Councillors confronted by residents demanding more transparency after months long sewer leak

The Gold Coast City Council is facing pressure to open up on critical decisions being examined behind closed doors.

Gold Coast community leaders are demanding less closed sessions of council meetings and full transparency in the wake of the Albert River spill.

The Community Alliance which conducted surveying of all candidates in the March poll lead up also wants council to rule out big ticket items like beach bars and cruise ship terminals to focus on delivering frontline services.

They say it is critical to secure public assets like the Bruce Bishop car park.

Community Alliance Association President John Hicks outlined priorities for residents in the next four-year council term:

Gold Coast community leaders outside the Evandale Chambers at a full council meeting. They were raising issues of closed meetings, City Plan and sewer leak.

• A new fit-for-purpose planning scheme to better manage city growth while sustaining an

iconic environmental, cultural and lifestyle values;

• Greatly improved, meaningful community engagement ensuring residents are at the centre of

councillor decision-making and voting;

• Much better transparency in governance, with less closed council meetings and

more “timely, fulsome information” on council’s website explaining major issues;

• No privatisation of public land and assets for projects such as beach bars, cruise ship

terminal, hinterland cableway, high-rise tower development on Bruce Bishop car park.

Mayor Tom Tate says the focus of budget will be on frontline services.

Mayor Tom Tate has promised the focus with next month’s budget will be on frontline services and keeping rates below CPI.

But funding is expected for a Surfers Paradise live music venue to help boost the council-owned car park, retained despite a $50m offer by a consortium on the table.

Mr Hicks said the recent Albert River sewerage spill was an example where more transparency was needed.

At least 364 million litres of sewage, the equivalent of 145 Olympic swimming pools full is believed to have spilt into the Albert River from January 12 to April 12.

Sewer spill in the northern Gold Coast at the Albert River. Signage by the Gold Coast City Council.

Community Alliance members at council chambers on Tuesday said they wanted a focus on “essential services” given new City Plan population growth targets.

Councillors at the full council meeting were to back recommendations by planning officers for the roll out of consultation on the Plan.

The Coast will be home to a million people by 2046 with an extra 17,659 people expected to arrive annually. Every suburb will experience growth, a report says.

“As noted in our pre-election survey of candidates, we consider the most consequential decisions to be made by council in this term will relate to the new planning scheme,” Mr Hicks said.

Cr Hammel, the planning chair, supports a consultation model of the standard of The Spit Master Plan, aware of negativity surrounding surveying used for the light rail roll out.

What The Spit would look like with an offshore cruise ship terminal at Philip Park.

“Community Alliance is pleased to see the council intent for improved community

engagement in this project,” Mr Hicks said.

“Our expectation is the model of community engagement will be at best practice level, akin to that used to develop the Spit Master Plan in 2018-19.

“This will ensure all sectors in the community are involved in the plan-making from its formative stages.

Residents are demanding better governance by council, less closed door meetings. Pic by Richard Gosling.

“As with the Spit Master Plan process, achieving meaningful community engagement may require the appointment of external skilled specialists. Adequate resourcing for this crucial task must be provided for in council budgets from 2024-25.

“Establishment of a cross-sectoral community reference group to support development of the new planning scheme will be important and the Community Alliance Association will be seeking a role in that group.”

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