Global tourism hub: Councillors vote on Gold Coast casino after government briefing

The Gold Coast City Council today backed the State Government on moving forward on a global tourism hub despite a stunning split in the ranks of councillors.

THE Gold Coast City Council today backed the State Government on moving forward on a global tourism hub despite a stunning split in the ranks of councillors.

Veteran Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow at a full council attempted to reaffirm council’s position to protect public-owned land from being developed at Carey Park opposite the Broadwater Parklands.

Cr Crichlow said residents expected the land would continue to be protected as public open space.

Aerial view of Carey Park at Southport, an area proposed for a new casino for the Gold Coast. Picture Glenn Hampson

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The meeting was told State Government bureaucrats in a private briefing told councillors of several potential sites which included Carey Park.

Cr Crichlow gained support from councillors William Owen-Jones, Glenn Tozer, Gary Baildon, Kristyn Boulton, Daphne McDonald and Peter Young.

It is the first time Labrador-based councillor Boulton, who has several clubs in her division, has joined councillors voting against the Mayor Tom Tate.

Councillor Dawn Crichlow outside council. Picture Mike Batterham

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Until the casino vote, she had remained entrenched with a super majority of councillors who supported the Mayor.

Cr Tate and seven other councillors voted against Cr Crichlow’s amendment after Robina councillor Hermann Vorster spoke strongly against the motion, arguing this was a State Government driven process.

Cr Vorster said the council was trustee for the land at Carey Park but the Government owned it.

“At the end of the day it’s not our land,” he said.