Gold Coast election 2024: Southern Gold Coast residents disapprove of light rail
The light rail remains a hot-button issue in the city’s south ahead of Saturday’s council election. WATCH THE VIDEO
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The light rail remains a hot-button issue in the city’s south ahead of Saturday’s council election.
The Bulletin spoke to voters and candidates at the Elanora Community Centre for pre-polling on Thursday with trams to the border a constant theme when it came to how people were voting.
Palm Beach resident Graham Barber, 81, said the light rail would “destroy” the place he called home for many years.
“It’s just a trojan horse for the property development industry,” he said
“It’s probably the most important single issue on the southern end of the Gold Coast at the moment.”
Tugun resident Ian Logan said many locals don’t want the light rail beyond Burleigh.
“They believe it's a sham just so developers can develop on land within 800 metres of the tram which I’m told is already an approved policy of development in the area,” he said.
“The public, through taxation, is paying for the tram so that the developers aren't paying anything for the infrastructure.”
But it wasn’t all one-way against the trams.
Quest Hotels rooms division manager Kieren Verma said the light rail system would benefit the Gold Coast by having a better transport network for holiday-makers and locals.
“I think light rail is extra transport for the community and I think it’s worth while having.”
Another resident, Rodney Jenner said there were more important issues than the light rail to focus on, such as crime and cost of living.
Councillor Gail O’Neill who serves residents in Division 14 said she was unsure if the stage 4 light rail project will be approved.
“We’re unsure if it is going to get approved by Infrastructure Australia and then of course it’s a state government project. We may not know that till the state election in October,” she said.
Division 13 candidate Nikki Archer said the light rail was “a hell of a shambles”.
“The two main issues that people are coming and talking about are the light rail and the overdevelopment that goes hand-in-hand with it,” she said.
“It’s more than a bit of a shambles, it’s a hell of a shambles and definitely impacting the way people vote.”
Division 14 candidate Kath Down also stated that many resident’s don’t want the light rail and would rather have heavy rail instead.
“I believe the light rail is going to be a decisive for many people,” Ms Down said.
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