Tate accuses minister of ‘grandstanding’

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MAYOR Tom Tate has fired back at the State’s housing minister over claims of secret development plans for a Gold Coast caravan park, arguing they were “provocative” and “unfounded”.

After visiting residents of Kirra Beach Tourist Park last week, minister for Housing Mick de Brenni launched a scathing attack on Council, questioning the motives behind the forced removal of 73 permanent residents.

Mr de Brenni told the Bulletin: “Is this about developing this land into something completely different? Do they have plans for a shopping centre, or something else?”

But in a letter written to the minister last week mayor Tate accused him of “grandstanding in the media”.

“I can confirm that the City has no intention of ‘developing this land into something completely different’,” Cr Tate wrote.

In the letter, mayor Tate went on to ask the minister what measures he was undertaking to supply the caravan park residents with social housing on the southern Gold Coast.