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ABC News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Gold Coast councillor Brooke Patterson found to have breach code of conduct again
A Gold Coast councillor has been reprimanded and ordered to apologise after an investigation found she helped create a "volatile environment" for senior staff. An independent investigation into four allegations made against Cr Brooke Patterson, three of which were substantiated, was discussed at a council meeting on Tuesday. Cr Patterson already had two previous conduct breach allegations against her substantiated by the council, for which she later apologised. The latest investigation found that, on the balance of probabilities, Cr Patterson caused "distress" to city officers. At council chambers, Cr Patterson defended her conduct, stating her passion as a community advocate "caused communication challenges". "Since then I have grown and developed in my elected position," she said. A code of conduct requires councillors to treat staff with "courtesy, fairness, and respect". City councillors unanimously upheld the findings of the most recent investigation, ordering Cr Patterson to apologise and undertake communication training at her own expense. Mayor Tom Tate will also issue a written reprimand against Cr Patterson. The independent investigation found that Cr Patterson hosted a public town hall meeting in August 2024, where she "knowingly made statements, which were factually incorrect, misleading, and harmful to council officers" about a so-called "view tax". The view tax was a controversial budget measure introduced by council last year that increased rates for some high-rise residents by up to 50 per cent. "[Cr Patterson] made statements that contributed to distress among council officers, frustration among residents, and created an unsafe and volatile environment at the meeting," the investigation stated. The investigation found that city officers prepared a PowerPoint presentation for the meeting, but Cr Patterson deleted a slide and failed to provide "essential background information" about the view tax. "It was even mentioned, if only I had used more PowerPoint slides then people would be less upset — I would assert this indicates a most naive understanding of town hall environments" Cr Patterson told Tuesday's meeting. The investigation stated that city officers left the meeting early and "reported distress, reputational concern, and an inability to correct misinformation, having been directed not to speak". However, Cr Patterson told Tuesday's council meeting that she went to "great lengths to protect officers as much as possible". "We had originally intended for the relevant officers to be at the front of the room to answer technical questions," she said. "But within minutes of attendees entering that room, I realised this was a most agitated crowd and suggested to officers they sit at the back of the room." In a subsequent phone call, the investigation found that Cr Patterson was "accusatory, agitated, and dismissive" towards a city officer and "made disparaging remarks about the officer's salary and professionalism". "I understand they considered this comment to be discourteous and I apologise for the discourtesy caused." An allegation that Cr Patterson made misleading statements to the media was not substantiated by the investigation. Cr Patterson's conduct ahead of a council committee meeting last October was also investigated. It alleged Cr Patterson "snatched" papers from a council employee and "in a loud and aggressive manner" and told them not to distribute the document. The document related to a proposal that would end cash payments at council pools, which Cr Patterson said she was seeking to amend. Witnesses, whose names were redacted, reported that the "interaction had an emotional impact" on the city officer. At Tuesday's council meeting, Cr Patterson apologised to the officer "for disrespect she experienced". But Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel said the code of conduct breaches set "a pattern of behaviour" he did not believe was acceptable. "Everyday I see all the councillors in this chamber having strong debates, quite often arguments with city officers — it is our job," he told Tuesday's meeting. "If we are able to do it without it leading to a series of allegations and now substantiations of behaviour, then Councillor Patterson should be able to do it as well." Investigations into Cr Patterson's conduct cost the City of Gold Coast $142,000 in 2024-25. Cr Patterson said the process under the Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) precluded "the opportunity for a standard mediation process", and instead placed "prolonged legal costs on our ratepayers". A spokesperson for the OIA said it applied "a robust assessment process" to complaints and examined "each complaint on its individual circumstances".
