Major issues for Division 7

MANAGING a rising homeless population and providing adequate infrastructure to a growing community are hotbutton issues facing Division 7 candidates.

Teacher and respite carer Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden, events organiser Andre SaintFlour, ex- council worker Tony Melia, former charity volunteer Wendy Coe and Greens candidate Amin Javanmar will all contest the seat.

Women’s homelessness charity Support the Girls founder and CEO Jane Holmes has asked for more support from council for struggling families in the area, as well as city hall working closer with the State Government.

“Housing affordability is at an all-time crisis point,” she said. “There’s just nowhere for them to go, and Labrador is such a low-decile environment, there’s a lot of people on Centrelink and there’s no extra room for them.”

A Bulletin article in

THE SEAT

Division 7 encompasses: Arundel, Labrador, Parkwood, Molendinar, Helensvale up to the Pacific Highway and the Gold Coast Highway.

WHO LIVES THERE

Covers a total 3164 hectares. Population: 45,952; 14.52 persons per hectare. Men: 21,146, 48.5%. Women: 22,437, 51.5%. Australian citizens: 33,111, 76%.

Eligible voters: 26,230, 60.2%. mid-2019 revealed more than 100 people were visiting volunteer kitchens in a Labrador park – and staff said that number was increasing.

Council is able to supply licences for buildings to be used as hostels or rental accommodation, meaning one or more families could live on site.

“From a council perspective they need to review having more houses available for support systems, as in domestic violence houses or housing programs for women who need support,” Ms Holmes said. “Because there’s just not enough. (Council) aren’t that willing to give up those permits.”

Others have called for further infrastructure over development as the area continues to grow.

Men’s Shed Labrador president Frank Law said he had lived in the suburb for 12 years and had been “stared in the face” by a lack of balance between development and infrastructure.

“There seems to be heaps of buildings going up but there’s no infrastructure regarding traffic flow or parking,” he said.

“I’m not against development, I live on the Gold Coast. If I was against development, I wouldn’t live here.

“But they must have infrastructure to go with it. It’s not just car traffic, they need to have better cycle traffic as well.

“The more bike paths we can get in the better.