POWER 100: Sunshine Coast’s 10 most powerful people
They’re among Queensland’s biggest and most famous global exports ever, yet the Irwin family don’t even make the top three on this list of the Sunshine Coast’s most powerful people. So who has more clout there than they do? SEE THE TOP 10
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THE gruelling task of determining this year’s Sunshine Coast Power 100 is complete, the votes have been counted and 90 of the top 100 have already been revealed.
Here are the 10 most powerful and influential people on the Sunshine Coast in 2018, as decided by the community and a panel of judges.
POWER 100: Coast’s most powerful people 20-11
POWER 100: Coast’s most powerful people 40-21
POWER 100: Coast’s most powerful people 60-41
POWER 100: Coast’s most powerful people 80-61
POWER 100: Coast’s most powerful people 100-81
1. MARK JAMIESON
THE Sunshine Coast Mayor has jumped up a spot from last year into number one place on the 2018 Power 100 rankings.
Securing the contract for the international submarine cable was a significant achievement for Cr Jamieson this year.
The $35 million, 550km connection will be jointly funded by the council and State Government and delivered by RTI Connectivity.
The cable will create Australia’s fastest telecommunications connection to Asia and second-fastest to the US and is hoped to spark a spree of major technology investment in the region.
In April the first sods were turned on the Sunshine Coast Airport expansion, which is set to deliver international flight direct from the region and expanded domestic services.
The expanded airport is set to be fully operational by 2020.
Airport expansion was one of Mayor Jamieson’s game-changing projects he’s pursued with vigour, as he sought to reverse the region’s economic fortunes since 2012.
Youi’s new $72 million headquarters opened in March, in another vote of confidence in the region, while major master planning in Caloundra forged ahead this year.
Now well into his second term, the Mayor continues to pursue his agenda of delivering economic prosperity, working to try and secure major investment in the new $430 million Maroochydore CBD, with the new council chambers set to be constructed in the city.
He has also pushed to further major transport projects through strategic positions with the SEQ Council of Mayors and in his role as Local Government Association of Queensland president.
Never afraid of a fight, Cr Jamieson has repeatedly called out both sides of politics at a State and Federal level.
He’s also undertaken overseas trade missions seeking investment in the region, while remaining a patron of several Sunshine Coast groups.
A lover of rugby league, his council has also secured the region’s first ever, proper season NRL games, with the South Sydney Rabbitohs to play three games at the Sunshine Coast Stadium over the next three years.
2. ROY AND NOLA THOMPSON
Fourteen million dollars in three years.
The generosity of Roy and Nola Thompson continues to astound.
That figure was how much they’d donated to the University of the Sunshine Coast in the past three years alone.
This year the Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience - Thompson Institute at Birtinya was officially opened in May.
The groundbreaking $7 million research building was gifted by the Thompsons, who also threw in an extra $3.6 million to help purchase MRI equipment.
The generous couple were presented with honorary doctorates in May and their Thompson Excellence Scholarships continue to assist outstanding University of the Sunshine Coast students achieve their dreams.
Named Queensland Higher Education Philanthropists of the Year in 2017, the pair have also helped solve the parking woes at the university.
Roy, a property developer and former publican, signalled his intent to keep giving away his riches in a Catholic publication earlier this year.
The Thompsons have donated to Hear and Say, community members and the Stella Maris Parish in Maroochydore.
Mr Thompson had no plans to retire and the pair, named in the state’s Top 10 givers, were great-grandparents and continue to have deep roots in Maroochydore.
Their donations have secured bursaries and scholarships at the university for decades to come and their influence on education and the region more broadly is enormous.
3. SHADFORTH FAMILY
With so much large-scale construction happening around the region the Shadforths name has been as prominent as ever in 2018.
The civil contracting firm co-founded by brothers Peter and John Shadforth in 1964 has become the region’s largest civil operators.
A multi-million dollar business employing hundreds of people, the family-owned company has been undertaking major works on projects that are shaping the Coast.
Major projects in the area include earthworks, electrical and other services in residential developments at Sunshine Cove in Maroochydore, Caloundra South, Parklakes II in Bli Bli, the Harmony estate at Palmview and the redevelopment of Sippy Creek Rd.
The firm has work across the state, including new housing estates in Gladstone, but the company has been underpinned by a desire to give back to local communities.
Sporting facilities and school ovals have been built through the family’s generosity and following the death of Peter’s son, Geoff, in 2013, the Geoff Shadforth Memorial Lecture was established, in partnership with the company, local business community and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Money from the lecture, along with financial support from Shadforths Civil Contractors helps fund a PhD student each year at the university to research pavement designs and road stabilisation.
Superstars from all walks of life, including entrepreneurs and groundbreaking aviators have delivered the memorial lecture over the past five years.
4. IRWIN FAMILY
One of the region’s finest tourism exports, the Irwin family has continued on with Steve’s conservation legacy, launching their new TV show on Animal Planet this year.
‘Crikey! It’s the Irwins’ will follow Terri, Bindi and Bob as they care for more than 1200 animals at Australia Zoo.