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Huge debate erupts over saving one of Australia's most famous coastlines over fears 'catastrophic property loss' is imminent: 'Nature always wins'
It's feared the planned replenishment of Australia's famous Gold Coast beaches could be pushing sand uphill, as the city fights to turn the tide on Mother Nature. The wildly popular Queensland holiday destination faces a years-long recovery as its city council splashes millions on the battle to return sand sucked out to sea along its world-renowned 42km stretch of paradise after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. One of the most significant weather events the Gold Coast has faced in 50 years, Alfred gouged six million cubic metres of sand from the shore when it lashed the city in March. The recovery could drag on for three years, Mayor Tom Tate says. Northern beaches will reopen before then but dune restoration 'could take some time'. Council is also considering rock walls and groynes to lessen erosion. The cost and detail on how works will be funded shift with the sand. The council has budgeted $24 million for beach nourishment works this financial year, including offshore dredging and the Surfers Sand Backpass Campaign, an underground pipeline that pumps sand from The Spit south to Surfers. It's expected a significant portion will come from the Beach and Environmental Recovery Program as part of Commonwealth-state disaster recovery arrangements, according to the council. Bond University Associate Professor Daryl McPhee says returning beaches to 'normal' by 2028 defies logic. 'It assumes no serious erosion events happen between now and then,' he said. 'Choosing a static point in a dynamic system is destined to fail. Ongoing works would be expected to run into the hundreds of millions. 'Nature always wins.' Bond University coastal erosion researcher Mark Ellis says the forces reshaping shorelines are becoming more extreme, more frequent, and more difficult to manage. 'Are they pushing the proverbial uphill? I would say yes,' he says of efforts to mitigate erosion. He questions whether council should keep shelling out for post-disaster beach reconstruction and building sea walls and groynes that could contribute to further erosion. 'At the end of the day, vertical sea walls protect property; they don't protect beaches and they won't be able to hold back the sea,' he says. Assoc Prof McPhee says the solution to fixing erosion is ensuring beaches and dunes retain biophysical function. 'This requires considering such systems as dynamic and ensuring that remaining dunes are protected and, where possible, revegetated,' he says. It's easy to see why council wants to protect its golden shores. The city estimates they generate $1.3billion annually for the local and state economy and support 50,000 full-time jobs. They've also helped drive continuing migration throughout Australia, with the Coast's population of at least 700,000 forecast to swell to a million by 2040. 'Sand coming and going from Gold Coast beaches is a natural process,' Assoc Prof McPhee says. 'However that process is hindered by many of the coastal developments that make up the Glitter Strip. 'There is an irony that so many people come to the Gold Coast for the beaches, but much of the infrastructure needed to support that visitation reduces the resilience of the beaches to disturbance and slows their recovery.' He says a sea wall such as the 'A-line', which is largely buried, is an appropriate structure to protect properties and has served the Gold Coast well - so far. But he cautions against expanding the Oceanway, which 'impacts dunes and reduces the resilience of the beaches and reduces their ability to recover'. Rock groynes could impact surfing amenity and impede the northward movement of sand - and enhance erosion in certain places. 'Sand pumping is a very expensive band-aid with significant local environmental impacts and potential unassessed impacts on local Indigenous culture,' he adds. The recent natural events have dramatically affected man-made ones, too. Cr Tate has been trying to open the city's shoreline for major events and commercial operations, including a controversial proposal for beach bars, since he was elected in 2012. But those plans, like many of the city's 24 beaches, copped a battering from Alfred, with several signature set-in-sand events cancelled or postponed and others forced to relocate. Council reportedly spent $30million in four months on sand pumping to unsuccessfully repair eroded beaches in time for Easter school holidays and a money-spinning air show, with high tides and big swells hampering operations. It's a problem environmental experts warn, unlike sand, is here to stay. 'Council is very aware of climate modelling and it is expected more events will be disrupted,' Assoc Prof McPhee says. 'We need to rethink large-scale events on Gold Coast beaches and recognise they are fragile natural environments.' Mr Ellis says dunes can't do their job when vegetation is damaged by foot traffic, by events such as the air show or SeaFire or by poorly placed infrastructure. 'Without room for dunes to migrate and rebuild, the beach itself is squeezed out of existence,' he said. Unlike many coastal enclaves that have protected their foreshores as public open space, the Gold Coast has built to the waterline. But with the Surfers Paradise sea wall 'constantly getting exposed' and council continuing to spend millions renourishing beaches, Mr Ellis says it's time to re-think the 'hold-the-line' approach 'How long is it before the next storm surge happens and the oceanfront properties with their underground car parks are inundated? 'In other high-risk beaches, such as Wamberal Beach in NSW, where numerous houses have been impacted by erosion, I would say the point of no return has been reached yet the planning system still allows houses rebuilt on the dunes. 'Look at the erosion issues at Stockton Beach, Byron Bay in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.' Mr Ellis, who has been researching options for managed relocation of communities at risk of coastal erosion, says there is 'no political will' to stop waterfront developments or pursue managed retreat strategies as discussed in the Gold Coast council's Coastal Adaptation Plan. 'Yet, the impacts on legacy development - homes built in erosion-prone zones - continue to face increasing exposure now, not in 20 or 50 years' time,' he says. He says government must invest in long-term, adaptive coastal management strategies, not just reactive fixes. 'That means thoughtful dune restoration, strategic retreat in high-risk zones and limiting damaging activity on fragile beachfronts,' Mr Ellis said. Assoc Prof McPhee says the recent Gold Coast erosion should be considered Mother Nature's 'warning shot'. 'We still have great beaches - and the Gold Coast is not being depopulated because there is less sand on the beach,' he says. But most previous serious erosion events occurred when there was substantially less large-scale coastal development. 'The Gold Coast cannot be "unbuilt" but there does need to be better consideration of the impacts of severe erosion on individual developments and the cumulative impacts,' he says. 'At some stage there will be catastrophic property loss but it sadly probably requires that loss to occur and the associated insurance issues to drive real change in thinking.'
