WHINERS HOLD CITY TO RANSOM
I HAVE zero tolerance for naysayers, selfish greenies, whingers and NIMBYs.
The Gold Coast was built by entrepreneurs. People who put their own money on the line to create theme parks, motor racing complexes, world-class hotels and resorts, and international marine precincts.
We’ve done an amazing job balancing the preservation of our green space with the need to create thousands of jobs for today’s, and tomorrow’s generations.
Just last week, our city celebrated another Australian first when we became the first council in the nation to create a fund specific to the protection of a species – the Koala Fund.
When it comes to tourism, we need to ensure that entrepreneurial spirit is not dampened by the selfish greenies, or retired know-alls who no longer need a job.
We need diversification with our tourism offerings and that means: a dive attraction; Hinterland cableway, oceanside cruise terminal; and partial commercialisation of a sliver of our beach areas.
Those ‘selfish few’ with ample spare time to write malicious and false lettersto-the-editor somehow think it is their duty to speak on behalf of the majority. It isn’t. Like I have said at the last two council elections, if you don’t like the policies or initiatives I am leading as Mayor, don’t vote for me.
The last election saw a 73 per cent vote count go my way so I strongly believe I am representing the wishes of the majority of Gold Coasters.
Globally, the world travel and leisure market has changed immensely in the last five years. It’ll change again in the next two years and beyond that. Our challenge is to get our valued visitors to stay longer and spend more.
Tourists have choices and the 13.1 million who visit here annually want us to renew and refresh our offerings. Otherwise, they may look elsewhere and our economy will be hit hard.
That may not hurt the retiree who doesn’t need a job, or the greenie who has probably never wanted one, but it will impact current, and future, job seekers and I won’t stand by and cop that.