FRESH EYES A GOOD START

COMETH the hour, cometh the woman. As the city charts its course into its Golden Age, tourism remains a major part of this.

Gold Coast Tourism’s new CEO, Annaliese Battista, has runs on the board.

She stepped into the fray recently to take over running City of Perth operations as an interim measure following the abrupt departure of two CEOs in 10 days. Her economic development role there has also covered marketing and communications, and international engagement.

The challenge ahead for Ms Battista involves a balancing act. As she throws herself into the job and, as she says, hits the ground running, she has to develop a local’s feel for the Gold Coast. But she also has to retain the ability to step back and see the city in a way locals don’t. In that regard she already has an advantage, coming here with fresh eyes – just like our interstate and overseas visitors. It is encouraging she already recognises the challenge of recent years. Visitation has edged up, but duration and spend have not kept pace.

It must be acknowledged outgoing CEO Martin Winter did a great job, but after 10 years it was time for a change. Criticism that Gold Coast Tourism failed to promote the theme parks adequately last year was valid, since most interstate visitors come here looking for those very attractions.

In an industry that demands renewal and reinvention, Ms Battista’s role will be critical in promoting the city and addressing the length of stay and visitor spending, and importantly in helping guide tourism to the next level. It can be a tall order. Groups in the community – who like the rest of us need tourism because it drives the local economy – will oppose any development that does not suit what they think is acceptable. Projects like a cable car into the mountains have been paralysed by protest. We are pleased to welcome Ms Battista. She is said to be an outstanding appointment, but she cannot tackle such a huge job alone. The city – and its politicians – must support her. SOME probably think the shunning of single-use plastics in trendy bars is the final straw, but bags, balloons, drink stirrers and yes, straws, are killing marine life.

Australian states are banning single-use plastic bags and the supermarket giants will have them phased out by the end of June, although we remain sceptical of the true motives of the big stores when they continue to package a huge range of items in plastic. But straws? Other countries are banning them but in Australia the lead is being taken – as it so often is – by our nation’s youth, who have no trouble in accepting the environmental argument put up by bars where drinks are now served sans straws or with a metal alternative.

When it comes to clean beaches and surf, we are lucky here. The photograph on Page 38 shows just how clean our water is.

But out in the ocean a plastic soup is growing, with plastic particles being found even in the deepest trenches. Plastics are poisoning and strangling creatures in our marine ecosystem.

Next time you buy a drink, raise a toast to the demise of the plastic straw.