Coast businesses have to unite with one clear voice

I’VE known Mayor Tom Tate for 21 years, and I know the passion he has for our tourism industry – a passion we share.

I appreciate the angst he must have felt in turning down tourism’s request for further funding. But his budget decision was ultimately the right one at this time.

Faced with limited resources and the dilemma of borrowing more than an unpredictable economic future could sustain, he spread what was needed across a broad spectrum to underpin our recovery.

Not everyone will agree with the Mayor, which brings me to another observation.

Central Chamber president Martin Hall said: “The lack of increased funding was deeply disappointing.”

Martin is entitled to express his opinion on behalf of his members, but I wonder what all the other chambers are thinking?

2012 saw the final absorption of some outlying chambers into the Surfers Paradise Chamber, renamed Gold Coast Central.

Combined, those amalgamated chambers had 1000 and more members comprising predominantly small business operators – the backbone of our city’s business demographic.

In a recent Bulletin article, Mr Hall boasted that COVID-19 was bringing new businesses to his reported membership base of 200. This represents 20 per cent of what his regionally expanded chamber formerly had.

2012 also saw the demise of the Combined Chamber of Commerce, an umbrella body incorporating all city chambers that democratically formed whole-ofcity policy and lobbied with one unified voice.

2019-20 has demonstrated what we can achieve when we unite in common cause. COVID-19 exposed our strengths and weaknesses, and we should learn from this. A united and representative business voice based on broad consensus has far greater authority and effect.

The Combined Chamber was such an effective authority. Mayor Tate knows this. He served on it for many years as well as as president for Surfers Paradise Chamber.

Present circumstances dictate this is no time for the preservation of disparate fiefdoms alone when broad business representation and consensus is required.

Martin Hall is presented the opportunity to verify the voice he has been credited with when the media calls him “chamber boss”.

He can reach out to the other chambers and offer to reinstitute a combined chamber or similar.

After all, leadership and effectiveness are only as strong as those that support it.

BOB JANSSEN,

GOLD COAST