STAR residents group erects massive sign on Gold Coast Highway in protest over light rail consultation
A massive sign has been erected on the Gold Coast Highway by a group claiming residents of the southern Gold Coast have been “ignored” and “kept in the dark” on light rail. HERE’S WHAT THEY WANT TO CHANGE
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A SOUTHERN Gold Coast community group has erected a massive sign on the Gold Coast Highway calling on the state government to better consult the community on the expansion of the light rail.
STAR (Southern Transport Alternative Routes) has targeted Transport Minister Mark Bailey in a social media post demanding “gold star community consultation” flagged by the government.
“DO WE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION NOW, MR BAILEY?” the group wrote on Facebook.
It comes as an e-petition on the Queensland parliament website titled “Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 – Evaluate all alternative routes and modes” has reached more than 4400 signatures.
STAR has also been running a GoFundMe page to “help raise enough money to generate information awareness of the impacts of Stages 3 and 4 of the Light Rail from Broadbeach to Coolangatta”. It has raised more than $2650.
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The group said in a statement it felt the community of the southern Gold Coast was being ignored ahead of the rollout of the multi-billion dollar transport project, which has both strong supporters and vocal detractors across the city.
“This signage has been erected today along the Gold Coast Highway by the community of the southern Gold Coast who feel very strongly that they have been ignored and kept in the dark,” the post read.
“All they are asking is for you Mr Bailey, to hold the “Gold Star Community Consultation” that you previously promised.
“It’s a sad day when any community feels so disenfranchised that they have to go to these lengths to have their voices heard.”
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The government has said it has already completed a degree of consultation and Mr Bailey was adamant recently that “a majority of locals support light rail on the Gold Coast”.
“The state government ran community consultation on a potential future light rail route along the Gold Coast Highway between Burleigh and Tugun in March and April this year,” he said.
However, he has refused an invitation to attend a public debate at Palm Beach on the planned route to the border, resulting in a spray from Burleigh MP Michael Hart.
Long-time city councillor Daphne McDonald has also raised concerns, as has McPherson MP and Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews.
STAR claimed light rail would be accompanied by “major impacts, not only on their (southern residents) community, but also the environment, heritage, cultural and social aspects”.
“We call on you again, Mr Bailey, to consult with the community, and during the consultation, address all the concerns that the residents have, including the impacts of light rail, and not just where the tram stops will be located,” the post read.
The spat comes as Queensland vies for the 2032 Olympics and the government will be examining the infrastructure needs for the southern end of the state.
PREVIOUSLY: MINISTER ACCUSED OF SNUBBING LIGHT RAIL DEBATE
BURLEIGH MP Michael Hart is furious with Transport Minister Mark Bailey for refusing an invitation to attend a public debate at Palm Beach on the planned light rail route to the border.
Mr Hart revealed he had sent two letters, one to the Minister and another to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and failed to get a reply.
In a letter to Mr Bailey in March, Mr Hart wrote: “Our community deserves an opportunity to be heard on this project therefore I write to invite you to join us and local Councillor Daphne McDonald for a forum in Palm Beach. I propose you nominate a suitable date between the 12th April and the 31st May 2021 for an evening meeting and I will arrange a suitable local venue and attendee registration.”
When he failed to get a response, Mr Hart wrote to the Premier, saying: “I find it both disappointing and concerning that rather than assist me as the shareholding Minister in the project, he chose to make his response unnecessarily personal and political. I further enclose for your reference, the Minister’s posts made in a Palm Beach local community Facebook group just last week regarding the 2020 election and light rail.
“The Minister seems more interested in besmirching my standing than hearing community feedback. This is online trolling-bullying and I am sure you will agree this conduct is unbecoming of your Cabinet Minister.”
Mr Bailey fired back by accusing Mr Hart of a scare campaign and promising another round of public consultation on the trams “in the coming months”.
“Given the 8 per cent swing against Mr Hart and his loss of all three Palm Beach polling booths for the first time since last October, it’s clear Mr Hart does not in fact represent the majority of Palm Beach residents,” he said.
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“A majority of locals support light rail on the Gold Coast, not Mr Hart’s LNP scare campaign to stop the light rail going near his luxury apartment at Palm Beach and cut a heavy rail connection ever going to the airport by using up the corridor for trams instead.”
An independent study looked at several alternate routes and confirmed the highway would benefit the community the most, Mr Bailey said.
But Mr Hart has placed a petition on the parliament website and continues letterboxing residents to encourage them to sign it.
“The people in my electorate are worried about the impact light rail might have on Palm Beach if the presently proposed route comes to fruition down the Gold Coast Highway through Palm Beach,” he said.
“Some properties will be completely resumed, others partially, parking will be removed and traffic lanes reduced. My constituents deserve answers on a number of questions they have and the Minister is best placed to provide those answers but he’s ignoring us.”
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