‘Disappointing’: Last-minute text ahead of Mayor Tom Tate’s Palm Beach artificial reef reveal

A veteran Gold Coast councillor and local residents have shared their disappointment after a multi-million dollar project was unveiled in a major suburb over the weekend.

MAYOR Tom Tate cites “security issues” for hastily changing the unveiling of a new Palm Beach artificial reef but protestors still made it whilst the fuming area councillor missed out.

Veteran Palm Beach councillor Daphne McDonald has voiced her disappointment after a “last minute” text message alerted her to the late change from today to Saturday.

Cr McDonald said she received the message one hour before the event and took to Facebook soon after saying it was a disappoinment for her and much of the community which missed out.

But Cr Tate told the Bulletin last night: “Due to security issues the date and time of the media call was changed with little notice and Cr McDonald was notified on Saturday morning.

“She has not spoken to me about her desire to host a community event to celebrate the opening of this wonderful project that helps protect Palm Beach and its residents, but my door is always open,” he said.

Despite the late change, the opening was attended by rowdy residents protesting about the “overdevelopment” of Palm Beach and plans for the light rail.

Councillor Daphne McDonald oversees Division 13, which includes the suburbs of Palm Beach, parts of Elanora, Reedy Creek and Burleigh Heads and a small part of Tallebudgera. Picture: Jerad Williams

She said she had been told the opening would be held Monday morning and was “very disappointed” to miss the important milestone.

A frustrated Cr McDonald posted publicly to Facebook that residents had “been watching with interest the construction” and the opening could have been “a true community event”.

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“It was sort of an insult to the community,” Cr McDonald told the Bulletin.

“I was advised at the very last minute it had been changed, even though the very last message I got, obviously they knew the night before.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Jason O'Brien/Getty Image

“This has been a big project. It has been watched. Our office set up information days down at the beachfront with the community.

“When you have an unveiling like that — and it only looked like the media was involved — I think the community are really disappointed they’re not included in events like this.”

Cr McDonald said “it looks as though I wasn’t even supposed to be there, because my name wasn’t on the plaque”.

The plaque unveiled at Palm Beach. Picture: Facebook/Daphne McDonald

A plaque commemorating the opening reads: “Dedicated by his worship the Mayor of the City of Gold Coast Cr Tom Tate”.

Cr McDonald was somewhat hesitant to talk when the Bulletin approached.

She expressed concerns speaking up could “get me into trouble”, despite taking to Facebook.

“The Mayor is the spokesperson,” she explained.

Vocal resident Karen Rowles said on social media the council “tried to trick us with several dates and times to try to avoid our protest”.

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She told 9 News Gold Coast that “the city plan’s there, (the Mayor) isn’t following it”.

“We’ve got buildings going up with three times the bedrooms and half the parking,” she said.

“Mayor Tate might think we would give up. We won’t give up. We want that man voted out in 2020.”

Cr Tate responded there had been two years of consultation on the “new town plan” and “there was no submissions from residents”.

An aerial photo of construction of the artificial reef off Palm Beach. Picture: Gold Coast City Council

Tallebudgera lawyer Jim Wilson said he worried about “the status and welfare of our local councillor”.

He suggested if Cr McDonald did not lodge a complaint with the council “our community should lodge one with the OIA (Office of the Independent Assessor)”.

Some residents have spoken of holding an “official community opening” on Monday.