minutes council meeting - city of gold coast€¦ · beryl morris reserve park dedication cr...

769

Minutes of the

Council Meeting held

Tuesday 26 February 2019

at

1pm

City of Gold Coast Council Chambers 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise

769th Council Meeting 2 26 February 2019 Minutes

INDEX

Minutes (769)

Council Meeting

26 February 2019

Opening Prayer - Rev. Debra Tedman of Surfers Paradise Anglican Church

Australian National Anthem

ITEM SUBJECT

1 ATTENDANCE / LEAVE OF ABSENCE

2 CONDOLENCES

2.1 The Jansen Family Cr Gates

2.2 The Diessel Family Cr Tozer

2.3 The Lennon Family Cr Tozer

3 MAYORAL MINUTE

4 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

4.1 The Seven Hundred and Sixty Eighth Meeting of the Council of the City of Gold Coast, held Tuesday 12 February 2019 at 1pm.

5 MAYOR’S REPORT

6 CLARIFICATION – MEMBERS

7 BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES

8 PRESENTATIONS

9 RECEPTION AND CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS

9.1 Transport and Infrastructure 14 February 2019

9.2 Lifestyle and Community 14 February 2019

9.3 Economy, Planning and Environment 20 February 2019

9.4 Water & Waste 21 February 2019

9.5 Events, Tourism and Governance 21 February 2019

10 CONSIDERATION OF NOTICES OF MOTION

11 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE / ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

12 PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS

13 GENERAL BUSINESS


ITEM SUBJECT

13.1 Lotus Living Organically Inc

13.2 Gold Coast Knights Soccer Club Inc

14 OTHER BUSINESS

14.1 December 2018 Monthly Financial Report

14.2 January 2019 Monthly Financial Report

14.3 Gold Coast Ferry Trial

14.4 Statutory Review of Council’s Internal Divisions


ADOPTED AT COUNCIL 12 MARCH 2019 RESOLUTION G19.0312.001 moved Cr Baildon seconded Cr Vorster That the Minutes of the Seven Hundred and Sixty Ninth Ordinary Meeting of the Council of the City of Gold Coast held on Tuesday 26 February 2019 at 1pm be confirmed.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Minutes of the Seven Hundred and Sixty Ninth Ordinary Meeting of the Council of the City of Gold Coast held at the City of Gold Coast Chambers, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise, on Tuesday 26 February 2019, at 1pm. The Mayor, Cr T R Tate, welcomed Rev. Debra Tedman of Surfers Paradise Anglican Church, to open the meeting in prayer. National Anthem 1 ATTENDANCE Cr T R Tate Mayor Cr D Gates Cr W M A Owen-Jones Cr C M Caldwell Cr K L Boulton Cr P J Young Cr D M Crichlow OAM Cr G J Baildon AM Cr R La Castra Cr G M Tozer Cr P A Taylor Cr H H C Vorster Cr P C Young Cr D I McDonald Cr G M O’Neill Mr D R Dickson Chief Executive Officer Mr G Mather Acting Chief Operating Officer Mr A Twine Director Transport and Infrastructure Ms A Ewens Director Lifestyle and Community Services Mr P Heaton Director Water & Waste Mr G Potter Director Organisational Services Ms A Swain Director Economy, Planning & Environment Mr M Tilley Manager Transport and Traffic 1.1 LEAVE OF ABSENCE / APOLOGIES Nil


2 CONDOLENCES Cr Gates To The Jansen Family On the passing of Dirk Jansen RESOLUTION G19.0226.001 moved Cr Gates seconded Cr PC Young That a motion of condolence be passed and that a message of sympathy be forwarded.

CARRIED Cr Tozer To The Diessel Family On the passing of Gemma Diessel RESOLUTION G19.0226.002 moved Cr Tozer seconded Cr Gates That a motion of condolence be passed and that a message of sympathy be forwarded.

CARRIED Cr Tozer, Cr Vorster To The Lennon Family On the passing of Prudence Bowen Lennon RESOLUTION G19.0226.003 moved Cr Tozer seconded Cr Baildon That a motion of condolence be passed and that a message of sympathy be forwarded.

CARRIED


3 MAYORAL MINUTE Nil 4 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES RESOLUTION G19.0226.004 moved Cr Vorster seconded Cr Gates That the Minutes of the Seven Hundred and Sixty Eighth Ordinary Meeting of the Council of the City of Gold Coast held on Tuesday 12 February 2019 at 1pm be confirmed with a correction to Cr Gates conflict of interest on page 46 such that it should read:- Arcadis $2500 on 5 October 2016.

CARRIED 5 MAYOR’S REPORT 5.1 RECENT VISITS AND SPEECHES


5 MAYOR’S REPORT (Continued) 5.1 RECENT VISITS AND SPEECHES (Continued)

Mayor's Student Ambassador Ceremony 2019

Cr Caldwell, Cr Baildon, Cr Tozer, Cr Taylor and Cr Pauline Young attended.

21 students have been appointed as the 2019 Mayor’s Student Ambassadors – a joint initiative of City of Gold Coast and Study Gold Coast.

This year’s students come from Australia, India, China, Colombia, Japan, Vietnam, Iraq, Oman, Philippines, Canada and New Zealand.

They are studying at Bond University, Griffith University, Southern Cross University, TAFE Qld, Miami State High School and Varsity College.

Students will be able to engage with local government and Study Gold Coast initiatives giving them a chance to expand prospective employment, further study opportunities and professional development.

This is the program’s 6th year and it continues to grow the city’s profile in target markets, increased engagement in the students’ communities and allows us to educate them about the Gold Coast.



Update on Graffiti Prevention

I took the opportunity to thank vigilant residents reporting graffiti via the City App and how much they have played a major role in driving down the incidents of graffiti.

In fact, Graffiti is at an all-time low with City clean-up costs slashed by 40% in 4 years - costing around $1 million annually and now, last financial year, it was $594,000.

As we know, graffiti vandals love seeing their ‘tags’ on display, so residents have played a vital role in rapidly identifying the graffiti so we can get our crews out there to clean it up.

Civic pride is alive and well on the coast so my message to the vandals is: get a life.

We have a zero tolerance approach and we work with police to seek prosecution.

Our dedicated clean-up crews provide a quick response right across the city and we have over 500 CCTV cameras around to capture these vandals red-handed.



Announcement of Defibrillators Across the City

I took the opportunity to use Valentine’s Day as a platform to promote the installation of 13 new Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across the City’s libraries and community centres.

The 13 new defibrillators are in addition to the 115 portable defibrillators donated to community and sporting groups late last year.

With 10,000 people visiting these facilities each day, it makes sense to install the defibrillators in these locations.

People shouldn’t be scared to use an AED. They come with verbal instructions and will only deliver an electric shock to the heart if necessary. If you’re in one of the community facilities where we have installed a defibrillator and you see someone in trouble, use it because you could end up saving someone’s life.

Your chance of surviving a cardiac arrest will dramatically increase with people calling triple zero (000) and applying a defibrillator as quickly as possible.



Beryl Morris Reserve Park Dedication

Cr Boulton attended.

Beryl Morris was originally Beryl Baker and her family set their footprint on Labrador way back in 1936 when they had a shop on the site of the Aqua building.

Beryl sadly passed away in 2005 - and it has taken 13 years to give Beryl the recognition I believe she thoroughly deserves through this park dedication.



TV WEEK Logie Awards Announcement

I joined with Minister Kate Jones to announce that the Logies will be returning to the Gold Coast this year.

The inaugural Logies appearance on the Gold Coast was beyond all expectations. The actors, producers, family and guests had an absolute ball.

It is now seen as one of the best parties on the Coast.

Given we are famous for our hospitality; I know so many people who couldn’t attend in 2018 are already locked in for this June.

I can’t wait for this year when the gold carpet is rolled out for the best talent in Australian television.



Energy Saving Announcement

I inspected solar panels on the roof of the City’s Waterside office block in Bundall, one of 20 solar sites now operational as part of the broader Energy Management Program.

The City has saved ratepayers $21 million in energy costs thanks to its energy management initiatives.

The installation of renewable energy systems minimises cost increases to ratepayers and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

We are continuing to investigate opportunities for small and large scale renewable energy as we strive to meet emission reduction targets and strengthen the city’s resilience.

The City is investigating opportunities to create a community ‘mini grid’ to share solar generation with some of its commercial tenants, at significantly reduced costs.

The first mini-grid is at Ashmore, adjacent the Council’s depot. It will open in May.

By the end of 2019, we will have deployed over 4MW of solar and 1MW of battery storage throughout the city - enough to power about 750 Gold Coast homes annually - with savings of over $500,000 per year.



Gold Coast Sports Star Awards 2019

Cr Baildon attended.

This was a great night to acknowledge a fantastic year in sport especially with the Commonwealth Games, Big Bash adding to the sporting events calendar, as well as the thousands of other sporting events we have across the city.

I took the opportunity to recognise the calibre of sporting athletes past and present, as well as the partnership between Sports Gold Coast and Sporting Hall of Fame to bring this night together to celebrate the city's sporting achievements.

And congratulations to Stephanie Gilmore who was named Gold Coast Sports Star of the Year.

The other winners were:

Gold Coast Para-Sport Sports Star of the Year: Curtis McGrath (Para-Canoe)

City of Gold Coast Mayor’s Sport Award: Michael Shelley (Marathon)

Eximm Gold Coast Junior Sports Volunteer of the Year: Troy Ottoway (Surf-Lifesaving)

Daphne Pirie Spirit of Sport Medal: Brett Wilkie (Lawn Bowls)

MyGC & 102.9 Hot Tomato People’s Choice Team of the Year: Gold Coast Cougars Little League Baseball Team.



Palm Beach Artificial Reef Construction Announcement and Annual Beaches Survey/Consultation

Yesterday I launched the $18.2 million artificial reef project down at Palm Beach.

Physical work on the Palm Beach Artificial Reef is due to start in April.

All necessary planning for phase 2 of the project has been done and we are now ready to commence. The second phase will add significant protection to one of our most vulnerable stretches of coastline.

Marine construction is always weather dependent so construction may be delayed or brought forward, depending on conditions.

The artificial reef will be 270 metres offshore from Nineteenth Avenue. It will be 160 metres in length and 80 metres wide. At its highest point, the reef will be 1.5 metres below the surface at average water level, identified with permanent marker buoys for marine safety.

The reef will influence the surrounding waves and currents to promote a long term increase in sand along vulnerable sections of Palm Beach, and this will provide a protective buffer from erosion.

In some conditions, an offshore recreational surf break may be formed giving further amenity to the city’s growing surf community.



Cyclone Oma

The beaches are holding up well and there is very little change from the weekend’s conditions.

There are scarps up to 2 metres along The Spit. Warning signage has been put up near the public access way north of the pumping jetty by City Maintenance.

No change to Kirra and Burleigh; both areas are still experiencing minor scarps up to 1 metre in their southern corners.

The are no scarps from Miami to Surfers Paradise.

The beach profile in front of the Surfers Hardstand has not experienced a noticed a noticeable reduction in level due to the swell event.

There are minor erosions scarps up to 0.5m at Narrowneck.

The Higman Street seawall construction site looks unchanged from yesterday – no swell impact.

City Maintenance addressed wind blow sand issues this morning at Southport SLSC.

Although warning signs and tape are in place, the public are still accessing the Currumbin groyne. There are voids present in the structure due to the water rushing over from south to north with the high water levels. Life guards are providing safety warnings over the loud speakers.

City Maintenance have reinstated safety fencing at the small platform at Kirra due to the public moving it out of the way.

Equipment has moved down to the beaches where scarping has occurred, but we are hopeful that our beaches can be returned to normal by the end of the week.



RESOLUTION G19.0226.005 moved Cr Tate seconded Cr Gates That the Mayor’s Report be welcomed and noted.

CARRIED 6 CLARIFICATION - MEMBERS Nil 7 BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES Nil 8 PRESENTATIONS Nil


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS 9.1 TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE Cr PC Young, Chairperson of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, presented the Report of the Meeting of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee held on Thursday, 14 February 2019. RESOLUTION G19.0226.006 moved Cr PC Young seconded Cr Taylor That the Report of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee Meeting held on Thursday, 14 February 2019, covered by Recommendations numbered TI19.0214.001 to TI19.0214.005, be received with a correction to Item 5 wording, such that it reads as follows: - .

That officers provide an estimate for the design of the duplication of Heathwood Drive and bridge crossings Upper Coomera to be funded from Divisions 1 & 2 Local Area Works Program for future whole of city consideration, funding and construction.

CARRIED

ADOPTION OF THE TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE REPORT RESOLUTION G19.0226.007 moved Cr PC Young seconded Cr Taylor That the Report of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee Meeting of Thursday, 14 February 2019, covered by Recommendations numbered TI19.0214.001 to TI19.0214.005, be adopted.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS (Continued) 9.2 LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNITY Cr Vorster, Chairperson of the Lifestyle and Community Committee, presented the Report of the Meeting of the Lifestyle and Community Committee held on Thursday, 14 February 2019. RESOLUTION G19.0226.008 moved Cr Vorster seconded Cr O’Neill That the Report of the Lifestyle and Community Committee Meeting held on Thursday, 14 February 2019, covered by Recommendations numbered LC19.0214.001 to LC19.0214.007, be received.

CARRIED ITEM 7 KURING GAI PARK

CS433/-/-(P7) RESOLUTION G19.0226.009 moved Cr Vorster seconded Cr Gates

That Committee Recommendation LC19.0214.007 be not adopted, but in lieu thereof reads as follows: That Council approve the removal of the eucalyptus trees and carry out compensatory planting at the following locations:

1 Kuring Gai Park, Robina behind 11 – 13 Beauty Point Drive, Robina.

2 King Lake Park, Robina behind 8 Chatswood Court, Robina.

3 Highgate Lane, Robina in the roundabout.

4 17 Manly Drive, Robina on the nature strip.

5 Tuggerah Close Reserve, Robina behind 30 Concord Circuit, Robina.

6 Yaun Street Coomera, opposite Hickey Street.

CARRIED


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS (Continued) 9.2 LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNITY (Continued) ITEM 3 KIRRA BEACH TOURIST PARK – RTA RESIDENTS

LG211/898/15(P15) REPORT CONFIDENTIAL RESOLUTION G19.0226.010 moved Cr O’Neill seconded Cr McDonald

That Committee Recommendation LC19.0214.003 be adopted, with a change to Parts 2 d & e, such that it reads in its entirety as follows: 1 That the report/attachment be deemed non-confidential except for those parts

deemed by the Chief Executive Officer to remain confidential in accordance with sections 171 (3) and 200 (5) of the Local Government Act 2009.

2 That Council’s position on the Kirra Beach Tourist Park Residents Committee requests dated 29 October 2018 be as follows:

a Request 1 - That the request not be supported as there is no legal basis for the proposition;

b Request 2 - That the request not be supported as there is no legal basis for the proposition;

c Request 3 - That the request not be supported as there is no legal basis for the proposition;

d Request 4 – That the request be supported for any RTAA resident who wishes to vacate prior to or upon termination of the proposed lease offered below (expiry 30 June 2028);

e Request 5 – That a Fixed Term Agreement expiring 30 June 2028 be offered to current RTAA residents only in line with Council Resolution to transition permanent residency from Kirra Beach Tourist Park by that date.

3 That Council’s position in this matter be communicated to all RTA tenants.

4 That any further financial implications be the subject of a future budget review.

A division was called. For 9 Cr Tozer, Cr Owen-Jones, Cr PJ Young, Cr Caldwell,

Cr Crichlow, Cr O'Neill, Cr Boulton, Cr Taylor, Cr McDonald Against 5 Cr Vorster, Cr La Castra, Cr Gates, Cr PC Young, Cr Tate Abstained 1 Cr Baildon Absent 0 Did Not Vote 0

CARRIED ADOPTION OF LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNITY COMMITTEE REPORT RESOLUTION G19.0226.011 moved Cr Vorster seconded Cr O’Neill That the Report of the Lifestyle and Community Committee’s Recommendations of Thursday, 14 February 2019, numbered LC19.0214.001 to LC19.0214.007, be adopted with the exception of Recommendation Numbers LC19.0214.003 and LC19.0214.007 which were specifically resolved.

CARRIED


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS (Continued) 9.3 ECONOMY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT Cr Caldwell, Chairperson of the Economy, Planning and Environment Committee, presented the Report of the Economy, Planning and Environment Committee held on Wednesday, 20 February 2019.

RESOLUTION G19.0226.012 moved Cr Caldwell seconded Cr PJ Young

That the Report of the Economy, Planning and Environment Committee Meeting held on Wednesday, 20 February 2019, covered by Recommendations numbered EPE19.0220.001 to EPE19.0220.006 be received.

CARRIED

ITEM 1 REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION FOR MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE (IMPACT ASSESSMENT) FOR A DUAL OCCUPANCY AT 5 KELLY AVE MIAMI – DIVISION 12 PN55843/01/DA3

Conflict of Interest – Cr Gates

Pursuant to section 175E(2) of the Local Government Act 2009, I would like to inform the meeting that I have a personal interest in this matter, which I recognise may be a real or perceived conflict of interest the particulars of which are as follows:

The nature of the interest is: receipt of donation

The name of the person or entity is: Michel Surveys

The nature of the relationship is: donor to 2008 electoral campaign

The value of the gift is: $250

The date of receipt of the gift is: 25 February 2008

The nature of the other person’s interest in the matter is: Planning Consultant

However I have considered my position and my interest in this matter as just described and am firmly of the view that I may participate in the meeting and vote in respect of this matter in the public interest in accordance with written advice from the Electoral Commission Qld dated 27 September 2018 whereby this consultant has been engaged to provide professional services and is not the applicant.

PROCEDURAL MOTION moved Cr Tozer seconded Cr Vorster

Pursuant to section 175E(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 2009, Council resolves that:

Cr Gates has a perceived conflict of interest in this matter because she received a donation from an entity associated with the matter.

CARRIED In accordance with Section 175E(4) of the Local Government Act 2009, Cr Gates and Cr Owen-Jones did not vote.

PROCEDURAL MOTION moved Cr Tozer seconded Cr Vorster

Pursuant to section 175E(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 2009, Council resolves that:

Cr Gates may participate in the meeting and vote on the matter because the interest is minor in nature, significant time has passed since the donation and advice from Electoral Commission of Queensland dated 27 September 2018

CARRIED

In accordance with Section 175E(4) of the Local Government Act 2009, Cr Gates and Cr Owen-Jones did not vote.


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS (Continued) 9.3 ECONOMY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT (Continued) ITEM 1 REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION FOR MATERIAL CHANGE OF

USE (IMPACT ASSESSMENT) FOR A DUAL OCCUPANCY AT 5 KELLY AVE MIAMI – DIVISION 12 PN55843/01/DA3 (Continued)

Conflict of Interest:- Cr Owen-Jones

Pursuant to section 175E(2) of the Local Government Act 2009, I would like to inform the meeting that I have a personal interest in this matter, which I recognise may be a perceived conflict of interest the particulars of which are as follows: The name of the person or entity is: Geyer Town Planning

The nature of the relationship is: a Director of Zone Planning was a Director of Geyer Town Planning who contributed to my 2016 campaign.

The value of the gift or benefit is: $900

The date of the gift: 23 August 2015

The nature of the other person’s interest in the matter is: David Geyer, formerly of Geyer Town Planning, is a Director of Zone Planning, a consultant to this application.

