DIVE SITE BACK ON
THE State Government has thrown its engines in reverse, stopping a secret plan to pull out of a bid to tender for and sink a retired warship off the Gold Coast for a tourism dive site.
It’s now full steam ahead on the bid to scuttle the frigate HMAS Darwin and create an underwater tourism gold mine for the city.
The backflip came hours after the Gold Coast Bulletin published a report that revealed the office of Tourism Minister Kate Jones wrote to Canberra to withdraw from the bid process.
The Government failed to tell the city council or Gold Coast federal MPs, leaving them to continue negotiations for six months in the belief the Palaszczuk Government was still on board.
Amid the furore that erupted following publication of the story, Ms Jones told the Gold Coast Bulletin a renewed commitment to the project would be covered in a new tourism infrastructure fund to be announced in the State Budget.
GOLD Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan admits he was shocked to find out a dive wreck earmarked as a potential city attraction appeared to have been torpedoed.
Mr Donovan said yesterday’s Bulletin front page, which revealed State Government withdrew from bidding for the retired HMAS Darwin, had surprised him.
“I’m disappointed because a dive site is on my top 10 list,” Mr Donovan said.
“We need a dive wreck. Not that it would be the be all and end all but it’s something we don’t have at the moment.
“I’d want to know what the truth is because you have the Liberals on one side and Labor on the other,” he said.
State Government’s withdrawal of its bid – which Tourism Minister Kate Jones yesterday indicated would be reversed – was slammed by Gold Coast Federal MP Stu Robert of the LNP.
Mr Donovan said he would contact both to get to the bottom of the latest development.
“I have a responsibility as chair of tourism to not interfere but understand what has gone on.
“I have no right to bang any heads together but I have responsibility to find out the truth and what’s gone on — and if that’s now gone, how can we now resurrect it,” Mr Donovan said. “I’m going to continue to support Mayor Tom’s pursuit of a dive wreck. It’s another dimension for the city.”