Ian Timmins comments on Gold Coast City Council, Queensland, Australia

GOLD COAST CITY COUNCIL

22nd April 2009 - Gold Council about to screw ratepayers again.

Councillor Sarroff's request for ratepayers to remain calm regarding possible rate hikes shows he has no concept of the public's distrust of the council. It's like asking us to trust a dingo to guard a flock of sheep.

We have a mayor who has twice promised no rate increases when standing for election, but has never honoured that promise. We have an administration that's seeking rate rises of up to 20% ( and that's before councillors gave away the Carrara stadium ). In an article in the Gold Coast Sun on 23rd April 2008, Councillor Shepherd is quoted as saying " a zero rate increase would need to stay in line with CPI, meaning ratepayers could expect at least a 3 per cent increase. In some people's minds that would be a zero increase because it is just keeping up with the cost of living."

So there you go! Three is really zero! Perhaps the Mayor went to the same school! Does it mean that if the CPI fell then Council would actually reduce rates? Of course not.

What we will see once again is their usual deception of masking rises in rates by increasing and/or adding levies. Don't be surprised if a new Tipplers levy is introduced. And reducing the discount for early payment is in fact a rate increase. Ratepayers are only concerned with the total they pay, not the breakdown.

And any claim that it sensible to bring forward capital spending to take advantage of lower financing costs is a red herring. It won't mean that they will reduce that spending later on, because they will then find some replacement project which suddenly needs to be undertaken.

Stop treating us like idiots councillors. But they will unless enough ratepayers contact their Councillor and let them know that they are not happy with rate rises.

10th April 2009 - Gold Coast visitors peed off.

In an attempt to save money, Council has begun installing unisex toilets in public areas. One of the first is in Justin Park at Burleigh.

These unisex toilets do not include a urinal for men, which I'm told is causing major problems. Men ( including young boys who are not very accurate ) are forced to urinate into the fixed seat stainless-steel pedestals. The result is that in some cases sunsequent users, particularly women, find the pedestal seat wet with urine. Consequently Council staff are now forced to clean these unisex toilets four times daily, every single day of the year, in an attempt to reduce the problems. So much for saving money!

And how many parents would be happy about their young daughters having to share a toilet with males, particularly strangers?

Following the information, I checked and found that the newly constructed toilet in Crocker Park in Markeri St has only one cubicle for men, and there is no urinal.

So this Council, which can gift $20 million towards a stadium upgrade at Carrara, forces visitors ( particularly women ) to sit in a stranger's urine if they need to use public toilets! I don't see how that will attract visitors to the area, which is their constant mantra.

Perhaps Council should install similar unisex toilets in their offices, open them to the public, and see how long it takes for Councillors and planners to have a change of heart after they are exposed to the problems they are forcing on the public.

1st April 2009 - Council once again bluffed by Premier.

You may not like her methods or policies, but you have to hand it to the Premier when it comes to bargaining.

For a mere $60 million and some land which is worthless to the government, she has been handed not only the Carrara Stadium and all of the land it occupies, but she gets back $20 million from the Council towards the renovations. She worked a similar sweet deal for Skilled Park wherby Council gifted around $25 million ( they refuse to reveal the exact figure ) in land and infrastructure to the government towards the construction of the new stadium there. They also waived liability for rates on that land, denying ratepayers of any future income from that gift.

In contrast, our Council gave away $20 million plus the Carrara complex in exchange for some land that is never likely to return a cent to the ratepayers, and cost a fortune to maintain. And it won't be a surprise if some of the land swapped is on South Stradbroke adjacent to Tipplers or Couran Cove. If so, it is land that has never been visited by most residents, and never will be. But it will make some tourism operators happy, continuing this Council's bias towards their requirements rather than ratepayers!

It's time our Councillors went to Bargaining 101 classes before they give away most of the city!

10th March 2009 - Ratepayers to pay for " tired " infrastructure upgrade to help business.

Councillor Sarroff wants Council to pour even more money into revitalizing the Broadbeach mall because it's " tired ". It demonstrates once again how Council puts the interests of business and tourists ahead of residents, because it refuses to rectify footpaths which are not only " tired ", but hazardous.

In an article in the Gold Coast Sun of 2nd August 2006, I drew attention to the appalling problems and hazards on footpaths that council simply ignores. Councillor Sarroff is quoted as saying " .. if there's an issue that's brought to our attention and we can fix it up, we tidy it up straight away. "

Well two and a half years after I raised the issue, some of the hazards I referred to back then still have not been fixed ( see samples ). One has just been rectified within the last three weeks, but only after I again raised it with Councillor Betts.

