Managing economy key to our region’s success
My plan for the city of the Gold Coast as mayor is having a sustainable economic city through functional public transport, construction and manufacturing of parts and goods.
Manufacturing is a key interest of mine as it is the foundations of the Gold Coast and its greatest economic provider.
I would also love to bring the Gold Coast City Council budget under control so we are in a situation that is very similar to Brisbane City Council.
We must make sure that the Gold Coast is an economically sustainable city. This means we would no longer need to borrow money from state government revenue for any kind of infrastructure projects.
We must also obtain a functional housing plan, meaning the Gold Coast City Council releases enough land that we own and the state government owns for housing supply, ensuring that all housing supply can be multipurpose.
For example, high-rises should not just have a maximum of two bedrooms but instead have up to three bedrooms so families can use these apartments for purposeful and functional living. As mayor I would strive for realistic functional living to make sure the city is sustainable and our economic plan is within the Gold Coast City Council budget.
Another way I believe our economy can improve is through generating our own electricity by using our waste.
This has been trialled and found to be effective in Japan, which is home to Takasu and Kanagawa Prefecture that have sister city relationships with the Gold Coast.
I believe having a rotating deputy mayor of the Gold Coast City Council would also improve planning, fairness and an equitable council for all divisions. I would advocate for improving our public transport system so people who do not wish to use their cars for whatever reason – like tourists, disabled and regular public transport users – can effectively access and ride services.
This needs to be conducted through interconnecting transport routes that link the Gold Coast while also providing users with shorter transport ride times and fewer hassles for users to worry about wait times, cancellations and walking between different stops and stations.
Another major concern of mine would be our city’s green spaces and nature areas.
We need to protect and preserve these areas by ensuring they are pleasurable, practical and protected from human damage.
A major concern regarding this would be the lack of public toilets in parks, gardens and green spaces as public defecation is a major public health hazard and environment destructor. Therefore, I as mayor would implicate every green space and park/garden to have at least one public toilet to deter public defecation.
Another key policy of mine is making our footpaths user friendly for all, ensuring they are interconnected and providing a path to major areas throughout our neighbourhoods like shopping centres. I would also love to see our beach footpaths connect users from North to South beaches.
Another vision of mine would be to have a true agricultural show similar to the EKKA, which would show people where our local meat and produce comes from while also being an attraction for tourists that brings in further revenue. This event would promote our farmers and their work which is local to the Gold Coast.
We also need to address our public tram system as accessibility to some tram stops is unreasonable for the average person.
The system is more targeted towards tourists which is not optimal for long-term residents of the Gold Coast. We need to consider accessibility for our disabled and cognitively challenged people as tactile paving is not up to an effective standard, and our foot paths are not properly directed – nor are they all connected with some ending abruptly in inconvenient areas and some with severe cracks in them which leads to public safety hazards.
I would like to see our water management plan be revised to be able to make sure that all water that falls from the sky onto our streets is recycled into water for practical use. Systems with these purposes are already being used in many parts of the world.
My vision is to get back to basics like low rates, drinkable water, better footpaths, well-lit public spaces, removing rubbish, upgrading parks and cemeteries.
I will also maximise the city’s existing events that bring a windfall for business especially in stormaffected areas, attract more employers to relocate to the Gold Coast, and advocate for more cheap family entertainment.
I am not a fan of extending light rail and prefer state government-funded heavy rail upgrades, with new dual tracks to Coolangatta, instead.
I would really like to see the Currumbin Creek Road upgraded and other necessary infrastructure improvements happen in other divisions.
I would also like to introduce fixedterm building contracts where contractors have to work within a previously agreed budget.
There needs to be a time frame too with performance bonuses awarded for completing sections ahead of time. A good example of this is the Eucumbene Dam and Snowy Mountain Hydro projects that were successfully finished in just 14 months – well ahead of the original schedule.
Importantly, I will stop closing council meetings to the public and media, and order a review into spending. The latest annual report shows our city has $1.2bn of total liabilities, which works out to be about $1.4m of repayments each day.
I will also push for rate rebates for vulnerable Gold Coasters doing it tough, especially low-income earners living in low socio-economic environments. They are the ones who are most impacted by cost of living pressures.