Martin Hall calls for unity between the chambers after changing name to Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce after second vote

Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall is calling for more unity after a second controversial vote on changing the chamber’s name.

GOLD Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall is calling for more unity between the chambers after pushing through a controversial name change at the second attempt.

Mr Hall said 84 per cent of members had approved plans to change its name to Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce at a special meeting on Tuesday night.

The vote failed to reach the required constitutional threshold of 75 per cent at the previous vote earlier this month – just falling short at 72 per cent.

Mr Hall first floated the idea in December, stating a name change would better reflect the organisation’s influence and membership.

Greater Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce president Hilary Jacobs opposed the central chamber’s name change. Picture: Scott Fletcher

However, he ran into opposition from Southport Chamber of Commerce president Ian Kennedy and Greater Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce president Hilary Jacobs.

They said the name change could mislead people into thinking the central chamber represented the whole Gold Coast and that their chambers had merged or folded.

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Yesterday, Mr Hall said the second vote had attracted more members than the first.

“The first time there were only 30 votes plus proxies,” he said. “This time we had a lot more people engaged and a lot more proxies.”

He said the name change was not meant as an attack on the other chambers. “This isn’t about stealing membership or amalgamation. It is about representing our members better.”

Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce President Martin Hall, pictured with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, has succeeded in a controversial change of name for the chamber. Picture: Richard Gosling

He said he hopes the furore that the move has created among the chambers would lead to more collaboration, especially as there will be a Federal election later this year.

He said he would like to see the chambers use their combined influence to campaign on issues such as jobs creation and changes to what he believes are onerous penalty rates.