November message

I’m writing to share an important update on bail reform in Queensland, with Breach of Bail Laws passing Parliament last week and now in effect. After listening to community members right across the state, including here on the Gold Coast, the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee has backed our plan to make Queensland’s bail laws the strongest in the country.

The changes include:

• A new offence for committing a significant crime while out on bail, to apply to both youth and adults

• A minimum 12-month minimum mandatory sentence to be served in custody

 I would like to thank everyone who completed our survey or made a submission to the committee regarding these laws – the community’s support is what makes change possible.  Strengthening our bail laws is the next phase of Adult Crime, Adult Time, which has already seen victim number fall 9.6%, after a decade of Labor’s weak laws saw them skyrocket by 193%.

 We understand the frustration with some recent bail decisions that have been made by the courts under the former Labor Government’s weak laws.

 We know there’s still a long way to go, but this is the next step in restoring safety where we live. 

Kind regards,

The Honourable John-Paul Langbroek MP

Member for Surfers Paradise

Minister for Education and the Arts

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Statement From The Treasurer Regarding S&P Global Ratings

From the moment the Crisafulli Government was elected, I warned Queensland had inherited an inevitable credit rating downgrade after a decade of Labor’s fiscal vandalism. The decision by S&P Global Ratings and their rationale confirms what we’ve been warning is true.

The path to this downgrade was laid by Labor and Cameron Dick and it was set in stone by Jim Chalmers. S&P’s rationale confirms it.

Queensland’s budget performance score was cut in September 2024 following Labor’s final Budget, before the State was placed on a negative outlook in January 2025 when our first MYFER exposed the full extent of Labor’s debt, deficits and deception. This downgrade was baked into the books over the past 10 years. As such, financial market commentary suggests ratings risk has largely already been taken into account in market pricing.

S&P’s rationale clearly states that the increases in operating expenses that contributed to this downgrade were incurred by the former Labor Government. S&P also credited Queensland’s massive infrastructure pipeline – “major transportation projects, energy projects, hospital upgrades, and infrastructure for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games” – as contributing to the downgrade.

These are the projects that Labor failed to budget for and failed to deliver.

The challenge of the new Queensland Government is correcting Labor’s decade of decline and delivering these critical projects for our growing State.

More recently, as S&P stated: “Property tax changes by the Australian government in its May Budget will also hit Queensland’s stamp duties” and “the deterioration in Queensland’s budgetary outcomes in recent years was due to a sharp rise in recurring operating expenses, and receding mining royalties and goods and services (GST) receipts.” In black and white facts, Canberra has contributed to this downgrade.

Our focus is on returning the Budget to surplus and delivering the infrastructure projects and services Queenslanders need. S&P stated we have softened the landing, meaning “deficits after capital accounts may peak slightly lower than we previously expected”.

This proves we have already delivered budget improvements in the past two years with improving deficits and a forecast surplus in 2029/30, lower debt and no new or increased taxes.

Almost $80 Million In Grants Up For Grabs For Queensland Manufacturers

The $79.1 million program is being delivered over three years to help small to medium-sized manufacturing businesses supercharge innovation and take the next step towards advanced manufacturing.

A total of $12.5 million is available in the second round, with eligible businesses able to apply for up to $1.5 million in matched funding.

The program has already attracted strong interest from industry, with 119 manufacturers applying for funding in the first round. Of the 18 successful recipients, 11 are based in regional Queensland.

Applications close on 25 November 2026. For more information, or to apply, visit https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/manufacturing-retail/manufacturing/grant-programs/transforming

Proposed $1.9 Billion Steel And Manufacturing Investments To Supercharge Queensland Jobs

The Crisafulli Government is backing almost $2 billion in private investment in Queensland’s steel, recycling and manufacturing industries, with three major projects declared Prescribed Projects to help drive jobs, investment and economic growth.

The Alter Steel Mill Project, Swanbank Steel Mill Project and Sims Metal Pinkenba Redevelopment Project will together deliver more than $1.9 billion in private-sector investment and support thousands of construction and operational jobs across Queensland.

The projects represent a major opportunity to strengthen Queensland’s sovereign industrial capability and build a more integrated local supply chain that recovers, processes and reuses recycled metal in Queensland.

They would also help strengthen supply chain resilience and support domestic steel manufacturing at a time when Queensland imports a significant proportion of its reinforcing steel and other steel products from interstate and overseas suppliers.

Each project will be assessed on its individual merits. 

