Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens labels Gold Coast Oceanway ‘environmental vandalism’, takes aim at campaigner Tory Jones

A Gold Coast MP has labelled the controversial Oceanway “environmental vandalism” and taken aim at one of the project’s fiercest advocates.

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A GOLD Coast MP says the controversial Oceanway project is “bureaucratic madness gone haywire” and “environmental vandalism”.

Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens also took aim at former Gold Coast election candidate and staunch Oceanway advocate Tory Jones.

The Oceanway already runs through parts of Surfers Paradise, however planned upgrades would see it run the length of the Gold Coast from The Spit to Point Danger.

The state government revealed late last year that it had reached a deal with Gold Coast City Council to widen the path between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads. It also announced a $1.5 million business case to extend it south to Currumbin.

Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens. Picture Glenn Hampson

But Mr Stevens took aim at the controversial project in Parliament on Thursday night, saying it went unsupported during the election campaign.

“This project is bureaucratic madness gone haywire when we already have nature’s perfect walkway called the beach,” he said.

“As for cyclists in their Mamil gear whizzing along the cycleway, there are many designated cycleway spaces on our roads to accommodate their needs.

“Let’s not concrete paradise.

“Where is the Greens party when we need it to stand up for a genuine environmental vandalism cause?”

Mr Stevens also targeted Ms Jones, who listed the Oceanway as her main cause during a failed 2020 election bid.

An artist impression of the Gold Coast Oceanway crossing at Currumbin Creek.

“In Mermaid Beach (election) the campaign of one candidate (was) based almost solely on the implementation of the Gold Coast City Council proposal called the Oceanway,” Mr Stevens said.

“The proof is in the pudding, as they say, of the election result when the candidate crusading on the Oceanway got 500-odd votes and only 1.7 per cent of the total electoral votes.

Ms Jones received just 506 votes in the state government election. She continues to campaign online for the Oceanway project.

“Mr Stevens is out of touch with people of the Gold Coast and the absolute success of the southern Oceanway. History has shown that he will do whatever he can to thwart this project,” she said.

“The Queensland government has confirmed its half funding commitment, and approved the council’s detailed design drawings for the section from Laycock St, Surfers Paradise, to First Ave, Broadbeach.

“If Mr Stevens were really in touch with traffic and mobility matters in the Mermaid electorate he would redirect his focus to ensure that the Stage 3 light rail corridor is well-designed and implemented, and doesn’t repeat the mistakes of Stage 1 that decimated the streetscapes through Southport and Surfers Paradise. He could be asking the Transport Minister and Mayor to reveal the design detail of the Gold Coast Hwy corridor.”

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