The Light Rail Debate: A Setback for the Gold Coast

WORDS: Wild Cat PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

Government’s decision to halt the expansion marks a blow to the city’s future development and tourism potential.

Many moons ago, way back in 2010, the State Government and the Gold Coast City Council decided they’d team up to build a world-class light rail system.

It would link Helensvale to the Gold Coast University Hospital, connecting Southport, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, and down to Broadbeach. It was opened in 2014, and those who have used the light rail would be the first to acknowledge it works beautifully well, especially during peak holiday times.

Work is now well underway on the link from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads, and the plan was that it would ultimately traverse through Palm Beach and down to Coolangatta Airport.

The plan was that you could jump on a train in Brisbane and then use the light rail to finish up at Coolangatta Airport. A world-class light rail system for a world-class tourism destination. Until now.

In recent weeks, the Crisafulli Government has announced it will not part-fund the final stage of the light rail from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta.

Instead, the light rail will finish at Burleigh Heads, and those wanting to go to the airport will be ferried to Coolangatta via a big bus.

It is a massive win for the anti-light rail lobby, which has waged a resourceful and powerful campaign to stop the light rail coming through Palm Beach.

This is a terrible outcome for the larger Gold Coast population. It makes a mockery of the sacrifices experienced by hundreds of businesses, many of whom went broke during the early stages of construction. The stories of horror are infamous.

Mayor Tom Tate is not impressed, but he’s not in the business of picking a fight with David Crisafulli in the new Premier’s first few months in the job. But this is seriously dodgy, and it is all about politics, not what’s best for the city.

And the losers are the people of the Gold Coast, and of course, the millions of people who come to holiday here every year.

Leadership in politics is important, and tough decisions come with being a leader.

The decision to end the light rail at Burleigh Heads is a win for people power on the southern Gold Coast, but it’s not a good outcome for the city as a whole.

Progress is inevitable. Take a look at our sister city, Dubai. They’d have built a light rail between Helensvale and Coolangatta within five years. Ours has been dragging on for at least 15 years thus far.

The light rail would have set the city up for the next century. Now, it’s got the potential to turn us into a big, fat joke.

Speaking of tourism, how good is the Gold Coast Turf Club going right now?

If you haven’t been along to the races on a Friday night at Bundall, do yourself a favour and get along.

It’s a spectacular night out, and the great thing about night racing is that it’s attracting younger people to the races, which is a challenge for turf club bosses.

Full credit to chair Brett Cook and CEO Steve Lines, who have shown the vision and leadership required to take this club into the 21st century.

With a massive 10-year plan underway to revolutionise the Bundall precinct, including development, the Turf Club has now become one of the city’s key stakeholders.

They understand the value of spending money to make money, expanding exponentially over the past decade.

The success of the Magic Millions is another pivotal factor. Now, we’re looking down the barrel of the major Magic Millions raceday being under lights in the coming years.

Can you imagine that as a spectacle? This is the type of tourism vision we need.

Let’s just hope they don’t need to catch a tram to the airport!