Revealed: When and why the Gold Coast’s population will reach 1 million sooner than we think

The State Government and council are being urged to review population targets and develop congestion busting projects as the Gold Coast moves quicker towards reaching one million residents.

THE State Government and council are being urged to review population targets and develop congestion-busting projects as the Gold Coast moves quicker towards reaching one million residents.

The government’s latest projected “high growth” population figures show the city will have 660,890 residents by the end of this year and reach 1,076,192 people by 2041.

Traffic congestion on the Pacific Motorway around the Foxwell and Abraham Road exit at Coomera. Pic Jono Searle.

MORE NEWS

Why horse could spark a bidding war

Smiles investors face nervous wait

Family's final powerful goodbye to Max Christmas

But some forecasters pre-COVID predicted the one million mark could be reached as early as 2036 — and many now believe that should occur sooner given strengthening interstate migration.

After obtaining figures from the Queensland Government Statisticians Forecasts, Southport MP Rob Molhoek has accused the Palaszczuk Government and council of being conservative with their planning.

The statisticians office figures suggested the Coast’s population would continue to grow at three per cent, which was the high rate, he said.

“When I was in council, Gold Coast population growth projections for decades exceeded the high forecast figures. That’s why we’ve always had such significant infrastructure lags,” Mr Molhoek told the Bulletin.

Southport LNP MP Rob Molhoek — concerned about the lack of infrastructure to meet population growth. Picture Glenn Hampson.

FULL DIGITAL ACCESS: JUST $5 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS

“State and council continue to be conservative in their planning, typically catering for medium growth as the Coast continues to exceed the high forecasts.

“With a population representing 15 per cent of the state’s total population of five million next year, Gold Coast will receive less than three per cent of the state’s total capital works budget.”

Mr Molhoek said the current forecasts were reviewed almost two years ago pre-COVID, and given the surge of property interest from interstate those figures would be “well short of reality”.

The government was making “all these big promises” but the city, due to its population growth, should be getting at least 10 per cent of the capital works budget.

Crowds at Surfers Paradise beach. Photograph: Jason O'Brien.

“It’s worse than it looks. Not only are we getting far less than what we should be getting but we are growing faster than they are planning for,” Mr Molhoek said.

The Coast was failing in securing the necessary road infrastructure along with schools and hospitals to cater for the growth, he said.

Mayor Tom Tate this week vowed to fast-track funding of council projects like the $4.5m Pizzey Park skate park master plan and the $5m Broadwater Parklands mega playground.

The Bulletin understands council officers on the return to meetings will be asked to work out which community facilities out of a planned $313m spend could be targeted first.

Congestion on M1 exits at Coomera. Pic Jono Searle.

Mr Molhoek said he was aware the council in the past eight years had aimed to keep down ratepayer costs, but it needed to do more work on upgrading its own roads.

“The State and council need to conduct an urgent review of the forecasts and take a long, hard look at how our city is going to cope with greater congestion, increased pressure on our water and water treatment networks, schools and health services,” he said.