Gold Coast cruise ship terminal forecast: Council officially put project on hold, State election candidates reject plans

The Gold Coast’s election candidates have all but unanimously shot down the idea of a cruise ship terminal for the city. HERE’S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

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THE GOLD Coast’s election candidates have all but unanimously shot down a possible cruise ship terminal.

Gold Coast City Council officially parked its pursuit of the project earlier this week, despite the LNP revealing it would enter into talks if it won government.

Pressed on the issue – as part of a series of questions put to all candidates by the Bulletin – only the city’s LNP hopefuls committed to working with council on the project.

Mudgeeraba LNP MP Ros Bates said: “I understand the Gold Coast City Council has put the project on hold given the current situation with COVID-19.

Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

State Member for Gaven, Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

“An LNP Government will work with the council on this job-generating project, provided it stacks up economically, environmentally, and has community support.”

Council minutes obtained by the Bulletin revealed city councillors ticked off on diverting $1.25 million previously set aside to investigate the terminal.

The Coast’s only Labor MP, Gaven’s Meaghan Scanlon, said there had been no satisfactory proposal put up for the project so far.

“None of (the proposals) have been broadly supported by the community or have not stacked up on environment or economic grounds,” she said.

“If a serious, credible, proposal for each project is put forward, that is supported by local communities, we will assess them on their economic and environmental merits.”

Others, like Animal Justice Party Burleigh candidate Scott Wallace, voiced environmental concerns.

AJP candidate Scott Wallace. Picture: Jerad Williams

“As someone who has spent many years diving at The Spit, I know that it is a diverse and beautiful marine playground that must be protected,” Mr Wallace said.

“Having a CST on the Gold Coast would do more than just taint our scenic coastline, this project would have a negative impact on the local wildlife and environment.

“Pouring money into a project which I believe is in contrast to community sentiment would not be a wise idea either.”

EARLIER:

THE city council has officially parked its pursuit of an offshore cruise ship terminal despite the LNP revealing it would enter into talks about a Gold Coast port if it won government.

Opposition leader Deb Frecklington on a Gold Coast visit has reaffirmed the LNP’s support for a CST, which she backed in November last year before COVID-19 restrictions.

“I understand the Gold Coast City Council has put that on hold, but I will say we would be willing to work with council on any job creating projects,” she said.

Examples of a cruise ship terminal in The Spit master plan.

But council minutes obtained and referring to confidential budget discussions by councillors show council has ticked off on diverting $1.25 million currently in the Strategic Priorities Reserve for “the Port of Gold Coast”.

The money will be “utilised by the Kirra Beach Tourist Park acquisitions costing about $1.1 million” and the balance is to remain in the reserve for future allocations.

Council in the previous budget spent about $500,000 on the proposed jetty and this year had allocated the $1.25 million spend.

Some of the previous funding has been used for studies as part of the case being presented by council to the State Government for the project in Philip Park at The Spit to be approved, ensuring it was shovel ready for a potential joint public-private project.

Designs for the proposed Oceanside cruise ship terminal at The Spit on the Gold Coast.

Councillor Glenn Tozer, who moved the recommendation, when asked if this ended council’s interest in the CST process replied: “That is my understanding, yes.”

The hinterland-based councillor said he supported the funding be used in pursuing other local government priorities.

“Since the report that confirmed a transit port was not viable, I have not been supportive of an oceanside cruise ship terminal. There are better ideas and better projects that can advance the interests of our city,” he added.

Cr Tozer said other more important projects included solar power generation in the energy sector, mountain biking and walking trails for tourism and encouraging private investment in the health and education sector around Griffith University, the Gold Coast Airport and Robina.

“Instead of a risky and dated CST we can, and we should, be more innovative and do better for our city,” he said.

Councillor Glenn Tozer says we can spend money on better investments than a CST. Picture: Jerad Williams.

Dr Steve Gration from Save Our Spit in a recent submission to The Spit Master Plan amendments called for the investigation into a “future cruise ship terminal” to be removed from the City Plan.

“The City of Gold Coast and the Queensland Government have put the co-ordinated project process for The Spit oceanside cruise ship terminal at Philip Park on indefinite hold owing to the current worldwide ban on the cruise ship industry operations due to the cruise industry’s major contribution to the worldwide spread of COVID-19 infections,” Dr Gration wrote.

“The reference to The Spit now being investigated for a future cruise ship terminal within Philip Park is now untrue and should be removed from the City Plan, in the view of the current cruise industry which is unlikely to return to its pre-COVID-19 state for many years, if at all.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said: “It is incorrect to suggest that Council has cancelled the project and is no longer interested in the Oceanside CST process. Funding was withdrawn from the 2020-21 budget given the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts that has had on the industry.

“At the time, I made it quite clear that the project was temporarily paused. Council’s overall position on this matter has not changed and we will revisit this issue in the 2021-22 budget. It is disappointing that a lone Councillor has misrepresented Council’s position.

“Our thanks to Opposition leader Deb Frecklington for agreeing to work with the City if elected on this job creating project. It should also be noted that the Oceanside CST is contained within the current Spit Master Plan which makes a nonsense of any suggestion that it has been cancelled.”