“Marion Charlton understands the importance of first impressions better than most.

She is, after all, in charge of the gateway to the city in her role as Chief Operating Officer at Gold Coast Airport. But her passion for the city is more than skin deep.

Charlton, who has worked around the world and Australia’s southern capitals, has settled with her family on the Gold Coast and hopes her children will make the choice to live and work here when they grow up.

“I think when you’re making a decision about where you will live and work, you often do it through the prism of what’s best for your family,” says Charlton.

“Here we have some of the best schools, three of the best universities and with all the development and opportunity that’s coming, I’ve got a hope my kids will stay here on the Gold Coast when they choose to have their own careers and families.”

Charlton says the energy and drive in the Gold Coast’s business community makes it an exciting place to run an organisation.

“There’s a real can-do spirit here. Everyone wants the city to be great, and as Gold Coasters, we take it very personally and I think that’s amazing,” she says.

“Business leaders are really accessible, it’s not hard to talk to people like the Mayor, decision makers or local and federal members.

“It makes it easier to get things done – it’s not hard to pick up the phone here like it can be in a bigger city.”

And getting things done she is.

Gold Coast Airport is in the throes of a $300 million redevelopment, Project LIFT (Let’s Invest for Tomorrow), which will be delivered between now and 2019.

A range of crucial upgrades, including expansion of the apron capacity and introduction of self check-in services, will be delivered in time for the influx of visitors heading our way during the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Charlton knows the impact of such an event, having worked at the Atlanta and Sydney airports during the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and in Glasgow during the last Commonwealth Games.

“But it’s important we see the Commonwealth Games as the wedding, not the marriage,” she says.

“A lot of infrastructure and energy is going into the Games, so the challenge for the Gold Coast is to capture that and use it to drive the city forward.

“Our development does just that – it goes way beyond the Games. We’re looking forward to and planning for the event, but it’s certainly not the end piece for us.”

Charlton is one of five panelists at this year’s City Leaders Forum, hosted by Young Professionals Gold Coast.

She will be joined by Mark Peters (CEO of Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation), Bob East (CEO of ASX-listed Mantra Group), Peta Fielding (CEO of Burleigh Brewing) and Professor Ian O’Connor (Vice Chancellor of Griffith University).

Charlton says it is an excellent platform for business leaders to share experiences and impart knowledge to the people who will lead the city in the future.

“But more importantly it’s an opportunity for young professionals to play a role in shaping the city,” she says.

“Working together is so important – as generations we need to combine our efforts, and this is a fantastic platform for that.”

To hear more from Charlton, register now for the City Leaders Forum 2016.”

“A group of business leaders who will play an instrumental role in the city’s economic progress has been assembled for the second annual City Leaders Forum, hosted by Young Professionals Gold Coast.

Panelists will debate the projects necessary to keep the economic momentum initiated by the 2018 Commonwealth Games continuing after the event.

Mark Peters, CEO of Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation will share insights to how the Games presents “a decade worth of opportunity for the city”.

Bob East, CEO of Mantra Group and Marion Charlton, COO of Gold Coast Airport have also joined the speaking panel, representing two ‘front line’ companies that will play a major role in the visitor experience during the Games.

Professor Ian O’Connor, Vice Chancellor and President of Griffith University and Peta Fielding, Director of Burleigh Brewing Company will round out the panel of industry experts.

YP Gold Coast President Sean Braybrook said the City Leaders Forum sought to promote healthy and positive debate around key economic opportunities for the city.

“We’ve assembled what we consider to be a group of experts in their respective fields,” he said.

“These are people who will play an instrumental role in the success of the Games and who can share valuable insights to maximise opportunities presented by the event and how we leverage the city’s international exposure in this time.

“But this is about outcomes as much as it is about discussion.

“We are looking to establish policy outline from the forum which will guide our advocacy going forward.”

Mr Braybrook said the core aim of the City Leaders Forum was to unite the Gold Coast’s established business community with up and coming city leaders.

“We want to create a multi-generational voice for positive change,” he said.

Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer Marion Charlton said the forum was an excellent platform for business leaders to share experiences and impart knowledge to the people who will lead the city in the future.

“But more importantly it’s an opportunity for young professionals to play a role in shaping the city,” she said.

“Working together is so important – as generations we need to combine our efforts, and this is a fantastic platform for that.”

