Southport residents target MP and councillor as they ramp up campaign against indoor arena

Southport residents say council’s consultation on the future of Carey Park is a farce after a “secret deal” was hatched to build the indoor stadium before the 2032 Olympics.

Southport residents say the City’s consultation on the future of Carey Park is a farce after a secret deal was hatched to build the indoor stadium before the 2032 Olympics.

Southport councillor Brooke Patterson and local MP Rob Molhoek are in the spotlight as the Save Carey Park Gold Coast group this week ramps up its protest.

The Bulletin can reveal Save Our Spit, regarded as the city’s most outspoken campaign group, will announce on Monday it’s joining Carey Park residents.

“We fully support their campaign. Whatever we can do to help them in their campaign, we will provide assistance,” a Save Our Spit spokesperson said.

Campaigners against an indoor arena at Carey Park, Chris Ponting and Paula Lipton, deliver a petition to Southport councillor Brooke Patterson (far right).

Mr Molhoek on Sunday said he had met with Carey Park residents two months ago and admitted to them he was “between a rock and a hard place” but understood their perspective.

“It wasn’t my project, it was council’s at the time. I didn’t give them a firm commitment as where I stood on it this time around,” he said.

“I couldn’t see how it would stack up financially – I think I indicated the only chance it had of getting would be to become an Olympics venue.”

Mr Molhoek advised most of the electorate was supportive, rejected suggestions it would impact negatively on property values and argued light rail had capacity to handle crowds.

“I have to say I actually think (as an Olympic venue) it is a good proposal,” he said.

“I know it’s a fine line, I think there’s a significant difference between a casino and a tourism hub – that’s not public interest, that’s in the investors and the owners and a casino was never going to be a good option in the middle of Southport with all the other social issues we already face.

“That was my primary reason for opposing the global tourism hub, but I do think an arena and performance facility of this scale is in the public interest, and a very different proposition to a casino.”

Carey Park is the planned location for a new indoor arena on the Gold Coast. Residents are concerned about traffic gridlock.

Ms Patterson in a Facebook post said a community consultation report and arena recommendations would be presented to council at an “upcoming meeting”.

“There is no expectation by councillors that we would allocated ratepayers’ funds to this. Rather it would be a private-public partnership,” she said.

A resident in a response suggested that community consultation was “a farce” and was planned by Mayor Tom Tate. “Either way, the whole thing stinks,” the resident added.

Ms Patterson said she was not aware of “the Olympics element” until it was announced.

“The State kept their Olympics plans very close to their chest until their public announcement. We will wait to see the findings of the community consultation,” she said.

Residents are ramping up their protest to stop an indoor stadium being built at Carey Park in Southport.

Asked if she wanted to comment further on Sunday, Ms Patterson told the Bulletin: “Won’t know more until I receive the report.”

An exclusive Bulletin report last week detailed the financial plans for the arena, which Mr Tate regards as the city’s biggest legacy “since canal estates” and future home for a national basketball team.

Community advocate Samantha Delmege, who ran against Ms Patterson in last year’s poll, has joined residents in their campaign, saying she is supportive of a stadium but not at Carey Park.

She said the reasons for her opposition were traffic congestion, loss of green space, road closures and impact on residential homes.

“There are so many other potential sites for this arena, including Southport,” she said.

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