Like the bulk of residents on the coast, I do not benefit in any way from tourism. In fact tourists only create additional problems for me. So it is quite disturbing to see just how far this Council goes in providing funds to encourage even more tourists when our infrastructure is struggling with the current population.

Forget the tourists and business for a while Councillors. It's time to think of the permanent residents who want problems with the existing crumbling infrastructure fixed. Now is not the right time to expect ratepayers to dip even further into their pockets to glam up a business precinct. Get real!

19th February 2009 - Gold Coast City Council spends $7 million. Now what to do with the purchase?

An article in the Gold Coast Sun of 18th February 2009 demonstrates yet again Gold Coast City Council's attitude to its duty of care to ratepayer funds.

Councillor Pforr is quoted as objecting to the proposal that the soon-to-be-acquired Tipplers Resort be used as a homeless people's shelter " .. until the Gold Coast City Council decided what to do with it. "

This Council has spent $7 million simply acquiring the leasehold of the site, and it seems from these comments that with just over a week before settlement, it still does not have a clear picture of what it intends doing with it. Many more millions will be required to redevelop the site, and purchase the freehold.

It was obscene that it even purchased the site, but, as we now know, doing so without any clear objective is unforgivable.

And when will we see an end to endorsement for expenditures aimed specifically at the tourism industry, and instead consideration given to the welfare of the permanent residents from whom Council extracts the money to fund those tourism projects? If the tourism industry isn't satisfied with what is available on the coast, then let them put up the money to provide the attractions. Enough is enough Councillors!

12th February 2009 - Gold Coast City Council warns ratepayers may have to pay for new infrastructure for new developments.

Councillor Young's warning that existing ratepayers may have to pay part of the cost of infrastructure for new developments ( story in Gold Coast Sun of 11/2/09 ) shows just how out of touch this council is with ratepayers.

Naturally the construction industry is " .. against infrastructure charges.. " Why wouldn't it want to avoid any costs that it can?

My parents and I have owned a residence on the coast for over 55 years. During that time our rates have helped provide the existing infrastructure that new arrivals take for granted, and for which they have not paid one cent towards its construction. The surge in population on the coast has largely spoiled the many attractive features of the area, and I have absolutely no idea why so many tourists waste their money to come here as we are now basically just a large town beside the ocean. I also have no desire to pay continually escallating rates to finance new infrastructure to encourage even more residents to move here. If new people want to make the coast their home, then they should be the ones to pay for the necessary roads, drainage, water reservoirs etc. Don't expect those that have paid for the existing facilities to pay even more for the requirements of newcomers.

Wake up to yourself council. We are already overstretched here.

14th January 2009 - Gold Coast City Council diverts more ratepayer money from core responsibilities.

Council purchases Tippler's resort for $7 million!

That news should send a chill through even the most apathetic ratepayer. Particularly as millions more will be spent to demolish the current buildings and rebuild, plus buy the land from the State government.

These Councillors simply refuse to accept that we face the greatest financial crisis the world has experienced since the Great Depression of 1929, but perversely continue to throw ratepayer money at yet another scheme which is unrelated to Council's core duties and responsible management of ratepayer funds. They then warn that rates may rise 20%, partly because of rising costs.

Instead they fund this " dream " of converting South Stradbroke into a conservation park in the " Jurassic Park " model. The Mayor ( who helped develop the nearby Couran Cove resort ), is quoted as saying " I would like to see it transformed into a giant theme park ". See story here for more details. He is also pushing for Council to develop a tunnel under the seaway so more tourists can access the island.

Well if that's what he wants, then let him do so with his own money. What do all these developments have to do with maintaining the city for residents? If tourism businesses want these developments, they should be the ones to pay for them. This Council does not hesitate to divert ratepayer money to support private business ( $20 for the stadium upgrade for the AFL for example ), but simply ignores rectifying many instances of crumbling and dangerous infrastructure which are brought to its attention.

No doubt they will now resort to their normal underhand practice and introduce the " Restore Stradbroke Island " levy to our rates. Try levying tourists for a change!

Additionally, the Council has stated " GCCC is also commited to supporting the fast-growing sport industry in the City with the aspiration to develop a ' world-class ' sports city, recognised as a leading high performance sports training destination. " ( Source: Project 5, item 13.3 from the Minutes of the Agenda for the Council Meeting of 12/12/08 )

Sorry Mayor, I don't remember the ratepayers being asked to voice their opinion about the commitment.

This Council must be removed from office and replaced by an acceptable responsible administrator before we are all sent broke from crippling rates charges.

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