Sunshine Coast Council in secret meeting over Coolum Beach land

The Sunshine Coast mayor has declared electoral donations from the Kelly Slater wave park developer before a confidential meeting about a Coolum Beach land acquisition.

The Sunshine Coast mayor has declared electoral donations from the Kelly Slater wave park developer before a confidential meeting about Coolum Beach land acquisition.

The Sunshine Coast Council had a secret discussion over a land bid after the mayor declared he had received electoral donations from a developer who wanted to build a Kelly Slater surf ranch on the site.

At the October 26 council meeting, Mayor Mark Jamieson said he may have a “declarable conflict of interest” over a confidential report up for discussion regarding a council bid for land in Coolum Beach.

He said he received electoral donations of $1800 from Consolidated Properties Group Pty Ltd on January 25, 2012 and $2000 from Coolum Lakes Project Pty Ltd on April 5, 2012.

Mr Jamieson told the meeting that Don O’Rorke is a Consolidated Properties Pty Ltd director, was a Coolum Lakes Project Pty Ltd director and is the sole director of Ninth Wave Pty Ltd, which is the owner of the properties that were the subject of the confidential report.

In February this year, the state government declared Consolidated Properties had walked away from its plan to build a Kelly Slater surf ranch and housing development on 510ha of former cane land and flood plain west of the Sunshine Mwy.

Sunshine Coast mayor Mark Jamieson. Picture: Sam Turner

The development proposed a wave pool, as well as an eco-visitor centre, hotel plus a residential component of up to 1500 homes.

“If the community wants it as public land, we won’t stand in the way,” Mr O’Rorke said in February.

Six community groups in the area had joined together in opposition of the Coolum West project.

Consolidated Properties Group director Don O’Rorke. Picture David Clark

Mr Jamieson told the meeting the electoral donations were received outside of his term as a councillor, which began in April 2016, and therefore were not a “prescribed conflict of interest” according to the local government act.

“I have no ongoing relationship with Mr O’Rorke, the Ninth Wave Pty Ltd, Coolum Lakes Pty Ltd or Consolidated Properties Pty Ltd or their associated entities beyond having received the historical electoral donations,” Mr Jamieson told the meeting.

The mayor said he thought he could still make a decision in the public interest regarding the confidential report.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr Jamieson, Mr O’Rorke, or any of the companies involved.

Councillor Maria Suarez asked the mayor if he had engaged in any discussions with Mr O’Rorke regarding the confidential matter.

Six Sunshine Coast community groups opposed the surf ranch project.

“No, I have not,” Mr Jamieson said.

“And where the request has been made I’ve encouraged the proponent to engage with council by other means but not through me.”

Seven councillors voted for Mr Jamieson to participate in discussion and the decision on the matter.

Councillor Rick Baberowski voted against the motion for the mayor to stay and Councillor Jason O’Pray was absent.

The council received questions regarding the possible land acquisition including what council might use the land for and when sale details would be made public.

It has not responded.

Mr O’Rorke declined to comment at this time.

Mr Jamieson has also been contacted for comment.