With our safe seats under threat for the first time in decades, the city is proving the real winner this election

The Gold Coast has been short-changed by federal power-brokers for decades. That could be about to change, writes Ann Wason Moore.

The federal election might still be a week away, but the Gold Coast is already a winner thanks to a bit of healthy competition.

In the last three months, the city’s federal seats have been literally paid more attention than in the three years prior.

The seat of McPherson alone, which retiring LNP MP Karen Andrews held with a 9.3 per cent margin, has seen more than $8 million of funding commitments made as the race tightens between LNP candidate Leon Rebello and Climate 200-supported independent candidate Erchana Murray-Bartlett.

Compare those multiple millions to the $45,000 in discretionary federal government grants given to McPherson between 2022 and the start of this year.

While these grants, decided solely by federal ministers, are a different beast from funding promises, the disparity is clear. And there is one big difference between the two figures (aside from the actual $7.95m difference) – competition.

According to data from Grant Connect that was analysed by Climate 200, the total amount spent on discretionary federal grants in the last three years was approximately $900 million which, if divided evenly, should come to $6 million per seat.

Yet McPherson received $45,000, Fadden received $50,000, while Moncrieff and Wright each received $1.1 million.

Compare that to the $44.4 million given to the seat of Leichhardt, which the ALP is trying to win, or the $32 million given to the seat of Hunter, which the ALP is trying to defend.

LNP McPherson candidate Leon Rebello with sitting Moncrieff MP Angie Bell and Fadden MP Cameron Caldwell. Picture: Portia Large.

Now, given the Gold Coast is considered Australia’s capital of conservatism, perhaps it’s no surprise that Labor isn’t trying to win us over. In fact, at the Gold Coast Central Chambers of Commerce Meet the Candidates breakfast, not one ALP candidate showed up.

However, the scoreboard was not much better prior to the 2022 federal election when the LNP was in power.

With $2.8 billion in Commonwealth grants distributed between 2018 and 2022, including non-discretionary grants, each seat should have received about $18.5 million per seat.

But what did we get? Well, Moncrieff received just $1.6m, Fadden $1m and McPherson a piddling $900k.

Again, compare this to marginal areas, such as Peter Dutton’s seat of Dickson which was granted a whopping $43.6m, and the also ‘unsafe’ Braddon received $83.4m.

The numbers don’t lie … no matter the party in power, being a city full of safe seats means we’re getting ripped off. No one cares to fight for this city because Labor considers us a lost cause while the LNP thinks we’re in the bag.

Climate 200-supported McPherson candidate Erchana Murray-Bartlett. Picture: Adam Head.

Climate 200-supported Moncrieff candidate Nicole Arrowsmith. Picture: Adam Head.

Now, whether you love or loathe the independent candidates running with the support of Climate 200, the so-called Teal ticket, bringing some competition into play is worth it for the Gold Coast.

The bottom line is that it’s good to see someone, anyone, give our primary parties (or party, really) a run for their money.

Will the likes of Erchana Murray-Bartlett in McPherson and Nicole Arrowsmith in Moncrieff win? It’s almost beside the point.

After all, so long as it’s a close race, it’s likely to help close our funding gap. Should the LNP win government, the party will surely be paying more than just attention to these seats in order to win back voters. Should the ALP win, they might realise that, at long last, this city is in play and worthy of some pay.

And what about if an independent actually wins? Well, Labor would surely love to throw some money to their seats to stave off a future LNP challenge.

To be clear, this isn’t to say that our local members haven’t fought hard for their constituents. They have and they do – yet any argument for more funding is surely weakened by the safety of their seats.

But now, thanks to a little competition, major parties are finally seeing that we’re worth fighting for.

Indeed, with more than $8 million promised for McPherson and almost $3 million to Moncrieff, LNP insiders have said the party is “pulling out all the stops”.

It’s hard to believe that this city – so big, so bold, so bright – could ever be ignored, but for too long that has been our political reality.

So thank goodness we finally found a competitive edge.

Originally published as With our safe seats under threat for the first time in decades, the city is proving the real winner this election