The City Leaders Forum will be held on Friday, November 11 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Tickets are $135 per person or $1,300 for a table of 10.”

“Frustrated by the lack of soul in Queensland’s beer landscape, Gold Coaster Peta Fielding and her Hawaiian brew-master husband found the inspiration to establish Burleigh Brewing.

The business, which arguably pioneered the craft beer movement on the Gold Coast, has grown significantly over the past 10 years, converting its original site into a warehouse while the brewing and packaging operation, along with a taphouse, set up shop just down the road.

Fielding, who is set to speak at the City Leaders Forum on November 11, says the Gold Coast is a great destination for innovation and entrepreneurship.

“The Gold Coast is a great place to have our business because we have all of the infrastructure that big cities have and we have the largest city in the state just up the road, but we get to enjoy much more of that village atmosphere and village lifestyle,” she says.

Fielding adds that there is so much to love about living and working on the Gold Coast.

“I think the Gold Coast’s greatest asset is its energy and that is a function of the place and the people,” she says.

“It just feels like a place where anything is possible. People are supported and encouraged to give things a go and if they work, great, and if they don’t, try again.

“It (the Gold Coast) really has an amazing feel about it and I think that is its unique selling point.”

Since its inception, Burleigh Brewing has been honoured with a number of business and brewing awards including Gold Coast Business of the Year in 2014.

Along with leading the Burleigh Brewing team to success, Fielding sits on the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Board.

Fielding is one of five panelists at this year’s City Leaders Forum, hosted by Young Professionals Gold Coast.

She will be joined by Mark Peters (CEO of Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation), Bob East (CEO of ASX-listed Mantra Group), Marion Charlton (COO Gold Coast Airport) and Professor Ian O’Connor (Vice Chancellor of Griffith University).”

“THE CEO of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation Mark Peters says while the much anticipated event lasts 11 days in theory, it actually presents a decade worth of opportunity for the city.

In the week leading into 4 April 2018, more than 6,600 athletes and team officials from 71 nations and territories will converge on the Gold Coast for the sporting and cultural event.

Ensuring the event delivers a lasting legacy for the city is a priority for many Gold Coasters, with the event providing the opportunity to shape and define the region’s future.

Mark peters rsPeters says everything the Games Corporation is working on is developed with legacy in mind and highlights the promotional exposure for business, trade, investment, tourism and events will herald a new era in the region’s growth and maturity.

He says one of the key legacies of the Games is the diversification of the Gold Coast economy.

While the city has traditionally been reliant on tourism and construction, the Gold Coast is embracing new industries.

Peters says education is evolving as a key economic driver, while the Games village and health and knowledge precinct presents new opportunities for growth in medical and research.

“Another legacy is the development of Carrara which now allows the city to look seriously at attracting professional teams that exist in the Asian region that get snowed out in our summer and go to places like Hawaii and Guam,” he says. “They now have the opportunity to come and train here in our great facilities on the Gold Coast.”

“Physically, when we planned venues, they had a legacy outcome. Everything we do, for every venue, for all transport systems, we ask ourselves how we contribute positively to the economy, so that local, state and federal government regard their investment as positive and so the decision to host the games here was positive.”

Peters, who headed the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Bid Company before being appointed CEO of the corporation, has long championed Australia’s profile on the international sporting stage, as a competitive nation and host destination for major sporting events.

Prior to his role with the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, the businessman served in senior sporting administration roles including as CEO of the Australian Sports Commission, President of the Australian Baseball Federation and Executive member of International Baseball Federation.

While the 2018 event presents countless opportunities for the city, Peters says it comes with its challenges.

“The challenge for the organisation is that an awful lot has to happen in a very short amount of time,” he says.

“We started off very small staff wise, and here we are with 18 months to go with 370 staff and we will need 1600 at Games time.

“When we get to 1600 at Games time, about a week later we will drop to 200-300, and then by mid-year we disappear.

“Keeping staff excited and retaining them to be involved in a once-in-a-lifetime event is a challenge.”

Looking at the Gold Coast as a whole, Peters says transport is a key issue for the Gold Coast, along with the retention of young professionals.

“We want to stop making our kids leave the city and we want to prevent people from having to get on the M1 to head to Brisbane for work,” he says.

“The more long term jobs we can create locally, the more we are able to keep our kids employed here and similarly, support the whole family structure.

