{
  "id": 8993952,
  "title": "More than one in four Brisbane council parking spots now pay by app only",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/more-than-one-in-four-brisbane-council-parking-spots-now-pay-by-app",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-21T19:49:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-22/queensland-brisbane-parking-meters-app-only/107155384"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than one-quarter of parking spaces in Brisbane are now pay by app only, according to data from Brisbane City Council. This makes Brisbane the only major city in Australia where motorists are required to use a digital-only option for parking. Of the approximately 9,000 metered parking spots within Brisbane City Council, around 2,483 are in pay by app only zones. However, advocates have expressed concerns that this shift could widen the digital divide, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and low-income earners. Elissa Ferguson, a resident near Wesley Hospital, often encounters visitors to the hospital who are confused about how to pay for parking. She recounted an instance where an elderly woman was confused and unable to access her app due to forgotten password. Ms Ferguson had to guide her to a nearby parking meter. In Newstead, retiree Margaret McCormack faced similar challenges when she found a parking spot with a QR code, which she had to scan and download an app to use. She expressed concerns about the cyber security risks associated with scanning a public QR code. The Greens Councillor for Paddington Ward, Seal Chong Wah, stated that parking apps can create barriers for vulnerable people, including the elderly and low-income earners. He argued that there is no need to remove parking meters, as it is just cutting costs at the expense of accessibility. Patricia Sparrow, CEO of the Council on the Ageing Australia, noted that the move towards digital-only practices is widespread, but stressed that digital-only options should not be the only available choice. Councils need to serve their resident base and ensure that people can access these services, she emphasized.",
  "summary": "Brisbane is the only major city in Australia where motorists can be required to download an app to pay for parking.",
  "key_points": [
    "25% of Brisbane's 9,000 parking spots now require app payment",
    "Concerns raised about digital divide for elderly, low-income",
    "Advocates argue apps create accessibility barriers"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}