Editorial: Tom Tate the man for the times as Coast struggles against COVID-19 fallout

Critics had hoped Saturday’s election would be a rejection of the Tate mayoralty and its pro-development pitch. They were wrong. But now the real work begins for Mayor Tom Tate.

ABOUT a decade before he became Prime Minister, John Howard famously said: “The times will suit me.”

In his reign as Australia’s second longest-serving leader Mr Howard would oversee a number of national and international crises – none more than the gun amnesty after the tragedy at Port Arthur.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, re-elected for another four years at the weekend, may have found after eight years in office that the times suit him.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is back for a third consecutive term in office. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

This year’s local government elections were turned on their head by the unrelenting march of the coronavirus pandemic.

Critics had hoped Saturday’s poll would be a rejection of the Tate mayoralty and its pro-development pitch.

In the end, voters opted for certainty as they zeroed in on their own personal dilemmas caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Tens of thousands have lost their jobs, or had hours significantly slashed, as the engine room of small business is battered by the wrath of an epidemic few, if any, have seen in our lives.

Mayor Tom Tate will have to work hard. Picture: Mike Batterham

Will I have a job, how will I pay my bills, and what happens now are just some questions being asked in by Gold Coast households. Unfortunately, no-one has answers.

It is clear this mood of profound anxiety proved a boon for the incumbent mayor and his fellow councillors. As of last night, all of those who contested seats without fellow sitting councillors look like they have been re-elected.

There were no celebrations for Mayor Tom Tate, it was straight back to work. Picture: Mike Batterham

Mayor Tate was not celebrating his election win last night. He says he is facing his greatest challenge of getting the Gold Coast through this crisis and ensuring it returns to a prosperous, vibrant city where business can be done and family flourish.

He is right. Cr Tate and his colleagues have won the battle, now they have to fight the war to save the Gold Coast from the times they find themselves in.

His reinstalment has been a vote for political stability (in the most literal sense of the word because things will be anything but for a while), a vote for someone who knows how the system works after eight years in the hot seat (an advantage given the crisis the city and country finds itself in) and a vote for what Alan Jones described as a “doer” not afraid to slash red tape to get things done quicker than normal.

The re-election is no surprise but this third term will undoubtedly be Cr Tate’s biggest test.