“We hear lots of stories about tradies having to go off to other parts of Queensland and the break-up of the families and that is not what a city is about.

“We need to create more jobs to make this a great city for families.”

Peters will be speaking at the Young Professionals Gold Coast City Leaders Forum on November 11.

He will be joined by Bob East (CEO of ASX-listed Mantra Group), Peta Fielding (CEO of Burleigh Brewing), Marion Charlton (COO of Gold Coast Airport) and Professor Ian O’Connor (Vice Chancellor of Griffith Univeristy).

The event aims to unite the Gold Coast’s established business community with up and coming city leaders to create a multi-generational voice for positive change.

Peters says the event is important to establish the future direction of the Gold Coast.

“We need to be continually challenged and we need to have fresh ideas,” he says. “It is a good environment to have that open discussion that is not guarded by political appropriateness.” “

“The vocal minority disputing the transformative Mariner’s Cove project proposed for Main Beach are halting the Gold Coast’s economic and cultural progress.

The $600 million Mariner’s Cove would rejuvenate underutilised land, create thousands of local jobs and provide a much-needed boost to the economically depressed Tedder Avenue strip.

Its developer, Sunland’s Soheil Abedian, has likened the Zaha Hadid-designed project to international landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and New York’s Guggenheim Museum.

Mariners Cover Impression
Young Professionals Gold Coast, the city’s peak body representing young business and industry leaders, says Mariner’s Cove is a landmark project which should be assessed on the long-term benefits it presents to the city.

Vice President Melissa Coleman says the loud voice of a single suburb is petitioning against the development, which is not representative of what the whole city wants.

“It is mind-blowing to me that this is even up for debate,” says Coleman.

“Developers, architects, cultural strategists and those with a beautiful vision are throwing millions of dollars at us, yet we prefer to say ‘no thanks’.

“Infrastructure and traffic management will be improved, yet for the inconvenience of a few years of construction, there are people who would rather halt the economic and cultural progress of our city and the state of Queensland.”

Ms Coleman says argument about the preservation of the Spit lacks merit.

“The proposed site is not even ‘the Spit’, it is south of Marina Mirage and is a wasted site that has been sitting empty for decades,” she says.

“And Main Beach residents can’t possibly have concerns for height restrictions when they themselves reside in, or are already surrounded by, buildings of up to 45 storeys.

“As a passionate Gold Coaster, this leads me to question why we listen to the minority – I am confident that the majority of the city is excited by such an incredible development.”

Author: Melissa Coleman

“Professional PhotoJessica Thomas says if the Gold Coast is to prosper, locals need to accept that the city will be changing as it provides for population growth.

The YP Gold Coast board member, who is passionate about fostering the city’s young talent, believes the city is on the verge of greatness; however it needs to embrace change and transformation.

Jessica, who was admitted as a solicitor at 22 before being promoted to an associate of law firm Short Punch & Greatorix at 24, highlights the importance of a collective voice in evolving the city as a worldly destination.

“The Gold Coast is a vibrant city that is constantly evolving and with continued proactive leadership the city will thrive,” she says.

“As young professionals, we have the opportunity to assist in the development and growth of our city so long as we are united.”

Read more in this Q&A with Jessica:

• What makes the Gold Coast a great place to live and work?
  Having grown up on the Gold Coast, studied on the Gold Coast and established my career on the Gold Coast makes me really appreciate the value of a true work life balance. I love the fact I can go for a run on the beach before work and then play netball and touch footy after.
  
  Although I appreciate the time I spent working in Brisbane, having the opportunity to further my career at such an upstanding law firm on the Gold Coast makes me appreciate the opportunities available so close to home. I wholeheartedly believe that if you have a strong work ethic, you can find that the professional opportunities and benefits that you receive working in the capital cities are also available on the Gold Coast. Also, the fact that we are in such close proximity to other big cities – we are only an hour drive from Brisbane and an hour flight to Sydney – makes the city even more appealing.
  
  
• Why are you so passionate about educating future city leaders about the Gold Coast’s potential?
  When I was asked to join the YP committee, I immediately grasped the opportunity as I saw this as a platform to assist with the motivation of our future city leaders by connecting professionals through various networks. It is always a good feeling to be able to call a peer that I have met through networking at a YP event, to rely on their expertise regardless of their profession. Networking has also allowed me to grow my contact list which has been invaluable to draw on that experience when my clients are in need of advice in a different specialty.
  
