Major party absent at meeting to Save our Spit
WITH the future of The Spit up in the air, a major political party was a no-show at a large election candidates meeting to discuss its future. So what does this mean for the Broadwater precinct?
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LEADING Gold Coast developer Norm Rix challenged the Labor Government to make good on its promise to create a master plan for The Spit at the city’s first “meet the candidates” forum last night.
The veteran Gold Coast developer would also have eyed the invited LNP members, but they didn’t to attend.
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Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek, Southport MP Rob Molhoek, Broadwater candidate David Crisafulli and Bonney candidate Sam O’Connor cited “prior commitments” for missing the meeting, organised by Save Our Broadwater and the Main Beach Association, at the Southport Yacht Club.
Instead photos on cardboard placards took their place.
In challenging Labor Southport candidate Judy Searle, Mr Rix said: “I am asking you, I want to know ... how much money will you be committing to the master plan.
“When will you be getting started on the master plan and this is the most important perhaps ... a full commitment (to all of The Spit).”
THE SPIT HIGH-RISE PLAN YOU NEVER SAW
Dr Searle stopped short of giving that commitment.
“It’s a fair question, but we know how these things work,” she said.
Mr Rix said that was not good enough and reiterated his request for a commitment from Dr Searle.
“I commit to listening to you and learning what the issues are,” she said.
Save Our Broadwater vice-president and former Bligh Government minister Judy Spence stepped in when Mr Rix continued to press Dr Searle.
WHY SPIT POLL RESULTS WERE IGNORED
“Judy, I can help you out because I actually know the answers,” Ms Spence said.
“Alan Rickard and I and other people in this room have met with the public servants who have actually started the master plan. They started about two months ago.”
Development on The Spit has been a long-running issue, coming to a head in August when the Labor Government scuttled developer ASF’s proposal for a $3 billion, multi-tower integrated resort development.
Greens Broadwater candidate Daniel Kwon and One Nation candidate Brendan Ball both said they did not support development above three-storeys on The Spit.
More than 100 people attended the meeting which was to discuss future development in the area, body corporates, transport, criminal justice, small business and changes to planning laws.
Questions also turned to how the candidates would react to the recommendations made by to the Crime and Corruption Commission following the investigation of last year’s Gold Coast City Council election.
LEADING FIGURES PAN SPIT DECISION
Labor candidate for Southport Rowan Holzberger reiterated his party’s commitment to ban developer donations to council candidates and to ensure councillors would be investigated by an independent body.
Mr Ball promised One Nation would look at the issue closely. “There is a lot (happening in council) which doesn’t seem to pass the pub test,” he said.
Mr Ball said that included the council’s decisions regarding the casino on the Gold Coast.
Nine candidates from the electorates of Broadwater, Bonney, Southport and Surfers Paradise showed up to the meeting.
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Aside from the LNP members, Labor candidate for Broadwater Peter Flori, Surfers Paradise Labor candidate Tony Walker and independent candidate for Bonney Ron Nightingale sent apologies for not attending.
Surfers Paradise independent candidates Chris Manly and Tylere Baker-Pearce just did not show up.
Other topics discussed included the council’s proposed cruise ship terminal, the LNP’s proposed second M1, compulsory preferential voting and the justice system.
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Save Our Broadwater president Alan Rickard said he was disappointed the LNP members did not attend.
“I am very interested in what they wanted to do with payroll tax because they wanted to cut it. As a small-business owner I wanted to hear more about that.”
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