MAYOR’S DEAR JOHN PITCH
Supertrams to spur lines; Gold Coast to Canberra. In the first of a three-part series, we reveal the journey of one of the city’s most talked-about topics
NEGOTIATIONS to get the stalled Stage 3 link between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads back on track are under way after the Bulletin revealed contracts for the $709m project had not been signed.
While it will take longer to build and cost more, Transport Minister Mark Bailey this week said he hoped construction would begin by Christmas 2021.
It is the latest twist and turn in the near-25 years since the public transport system was first proposed.
It was July 29, 1997 – Gary Baildon was just three months into his mayoralty after defeating Ray Stevens at the March election.
The Gold Coast was a city in flux at the time with tourism and development – the city’s biggest industries – in a lull as a result of the Asia financial crisis and the cooling off of the early-1990s building boom.
The Gold Coast was preparing for the end of the 20th century and anticipation of a booming population.
Steps to address this future boom were already being taken, with the Borbidge government unveiling an expanded Pacific Motorway that would become the M1.
Cr Baildon and council transport boss Ken Deutscher unveiled the $450m state-ofthe-art “supertrams”, said to be capable of 100km/h with a target start date of 2001.
The proposal, along with a ferry system, formed part of a long-term transport master plan developed by the council to “establish the Gold Coast as a world leader in transportation”.
The world-class, ultra-lowfloor supertrams were to be modelled on a similar Sydney proposal and would be fitted with rubberised noise controls on the wheels.
The trams, which can carry up to 200 people, would have run on a specially dampened 30km track linking Helensvale, Southport, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Nerang. A possible later line extension would include Coolangatta and Robina.
They were to be so quiet a horn would be needed to warn pedestrians of their approach.
According to the plan they would operate similar to trains in cross-country areas, travelling between 60-80km/h, then run on streets at 20km/h where there is no dedicated corridor available.
The project was backed by city leaders. Early supporters included councillors David Power and Jan Grew.
In the Bulletin in 2017, Cr Baildon fondly remembered the decision to pursue the tram system: “I remember coming out of the meeting in which it was presented to us and telling someone how significant a decision it was and how glad I was it was carried unanimously.
“It was a transport plan for the future and people were initially worried there was going to be an elevated railway which would have allowed tram passengers to look into their windows.
“I am proud of this program and how it started given the significant impact it had.”
However, the 2001 start date proved to be optimistic and it was not until that year that a feasibility study was even funded, after Cr Baildon secured the support of Premier Peter Beattie and a reluctant Prime Minister John Howard.
Mr Howard, the PM from 1996 to 2007, is remembered today as a political titan but in 2001 he was behind in the polls and facing defeat at that year’s election.
In March that year, Cr Baildon, in the early days of his third and final term as mayor, flew to Canberra and met Mr Howard to try to get $65m to fund the light rail.
The meeting was held in the Prime Minister’s office in Parliament House when the Mayor sat down to make his pitch. However, the Coalition leader would not have a bar of it.
“I went down there, was shown to his office and we met but I found he was not welcoming or friendly towards me at all,” Cr Baildon said.
“Howard bounced me around the office and told me that his government ‘did not fund transport infrastructure’.
“He said a few things, so did I and I managed to keep my calm, which I normally do and I reminded Howard that I represented a city of more than 500,000 people.
“It was disappointing for me because I felt we undoubtedly had a strong case.”
Mr Baildon’s 35-minute meeting with Mr Howard made the Bulletin’s front page on March 7, 2001.
The Howard government eventually changed its tune, matching the state’s funds to allow for a $1.3m feasibility study in 2002. The same year, the first stage was priced at $65m. It involved a link from Parkwood to Pacific Fair shopping centre.
It would take another seven years and one prime minister later for the trams to be finally funded by all three levels of government.