  The Gold Coast is a vibrant city that is constantly evolving and with continued proactive leadership the city will thrive. It is through organisations like YP that the city will continue on a path towards success. In addition, the key note speakers that present at our YP events offer a diverse range of knowledge and assist with the implementation of ideas that educate those who attend. It is exciting to be part of the team that helps to inspire and motivate young professionals on the Gold Coast. It is through YP, as a collective, that we can develop this place into a world class destination where major international companies invest.
  
  
• Why is it so important that the city evolves and diversifies?
  The young professionals of our city have the opportunity to assist in the development and growth of our city so long as we are united. Professionals with diverse backgrounds, interests and knowledge, as a collective are able to think laterally and provide innovative solutions for the continued growth of the Gold Coast.
  
  Having knowledge passed down through mentors that have been in business for longer than some of us have been alive is also a great asset. As long as the young and old work together and integrate their knowledge we will do great things for the city.
  
  
• What do you believe are some of the challenges the city is facing, and what can the Gold Coast do to overcome them?
  There are individuals on the Gold Coast that are narrow minded when it comes to development and progression of the city. People need to accept that the Gold Coast is a young city and will be changing as it provides for population growth. Bernard Salt says that it is more than likely that three mega regions in the next 90 years will develop around Sydney, Melbourne and south-east Queensland (Gold Coast) and that these cities will require careful urban planning. This urban planning needs to begin now.
  
  The city’s infrastructure and transport facilities will also have to be one step ahead of the population growth to maintain the Coast’s liveability. Lastly, let’s get cracking and develop that vacant land known as the Spit to bring in more jobs, more tourists and give the Gold Coast economy the boost and security it one day may need. People travel the world to visit the built environment and as the Spit and Broadwater south of Wave Break Island is all man made, this area could be developed to be the jewel in Gold Coast’s crown. The area north of Wave Break Island should be maintained as a natural habitat.
  
  
• What needs to be done to create more jobs on the Gold Coast, and grow the city’s corporate culture?
  Firstly, we need sustainable development that balances the interests of all stakeholders.
  
  Secondly, we need to attract big investors to the city. If national and international investors view the Gold Coast as a dynamic and emerging city thriving with opportunities, they will have no choice but to invest here to assist with the growth of the corporate culture.
  
  Thirdly, we need to keep graduates on the Coast. We have top ranking secondary schools and some of the best universities in the country, if not the world, that attract local, interstate and international students to complete their tertiary studies.
  
  Lastly, we need to lobby for the decentralisation of government departments and other major corporations from capital cities, for their head offices to relocate to “regional areas” such as the Gold Coast. Imagine if the ATO were to relocate its offices to the Gold Coast. What a boost to the local economy this would be with a boost in the number of public servants and their families living and working on the Gold Coast.
  
  
• What is the city missing?
  The city is missing a united voice when it comes to bettering the city as a whole. Let’s for now focus on the positives and what the city has to offer and how to grow and improve our infrastructure and current assets and opportunities rather than focus on what we are lacking.”

Author: Jessica Thomas

“Ensuring the 2018 Commonwealth Games leaves an overwhelming legacy for the Gold Coast is one of the biggest opportunities and challenges the city is facing, according to BBC’s Scott Finlayson.

BBC, an inaugural sponsor of Young Professionals Gold Coast, boasts 40 years of experience in providing workflow solutions and has grown to be Australia’s largest privately owned photocopier and printer supplier.

YP Gold Coast sat down with Area Manager Scott Finlayson to discuss some of the biggest issues facing the Gold Coast, as well as chatting about BBC’s support in helping YP achieve its mission of motivating, inspiring and connecting the next generation of city leaders.

Scott FinlaysonWith its enviable climate, unparalleled coastal lifestyle and refreshing hinterland, Finlayson labels the Gold Coast as one of the greatest cities in Australia to live, work and play.

“In no other city can you be surfing the best breaks in the world one moment, and then exploring some of the best bushland in the Hinterland the next,” he says.

“While in the past the Gold Coast has been considered solely a tourism destination, the city is diversifying, evolving and realising its potential. As an individual, and a professional, it is exciting to see the city coming of age and really embracing new industries – particularly the technology sector.”