Already one of the region’s finest tourist attractions the series is set to shine a fresh spotlight on the hinterland zoo and the greater Sunshine Coast.
Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Simon Latchford has spoken of the importance of the Irwin family in helping the region penetrate the lucrative US tourism market and it seems the trio are set to play another vital role in our future success.
The announcement followed another star performance from Robert Irwin on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, with more than 17 million people viewing the exchange between Robert and superstar actor and comedian Kevin Hart on Youtube.
The family continues to fight for conservation since Steve’s untimely death in September, 2006.
Terri remains in charge of Australia Zoo, supported by the growing profiles of her two children.
Robert is carving a name out as an elite wildlife photographer, being highly commended in a Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition while Bindi has previously been crowned Young Conservationist of the Year by the Australian Geographic Society in 2014.
5. MICHAEL WHITTAKER
Overseeing a council undertaking and facilitating the development of major projects across the region has seen Michael Whittaker elevated from position 31 last year.
The council CEO since September, 2015 has been given plenty of delegated authority by councillors over the past two years to negotiate outcomes on the council’s behalf.
Among the major projects the council is facilitating, the $430 million Maroochydore CBD, being overseen by council-owned SunCentral, and the Sunshine Coast Airport expansion which is due to be completed by 2020.
Mr Whittaker was a deputy general manager of the City of Sydney Council and has been CEO of four councils in New South Wales and Western Australia.
He has more than 20 years’ experience in senior and chief executive-level roles in state and local government and he oversees the management of the Sunshine Coast Council including maintaining services and facilities for one of the country’s fastest-growing regions and providing a point of reference during council meetings.
Mr Whittaker was general manager of the Wyong Council on the Central Coast in New South Wales immediately prior to joining the Sunshine Coast Council.
During Mr Whittaker’s tenure the Sunshine Coast Council has also secured a broadband submarine cable landing on the Coast and the Valdora solar farm project became operational, offsetting the council’s energy requirements.
6. BRUCE AND DENISE MORCOMBE
The 2018 Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards Citizens of the Year had another hectic year promoting their child safety message across the nation.
Since the abduction and murder of their son, Daniel, in December 2003 the pair have been tireless campaigners to improve safety of children around the nation through a school program.
Despite taking a step back from their commitments with the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, the has lent support to families of other missing children including William Tyrell.
While all of their child safety efforts have been ongoing they’ve also juggled the long wait for the findings of the coronial inquest into Daniel’s murder and the police response.
In September those findings were believed to be only a few months from release.
7. GREG HILL
Professor Hill has been the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of the Sunshine Coast since 2011.
Amidst a Federal Government funding freeze Prof Hill has managed to progress construction of the University’s Moreton Bay campus at Petrie, as well as pursuing expansion opportunities in Gympie and Caboolture while providing a wide range of qualifications at its Sippy Downs campus.
He’s been on the front foot when it comes to discussing effects of the funding freeze.
Despite the challenged the University continues to expand its sporting wings too, riding on the success of the Sunshine Coast Lightning’s historic back-to-back Super Netball titles and a some great results from its USC Spartans swimming contingent at the Commonwealth Games and other meets.
8. HALL FAMILY
What started as a one-man operation in 1946 continues to expand.
Hall Contracting, started by Les Hall and continued by Brian, Peter and eventually Cameron Hall, has grown into a multi-national dredging, civil and marine construction companies.
It’s Australia’s largest privately-owned company of its kind.
Hall Contracting specialises in dredging ports and harbours and has long worked to keep Coast waterways open.
The family business has also helped create master-planned communities and projects like weirs and seawalls in sensitive environments.
Since the 1990s Hall Contracting has been the civil contractor creating the Pelican Waters development and the company established an engineering scholarship.
9. NOELINE TAURUA
THE Sunshine Coast Lightning head coach added to her stellar reputation in the sport by leading the Lightning to back-to-back Super Netball titles.
The region’s first national sporting team backed up a fairytale debut title in 2017 with another epic victory which captured the hearts of the region.
Taurua was pivotal to the success and the Kiwi international coach cemented her status as Coast sporting royalty.
Renowned for her ability to create a winning culture and ability to maintain high standards, Taurua has never baulked at the task of steering a foundation club to such lofty heights.
She’s managed to attract some of the world’s best talent to the club and in the process put the region on the map with netball fans around the world.
10. TRAVIS SCHULTZ
One of Queensland’s top-ranked compensation lawyers for the third year running, Mr Schultz was drawn back into the legal fray in 2018, opening his boutique firm Travis Schultz Law in Mooloolaba.
Doyle’s Guide labelled him one of the pre-eminent plaintiff compensation lawyers in the state, one of only two lawyers to gain pre-eminent status in three plaintiff compensation categories.
Mr Schultz is the Coast’s resident wine aficionado and a Queensland Law Society councillor.
He also serves as a board member of the LifeFlight Foundation and serves as Deputy Chair of the Board of Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Chairman of the Matthew Flinders Foundation and a Sunshine Coast Turf Club board member.
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