Inside the Coast’s top conspiracy theories include Covid-19, 5G, 15 minute cities and more

From 15-minute cities to a ‘government psy-op’ on Couran Cove, Ann Wason Moore says why is the Gold Coast in the grip of preposterous plots?

The pandemic is just beginning.

While academics may argue whether or not we are truly post-Covid (medics are firmly decided that we are not), the greatest side-effect of the coronavirus is still growing at plague proportions.

The Conspiracy Surge is upon us … and the Gold Coast is anything but immune.

Somehow our city has become something of a lightning rod when it comes to attracting theories of ‘alternative facts’.

I’m not just talking about Covid-related conspiracies either, although most seem to be at least Covid-caused.

There is now evidence from the National Institutes of Health in the US that the pandemic inspired its own brand of paranoia, which infected almost every level of thinking … or not thinking.

Which made me think … just how firm a grip do these conspiracies have on the Coast?

The answer is, well, unthinkable.

In fact, a new one arrived just this week, posted on a major public social media site:

“What’s happening with Couran Cove Resort? Is it a government psy-op?”

Couran Cove residents have been without water, electricity, and other services for several days due to legal and body corporate disputes. A broken tree blocks a walkway. Picture: Tertius Pickard

A psy-op, for those not conspiracy-minded, is a psychological operation considered a type of warfare.

As for Couran Cove Island Resort, as detailed in this paper, more than 100 homes have been disconnected from electricity and water utilities, with complex court proceedings continuing to play out over allegations of unpaid levies amid the five body corporates operating on the island and calls for an independent inquiry to resolve the saga.

In short: it’s a mess with no easy fix.

But our suspicious mind on social media thinks there could be another agenda at play:

“Why doesn’t the government do anything? Why does the mainstream commercial media insist on being so vague when reporting on it? Got me thinking … is it a Government Psy-Op?”

As discussed, this paper has covered the issue and the government is aware and concerned … but our conspirator has called in the big guns, employing AI chatbot ChatGPT to write a history of corruption on the island.

While most of it was incomprehensible, it did include this line:

“It’s important to note that, as a machine learning model, I don’t have access to specific and updated information of this resort so the information provided may not be accurate.”

Excellent. For conspiracy theorists, that is actually a firm evidence base.

But I’ll admit I am worried … are we about to face a second wave of wild pandemic-inspired plots?

I can only think of one way to handle this. So, in the spirit of exposure therapy, where you face what you fear in order to overcome it, let’s recap some of our city’s best conspiracies:

Sovereign citizens

Is there anything more excruciating than knowing that the viral video of a ‘sovereign citizen’ having a tantrum at police is a Gold Coaster? The “grand conspiracy” behind the SovCit movement is the idea that governments are illegitimate and dictatorial and that laws oppress people. Hmm, reminds me of the reasoning my children used when they were toddlers. Grow up, guys.

Sovereign Citizen being pulled over by police

15 minute cities

Somehow the same people who rage against traffic are the same who rail against the idea of walkability in the neighbourhood. Please tell me how having easy access to health care, groceries and restaurants is part of a secret plan by global elites to restrict our freedom and movements? You know what neighbourhood this sounds like? Nobby’s. And gee, what a truly terrible place to live.

5G

Ah, the conspiracy so old it almost feels comforting. Really, what hasn’t 5G caused? Diabetes, the death of birds, cancer, autism, infertility and Covid itself. While these theories of the evils of 5G have been repeatedly disproved and are clearly fake, they have a real-world effect, whether it’s the destruction of telecommunication infrastructure or the abuse of telco workers themselves. Be better, people.

Vivian Dunstan holds an electromagnetic wave detector showing dangerous levels at Tania Park at Balgowlah on Thursday, June 13. Local residents are concerned about the possible dangers of 5G, and the towers at Tania Park, next to a playground, are proposed for an upgrade to 5g. (AAP IMAGE / Troy Snook)

Covid

Remember when the anti-vaxxers said Covid wasn’t real? Then they all got Covid? Yeah, that was some evidence-based karma right there.