While it is an exciting industry, Finlayson recognises that keeping up with technology is a major challenge for the city. Other challenges the city is facing include managing infrastructure and transport around population growth and the possible economic downturn after the Commonwealth games, says Finlayson. He says the Games represent huge commercial and economic benefits for the city, both pre and post the event. But, only if managed correctly.

“We will be launched onto the world stage in 2018 and we need to make sure we are sending the right messages,” he says.

“I see the Gold Coast evolving as the sporting capital of Australia; we have the right climate which means athletes can pretty much train 365 days a year and we have around $12 billion worth of infrastructure planned or underway in the lead up to the Games which includes world-class sporting facilities.

“We have all the elements we need to establish ourselves as a worldly sporting destination, we just need to make sure we all work together to ensure the Games leave an overwhelming legacy.”

While there are many opportunities that the city is set to capitalise on, Finalyson highlights that it is the younger generation that will help to shape the Gold Coast’s future. This was one of the main reasons he came on board as a sponsor of leading advocacy group YP Gold Coast.

“The YP committee and its supporters are the future of the Gold Coast,” he says.

“Without groups like YPGC, the ideas and opinions of the younger generations will go unheard and the city will ultimately risk losing young talent to the likes of Melbourne and Sydney.” 

BBC Digital has been a sponsor of YP for the past five years and has been vital in helping the organisation connect with future city leaders. “

“CITIES that are designed to be reliant on cars are bound for failure. Cities that adopt a capable and dependable transit system are bound for success.

While there has been a lot of chatter and debate in recent months about funding for the M1, Young Professionals Gold Coast believes the discussion needs to be turned on its head.

The city shouldn’t be talking about how to fund road extensions and major upgrades; it should be talking about how to fund and implement a capable and dependable public transport system.

The city needs transportation alternatives that encourage people to leave their car at home, and one that is suited to each particular circumstance with easy connections; train to bus to tram to walk should be seamless.

Building more roads only adds more cars; it is a bandaid approach to the city’s traffic congestion, and extending and building wider roads to cure this nightmare is like loosening your belt to cure obesity.

With the city’s population growth expected to double by 2020, and the Commonwealth Games just around the corner, the Gold Coast needs to focus on, and adopt, a world-class transit network.

While it has been debated that upgrading the M1 is a big part of battling the city’s traffic woes, in reality, it offers short-term relief.

Upgrades to the M1 will not limit congestion in the long run, and it will not stop future closures.

There will always be circumstances when the motorway is shut down. To combat closures, the city needs to have alternative transportation so when a closure occurs, the city does not come to a standstill.

Smart suburbs, and smart cities, have transit, which includes high frequency buses – at least every 15 minutes. And buses need to connect with a tram system that travels the length of the city and connects to suburbs inland.

In addition, the city should take advantage of its canals. The waterways present a great opportunity for a ferry system – the Gold Coast needs to act on this and the 2018 Commonwealth games should be the catalyst.

Cycling is also a huge sport and popular mode of transportation worldwide. To make it safe and to encourage more cyclists, the city needs to have separate bike lanes, especially on high volume and high-speed roads.

While it is one thing to have options, it is not enough – people will always choose the most convenient, and with the current public transport network, Gold Coasters will choose their car every time.

The city needs to prioritise transit types; pedestrians over cars at intersections, bikes over trams – don’t ban cars, prioritise them last.

YP Gold Coast is encouraging an evolution towards integrated transit – we need a city that connects places that people need including home and work.

The city should run trials – new bus routes, ferry system, extended bike lanes – and then invest in infrastructure upgrades if a trial is successful.

Ultimately, the Gold Coast needs to prioritise expenditure away from road upgrades to public transit.”

“Sean Braybrook PRESIDENT of Young Professionals Gold Coast Sean Braybrook says as the city continues to evolve as one of the most dynamic places in the country, it’s vitally important the community supports and encourages those willing to push the boundaries.

Braybrook, who works as the Strategy and Operations Manager at Study Gold Coast, says the city is on the cusp of greatness but it will only reach its full potential if leaders and community members are willing to embrace change.

“We can’t be afraid of change or remain static because the city will stagnate,” he says.

“We need to galvanise support around the projects and developments that have the capacity to generate growth while industry leaders need to continue to diversify the economy.”

In Braybrook’s current role he is partly responsible for growing the city’s education sector. However, one of his most proud achievements is being appointed the head of YP Gold Coast where he works with a team to motivate, inspire and influence the next generation of city leaders.