7NEWS
03-07-2025
- Climate
- 7NEWS
Gold Coast beaches to take years to recover from Cyclone Alfred
The Gold Coast 's iconic beaches are in crisis, with experts warning it will take at least two years for them to fully recover from the devastating impact of Cyclone Alfred. Four months after the storm battered Queensland's coast, some of the city's most popular stretches of sand remain badly damaged raising fears that major events could be disrupted or cancelled. The city has already lost the Pacific Airshow, which was expected to inject $33 million into the local economy, after organisers pulled out due to the poor beach conditions. At Narrowneck, fresh footage shows the beach still closed, with warning signs in place and large drops where sand has been washed away. Local beachgoers told 7NEWS the damage is like nothing they've seen before. 'There's a three-metre drop down a rock wall now, it's not like past times when it was just sand,' one visitor said. Another added, 'You can't really get down to the beach here, it's disappointing to see.' Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate initially promised the beaches would be repaired by April, even joking in March anyone who thought otherwise could call him out over a beer. But yesterday he delivered a much grimmer update. 'It's going to take two years to recover from what Alfred did to us,' Tate said. One local quipped it would cost the mayor 'a couple more beers than he promised.' Griffith University expert Dr Guilherme Vieira da Silva confirmed the extent of the damage is some of the worst he's seen. 'In terms of beach erosion, we've actually seen a fair bit of erosion, so this is up there with the most intense storms on record,' he said. The economic fallout is also mounting, with organisers warning ongoing beach damage could threaten future events and tourism. So far only the Pacific Airshow has been cancelled, but the potential for more disruptions is growing. In an effort to restore the coastline, a 7.7-kilometre underground pipeline has been switched on, pumping sand to Main Beach, Narrowneck and Surfers Paradise. A dredging barge is also operating offshore. Tate said 87 per cent of the beaches remain open and are still being enjoyed by locals and tourists. 'So as far as being an asset for people and tourists alike, it is useable,' he said.
Courier-Mail
19-06-2025
- Business
- Courier-Mail
Mayor makes huge profit on property sale
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate and his wife Ruth have sold their luxury Surfers Paradise home for $5.4m, making themselves a tidy $1.15m profit in less than two years. It is the latest deal in the high-profile couple's multimillion dollar real estate portfolio which has seen them bank more than $25m from luxury property sales since 2020. The sale, which recently settled, was handled by Russell and Bob Rollington of Surfers Paradise First National, who declined to comment when contacted by this publication. Property records reveal the Tates bought the home at 17 Seafarer Court, Paradise Waters for $4.25m in 2023. MORE NEWS: Business listed for sale complete with a camel called Sandy Party pad that has hosted celebs and sports stars hits the market The property was listed with a $6m price tag in November, 2024, before officially selling in March. 'East to wide water just off the main channel and offering breathtaking Surfers Paradise and Main Beach city skyline views, this extraordinary four-bedroom family home exudes quality and luxury,' the listing states. 'Effortlessly fusing elegant surrounds with easy living and entertaining, this architecturally designed residence is the epitome of an entertainers dream offering an ideal layout for a large extended family.' Photos show minor cosmetic works however no major renovations or improvements were made to the house during their ownership. It was the 10th property the Tates had sold in the suburb over the past 30 years. The couple's recent Gold Coast sales include 36 Buccaneer Court, Paradise Waters, which sold for $3.675m in 2021, and 23 Maryland Ave, which traded for $5.8m in 2023. PropTrack data shows the median house price in Surfers Paradise is $4m, up 33.3 per cent.
