Banned tycoon gets a Jewel of a legacy
A GOLD Coast MP says the Jewel is a magnificent skyline addition and legacy despite the developer’s ex-chairman being banned from Australia due to national security fears.
Australia recently revoked residency and blocked a citizenship bid by billionaire Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo, the ex-figurehead for Jewel high-rise developer Yuhu Group Australia. It later emerged Australia's spy agency held national security fears.
Soon after, he stepped aside from Yuhu Group and Sydney-based son Huang took his role.
Top Australian politicians who previously met with Huang Xiangmo are facing increased scrutiny following his exile but the ambitious $1.4 billion Jewel project quietly heads toward completion expected later this year.
Last night Member for Surfers Paradise John-Paul Langbroek said despite all that the Jewel triple towers were looking magnificent and a great legacy for his former state government.
He compared the situation with Jewel and Huang Xiangmo to the legacy of impressive Jimmy buildings left on the Gold Coast by disgraced late developer Christopher Skase.
“It’s just like (the late) Christopher Skase and what he left: Sheraton Mirage and Marina Mirage. He has gone but his buildings stay and they are fantastic.”
Skase was credited with developing Gold Coast landmarks but later became one of the country’s most-wanted fugitives after his empire crashed and he fled to Spain, where he died in 2001.
Mr Langbroek posted an Instagram photo of the near completed Jewel triple towers on the Surfers Paradise beachfront this week, tagging it “the fabulous goldie”.
Mr Langbroek said despite all the controversy surrounding Huang Xiangmo, Jewel’s ownership change and site workplace protests and strikes, the result was impressive.
“It’s magnificent and another great legacy of our (former Newman) government.”
Mr Langbroek recalled upon Campbell Newman’s elevation to Premier in 2012 he met Mayor Tom Tate and one of the priorities was expediting the Jewel development process.
“We were coming out of the post-Global Financial Crisis funk at the time and it had put development down to such an extent a city like Mackay had more development applications.
Former Labor senator Sam Dastyari’s links to Huang Xiangmo cost him his political career. This week Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has faced scrutiny for a 2016 lunch with Huang Xiangmo despite his own department since banning the developer.
The Chinese billionaire also paid $55,000 to attend a Bill Shorten fundraising lunch four years ago.