“I’d have to say that my current position as President of YP Gold Coast is certainly something I’ve loved as I get to work with an incredible group of people who are passionate about this city and its future,” says Braybrook.

In this Q&A, Braybrook discusses diversifying the Gold Coast economy, the importance of a united voice, and his vision for establishing the Gold Coast as the lifestyle hub of Australia.

What makes the Gold Coast a great place to live and work?

Where do I start? Simply put, the Gold Coast offers anyone and everyone the opportunity to pursue big ideas. It is a city where dreams become reality and it is the stomping ground for both worldly investors and those with passion projects. Whether it is Wanda Ridong who wants to invest $1 billion in a new residential project, or local restaurateur’s Simon Gloftis and Adam Haralampou with new food offerings, the Gold Coast offers support and encouragement to big-thinkers and exudes a ‘have a go’ attitude.

With the Commonwealth Games just around the corner and a stable local government, I wholeheartedly believe the city is on the cusp of greatness. Right now a number of factors are combining in the city’s favour to make it one of most dynamic places in the country and it’s important that as a community we back anyone willing to push the boundaries and we celebrate our successes.

When you combine the Gold Coast’s palpable energy with its lifestyle, you get something special. Not many people can say they get to go to the beach in the morning before work. The commute is easy (by major capital standards) and the people are amazing.

Why are you so passionate about educating future generations of city leaders about the Gold Coast’s potential?

I joined YP because I wanted to help build the conversation about what the Gold Coast is and can be. We can’t be afraid of change or remain static because the city will stagnate. We need to galvanise support around the projects and developments that have the capacity to generate growth while industry leaders need to continue to diversify the economy. Most importantly I wanted to be part of an organisation that looked at the Gold Coast as a whole and understood its potential.

Why is it so important that the city evolves and diversifies?

Research and education, culture and the arts, and innovation and entrepreneurship attract and retain our best and brightest so we need to get behind initiatives that support this vision for the Gold Coast. If you look at the health and knowledge precinct, initiatives such as CoSpaces, Bleach* Festival, the Miami Marketta and the Night Quarter – they are all incredibly successful and all represent the change occurring in the city. No longer are we just reliant on tourism, and although development and tourism will always quite rightly have their place, the elements I’ve outlined feed into these and help support those industries. People only invest in and visit cities that are dynamic and culturally and economically diverse.

What do you believe are some of the challenges the city is facing, and what can the Gold Coast do to overcome these?

The single biggest obstacle is the lack of a combined vison for the city. The horse has bolted on being a sleepy seaside resort of individual villages for vacationers and people need to understand that for us to continue to live and work here we need to support policies that will provide jobs. It’s no use having a great lifestyle if there is no work. This feeds into the issues facing the city particularly around big projects that have the capacity to change the Gold Coast.

Each major business group, community groups, residents and other stakeholders need to work together to create this vision to combat the spread-out nature of the city. There needs to be one community or business-based forum that is representative of the entire city.

We need the community to rally behind and support big ideas currently at play. Whether its Southport’s role as the city’s CBD, the light rail extension, the cultural precinct, the health and knowledge precinct – we need to stop thinking small and back the growth of the city. It’s quite amazing that we live in a place where rather than getting behind some amazing projects we are fixated on the negatives instead of the positives.

This is a great place to live and work. Yes, we need to get the balance right when it comes to development and sacrificing our lifestyle, but the aim should be to actively work with the construction sector to create projects that are world-class and complementary to the city, rather than knock them down due to an outdated vision for the Gold Coast. If life-style is the aim, let’s support green developments and the creation of more open space via creative thinking – look at the New York Highline as a great example. Let’s identify and agree on a set-of trade-offs for projects to ensure that investment continues while also providing positive public benefits.

Our focus then has to be on providing a coherent vision that we can all follow and focus around what it means to be a Gold Coaster. I think this focus needs to be about branding ourselves as the country’s lifestyle capital; a message that can translate across the traditional drivers of tourism and development, but is equally important to growing the education sector or attracting SME’s. Everything falls in behind this message whether it’s supporting the light-rail extension, the development of cultural hubs or even surfing reserves – it allows us to build a set of values and a brand that differentiates us from the other major cities and allows us to carve our own niche globally.

