Gold Coast City Council election 2024: Mayor Tom Tate unveils $2bn waste to energy development

Mayor Tom Tate has unveiled plans for an ambitious $2bn development which, if approved, will revolutionise the way Gold Coasters live. FIND OUT HOW

The Gold Coast will never have another dump with the City to cease using landfills by 2036 under a revolutionary $2 billion green plan pitched by Mayor Tom Tate.

If he is re-elected for a record fourth term at the March 16 poll, Mr Tate would fast forward the building of an Advanced Resource Recovery Centre (ARRC) in the Yatala-Stapylton area.

Mr Tate outlined details of his key policy announcement at the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce Meet the Candidates breakfast at Mantra on View in Surfers Paradise on Wednesday.

The ARRC could cost up to $2bn and was inspired by Mr Tate’s 2022 visit to the a $1.1bn waste-to-energy facility in Dubai.

The project is being touted as critical recycling step for the City saving more than $1.8bn.

Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“It’s a massive undertaking and I commit to full community consultation as we move forward. The vision will see around 98 per cent of our waste diverted from landfill,” Mr Tate said.

“Initial reports suggest the ARRC will save the city $60m each year for 30 years, compared to transporting waste to third party landfills outside of the Gold Coast.

“I want to see an end to landfill on the Gold Coast. Under my vision, our existing landfill sites will be the last sites ever commissioned in our city.

“We will move to a zero-landfill future in around 12 years, once these sites have reached their end-of-life.

“To achieve this, I propose that our city will become a leader in waste processing.”

Residents surveyed two years ago told council they wanted improved recycling.

About 97 per cent of residents wanted to do more to reduce waste to landfill, and 74 per cent were seeking more recycling opportunities at waste recycling centres.

The City then signed off on one of its biggest contracts aimed to save $36 million in waste managed. Veolia Environmental Services Australia Pty Ltd secured a seven-year contract worth $280m in late 2022.

The deal helped the City avoid up to $15.8 million in state waste levy payments.

But the City administration admits if more costs cannot be reduced in the longer term and residents fail to recycle, they could face tip fees.

Artist impression of the Waste to Energy plant under construction in Dubai.

Under Mr Tate’s new green plan, the ARRC will include:

* A sewage treatment plant to service the northern suburbs

* A recycled water treatment plant to provide Class A recycled water to non-residential customers

* A recycling facility to sort recyclable materials collected across the city; a construction and demolition processing facility;

* An organics processing facility, and a waste-to-energy facility that will divert waste from landfill and produce green electricity to power a green hydrogen electrolysis plant.

The Mayor admits it will require state and federal funding to become a reality.

He said he would action the project immediately if re-elected and direct council officers to formalise a business case for the project.

Sites like this will become a thing of the past.

Once approved by both the state and federal governments, the council would move to a global expression of interest campaign.

“It is not just for the Gold Coast, the system would benefit around three million residents (and businesses) across the SEQ corner,” Mr Tate said.

“We would charge commercial rates (to other councils and the private sector) to process their waste, delivering a return to Gold Coast ratepayers.

“Recycling is an important element. The aim is to increase recycling of waste that arrives at the ARRC.

“Businesses in and around the precinct will work together to transform waste from one industry into a valuable resource of another – supporting the establishment of a circular economy via the reprocessed waste streams and the ARRC will use cutting edge technology to drive innovation, reduce environmental impact and increase waste management efficiency.

“Only waste that is not recoverable for recycling will be processed and used as a fuel to fire a furnace to generate steam. The steam drives a turbine to generate electricity.”