As a co-host city for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics, the Gold Coast is maximising key legacy outcomes which will flow from the Games.

In my view, legacy starts now and we must capitalise on early investments in public transport, community venues, new tourism experiences, enhanced tertiary education and leading-edge technology including blockchain and AI.

Today, the Gold Coast is a city with a diverse economy, record population growth and an enviable lifestyle. Protecting and enhancing our lifestyle means making greater investments in all forms of public transport, boosting our city’s volunteer ranks and establishing community venues and public spaces which can be well used long after 2032.

As a city, we managed to achieve that for the 2018 Commonwealth Games – let’s hit the same high benchmark for 2032.

Bringing city leaders together through forums like Future Gold Coast builds authentic partnerships and turns the spotlight on what our city can achieve.

Our evolution as a key lifestyle city is attracting global investment in areas such as film, advanced manufacturing, medical research, property, marine, sport and IT. A key outcome of a more diverse economy is to provide career opportunities for residents and youth.

As mayor, I strongly believe in the power of keeping families together. By creating career pathways for young Gold Coasters, we can help them stay on the coast, build a rewarding career and raise their own families.

The Gold Coast is now Australia’s fastest-growing economy. The key to this success is in creating a diverse and vibrant economy. Since 2012, our City Gross Regional Product (GRP) has grown by over 65 per cent – from $30 billion in 2012-13 to $50 billion today. This phenomenal growth has been driven through partnerships with the private sector, media, universities, publicly-listed companies and all three tiers of government. The Gold Coast is open for business and investors have taken the cue.

For all the investment in five-star hotels, major airport upgrades, and our expanding light industry precinct in the north etc, small business remains a vital piece of the puzzle providing jobs for tens of thousands and often supporting larger enterprises. With more than 80,000 Gold Coast businesses, most of which are small and often family-owned, residents are investing in our city and supporting those local jobs.

This year, at a time when we have seen other local governments cutting their capital budgets, the council I lead has brought in a record $2.7b budget with capital expenditure exceeding $1b for the first time in our history. When it comes to records, the 2025-26 community budget survey has set one of its own with 6486 responses from Gold Coasters.

This feedback gives us a valuable insight into the priorities of residents.

The community told us they want the City to focus on key areas including transport and traffic, public safety and parks and natural areas.

This record level of investment is essential to keep us ahead of the curve as we build community infrastructure for a growing city.

Two examples include the Pimpama Sewerage Treatment Plant upgrade at $65 million and $25 million for the Burnside Road upgrade at Stapylton.

Further, we will invest more than $80 million in road reseal and upgrades across the coast in 2025-26.

These are not high profile projects but this investment plays a vital role in protecting our lifestyle and managing growth.

In the past three years, we have made strategic land purchases across the coast, from Burleigh to Springbrook and north to Coomera and Stapylton. We now have more than 465 conservation parks and over 4000 hectares of land under active restoration. Before this term of council is finished, I expect we will have achieved the goal I set of 51 per cent of our city being open space or conservation estate land. It is vital the lungs of our city is protected for generations to come and that’s why the planning scheme that Council and staff are currently working on will, generally speaking, encourage growth to be infill redevelopment in areas well services by public transport, arterial roads, schools, hospitals and shopping centres.

These investments provide certainty for our business community along with places for families and our kids to recreate in their leisure time and stay active and healthy.

We must continue to expand the extremely popular and well used light rail network, as demand will continue to grow with the opening of stage three to Burleigh next year, and progress east-west links across the city.

Just recently the State Government announced that patronage was now at 14 million passengers a year. When stage three opens I have no doubt the number of journeys will quickly exceed 20 million a year. This is a phenomenal success story and shows that people will use reliable and regular public transport if it is provided for them.

Looking ahead, we are actively continuing to grow our film and screen industry, expanding our arts and culture footprint, investing in more green spaces including Green Heart, progressing the Gold Coast Arena at Southport and the Advanced Resource Recovery Centre (ARRC) at Stapylton.

Just as we have diversified our economy generally, we are broadening our tourism economy with investments in nature-based tourism, new arts and culture offerings, events and entertainment, accessibility, and luxury accommodation. These substantial investments grow our international reputation as Australia’s tourism capital and also add to our enviable reputation as a lifestyle destination.

The City has established Experience Gold Coast, Invest Gold Coast and Brand Gold Coast to ensure that across all facets of our economy, we are maximising every opportunity in the lead up to 2032.

There’s more to be achieved and the Future Gold Coast series has helped open new chapters, and new ways of thinking, as we look beyond the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics. I look forward to speaking at this year’s event and hearing new ideas from our business, community and not-for-profit sectors. With a city growing this rapidly, it is essential that we take on a broad range of views to ensure, to the fullest extent possible, that nobody is left behind.

The Gold Coast has rightly earned its place in the sun and now is the time to seize tomorrow’s opportunities, today. Get on board and be part of #TeamGoldCoast.

TOM TATE IS THE GOLD COAST MAYOR AND CITY OF GOLD COAST IS A FUTURE GOLD COAST SPONSOR

Editor’s note: The Bulletin acknowledges the Future Gold Coast sponsors for supporting this important series and notes sponsors have no control over the content or views expressed.