Gold Coast cableway: Mayor Tom Tate pledges project in six months as petition calls for halt
Organisers of an anti-cableway petition are rallying against Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate’s pledge to “take a risk” on the project. Now Bulletin readers are chiming in. HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR POLL
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MAYOR Tom Tate said the council would “take the risk” on building a business case for the cableway and urged Gold Coast residents to “keep an open mind”.
Cr Tate was responding to a report in the Bulletin which reveals almost 14,000 people have signed a petition against a new tourist attraction at Springbrook.
The petition had since been reopened by its organisers in retaliation to his comments.
A poll of Bulletin readers, however, found that 72 per cent were in favour of the cableway being built at all.
Readers also weighed in with their thoughts.
“Been saying it for years, send it to Tamborine,” Caroline said.
“That place is already wrecked, please leave some beautiful parts as they are beautiful, bad enough the Greenies had to resume that magnificent Manor House up on Springbrook plateau!”
Jackson added: “Rate payer money being spent on private enterprise? Why? Will they finance my next business idea to?”
Alan had a question.
“Can I ask why Council funds, time and effort is undergoing such an exploration. It should be conducted and paid for by private enterprise applying to the State Government.”
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“We are finalising the best route that is the path that doesn’t acquire any private property. So we will be going through public rainforest area,” Cr Tate told the Bulletin.
“We have got a new CEO coming in, I want him to spend two to three months to overlook that.”
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“We will be the one who will prosecuting the case, so no private enterprise,” Cr Tate said.
“If there is potential we can do something with the State, we will take the risk on that part of it, get through the EIS.
“If it proves the business case works and the opportunities there, I will take to the State Government to go “please have a look at an opportunity for another tourism infrastructure”.
“I respect the number of people who have signed the petition but I find it difficult to understand how anyone can object to a project without seeing the proposed route, design, economic uplift, employment model and its environmental attributes.
“I ask that everyone just takes the time to wait until council has done this initial work.’’
Cr Tate said he had yet to speak to Deputy Premier Dr Steven Miles about the project.
“Let’s keep an open mind,” he said.
The Mayor says he is confident a cableway proposal will be ready to take to the Government within the next six months.
Councillors must first meet to discuss a report on possible routes for the project, before presenting concepts to the Government.
Cr Tate confirmed Mr Edwards would have carriage of the officers’ report, as part of his new role in council.
The cableway is one of two new projects Mayor Tate is discussing at State level, along with a proposed beach bar trial.
“It’s vital that we renew our tourism products as we have 25 million Aussies who largely can only holiday domestically for quite some time.
“These projects would benefit both visitors and locals and further boost our employment. I’d really like to see a beach bar trial start in late 2021, whereas the cableway will take some time to come to fruition,” he said.
EARLIER
A PETITION signed by almost 14,000 people wants the state government to ignore a request from the council to back a cableway in the Gold Coast hinterland.
The change.org petition, started by a former Springbrook resident now living in Brisbane, was closed on Wednesday after securing 13,415 signatures.
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The petitioner, who asked not to be named, said the results would be provided to Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon in the hope that the government rejected any approach from the council to fund a business case feasibility study on the project.
“Most of the state and council land along the proposed cableway route are areas of high conservation and unsuitable for construction of such intrusive infrastructure,” the petitioner wrote.
“Gondwana Rainforests, of which Springbrook National Park is a part, were recently assessed by the IUCN World Heritage Outlook Report 2020 to have deteriorated from ‘good with some concerns’ to ‘significant concerns’.
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“There are other opportunities to spend money (in the hinterland), whether it be building infrastructure for people in the area or for international visitors to enjoy,” she said.
“It’s shortsighted of whoever keeps raising the issue. It never gets tiresome fighting something you don’t want and that’s detrimental to the environment.”
The petition refers to “a significant lack of infrastructure like sewerage and town water”.
“In addition, the impact would be too great on the native flora and fauna as a result of the clearing and building of the cableway and continue to threaten those species already in danger,” it said.
A report from the Co-ordinator-General in November 2000 outlined why the cableway should not be built, the petition said, and a further study would waste money.
Mudgeeraba-based councillor Glenn Tozer said the strong response to the petition showed the passion many people felt about Springbrook National Park
“The Queensland Environment Minister (Meaghan Scanlon) will have much to consider,” Cr Tozer said.
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He said he expected a pre-feasibility report would be considered by councillors soon.
“It will address proposed routes and preliminary business case elements. I expect it may map a way forward outlining the next steps in the process, should council decide to progress to the next stage.”
Asked for his position on the project, Cr Tozer replied: “I do not want to be known as a councillor who disregarded World Heritage biodiversity significance simply for commercial tourism interests. When the time comes, I will consider the expected impact carefully and measure the economic gains that might be realised, against any social and environmental cost.
“Any final decision, however, may be some way ahead. I have previously been publicly sceptical of the possible benefits of a cableway — compared to other economic projects — and I remain sceptical but open-minded.”
Originally published as Gold Coast cableway: Mayor Tom Tate pledges project in six months as petition calls for halt
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