Dick steers clear of terminal debate
THE controversial debate over whether a cruise ship terminal should be built on the Gold Coast goes back more than 18 years and Cameron Dick is steering clear of it.
The State Planning Minister announced The Spit Master Plan Options Paper outlining 72 possibilities for the future of the area on Saturday.
“The master planning process for The Spit will not decide whether an ocean-side cruise ship terminal at Philip Park will proceed,” the first line under the Philip Park section reads.
Despite The Spit being the proposed location for the cruise ship terminal, Mr Dick said the terminal would have to be approved at another stage.
“This will not become a referendum on the merits of a cruise ship terminal,” he said.
The masterplan has two options for Philip Park – one with a cruise ship terminal and one without.
Mr Dick said this was to establish the required infrastructure with or without the terminal.
If it was to go ahead he said it could have a cruise ship terminal, car parks and ocean path under the terminal jetty.
If the terminal isn’t approved, Philip Park would get a car park upgrade.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the council had put the cruise ship terminal plans on “pause”.
“The location is at Philip Park and the master plan hasn’t ruled it out and hasn’t ruled it in because we haven’t finished our full business case,” he said.
“Once the plan is done, I will reactive the planning for the cruise ship terminal and then we can have a dialogue with the State Government.”