Martin Hall: Long-serving Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce presidents stands down
Long-serving chamber of commerce president Martin Hall has stood down from his post in a shock move. He reveals why.
Business
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Long-serving chamber of commerce president Martin Hall has stood down, saying it’s time for new voices to be heard and boosting business.
Mr Hall brought down the curtain on his near-eight year stint as the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce head but remains with the organisation as its immediate past president.
The passionate public transport enthusiast said he was pleased with his achievements during a near-decade in the often-tumultuous post.
“It’s been more than seven very busy and long years, even when you take away Covid and the Commonwealth Games,” he said.
“We have achieved a lot and backed a lot major projects such as a second casino, cruise ship terminal, longer trading hours and even the amalgamation of the chambers of commerce.
“It has been a hard push by everyone on the board but for me it is time for a new voice to be heard among the static.
“I’ll be staying on as immediate past president and continuing my work with the Gold Coast Community Fund.”
Mr Hall took up the post in late 2015 and was the city’s primary business spokesman through the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and the pandemic years of 2020-21.
He frequently found himself at odds with Mayor Tom Tate, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and then-prime minister Scott Morrison on issues including compensation for businesses forced to close during Covid, border barriers and budgetary measures.
However, Mr Hall said the pandemic also lead to a boom in chamber of commerce memberships as businesses looked for help.
“Covid was absolutely wild and it was like drinking from a fire hydrant because we saw a huge swell in membership but it also gave businesses the opportunity to put their hand up when they may not have done so before,” he said.
“We really appreciated the engagement we got during that and the border closures really showed how dependent we all are on our neighbouring businesses.”
In recent months Mr Hall became one of the first people to support the Gold Coast hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Victoria abandoned it citing its high cost.
Mr Tate continues to pitch the proposal despite State opposition - but has backing from other leading business figures including Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page and mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
Mr Hall reflected on his relationship with Mr Tate, who despite their differences, frequently ended up on the same page.
“The mayor and I have had some lively debates over the years, including on the pop-up urinals in Surfers Paradise,” he said.
“The chamber remains keen for the Commonwealth Games to come as a warm up for the 2032 Olympics.”
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