We’ll fight on the beaches

Surf war looms as council asks state government to can world reserve laws

CITY leaders have put themselves on a collision course with the surfing fraternity by warning the state government to abandon new laws to protect the Gold Coast’s World Surfing Reserve.

The Gold Coast City Council is opposed to any legislation because it could restrict development around beaches, limiting marinas and possibly major tourism infrastructure like a future offshore cruise ship terminal (CST) – and accused Brisbane of bungling its public consultation.

The Bulletin has obtained a letter from senior council transport bureaucrat Alton Twine to the Assistant Director in the Tourism, Innovation and Sport department.

Mr Twine suggested new laws did not form part of the City’s Surf Management Plan.

He said councillors had resolved to oppose the introduction of new management laws and changes to the reserve outside of its ceremonial status.

Mr Twine then detailed specific “limitations” of the community consultation process undertaken by the state government in OctoberNovember last year. “Specifically the limited numbers of responses received – 86 in total, 72 online surveys and 14 written responses – by the department,” he wrote.

“The analysis of responses that was published on the department’s community consultation snapshot of results is not statistically valid and is misleading. These results should not be assumed to represent stakeholder views.”

Mr Twine said the department should, on its website, outline the problems with the results and “state that further work will be required to understand the views of all beach users”.

In 2015, the council backed a proposal by non-profit group Save the Waves Coalition to declare southern beaches from Snapper Rocks to Burleigh

Heads a World Surfing Reserve (WSR).

Officers have since advised the government that environmental protection and fisheries laws provide enough protection.

But Gold Coast Surfing Reserve Inc chairman Andrew McKinnon urged the council to follow Noosa’s lead and back the government’s plan to investigate new legislation.

“There is no opposition from Noosa council for legislation to protect,” he said. “Our council is concerned they will lose control of the beaches.

“Areas like the Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve are really quite symbolic gestures, only ceremonial. There is nothing to protect them if you build a marina or a CST on top of it.”

Mr McKinnon said creating a raft of laws to protect the reserve was the next logical step, but it would take time.

“It’s an ongoing process. It’s been assessed by government departments. I think the argument will be so strong for it, it will be hard to go against it.”