The Star Gold Coast Licence Suspension Deferred To 2027

The Crisafulli Government has extended the deferral of The Star Gold Coast’s casino licence suspension until 31 March 2027, following careful consideration of the latest independent advice from Special Manager, Mr Nicholas Weeks.

The Star Gold Coast’s casino licence was due to be suspended for 90 days from 30 September 2026.

In extending the deferral, the Crisafulli Government considered both the latest independent report and supplementary advice prepared by Mr Weeks, and The Star’s progress in addressing outstanding remediation requirements.

In his latest August Report, Mr Weeks acknowledged The Star had made significant progress across its key remediation and reform initiatives, while noting that several priority remediation matters remain in progress.

Mr Weeks also recognised several important developments since his previous report, including implementation of a range of organisational and financial reforms.

The six-month deferral allows The Star to continue progressing the outstanding commitments identified in its remediation plan.

The deferral also allows the Special Manager to continue independently observing the implementation of remediation measures and the effectiveness of reforms, to inform future decisions regarding the casino’s operations.

As always, if you have any State issues you would like to discuss with me, don’t hesitate to contact my office.

Address: 1/2434 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach, 4218, QLD

Phone: 07 5600 0100

Email: mermaid.beach@parliament.qld.gov.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raystevens.mp

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/raystevens.mp

Cheers Ray

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The Annual General Meeting of the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce Inc. (ABN 44 560 587 409) for 2026/2027 will be held at Private Dining Room – Fables Restaurant, Mantra Legends Hotel, 25 Laycock Street, Surfers Paradise on Wednesday 21^st October 2026 commencing at 5:45pm.

The Agenda for the AGM is as follows:

1. Establishment of a quorum
2. Chairman opens the AGM and welcomes attendees
3. Apologies
4. Tabling of the previous AGM minutes.
5. President’s report
6. Presentation of audited financial report for period ending 30 June 2026
7. Advice of current level of Public Liability insurance and level of coverage
8. Election of Board of Management positions for 2026/27
9. Appointment of qualified person to audit the financial statements for current financial year
10. General Business

Board of Management nomination forms must be completed and returned by 5.00pm, 7^th October 2026.

The Secretary
Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce Inc.
PO Box 3918
Robina Town Centre QLD 4230

OR

Attention Secretary
info@goldcoastcentralchamber.com.au

Nomination Form – Financial Members only

Proxy Form – Financial Members only

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More than 150 Gold Coast business owners and decision-makers have been given a glimpse of what the next generation of technology could mean for their businesses – and the wider community.

Robots that could one day perform brain surgery from thousands of kilometres away, drones using artificial intelligence to track endangered animals and AI agents capable of running everyday business tasks were among the technologies showcased at a Gold Coast breakfast this morning.  More than 150 people attended the Digital Innovation Breakfast 2026 at Bond University, which was hosted by the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce, with Bond University as the major sponsor.   Rather than a traditional technology conference, the event was designed to show business owners what emerging technology is already capable of doing – and what could be coming next.  And some of the examples were remarkable.

A robot that could bring stroke treatment to regional Australia

One of the most striking demonstrations came from Bond University alumnus and diagnostic and interventional neuroradiologist Dr Hal Rice, who is working on technology that could allow surgeons to remotely perform life-saving stroke procedures on patients hundreds or thousands of kilometres away. Stroke is the second most common cause of death globally, with Rice telling the audience that one occurs in Australia approximately every 10 minutes and more than 11,000 Australians die from stroke each year.  While treatments have improved dramatically, access remains a major problem.

There are currently only 21 thrombectomy centres in Australia – predominantly in major cities – where specialists can physically remove a blood clot from the brain using a catheter.  For patients in regional and remote areas, that can mean lengthy transfers.  Rice said patients from Darwin currently face a transfer of more than 12 hours to Adelaide, with each transfer costing about $40,000.

“Only about three per cent of people in the world get access to this care,” Rice told the breakfast.  His team is working with Remedy Robotics and the Australian Stroke Alliance on a system that could change that. The concept involves a surgeon remotely controlling a robot attached to a patient’s bedside, with a technician remaining at the local hospital.  The patient’s CT angiogram can effectively create a digital map of their anatomy, helping guide the procedure.

The technology has already been tested using standard internet connections and 5G between the Gold Coast and California, with Rice saying latency needs to remain below 130 milliseconds for the system to be safe.
“We need a very secure connection. We have redundancy. It’s no good having latency more than 130 milliseconds,” he said.  “We’ve just been testing standard internet connections between Gold Coast and California, and it’s very effective and safe.” The technology is now being tested using 3D-printed models based on real patient scans, allowing the team to develop and test the system without putting patients at risk.

