ABOUT THE SOUTHPORT ELECTORATEThe Southport Electorate is quite diverse and includes the residential suburbs of Parkwood and Arundel in the west, Molendinar, Keebra Park and a small area of Ashmore in the South, and Southport as the northern suburb boundary. The eastern boundary is the Broadwater. The electorate also includes Ernest, a light industrial suburb between Parkwood and Molendinar. The Southport CBD is the business heart of the Gold Coast and includes the courthouse, Gold Coast Hospital and many Federal and State Government departmental offices.
The Southport Electorate is well catered for so far as education goes with a choice of ten excellent primary and secondary schools (Government and non-Government), in addition to the Gold Coast TAFE and the rapidly expanding Gold Coast Campus of Griffith University.
SOUTHPORT COMMUNITY PROFILE DATA (Census 2006)
Population: 49,137
Aged 15 years and over: 40,700 or 82.8% Aged 65 and over: 6,487 or 13.2% Born in Australia: 62.2% Area: 32 km Local Authority: Gold Coast City Council Council Electorate: Division 4, Division 6 Federal Electorate: Moncrieff, Fadden In the 2006 Census (held on 8th August 2006), there were 49,137 people in Southport and of those 48.7% were males and 51.3% were females. Children, up to the age of 14, accounted for 17.2% of the population and 23.8% were aged 55 years and over. The median age of people in Southport was 35 years, compared to a national median age of 37 years.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
Project: Broadwater Parklands Redevelopment - Stage one complete early 2009
Commitment: $18 million Description: Southport's love of the Broadwater has seen the area rejuvenated for Queensland's 150th birthday
Project: Gold Coast University Hospital (Open 2012) Commitment: $1.55 billion Description: The new hospital will house 750 beds offering the community a wider range of clinical services including
Cancer, Cardiac, Neuroscience and Neonatal Intensive Care
Project: Southport State High School New Enterprise Centre (Due open in 2009)
Commitment: $2.5 million Description: The building will be ready for the 2009 school year for students to take advantage of the new facilities
Project: Southport Police Station (Complete) Commitment: - $5 million Description: The new station ensures police will be better supported in their fight against crime with better operational resources, improved infrastructure and working conditions.
Project: Arundel Police Beat (Complete)
Commitment: $520, 000 Description: The two person beat in Napper Road, provides a permanent police presence for the growing Arundel, Arundel Hills and Parkwood area.
Project: Southport Fire Station (Upgrade 2009 - 2010)
Commitment: $5.1 million Description: The refurbishment will greatly improve operational efficiencies and amenities of the staff and operational unit functioning within the building.
Project: Southport Fire Station (New equipment and appliances)
Commitment: $600,000 Description: The $530,000 type three appliance for Queensland Fire and Rescue Service’s Southport is capable of pumping 3,500 litres of water per minute, and is equipped with $45,000 worth of road crash equipment.
Project: Southport Ambulance Station Commitment: New staff and appliances to keep up to date with the needs of Southport Description: 3 new vehicles, 9 new ambulance officers and 2 paramedics
Project: Frank Street Stage 1 (Complete)
Commitment: $22 million Description: The 700m upgrade between Robert and Stevens Streets provide an extra lane in each direction on one of the Gold Coast's busiest roads. This project included two new bridges over Loder's Creek with a span increased to 49m (from 29m) which reduces flooding upstream in the Chirn Park area.
Project: Frank Street Stage 2 (Commenced) Commitment: $55 million Description: The next section between Robert and Broad streets included widening the road to four lanes and creating T2 transit lanes in both directions.
Project: Smith Street Transit Lane (Complete)
Commitment: $19.8 million Description: Featuring the first 24-hour T3 transit lanes on the Gold Coast roads, the upgrade eases traffic congestion from Parklands Drive through to Tate Street.
Project: Boarding House, Jim Donaldson Place (Complete) Commitment: $6.3 million
Description: Jim Donaldson Place, a $6.3 million complex comprising 25 studio style units on Government Road, was built to accommodate low income earners who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Project: New public housing 16 unit complex Central St, Labrador (Complete) Commitment: $4.35 million Description: The complex in Central Street includes 16, two-bedroom apartments, providing a boost to the Department of Housing's property portfolio on the coast.
Project: Gambling Community Benefit Fund
Commitment: $3.6 million in grants to Southport Community Groups since 2001
Description: By throwing his personal support behind community groups in the Southport area, the GCBF has spent over $3.5 million on projects to enable the groups to continue their hard work.
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