REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Monday August 1, 2005

THE revival of the new-look Nationals on the Gold Coast was to be put to the test by the ongoing battle for a cruise ship terminal on the Southport Spit.

Nationals state leader Lawrence Springborg found himself stuck in the middle when past and future elements of the party clashed over the proposed development.

The party’s new senior vice-president, Gold Coast City councillor Susie Douglas, successfully pushed through an urgency resolution that demanded the Nationals state MPs fight Premier Peter Beattie’s plans for a terminal on The Spit.

But one of the two potential developers of the site was former Nationals state secretary Mike Evans.

Mr Springborg would have to negotiate between the old developer-friendly party of the past and the new all-inclusive party of 2006.

The resolution, put forward by the Nationals women’s unit, objected to developers using public open space or Crown land on the western side of The Spit and called for the parliamentary team to push for it to be gazetted for park or recreation purpose to protect it for ever. It would save The Spit once and for all from greedy developers, the conference was told.

The resolution was passed unanimously after minimal debate and with a round of hearty applause.

Ms Douglas said the resolution meant the Nationals state MPs would have to get behind the fight to save The Spit.

“This area of Doug Jennings Park hasn’t had any money spent on it as a park,” she said.