‘Not like the Gold Coast’: Councillor lays into industry lobbyists over property plans

Property industry lobbyists have been accused of leveraging the current housing crisis to open up environmentally significant areas for development by a Sunshine Coast councillor.

Division 9 and environment and liveability portfolio councillor Maria Suarez has raised concern about an increased push to develop green spaces. Picture: John McCutcheon

A Sunshine Coast councillor claims lobbyists working for building projects are leveraging the current housing crisis to open up environmentally significant areas for development and override the council’s plans.

Councillor Maria Suarez said the community needed to be made aware of “moves that are being made to erode the green spaces that they wish to protect”.

“Industry bodies are using an abnormal property market and existing housing crisis to lobby various levels of government to release land that is either outside of the urban footprint or has been clearly identified by the community as important,” she said.

Ms Suarez said lobbyists had approached the Queensland Government in attempts to get their plans approved.

“The broader community are unaware of what they stand to lose should that occur,” she said.

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Ms Suarez outlined Blue Heart, around 5000 hectares of natural flood plain west of Coolum, and the inter-urban break, near Pumicestone Passage, were key targets.

The Coolum Creek Environment Reserves, forms part of the 5000 hectare Blue Heart Sunshine Coast.

Ms Suarez said the proposals being put forward by developers was not a solution to the current housing crisis on the Sunshine Coast and not in the best interest of its residents.

“Consistent feedback is ‘not like the Gold Coast’ and there is no clear distinction between leaving the Greater Brisbane area and arriving at the Gold Coast,” she said.

A spokeswoman for property giant Stockland, which recently had its appeal dismissed after council refused its plan for Twin Waters West, said it was working constructively with governments at all levels.

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“It is widely acknowledged there is a housing supply and affordability challenge on the Sunshine Coast, and Stockland is committed to working with all levels of government and community to assist with finding solutions,” she said.

The spokeswoman said property sales in the region were trading much faster than expected.

Designs for the Twin Waters West development.

A spokesman for the Queensland Government’s Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning said they were committed to managing relationships with lobbyists “in compliance with the Integrity Act 2009 and the Lobbyists Code of Conduct”.

The spokesman said the department maintains a register to record any contact with lobbyists but the contents of that register are commercial-in-confidence and not publicly available.