Mayors at war: Who gets your vote between Katie Milne and Tom Tate in Tweed/Gold Coast amalgamation?
Tweed councillors say they don’t want to move the border but as tension builds we ask: Who would you vote for as mayor of any amalgamation? VOTE IN OUR POLL
Gold Coast
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TWEED councillors have scoffed at Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate’s idea to move the NSW border south.
Councillor Tate says it will ease chaos shown during the coronavirus crisis, however Tweed leaders say they don’t want the urban sprawl infecting their clean green lifestyle.
The Bulletin wants to know if they were to amalgamate who would you vote for?
The latest polling shows Tate has won 64 per cent of support, with “neither” sitting second with 19 per cent and Milne back on 17 per cent.
Cr Tate last week called for a referendum on the issue as massive traffic jams again formed amid confusion at border checkpoints.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today said she was writing to her NSW counterpart, Gladys Berejiklian, on the matter.
Asked at a press conference, Ms Berejiklian poured cold water on the idea, suggesting that border checkpoints instead moved north – an idea that would effectively cut the Gold Coast off from Brisbane.
Business and community leaders on the Gold Coast have widely backed the mayor’s move.
The proposal was also overwhelmingly backed in a poll of readers of this site, with 73% of more than 2000 who voted approving of the mayor’s plan.
“These border closures have shown the folly of the current boundaries,” Cr Tate said. “As I have said the river creates a natural border.
“Come on Gladys Berejiklian, please amend the NSW law so your police near the border, can work alongside QPS on border closures. It’s not that hard.”
However Tweed Deputy Mayor Chris Cherry dismissed Cr Tate’s plan, saying Northern Rivers residents had no desire to become part of the Gold Coast.
“We are in the middle of a public health crisis and tackling this should be the primary focus for all of us, as I’m sure it is for both Premiers,” he said.
“The Gold Coast is a great neighbour and a fantastic place to visit. However, one of our community’s highest priorities is to remain distinctly different to the Gold Coast, with a focus on protecting our beautiful natural environment and maintaining our lifestyle here in the Tweed.
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“Therefore I, and my sense is that the great majority of our residents, would disagree with this proposal.”
Cr Cherry said any chance in the border would do nothing to solve the current traffic issues and would only “move them further south.”
Cr Tate said he would ask Ms Palaszczuk to pursue the matter further.
“It makes natural sense. Mother nature has the Tweed River there and all I am saying is have the border line there,” he said.
“To Tweed council I say talk to your residents, they would love to part of the Gold Coast.
“I will be taking this further … I’ll be sending council’s endorsement to the Premier and she can talk Gladys (Berejiklian) around.”
Originally published as Mayors at war: Who gets your vote between Katie Milne and Tom Tate in Tweed/Gold Coast amalgamation?