Gold Coast budget 2018: Rates up 1.7 per cent with millions to be spent on road upgrades

RATES are going up and millions will be spent upgrading the Gold Coast’s arterial roads in this year’s council budget which was brought down this morning. Here’s what you’re getting this year.

MAYOR Tom Tate says his seventh budget celebrates the longest history of low rate rises on the Gold Coast.

“My seventh budget and again I’ve kept rates low,” Councillor Tate said, at the opening of his budget address at 10am at the Evandale chamber.

“The seventh year hitting the CPI average residential rate rise — 1.73 per cent. This is the longest period in our city’s history of low rate rises in a row.

“It’s been a genuine team effort, from both councillors and officers. Councillors we have to think ahead, way ahead.”

COUNCIL BUDGET 2018: ‘MORE SHOULD BE SPENT ON ROADS’

Mayor Tom Tate Photo: David Clark

COUNCIL BUDGET 2018: MAYOR TOM TATE’S FULL SPEECH

The Mayor showed a council-made video of himself hitting off a golf ball at the new tourism attraction Topgolf with key city leaders talking about the way ahead for the city to avoid a post-Games economic hangover.

Cr Tate said the council had continued to pay down debt, paying off another $15 million this year.

He said the city’s debt was forecast at $765 million when he was first elected in 2012 and appeared to heading towards $1 billion.

Council debt was paid down to $635 million this year, after paying for light rail stage two, the cultural precinct and the Commonwealth Games.

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Councillors in the chamber Photo: David Clark

COUNCIL BUDGET 2018: $110M FOR ROAD UPGRADES

“When elected in 2012 the city had won the Games but no money was set aside. Well today I can announce we have paid off completely out Games commitments — no more to pay.”

The Gold Coast Bulletin was told the mayor had a sign prepared for the budget which showed $269 million in Games money had been paid off the State Government.

The key points in the budget include:

- Investment in tourism will be more than $34 million.

- Art, culture and film production will get $50 million.

- Event support is increased by $6.4 million to cater for 27 events.

- First major land buy-up for six years with property acquired for the new Ormeau Library.

- Up to $10 million to be spent buying up land for koala space.

- Economic development activities to get $15 million to boost jobs.

- Road congestion busting projects worth $110 million.

- Pimpama sports complex to get $50 million.

Mayor Tom Tate Photo: David Clark

Councillor Tate said seniors were the big winners with council maintaining free off peak bus services and now free dog registrations for desexed pets saving about $60 a year.

The council today delivered Gold Coast ratepayers one of the lowest rate rises in southeast Queensland.

Mayor Tom Tate in his budget speech, which started in the Evandale council chamber at 10am, announced a 1.73 per cent rate rise.

The increase for the Coast, which is in line with CPI, compares favourably with Brisbane (2.4 per cent), Scenic Rim (2.1 per cent) and Moreton Bay (2.89 per cent).

Coast ratepayers are looking at an average rate increase around $48 a year.

Mayor Tom Tate. Pic John Gass

The council budget aims to target some of the city’s most congested transport points with a $110 million spend on road upgrades from July.

Key projects include are designing a proposed fifth lane for Southport’s Sundale Bridge and improving the capacity at the intersection of Waterways Drive and Gold Coast Highway, Main Beach.

The funding also targets the fast growing north of the city — upgrades are planned for Stanmore Road at Luscombe, and to four lane the stretch between Peachey Road and Enkleman Road.

Council intends to work with developers in the city’s north to deliver $200 million in road upgrades.

The budget covers transport planning to find a solution to traffic gridlock in the city’s canal estates.

Money will be available for a concept design to increase capacity across the Nerang River to Isle of Capri by producing an additional bridge and upgrades to the intersection of Via Roma.