Spending cap on Gold Coast City Council elections welcomed by community and mayor

The Gold Coast is home to the rich and famous – but a big change coming to one part of city life will mean the wealthy won’t be able to throw around as much cash anymore.

Gold Coast councillors and community groups have welcomed a spending cap for candidates during election periods, but cashed-up Mayor Tom Tate says it doesn’t go far enough.

The state government will introduce the cap later this year ahead of the 2024 poll, with mayoral candidates running in regions of more than 200,000 voters – such as the Gold Coast – allowed to spend $175,000 plus an extra 25c for every voter beyond the 200,000 mark.

Under the plan, which will be formalised in Parliament before Christmas, divisional candidates will be allowed to spend between $15,000 and $30,000, depending on the size of the area represented.

Mayor Tom Tate is running for the mayoralty again but wants spending caps to be even lower than the state government’s favoured option Picture: Richard Gosling

Mr Tate welcomed the cap but said the measures could be tougher still. Mr Tate, who says he only spent $55,000 at the 2020 election, called for mayoral candidates to be capped at $150,000.

“It should be a price with is affordable so people can raise money and enter local politics and my attitude is that democracy should be achievable to all, not just the rich few,” he said.

“In the mayoralty, if you set the cap too high then a normal person cannot compete because the rich guy can outspend them. Luckily I’m a rich guy but I’m also a guy who wants a fair go.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles Picture: David Clark

Mr Tate, who announced earlier this year he would contest the 2024 council election, said he only planned to spend $55,000 in that campaign, the same figure he spent in 2020.

The proposed figures came as the results of statewide public consultation and 22 submissions. The caps will come into effect seven months before election day.

Third parties’ expenditure caps will match mayoral levels and they will not have the ability to pool their caps across local government areas.

Local Government Minister Steven Miles said feedback had found mayors and councillors were broadly in favour of the caps. Mudgeeraba councillor Glenn Tozer said the reform would likely favour incumbents.

President of ACE Community Alliance John Hicks. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“These sorts of limits are more likely to impact new candidates seeking to displace incumbents than inconvenience those already serving as councillors,” he said.

Gold Coast Community Alliance president John Hicks welcomed the plans, which he said would create a more even playing field.

“We think spending caps are moving in the right direction as it helps level the playing field and that is a good thing,” he said.

“We know there are many potentially worthwhile candidates out there with the right skill set for elected representatives but are constrained by their finances and up against deep pockets.”

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