Revealed: Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate’s COVID SOS letter yet to get response from Federal MPs
Mayor Tom Tate has sent a COVID please help letter to the Federal Treasurer and all Gold Coast federal MPs calling for tourism and aviation funding — only to be greeted by silence.
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MAYOR Tom Tate has sent a COVID please help letter to the Federal Treasurer and all Gold Coast federal MPs calling for tourism and aviation funding — only to be greeted by silence.
Cr Tate’s letter, sent to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Moncrieff MP Angie Bell, McPherson MP Karen Andrews and Fadden MP Stuart Robert, was written on August 2.
City Hall did not expect to an immediate commitment from the Treasurer given his busy schedule, but the lack of response from the MPS has been surprising.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate Q&A on his Covid lockdown rebellion
The Bulletin understands tourism leaders are following the Mayor’s lead, working on getting a phone hook-up with both Mr Frydenberg and possibly Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick.
Councillor Tate in his letter had welcomed initiatives like JobKeeper and JobSeeker describing them as a financial lifeline.
“The current lockdowns in Sydney, Melbourne, and now South East Queensland however, have added a new and most troubling dimension to the crisis and I seek your support again, particularly for our tourism and aviation sectors,” the Mayor wrote.
The Sydney and Melbourne markets had been lost to the Coast and showed no sign of returning in the short to medium term, he added.
The Queensland Government’s current lockdown in the south east had scuttled any chance of the Melbourne market returning soon with “travel unrealistic for the vast majority”.
Cr Tate said the Coast had now lost the Brisbane drive market.
“I fear this latest setback may be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back for some,” he wrote.
The Mayor’s big fear was businesses will close and tourism employees turn their back on the industry.
Occupancy rates had dropped to below 20 per cent and the Gold Coast Airport was operating at 10 per cent of normal capacity.
Cr Tate assured the Commonwealth that he was urging Gold Coasters to get vaccinated but this could take three to six months.
“I urge the Federal Government to consider urgent support packages for the tourist and aviation sectors so they can remain viable through the pandemic and ensure the Gold Coast can bounce back in 2022,” he wrote.
Some business leaders are questioning the strength of the voices of the Coast’s federal MPs.
Ms Andrews, a Cabinet Minister is on a 12.2 per cent margin, Mr Roberts also a senior Minister, enjoys a 14.2 per cent margin in Fadden, and Ms Bell a backbencher has a 15.4 per cent margin in Moncrieff.
A tourism consultant told the Bulletin: “Maybe this is why the Gold Coast is not even on the Treasurer or the PM’s mind and hopes of a return of JobKeeper fall on deaf ears. Not one of the seat will fall at the next election so we are “the forgotten people”.”
Treasurer JoshFrydenbergb told the Bulletin: “The Morrison Government has delivered $29.9 billion in direct economic support to Queenslanders during COVID-19.
“We have also provided more than $4.5 billion in support for the aviation industry, including a $1.2 billion tourism and aviation package and a $1 billion COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund, which includes tourism specific measures.
“To help those who have lost hours during the current lockdown in South East Queensland, the Government has activated the COVID-19 Disaster Payment arrangements.”
Moncrieff MP Angie Bell on Friday said her office only became aware of the letter today.
“At the time the Mayor’s office email arrived at my office this morning, I was actually chairing an online meeting with 14 City Heart Taskforce members – central city leaders who represent our key industry sectors from across the Gold Coast, discussing the drastic effects of the current lockdown and mapping out the next steps forward,” she said.
Ms Bell said she was making a telephone call to the Mayor to get his input into the ‘State of Industry update’ being prepared for various Federal Government Ministers.
“There is no doubt this is a challenging period for so many businesses and families; a time when it critical all levels of government to work together, and my only interest is to advocate at every turn for our city and to support it to move forward as quickly and effectively as possible. Just because it is not in featured in a headline, doesn’t mean the advocacy not ongoing behind the scenes.”
McPherson MP Karen Andrews said: “I know Queenslanders are suffering under the State Government’s lockdown, but the Morrison government has stepped up in support.
“We’ve delivered $29.9 billion in direct economic support to Queenslanders during the pandemic.
“Gold Coasters impacted by the lockdown may be eligible to claim Covid-19 disaster payments and I encourage them to apply.
“I will always listen to my community and advocate for Gold Coasters in Canberra. Just today I held a virtual meeting with the CEO and COO of Gold Coast Airport, to hear first-hand about the challenges they’re facing.”
Originally published as Revealed: Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate’s COVID SOS letter yet to get response from Federal MPs
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