About Peter

Fighting to Preserve the Broadwater

• first as a child growing up in Southport
• then as a concerned citizen
• later as a Gold Coast City Councillor 
• and now as your State MP for Southport

...Peter Lawlor has worked hard to protect the local environment for local people, so future generations can enjoy the protected Broadwater and western foreshore forever.

As the State Labor Member for Southport Peter Lawlor has convinced the Bligh Government of the importance of preserving the local environment.

The Broadwater is a shallow waterway and the sandbanks form a vital part of its fragile environment. It is a breeding habitat for fish and also a haven for migrating and local wading birds.

"Developments such as shops, restaurants and bridges would destroy the ecosystem of the Broadwater," he said.

Recently there was a proposal to develop Wavebreak Island with proposals for marina, residential and retail developments on the island and bridges linking Labrador with Wavebreak Island and the Spit.

Continuing the fight

In fact, Gold Coast Mayor Councillor Gary Baildon credits the halting of the Wavebreak Island development to Peter Lawlor’s 2001 campaign promise not to allow development in the Broadwater."It’s a clear message and I think it’s because of Lawlor,"

 said Cr Baildon (quoted in the Gold Coast Bulletin, 21 August 2002).Peter Lawlor has pledged to continue to fight to protect the Broadwater and our western foreshore.

"We’ve done a good job in protecting Southport from commercial development of our major open space area but we can’t give up now.

"I will make sure that the Bligh Labor Government always appreciates the importance of this wonderful natural asset," Peter