Queensland state election 2024: Burleigh councillor Josh Martin warns careful decision needed on safe night precinct
Hopefuls from across the political spectrum have revealed where they stand on Burleigh becoming a Safe Night Precinct as it morphs from quiet village into popular nightspot.
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Hopefuls from across the political spectrum have universally rejected calls for Burleigh to become a Safe Night Precinct as it morphs from quiet village into popular nightspot.
The future of the beachside hot spot has come under the microscope during the state election campaign in the wake of several incidents.
With the popularity of Burleigh’s late-night venues growing, so too have concerns from residents and police about alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour.
One of the options flagged has been the use of a Safe Night Precinct, the same designation used for party hub Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.
A raft of measures come with the designation, including the use of ID scanners by licenced venues and police being able to ban people from the precincts who engaged in offensive or violent conduct.
But candidates who attended the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce’s breakfast say it would be a mistake.
Libertarians candidate Cathy Osbourne ruled out backing the idea.
“When there are already concerns from the local councillor (Josh Martin) that making it a Safe Night Precinct would open up longer drinking hours, then yes it will bring more crime,” she said.
“Are we on the way to becoming another Surfers Paradise? With this we would be and we need to talk to the community at large because what we have in Burleigh is very special.
“Will the Safe Night Precinct add to Burleigh’s character? I don’t think so.”
Mr Martin, who was elected in March, earlier this week warned a considered decision was needed to prevent unintended consequences making the situation worse.
“Becoming a Safe Night Precinct has been raised as an idea and I’m supportive of additional safety measures, especially more resources for police, but we need to carefully consider what becoming a Safe Night Precinct would mean,” he said.
“We don’t want to set the tone so that it is going to become a night precinct because Burleigh has a unique night-time economy. It’s got fantastic bars but we don’t want to replicate Broadbeach or Surfers Paradise because it’s a totally different speed of economy.”
Both major parties have vowed to take action to improve safety in the area if they win the October 26 election.
The LNP has committed to a $4.1m crime plan which would see either a police beat or shopfront facility, as well as an expansion of the city’s CCTV network.
Labor’s Meaghan Scanlon said making Burleigh a Safe Night Precinct would require “a significant amount of reform” and wanted to “carefully consider any decision.”
Burleigh ‘cannot become a southern Surfers Paradise’
Burleigh councillor Josh Martin has warned against snap decisions to make the suburb a safe night precinct, saying it could turn it into a nightclub hub.
The future of the beachside hot spot has come under the microscope in the first week of the state election campaign.
With the popularity of Burleigh’s late-night venues growing so too have concerns from residents and police about alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour.
Both major parties have vowed to take action to improve safety if they win the October 26 election.
One of the options flagged has been the use of a safe night precinct, the same designation used for party hub Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.
A raft of measures come with these designations including police being able to ban people from the precincts who engaged in offensive, or violent conduct.
Mr Martin, who was elected in March, warned a considered decision was needed to prevent unintended consequences making the situation worse.
“Becoming a safe night precinct has been raised as an idea and I’m supportive of additional safety measures, especially more resources for police but we need to carefully consider what becoming a safe night precinct would mean,” he said.
“We don’t want to set the tone so that it is going to become a night precinct because Burleigh has a unique night-time economy. It’s got fantastic bars but we don’t want to replicated Broadbeach or Surfers Paradise because it’s a totally different speed of economy.
“I don’t want to pave the way for nightclubs but at the same time, if there are concerns about safety then we need to figure out what we can do to ensure it’s a safe destination.”
Burleigh’s night-life continues to evolve.
It was revealed just last week that popular venue Pink Monkey, which cut trade two hours to 11pm midweek – has a green light to operate as a “commercial hotel”, paving the way for 2am trading on Friday and Saturday nights.
It had already received development approval on August 2 for a commercial hotel which enables it to trade until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Labor MP Meaghan Scanlon last week said she was “supportive of looking into a safe night precinct in the area but we will need to get the view of the community and businesses”.
“There really needs to be buy-in from those local businesses as we have seen in other precincts and are open to any suggestion put for by council or those businesses,” she said.
The LNP last week announced a $4.1m crime plan which would see either a police beat or shopfront facility, as well as an expansion of the CCTV network.
LNP candidate Hermann Vorster said consultation was critical before any decision was made on a safe night precinct.
“Locals tell me they want a plan for the area and I don’t want to prejudge what that is. But people pushing for a safe night precinct say those who are banned from Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach could be banned in Burleigh,” he said last week.
“Others warn this will open the door to more aggressive applications for late trading.”
BURLEIGH ‘NEEDS A STRATEGY TO SAVE ITS REPUTATION’
Former councillor turned Burleigh LNP candidate Hermann Vorster is calling for the creation of a strategy to manage the suburb’s transition from beachside village to busy nightspot.
The microscope is again on the future of Burleigh as a night-time destination after the alleged fatal assault of 22-year-old Nerang man Cameron Duce, who died on Saturday more than week after he was found by members of the public lying on the ground at First Ave near the corner of The Esplanade with a serious head injury.
Mr Duce had been walking home after a night out.
An 18-year-old man has been charged with unlawful striking causing death.
Following a series of other incidents, rampant development and a growing number of venues seeking longer trading hours, Mr Vorster said a coherent plan was needed to ensure the area was being managed better.
He blamed the incumbent Labor government for the “chaos” and not putting a plan in place while Burleigh’s population grew dramatically.
“What needs to happen is a strategy for our night-time economy and that work does not exist at the moment,” he said.
“We need to set expectations for the community and we need to set expectations for licensees and most important, we need to see police numbers increased to keep people safe.
It comes after a growing debate over Burleigh’s night-life.
It was revealed just last week that popular venue Pink Monkey, which cut trade two hours to 11pm midweek – has a green light to operate as a “commercial hotel”, paving the way for 2am trading on Friday and Saturday nights.
It had already received development approval on August 2 for a commercial hotel which enables it to trade until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights.
There have been calls for the state government to designate Burleigh a “safe night precinct” in recognition of it as growing into a night-life hotspot.
This state designation has already been given to 15 locations, including Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise and were introduce to reduce drug and alcohol-related violence.
It gives police the power to ban people from these precincts.
Mr Vorster, said there were pros and cons to the idea.
“Locals tell me they want a plan for the area and I don’t want to prejudge what that is but people pushing for a safe night precinct say those who are banned from Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach could be banned in Burleigh,” he said.
“Others warn this will open the door to more aggressive applications for late trading.
Let’s ask with the community aspires for the area, licensees who are doing the right thing and focus on the job for more police.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of residents and body corporates and they are worried about application after application without a broad plan for how this precinct should be managed.
“Some argue a reduction in weekday trading and an increase on the weekends will impact on their sleep but what we do need is a plan.”
Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon earlier said part of the problems Burleigh had faced from night-time violence had come from people banned from the Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach safe night precincts heading south.
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