However I have considered my position and my interest in this matter as just described, and am firmly of the view that I may participate in the meeting and vote in respect of this matter in the public interest for the reason that the city has received further legal advice in regards to perceived conflict of interest. Given the value of the donation and the context it was given and the fact that I do not have a personal relationship with David Geyer I intend to remain in the room.

PROCEDURAL MOTION moved Cr Tozer seconded Cr O’Neill

Pursuant to section 175E(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 2009, Council resolves that:

Cr Owen-Jones has a perceived conflict of interest in this matter because he received a donation from an entity indirectly associated with the matter.

CARRIED In accordance with Section 175E(4) of the Local Government Act 2009, Cr Owen-Jones and Cr Gates did not vote. PROCEDURAL MOTION moved Cr Tozer seconded Cr Baildon Pursuant to section 175E(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 2009, Council resolves that:

Cr Owen-Jones may participate in the meeting and vote on the matter because the interest as disclosed is remote and minor in nature and noting the advice from the Electoral Commission Qld dated 27 September 2018.

CARRIED In accordance with Section 175E(4) of the Local Government Act 2009, Cr Owen-Jones and Cr Gates did not vote.



USE (IMPACT ASSESSMENT) FOR A DUAL OCCUPANCY AT 5 KELLY AVE MIAMI – DIVISION 12 PN55843/01/DA3 (Continued)

RESOLUTION G19.0226.013 moved Cr PC Young seconded Cr Caldwell That Committee Recommendation EPE19.0220.001 be adopted as printed in the Economy, Planning and Environment Committee meeting report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ITEM 2 REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION FOR MATERIAL CHANGE OF

USE (CODE ASSESSMENT) FOR MULTIPLE DWELLINGS (50 UNITS) AT 59 GARFIELD TERRACE, SURFERS PARADISE – DIVISION 7 MCU/2018/813

Conflict of Interest – Cr Gates



The name of the person or entity is: UPS

The nature of the relationship is: donor to electoral campaign

The value and date of donations: $1850 2 September 2014 $1850 7 September 2015 $1850 9 September 2016

The nature of the other person’s interest in the matter is: Planning Consultant to project


The name of the person or entity is: Arcadis


The value and date of donations: $1850 26 October 2015 $2500 5 October 2016

The nature of the other person’s interest in the matter is: Civil/Stormwater Engineer to project

The name of the person or entity is: Mitchell Bray


The value and date of donations: $1950 24 September 2014

The nature of the other person’s interest in the matter is: Mitchell Bray is an employee of Arcadis.

I will now leave and stay away from the meeting so that the matter may be discussed and voted on in my absence.

Cr Gates left the room



USE (CODE ASSESSMENT) FOR MULTIPLE DWELLINGS (50 UNITS) AT 59 GARFIELD TERRACE, SURFERS PARADISE – DIVISION 7 MCU/2018/813 (Continued)

RESOLUTION G19.0226.014 moved Cr Vorster seconded Cr Caldwell That Committee Recommendation EPE19.0220.002 be adopted as printed in the Economy, Planning and Environment Committee meeting report.

CARRIED Cr Gates returned to the room ITEM 6 UPDATE FOLLOWING MINISTERIAL RESPONSES ON OPTIONS FOR

PERMANENTLY SECURING KOALA HABITAT CE196/430/01/01/03/CF REPORT CONFIDENTIAL

Conflict of Interest – Cr Caldwell


The nature of the interest is receipt of electoral donation

The name of the person or entity is: Kornhauser Family

The nature of the relationship is: donor to my 2016 election campaign

The value of the gift is: $2000

The date of receipt of the gift is: 5 June 2015

The nature of the other person’s interest in the matter is: owner of land in the vicinity of the land that is the subject of the report.

I will now leave and stay away from the meeting so that the matter may be discussed and voted on in my absence.

Cr Caldwell left the room.


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS (Continued) 9.3 ECONOMY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT (Continued) ITEM 6 UPDATE FOLLOWING MINISTERIAL RESPONSES ON OPTIONS FOR

PERMANENTLY SECURING KOALA HABITAT (Continued) CE196/430/01/01/03/CF REPORT CONFIDENTIAL

RESOLUTION G19.0226.015 moved Cr Owen-Jones seconded Cr PJ Young

That Committee Recommendation EPE19.0220.006 be adopted as printed which reads as follows:- 1 That the report and attachment be deemed non-confidential except for those parts

deemed by the Chief Executive Officer to remain confidential in accordance with sections 171 (3) and 200 (5) of the Local Government Act 2009.

2 That the owner/s of the highest priority property (consisting of multiple lots) identified in Attachment 3 be approached in an attempt to enter into a contract of purchase on terms satisfactory to the Chief Executive Officer.

3 That funds raised through the Koala Habitat Acquisition and Enhancement Separate Charge be used to secure the East Coomera protected koala habitat network, including the acquisition of the highest priority property identified in Attachment 3.

4 If the attempt is unsuccessful, that Council serves a Notice of Intention to Resume (NIR) the land in accordance with Section 7 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1967.

5 That Council subsequently considers any objections as a result of the serving of the NIR above and provided there are no objections or an agreement is entered into with the owner/s, pursue the resumption of the land in accordance with the provisions of the Acquisition of Land Act 1967.

6 That the reasonable costs of survey, valuation fees, legal costs, registration, stamp duty and all other fees connected with the acquisition be at Council’s expense.

7 That the City continues working collaboratively with the State Government as it implements the recommendations of the Koala Expert Panel to achieve koala conservation in the City.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY Cr Caldwell returned to the room


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS (Continued) 9.3 ECONOMY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT (Continued) ITEM 3 QUARTERLY APPEALS REPORT RECEIVED OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2018

CM787/790/01/01/04 REPORT CONFIDENTIAL RESOLUTION G19.0226.016 moved Cr Caldwell seconded Cr PJ Young

That Committee Recommendation EPE19.0220.003 be adopted with a correction to part 1 which reads as follows:-

1 That the report/attachment be deemed non-confidential except for those parts deemed by the Chief Executive Officer to remain confidential in accordance with sections 171 (3) and 200 (5) of the Local Government Act 2009.

2 That Council note the Quarterly Appeals Report for the months of October 2018 – December 2018.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTION OF THE ECONOMY, PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE REPORT RESOLUTION G19.0226.017 moved Cr Caldwell seconded Cr O’Neill That the Report of the Economy, Planning and Environment Committee’s Recommendations of Wednesday, 20 February 2019, numbered EPE19.0220.001 to EPE19.0220.006, be adopted with the exception of:- Recommendation Numbers EPE19.0220.001

EPE19.0220.002 EPE19.0220.003 and EPE19.0220.006 which were specifically resolved.

CARRIED


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS (Continued) 9.4 WATER & WASTE Cr Taylor, Chairperson of the Water & Waste Committee, presented the Report of the Water & Waste Committee held on Thursday, 21 February 2019. RESOLUTION G19.0226.018 moved Cr Taylor seconded Cr Boulton That the Report of the Water & Waste Committee Meeting held on Thursday, 21 February 2019, covered by Recommendations numbered WW19.0221.001 to WW19.0221.010 be received.

CARRIED ITEM 5 DRAFT WATER STRATEGY COMMUNITY CONSULTATION AND MARKETING

REPORT WFB600/259/14(P2)

RESOLUTION G19.0226.019 moved Cr Vorster seconded Cr PC Young

That Committee Recommendation WW19.0221.005 be adopted as printed which reads as follows:- That Council endorses the Water Strategy Community Engagement and Marketing Report to become publically available.

CARRIED ADOPTION OF THE WATER & WASTE COMMITTEE REPORT RESOLUTION G19.0226.020 moved Cr Taylor seconded Cr Boulton That the Report of the Water & Waste Committee’s Recommendations of Thursday, 21 February 2019, numbered WW19.0221.001 to WW19.0221.010, be adopted with the exception of Recommendation Number WW19.0221.005 which was specifically resolved.

CARRIED


9 RECEPTION & CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS (Continued) 9.5 EVENTS, TOURISM AND GOVERNANCE Cr La Castra, Chairperson of the Events, Tourism and Governance Committee, presented the Report of the Meeting of the Events, Tourism and Governance Committee held on Thursday, 21 February 2019. RESOLUTION G19.0226.021 moved Cr La Castra seconded Cr PC Young That the Report of the Events, Tourism and Governance Committee Meeting held on Thursday, 21 February 2019 covered by Recommendations numbered ETG19.0221.001 to ETG19.0221.003 be received.

CARRIED

ADOPTION OF EVENTS, TOURISM AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE REPORT RESOLUTION G19.0226.022 moved Cr La Castra seconded Cr PC Young That the Report of the Events, Tourism and Governance Committee Recommendations of Thursday, 21 February 2019, numbered ETG19.0221.001 to ETG19.0221.003, be adopted.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY


10 CONSIDERATION OF NOTICES OF MOTION Nil 11 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE / ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON NOTICE Nil 12 PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS Nil 13 GENERAL BUSINESS 13.1 LOTUS LIVING ORGANICALLY INC

FN334/375/21(P1) RESOLUTION G19.0226.023 moved Cr PJ Young seconded Cr Owen-Jones That Council approve a donation to Lotus Living Organically Inc. in the amount of $1,500 from 2018-19 Local Area Works & Services Program – Division 5 to support venue hire costs. This One-off Donation is made outside Council’s competitive grants and donations programs and is made on public interest grounds.

CARRIED 13.2 GOLD COAST KNIGHTS SOCCER CLUB INC

FN334/375/21(P1) RESOLUTION G19.0226.024 moved Cr La Castra seconded Cr O’Neill That Council approve an allocation of $15,000 from Division 8 LAWS 2018-19 Budget to the Gold Coast Knights Soccer Club Inc, towards the costs associated with supply and installation of portable mobile lighting, for their Number 3 Junior Field. This is considered a one-off donation being made outside of Council’s competitive grants programs and in the public interest

CARRIED


14 OTHER BUSINESS 14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FN334/375/20(P1) Refer Attachment 1: 2018-19 Special Purpose Statement of Income and Expenditure and

Special Purpose Statement of Financial Position – December 2018 1 BASIS FOR CONFIDENTIALITY Not Applicable. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Not Applicable. 3 PURPOSE OF REPORT The Local Government Act 2009 and the Local Government Regulation 2012 require the Chief Executive Officer to present a financial report to Council on a monthly basis. The attached report is provided to Council in accordance with the above statutory requirements for December 2018. 4 PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS Not Applicable. 5 DISCUSSION Monthly financial reporting to Council is specified under section 204 of the Local Government Regulation 2012. It requires the Chief Executive Officer to present a financial report to Council on a monthly basis, stating the progress that has been made in relation to the local government’s budget. To aid in understanding the budget to actual position a Special Purpose Statement of Income and Expenditure and Special Purpose Statement of Financial Position are provided in Attachment 1. The purpose of each statement is summarised below: Special Purpose Statement of Income and Expenditure - The Statement of Income and Expenditure measures Council’s performance over the year and includes all sources of income and all operating expenses. A favourable net result indicates Council is increasing its community equity, i.e. net accumulated financial worth. Combined Statements of Income and Expenditure for Gold Coast Water, Waste Management, Tourist Parks and Other Council Activities are also provided in Attachment 1. Special Purpose Statement of Financial Position - The Statement of Financial Position sets out Council’s net accumulated financial worth at a point in time. It shows the assets that Council holds as well as liabilities or claims against these assets. These special purpose financial statements are prepared for Council in satisfaction of the statutory requirement noted above. They are extracted directly from the financial system after each month is closed, so the amounts shown in the report reflect unaudited account balances. On rare occasions the report may reflect an adjusted amount, where material errors or omissions in the financial system are known and quantifiable.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) 2018-19 BASIS OF REPORTING & TREND ANALYSIS The budget figures presented in this report as at 31 December 2018 represents the 2018-19 December Budget Review position, after reprovisions. As part of the monthly reporting process, Directorates are requested to identify significant budget trends. A trend is generally caused by an external influence beyond Council’s control (e.g. legislative, economic/financial markets, weather, etc.) and could potentially result in a variation to the level of service provided by Council. Budget variations are considered in the budget review process. There are no trends to report for December 2018. 2018-19 YEAR TO DATE PROGRESS AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS Progress against capital and operating budgets can be expressed in a series of high level indicators as provided below. These indicators show that revenue and expenditure are generally within expectations at this point in the financial year. When reviewing the budget to actual position on the statements it should be noted that Council’s budget is prepared on an annual basis, whereas actual figures are presented on a progressive monthly basis. Pro rata comparisons may not be appropriate because actual results may not occur evenly throughout the year, for example when they are influenced by seasonality or when works / programs are ahead of or behind schedule, or progress at a rate which is not uniform throughout the year. Such timing variances do not indicate a need for budget adjustment. Examples of variances which should be addressed through budget adjustments are: o planning variances where the intended program / outputs have changed;

o cost/efficiency variances, such as savings or over-expenditure, that will not be absorbed within the budget area

o price variances, where the price of inputs changed. The graphs presented below attempt to take seasonality of budget expenditure into account by comparing actual expenditure and revenue for the year to date to a Previous Year Pattern.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) o The Previous Year Pattern percentage shows the percentage of last year’s total

expenditure that had been spent at the corresponding time last year based on the final Revised Budget.

o The Previous Year Pattern amount shows the actual reported amount at the corresponding time last year.

Previous Year Pattern for revenue is a similar calculation based on revenue received at the corresponding time last year. OPERATING EXPENDITURE

The graph provides a comparison of year to date actual operating expenditure to budget for December 2018.

Council has spent $487.1 million from an operating expense budget of $1,032.0 million (including reprovisions) in 2018-19. This represents 47.2% expended at 50.0% of the year elapsed.

By comparison 48.1% ($497.0 million) of the previous year’s actual expenditure had been spent from the budget of $1,033.6 million at the end of December 2017. Some major expenses contributing to the decreased budget from 2017-18 to 2018-19 include: Commonwealth Games Operations, ICT Transformation Projects and Northern Beaches

Shoreline Projects.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

The capital expenditure graph shows a comparison of budget (plus commitments) to actual expenditure for capital works in 2018-19.

At the end of December 2018 $128.6 million ($282.2 million inclusive of commitments) had been spent from a total capital budget of $518.1 million (including reprovisions). This represents 24.8% (54.5% inclusive of commitments) of the total budget with 50.0% of the year elapsed. Commitments relate to current year projects. Some of the major

projects loaded as commitments in 2018-19 include the Long Term Recycled Water Release ($36m) and Cultural Precinct – Green Bridge ($16m) and Art Gallery works ($8m).

By comparison, $137.1 million (33.4%), or $229.7 million (55.9%) inclusive of commitments, of the capital budget of $410.5 million (including reprovisions) had been spent at the end of December 2017.


Revenue - Fees & Charges 2018 - 2019 Budget = $101M

50.2%

49.7%

0 30 60 90 120

Budget 18-19

Actual 18-19

Budget 17-18

Actual 17-18

Millions

Fees & Charges Income - Budget v Actual

14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued)

14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1)

OPERATING REVENUES

The graphs below present Council’s major sources of operating revenue. They show the actual year to date performance compared with total year budget and budget trend.

Fees and Charges

Fees and charges (excluding Private Works and Water and Waste Water Fees) were $50.8 million, which is 50.2% of the revised budget of $101.3 million as at the end of December 2018 (50.0% of year elapsed). By comparison, $50.3 million (49.7%) of last year’s budget of $101.3 million for fees and charges revenue had been achieved by the end of December 2017. Last year’s revised budget included an increase in development fees. By comparison, these fees are $2 million lower in the

December Budget Review 2018-19. Rates and Utility Charges

The amount of rates and utility charges brought to account as at the end of December 2018 was $565.4 million, which is 48.2% of the total budget of $1,172.0 million. This amount comprises Gold Coast Water rates, which are recognised on a progressive monthly basis, and other rates, which are recognised when billed.

By comparison, $538.5 million (47.9%) of last year’s total rates and utility charges revenue budget of $1,124.4 million had been achieved by the end of December 2017.

Interest Income

Interest income at the end of December 2018 was $17.2 million, which is 57.4% of the budget of $30.0 million.

By comparison, $17.9 million (57.4%) of last year’s total interest revenue budget of $31.2 million had been received by the end of December 2017.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) 6 ALIGNMENT TO THE CORPORATE PLAN, CORPORATE STRATEGIES AND

OPERATIONAL PLAN Not Applicable. 7 FUNDING AND RESOURCING REQUIREMENTS Not Applicable. 8 RISK MANAGEMENT Not Applicable. 9 STATUTORY MATTERS The December 2018 Monthly Financial Report is presented to Council in accordance with the Local Government Act 2009 and the Local Government Regulation 2012. 10 COUNCIL POLICIES Not Applicable. 11 DELEGATIONS Not Applicable. 12 COORDINATION & CONSULTATION The December 2018 Monthly Financial Report has been developed in consultation with Directorate staff where applicable.

Name and/or Title of the Stakeholder Consulted

Directorate Is the Stakeholder Satisfied With Content of Report and Recommendations (Yes/No) (comment as appropriate)

Marilyn Hildebrandt, Executive Coordinator Directorate Finances

OCOO Yes

Julie Brooks, Executive Coordinator Directorate Finances

OCOO Yes

Alex Rummery, Executive Coordinator Directorate Finances

OCOO Yes

John Blair, Manager Corporate Finance OCOO Yes


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) 13 STAKEHOLDER IMPACTS Not Applicable. 14 TIMING Not Applicable. 15 CONCLUSION The presentation of the attached special purpose (unaudited) reports, 2018-19 Statement of Income and Expenditure and Statement of Financial Position, satisfies legislative financial reporting requirements for December 2018. The high level indicators show that revenue and expenditure are generally within expectations at this point in the financial year. 16 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that Council resolves as follows: That Council note the Special Purpose 2018-19 Statement of Income and Expenditure and Statement of Financial Position as presented for December 2018. Author: Authorised by: Robert Liddell Joe McCabe Financial Planning & Business Analyst Chief Operating Officer 29 January 2018 #72678820 RESOLUTION G19.0226.025 moved Cr Tate seconded Cr Tozer That Council note the Special Purpose 2018-19 Statement of Income and Expenditure and Statement of Financial Position as presented for December 2018.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1)

Attachment 1

BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL

REVENUERATES & UTILITY CHARGES - - (83,740) (41,933) (503,646) (248,986) (584,606) (274,441) (1,171,992) (565,361) 1

RATES DISCOUNTS & REMISSIONS - - 0 0 0 0 52,608 25,821 52,608 25,821 1

FEES AND CHARGES (18,135) (10,211) (11,177) (4,799) (3,658) (1,594) (72,079) (35,765) (105,049) (52,370)INTEREST REVENUE - - (1,120) (634) (11,509) (6,167) (17,371) (10,427) (30,000) (17,229) 2

GAIN/LOSS ON SALE OF ASSETS 0 1 0 17 5,000 0 1,879 10,775 6,879 10,794CONTRIBUTION & DONATIONS REVENUE - - (378) (381) (86,500) (47,583) (144,163) (65,191) (231,040) (113,155) 3

GRANTS & SUBSIDIES REVENUE - - 0 (20) 0 0 (33,041) (15,167) (33,041) (15,187)OTHER REVENUE (64) (14) (44) (338) (40) (50) (27,453) (12,973) (27,601) (13,374) 4

TOTAL REVENUE (18,199) (10,223) (96,459) (48,089) (600,353) (304,380) (824,225) (377,367) (1,539,236) (740,059)

EXPENSESEMPLOYEE COSTS 676 346 9,367 3,123 50,589 23,025 313,091 154,826 373,723 181,320MATERIALS AND SERVICES 16,154 6,471 85,712 32,268 482,011 219,037 471,790 85,324 1,055,667 343,101DEPRECIATION & AMORTISATION 1,650 857 8,600 5,017 95,000 47,383 139,588 71,414 244,838 124,670FINANCE COSTS 0 8 0 0 0 0 38,502 20,381 38,502 20,388 5

OTHER EXPENSES 3,260 1,591 (1,206) 502 733 331 117,956 72,625 120,742 75,049 6

CAPITALISED EXPENSES (4,775) (829) (10,575) (1,044) (94,980) (29,007) (407,805) (75,198) (518,135) (106,079)TOTAL EXPENSES 16,965 8,444 91,898 39,866 533,352 260,769 673,121 329,372 1,315,337 638,450

NET RESULT (1,233) (1,780) (4,561) (8,222) (67,001) (43,612) (151,104) (47,996) (223,899) (101,610)

1

2

3

4

5

6

Other Revenue is mostly comprised of Rental/Lease Revenue, Canteen Revenue and "Revenue Default". The latter is the account to which revenue is posted before being allocated to the appropriate account by journal.It ll t i i t f th l t l d f th th

Contributions and Donations Revenue comprises capital revenues from cash contributions and contributed assets.

This amount comprises Gold Coast Water rates, which are recognised on a progressive monthly basis, and other rates, which are recognised when billed.

WATER OTHER ACTIVITIES CITY OF GOLD COAST

Finance Costs (includes credit card surcharges) and processed once quarterly statements are received from Queensland Treasury Corporation.

Interest revenue comprises earnings based off higher than estimated cash balances.

TOURIST PARKS

General explanations of the above line items can be found in Appendix 1

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Other Expenses include Contribution & Donation payments including Light Rail Stage 2 Contributions ($18m) and Contributions to Gold Coast Tourism ($12m).

SPECIAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENT (UNAUDITED)COMBINING STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR CITY OF GOLD COAST

GOLD COAST GOLD COAST

(in thousands of dollars)

GOLD COAST

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2018



BUDGET ACTUAL

ASSETSCURRENT ASSETS

CASH ASSETS 720,420 955,263 1

CURRENT RECEIVABLES 204,808 210,461 2

INVENTORIES 1,785 1,843PREPAYMENTS 702 100CLEARING ACCOUNTS 0 (81) 3

927,715 1,167,587

NON CURRENT ASSETSOTHER FINANCIAL ASSETS 1,150 1,150 4

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT 14,136,931 13,451,051ASSETS UNDER CONSTRUCTION 0 300,886 5

14,138,081 13,753,087

TOTAL ASSETS 15,065,795 14,920,674

LIABILITIESCURRENT LIABILITIES

CURRENT PAYABLES (95,172) (71,557)UNEARNED REVENUE (2,000) (27,207) 6

CURRENT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (26,730) (24,423)CURRENT BORROWINGS (80,940) (77,395)CLEARING ACCOUNTS 0 (42) 3

(204,843) (200,624)

NON CURRENT LIABILITIESNON CURRENT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (54,361) (58,593)NON CURRENT PROVISIONS (70,000) (70,000) 8

NON CURRENT BORROWINGS (552,328) (526,859)(676,689) (655,452)

TOTAL LIABILITIES (881,531) (856,075)NET COMMUNITY ASSETS 14,184,264 14,064,598

COMMUNITY EQUITYRETAINED CAPITAL 9,121,853 8,926,215RESERVES 5,062,411 5,138,383 7

TOTAL COMMUNITY EQUITY 14,184,264 14,064,598

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 Non Current Provisions includes future rehabilitation and remedial works at the City's waste landfill sites. These works are expected to be undertaken from the year 2035 to the year 2080 with the majority of the costs being incurred for leachate management and landfill capping.

The balance of Assets Under Construction is the accumulated expenditure on capital assets that have not yet been completed and added to Property, Plant and Equipment. From a budget perspective it is assumed that by year end all capital works have been completed and moved to Property, Plant and Equipment.Unearned Revenue includes water rates which have been billed but are treated as unearned and recognised as revenue progressively throughout the year. They will be reduced by year end.

Reserves includes Asset Revaluation Surplus and Cash Reserves.

Clearing Accounts comprise a number of accounts used to hold balances which are cleared periodically throughout the year, including credit cards, payroll related items and debtor refunds.Other Financial Assets are Council's investments in Gold Coast City Council Insurance Co Ltd and SEQ Regional Recreational Facilities Pty Ltd.


SPECIAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENT (UNAUDITED)STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION FOR CITY OF GOLD COAST AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2018

Cash Assets include investments. The balance is usually highest after the close of the discount period for Rates (August and February) and Water (July, October, January and April). The cash balance comprises: (i) Infrastructure Charges Reserve ($391.6m), (ii) Investment Fund Reserve ($73.5m), (iii) Gold Coast Water & Waste reserves ($225.7m), (iv) Other reserves (Cultural Precinct, Strategic Priorities Reserve, etc) ($81.1m) and (iv) Other cash items ($183.4m).

Current Receivables includes balances of outstanding invoices and accruals for water rates. It is usually highest after rate notices are issued (July, October, January and April).

General explanations of line items can be found in Appendix 1.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.1 DECEMBER 2018 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) APPENDIX 1 – Explanation of Financial Statement Items

This appendix is a general explanation of Council’s revenues, costs, assets and liabilities to aid in understanding the budget to actual comparison in the monthly financial report.

STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE BY SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES

REVENUE FROM ORDINARY ACTIVITIES

Rates and Utility Charges

Rate revenue for Council will mainly be recorded in July and January upon the issue of rate notices. Rate Revenue for Gold Coast Water is accounted for on an accrual basis throughout the year.

Rates Discount and Remissions

Rate discount is recorded as an expense at the time of payment and will mainly increase in July / August and January / February as rates are paid. However, remission is provided at the time of rate issue and will mainly increase in July and January.

Fees and Charges The pattern of revenue for fees and charges reflects a mixture of billing cycles and seasonal variations. For example, licensing and other charges are mainly billed in the first quarter of the financial year, whereas development assessment receipts may follow building and economic trends.

Gain/Loss on Sale A gain or loss on sale arises when Council assets are disposed of or sold at a value that varies from their book value.

Interest Revenue Interest earned varies according to the cash balances available for investment throughout the year.

Contributions and Donations Revenue

Includes capital revenues from cash contributions and contributed assets. Contributed assets generally account for more than half of this budget which are a ‘book entry’ only and are brought to account through year-end processes.

Grants and Subsidies Revenue

Subsidies are mainly received for specific capital projects after stages of completion are reached.

Other Revenue Other revenue comprises miscellaneous relatively small amounts of revenue that don’t fit into the major categories. It includes Reimbursements and Recoveries, and Rental and Lease Revenue.

EXPENSES FROM ORDINARY ACTIVITIES

Employee Costs The total expenditure on labour, including remuneration and benefits, as well as other employee-related costs such as superannuation, payroll tax and workers compensation.

Materials and Services

Where totals are shown for individual business units, the expenditure on materials and services includes internal transactions.

Depreciation and Amortisation

Non-cash expense that estimates the use and ‘wear and tear’ of non-current assets such as plant, equipment and infrastructure.

Finance Costs Interest on loans, and bank charges.



Other Expenses Other expenses comprise miscellaneous expenses that don’t fit into the major categories. It includes contributions and donations, write offs, insurance premiums and external audit fees.

Capitalised Expenses

This line shows how much of the employee costs and materials and services are used in construction / purchase or major renewal of assets. The budget reflects the total expenditure identified in the Four Year Capital Works Program.

Net Result for Period

This line represents the budgeted increase in community equity to be retained at year end. This is used to fund new capital works and for loan redemption. Transfers to and from capital reserves are made as appropriate.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

Current assets The cash and cash equivalents that are currently held. The budget shows the budgeted closing balance at the end of the financial year. The actual cash balance will vary significantly throughout the year as rate receipts, loans and major payments are processed. Cash investment is managed by Council’s Treasury Section.

Non Current Assets The budgeted value of property, plant and equipment and infrastructure assets, at year end, including land, roads, water and sewerage infrastructure after depreciation, renewals, new capital works, contributed assets and revaluations are accounted for.

Current Liabilities The present obligations, arising in the past, that Council has to make payments for within the next financial year. The budget shows the expected balance of these liabilities at the end of the financial year. This includes accounts payable and provisions for employee entitlements to annual and long service leave. It also includes the expected commitment to pay loan redemption in the next financial year.

Non-Current Liabilities

The expected balance, at year end, of provisions for employee entitlements and debt that is not required to be paid within the next financial year.

Community Equity Retained equity includes City Capital and any Surplus / Deficit. Reserves include cash-backed reserves representing infrastructure charges and asset revaluation reserves which record the valuation adjustments to Council’s existing non-current assets.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.2 JANUARY 2019 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FN334/375/20(P1) Refer Attachment 1: 2018-19 Special Purpose Statement of Income and Expenditure and

Special Purpose Statement of Financial Position – January 2019 1 BASIS FOR CONFIDENTIALITY Not Applicable. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Not Applicable. 3 PURPOSE OF REPORT The Local Government Act 2009 and the Local Government Regulation 2012 require the Chief Executive Officer to present a financial report to Council on a monthly basis. The attached report is provided to Council in accordance with the above statutory requirements for January 2019. 4 PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS Not Applicable. 5 DISCUSSION Monthly financial reporting to Council is specified under section 204 of the Local Government Regulation 2012. It requires the Chief Executive Officer to present a financial report to Council on a monthly basis, stating the progress that has been made in relation to the local government’s budget. To aid in understanding the budget to actual position a Special Purpose Statement of Income and Expenditure and Special Purpose Statement of Financial Position are provided in Attachment 1. The purpose of each statement is summarised below: Special Purpose Statement of Income and Expenditure - The Statement of Income and Expenditure measures Council’s performance over the year and includes all sources of income and all operating expenses. A favourable net result indicates Council is increasing its community equity, i.e. net accumulated financial worth. Combined Statements of Income and Expenditure for Gold Coast Water, Waste Management, Tourist Parks and Other Council Activities are also provided in Attachment 1. Special Purpose Statement of Financial Position - The Statement of Financial Position sets out Council’s net accumulated financial worth at a point in time. It shows the assets that Council holds as well as liabilities or claims against these assets. These special purpose financial statements are prepared for Council in satisfaction of the statutory requirement noted above. They are extracted directly from the financial system after each month is closed, so the amounts shown in the report reflect unaudited account balances. On rare occasions the report may reflect an adjusted amount, where material errors or omissions in the financial system are known and quantifiable.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.2 JANUARY 2019 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) 2018-19 BASIS OF REPORTING & TREND ANALYSIS The budget figures presented in this report as at 31 January 2019 represents the 2018-19 December Budget Review position, after reprovisions. As part of the monthly reporting process, Directorates are requested to identify significant budget trends. A trend is generally caused by an external influence beyond Council’s control (e.g. legislative, economic/financial markets, weather, etc.) and could potentially result in a variation to the level of service provided by Council. Budget variations are considered in the budget review process. There are no trends to report for January 2019. 2018-19 YEAR TO DATE PROGRESS AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS Progress against capital and operating budgets can be expressed in a series of high level indicators as provided below. These indicators show that revenue and expenditure are generally within expectations at this point in the financial year. When reviewing the budget to actual position on the statements it should be noted that Council’s budget is prepared on an annual basis, whereas actual figures are presented on a progressive monthly basis. Pro rata comparisons may not be appropriate because actual results may not occur evenly throughout the year, for example when they are influenced by seasonality or when works / programs are ahead of or behind schedule, or progress at a rate which is not uniform throughout the year. Such timing variances do not indicate a need for budget adjustment. Examples of variances which should be addressed through budget adjustments are: o planning variances where the intended program / outputs have changed;

o cost/efficiency variances, such as savings or over-expenditure, that will not be absorbed within the budget area

o price variances, where the price of inputs changed. The graphs presented below attempt to take seasonality of budget expenditure into account by comparing actual expenditure and revenue for the year to date to a Previous Year Pattern. o The Previous Year Pattern percentage shows the percentage of last year’s total

expenditure that had been spent at the corresponding time last year based on the final Revised Budget.

o The Previous Year Pattern amount shows the actual reported amount at the corresponding time last year.

Previous Year Pattern for revenue is a similar calculation based on revenue received at the corresponding time last year.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.2 JANUARY 2019 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) OPERATING EXPENDITURE

The graph provides a comparison of year to date actual operating expenditure to budget for January 2019.

Council has spent $571.2 million from an operating expense budget of $1,032.0 million (including reprovisions) in 2018-19. This represents 55.3% expended at 58.3% of the year elapsed.

By comparison 57.1% ($589.9 million) of the previous year’s actual expenditure had been spent from the budget of $1,033.6 million at the end of January 2018.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

The capital expenditure graph shows a comparison of budget (plus commitments) to actual expenditure for capital works in 2018-19.

At the end of January 2019 $149.1 million ($300.4 million inclusive of commitments) had been spent from a total capital budget of $518.1 million (including reprovisions). This represents 28.8% (58.0% inclusive of commitments) of the total budget with 58.8% of the year elapsed. Commitments relate to

current year projects.

By comparison, $156.7 million (38.2%), or $257.1 million (62.6%) inclusive of commitments, of the capital budget of $410.5 million (including reprovisions) had been spent at the end of January 2018.

Reasons for the increased budget from 2017-18 to 2018-19 include: higher value of projects carried forward from the prior year, Cultural Precinct (Art Gallery and Green Bridge) and Transport trunk infrastructure.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued)

14.2 JANUARY 2019 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1)

OPERATING REVENUES

The graphs below present Council’s major sources of operating revenue. They show the actual year to date performance compared with total year budget and budget trend.

Fees and Charges

Fees and charges (excluding Private Works and Water and Waste Water Fees) were $59.3 million, which is 58.5% of the revised budget of $101.3 million as at the end of January 2019 (58.8% of year elapsed). By comparison, $62.3 million (61.9%) of last year’s budget of $101.3 million for fees and charges revenue had been achieved by the end of January 2018. Last year’s revised budget included an increase in development fees. By comparison, these fees are $2 million lower in the January Budget Review

2018-19. Rates and Utility Charges

The amount of rates and utility charges brought to account as at the end of January 2019 was $904.8 million, which is 77.2% of the total budget of $1,172.0 million. This amount comprises Gold Coast Water rates, which are recognised on a progressive monthly basis, and other rates, which are recognised when billed.

By comparison, $843.7 million (75.0%) of last year’s total rates and utility charges revenue budget of $1,124.4 million had been achieved by the end of January 2018.

Interest Income

Interest income at the end of January 2019 was $20.1 million, which is 67.2% of the budget of $30.0 million.

By comparison, $20.7 million (66.2%) of last year’s total interest revenue budget of $31.2 million had been received by the end of January 2018.

The Interest Income budget was increased in the December Budget Review due to higher than anticipated opening cash balances and will be monitored in future reviews.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.2 JANUARY 2019 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) 6 ALIGNMENT TO THE CORPORATE PLAN, CORPORATE STRATEGIES AND

OPERATIONAL PLAN Not Applicable. 7 FUNDING AND RESOURCING REQUIREMENTS Not Applicable. 8 RISK MANAGEMENT Not Applicable. 9 STATUTORY MATTERS The January 2019 Monthly Financial Report is presented to Council in accordance with the Local Government Act 2009 and the Local Government Regulation 2012. 10 COUNCIL POLICIES Not Applicable. 11 DELEGATIONS Not Applicable. 12 COORDINATION & CONSULTATION The January 2019 Monthly Financial Report has been developed in consultation with Directorate staff where applicable.


Directorate Is the Stakeholder Satisfied With Content of Report and Recommendations (Yes/No) (comment as appropriate)

Marilyn Hildebrandt, Executive Coordinator Directorate Finances

OCOO Yes

Julie Brooks, Executive Coordinator Directorate Finances

OCOO Yes

Alex Rummery, Executive Coordinator Directorate Finances

OCOO Yes

John Blair, Manager Corporate Finance OCOO Yes


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.2 JANUARY 2019 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) 13 STAKEHOLDER IMPACTS Not Applicable. 14 TIMING Not Applicable. 15 CONCLUSION The presentation of the attached special purpose (unaudited) reports, 2018-19 Statement of Income and Expenditure and Statement of Financial Position, satisfies legislative financial reporting requirements for January 2019. The high level indicators show that revenue and expenditure are generally within expectations at this point in the financial year. 16 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that Council resolves as follows: That Council note the Special Purpose 2018-19 Statement of Income and Expenditure and Statement of Financial Position as presented for January 2019. Author: Authorised by: Robert Liddell Joe McCabe Financial Planning & Business Analyst Chief Operating Officer 12 February 2019 #72767230 RESOLUTION G19.0226.026 moved Cr Tate seconded Cr PJ Young That Council note the Special Purpose 2018-19 Statement of Income and Expenditure and Statement of Financial Position as presented for January 2019.

CARRIED


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.2 JANUARY 2019 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1)

Attachment 1

BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL

REVENUERATES & UTILITY CHARGES - - (83,740) (48,938) (503,646) (296,910) (584,606) (558,970) (1,171,992) (904,818) 1

RATES DISCOUNTS & REMISSIONS - - 0 0 0 0 52,608 35,638 52,608 35,638 1

FEES AND CHARGES (18,135) (11,795) (11,177) (5,658) (3,658) (2,039) (72,079) (41,795) (105,049) (61,287)INTEREST REVENUE - - (1,120) (737) (11,509) (7,414) (17,371) (11,997) (30,000) (20,148) 2

GAIN/LOSS ON SALE OF ASSETS 0 1 0 17 5,000 0 1,879 6,290 6,879 6,309CONTRIBUTION & DONATIONS REVENUE - - (378) (381) (86,500) (52,140) (144,163) (81,620) (231,040) (134,141) 3

GRANTS & SUBSIDIES REVENUE - - 0 (20) 0 0 (33,041) (15,373) (33,041) (15,393)OTHER REVENUE (64) (141) (44) (338) (40) (52) (27,453) (14,539) (27,601) (15,070) 4

TOTAL REVENUE (18,199) (11,935) (96,459) (56,055) (600,353) (358,556) (824,225) (682,366) (1,539,236) (1,108,911)

EXPENSESEMPLOYEE COSTS 676 401 9,367 3,673 50,589 26,908 313,091 181,587 373,723 212,569MATERIALS AND SERVICES 16,389 8,072 83,462 38,921 482,011 259,218 491,053 102,267 1,072,915 408,479DEPRECIATION & AMORTISATION 1,650 1,000 8,600 5,700 95,000 55,317 139,588 83,504 244,838 145,521FINANCE COSTS 0 10 0 0 0 0 38,502 20,485 38,502 20,495 5

OTHER EXPENSES 3,025 1,813 1,044 818 733 357 98,693 79,240 103,494 82,228 6

CAPITALISED EXPENSES (4,775) (851) (10,575) (1,564) (94,980) (34,700) (407,805) (84,629) (518,135) (121,744)TOTAL EXPENSES 16,965 10,446 91,898 47,549 533,352 307,099 673,121 382,455 1,315,337 747,548

NET RESULT (1,233) (1,489) (4,561) (8,506) (67,001) (51,456) (151,104) (299,911) (223,899) (361,363)

1

2

3

4

5

6

Other Revenue is mostly comprised of Rental/Lease Revenue, Canteen Revenue and "Revenue Default". The latter is the account to which revenue is posted before being allocated to the appropriate account by journal.It ll t i i t f th l t l d f th th

Contributions and Donations Revenue comprises capital revenues from cash contributions and contributed assets.

This amount comprises Gold Coast Water rates, which are recognised on a progressive monthly basis, and other rates, which are recognised when billed.

WATER OTHER ACTIVITIES CITY OF GOLD COAST

Finance Costs (includes credit card surcharges) and processed once quarterly statements are received from Queensland Treasury Corporation.

Interest revenue comprises earnings based off higher than estimated cash balances.

TOURIST PARKS

General explanations of the above line items can be found in Appendix 1

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Other Expenses include Contribution & Donation payments including Light Rail Stage 2 Contributions ($18m) and Contributions to Gold Coast Tourism ($12m).

SPECIAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENT (UNAUDITED)COMBINING STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR CITY OF GOLD COAST

GOLD COAST GOLD COAST


GOLD COAST

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 JANUARY 2019



BUDGET ACTUAL

ASSETSCURRENT ASSETS

CASH ASSETS 720,420 1,019,943 1

CURRENT RECEIVABLES 204,808 485,908 2

INVENTORIES 1,785 1,721PREPAYMENTS 702 1,135CLEARING ACCOUNTS 0 (15) 3

927,715 1,508,691

NON CURRENT ASSETSOTHER FINANCIAL ASSETS 1,150 1,150 4

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT 14,136,931 13,455,469ASSETS UNDER CONSTRUCTION 0 303,910 5

14,138,081 13,760,528

TOTAL ASSETS 15,065,795 15,269,219

LIABILITIESCURRENT LIABILITIES

CURRENT PAYABLES (95,172) (110,384)UNEARNED REVENUE (2,000) (81,016) 6

CURRENT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (26,730) (21,093)CURRENT BORROWINGS (80,940) (77,395)CLEARING ACCOUNTS 0 (5,296) 3

(204,843) (295,184)

NON CURRENT LIABILITIESNON CURRENT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (54,361) (59,299)NON CURRENT PROVISIONS (70,000) (70,000) 8

NON CURRENT BORROWINGS (552,328) (526,859)(676,689) (656,157)

TOTAL LIABILITIES (881,531) (951,341)NET COMMUNITY ASSETS 14,184,264 14,317,878

COMMUNITY EQUITYRETAINED CAPITAL 9,121,853 9,193,131RESERVES 5,062,411 5,124,747 7

TOTAL COMMUNITY EQUITY 14,184,264 14,317,878

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 Non Current Provisions includes future rehabilitation and remedial works at the City's waste landfill sites. These works are expected to be undertaken from the year 2035 to the year 2080 with the majority of the costs being incurred for leachate management and landfill capping.

The balance of Assets Under Construction is the accumulated expenditure on capital assets that have not yet been completed and added to Property, Plant and Equipment. From a budget perspective it is assumed that by year end all capital works have been completed and moved to Property, Plant and Equipment.Unearned Revenue includes water rates which have been billed but are treated as unearned and recognised as revenue progressively throughout the year. They will be reduced by year end.

Reserves includes Asset Revaluation Surplus and Cash Reserves.

Clearing Accounts comprise a number of accounts used to hold balances which are cleared periodically throughout the year, including credit cards, payroll related items and debtor refunds.Other Financial Assets are Council's investments in Gold Coast City Council Insurance Co Ltd and SEQ Regional Recreational Facilities Pty Ltd.


SPECIAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENT (UNAUDITED)STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION FOR CITY OF GOLD COAST AS AT 31 JANUARY 2019

Cash Assets include investments. The balance is usually highest after the close of the discount period for Rates (August and February) and Water (July, October, January and April). The cash balance comprises: (i) Infrastructure Charges Reserve ($379.6m), (ii) Investment Fund Reserve ($73.5m), (iii) Gold Coast Water & Waste reserves ($225.7m), (iv) Other reserves (Cultural Precinct, Strategic Priorities Reserve, etc) ($93.0m) and (iv) Other cash items ($248.1m).

Current Receivables includes balances of outstanding invoices and accruals for water rates. It is usually highest after rate notices are issued (July, October, January and April).

General explanations of line items can be found in Appendix 1.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.2 JANUARY 2019 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT (Continued) FN334/375/20(P1) APPENDIX 1 – Explanation of Financial Statement Items

This appendix is a general explanation of Council’s revenues, costs, assets and liabilities to aid in understanding the budget to actual comparison in the monthly financial report.

STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE BY SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES

REVENUE FROM ORDINARY ACTIVITIES

Rates and Utility Charges

Rate revenue for Council will mainly be recorded in July and January upon the issue of rate notices. Rate Revenue for Gold Coast Water is accounted for on an accrual basis throughout the year.

Rates Discount and Remissions

Rate discount is recorded as an expense at the time of payment and will mainly increase in July / August and January / February as rates are paid. However, remission is provided at the time of rate issue and will mainly increase in July and January.

Fees and Charges The pattern of revenue for fees and charges reflects a mixture of billing cycles and seasonal variations. For example, licensing and other charges are mainly billed in the first quarter of the financial year, whereas development assessment receipts may follow building and economic trends.

Gain/Loss on Sale A gain or loss on sale arises when Council assets are disposed of or sold at a value that varies from their book value.

Interest Revenue Interest earned varies according to the cash balances available for investment throughout the year.

Contributions and Donations Revenue

Includes capital revenues from cash contributions and contributed assets. Contributed assets generally account for more than half of this budget which are a ‘book entry’ only and are brought to account through year-end processes.

Grants and Subsidies Revenue

Subsidies are mainly received for specific capital projects after stages of completion are reached.

Other Revenue Other revenue comprises miscellaneous relatively small amounts of revenue that don’t fit into the major categories. It includes Reimbursements and Recoveries, and Rental and Lease Revenue.

EXPENSES FROM ORDINARY ACTIVITIES

Employee Costs The total expenditure on labour, including remuneration and benefits, as well as other employee-related costs such as superannuation, payroll tax and workers compensation.

Materials and Services

Where totals are shown for individual business units, the expenditure on materials and services includes internal transactions.

Depreciation and Amortisation

Non-cash expense that estimates the use and ‘wear and tear’ of non-current assets such as plant, equipment and infrastructure.

Finance Costs Interest on loans, and bank charges.



Other Expenses Other expenses comprise miscellaneous expenses that don’t fit into the major categories. It includes contributions and donations, write offs, insurance premiums and external audit fees.

Capitalised Expenses

This line shows how much of the employee costs and materials and services are used in construction / purchase or major renewal of assets. The budget reflects the total expenditure identified in the Four Year Capital Works Program.

Net Result for Period

This line represents the budgeted increase in community equity to be retained at year end. This is used to fund new capital works and for loan redemption. Transfers to and from capital reserves are made as appropriate.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

Current assets The cash and cash equivalents that are currently held. The budget shows the budgeted closing balance at the end of the financial year. The actual cash balance will vary significantly throughout the year as rate receipts, loans and major payments are processed. Cash investment is managed by Council’s Treasury Section.

Non Current Assets The budgeted value of property, plant and equipment and infrastructure assets, at year end, including land, roads, water and sewerage infrastructure after depreciation, renewals, new capital works, contributed assets and revaluations are accounted for.

Current Liabilities The present obligations, arising in the past, that Council has to make payments for within the next financial year. The budget shows the expected balance of these liabilities at the end of the financial year. This includes accounts payable and provisions for employee entitlements to annual and long service leave. It also includes the expected commitment to pay loan redemption in the next financial year.

Non-Current Liabilities

The expected balance, at year end, of provisions for employee entitlements and debt that is not required to be paid within the next financial year.

Community Equity Retained equity includes City Capital and any Surplus / Deficit. Reserves include cash-backed reserves representing infrastructure charges and asset revaluation reserves which record the valuation adjustments to Council’s existing non-current assets.

Meeting adjourned at 2.01pm Meeting reconvened at 2.19pm


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.3 GOLD COAST FERRY TRIAL

WFB600/684/06 Refer 12 page attachment

1 BASIS FOR CONFIDENTIALITY

Not Applicable.

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Gold Coast is an exceptional place to live, work and visit and by 2050 the population is expected to double. In line with this, the city’s transport demands are growing and changing which creates the need for better public transport services. The Gold Coast Transport Strategy 2031 and its associated Public Transport Plan 2018-28 identifies that a ferry service could potentially contribute to the city’s public transport network and assist the City’s aim to manage congestion. Both of these documents have key actions that seek to establish a ferry service on the Gold Coast waterways.

A number of previous attempts have been made by the City to establish a ferry service. Unfortunately the circuitous nature of the Nerang River, the existence of low speed limits, the lack of disability compliant and exclusive use infrastructure and the uncertainty of service demand has presented challenges in the past for operators to deliver ferry services within an affordable funding framework.

In 2018, the Mayor announced a proposed ferry service trial that identified a network extending from Tipplers on South Stradbroke Island to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach and Metricon Stadium, Carrara (refer Attachment 1). This service was proposed to be integrated into TransLink’s existing public transport network and operated at no cost to the City.

Council at its meeting of 30 October 2018 resolved that a detailed report regarding the introduction of the ferry service trial in the city be brought back to Council for consideration (Ex. Minute G18.1030.009). This report presents the key findings of the investigations that address the specific matters raised within the Council resolution.

Service integration with TransLink public transport network

In October 2018, the Minister for Transport and Main Roads released a statement advising that the Queensland Government would work with the City to investigate the potential of a ferry service on the Broadwater and Nerang River. Advice received from senior TMR officers is that the Department will consider integration of a ferry system into the broader public transport network once specific details of the ferry operation are provided.


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.3 GOLD COAST FERRY TRIAL (Continued)

WFB600/684/06

Service patronage

The viability of the ferry service will, among other things, depend upon the patronage that it generates. A specialist transport planning firm was engaged to undertake an assessment of the proposed ferry network to determine the level of patronage that could be expected to use the system on a daily basis. Given that this is a new mode of transport for the City there are few existing data sources that can be readily used in this assessment, which is therefore relatively basic and reliant on several key assumptions.

The modelling outputs show that when considered in isolation as an alternative public transport mode, the ferry system would not attract a high level of demand from Gold Coast residents for their ‘every day’ transport needs. The fundamental reasons for this are:

o Existing private vehicle travel times are much faster than existing public transport travel times for most ferry stop-to-stop movements.

o Existing public transport travel times are much faster than ferry based travel times for most trips between the proposed ferry stops.

However the unique location and characteristics of the ferry service means that it may potentially also be used by locals and tourists who are seeking a waterways experience when traveling around the City. This is a typical characteristic of ferry systems such as those in Brisbane and Sydney where it is reported that approximately 50% of their patronage is derived from tourist and leisure users. It should be noted however that there are existing commercial cruise operators that provide a tourist opportunity.

With all users included, the modelling identified that the base level of system patronage could range between 400 and 700 passengers per day. It was further identified that with the right level of targeted service marketing, the daily patronage could increase to between 1000 and 1800 passengers per day. For the purpose of the demand analysis, a base network of nine (9) stops was adopted.

Preferred Ferry trial network

A network of up to 14 stops as shown in Attachment A was investigated. Four network options for the proposed ferry trial have been evaluated via a multi-criteria assessment. Each option was evaluated against criteria that examined the cost of infrastructure upgrades, ease of system access, connectivity with public transport services, potential for patronage growth and barriers to trial operations.

From the evaluation it is recommended that a five (5) stop network including Sea World, Southport Pier, Marina Mirage, Appel Park (Surfers Paradise) and HOTA be approved as the preferred minimum ferry network for the commencement of the trial period (refer Attachment B). It is considered that this option will provide a lower risk to operators for the initial introduction of services while still allowing for network expansion once actual patronage and service demand is realised.



WFB600/684/06

Trial period

Options of between six months and two years were considered for the duration of the proposed ferry trial. Market sounding undertaken with a number of existing service operators identified a need for the trial period to be as long as possible. This was necessary to provide operators with sufficient time to mobilise and streamline operations as well as to build service awareness and grow service demand. Feedback received indicates that a two year trial period is considered to be an appropriate timeframe.

Ferry trial infrastructure requirements

The City currently owns or manages various public boat ramps, jetties, pontoons and fishing facilities on behalf of the Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA). There are currently six pontoons within the city that have been approved for use by commercial vessels. In addition, there are a number of private marine facilities that cater for commercial vessels undertaking a variety of recreational and tourist activities on the waterways.

Commercial vessel use of City and State owned pontoons are currently enabled through the City’s Local Law No.7 (Council Property) 2008, and Subordinate Local Law No. 7.1 (Jetties and Boat Ramps) 2008 and the Transport Infrastructure (Public Marine Facilities) Regulation 2011. The conditions of use are managed through a permit system that is administered by the Health, Regulation and Lifeguard Services Branch within the Lifestyle and Communities Directorate.

The State has imposed conditions limiting commercial vessel use of their pontoons. The conditions of commercial use for approved boating facilities do not currently allow for ferry services or give priority of use to commercial vessels as recreational users must represent at least 50% of the total users of the pontoon. Discussion with the GCWA has indicated that the State may agree to a modification of the conditions which will allow approved ferry services to use their boating facilities. Changes to the Local Law and Subordinate Local Law will be required to facilitate the trial and its subsequent operations. The City owns and operates the pontoon located at HOTA. This facility has no restrictions placed on its use and is therefore available for recreational and commercial use.

Another significant issue for this ferry proposal is the requirement for pontoons and customer waiting environments at ferry stops to be fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (Transport Standards).

A technical infrastructure assessment has been completed by City officers for each of the nominated ferry stops within the proposed network. The assessment identifies the level of compliance each location has with the accessibility standards and provides a cost estimate for infrastructure upgrades required by the City to bring non-compliant facilities up to the required public transport standard.

The assessment has also identified additional customer infrastructure requirements at the proposed stops to make the system safer to use. It is considered that the inclusion of shelter, seating, timetable / information displays, CCTV, bins, wayfinding signage and bike racks is a necessary requirement of this project and an allowance has been made in the infrastructure upgrade costings provided for each stop.



WFB600/684/06

The City will seek funding contribution from GCWA for infrastructure upgrades at GCWA-owned, City-managed facilities at Southport Pier and Appel Park to meet DDA compliance. Infrastructure works for ferry stops at privately-operated facilities (Sea World and Marina Mirage) would be funded by the infrastructure owners. The City has commenced discussions with key stakeholders including Village Roadshow Theme Parks (owners of Sea World) and the management of Marina Mirage. Both entities have indicated their support for the project and have provided in-principle agreement to provide boating facilities for use during the trial. It is proposed that the City will fund works required to upgrade the existing pontoon at HOTA.

Ferry trial operational requirements

It is proposed that all operational costs to deliver the ferry service are to be met by the operator with no service subsidy to be provided by the City. The City has identified a “reference” service model that will be used to inform the specification that is contained within the procurement documentation. This specification identifies the City’s preference on operational matters such as a preferred minimum service network, vessel type, hours of operation, facility use requirements and service marketing and branding.

It is proposed that speed limits in the Broadwater and Nerang River will be unchanged for the commencement of the ferry trial. Field testing during the trial will inform any future application to the State Government for speed limit exemptions through Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ).

Ferry trial procurement

The recommended procurement methodology is for an Expression of Interest (EOI) to be released to market with the results of this process followed by a select tender process to award the contract. It is anticipated that the procurement process can be finalised in time to allow commencement of trial services in early December 2019. It is proposed that the trial be for a period of two years, with review opportunities at six monthly intervals to allow services to be modified if required, to cater for demand. It is further proposed that a detailed service review be undertaken within 12 months post commencement.

The recommendations of this report seek Council approval to progress the EOI to deliver the ferry trial based on a preferred minimum five stop network, however the EOI will remain open to responses that do not necessarily conform to this preference. The recommendations outline the conditions of the EOI and also note that a further report will be presented to Council following completion of the EOI process.

3 PURPOSE OF REPORT

The purpose of this report is to respond to a previous Council resolution for a detailed report on the City’s proposed ferry service trial to be brought back to Council for consideration. This report provides information to address the specific issues raised within the resolution and makes recommendation on a preferred ferry service trial option to progress to procurement.



WFB600/684/06

4 PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS

Ex. Minute G18.1030.009

Committee Recommendation TI18.1018.005

That the Director bring forward a report regarding the introduction of ferry services in the City including the number and location of terminals, supporting facilities, connections to other public transport systems and services, financial viability and costs of operation, approval processes, operational issues, tendering and the implementation of a trial of services.

Ex. Minute G18.1207.030

1. That Council note the progress of current planning works being undertaken for the operation of a proposed ferry service trial on the Broadwater and Nerang River.

2. That Council further note that a ferry service trial options analysis report will be presented back to Council in March 2019 the purpose of which will be to seek approval of a preferred ferry service trial option to progress to procurement.

3. That $300,000 be allocated to the Ferries Trial Project and associated investigations as part of the December budget review.

5 DISCUSSION

5.1 Background

A number of cities have invested in urban transit ferries as a way of improving their transport system for residents and visitors. A transport study undertaken by the Queensland University of Technology in 2013 on the Brisbane ferry system reported that water based passenger transport adds variety and capacity to the public transport network, contributes to facilitating economic development and tourism and enhances land values and the quality of life for residents who live in proximity to system ferry terminals.

The Gold Coast is an exceptional place to live, work and visit and by 2050 the population is expected to double. The city’s transport demands are growing and changing which creates the need for better public transport services. The Gold Coast Transport Strategy 2031 and its associated Public Transport Plan 2018-28 identifies that a ferry service could potentially contribute to the city’s public transport network and assist the City’s aim to manage congestion. Both of these documents have a key action that seeks to establish a ferry service on the Gold Coast waterways.

A number of previous attempts have been made by the City to establish a ferry service on the Gold Coast waterways. Unfortunately the circuitous nature of the Nerang River, the existence of low speed limits, the lack of disability compliant and exclusive use infrastructure and the uncertainty of service demand has presented challenges in the past for operators to deliver ferry services in an affordable funding framework. A brief summary of recent proposals is outlined as follows;



WFB600/684/06

In 2006, an Expression of Interest (EOI) was released to market for the operation of a private ferry service on the Gold Coast. Submissions were received from three companies (Belaire Golden Ferries, Gold Coast Ferries and Solar Coast Cats (SCC)) to operate several long-haul service routes between Paradise Point and Broadbeach. After much deliberation, the preferred proposal did not proceed due to the difficulties experienced by the proponent to successfully finance the operation as a result of the Global Financial Crisis.

In 2011, a further EOI was released to market for the operation of a 12 month trial of two short haul ferry services. One service was to operate between Southport, Sea World and Marina Mirage and the other from Surfers Paradise to Evandale Parklands.

The City received one conforming proposal, however the proposed financial cost to the City to deliver the service was far above the estimated subsidy provision and the proposal did not proceed.

In 2013, the Mayor requested that the operation of a ferry service be considered between Couran Cove and Metricon Stadium via Sea World, Southport, Surfers Paradise, Evandale and Pacific Fair. A Gold Coast Ferry Opportunity brochure was placed on the City’s website as a means to gauge market interest. No formal proposals were received from bonafide ferry operators as a result of this exercise.

In 2015, a proposal was investigated for a 12 month trial of an unscheduled but frequent weekend water shuttle service between the Southport Broadwater Parklands Pier and The Spit tourist attractions. The trial was to be jointly funded by the City and the Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA). Ministerial approval was not received and the project did not proceed.

In October 2018, the Mayor announced a proposed ferry service trial that identified a network extending from Tipplers on South Stradbroke Island to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach and Metricon Stadium, Carrara (refer Attachment 1). This service was proposed to be integrated into TransLink’s existing public transport network and operated at no cost to the City.

Council, at its meeting of 30 October 2018, resolved that a detailed report on the specifics of the proposed ferry trial be brought back to Council for consideration. An interim report was presented to Council on 7 December 2018 to provide an update on the investigations that were being undertaken by City Officers to establish the viability of delivering a ferry service trial on Gold Coast waterways by December 2019.

This report outlines the key results from these detailed investigations and makes recommendation on a preferred ferry service option to progress to procurement.



WFB600/684/06

5.2 Service Need

5.2.1 Role of water based public transport

Existing public transport services operate broadly parallel to a proposed ferry network between Broadbeach and Paradise Point. The Gold Coast Light Rail provides city residents and visitors with high quality, high frequency public transport services that operate between the proposed ferry stop locations at Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise and Southport. Existing high frequency bus services integrate with the Light Rail at Surfers Paradise and Southport. These buses operate between the proposed ferry stop locations that connect Bundall with Surfers Paradise and Southport with Labrador and Paradise Point.

It is considered that a proposed ferry system would complement the city’s existing public transport network by offering customers an additional transport choice. Water based public transport is different from other forms of mass transit such as buses and light rail because the journey, in addition to moving people between places, has high scenic and experiential value which appeals to both commuter and tourist markets.

In the right locations, ferries can offer benefits over land based modes of transport and private vehicles such as faster travel and more reliable travel times given congested road networks during peak demand. The Gold Coast waterways offer an alternative access route to many locations within the city. At face value, the waterways may be more direct than travel via the bus, light rail network or by private vehicle. The potential competitiveness of a proposed ferry service over other modes has been examined to determine the possible patronage that a proposed ferry network will generate. The results are discussed in section 5.3 of this report.

5.2.2 Existing services on Gold Coast waterways

There is currently a mix of water transport services on the Gold Coast waterways. Services range from sightseeing and activity charters to passenger shuttles that provide customers with point to point transport to most waterside venues around the Gold Coast, the most popular of which include Couran Cove, Tipplers, McLarens Landing, South Stradbroke Island, The Star Gold Coast and Sanctuary Cove.

Until recently, there has been no passenger ferry service operating on Gold Coast waterways. In February 2019, a small one boat ferry service commenced operations on the Nerang River. The service is operated by “Gold Coast City Ferries” and provides customers with on-demand water transport in a service area that includes Surfers Paradise, HOTA and Isle of Capri. It is understood that this ferry operator has plans to expand the service to other waterway locations over time once demand for the service is established.

It is also understood that in March 2019, Cruise Co will commence operations of a water shuttle service between Appel Park (Surfers Paradise) and Sea World, as part of its commercial lease arrangement with Village Roadshow Theme Parks.

The City’s proposed ferry service would differ from these two water transport options by providing scheduled ferry services that access multiple stops on a defined route. The City’s proposed ferry network will access more locations and it is anticipated that its operations will offer service reliability, system legibility and be easy for customers to understand and use.



WFB600/684/06 5.2.3 Integration with the TransLink public transport network

Following a meeting with the Mayor in October 2018, the Minister for Transport and Main Roads released a statement advising that the Queensland Government would work with the City to investigate the potential of a ferry service on the Broadwater and Nerang River and that the department would liaise with the City and perform early investigation into how this plan could work.

The City formally wrote to the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TransLink Division) in early December 2018 seeking advice on whether the proposed ferry service could be integrated into TransLink’s public transport network and what level of fare subsidy could be provided by the State to help operate the service.

The City is still waiting to receive formal response from TMR. Advice received from senior TMR officers is that the integration of a ferry system into the broader public transport network including the agency’s journey planner and integrated go-card ticketing and fare structure would be considered by the Department once the specific details of the ferry operation are provided.

However, the specific service details of the trial will not be known until the procurement process has been concluded. If approved, the proposed EOI to market would identify to proponents that there is a possibility for the service to be integrated into TransLink’s public transport network at a future time. At this stage, any proposals submitted to the City must be commercially viable without the need for financial support from either the City or TMR.

City officers will continue to engage with TMR regarding service integration through the established Project Advisory Group (PAG) and the City / TMR Public Transport Partnering Group, which meets regularly to discuss how improvements can be made to the city’s public transport network.

5.3 Demand Analysis

The viability of the ferry service will, among other things, depend upon the patronage that it generates. Subsequently, there is a need to plan ferry routes and locate stops in locations that optimise potential service demand. A new transport mode requires significant and bespoke transport demand modelling to determine how the network will function at inception and over time as the service expands and its popularity increases.

The City engaged a specialist transport planning firm to undertake a high level assessment of the proposed ferry network to determine the level of patronage that could be expected to use the system on a daily basis. The primary purpose of this assessment was to indicate potential demand for the new service and identify the most viable sections of the network to assist the development of a preferred ferry trial service option to progress to procurement.



WFB600/684/06

For the purposes of this demand analysis, a base nine (9) stop ferry network was identified. This network is identified in Table 1.0. Stops are identified as shown in Attachment X.1.

Base Ferry Network for Demand Analysis

Locations included in network assessment Locations excluded from network assessment

3. Paradise Point

4. Harley Park, Labrador

7. Sea World

8. Southport Pier

9. Marina Mirage

10. Proud Park, Main Beach

11. Appel Park, Surfers Paradise

12. Home of the Arts (HOTA), Bundall

13. Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach

1. Tipplers , South Stradbroke Island

2. Couran Cove, South Stradbroke Island

5. Wavebreak Island, Southport

6. Doug Jennings Park, The Spit

14. Metricon Stadium, Carrara

These locations were not included within the analysis as they were deemed to be weekend services. These locations have very specific trip purposes and would not represent typical demand profiles for utility trips within the network

Table 1.0 - Locations considered in demand analysis – refer to map in Attachment A

The preliminary 2031 ferry patronage estimates provided in this report have been derived from outputs of the Gold Coast Strategic Transport Model (GCSTM). This tool has been used on other significant City transport projects such as the Gold Coast City Transport Strategy and Gold Coast Light Rail. The model provides the only available evidence-based transport patronage forecasts for the Gold Coast region. The GCSTM captures typical daily travel for specific purposes such as work, shopping, education etc. Discretionary travel such as tourist activity on a ferry service is more difficult to forecast, though it has been considered as part of this assessment.



WFB600/684/06

5.3.1 Modelling assumptions

The key service assumptions used for the modelling assessment are shown in Table 2.0.

Modelling Assumptions

Key Assumptions Reasoning

Travel times between

Southport Pier and Gold Coast Convention Centre are based on ferry speed of 6 knots

Southport Pier and Paradise Point are based on ferry speed of 20 knots

On the presumption that

vessels would operate in existing speed limits

vessels would have a maximum practical operating speed of 20 knots in 40 knot areas

Time at stops – 2 minutes Estimated time to slow down from the allowed speed, stop, tie off, unload, load, depart, accelerate back to the allowable speed.

Service frequency – 30 minutes max each direction

Pragmatic frequency to attract patronage to the system. A more frequent service is unlikely in the short-medium term given the investment in additional vessels that would be required.

Service duration – AM peak (7am-9am), Day time period (9am-4pm) and PM peak (4pm-6pm)

Whilst there might be some demand after 6pm, this is minimal for public transport on the Gold Coast

Walk up connection to stops – 400m Considered to be the acceptable walk up distance to public transport stops

Bus routes and Park-n-Ride No changes to bus services and no park-n-ride allowed

Modelled year 2016 and 2031 Available years in GCSTM

Fare - $3.25 (full fare) Same as TransLink single zone fare

Table 2.0 – Modelling assumptions



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5.3.2 System wide patronage

Initial GCSTM outputs show that, when considered in isolation as an alternative public transport mode, the ferry system would not attract a high level of demand from Gold Coast residents for their ‘every day’ transport needs. The system, without any consideration of induced tourist / resident trips or other interventions, is forecast to generate in the order of 325 regular passenger trips on an average weekday. It is noted that this value represents only part of the patronage that a ferry system might attract and relates to trips made for a specific purpose. It does not include discretionary trips that could be expected because of high quality experience offered by the service.

The fundamental reasons for this low patronage are that:

Existing private vehicle travel times are much faster than existing public transport travel times for most ferry stop-to-stop movements.

Existing public transport travel times are much faster than ferry based travel times for most trips between the proposed ferry stops.

A key role of the proposed Gold Coast ferry system will be to provide city residents with an additional public transport option for commuting to work and accessing shopping, recreation and entertainment in centres along the Broadwater and Nerang River. The unique location and characteristics of the ferry service means that it would also be used extensively by locals and tourists who are seeking a waterways experience when traveling around the City.

It is important to note that estimating patronage is governed by a range of variables. The biggest variable to be considered when estimating ferry patronage is how well the system attracts discretionary tourist and resident trips (induced demand) because of the experience offered rather than it being the fastest and cheapest transport mode to get to a specific destination.

An allowance for these induced demand trips as well as those undertaken by people who shift across from existing public transport services needs to be factored into the patronage figures. These additional inputs have resulted in a patronage forecast suggesting a possible patronage range for a nine (9) stop ferry network. The forecast patronage for all users of the system for any journey length is identified in Table 3.0.

Scenario Base Demand

System Patronage - Forecast Ave Trips per Day

Low Total (includes)

Base demand

Visitor and Resident induced demand

High Total (includes)

Base demand

Visitor and Resident induced demand

Trips to ferry from existing PT

Base network 325 400 700

Targeted marketing

325 1000 1800

Table 3.0 - Network patronage



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The base patronage assessment highlights that the ferry system is unlikely to generate more than 700 passengers per typical weekday if it is simply introduced as a ‘stand-alone’ ferry service with no marketing or service promotion. To generate higher levels of patronage, the service would need to be appropriately marketed and integrated into the Gold Coast’s public transport system. The impacts of a targeted marketing approach on patronage are significant and this is reflected in the figures that are presented in Table 3.0.

5.3.3 Stop to stop assessment

Public transport patronage is traditionally most heavily influenced by two attributes:

1. The size of market generating the need for public transport services; and,

2. The travel times it takes to move between origin and destination compared to the other available travel alternatives.

Each of the stops within the proposed network (refer section 5.4) was assessed in terms of the demographics and the activities around the stop likely to generate a demand for public transport services. Ferry stops at the Convention Centre, Appel Park in Surfers Paradise and Southport Pier have significant ‘walk-up’ catchments and associated land uses which attract multiple trip purposes every day across the week. These are ideal situations for public transport passenger markets.

The choice of transport mode is influenced by a person’s ability to get from an origin to a destination in the most time and cost-efficient way possible. The analysis compared the travel times for each stop-to-stop movement by private vehicle, existing public transport services and ferry services operating at current waterway speed limits.

The travel time comparisons show that for regular weekday travel, trips in private vehicles are much faster than public transport for almost all origins to destinations where the ferry stops are proposed to be located. A notable exception to this is between Appel Park, Surfers Paradise and Southport where light rail offers a slightly faster, and significantly more reliable, travel time than private vehicle.

For most trips, the ferry system would be slower than existing public transport. Notable exceptions include between:

Paradise Point, Labrador and areas as far south as Surfers Paradise

HOTA and Surfers Paradise

Southport and Sea World

Some of the northern Gold Coast to central Gold Coast trips by ferry would provide travel times which rival private vehicle travel times in peak periods and may, under the right circumstances, attract some private vehicle users onto public transport. Similarly, the existing public transport delays in getting from Bundall across Chevron Island and into Surfers Paradise provides an opportunity for the ferry system to provide a faster service for these trips and attract patronage.



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The average daily patronage for each stop to stop segment within the modelled ferry network is shown in Table 4.0.

Table 4.0 – Stop to Stop daily patronage

This analysis of demand provides a high level assessment that is based on various datasets and assumed uptake based on documented patronage levels elsewhere. Companies seeking to respond to an EOI and subsequent tender would be expected to undertake their own analysis to inform their assessment of financial viability and sustainability of the service for the duration of the trial period.

No Network Segment

Stop to Stop Patronage - Forecast Ave Trips per Day

Base case With targeted marketing

Low Scenario

(bi-directional)

High Scenario

(bi-directional)

Low Scenario

(bi-directional)

High Scenario

(bi-directional)

0 Couran Cove - Tipplers Not included Not included

1 Harley Park, Labrador - Paradise Point

170 240 680 740

2 Sea World – Harley Park, Labrador

200 270 790 860

3 Southport Pier - Sea World 190 270 760 840

4 Marina Mirage - Southport Pier

160 250 640 720

5 Proud Park, Main Beach - Marina Mirage

170 210 660 700

6 Appel Park, Surfers Paradise - Proud Park, Main Beach

180 230 700 750

7 HOTA – Appel Park, Surfers Paradise

110 230 420 530

8 Gold Coast Convention Centre - HOTA

90 100 310 330

*Note: Patronage between stops does not aggregate to the daily patronage totals shown for the system in Table 2.0



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5.4 Network Options Analysis

The extent of the proposed ferry service trial investigated for this report includes 14 stops extending from Tipplers on South Stradbroke Island to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach and Metricon Stadium, Carrara.

Three potential network options for the ferry trial were identified for evaluation and are shown in Table 5.0. A fourth option that includes a special event service to Metricon Stadium was also included as a possible add-on to a core ferry network.

Network Options Evaluated

Option Stops Stop Locations Reasons for including in evaluation

Option 1

14

Tipplers, Couran Cove, Paradise Point, Labrador, Southport Parklands, Wavebreak Island, The Spit, Sea World, Marina Mirage, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, HOTA, Gold Coast Convention Centre and Metricon Stadium

Allows evaluation of the proposed ferry trial network that was announced in October 2018

Option 2

9

Paradise Point, Labrador, Southport Parklands, Sea World, Marina Mirage, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, HOTA and Gold Coast Convention Centre

Allows evaluation of the proposed ferry trial network less those locations that were identified for only weekend and special event services.

Option 3

5 Southport Parklands, Sea World, Marina Mirage, Surfers Paradise and HOTA

Allows evaluation a smaller network that may be more attractive to operators for the commencement of the 2 year trial

Option 4

2 Surfers Paradise, Metricon Stadium (events)

Allows evaluation of an event service which could be considered as an add on to a core ferry network

Table 5.0 - Ferry network assessment



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Each of the options was assessed against criteria which include the cost of infrastructure upgrades, ease of system access, connectivity with public transport services, patronage potential, competition to ferry services and barriers to trial operations. The benefits of each option are identified in Table 6.0.

Key Point of Evaluation

Option Benefits Dis-benefits

Option 1

(14 stops)

Includes stops that offer more diverse tourist trip options

Northern sections of the network can compete with existing bus services.

The whole network functions from commencement of operations

High cost for new ferry stops and DDA upgrades of existing pontoons ($7.5 M)

Significant fleet requirements to cover whole network

Services large number of stops with low patronage generation potential

Light Rail and High Frequency Bus services also service this network

Northern public pontoons have moderate level of commercial and recreational use

Option 2

(9 stops)

Northern sections of the network can compete with existing bus services.

Most stops have a good level access to connecting Bus / Light Rail services

High cost for new ferry stops and DDA upgrades of existing pontoons ($3.8 M)

Significant fleet requirements to cover whole network

Services moderate number of stops with low patronage generation potential

Light Rail and high frequency bus services also service this network

Northern public pontoons have moderate level of commercial and recreational use



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Key Point of Evaluation Continued

Option Benefits Dis-benefits

Option 3

(5 stops)

Section of the between HOTA and Appel Park can compete with existing

Low cost for DDA upgrades of existing pontoons.($1 M )

Majority of stops have high patronage generation potential

Good level of access to connecting Bus / Light Rail services

Public pontoons have low level of commercial and recreational use.

Light Rail and high frequency bus services also service this network

Option 4

(special event)

Offers alternative event transport option.

High cost for new ferry stop ($0.9 M)

Significant fleet requirements to provide network coverage and event services

Significant travel time not suitable for event operations

Table 6.0 – Ferry network option evaluation

From the evaluation it is recommended that Option 3, which seeks to establish a five (5) stop network option including Sea World, Southport Pier, Marina Mirage, Appel Park (Surfers Paradise) HOTA, be approved as the preferred ferry trial network option for the commencement of the two year trial period (refer Attachment 2).



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5.5 Ferry Infrastructure Requirements

5.5.1 Existing boating facilities

The City currently owns or manages various public boat ramps, jetties, pontoons and fishing facilities on behalf of the Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA). There are currently six pontoons within the city that have been approved for use by commercial vessels. In addition, there are a number of private marine facilities that cater for commercial vessels undertaking a variety recreational and tourist activities on the waterways. The boating facilities that have been considered for use in the ferry trial, their ownership and suitability for commercial use is shown within Table 7.0.

Table 7.0 - Ownership and use of boating infrastructure at proposed ferry stop locations

Boating Infrastructure Ownership

No Ferry Stop location Existing Facility

Ownership Management responsibilitie

s

Existing Commercial

Use

1 Tipplers Pontoon City City No

2 Couran Cove Resort Marina Private Private Yes

3 Paradise Point Pontoon GCWA / City City No

4 Harley Park, Labrador Pontoon GCWA City No

5 Wave Break Island None N.A N.A N.A

6 Doug Jennings Park, The Spit

None N.A N.A N.A

7 Sea World Pontoon Private Private Yes

8 Southport Pier Pontoon GCWA City Yes

9 Mariners Cove / Marina Mirage

Marina Private Private Yes

10 Proud Park, Main Beach

Pontoon GCWA City Yes

11 Appel Park, Surfers Paradise

Pontoon GCWA City Yes

12 HOTA, Evandale Pontoon City City Yes

13

Gold Coast Convention Centre

Broadbeach

None N.A N.A N.A

14 Metricon Stadium , Carrara

None N.A N.A N.A



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An agreement to use both the private facilities and those owned by GCWA will be required to facilitate the ferry trial. It is proposed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) be developed between these entities and the City to give approval for ferry use of these facilities and to outline usage requirements and funding responsibilities for undertaking required infrastructure works.

Commercial use of boating facilities

Commercial vessel use of City and State owned pontoons are currently enabled through the City’s Local Law No.7 (Council Property) 2008, and Subordinate Local Law No. 7.1 (Jetties and Boat Ramps) 2008 and the Transport Infrastructure (Public Marine Facilities) Regulation 2011. The conditions of use are managed through a permit system that is administered by the Health, Regulation and Lifeguard Services Branch within the Lifestyle and Communities Directorate

The State has imposed conditions limiting commercial vessel use of their pontoons. The conditions of commercial use for approved boating facilities do not currently allow for ferry services or give priority of use to commercial vessels as recreational users must represent at least 50% of the total users of the pontoon. Discussion with the GCWA has indicated that the State may agree to a modification of the conditions which will allow approved ferry services to use their boating facilities. Changes to the Local Law and Subordinate Local Law will be required to facilitate the trial and its subsequent operations.

Further information on the specifics of these changes will be provided to Council through an item to Events, Tourism and Governance Committee which is required to commence the Local Law making / amendment process. It is anticipated that the necessary changes to the Local Law will be completed prior to the commencement of the proposed ferry trial operations in December 2019.

5.5.2 Boating facility upgrade requirements

Disability access

The City’s Accessible and Inclusive City Action Plan 2014 – 2019 (AICAP) aims at removing barriers and improving access to City operations for residents and visitors. The purpose of this plan is to assist the City to remove existing or potential barriers to its premises, public infrastructure, services, programs, information, communication and employment processes.

The plan makes specific reference to improving public transport infrastructure and better design for access and safety. This plan is currently being revised however the desired transport access outcomes are expected to remain relevant.

A significant issue for this ferry proposal is the requirement for pontoons and customer waiting environments at ferry stops to be fully compliant with current disability access legislation. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (Transport Standards) sets out minimum accessibility requirements for public transport providers and operators which include elements such as (but not limited to) access paths, signage, manoeuvring areas, ramps, boarding devices, lighting, allocated spaces, and handrails.

A technical assessment has been completed by City officers for each of the 14 nominated ferry stops within the extended network. The upgrade works required at each stop to satisfy the necessary DDA access standards and their associated costs are itemised in Table 8.0.



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Customer experience

Customer infrastructure is also required at stops to make the system safer and more attractive to use. This infrastructure includes facilities such as shelter, seating, timetable / information displays, CCTV, bins, wayfinding signage and bike racks. These items are identified within the TransLink Public Transport Infrastructure Manual as being a requirement for higher ordered public transport facilities. Inclusion of this infrastructure at each of the proposed ferry stops is considered to be a necessary requirement of this project. An allowance for this infrastructure has been made in the ferry stop costings provided in Table 8.0.

Facility upgrade costs

Cost estimates for infrastructure upgrades required by the City to bring non-compliant facilities up to the required public transport standard and to provide a minimum standard of customer infrastructure at ferry stop waiting environments is shown in Table 8.0.



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Facility Upgrade Requirements (Continued)

No Stop location Existing Facility

Works required to achieve DDA compliance

DDA Customer experience

$ Cost (min upgrade required)

$ Cost (includes lighting)

$ Cost (includes DDA and desired customer facilities)

4 Harley Park Labrador

Pontoon (GCWA)

8 metre x 5 metre platform over water, 10 metre x 2.5 metre L shaped pontoon with piles 19 metre hinged gangway Landing structure on the pontoon 150 lux illumination, CCTV Sheltered waiting area with grab rails

507,000 586,000 722,000

5 Wave Break Island None

New ferry terminal required 12 metre x 5 metre pontoon with piles, 19 metre hinged gangway 27 metre fixed gangway Landing structure on the pontoon 20 metre path, 21 lux illumination CCTV, Roofed toilet block Sheltered waiting area with grab rails

803,000 828,000 1,354,000

6 Doug Jennings Park The Spit

None New ferry terminal required 803,000 921,000 1,108,000

7* Sea World Private Pontoon

Requirements to be assessed by facility owner.

- - -

8* Southport Pier Pontoon (GCWA)

150 lux illumination CCTV

33,000 96,000 166,000

9* Mariners Cove / Marina Mirage

Private Marina

Requirements to be assessed by marina owner /s.

- - -



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No Stop location

Existing Facility

Works required to achieve DDA compliance

DDA Customer experience

$ Cost (min upgrade required)

$ Cost (includes lighting)

$ Cost

(includes DDA and desired customer facilities)

10 Proud Park

Main Beach

Pontoon

(GCWA)

5 metre x 3 metre platform over water,12 metre x 5 metre pontoon with piles

19 metre hinged gangway

Landing structure on the pontoon

150 lux illumination, CCTV,

Sheltered waiting area with grab rails

468,000 525,000 661,000

11*

Appel Park

Surfers Paradise

Pontoon

(GCWA)


150 lux illumination, CCTV 77,000 128,000 182,000

12*

HOTA

Evandale

Pontoon

(City)

5 metre x 3 metre platform over water, 6 metre x 5.5 metre pontoon with piles.



10 metre concrete path, 150 lux illumination, CCTV, Sheltered waiting area with grab rails.

510,000 540,000 719,000

13

Gold Coast Convention Centre

Broadbeach

None

New ferry terminal required

8 metre x 5 metre platform over water, 10 metre x 2.5 metre L shaped pontoon with piles,



40 metre concrete path

150 lux illumination, CCTV


738,000 823,000 937,000



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Table 8.0 – Facility upgrade costs.

It is recommended that the inclusion of shelter, seating, timetable / information displays, CCTV, bins, wayfinding signage and bike racks is a necessary requirement of this project. Therefore it is recommended that the ‘Customer Experience’ level of upgrade as shown in Table 8.0 be adopted. The recommended contribution by the City for this option would amount to approximately $893,000.

It should be noted that these costs are high level estimates based on the current level of planning and concept design work that has been undertaken to date. It is reasonable to expect that these costs would reduce through value engineering processes that will be applied at more advanced stages of the facility design process.

The cost to the City for delivering these upgrades may be off-set by contributions provided by GCWA. City officers are currently in discussion with GCWA to develop a MOU that deals with the use of State owned boating infrastructure that would be used as part of the proposed ferry trial. The possibility of a 50% contribution for the facility upgrades to achieve DDA compliance is being pursued with the GCWA as part of this process. Southport Pier and Appel Park pontoons are the only GCWA owned facilities in the proposed five stop network. A 50% contribution to upgrade these facilities would amount to approximately $174,000.

It should be noted that upgrading the pontoons as recommended will also provide benefit to the other users of the pontoons, not just ferry users.


14 Metricon Stadium

Carrara

None

New ferry terminal required

5 metre x 4 metre platform over water, 15 metre x 5 metre pontoon with piles



35 metre concrete path, 150 lux illumination, CCTV,


587,000 705,000 892,000

Total for 14 Stop Ferry Network 5,013,000 5,806,000 7,667,000

Total for recommended 5 Stop Network

(stops 7,8,9,11,12 shown with * above) 620,000 764,000 1,067,000

GCWA contribution to 5 stop network 55,000 112,000 174,000

City contribution to 5 stop network 565,000 652,000 893,000


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.3 GOLD COAST FERRY TRIAL – DETAILED REPORT (Continued)

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5.4.3 Temporary infrastructure

Officers have investigated options to use temporary “float-in” pontoons at various locations, within the network. This infrastructure has the advantage of providing flexibility in where the stops are located however there is still a requirement for permanent berthing piers to be installed at each location for securing the facility.

Advice received from industry is that the cost to provide this infrastructure would be in excess of $300,000 per pontoon. Associated works would also be required to provide compliant gangway access to the pontoons and the customer waiting areas at the temporary stop locations.

It is not a recommendation of this report that the use of temporary infrastructure be considered for the start of the ferry trial. This infrastructure could be considered on an as needs basis during the trial to facilitate ferry access at special events as well as allowing new stops to be trialled before committing significant funds to deliver permanent DDA compliant terminals. Flexibility will be written into the service specification that allows the City to negotiate with the successful operator to service temporary sites that are not identified within the proposed service network.

5.6 Ferry Service Operations

It is intended for this ferry service trial to be delivered by a private operator with no financial service subsidy to be provided by the City. The operator will therefore own the financial risk associated with service operations.

In previous sections of the report, the City has established the function of the service and identified indicative system patronage to help establish where in the network a ferry service would have the greatest opportunity for success. The following sections outline the City’s desired service characteristics which will form the basis of a service specification that can be presented to market.



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5.6.1 Vessel speeds

Vessels operating on Gold Coast waterways are subject to legally enforceable speed limits

that are relevant to particular locations. Table 9.0 identifies the speed limits that are currently in place for those areas within the Broadwater and Nerang River contained within the area of the proposed ferry network

Waterway Speed Limits

Ferry Network Segment Vessel Size

Less than 8m 8m and over

Broadwater north of Southport Pier 40 knots 40 knots

Southport Pier to Sundale Bridge (100m south of) 6 knots 6 knots

Sundale Bridge (100m south of) to Cronin Island Bridge

40 knots 6 knots

Chevron Island Bridge to Broadbeach Convention Centre

6 knots 6 knots

Table 9.0 - Current waterway speed limits

For this trial, it is proposed that vessels operate within existing speed limits. Application for speed limit exemption can be made to Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ), the State marine safety regulator branch of the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Options can be explored with the preferred operator during the trial for increases to vessel speeds along sections of the ferry route if desired.

A key consideration in their assessment of a speed limit exemption request is the impact of vessel wash on structures and areas of erodible shorelines and banks. Vessel wash is a concern for property owners due to its potential to damage waterfront infrastructure. Vessel wash can also adversely affect other vessels and is a potential environmental concern with regard to bank erosion.

Hull configuration and variable factors such as vessel trim and draft, as well as environmental factors such as water depth and bottom profile contribute to the dynamics of the wake produced. Council officers engaged a specialist maritime consultant to undertake a wash study for those sections of the waterways where it was determined that a faster speed would be desirable for ferry operations. The results of the completed modelling will help define the functional specification of vessels that can be used to provide the proposed ferry services. The design vessel chosen for the evaluation was similar to the CityHopper vessel that currently operates on the Brisbane River (12 metre monohull design with a 10 tonne displacement). This vessel provides a conservative assessment of wake and displacement and is therefore considered to be representative of the higher impacts anticipated by the class of vessel likely to be used.



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The wake modelling tested the vessel dynamics when traveling at 6 knots, 12 knots and at higher planing speeds. The outputs identified that while the wave size increased between 6 and 12 knots, a vessel of this type operating at 12 knots would produce a wave height that is less than what would be produced by a 50 year storm event. Shoreline structures are unlikely to be affected as it was determined that such structures can cope with the wave energies produced by such storm events.

A field assessment is now required to be undertaken to confirm the modelling results. This will require the design vessel to be tested at various speed limits along sections of the proposed ferry route where a speed limit exemption is being sought. The results will allow MSQ to make an informed assessment of any future application for a speed limit exemption for ferry services. This field work could occur during the operational testing of the system before the start of the ferry trial.

5.6.2 Vessel type

The type of vessel used in the trial will need to satisfy the following requirements:

have sufficient capacity to cater for passenger demand

have a weight that does not compromise the structural integrity of the berthing facility

minimise operational costs by limiting crew numbers

meet DDA requirements and

create low vessel wash.

The use of alternative “green” power sources for the vessels will be encouraged.

5.6.3 Hours of operations / Service frequency

For the trial, it is proposed that the ferry service be permitted to operate on the waterways between the hours of 7am – 9pm seven days a week (inclusive of public holidays).

Extending operational hours into the evening adds additional lighting cost to the pontoon upgrades as well as generating possible amenity concerns for the community around noise and nuisance lighting at the ferry stops. However, it is considered that night time services will be of benefit to the retail, food and entertainment establishments within Surfers Paradise, Southport, HOTA and the Marina Mirage / Mariners Cove precinct as well as be suitable for the reduced daylight hours of winter months.

It is proposed that the span of service hours be monitored throughout the trial and reduced should patronage not demonstrate a demand for night time services or it can be demonstrated that customer behaviour adversely impacts on residential amenity surrounding the ferry stops.

For public transport to be attractive to customers, services need to frequent and reliable. Higher frequency means less waiting which can overcome one of the barriers for people using public transport. For this trial, it is proposed that services operate with a 30 minute frequency during peak demand with frequencies reducing to 60 minutes at other times. Given the anticipated tourist use of the ferry service, the peak demand might not align with the normal weekday demand for existing public transport services. The service frequency will need to be discussed in greater detail with the successful proponent once their service model is provided.



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5.6.4 Use of pontoons

Advice received from previous ferry proponents and current ferry operators from other cities engaged through market sounding is that exclusive use of docking infrastructure at terminals is an important consideration to the successful operation of scheduled ferry services. It was noted through discussions that there is risk to service reliability and on-time running if facilities are shared with recreational and commercial vessels.

GCWA officers have informally advised that any application for exclusive use of State owned boating facilities in favour of ferry operations is unlikely to be supported. However, consideration will be given to modifying the conditions of approval to allow scheduled ferry services to use nominated boating facilities in a shared use arrangement with recreational and other commercial vessels.

A facility usage survey undertaken for the month of January 2019 shows that there is very little commercial and recreational vessel use of the three public pontoons proposed for the ferry service trial (refer Table 10.0). Given these low figures, it is expected that there would be minimal conflicts between ferries and other vessels using boating facilities in a share use arrangement.

Pontoon Usage – January 2019

Pontoon

Recreational Vessels Commercial vessels

Av no of vessels / day

Duration of stay / mins

Av no of vessels / day

Duration of stay / mins

Southport Pier 9 84 1 33

Appel Park, Surfers Paradise 2 12 1 4

HOTA, Bundall 2 26 0 0

Table 10.0 – Pontoon use.

City officers are working with GCWA to develop an MOU which will approve ferry use of the facilities and identify how shared use arrangements will be successfully managed.

5.7 Procurement

5.7.1 Market sounding activities

High level market sounding has been undertaken with ferry operators to determine the level of interest industry would have in tendering on and operating ferry services on Gold Coast waterways. Discussions with interested parties has identified that that there are a number of existing ferry operators that would be likely to submit a proposal if an EOI or service tender was presented to market to deliver a ferry service trial.

The market sounding also examined the operational requirements of existing ferry networks including the types of vessels that are in use, their crew requirements, compliance with disability standards, ticketing systems and source of power. This information will help in drafting the ferry system specification for the EOI should Council approve the recommended procurement approach.



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5.7.2 Proposed procurement framework

Two procurement options have been considered to deliver the proposed ferry service trial. These involve going to market with either an EOI then select tender, or tender only.

Both procurement methods could take up to three months to finalise. Given there maybe uncertainty in the market about the service viability and that the operator will own the financial and operational project risks to deliver the service, it is recommended that the City progress with the EOI, then select tender approach.

This will allow Council to review the market submissions and approve the best option/s to progress to select tender. It would be desirable to have the ferry trial contract awarded by 31 July 2019. This still allows four months for mobilisation of vendor, and commencement of operation by December 2019. Indicative procurement time frames are identified in the Table 11.0.

Project Procurement Schedule

Project stages Start date Completion date

Wks

Interim Report - submission to Council 26/10/2018

7/12/2018 x

Detailed Report - submission to Council 16/11/2018

12/3/2019 x

Expression of Interest

assemble documentation 5/1/2019 29/3/2019 10

out to market 2/4/2019 23/4/0219 3

Evaluate and refine specification for tender 24/4/2019 14/5/2019 3

EOI report to council 7/5/2019 13/6/2019 6

Select Tender out to market 14/6/2019 28/6/2019 2

Negotiate contract 3/7/2019 31/7/2019 4

Procure vessels and crew 1/8/2019 31/10/2019

12

Conduct trial operations 1/11/2019 30/11/2019

4

Commence ferry service for 2-year trial 1/12/2019 31/12/2021

109

Table 11.0 – Indicative Procurement schedule



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5.8 Partnership and Revenue Opportunities

5.8.1 Private pontoons

A number of tourist attractions are in close proximity to the Broadwater and Nerang River. These facilities could directly benefit from the introduction of a ferry service both by transporting customers to the venue and mitigate the expense required to implement traffic management during peak times.

Both Village Roadshow (Sea World) and Marina Mirage have expressed an interest in being part of the proposed ferry trial. Both entities have given in-principle approval to developing multiuse ferry stops for use during the trial. City officers are currently in discussion with both parties to develop an MOU that gives certainty about the provision of the boating facilities as well as its use for a potential operator from December 2019 and for the duration of the trial.

5.8.2 Advertising

It was identified within the interim Council report in December 2018 that advertising on the system was a possible source of revenue that could offset the cost of service operations.

While opportunities exist to use the surface of the vessel, vessel interior and customer waiting areas at ferry stops for advertising, investigations indicate that advertising could not be expected to generate significant revenue returns given its limited exposure to key customer markets. Further to this, approvals would be required to advertise on public land.

Obtaining approval for advertising on public land is a lengthy process and its conclusion cannot be guaranteed prior to an EOI being presented to the market in April 2019. Should advertising form part of the trial, it is expected that the application assessment will be concluded for inclusion of advertising in the contract that results from the tender. The quality of the advertising devices, location and type can be negotiated and described in the contract agreement.

Advertising Device Assessment Officers will be consulted to assist in this process. Existing contracts for advertising in the public space and on public infrastructure could be used to maintain consistency in appearance. eg, advertising on refuse bins and bus shelters.

Advertising will be further explored as part of the EOI process with potential proponents and options presented back to Council for approval.



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5.9 Communication and Engagement

Stakeholder involvement is critical to project success, and public support that translates to patronage will be vital once the trial is operational. The proposed communication and engagement program is divided into three key stages, aligned with major milestones.

The ferry operator will be responsible for marketing of the service, with the City providing support through early stakeholder engagement and City communication channels. This approach minimises costs and risk to the City. The proposed communication and engagement approach is shown in Table 12.0.

Issue Audience Approach Responsible Timing

Stage 1: Early planning phase (November 2018 – May 2019) – early stakeholder engagement

Proposal

GCWA, MSQ, Water Police, Village Roadshow, Marina Mirage, industry)

Strategic early stakeholder engagement to enable delivery

City (direct contact, Partnership Advisory Group, MOUs)

Nov 2018, continued post March-May 2019

(pending approval)

Stage 2: Pre-trial phase (May 2019 - December 2019) – inform, educate and market

Use of pontoons

(change to Local Law)

existing commercial operators

Inform users of the proposed changes (Cost: $5,000)

City (direct mail and digital - leverage stakeholder lists)

March 2019

Ferry speed and wash study

waterfront residents along route

Educate to alleviate potential concerns i.e. shoreline impact (Cost: $20,000)

City (direct mail, pop-ups, scrim, signage and PR)

May 2019

(post procurement)

Safety

waterway and pontoon users, potential (service) users

Educate on how to safely interact with ferries and safe use of pontoons (Cost: $25,000 + At operator’s cost (AOC))

City (direct mail, digital, signage, operators, advertising - leverage stakeholder list)

Sept 2019

Promotion and launch

all

Marketing to drive sales; customer experience strategy; and media launch (Cost: $10,000 + AOC)

City (communication, PR channels, launch)

Operator (marketing, launch and strategy)

Nov- Dec 2019



WFB600/684/06 Stage 3: During trial (December 2019 – January 2022) – branding, signage and market research

Events

HOTA and Broadwater Parklands organisers

Transport to major events (Cost: $10,000) City (various)

From Dec 2019

Market research

customers, commuters and visitors

Research to inform business improvement (Cost: $40,000)

City (surveys to gauge support/improvements)

Operator (sales to gauge demand/improvements)

Ongoing

Table 12 – Gold Coast Ferry Trial Communication and Engagement Plan

6 ALIGNMENT TO THE CORPORATE PLAN, CORPORATE STRATEGIES AND OPERATIONAL PLAN

Corporate Plan Gold Coast 2022

The proposed ferry service would positively contribute to achieving the following outcomes.

Outcome 1.4 “We can get around the city easily”. We are working with the Department of Transport and Main Roads to plan one network transport management solution for the city. The ferry service will be part of this solution.

Outcome 2.3 “We have infrastructure that supports productivity and growth”. The ferry service will be part of a program of transport improvements to connect activity centres through a high frequency public transport network.

Outcome 2.5 “We are globally recognised tourism destination”. Having multiple modes of public transport including a ferry service is part of the plan to facilitate the development of world-class tourism infrastructure and growing the city’s reputation as a premier tourism destination

Gold Coast City Transport Strategy 2031

The proposed ferry service will deliver action 11.1 of this strategy. “Re assess the viability of providing commuter ferry services for the Broadwater and Nerang River”.

Gold Coast Public Transport Plan 2018 - 2028

The proposed ferry service will deliver action 2.5 of this modal plan. “Support the State and Gold Coast Waterways Authority to investigate water shuttle services between key destinations along the city’s waterways”

Accessible and Inclusive City Action Plan 2014-2019

The proposed ferry service will contribute to delivering outcomes within Action area 4 of the plan which amongst other things, seeks to improve accessibility for people moving throughout the city by improving public transport infrastructure.



WFB600/684/06

7 FUNDING AND RESOURCING REQUIREMENTS

Budget/Funding Considerations

The following budget/funding assumptions were considered in developing this report:

All operational costs to deliver the ferry service will be met by the service operator. No operational subsidy would be offered by the City to deliver the ferry service trial.

The service operator will be responsible for the marketing and communications required to build brand awareness and promote the service to the public.

The City will be responsible for upgrading public pontoons and waiting environments to meet DDA access requirements.

The City will be responsible for communication and engagement activities with the local community to facilitate the commencement of the ferry trial.

The City will provide supporting communication collateral to assist in service promotion.

Owners of Sea World, Marina Mirage / Mariners Cove will be responsible for upgrading private marine berthing facilities to meet DDA access requirements.

In accordance with Council’s previous resolution (Ex. Minute G18.1207.030) $300,000 has been allocated from the FY2018-19 Local Area Works Budget (CI3260C003) to:

undertake planning, design and procurement activities required to develop this ferry service options report for Council consideration.

prepare procurement documentation to release an EOI to market if approved by Council.

There will be a need for Operational and Capital funding in future budgets should Council award a contract for the ferry service trial. A breakdown of estimated project costs is shown in Table 13.0.

Budget Program

Funding required for Budget centre

$FY19-20 $ FY20-21

Operational

(OpEx)

Procurement activities

Field testing of vessels for speed limit review

Ongoing maintenance of infrastructure

Communication and Engagement activities

Project resourcing

CI3470O002 $700,000 $700,000

Capital

(CapEx)

Terminal upgrades to comply with DDA accessibility standards (HOTA, Appel Park and Southport Pier)

Provision of infrastructure to improve the customer experience of the system (eg shelter, wayfinding, information displays, security etc)

CI2510C004 $1,000,000 $0

Table 13.0 – Funding requirements

The FY2019-20 costs listed in Table 13.0 will be included in the draft budget that will be considered by Council in June 2019.



WFB600/684/06

People and Culture

The project is currently being resourced from existing positions across the directorates that are represented in the Project Working Group (PWG). Specialist consultants have been engaged to undertake specific studies to:

establish patronage demand for the service,

support any future application to MSQ for an increase to ferry speed limits and

assist in drafting operational and infrastructure specifications to assist the preparation of procurement documentation.

It is proposed for a new resource to be created within Transport and Traffic Branch for the duration of the two year trial to manage all ongoing procurement and contract responsibilities for the City in collaboration with other internal delivery partners.

8 RISK MANAGEMENT

There are no current corporate risks associated directly with this project. However as the project is related to actions from the Transport Strategy, the following risk is noted:

Risk Number: CO00507

Risk Name: Transport Strategy is not fully funded resulting in whole of city impacts with poor transport infrastructure and transport service choices for the community.

Failure to deliver this project will result in actions of the Gold Coast Transport Strategy 2031 and the Gold Coast Public Transport Plan 2018-2028 not being delivered.



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9 STATUTORY MATTERS

The approvals and agreements required for the project are shown in Table 14.0.

Organisation Approval sought Status

Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA)

Approval to use State owned pontoons for ferry service operations.

In progress. MOU currently being developed around conditions of use and funding contributions.

City Of Gold Coast

Changes to Local Law 7.0 (Council Property) and subordinate Local Law 7.1 (Jetties and Boat Ramps) to permit ferry use of public pontoons.

In progress. Local Law changes have been drafted. An item is likely to be presented to Council in April 2019 seeking approval to commence change process

Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ)

Exemption of existing 6 knot speed limit to allow ferry vessels (of a particular type) to operate at 12 knots in sections of the Nerang River.

Application to be progressed with MSQ after trial services commence in December 2019

City of Gold Coast

Prescribed Tidal Works approval required to undertake pontoon upgrade works in tidal waterways

Application will be lodged once Council awards ferry service contract

Sea World / Marina Mirage

Use of private pontoons

In progress. MOU currently being developed around the development and use of private boating infrastructure during the ferry trial period.

Table 14.0 – Approvals required

10 COUNCIL POLICIES

Not Applicable

11 DELEGATIONS

Not Applicable



WFB600/684/06

12 COORDINATION & CONSULTATION

Internal Coordination and Consultation

A multi-disciplinary internal Project Working Group was established in November 2018 to guide the planning and procurement activities required to deliver the proposed ferry service trial. This group has representation from all areas within Council that are impacted by the project, as detailed in the internal stakeholder list below. The Working Group has been meeting on a weekly basis to advance the investigations and has provided input to this agenda item.

External Coordination and Consultation

The external Partnership Advisory Group, comprising critical Government agencies and business partners, has met twice during the trial investigations. All stakeholders are fully aware of the proposal and have openly provided commitment and support for the project.

Some organisations have been further engaged on an individual basis to work through organisation-specific issues such as speed limit possibilities, shared use of facilities and private infrastructure upgrade opportunities. These critical external stakeholders are listed in Table 15.0.


Directorate or Organisation

Is the Stakeholder Satisfied With Content of Report and Recommendations (Yes/No) (comment as appropriate)

Internal stakeholders

Matthew Tilly, Manager Transport & Traffic

Transport and Infrastructure

Yes

Matthew Shrimpton, Executive Coordinator Transport Policy, Planning & Program


Yes

Mark Ash, Manager City Assets Transport and Infrastructure

Yes

Jeremy Wagner, Executive Coordinator Engineering Design, Infrastructure Delivery


Yes

Shannon Hunt, Executive Coordinator Stormwater Beaches & Waterways, City Assets


Yes

Darren Ford, Coordinator Lakes and Waterways


Yes

John Zawadzki, Waterways Asset Engineer


Yes

Andrew Wiles, Senior Project Manager Specialist


Yes

Andy Stewart, Coordinator Transport Planning & Policy Portfolio


Yes



WFB600/684/06 Internal stakeholders (Continued)

Demetri Clifton, Senior Business Partner Procurement

Organisational Services Yes

Aurora Scarborough, Coordinator Category and Relationship Management


Bradley Kratzer, Executive Coordinator Category and Relationship Management, City Procurement


Hamish Kiddle, Senior Lawyer, Legal Services


Brian Pearson, Coordinator Connected Communities

Lifestyle and Community Yes

Peter Hingst, Executive Coordinator City Standards

Lifestyle and Community Yes

Scott Krueger, Coordinator Tourism

Economy, Planning and Environment

Yes

External stakeholders

Jessica Bourner, Manager (Planning and Innovation)

Gold Coast Waterways Authority

Stakeholder is aware of project scope and will continue to be engaged during procurement activities

Greg Turner, Area Manager (Gold Coast)

Maritime Safety Queensland

Stakeholder is aware of project scope and will continue to be engaged during procurement activities.

Paul Campbell, Acting Executive Director Maritime Operations

Maritime Safety Queensland

Stakeholder is aware of project scope and will continue to be engaged during i procurement activities.

Senior Sergeant Jay Nataro, Officer in Charge, Gold Coast Water Police

Queensland Police Service (Water Police)

Stakeholder is aware of project scope and will continue to be engaged during procurement activities.

Rob McDonald, District Manager Gold Coast

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol


Sanjay Bhatia, General Manager

Village Roadshow Theme Parks (Sea World)




WFB600/684/06

External stakeholders (Continued)

Darryl Birleson, Head of Compliance & Projects, Business Services

Village Roadshow Theme Parks (Sea World)


David Griffiths, Centre Manager (JLL)

Marina Mirage


Kylie Purcell, Centre Manager, Sunland Group

Mariners Cove


David Brown, National Director, Sunland Group

Mariners Cove


Brett James, General Manager Southport Yacht Club


Matthew Longland, Deputy Director-General TransLink

Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads

Stakeholder has been contacted but declined active involvement at this stage

Paul Noonan, Regional Director, South Coast Region

Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads

Stakeholder has been contacted but declined active involvement at this stage

Table 15.0 – Critical internal and external stakeholders engaged to date



WFB600/684/06

13 STAKEHOLDER IMPACTS

External / community stakeholder Impacts

The proposed ferry service trial will have impacts on the community and the business of other government agencies. An issues register has been developed and continues to be updated in consultation with project stakeholders.

Of particular concern is the impact of the ferry service on

private property due to vessel wash

residential amenity due to noise generated by the services (particularly at night)

existing water transport service operators given the service’s tourism function.

A detailed Communication and Engagement Plan has been developed for the project, the key points of which were identified in section 5.9 of this report. Ongoing stakeholder engagement will continue throughout the project to ensure that key stakeholders and those impacted by the project are informed and engaged (where appropriate) and that project issues and risks are managed in a timely manner.

Internal (Organisational) Stakeholder Impacts

The proposed ferry service trial will have impacts on the budget and operations of a number of business areas within various Council departments. These impacts relate primarily to the ongoing asset management of City / State boating facilities, infrastructure to improve the customer experience at stops and the communication and engagement activities that will be undertaken to assist the operator to establish and promote the new service.



WFB600/684/06

14 TIMING

The proposed timeframes for achieving key project milestones are shown in Table 16.0 below. These are timings are based upon Council giving approval to procure a ferry service trial at its meeting in March 2019.

Project stages Proposed timing

Progress report to Council December 2018

Ferry Trial Detailed Report to T& I Committee February 2019

Detailed Ferry Trial Report to Council

Approval to procure service March 2019

Expression of Interest (EOI) to market March - April 2019

Local Law change commencement report to ETG Committee

April 2019

EOI report to Council May 2019

Select Tender (ST) following EOI May - June 2019

Statutory consultation on Local Law changes May - June 2019

Ferry Trial Contract Award July 2019

Local Law change approval report to ETG Committee July 2019

Operator to procure vessels, and conduct trial operations

August - November 2019

Operator to commence ferry service trial December 2019

Table 16.0 – Timing of key project milestones



WFB600/684/06

15 CONCLUSION

Water-based transport services such as ferries have the potential to deliver public transport and tourism benefits for the Gold Coast. These services can add variety and capacity to the public transport network and contribute to facilitating economic development and tourism in centres served by the network.

The introduction of a ferry service will help connect Gold Coast residents and visitors with the City’s waterways and may increase the number of trips taken by sustainable public transport instead of the private car.

Detailed planning has been completed on the establishment of a new ferry service trial on the Broadwater and Nerang River. This report outlines the key issues that have been investigated to remove potential barriers for delivering a sustainable service that has the highest likelihood of meeting customer needs. Extensive stakeholder consultation has occurred with internal directorates within the City who are directly impacted by the project and with external government agencies and business partners to obtain project support and identify partnering opportunities to deliver the trial.

A key issue to the success of the trial is the patronage that the proposed system will generate. Given that this is a new transport mode, it is very difficult to accurately predict. The demand modelling undertaken, which relies on a number of variable assumptions, has identified a level of service demand from a typical commuter market acknowledging that for most of the network, private vehicles and other public transport modes can offer faster travel times and cheaper travel.

Demand for the service is, however; expected to increase as the service expands and its popularity increases. The modelling identified a significant amount of patronage would be expected to be generated from tourist trips given the scenic quality and waterway travel experience that a ferry service offers. It has been reported through various studies into the effectiveness of ferry operations in Brisbane and Sydney that tourist trips can contribute greater than 50% of the total system patronage.

A number of proposed network options were evaluated to determine which could be delivered at the least cost to the City while offering potential operators the best opportunity to deliver a desirable and successful result. Where demand is uncertain, implementing a low risk introductory network can allow for services to grow once actual patronage and service demand is realised. It is recommended that the ferry network be developed in an incremental way and that a minimum five (5) stop network which includes Sea World, Southport Pier, Marina Mirage, Appel Park (Surfers Paradise) and HOTA be approved for the commencement of the two year trial. Consideration of a more expansive network can occur once the success of the trial and demand for additional services can be demonstrated.



WFB600/684/06

16 RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that Council resolves as follows:

1 That Council approve the release of an EOI to market for the ferry service trial to gauge market interest and allow proposals to be received from suitable ferry service operators subject to the following conditions:

a the trial period is proposed for two years.

b the City’s preferred minimum service network is for a five stop ferry service between Southport, Sea World, Marina Mirage, Appel Park (Surfers Paradise) and HOTA. Opportunity will exist for proponents to submit alternative proposals that may consider a more extensive network.

c ferry services will need to operate within existing waterway speed limits. However, opportunities can be explored with proponents during the trial period for speeds to be increased along sections of the ferry route if desired.

d no subsidy will be provided by the City to support service operations.

2 That a report be brought back to Council on completion of the EOI process to assess and determine whether approval is given to:

a procuring a ferry trial proposal through a preferred tender arrangement.

b allocating new capital funding of $1,000,000 in FY 2019-20 to deliver the necessary disability access and infrastructure improvements to enhance the customer experience at the stops identified within the approved ferry trial proposal.

c allocating new operational funding of $700,000 in FY 2019-20 and $700,000 in FY 2020-21 to undertake the necessary community consultation, user group engagement activities, ferry wash trials and ferry trial evaluations.

An evaluation framework to determine the success of the proposed ferry trial will be included as part of this report.

3 That Council endorse the development of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU’s) with Gold Coast Waterways Authority, Village Roadshow and Marina Mirage to ensure ferry stop availability and financial responsibilities are defined for the trial.

Author: Authorised by:

Andy Stewart Alton Twine Coordinator Transport Planning and Policy Director Transport and Infrastructure 15 February 2019

iSpot #72462467 + Attach(s) #72365647, #72768954



WFB600/684/06

RESOLUTION G19.0226.027 moved Cr Taylor seconded Cr Vorster

1 That Council approve the release of an EOI to market for the ferry service trial to gauge market interest and allow proposals to be received from suitable ferry service operators subject to the following conditions:

a the trial period is proposed for two years.

b the City’s preferred minimum service network is for a five stop ferry service between Southport, Sea World, Marina Mirage, Appel Park (Surfers Paradise) and HOTA. Opportunity will exist for proponents to submit alternative proposals that may consider a more extensive network.

c ferry services will need to operate within existing waterway speed limits. However, opportunities can be explored with proponents during the trial period for speeds to be increased along sections of the ferry route if desired.

d no subsidy will be provided by the City to support service operations.

2 That a report be brought back to Council on completion of the EOI process to assess and determine whether approval is given to:

a Procuring a ferry trial proposal through a preferred tender arrangement.

b allocating new capital funding of $1,000,000 in FY 2019-20 to deliver the necessary disability access and infrastructure improvements to enhance the customer experience at the stops identified within the approved ferry trial proposal.

c allocating new operational funding of $700,000 in FY 2019-20 and $700,000 in FY 2020-21 to undertake the necessary community consultation, user group engagement activities, ferry wash trials and ferry trial evaluations.

An evaluation framework to determine the success of the proposed ferry trial will be included as part of this report.

3 That Council endorse the development of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU’s) with Gold Coast Waterways Authority, Village Roadshow and Marina Mirage to ensure ferry stop availability and financial responsibilities are defined for the trial.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY



WFB600/684/06


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.4 STATUTORY REVIEW OF COUNCIL’S INTERNAL DIVISIONS

LG290/289/06 Refer 4 attachments as follows: Attachment 1 – Submission Option 1 Attachment 2 – Submission Option 2 Attachment 3 – Submission Option 3 Attachment 4 – Description of Proposed Internal Boundaries for Option 3 by Division 1 BASIS FOR CONFIDENTIALITY Not Applicable. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Not applicable. 3 PURPOSE OF REPORT To advise Council of the results of a review into whether each of the City’s Divisions has a reasonable number of electors as required by the Local Government Act 2009 (the Act). 4 PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS Council’s internal divisional boundaries did not require review in advance of the 2016 local government elections and as such the matter was not brought before Council in 2015. 5 DISCUSSION

5.1. Legislative Framework

The Act provides for the number of electors that are required to be in a local government area. Specifically, the Act provides that each Division of a local government area must have a reasonable proportion of electors. The Act relevantly defines ‘reasonable proportion of electors’ as the number of electors that is worked out by dividing the total number of electors in the local government area (as nearly as can be found out) by the number of councillors (other than the Mayor), plus or minus 10%. Under the Act a local government must review whether each of its Divisions has a reasonable proportion of electors every four years (or otherwise in response to a referral from the Minister for Local Government). Reviews must be conducted no later than 1 March in the year preceding the local government quadrennial elections. As the next polls will take place in March 2020, Council must give the Electoral Commissioner and Minister for Local Government written notice of the results of the review, and advise whether each of its Divisions has a reasonable proportion of electors, by no later than 1 March 2019. If the results of the review indicate that each division of a local government area does not have a reasonable proportion of electors, the Minister for Local Government may propose a local government change to the Local Government Change Commission (the Change Commission).


14 OTHER BUSINESS (Continued) 14.4 STATUTORY REVIEW OF COUNCIL’S INTERNAL DIVISIONS (Continued)

LG290/289/06 The Change Commission is the body established to review the boundaries and electoral arrangements of Queensland's local government areas. The outcome of a review may include the following types of local government change:

(a) Divisional boundaries - the internal boundaries of the Divisions of a divided local government area;

(b) External boundaries - the common boundaries between local government areas; or

(c) Electoral arrangements - i.e. whether a local government is divided or undivided, the number of councillors, a change of name or classification etc.

The Change Commission is responsible for assessing whether a local government change proposed by the Minister is in the public interest. In making this determination the Change Commission must consider:

(a) whether the proposed local government change is consistent with a Local Government Act;

(b) the views of the Minister about the proposed local government change; and

(c) any other matters prescribed under a regulation (these additional criteria are not relevant to Division changes/internal boundaries of a local government area).

It is noted that in assessing a proposed local government change the Change Commission may ask for submissions from the affected local government and/or hold a public meeting to ask the public for its views about a proposed local government change.

5.2. The Preliminary Review Process

Council receives regular updates on the number of electors on the City’s electoral roll. This data has been used to undertake a preliminary review of whether each Division within the city has a reasonable proportion of electors.

Table 1 below identifies the number of electors in each Division and growth statistics. It provides data on changes to the electoral roll from June 2017 to 31 January 2018 (the last update received from the Electoral Commission). The table demonstrates that growth patterns over the last 18 months have generally remained consistent with Divisions 1 and 3 clearly growing more quickly, in terms of enrolled electors, when compared to other Divisions.

Table 2 calculates the reasonable proportion of electors as at 31 January 2018 and provides the range of electors that each Division must achieve based on the most recently available data.



LG290/289/06 Table 1: Total electors per Division

Council Division

Enrolled Voters

June '17

Enrolled Voters Dec '17

Enrolled Voters

May '18

Enrolled Voters Jan '19

Growth in the Period June '17 to

Jan '19

% Growth June '17 to 21 Jan

‘19

Division 1 30446 32266 33133 34264 3818 12.54%

Division 2 25951 26462 26702 26979 1028 3.96%

Division 3 29080 31029 32021 33033 3953 13.59%

Division 4 26618 27117 27323 27614 996 3.74%

Division 5 25834 26348 26447 26641 807 3.12%

Division 6 26495 27051 27159 27180 685 2.59%

Division 7 24492 24987 25077 25287 795 3.25%

Division 8 24018 24307 24585 24561 543 2.26%

Division 9 24348 24900 25056 25179 831 3.41%

Division 10 23094 23346 23461 23634 540 2.34%

Division 11 25845 26464 26856 27209 1364 5.28%

Division 12 24566 24940 24915 25076 510 2.08%

Division 13 24576 25059 25224 25404 828 3.37%

Division 14 25027 25431 25679 25998 971 3.88%

TOTAL 360390 369707 373638 378059 17669 4.90% Table 2: Reasonable proportion of electors as at 31 January 2019

Reasonable proportion of electors Number of electors Reasonable proportion of electors (378059/ 14) 27004

Minimum Voters Allowed (-10% of electors)

24304

Maximum Voters Allowed (+10% of electors) 29705

The final review of data, as recorded in Table 1 and 2, indicates that as at 31 January 2019, Divisions 1, 3 and 10 do not have a reasonable proportion of electors (as highlighted in Table 1), and further, based on current growth trends, Division 8 is also likely to be below the reasonable proportion of electors by the 2020 election.



LG290/289/06

5.3. Notifying the Electoral Commissioner and Minister Council must give written notice of the results of the review to the Electoral Commissioner and Minister for Local Government by 1 March 2019. As outlined, the results show that some Divisions do not have a reasonable proportion of electors. This will trigger the Minister for Local Government to propose to the Change Commission a change to Divisions within the City.

5.4. Submission to Minister for changes to division boundaries

When Council notifies the Minister and the Electoral Commissioner of the results of its review it may wish to propose a preferred approach as to how internal divisional boundaries should be changed. Accordingly, City officers have developed three internal boundary maps as an indication of how the City’s internal boundaries might change depending on the final recommendations of the Change Commission. Whilst neither the Act, nor the Local Government Regulation 2011, provide any guidance on how internal boundary reviews for local government should be undertaken, section 46 of the Electoral Act 1992 has been used as a guide. Accordingly the three maps have been developed in consideration of the following principles:

The extent to which there is a community of economic, social, regional or other interests within each proposed electoral district;

The ways of communication and travel within each proposed electoral district;

The physical features of each proposed electoral district; and

The boundaries of existing electoral districts; The size of the increase of electors in the two northernmost Divisions of the City, coupled with the comparatively slower growth in the southern part of the City, means that, based on the 31 January 2019 data, Divisions 1 and 3 need to be reduced by a combined total of between 7,888 and 18,689 electors to meet the reasonable proportions of elector requirements. Clearly, these electors need to be distributed down through the other Divisions to the south. Given that the rate of growth is likely to continue to be comparatively more significant in the northern part of the City, it is very likely that the Change Commission will be inclined to focus on achieving boundary realignments that move the upper limit of electors (18,689) to the more southern divisions. This has been the focus of the options developed. With a redistribution of this size, it is inevitable that most, or indeed all, other Divisions will be impacted to some extent. In putting together the options great care has been taken to use, where possible, major roads and major physical features such as rivers and ridgelines to develop proposals that will serve the City well into the future. Based on current enrolment data, a preferred option, Option 3 has been prepared as a basis for possible consideration by the Electoral Commissioner (see Attachment 3). Two other options are also included (see Attachments 1 and 2).



LG290/289/06 Option 3 is a slight variation of Option 1 and takes into account the increase in electors in Division 3 since May 2018 (refer Table 1). The minor difference between Options 1 and 3 further reduces the number of electors in proposed Division 3 so that it is closer to the minimum required number of electors. Overall Option 3 proposes to reduce the number of electors in Divisions 1 and 3 to close to the minimum number of electors, and to increase the number of electors in the more southern Divisions. This means that all Divisions across the city will be affected to a greater or lesser extent. The logic applied in the preferred option is to generally use the M1 as a boundary between Divisions given that the Motorway is a significant physical boundary which clearly differentiates Divisions (and communities). Further details of the proposed divisional boundaries are set out in Attachment 3. The following Table 3 shows the elector numbers for each of the proposed Divisions in Option 3 based on 31 January 2018 electoral rolls. Table 3: Number of Electors for Proposed Divisions in Option 3

Option 3 31 January ’19 Electoral Roll

Proposed Division Unallocated 3 1 24,550 2 24,920 3 27,424 4 27,866 5 27,876 6 27,734 7 26,421 8 26,619 9 27,531 10 28,219 11 27,209 12 26,446 13 27,090 14 28,151 Total 378,059

Option 2 is more calibrated to maintaining the east/west alignment of many Divisions, however it is considered that Option 3 better represents communities of interests and has boundaries which are less convoluted than those of Option 2. The internal divisional boundary changes that the Change Commission eventually approves will be effective from the date of the declaration of the 2020 election. Council can expect to be notified of the results of the Change Commission’s assessment and the reasons for the results about 4-5 months before the election.



LG290/289/06 The attached options also include some minor re-numbering of Divisions in the north of the City. The proposed re-numbering concerns only Divisions 1, 2 and 4. Council could consider a submission relating to the total number of Divisions for the City, noting that there has been no increase in the total number of Divisions since the City was established in 1995 despite significant population growth since that time. In this regard the City’s electoral roll has increased by 33% since the 2008 election alone. For comparative purposes, table 4 provides a summary of enrolled electors per Councillor for QLD’s five largest local governments (per enrolled voters). Table 4: Enrolled Electors per Councillor (2016 Local Government Elections) City Enrolled Voters as at 2016

Local Government Elections Total Councillors (excluding Mayor)

Electors Per Councillor

Brisbane 744,915 26 28,651 Gold Coast 352,542 14 25,182 Moreton Bay 280,249 12 23,354 Sunshine Coast 206,960 10 20,696 Logan 181,930 12 15,161 The quota for Gold Coast Divisions is now 27,004. If Council was to have its number of Divisions increased to 15 the quota would be reduced to 25,203, i.e. a reduction of 1,801 from the current quota. If the number of Divisions was increased to 16 the quota would reduce to 23,628, i.e. a reduction of 3,376 from the current quota. If there was an increase of one Division in the City then current Divisions 1 and 3 would be able to contribute up to 21,729 electors between them towards the total of 21,933 required to meet the minimum reasonable proportion of electors for a 15 Division Council. It is not proposed to consider a submission for an additional Councillor at this time noting that the Minister is able to propose a change to the Change Commission for assessment if he wishes to do so. 6 ALIGNMENT TO THE CORPORATE PLAN, CORPORATE STRATEGIES AND

OPERATIONAL PLAN Council’s consideration of a redistribution of divisional boundaries supports the Corporate Plan themes of:

‘We plan for the future of the City’

'We actively engage residents, customers and visitors.’



LG290/289/06 7 FUNDING AND RESOURCING REQUIREMENTS Budget/Funding Considerations No funding is required as a consequence of this report. People and Culture No staffing resources are required as a consequence of this report. 8 RISK MANAGEMENT Not applicable

9 STATUTORY MATTERS Chapter 2, Part 2 of the Act is about the number of electors that are to be in each Division of a local government area, to ensure democratic representation. Section 15 of the Act requires a local government to have a reasonable proportion of electors in each Division. The ‘reasonable proportion of electors’ is then defined in subsection (2) as follows:

A reasonable proportion of electors is the number of electors that is worked out by dividing the total number of electors in the local government area (as nearly as can be found out) by the number of councillors (other than the mayor), plus or minus—

(a) for a local government area with more than 10,000 electors—10%; or

(b) for any other local government area—20%. Section 16 of the Act requires a local government, no later than 1 March in the year before the year of the quadrennial elections to review whether each of its Divisions has a reasonable proportion of electors, and to give the Electoral Commissioner and the Minister written notice of the results of the review. Chapter 2, Part 3 of the Act is about the process for making a local government change, including to Divisions of a local government area. ‘Local government change’ is defined in section 17 as follows:

A local government change is a change of—

(a) the boundaries of a local government area; or

(b) any divisions of a local government area, other than the City of Brisbane; or

(c) the number of councillors for a local government; or

(d) the name of a local government area; or

(e) the classification of a local government area (from a town to a city, for example).



LG290/289/06 Section 18 of the Act confirms that only the Minister may propose a local government change to the Change Commission. Under current legislation, were Councillors to debate the merits of the attached options and recommend one of the options, with or without amendment, for submission to the Minster and the Electoral Commissioner, the prospect of Councillors’ personal interests being in conflict with the public interest would need to be considered by individual Councillors.

10 COUNCIL POLICIES Not applicable 11 DELEGATIONS Not applicable 12 COORDINATION & CONSULTATION Not applicable 13 STAKEHOLDER IMPACTS Stakeholder consultation and communication is the responsibility of the Change Commission when it undertakes its assessment process of any change required. 14 TIMING Council is required, by 1 March 2019, to review whether each of its Divisions has a reasonable proportion of electors, and to notify the Minister for Local Government and the Electoral Commissioner of the results of the review. The review is based on information released by the Electoral Commission on 31 January 2019. 15 CONCLUSION As at 31 January 2019, the review has demonstrated that Divisions 1, 3 and 10 do not meet the reasonable proportion of elector requirements. As the next polls will take place in March 2020, Council must give the Electoral Commissioner and Minister for Local Government written notice of the results of its review, by no later than 1 March 2019. As the results of the review indicate that each division does not have a reasonable proportion of electors, the Minister for Local Government will propose a local government change to the Change Commission.



LG290/289/06 16 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that Council resolves as follows: That Council note that:

1 The review has identified that, as at 31 January 2019, Divisions 1, 3 and 10 do not have a reasonable proportion of electors as required by the Local Government Act 2009; and

2 The Chief Executive Officer will give the Electoral Commissioner and the Minister for Local Government written notice of the results of the review by no later than 1 March 2019.

Author: Authorised by: Luke Wallace Dale Dickson PSM Manager, Office of the CEO Chief Executive Officer

TRACKS REF: 72173503 RESOLUTION G19.0226.028 moved Cr Gates seconded Cr Crichlow 1 The review has identified that, as at 31 January 2019, Divisions 1, 3 and 10 do

not have a reasonable proportion of electors as required by the Local Government Act 2009; and

2 The Chief Executive Officer will give the Electoral Commissioner and the Minister for Local Government written notice of the results of the review by no later than 1 March 2019.

A division was called. For 8 Cr Owen-Jones, Cr Vorster, Cr Crichlow, Cr Baildon,

Cr La Castra, Cr Boulton, Cr Gates, Cr Tate

Against 7 Cr Tozer, Cr PJ Young, Cr Caldwell, Cr O'Neill, Cr PC Young, Cr Taylor, Cr McDonald

Abstained 0 Absent 0 Did Not Vote 0

CARRIED There being no further business, the meeting was declared closed at 3.12pm.



LG290/289/06

ATTACHMENT 1



LG290/289/06

ATTACHMENT 2



LG290/289/06

ATTACHMENT 3



LG290/289/06 ATTACHMENT 4

Description of Proposed Divisions for Option 3 Division Boundary Description

1

Northern External boundary with Logan City Council Eastern M1 Motorway Southern Coomera River then onto John Siganto Park through to Moran Drive across to and following Tamborine Oxenford Road to just west of Kriedeman Road then further south to Caballo Road thence generally west to the external boundary with the Scenic Rim Regional Council. Western External boundary with Logan City Council

2

Northern External Boundary with Logan City and Redland City Councils. Eastern The Broadwater Southern Coomera River west to the railway bridge then south to Saltwater Creek along to Hope Island Road then west to the M1 Motorway Western The M1 Motorway

3

Northern Coombabah Creek starting at Phil Hall Park up to and including the Sovereign Islands and Ephraim Island. Eastern Pacific Ocean Southern Brisbane Road Western Eastern side of the Lakeside Country Club up to and then following the Coombabah Creek.



LG290/289/06

Division Boundary Description

4

Northern East along Hope Island Road linking up with Saltwater Creek and following that creek to the railway bridge then north to the Coomera River then east to the Broadwater.

Eastern Coomabah Creek down to and following the eastern side of the Lakeside Country Club then east along the Gold Coast Highway/Brisbane Road to Olsen Avenue and south to Napper Road.

Southern Napper Road along to a line between Uplands Road and Driftwood Place then south along that line to Smith Street then west to the M1 Motorway.

Western M1 Motorway

5

Northern Coomera River then onto John Siganto Park through to Moran Drive across to and following Tamborine Oxenford Road to just west of Kriedeman Road then further south to Caballo Road then generally west to the external boundary with the Scenic Rim Regional Council.

Eastern M1 Motorway

Southern Nerang River through to south of Maroong Crescent, up that road to Tirring Street then following the western boundary of the Vince Hinde Park to Beaudesert Nerang Road then west along that road to Nerang Murwillumbah Road to Beechmont Road then to the Freeman Family Park and generally out to the external boundary with the Scenic Rim Regional Council but not including Hell Fire Pass and Freemans Road. Western External Boundary with Scenic Rim Regional Council.

6

Northern Napper Road from near Tea Tree Boulevarde along to Olsen Avenue then up to Brisbane Road and east to the Broadwater. Eastern The Broadwater Southern Broadwater to Nerang Street thence Southport Nerang Road along to the M1 Motorway Western M1 Motorway from Nerang Southport Road to Smith Street then from a line between Uplands Road and Driftwood Place then north along that line to Napper Road.



LG290/289/06 Division Boundary Description

7

Northern Southport Nerang Road from Cotlew Street to Nerang Street then Nerang Street to the Broadwater then up to the Seaway to the Pacific Ocean. Eastern The Pacific Ocean Southern Starting at the Broadwater, Thornton Street to Surfers Paradise Boulevarde up to Clifford Street then west to the Gold Coast Highway up the Highway to Peninsula Drive then west along Watson Esplanade to the Nerang River following the River to western side of Bundall Road down Bundall Road to Ashmore Road, along Ashmore Road to Benowa Road Western From Ashmore Road north along Benowa Road to Slatyer Avenue along Slatyer Avenue to Wardoo Street then west along Cotlew Street to Southport Nerang Road.

8

Northern At the M1 Motorway Southport Nerang Road along to Cotlew Street, down Cotlew Street to Wardoo Street. Eastern Down Wardoo Street to Benowa Road then south to the Nerang River, down the river to Manchester Road then along that road to Hoy Street and along to Nerang Broadbeach Road along to Bermuda Street then down to Markeri Street. Southern From Bermuda Street along Markeri Street to Robina Parkway to Mudgeeraba Creek then along the creek to Robina Town Centre Drive to the Pacific Motorway. Western Pacific Motorway through to Nerang Broad Beach Road thence along the Nerang River.




9

Northern From the external boundary with the Scenic Rim Regional Council just north of Hell Fire Pass and Freemans Road south along the edge of Freeman Family Park linking up with Beechmont road along to Nerang Murwillumbah Road then to west of Yalkuri Drive to follow the western boundary of Vince Hinde Park down to Tirring Street then following Maroong Crescent generally to the Nerang River then following the river to the Nerang Broadbeach Road. Eastern Starting at the Nerang River down the Pacific Motorway to the intersection of Railway Street and the Link Way following the Link Way to Gold Coast Springbrook Road then to Franklin Drive then south along Franklin Drive to Hardys Road then south along Hardys Road to southern boundary of Wallaby Drive Reserve to Wallaby Drive then generally east to Rising Fast Road along that road then following that road to Hardys Road and south along Hardys Road to Bonogin Road, along Bonogin Road to just north of Smith Road then west to Bonogin Creek and generally following the ridge line to the NSW border. Southern The NSW border. Western The external boundary with Scenic Rim Regional Council.

10

Northern At Benowa Road going along Ashmore Road to Bundall Road up Bundall road to the Bridge at Evandale then following the Nerang River to Watson Esplanade then to Pensinsular Drive to the Gold Coast Highway to Clifford Street then onto Surfers Paradise Boulevarde then down to Thornton Street and east to the Pacific Ocean Eastern The Pacific Ocean. Southern Seabeach Avenue up Gold Coast Highway to Markeri Street along that street to canal then following the eastern boundary of the canal around to Cottesloe Drive then following that road to Bermuda Street. Western Bermuda Street up Nerang Broadbeach Road then west along Nerang Broadbeach Road to the canal at the end of Goolagong Court then following that canal up to the Nerang river then following the river up to Benowa Road.




11

Northern Starting at the Pacific Motorway, Robina Town Centre Drive along to Mudgeeraba Creek then up that creek to Robina Parkway along that road to Markeri Street and following Markeri Street to Bermuda Street. Eastern Bermuda Street Southern Reedy Creek Road Western Pacific Motorway

12

Northern Cottesloe Drive starting at Bermuda Street across to the canal edge at the intersection of Oceanic Drive then following that canal edge around to bridge at Markeri Street then along Markeri Street to the Gold Coast Highway across the Highway to Seabeach Avenue then along to the ocean. Eastern The Pacific Ocean Southern Twenty Fifth Avenue to the Gold Coast Highway, north to Twenty Seventh Avenue down Townson Avenue then west to Twenty Sixth Avenue and across to Parnki Parade and down to Twenty Fifth Avenue then across the park and canal to Mallawa Drive then down to Abelia Street along to Melaleuca Drive following Melaleuca Drive to the canal, across the canal and following the canal edge alongside Diplacus Drive. (Note that there is a slight adjunct between Diplacus Drive, Japonica Drive, Dogwood Drive and the Motorway included in Division 12). Western Pacific Motorway




13

Northern Gold Coast Springbrook Road starting at Hardys Road following through to Franklin Drive, back onto Gold Coast Springbrook Road up Railway Street to the Motorway then down the Motorway to a point generally at the intersection of Japonica Drive and Dogwood Drive on the eastern side of the Motorway up the canal boundary to Melaleuca Drive along to Abelia Drive up Mallawa Drive slightly then across the canal to the intersection of Parnki Parade and Twenty Fifth Avenue up Parnki Parade to Twenty Sixth Avenue along Twenty Sixth Avenue to Townson Avenue up to Twenty Seventh Avenue then along Twenty Seventh Avenue to the Gold Coast Highway down the Highway to Twenty Fifth Avenue and across to the ocean. Eastern The Pacific Ocean Southern Currumbin Creek to the Pacific Motorway then up to Guineas Creek Road following that road out to Tallebudgera Creek following the creek to the point it crosses Tallebudgera Connection Road then following Tallebudgera Connection Road up to Tallebudgera Creek Road following that road to a point just north of the apex of Tuesday Drive down to Thomas Waters Reserve then generally west to the boundary with Division 9. Western Bonogin Creek then across to Bonogin Road (east of Verdure Place) up Bonogin Road to Hardys Road up Hardys Road to Rising Fast Road then generally west to Wallaby Drive then north along the edge of an SA1 curving around to Hardys Road then following Hardys Road up to Franklin Drive.

14

Northern Starting at a point southeast of the intersection of Chesterfield Drive and Carrington Road, move east above Tuesday Drive to Tallebudgera Creek Road along that road to Tallebudgera Connection Road down Tallebudgera Connection Road to Tallebudgera Creek then follow the creek to a point to connect to Guineas Creek Road then follow that road to the Pacific Motorway, cross over the Motorway at Currumbin Creek and follow that creek to the ocean. Eastern The ocean Southern The NSW border Western Starting at the NSW border follow the ridge line between Currumbin and Bonogin Valleys up to a point southeast of the intersection of Chesterfield Drive and Carrington Road.


I hereby certify that these pages Numbered 1 to 123 constitute

The Minutes of the Meeting

of the Council of the City of Gold Coast

held Tuesday, 26 February 2019.

................................................................. MAYOR

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