MEDIA RELEASE
Date: 23 November 2018
The Gold Coast community has overwhelmingly said ‘no’ to a second casino on the Gold Coast.
Clubs Queensland, the peak body representing Queensland’s 1100 community clubs this week conducted an independent poll of the Gold Coast community to gauge sentiment for the project. The community spoke loudly.
“The results of this ReachTel poll are definitive. Over 68% of the 1250 people polled said ‘No, they do not support the construction of another casino on the Gold Coast, nor the inclusion of more poker machines as part of the project,” said Laura Bos, Communications and Government Relations Manager for Clubs Queensland.
Further, 76.5% of the community polled said they do not believe more casinos are the best way to drive tourism for the Gold Coast.
This community poll is damning for the state government who have been adamant that the second casino will not proceed if they do not have the community support.
“The Tourism Minister has repeatedly stated in the media that the state government will test the market for a Gold Coast global tourism hub but will not approve anything that does not have broad support of the local community,” said Ms Bos. “This poll clearly shows that they do not have this community support.”
“However, with these poll results, we wonder why the government would continue to spend taxpayer money to test the market when the community sentiment is so strongly opposed to a second casino. The Gold Coast neither wants, nor needs, this type of development. So why keep pushing it?”
Clubs Queensland maintains that not only does the community not want another casino, but another casino is not a viable or sustainable tourism option for the Gold Coast.
“Macquarie analysts noted last week, a second casino operator on the Gold Coast would be restricted under a ‘return on investment’ scenario to a development of around $400 million, with an investment case would be built on local competition rather than tourism.”
“It reinforces the Synergies Economic Consulting report commissioned by Clubs Queensland and released in May 2016 that shows the viability of this project is at the expense of the community club sector,” said Ms Bos. “A second casino on the Gold Coast will force around 30 clubs to close. That will trigger a devastating loss of jobs, and a devastating drop in the community funding provided by clubs that puts lifesavers on our beaches, supports veterans, schools and sports and community groups.”
“Unlike casinos, whose profits line the pockets of private companies, community clubs are not-for-profit and exist to provide services to members and the local community.”
“And those club closures are just on the Gold Coast. The competition between three casinos will affect over 330 community clubs in the southeast corner. That represents 1.6 million members and some 10,000 jobs.” said Ms Bos.
Queensland is already over-represented when it comes to casinos. Today we have four casinos in Queensland, servicing a population of 4.8 million.
#4nomore
ENDS
About Clubs
- Clubs in Queensland are membership-based, not-for-profit organisations that exist to provide services to members and the local community.
- There are over 1,100 community clubs in Queensland. Together, they hold 2.4 million memberships, employ over 22,000 people (with 9,000 based in regional Queensland), return over $850 million in social contributions and generate annual economic activity valued over $2.2 billion for the State’s economy.
- The surplus generated by clubs is used to deliver important and highly valued services in their surrounding communities and to visitors to their region. This support includes cash contributions, non-cash benefits, community assets and the mobilisation of volunteers.
- These are important community hubs for social interaction and engagement. Members have a shared sense of values and belonging and this strengthens the social fabric and promotes strong community cohesion.
Media Contacts:
Clubs Queensland
Laura Bos, Communications & Government Relations Manager
M: 0417 615 463