Testing of the latest robot is planned at the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct this month and into October, with a Darwin trial targeted as the next major step.  The longer-term vision is even more ambitious – with Rice suggesting robotic systems could eventually learn from millions of procedures and perform parts of the operation autonomously.  “Ultimately you have a robot that says, ‘I’ve done this five million times,’ because it’s learned from everybody around the world,” he said.

AI helps find a missing Tasmanian devil
Drones and artificial intelligence were also put under the microscope during a discussion between Global Drone founder and CEO Leanne St George and AUAV General Manager Jamie Holyoak. Holyoak recently used AI predictive modelling to help locate Mary, the missing Tasmanian devil who escaped from Paradise Country on the Gold Coast.He combined information from academic research into Tasmanian devil behaviour, media reports of sightings and Queensland Government terrain data to build a predictive model.  His first prediction put Mary within 200 metres of her eventual location, while the final prediction came within about 50 metres.  The model was also able to predict likely feeding times and movement patterns.

But Holyoak said the experience highlighted one of the most important lessons for businesses considering AI – the technology still needs people.  “For the AI to do that it took human input. So that’s probably the biggest takeaway,” he said.  That same combination of AI, data and drones is now being used in wildlife conservation.

Drone surveys using thermal imaging have found significantly more koalas than traditional ground surveys, with one example finding 64 koalas around Burleigh Heads over two nights compared with 20 identified by a government ground team over the same period.  AI can now automatically flag heat signatures on drone footage, while researchers are working towards using facial and nose-pattern recognition to identify individual koalas and track them over time.

St George said the drone industry itself was expanding rapidly, with more than 43,000 licensed drone pilots now operating in Australia.  “It’s growing at 24 per cent per annum. By 2040 there will be 60 million drone flights in this country,” she said.  “There are more drone pilots in this country than there are traditional fixed winged pilots.”  She also said the Gold Coast had an opportunity to position itself at the forefront of the industry, including the prospect of air taxis.  “We have a real good crack at having the first air taxi fleet by 2029,” St George said.

What can AI actually do for my business?
For business owners less interested in robots and drones and more interested in what they can use Monday morning, Bond Business School assistant professor Dr Afrooz Purarjomandlangrudi demonstrated a range of practical AI applications.  Her session showed how businesses could create AI “agents” to handle repetitive tasks including customer enquiries, quotes, proposals, social media content and email responses.

One example – a front desk agent – could be built in around 15 to 20 minutes using ChatGPT.

Another demonstration showed how a customer could enter their requirements and have an AI system generate a formatted quote based on a business’s pricing and services.  But Purarjomandlangrudi said the quality of the information provided to AI was critical.  “The more real data from your business you provide, the better answer – and the better job – it can do for you,” she said.  That means businesses need to think carefully about the information they give AI tools, including company policies, pricing, employee information, website content, previous emails and other genuine business data.  Her message was that businesses do not necessarily need a technical team to begin experimenting with AI.

“The key is identifying a genuine business problem first, then finding where technology can save time or improve the customer experience.”

The Gold Coast’s next technology chapter
The morning was deliberately built around a simple format: identify a real-world problem, show the technology being used to address it, and then ask what it means for business.  That approach gave the audience a look at technologies already being used in the real world rather than simply hearing predictions about the future.

For the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce, the event also highlighted the opportunity for the region to play a bigger role in Australia’s digital economy.  From health technology and artificial intelligence to drones, robotics and emerging aviation, the examples showcased at Bond University demonstrated that innovation is no longer something happening somewhere else.  It is already being developed, tested and deployed on the Gold Coast.  And the message for local businesses was not necessarily to rush out and buy the latest technology.  It was to start experimenting, understand the problems worth solving and build the confidence to learn what works.   As the speakers demonstrated, the businesses and communities willing to test new ideas now could be the ones best placed to benefit from what comes next.

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For families with a mortgage, this means even more pressure on household budgets. But for small businesses, the impact could be devastating. Higher borrowing costs make it harder to invest, expand, employ and plan for the future.

At a time when our small business community is already facing significant cost pressures and record levels of insolvencies across Australia, further rate pain is the last thing they need.

Four years ago, the cash rate was just 0.35 per cent. Now it is 4.6 per cent.   For a homeowner with a $680,000 mortgage, the difference between a 0.35 per cent and 4.60 per cent interest rate represents roughly $29,000 a year in additional interest, before allowing for repayments of principal.

So how did we get here?

The facts are clear: Australia’s inflation problem is not a result of consumer spending. It is out of control government spending.
And whilst the Treasurer points to anything and everyone but himself, he cannot be unlucky 16 times.

