His latest $600,000-a-year contract finished in September this year. Instead councillors went to the market and chose Brisbane major projects bureaucrat David Edwards who then sensationally quit for medical reasons.

A nationwide search has begun again for a replacement. In his only interview since leaving the council chambers, Mr Dickson speaks to reporter Paul Weston.

THE DEAL WITH MAYOR TOM TATE

Bulletin: Looking at the future, you obviously sought an extension of your term and contract, and you obviously had your eyes on doing certain things. What were those priorities for you?

Dale Dickson: Certainly there’s a post-Covid and a pre-Olympic Games agenda. They were two reasons why it made sense from my point of view to continue, basically working this council term and then assist the council with recruiting a successor. That was what I put to the council.

Bulletin: So you actually talked to them about that?

DD: Yes, absolutely. That was proposed. And (Mayor) Tom (Tate) actually went to the council and recommended that. A decision then to go to the market, the events that unfolded, have unfolded.

REVEALED: CEO’s last words to staff

Bulletin: When did that occur?

DD: It was July of last year. So what happened was we had an election, we had new councillors, we had new rules for councillors, we had Covid, but Covid was not just a public health crisis, it was an economic and social one. So we had to design a suite of economic and social measures to help businesses and the community. That’s the work I did. I was very proud of that, the organisation was fantastic as well. At the end of that I sat down with Tom and it was agreed it made sense to continue for three years and then effectively get ready for a CEO to succeed at the start of the next council term. To me it made absolute sense. But clearly having been in the role for so long, that seemed to be an issue for some councillors at least.

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DISCOVERING HIS JOB WAS ON THE LINE

Bulletin: My understanding is that you found out about the council going to market for a CEO’s position through an email.

DD: I went into the council chambers and I was told anecdotally by a councillor. I was never spoken to in terms of it being explained to me. Nor has there been any explanation since. That is what it is. It’s not a criticism from me.

Bulletin: From talking to some of the councillors, their view was when councillors voted to go to the market, their view was you would remain, there was confidence with your supporters on the floor, and they were stunned by what happened.

DD: Well, who knows. I’ve not had conversations with councillors about the events.

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HOW THE GOLD COAST CAN GROW AND PROTECT ITS LIFESTYLE

Bulletin: What do you think the Gold Coast can secure strategically with the Olympics?

DD: I think connectivity to Brisbane — transport and digital infrastructure. It’s not so much about venues. The Coomera Connector is one particularly critical piece of economic and social infrastructure.

Bulletin: You have brought up the topic of lifestyle in your notes to me before this interview, I just wonder how, with the population pressure, the transport needs, the infrastructure, protecting the green behind the gold, how does council maintain this balancing act?

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VIEW GALLERY

DD: The state government and the council have done it exceptionally well to date for a number of reasons. Strategic decisions back to the amalgamation, these taken 15 and 20 years ago, preserving the 50 per cent of the city as open space, not being developed. Transport being a combination of light rail, buses, heavy rail, roads, cycleways and walkways. What we have to understand is the Gold Coast will not stop growing in 20 years’ time. It will go from one million to potentially two million people.

WILDEST COAST POLITICAL WANNABES

Gold Coast Council CEO Dale Dickson cleared by CCC

WHY THE GLITTER STRIP NEEDS TO BE MORE THAN TOURISM AND CONSTRUCTION

Bulletin: You remark about the need to plan and support the economy diversifying, mentioning education, the marine industry at Coomera, film and TV production, elite sport, getting the health and knowledge precinct “fully subscribed”.

DD: In my time I’ve worked particularly with the other industries, particularly to build them from the ground up. That’s some of the things I’m most proud of.

Bulletin: Where do you see a lot of green shoots?

DD: Covid can be expected to accelerate interest and investment in biomedical research and innovation in advanced manufacturing. Film and TV I’m personally involved with.

THE FUTURE FOR THE SUNS, THE TITANS AND HOTA.

Bulletin: How important is it that we secure the Suns and the Titans and that they are successful?

DD: Very important. Clearly they bring an event to the city every second week or so. They bring visitation to the city. There are three parts — there is the elite sport, there is the commercial or business side, then the community side. They are really clubs we just want to be proud of.

Bulletin: You’ve been a strong supporter of the Home of the Arts. Where do you see that expanding and what point of difference will it make in terms of attracting tourists?

DD: Tourists will go where locals go. My favourite part of the Coast has always been HOTA. I came up in 1971 on a family holiday and stayed at Kirra for two weeks and I’ve had a 50-year love affair with the Gold Coast since. If I had to pick one part of the Coast that’s the beating heart, it’s now HOTA. Inevitably, I see the council chambers being moved away to council land at Southport and that the existing chambers would convert to a cultural space.

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TOM TATE, RON CLARKE AND CRITICS AT CITY HALL

Bulletin: You worked for completely different mayors in terms of their personalities and backgrounds and ...

DD: Not discussing mayors, not discussing Tom or Ron.

Bulletin: Towards the end there were some challenges there in terms of personalities (clashes with the Mayor’s former chief of staff Wayne Moran and Mayor’s media man Warwick Sinclair) ....

DD: I’m not going there. I’m not revisiting that stuff. If you can go to my notes, that’s more important to me than the subterfuge or commentary about individuals and what they get up to and do and don’t do.

Bulletin: Just on that — without going into the personalities — have you reflected back on your legacy in terms of ethics and how you have conducted yourself in that period? From your colleagues that’s seen (your ethics) as a strong legacy in leading the organisation.

DD: I haven’t thought about my legacy to be honest. I’ve haven’t talked about it. I’ve answered some of your questions. I don’t want to go there. I don’t want to talk about myself. I know what I’ve done for the Gold Coast even if nobody else does, I don’t care (laughs).