Mayor Tom Tate: Gold Coast Mayor set to run for fourth term in office

Tom Tate is eyeing a record-breaking fourth term as mayor and says he’d win in a bigger landslide than previous occasions if his own street poll is to be believed.

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TOM Tate is eyeing a record-breaking fourth term as mayor and says he’d win in a bigger landslide than previous occasions if his own street poll is to be believed.

Cr Tate shocked colleagues and rivals late on Tuesday when he posted a video online noting he was actively considering a fourth term in office despite many critics expecting he would retire in March 2024. The video was shot more than six months ago but he posted it on his Facebook on Tuesday for the first time.

It’s the first salvo of the next mayoral race, with no other candidates yet to announce they were considering a bid.

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Mayor Tom Tate in a video announcing he is considering running for a fourth term of office.

Cr Tate said he was confident he had support higher than what he received in either 2016 or 2020: “I laughed (on Tuesday) when I was opening stage one of the new Isle of Capri Bridge,” he said. “Six motorists drove over, four beeped the horn and yelled out ‘good on you Tom’.

“One yelled out ‘Hurry up and finish the other bridge. The sixth one swore at me. Not a bad survey I thought. More than 70 per cent of the vote.

“I love the detractors and I love that democracy allows people to have a voice ... even if it is a bit colourful.”

Cr Tate won in a landslide at the 2016 and 2020 elections but has previously made no comment on his future.

While none have spoken publicly, several high-profile Gold Coasters have been mooted as candidates on the city rumour mill including Deputy Mayor Donna Gates, council planning committee chair Cr Cameron Caldwell, veteran Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek and Gold Coast Titans co-owner Rebecca Frizelle.

Former state Tourism Minister Kate Jones has long been rumoured as a future candidate and didn’t totally rule it out in 2019.

“I have had a few people ask would you ever do it,” she said at the time.

“I think the Gold Coast is a beautiful city to live. No, no, I wouldn’t (run for mayor) … I don’t think so.”

Kate Jones (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

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Cr Tate himself said upon her retirement in late 2020 that he had wanted her to succeed him: “With her positive attitude and bright personality and boundless ideas, she would make a wonderful Mayor of the Gold Coast,” he told the Bulletin at the time.

Cr Tate said he would make his decision official in late 2023 but admitted 2024 was “a long way off on the radar”. “Any decision would be made through private discussions with the Mayoress. Health and family has always been paramount and remains so.

“I’ve been blessed to lead our city since 2012 and I can assure residents that we have a truckload of work ahead of us before March 2024.

“I’m busy working with councillors on hundreds of city building projects and getting ready to take it up a level if we win the 2032 Olympics.”

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