Top 3 Southern GC Project axed

The state seats of Currumbin and Burleigh, which cover the region our chamber represents, held some of the closest election outcomes in the recent 2020 poll. As the dust settles, the new Qld budget outlines how some projects pledged for the southern GC are being delayed, dumped or built across decades of funding. Dubbed "Ghost Projects" by the GC Bulletin, here is your guide to the top three promised Gold Coast infrastructure projects which won’t be built.

#3: Southern Gold Coast Satellite Hospital

Though not entirely dumped, the project will face a new round of public consultation as to its location. Currumbin MP Laura Gerber has called on the government to announce where the planned Gold Coast Satellite Hospital would be located in Tugun. Asked for more details, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said: “The government has announced that Tugun is the preferred location of the Southern Gold Coast Satellite Hospital, which is subject to community consultation.”

#2:Convention centre expansion

Sitting on the border of the central chamber and southern chamber boundaries, the convention centre upgrade was supposed to be part of the deal for the state government’s planned global tourism hub (GTH), which would have included a hotel and second casino. In parliament, the Premier stated that “My understanding still is, in relation to the convention centre, that when we do see an uptake in growth back into the Gold Coast market, my government is not averse to looking at any further expansion which could happen there,”.

#1: 148-hectare eco-parkland in Currumbin Valley

Though this project hasn't officially been dumped, it could be found in the 'built across decades of funding' category. Currumbin MP Laura Gerber pointed out in early December that the project "had a measly $500,000 allocated out of a $15 million project cost without any clear indication about which pot of money the funding is coming from.".