Gold Coast councillors want to bridge divides after tough local election

Forget the light rail or Oceanway, the biggest priority for the Gold Coast’s new and returning councillors is to build bridges after a bruising local election.

It’s a brand new council with five brand new faces, so let’s break some old habits.

It’s become common knowledge that campaign behaviour during this local election was at an all-time low, but here’s hoping there are no sore losers now the winners have been named … because it’s time to get to work.

Unfortunately, our divisions remain divided.

Just ask the new councillor for Division 12, Nick Marshall. He might have campaigned on completing the Oceanway, but now his first priority is to build a bridge.

The physiotherapist said despite the bruising campaign experience, he was excited to start work … but also slightly daunted by the prospect.

“I am really excited because I’ve wanted to do this for a long time and I spent a lot of time researching the role,” said Mr Marshall, who won an Order of Australia Medal for his work founding the all-inclusive Albatross Nippers at Nobby’s Beach SLSC.

Gold Coast City Council candidate Nick Marshall hugs outgoing councillor Pauline Young as the final votes are counted on Monday, April 1, 2024. Picture: Paul Weston

“I put myself forward because I wanted to represent the people and my neighbours and because I love this area and think I can do a good job. But then all of a sudden when I got the job I realised some of the people I’m representing are the people who hated me last week.

“I know they had a candidate of choice and that wasn’t me, but I hope we can work together to make the area and the city better.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by another candidate, albeit one who didn’t win.

In her concession post, Division 13 runner-up Nikki Archer was clear in her support of winner Josh Martin.

“The best thing to come out of this election was my opponent’s eagerness to share similar policy platforms,” she said.

“I’d prefer those shared viewpoints to continue in alignment and happy to work with Mr Martin, not against.”

Division 13 candidate Nikki Archer at the Elanora Community Centre during the campaign. Picture: Mohammad Alfares

Both Mr Marshall’s opponents also wished him well, with Luke Henderson one of the first to congratulate him.

To be clear, Mr Marshall had only kind words for both his fellow candidates, but said passions ran high – and became personal – with some supporters.

He said he understood their disappointment but hoped they would allow him to work with them.

“I know that Lake Hugh Muntz is a huge issue for a lot of residents, and I’d love to be able to at least go on the journey with them,” he said.

“As a surf club coach, I have been very concerned about the lake for years, it’s where we would train and I desperately want it to be healthy.

“I’m hoping there is more that can be done to fix it and I hope those residents can learn to trust me.”

While Mr Marshall said he was passionate about getting started on the Oceanway, with backing from Mayor Tom Tate, he said his first job was to foster better relations between neighbours in the wake of the election.

And, interestingly, it looks like the very vehicle that was his greatest enemy could become his new friend.

Division 12 candidate Nick Marshall and retiring councillor Pauline Young.

He said he wanted to embrace social media as a way to better communicate with the entire division, as well as to ensure the concerns of specific areas were heard.

“I wanted this job because I thought I could be a good conduit between the council and the people, I want people to feel heard,” he said.

“Even though online bullying was one of the worst parts of campaigning, I’m hoping online interaction can be a real positive now that I’m in the job.

“Whether it’s Lake Hugh Muntz, the Oceanway, light rail or dogs on the beach, I want to help. I can’t make everyone happy all of the time, but I’ll be doing my best.”

Let’s just hope residents give Mr Marshall and his fellow newbies a fighting chance.