Pre-poll parking nightmare as little space at Gold Coast centres

PRE-POLLING has begun on the Gold Coast and the biggest challenge for voters is not compulsory preferential voting. There’s something far more difficult affecting polling booths.

PRE-POLLING has begun on the Gold Coast and the biggest challenge for voters is not compulsory preferential voting. It will be finding a park.

Candidates at pre-polling booths at Nerang, Arundel and Runaway Bay this morning all complained about the lack of access for voters.

FULL LIST OF GOLD COAST CANDIDATES

Pre-poll in the electorate of Bonny.

One Nation Broadwater candidate Brenden Ball, who was working a small booth in Oxley Drive told the Bulletin: “It’s such a ridiculous set-up. We are not allowed in the shop at all.

“This is a tiny office. There’s parking problems. It’s a shemozzle.”

At the Bonney booth in an industrial area along Ereton Drive opposite Harbour Town, voters found it difficult to find any available on-street parking.

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Pre-poll station in Nerang.

At the Nerang booth in Price Street in the suburb’s older shopping precinct, Gaven voters cannot park directly in front.

Candidates estimate about 50 voters visited their booth in the first hour with most of them being elderly residents wanting to beat the rush before the November 25 poll.

The mood among the candidates was cordial in the electorates where the closest battle will be staged, in Bonney and Gaven.

Gaven LNP MP Sid Cramp told the Bulletin: “We set up just after 7.30. It was a little bit quiet to start off but people are coming through now.”

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No public parking sign at Arundel pre-poll