Gold Coast marine sector: Tony Longhurst and Bill Barry-Cotter’s ultimatum to government
The Gold Coast’s boating kingpins have vowed to never build in the city again unless a major change occurs, casting doubt over the future of the lucrative marine sector. FIND OUT MORE
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The Gold Coast’s boating kingpins have vowed to never build on the Gold Coast again unless the new state government slashes green tape and streamlines approvals.
The Boat Works boss Tony Longhurst and Maritimo’s Bill Barry-Cotter say government environmental regulations are “out of control”, choking the industry and making it too difficult and time-consuming to bother with.
They’re backed by hair salon mogul and boating enthusiast Stefan Ackerie who also says the situation must change.
Mr Longhurst said he was moved to make his frustrations public after developer Tim Gordon spoke out earlier this week about the slow rollout of the Spit Masterplan.
“I feel like I’m in an ice age and I have had enough. I am not going to invest any more in this city,” he said.
“I have spent $200m here in the past yet it is taking me more than two or three years to get approval for a tin shed and every element costs hundreds of thousands of dollars which is just mind-numbing.
“I am just over it. My family has a 45-year history of delivering amazing projects on the Gold Coast and southeast Queensland – Dreamworld, the Logan Hyperdome and The Boat Works — yet different governments just try and stop you and there’s no help from them at all.”
Mr Longhurst praised Mayor Tom Tate and the Gold Coast City Council’s approach to backing business but pleaded with the Crisafulli government to work with them to ensure the lucrative industry could continue injecting billions into the economy.
“We have built the best marine facility in the world, we go out of our way to look after the waterways, but we just get hammered every time and it is all because of the bureaucrats.
“Whatever rules they have are destroying businesses.”
Mr Longhurst was backed by Maritimo boss Bill Barry-Cotter, who has been involved in the marine sector for more than 45 years, having also founded boatbuilder Riviera.
“For us it took 17 years to get approvals for a building at the other end of the street from Tony’s business and what was built was basically unchanged from the original drawings,” he said.
“It is just ridiculous and it has to be changed because what these delays add to the costs is bizarre.
“I won’t do another project here, it’s just too hard and it doesn’t make any sense.”
State Environment Minister Andrew Powell said the government was committed to “ironing out” delays in development approvals but didn’t detail any specific steps which would be taken.
“After 10 years of Labor inaction, the Crisafulli government is determined to get Queensland back on track,” he said.
“That’s why as part of our 100-day plan we established a Tourism Cabinet Committee so ministers could work together to iron out the delays hampering development in our State.
“We want to protect our pristine environment while balancing the needs of tourism and other stakeholders.”
The marine tourism sector is worth more than $100m annually to the Gold Coast’s economy.
The production, maintenance and sale of superyachts is also increasingly valuable to the state’s economy, particularly after the Covid-fuelled building boom.
The Boat Works alone employs more than 1000 people at its Coomera base.
Hair salon mogul and boating enthusiast Stefan Ackerie said the Gold Coast and Queensland must be more open to industry.
“People come from around the world to get their boats built and maintained and you don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that we have world-class facilities here, but we will never be competitive on the world stage if we continue like this,” he said.
“That this is happening despite the employment they have created, the image they have created for Queensland and the Gold Coast and the influence they have had on the industry is quite sad and is so un-Trump.
“If we do not remain competitive on the world stage, we will finish up as a poor cousin on the wrong side of the street and we will lose what we have now. It’s not guaranteed.
“I hope the powers that be can see the wisdom of this and make it easier so that we can be competitive.”
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