Secret state government North Stradbroke survey Straddie survey reveals what went wrong

A secret government-organised survey has been launched on North Stradbroke Island as death threats, claims of financial mismanagement and fears for the future continue to plague the community.

A secret government-organised survey is reviewing what went wrong on North Stradbroke Island as death threats, division and claims of financial mismanagement continue to plague the tourist paradise.

Strategic agency Hatched has been engaged by the government to interview Straddie stakeholders about its economic transition from sand mining to tourism – which some island residents and business owners say has been mismanaged by the Palaszczuk Government.

Since 2016 the Economic Transition Strategy has guided the island’s future and help plug the $55m gap left by the end of 70 years of sand mining in 2019.

The Courier-Mail has previously revealed concerns of island residents and business owners who say there is little to show on the island despite the state government pumping $36m into social and infrastructure projects.

The future of North Stradbroke Island continues to be in the spotlight with a survey of island residents. Picture: Supplied

Hatched’s review is understood to be the first into the management of the island since the end of sand mining.

Residents, business owners and community leaders on North Stradbroke Island were invited to engage in an interview about “the ongoing transition of Minjerribah to a world-class eco-cultural tourism destination”.

Hatched, engaged by the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport, describes itself as a “small team of human-centred design thinkers” attempting to develop “long-term outcomes to positively benefit people and planet”.

Stakeholders have been asked to provide their vision for the island, impact of the transition strategy and level of engagement with Straddie’s traditional owners.

Stradbroke Island Chamber of Commerce President Colin Battersby hoped the strategic review would herald a new era for the community.

“We’ve got two eyes planted firmly on the future,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity right now to, if not clean the slate, at least tidy it up.

“The government has lost the support of the bulk of the community.”

Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson said the survey was an acknowledgment by the government that North Stradbroke Island was not transitioning as planned, and called for the Hatched report to be made public.

“There have been many voices and many warnings to the government that its economic transition was going off the rails,” Dr Robinson said.

“They’ve ignored at every point those warnings and now they’ve got the problems of funds expended with very little built, division in the community that was not there before and they haven’t got the results that this amount of money should have achieved.”