REMEMBER WHEN

A GOLD Coast City Council investigation was launched into reports that the Surfers Paradise promotional and courtesy girls were timeshare touts in disguise.

Council health committee chairman Jim Bergin ordered an inquiry into the young women’s practice of handing out promotional materials for a timeshare company.

Mr Bergin said the two, who were employed by the Surfers Paradise Chamber of Commerce, faced fines of up to $500 each if they were caught distributing the material.

“I am astonished at reports that the chamber of commerce is allowing timeshare touts to masquerade as courtesy girls,” he said.

“It is most certainly a breach of the city’s by-laws to hand out any form of brochure or leaflet in the streets without council permission.

“Locals and tourists should be able to walk the streets in peace without having advertising materials of any kind thrust under their noses.

“I will be instructing my officers to immediately investigate whether this is happening.”

His comments came as the chamber gagged the courtesy girls, who were sponsored to the tune of $5000 each month by Coast timeshare firm Holiday Resort Properties.

Roberta Aitchison said the chamber had told her and fellow courtesy girl Melinda Stewart not to speak to the Bulletin. Sources told the newspaper that the two had been threatened with the sack unless they drummed up 44 would-be timeshare customers each day.

Ms Aitchison now runs the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids.