LiQUiFY Magazine December 2014 | Page 59

T he fight to save this world-class surfing precinct and marine park from cruise ship dredging and radical over development is reaching critical mass. On one side you have a ridiculous array of greed-fuelled and development-hungry private interests, led by a questionable foreign consortium and a divisive mayor. On the other hand you have, well just about everyone else including the surfing and diving communities along with most of the general population. The political and media landscape has been dominated by this topic for two years now, instigated when the now mayor Tom Tate, pulled a stunning 180 degree about face on his long-standing official policy for no terminal on The Spit, just 24 hours before the election and well after the postal and absentee votes were lodged. Did the people really vote for this development? Will it actually destroy the area? These are just some of the things every Gold Coaster owes it to themselves to know.