Tom Tate has the numbers on the floor of City Hall to get cableway project up in the air

Tom Tate is arguably Queensland’s most powerful mayor. He has the numbers to get the cableway off the ground. READ WHY.

Tom Tate won the mayoral race in March by almost 52 per cent of the vote. He is arguably Queensland’s most powerful mayor. But how many votes does he have in the chamber?

To find out, watch the cableway debate at Tuesday’s nine-hour last full council meeting.

Councillor Glenn Tozer at committee, where the mayor does not attend, secured a shock 4-3 vote to stop the gondola. Cr Tozer knew he did not have the numbers when all councillors voted.

Mark Hammel, the Mayor’s future Deputy, after input from officers put up a lengthy motion which will see council spend up to $500,000 and seek to join with the State Government on planning the $150 million tourist attraction at Springbrook in World Heritage listed rainforest.

My understanding is eight votes were nailed down in support. The eventual vote was 10-5.

Before the March poll, there were more stabilised factions at City Hall.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. His council is doing to the heavy lifting to see a hinterland cableway can be built.

Mr Hammel along with Deputy Mayor Donna Gates, William Owen-Jones aka WOJ, Pauline Young and Gail O’Neill would talk before a major vote.

Hermann “Robocop” Vorster was often opposed to the Mayor and more than willing to debate. Robocop is the new MP for Burleigh. WOJ and Ms Young left, recently walking the Camino with respective families and friends — much more relaxed than Evandale.

My council insider says: “There is no one person you can talk to, that it will lead to three or four votes. You don’t have that at this stage yet. I don’t think you will see that.

“We have some very strong-minded new councillors who will go with their gut and head. It’s a good thing.”

Like Robina’s Dan Doran, a top cricketer, bowled a bouncer from the Mayor for questioning the spend on his favourite project - the northern green plant. But he nicely padded up.

Naomi Fowler who replaced WOJ gave an impressive speech opposing the cableway spend.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate facing criticism from community groups after clashing with councillors Peter Young and Glenn Tozer.

Mr Tozer, who plays basketball, was benched when he tried to support colleague Peter Young.

The Mayor found Mr Young had shown inappropriate meeting behaviour when he left without permission before developer Harry Triguboff was given the keys to the city.

Watch the video of the stand-off - Mr Tozer was told to “sit down please” and did so - and make your own decision.

Gecko’s Lois Levy says denying Mr Young a right of reply was “not reasonable procedure”.

But a business leader in the foyer, aware of the Mayor’s style, was smiling and enjoying it all, in awe of his ability to get through a thick agenda so fast.

Former top cricketer Dan Doran, now Robina councillor, received some strong questions from Mayor Tom Tate after saying the City should not give a blank cheque to building the ARRC project in the north.

The truth is the Mayor will always divide with his comments - and he has some swagger.

At the recent 2024 Pan Pacific Masters Games, competing in the powerlifting bench press and dead lift categories for the over 65s, he won gold with the biggest lift of the day at 140kg.

The cableway may not be so easy a lift off the ground. Anyone thought of asking the Federal Government about building pylons at Purling Brook Falls?

But the Mayor has the numbers in the chamber, and while it might be a mix sometimes of circus and dramatic theatre, we will all — like Mr Doran — bat on in 2025.

Follow @PaulWestonGC