The most critical element for these points to work is for the community to get actively engaged in the city. A coordinated approach on issues of key importance is needed to drive the changes we want to occur in the city.

What needs to be done to create more jobs on the Gold Coast, and grow the city’s corporate culture?

A clear focus needs to be placed on the development of more entrepreneurial hubs and greater linkages between the corporate and education sector. Local government and our community can play a role here and we can take ownership of the entrepreneurial space nationally if we work together. By focusing on the factors we can control, in terms of incentive schemes for operators, we have an opportunity to develop more co-working spaces and innovation hubs that act as a focal point for new business development. We need to concentrate our efforts on creating an entrepreneur-friendly environment which will help boost jobs growth. This can happen by reducing certain regulations and charges levied on business that can hinder success in the first few crucial years of a company’s life.

We might still have some challenges attracting big corporates to relocate but if we focus on building an environment supportive of new business we can carve out our niche as a hub for start-ups – tech or non-tech based. This will in-turn encourage talent to set themselves up here and establish ourselves as a supportive location for businesses to set-up and start growing. This is how we can build a stronger and more varied corporate sector which will help protect us from any big global shocks to the economy.

The entry costs for a business is so much lower here than in the other major capitals, we have international airport links and we are part of the great south-east Queensland/northern NSW metro hub. This last point in particular is critical because all of a sudden you start thinking not just in terms of the Gold Coast but the fact that within an estimated two hour drive you have access to a market of around 3.5 million people. Again, if we focus on telling this story we have a great chance of showing to everyone that we are a viable place to set up a venture over the long-term.

This approach can help us mature from our boom/bust cycle to a more stable pattern of growth.

What is the city missing?

I think we need to refrain from thinking about this and instead look at what we have. By constantly looking at what we are missing we are destined to overlook how we can enhance what is already at our fingertips.

We have some of the best beaches around the world, an incredible natural asset in the Gold Coast Hinterland, great parks and a world-class lifestyle.

What we need to do now is focus on how we improve what we have via considered and careful planning, smart infrastructure choices and targeted business development plans that encourage diversification. Most importantly we need to do this with a united voice and stop allowing vocal minorities to hamper projects that will benefit the greater community.”

Author: Sean Braybrook

“ON the back of the State Government’s blitz on rideshare drivers, future city leaders have thrown their support behind Uber saying innovation and entrepreneurship need to be recognised as real economic drivers.

Young Professionals Gold Coast, the city’s peak body representing young business and industry leaders, says disruptive technologies such as Uber need to be embraced if the Gold Coast and Queensland want to be recognised as competitive destinations.

President Sean Braybrook says the lack of support for this unique application and the state governments rideshare blitz, which has secured almost $200,000 in fines, is the wrong approach as the government is actually penalising consumers.

“YP Gold Coast is in support of new ventures that offer people a more competitive offering and rallies behind any and all innovative technologies that disrupt and evolve industries,” says Braybrook.

“YP Gold Coast represents the next generation of city leaders, many of whom are young entrepreneurs who are building thriving businesses and looking to turn their dream into a reality.

“However, a state and a city that does not support the delivery of innovation means more and more young people will find other, more supportive, destinations to lay down roots.

“And that goes against everything YP Gold Coast advocates for – we want to encourage young professionals to live, work and play on the Gold Coast.

“The city is on the cusp of greatness but it needs to diversify and support new industries, and invest in innovation and entrepreneurship, if it wants to continue on the road to success.”

Uber most recently emailed tens of thousands of its users on the Gold Coast, encouraging them to email a replica fine to the Premier in payback for a blitz on rideshare drivers, who are now facing harsher penalties.

Uber drivers face fines up to $2356 while the administrators of illegal taxi services could be penalised up to $23,560.

“The government’s focus should be on normalising Uber just like the New South Wales government, rather than creating a new moneymaking stream,” says Braybrook.

“While YP Gold Coast believes there needs to be a level playing field for the ridesharing industry in terms of regulatory bodies, harsher fines are not the answer, as this is very much like putting the genie back in the bottle.”

“Instead of coming up with ways to penalise the ridesharing app, the government should be coming up with solutions that focus around embracing this technology.”

YP Gold Coast aims to motivate, inspire and empower the next generation of city leaders. With a real focus on growing the city’s corporate culture, the organisation offers networking and mentoring opportunities.”

Author: Sean Braybrook