Couran Cove residents living in “war zone” waiting for Premier David Crisafulli to keep promise

Residents living in “third world conditions” on a Queensland island are pleading with Premier David Crisafulli to make good on his own words to fix the disaster in his own backyard. Read his response

Residents living in “third world conditions” on a Queensland island are pleading with Premier David Crisafulli to make good on his own words to fix the disaster in his own backyard.

It’s been two years since power, water, gas and sewerage were cut to Couran Cove Island Resort – nestled on South Stradbroke Island just 20 minutes from the Gold Coast – amid a bitter battle over $24m in debts.

Those who live in the community – who helped hand him a 64 per cent win in the Broadwater electorate – say they have been “pushed aside and forgotten”.

Couran Cove Island Resort has been abandoned for two years with residents living in the eco village without power, water or sewerage. Picture: Nigel Hallett

As Opposition Leader Mr Crisafulli savaged the former government for abandoning long-suffering residents, describing their plight as “situation critical”, with “people living in conditions that are like a war zone”.

“We are not talking about some impoverished nation. It is on the Gold Coast,” he told parliament in 2023.

“I have written repeatedly asking for their cries of help to be heard. They need help, and they need it now.

“What form that assistance takes is one that this parliament must find.”

But, 161 days since the local MP was named Premier, help has failed to materialise.

“Authorities don’t want to hear anything, this is the major problem … we are on our own,” said Paul Wilson, an island resident of nine years.

“We want the government to intervene. We feel abandoned.”

His desperate pleas were echoed by fellow resident John Quinn: “We’ve been pushed aside and forgotten.”

Eco village resident Tony Watson said he’d given up trying to get help from government.

“I’ve written to the state government and council but no one gives a damn, we feel abandoned.”

Couran Cove resident Paul Wilson. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Couran Cove resident and real estate agent John Quinn. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Residents are calling for a judicial inquiry and for further tightening of body corporate legislation to allow debts to be collected from individual property owners rather than whole body corporate groups sharing liability.

They also say an independent mediator must be appointed to sift through the complex web of debts so the island can return to normality.

Premier David Crisafulli was vocal about the need for action at Couran Cove while he was in Opposition. Picture: Dan Peled

In Opposition, Mr Crisafulli backed calls for an independent inquiry into Couran Cove.

Asked a series of detailed questions about the issue this week, Mr Crisafulli responded with two sentences via a spokesman.

“Earlier this year the Premier convened a roundtable with several Government departments to kickstart a response to this multifaceted issue which covers several areas,” the spokesman said.

“That work is under way and updates will be provided to this community as we try to unravel what is a complex minefield.”

For residents, Mr Crisafulli’s own words to parliament in March last year say it better: “There must be a solution found. The government cannot say that it is simply too big a deal; it has to be someone else’s responsibility.

“We have people living in Third World conditions; we have imminent fire risk; we have health and safety risk. Nothing is being done and I again want to call it out.”

Originally published as Couran Cove residents living in “war zone” waiting for Premier David Crisafulli to keep promise