It’s official - the Gold Coast is open for business, but not like you think. Under new stewardship, in
particular the unusual stylings of the city’s mayor Tom Tate, the last couple of years have been a
rollercoaster ride of questionable suggestions and controversial statements, which ultimately have
centred around the sale, privatisation, gifting or commercialisation of the city’s best public spaces.
I
f at first you don’t succeed, throw
more money at it. That seemed to
be the case for Tom Tate’s third run
at public office. After years of failed
attempts and a turbulent campaign
that saw candidates chucking buckets
of mud, he managed to grab the last
seat when the music stopped. The result
was a surprise for many (especially the
64% or so of people that didn’t vote
for him), as it quickly became evident
that not all of Tom’s campaign material
totally matched his newfound mantra
and perceived role as city mayor.
Since taking office it seems like Tommy
has been living his own private endless
summer, and that might well be what’s
been going through his head as he continues
to eye off more public spaces for privatisation,
private control and commercial activity. Evidently
Tom’s approach to public service has somewhat
mirrored his private role as a businessman,
Photo: Wollex
Piloting large ships into the broadwater would be an
insurance nightmare, but is this about acquiring land
and casino permits rather than cruise ships at all?
hotelier and real-estate speculator. Nowhere
has this been more apparent than with our
famous beaches, waterways and surf breaks.
His exuberant ideas have suggested everything
from beach vendors flogging their wares to
handing over pristine shores, waters and parks
to Chinese consortia, and recently a giant
concrete amphitheatre in the middle of our
best surf break’s shoreline.
There’s just one big problem with all of Tom’s
‘great’ ideas