Gold Coast Council proposes slashing school charges to boost international student facilities

MAYOR Tom Tate has proposed slashing millions of dollars in developer charges for Gold Coast schools to create a wave of new international student accommodation.

Mayor Tom Tate wants to stimulate the city’s education industry. Photo: David Clark

MAYOR Tom Tate wants to slash millions of dollars off developer charges so Gold Coast schools can create a wave of new international student accommodation.

The Gold Coast City Council will consider a multi-million-dollar stimulus package for schools as more than 2000 students pile into the city each year.

One of the Gold Coast’s most prestigious schools, Merrimac’s All Saints Anglican School, has filed a development application with the council to build a second boarding house for international students.

And Cr Tate said he wanted to see more, proposing an “education kickstart” package to create more student spaces.

“To further bolster this market, I am willing to take to full council the idea that we adjust our infrastructure fee schedule to stimulate developments such as what All Saints is planning,” Cr Tate said.

“This would be in a similar vein to the Construction Kickstart program we introduced in 2012. That got the industry mobilised again.’’

Under council plans, the city hopes to boost tourist education numbers by 15,000 within eight years, taking the student population to nearly 35,000.

Cr Tate will next month travel to major cities in China to promote the Gold Coast as an education destination.

“It’s very important we continue to be known offshore as a viable option for international students,” he said of the “self-funded” trip.

“Working with Study Gold Coast, we want to make this city the most welcoming in Australia for all students.”

The proposal has been welcomed by leading independent schools, including Southport’s St Hilda’s and the peak industry body, Study Gold Coast.

All Saints has more than 130 international students, some of whom are housed in its existing 40-bedroom “international house”, which opened in 1999.

The proposed building will feature 25 bedrooms and would be built on Highfield Drive, allowing more students to live on campus.

According to documents filed with the council, the new building will cater for Year 11 and 12 students, with younger teenagers housed in the existing facility or in homestay arrangements. If approved, it would require the demolition of five existing houses on land owned by the school.

All Saints headmaster Patrick Wallas said international students were an important part of the city’s education community.

“International students are a fabulous part of what we do and we have students from 18 different countries who bring so much to our community,” he said.

Study Gold Coast chief executive Shannon Willoughby said international students were worth more than $745 million to the local economy, or about half of the $1.5 billion education sector.

St Hilda’s headmaster Peter Crawley said his school’s boarding facilities were already at breaking point.

“We would certainly be interested in expanding our overseas market,” he said.