2010 President's Reports

2010 President's Reports

SOUTHPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY INC.

From the President - Laird Marshall

August 2010

Hi Everyone

We have one month to go before Winter is officially finished. From September, it actually gets warmer. That's good for the weekend. But not much good for the week, when we find the 'double dip' recession is really starting to hit the Gold Coast.

Our Federal friends tell us that they care, that we are the hub of 'Small Business' Australia Wide - but that's not going to make Developers put money in here when they can go to Ipswich or the back of Melbourne and get things moving a whole lot quicker. 

That won't help when the Tourists are told to visit the Kimberley, the Reef or Sydney. I'm afraid we are left off the map more often than not, so it's up to us to pressure our elected or aspiring Politicians, that we do matter and are prepared to let them know that at the ballot box, State or Federal, that what they will do for us can have a bearing on who governs us.

And do our bit as a Business Group representing what you want, we have initiated a Research Project that will give us the real answers to help us, to help you, in the future….take a look at this initiative http://southport-business-survey.com.au/

All the best! 

June 2010

For my update this month, I thought I'd run through a meeting I had with our Local Councillor, Dawn Crichlow. As most of you know, Dawn has the highest 're-election' rating of the Councillors and it's important we work with our elected representatives when they see the value of working with us – and the Chamber of Commerce Members are also local constituents. So here's a summary of the Issues we discussed:

• Green Bridge – proposed from Queen Street to Pelican Beach near Southport Yacht Club….on 'hold'  for a couple of years unfortunately, due to the reticence of certain Developers now not to fund it.

• Commonwealth Games Bid - what better than Southport to take the lead in having a presentation from Mark Stockwell the Bid 'Leader', on the 1st of June?

We will do whatever we can to help influence the Games coming to the Coast, to benefit all Coasters, with a subseqential 'fast track' of long overdue Infrastructure……stay tuned, we will have more to add later.

• Signage in Southport - would you believe there are two huge 4 mtr signs on Marine Pde that you hardly ever see due to their poor location? They are about to be refurbished and repositioned with our Chamber identification on them.
• V8 Supercars - there will be plenty of action in Southport later this year in the form of major concerts at the Broadwater Parkland. We are in discussion with Organisers to make the most of this opportunity for our local businesses.
  

On the subject of the Broadwater parkland, the latest Stage between Queen St and the Sundale Bridge is nearly finished - with Barbeques, seating etc, so we will soon be able to enjoy it - with the Restaurant to be soon established in the main Parkland.

April 2010

A few weeks ago, we had the Mayor Ron Clarke attend one of our Committee meetings, since he had requested some months earlier to attend a meeting to “bring us up to date with the positive action being taken by the Council for the Coast and Southport”
 
Whilst the meeting was very cordial, in a nutshell, there really was nothing new that excited us, as it seems we are at the mercy of the State Governments beliefs of what is good for us since Overall, they control much of the Land and budgets to suit…….cases in point….
 
Light Rail Project
Now being coordinated by State Government…things are happening very slowly at moment with little employment for local business. This can only improve.
 
Future on the Hospital
Mayor Ron Clarke reported that the Southport Chamber will have to contact the State Government for key information, but the council has been pushing over the years, for a confirmation if the Hospital could stay as a medical centre of some sort,  as they are concerned that their will be a shortage of beds once again. As the majority of beds are already taken up by seniors, the hospital that is there would be most sensible for that.
 
Parking in Southport
The Mayor said, in response to the comment that they have an obligation to provide adequate parking for Traders and their Customers alike….. “you need to look at the balance between public transport and car parks…. being the more car parks you have, the more cars you have, and if you are going to put public transport in you need to have more restricted car parks. If you have a look in Vancouver, they have banned cars in the CBD area of the city forcing people to use their transport system, but they have a very good transport system in place.  Our public transport system has all sorts of problems with it. If you have a look at the planning of other cities with reasonable public transport system they have a grid system they are able to go East West North South without any restrictions.  As soon as we try to go East West on the Gold Coast we come across over 800kms of canals/waterways and no city has that number of kilometres in waterways.” 
    
Southport Broadwater Parklands
It has been very quite at our multi-million dollar Receation area…with no Restaraunts to attract a daytime crowd, limited and spasmodic events, little communication with signage advising Events, this is not surprising.
 
One wonders what the designers /project managers were thinking to cater for the need to get the population to visit when it was competed!
 
Apparently, “things” will be happening there shortly….however Mayor Ron Clark would like to take any thoughts on board and can “humanise” the park a bit more..if you have some, shoot them to us please!.
  
Another issue that has just been in the News relates to a Pedestrian/Cycleway Bridge proposed from Queen Street to Pelican Beach near the Yacht Club….similar to the previous Jubilee Bridge footprint.
 