Daily Telegraph
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
‘We won't wait': Brutal reality of life without light rail for Palm Beach
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gold Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News. Mayor Tom Tate warns council will dig up the southern stretch of the Gold Coast Highway to the border for critical infrastructure work, regardless of whether the light rail proceeds. Worn-out underground infrastructure, including pipes, must be replaced in the next few years in Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tugun, he says, something that had been planned to occur during construction of the multi-billion dollar tram extension to the Gold Coast Airport. Artist impression of Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 between Tugun and Coolangatta, including Gold Coast Airport and the NSW border. Picture: Department of Transport and Main Roads. But with the project's future in doubt and under State Government review, city leaders have used Friday's council budget to underline the critical need for the tram to be built promptly, saying even a delay until after the 2032 Olympics would force the roads to be dug up twice – once for the pipes and again years later for the light rail Mr Tate followed his budget speech by urging the state government to back in the trams, saying he didn't want to have to perform a 'double-bypass' on the heart of Palm Beach. 'While the state government does their review and consultation, we need to continue planning for underground infrastructure upgrades along the southern end of the Gold Coast no matter what and there is $10m already allocated for (upgrades to) kilometres and kilometres of water pipes, sewer pipes, storm water pipes under the highway,' he said. 'If the (state) report comes back that we have to move and the state wants to delay light rail Stage 4, we won't wait (because) we will have to go and rectify (the) sewer and water now. Mayor Tom Tate and Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel discussing the budget. Picture: Andrew Potts 'It means you've got to dig it up twice, double expenditure and the pain of opening the roads up in Palm Beach and that's what (critics) don't understand.' Council committed $13.8m to progressing light rail Stage 4 in its 2024-25 budget last year but did not list specific new funding for it in this year's budget. However, budget documents do list progressing the business case on the project as a key action for improving connectivity in the city the next financial year, subject to state government approval. The long-planned light rail stage 4 from Burleigh Heads to the border via the airport has paused as the new state government kept its pre-election promise to review the route and perform community consultation, which closed in early May. It is not known when the results of this will be released. Business leaders across the city have backed the extension as essential as the Gold Coast population soars. Artist impression of Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 between Tugun and Coolangatta, including Gold Coast Airport and the NSW border. Picture: Department of Transport and Main Roads. Deputy Mayor and city planning boss Mark Hammel said delays and uncertainty around the future of stage 4 were having a serious knock-on effect on the council's own planning for transport infrastructure for the future. 'It's the state government that sets the regional plans projections of the city's future population and it also sets projection of where they expect most that population to be and the coastal strip from Paradise Point to Coolangatta is where the largest proportion of this city's future population will go, light rail or no light rail,' he said. 'We're looking to make investments in infrastructure to support that population growth and the investment the state government needs to make is in public transport to allow that sustainable growth to occur down there, so it is a concern. 'They need to come through with investment in public transport and while Stage 4 is the next (element), that's not the end of it – it's just the next (piece) in a series of projects to deliver the city's long-term public transport network with the heavy rail and the light rail as the two spines connected by east-west links. 'The frustration is the longer we delay this next stage, we waste precious time and energy and increasing costs to see it delivered with every year goes by. 'That's also having an effect on those east-west connections which open up other opportunities for not just population growth but connecting the entire city to high frequency public transport.' It comes weeks after an 'Enterprising City' report, by KPMG, underlined the critical role of light rail in the city's future as it looked forward to 2030 and the city's economy as it evolves from a tourism town to a modern metropolis. 'Longer term, stage 4 of the light rail from Burleigh to the Airport and investments related to the 2032 Olympic Games will further enhance the Gold Coast's attractiveness,' it reads. 'The Gold Coast has always had an unbeatable lifestyle, but the continued creation of highly-skilled jobs and investment in world-class infrastructure truly makes it a global city.' Originally published as Gold Coast light rail Stage 4: Brutal reality of life without tram extension to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport
