First feedback on Gold Coast's Bold Future

Media Release

Issue date:Monday 26 November 2007

The first community feedback on the Gold Coast’s Bold Future was presented at today’s Gold Coast City Council meeting.

The initial findings on the Gold Coast’s Energy Future, were correlated from hard copy and online surveys completed by residents and information gathered at city forums.

Gold Coast Mayor Cr Ron Clarke said that green choices, affordability, availability, reliability and reduced reliance on air conditioning and heating because of the Gold Coast’s climate were rated by residents as the things they valued most about Gold Coast energy.

“Among residents’ top energy future preferences were sustainable modes of transport/improved transport, green and renewable energy choices, self-sustaining housing and sustainable living, solar energy, and government incentives and rebates for green power,” said Cr Clarke.

“Of these, sustainable modes of transport and green and renewable energy choices were seen as most important. The results so far indicate the community wants to see less reliance on cars and more people walking, cycling and using public transport. They also want to see all energy for public transport coming from renewable sources.

“At this point in the consultation process, there also appears to be strong local support both for large scale, renewable energy generation and price fixing and for a carbon-neutral or reduced energy footprint through mandatory passive design.”

Cr Clarke said to date, about 3000 people had responded to the Council’s call to residents to have their say on the Gold Coast’s future.

“Considering that we are less than two months into the Bold Future project and in that time we’ve had six weeks of a Federal election campaign, I think the participation rate has been excellent,” he said.

Our Energy Future is one of nine themes residents are being asked to consider during the 12-month Bold Future initiative, which will develop a blueprint for the future of the Gold Coast over the next 30 years.

Residents can log on to boldfuture.com to fill in a feedback form or pick up a hard copy from a Council branch library or customer service centre. Bold Future team members also will be out and about in parks and other public places over the coming months, inviting people to fill out a survey, and there will be a series of city forums during 2008.

“We’re putting residents in the driver’s seat in terms of what the Gold Coast will be like in 2037,” said Cr Clarke. “It’s up to the community to grab the wheel.”