Reimagine Gold Coast: Industry pushing for non-political body to champion city

The results of a comprehensive Gold Coast think tank event have now been released

GOLD Coast businesses and industry groups are crying out for an apolitical advocacy body to champion the city across all three levels of government.

The City Heart Taskforce, chaired by Moncrieff MP Angie Bell, has formed a satellite group to delve into the creation of an advocacy body, which emerged as the most popular suggestion at the Reimagine Gold Coast forum on August 22.

An insight report has been produced following the event at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, during which 11 industry bodies produced some interesting ideas to help the city recover in the wake of COVID-19.

The forum saw dozens of ideas floated for the Coast. Picture: Gold Coast City Council

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For example, Southport Chamber of Commerce suggested burying the Gold Coast Highway (Marine Pde) underground to link up the business district with the waterfront.

The groups included chambers of commerce, Major Events Gold Coast, Regional Development Australia, Urbis Gold Coast and the Queensland Hotels Association.

The satellite body will “meaningfully engage with all relevant stakeholders in order to ensure effective ongoing advocacy for industry to three levels of government”, the report states.

Additionally, several other subgroups have formed to investigate ideas floated.

City Heart Taskforce chair Moncrieff MP Angie Bell. Picture: Glenn Hampson

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Projects underway as a result include reviewing “the narrative regarding why investors choose the Gold Coast” and to “tell the story as a united city”.

Regional Development Australia (RDA) Gold Coast has been creating a plan to attract investors and it will be presented to Gold Coast City Council, business and industry.

Urbis is pushing for the Gold Coast to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network “as the world’s first City of Popular Culture” and early steps have been taken to build partnerships across industry and government that “can drive this initiative forward”.

City Heart Taskforce chair Moncrieff MP Angie Bell speaks to about 120 business leaders at the Reimagine Gold Coast forum. Picture: Luke Mortimer

Work is also underway to obtain a Centre of Excellence for Women’s Football in the city and to cement the city as “the women’s sport capital of Australia”.

Discussions have been underway between Sports Gold Coast and the council “to encourage collaboration across all levels of government” to produce an updated Gold Coast Sports Plan.

Planning is also underway for a forum to bring stakeholders together to assess the feasibility of the city as the home of women’s sports.

It’s hoped a 5000 capacity boutique stadium would be part of the plan.