any of those investigations, and obviously, I wasn’t leader at the time,” Waters said.“I am really proud that part of my job in the last term of parliament was to set up those independent complaints bodies that staff and MPs and anyone who works in the parliamentary workplace can use. Those processes are now independent which is appropriate. They’re also confidential.”“I must confess I am not across a lot of the details of them, I support those structures being set up”. Brisbane’s lord mayor has accused the prime minister of peddling “misinformation” over Story Bridge funding.Anthony Albanese told ABC radio last week the crumbling asset was a “local road” and therefore responsibility for its maintenance fell on council. Adrian Schrinner disagreed.The Story Bridge.Credit: Courtney Kruk“It’s called the Bradfield Highway and part of the national movement network and listed on the federal Department of Transport’s website,” he said in council chambers yesterday afternoon.“Calling it a local road is a bit of an interesting thing. I think that would have been fed to him by the local Labor opposition here.Loading“It was misinformation because it certainly isn’t a local road.”The stoush comes amid calls for a funding arrangement with the federal government for multimillion-dollar restoration works.The lord mayor said Albanese was otherwise being “very reasonable”, and federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King was engaging in negotiations.“We’re dealing very closely with minister King, who didn’t call it a ‘local road’ and actually said it’s the second most important bridge in Australia,” Schrinner said. Advertisement Thought it was cool in Brisbane overnight? Make sure you have an extra blanket on for tonight, then, when the overnight temperature is set to plunge to a chilly 11 degrees.Before then, Brisbane is set for a mostly sunny day, with a top of 22. The days ahead a predicted to be much the same, with just a few degrees’ difference.Here’s the seven-day outlook:Here’s what’s making news further afield this morning:Senator Dorinda Cox called One Nation leader Pauline Hanson a “f---ing retard” in a text message leaked after she defected to Labor.The mother and sister of Cairns-born man Lamar Ahchee, who was arrested for allegedly taking delivery of 1.7 kilograms of cocaine, wept during a meeting with him, his lawyers say.Accused killer Erin Patterson has told the jury about her relationship with her in-laws and ex-husband, as well as her love of mushroom foraging.Joe Biden’s inner circle lied about the president’s mental state. Now, journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson have written a damning account.US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.Credit: BloombergElon Musk amplified his criticism of the sweeping tax and spending bill that US President Donald Trump has been pushing fellow Republicans in Congress to embrace, calling it a “disgusting abomination” that will increase the deficit. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it any more,” Musk wrote in an X post.Australians’ living standards are being undermined by restrictions on where homes can be built and the types of businesses being established across the nation’s cities, the OECD has found.We inhale about 15 cubic metres of air every day, and you can bet that air contains a good dose of mould spores. But when does it become risky to health?Andrew Alauni (black shirt) competes at a Run It Straight event.Credit: @Runitstraight24 / InstagramMedical experts have laid bare the risks of the Run It Straight social media craze, which has already ended in tragedy. But contestants say they’re “blessed” to compete.Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times’ live news coverage for Wednesday, June 4. Today we can expect a partly cloudy day and a top temperature of 22 degrees.In this morning’s local headlines:A new mixed-used precinct neighbouring Boggo Road Gaol is expected to open by the end of the year, but future use of the historic prison anchoring the site remains unclear.Controversial Queensland laws to fast-track 2032 Olympic projects have come under fire, with the Crisafulli government told to “go back to the drawing board”.The jail sentences handed to two teenagers who broke into the home of rugby star Toutai Kefu and stabbed his family were appropriate, the Court of Appeal has found.Dark Blue occupies a ground-floor tenancy in the heritage-listed Shannon’s Building.Credit: Markus RavikA top operator has opened a cosy laneway wine bar in a heritage Fortitude Valley building, serving South American and Spanish wines alongside snacks including make-your-own deli boards.Brisbane’s revamped Exhibition station is finally set to open today, but it will only do so for major events – such as the Ekka and this week’s caravan show – until Cross River Rail opens in 2029.Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has identified one man as the team’s top captaincy contender when they take on the British and Irish Lions, while a teammate is readying to fill his shoes.There is little that Broncos captain Adam Reynolds has not seen in the NRL. Yet, what lies ahead before he makes his 300th appearance looms as his greatest challenge.