Coronavirus Gold Coast: One in ten jobs to be lost

A shock new report has revealed the scale of job losses on the Gold Coast, with an extraordinary number of people expected to be out of work by the end of June.

MORE THAN 30,500 Gold Coast jobs are expected to dry up by June, about 10 per cent of the total, according to a shock new report by an economic analysis group.

The ID. group forecast, using figures from the National Institute for Economic and Industry Research, lists the Gold Coast as the worst hit regional city in Australia. It also details an expected $1.5 billion drop in gross regional product (GRP) for the quarter alone – a drop of 16.8 per cent.

The Gold Coast is followed by Cairns and the Sunshine Coast, who are also expected to lose more than 9 per cent of jobs.

The report into the economic impact of COVID-19 was commissioned by the Cairns Regional Council and predicts the northern tourism hub would not be back at the Queensland average unemployment rate until 2030.

Thousands more Gold Coasters are expected to lose their jobs due to coronavirus. Picture: Nigel Hallett.

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“The tourism sector has effectively collapsed. Visitors have disappeared and the impact of this has spread to all industries,” the report reads.

A spokesman for ID. said that any analysis on recovery will have to wait until restrictions are rolled back.

The news comes amid calls from Gold Coast businesses to reopen interstate travel in order to “save” the local economy and tourism.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said borders will remain closed under the advice of medical experts, but the decision will be reviewed each month.