With Dawn Crichlow and Susie Douglas pushing for it, as well as the funding coming from Developers, we have a great chance to see it happen “this century” and the Upgraded Sundale Bridge will be good to but that’s a fair way away!!
 
The logic is to get something now, as opposed to a few years or more, that caters for the bods in Southport mainly to get across to the main Surf Beach, Marina Mirage , Surf Club and Yacht Club in a direct fashion.
 
From Queen St. to Pelican Beach, its about 300 metres…..current jaunt on that horrible and dangerous “Pedestrian Crossing”, shared by bike riders and pedestrians, with just a guard rail protecting them from the incessant crashes on the bridge (I know, I live across the road ) its 1500 metres..…what route would most people rather walk?...except for Ron Clarke who said he was against it for some obscure reason, then apparently voted for it at a Council Meeting last week.
 
Fair chance that something can be done on this...its all part of the “liveability” of Southport!

March 2010

Gee, we are heading towards Easter already and even though its about the same time as last year, it seems to arrive just when its harder to get up in the morning in semi darkness and its starting to be a bit chilly at night. 
 
I hope you are finding the year slowly, but surely busy and profitable. I don't think too many of us are "booming" at the moment but the fact that we live amongst the Sand, the Sea the Mountains and clean air is a start! (Imagine what they are thinking of,  in grey Melbourne or when they are stuck in the traffic in Sydney).

As for our Chambers Key Issues, since our Dam is now full, our water storage problem has been replaced with a slow progression towards our State of the Art transport system first up.
 
Sometimes, delays can become very frustrating…this is no exception……. the need to get things moving big-time when Brisbane is crowing about the Clem 7 Tunnel is more evident than ever, since we need  "real jobs” in our Region which are ongoing …..what about the influx of new residents arriving every day, most of which want to live on the Coastal strip in our Southport neighbourhood?

How we are going to cater for their requirements whilst servicing existing residents and tourists, is a worry. There appears to be plenty of grandiose plans and “wish lists”,  but we are not in charge of our Waterways and much of the land surrounding it - and the roads and bridges to navigate around them, so we need an Integrated System incorporating Buses asap!.
 
Are 3 levels of Government meant to make it easier? - not if you read the comments in the paper!
 
Another Major Project is the New Hospital…and the surrounding Precinct…this is all positive stuff, but what about the current Hospital?...if that can’t be retained as an employment generator with a major Medical Support Facility on that Site, what a wasted opportunity!
 
But again, another decision to be made in Brisbane for the “good” of Southport.
 
If we lose this to public housing or a passive airy-fairy project, does that mean real jobs?...will that generate a decent income for Light Rail trundling past?
 
Let’s hope our elected Politicians look at what we need for the future..we’d be happy to sing their praises.

Persevere and look after yourself!

December 2009

Thanks for much for supporting our Breakfast and the Salvation Army last week.

October / November 2009

Welcome to our Southport Chamber members- and those business folk who haven’t joined yet, but should!
 
Now our “brand new” website is off and running, we can let our members tell other members what special offers we can offer each other….let you know what’s happening in Southport and most importantly, provide a forum for communication between our Council and Government , plus make you aware of Training and Educational courses of our members, plus info on our affiliated Chambers.
 
A lot of Information in one spot…but much better than sending it all to you via email each week!
 
For those of you who haven’t yet “invested“ $190 to be part of this Business Community and meet other like-minded members- please click here to see how and what’s in it for you! (link to “SCOC Right where you belong”).
 
We had a great response to our Breakfast Survey in October- it’s very interesting that the majority of respondents said they would invest any initiative of a Business Monetary grant (as per the $900 Cash Bonus with no strings attached) into “New Business Opportunities” and not use it to pay off existing debt.
 
I guess that shows that the attitude of Businesspersons on the Coast is still very positive, to not only ride out the downturn, but to position themselves to gain more market share, as well approach a new year with a very Positive Outlook.
 
Which is what we Gold Coasters need, as a genuine Business Centre, not just a satellite Holiday Destination!
 
Tying in with that Survey, was some very sobering information from Max Standish, the Provost (read “High Level Strategic Doer” at Griffith University), who impressed all as our Breakfast Speaker earlier this month.
 
Hardly anyone knew about the 200 Hectares available for the planned future Knowledge Precinct amongst the piles of earth and gumtrees…but it will be a huge project, with the new Hospital and Griffith University’s expansion….big enough for the State Government to forecast 40% of all Businesses on the Coast will be situated in that Region merging with Central Southport in the near future.
 
So what better time to make the most of the Southport Chamber and our contacts?….and we will see you at the Christmas Function at the Sharks on the First of December…if not before.