Government spending has forced the hand of the RBA, and as a result rates continue to rise and Australian families and Australian businesses must tighten their belts.   All the while facing higher costs, more expensive finance, and less certainty.

For our local small businesses, certainty matters. They need an economic environment where they can invest, take on staff, grow and compete – not one where rising costs and borrowing expenses make every decision harder.

Australia needs a government that takes the pressure off households and businesses – not one that adds to it.  When Australians are being forced to cut back, governments should be looking at how they can do the same.

We have a plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life with lower taxes, cheaper energy, less government waste and more support for businesses.

If rising rates and higher costs are putting pressure on your business, I want to hear about it. Please get in touch with my office and share your experience or complete my small business survey.

Yours sincerely,

Angie Bell MP
Federal Member for Moncrieff

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Prosper 2050

The Crisafulli Government has launched the first set of targeted actions under Prosper 2050 by releasing Delivering Now 2026-30. This was designed with industry and regional Queenslanders, through the largest sector-wide consultation undertaken in at least a decade.

When we came to government, we set out an ambitious goal to make agriculture a $30 billion industry by 2030 and after the biggest industry-wide engagement in over a decade, more than 4300 stakeholders were involved, we’ve now identified over 230 actions across regions and sectors to transform & grow Queensland primary industries.

This was the largest strategic collaboration between government and industry in over a decade. The roadmap supports the Crisafulli Government’s target to grow the value of primary production to $30 billion by 2030.

We back Queensland’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors with plans that also support on-farm innovation through our Sowing the Seeds Fund and our Future Timber Plan to help deliver 1 million homes by 2044.

Regional Queenslanders were put out to pasture under Labor’s decade of decline – we’re changing that.Find out more about Prosper 2050 here: https://www.prosper2050.qld.gov.au/

Veterans and Veterans’ Families Strategy

This is Queensland’s first-ever Veterans Strategy, and the first time Queensland has had a dedicated Minister for Veterans. Queensland has the biggest population of veterans and veterans’ families of any State or Territory in Australia with more than 163,000 veterans. Our veterans have served our nation, and now Queensland will support them and their families in the next chapter.

There are five priority pillars in the Strategy; “education and employment”, “health, housing and support”, “veterans in business”, “community and sport”, “commemoration and recognition”

This is about helping veterans and their families access the services, employment and connecting with their communities, and lead fulfilling lives in Queensland during and after their service.

Find out more about our Veterans and Veterans’ Families Strategy here: https://www.qld.gov.au/community/getting-support-health-social-issue/veterans/queensland-veterans-and-veterans-families-strategy

Pacific Airshow

It was terrific to see the Pacific Airshow return and deliver thrills and adrenaline for locals, visitors and aviation fans. With around 300,000 people enjoying one of the most spectacular backdrops anywhere in the world.

The Pacific airshow brings a $30 million boost to our economy and we’re proud to support it, and we’re looking forward to seeing it continue to soar in 2027 and now through to 2028.

As always, if you have any State issues you would like to discuss with me, don’t hesitate to contact my office.

Address: 1/2434 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach, 4218, QLD

Phone: 07 5600 0100

Email: mermaid.beach@parliament.qld.gov.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raystevens.mp

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/raystevens.mp

Cheers Ray

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This isn’t just a number on a balance sheet. It has a real cost for every Australian.

We are now paying around $52,000 every 60 seconds in interest alone – that is $27 billion a year which delivers no new service, no new hospital, and no new infrastructure. This is money down the drain to service Labor’s debt.

This is money that could fund more than 200,000 new nurses, or provide around $1,800 in tax relief for every taxpayer, every year.

To put this into perspective, one year of interest payments would be enough to fund 325,000 first-home deposits. Two years could cover the annual childcare fees of 1.5 million Australian children. Or three years could pay off every Australian HECS debt.  These are the opportunities being lost as our debt continues to grow.

The Government is effectively maxing out the national credit card, while expecting future generations to pick up the bill.  This is happening at a time when Australians are already under pressure from rising costs, housing affordability challenges, and declining living standards.

Labor’s spending is growing at a rate four times faster than the economy itself, and the consequences of that spending will not disappear when the next election does. The debt will remain – and so will the interest bill.

Every dollar spent servicing this debt is a dollar that cannot be spent on Australians.

That means future generations face higher taxes, fewer choices and less capacity for governments to invest in the services they need.

The Coalition has a plan to pay down the debt with our Future Generations Fund, whilst also putting a speed limit on spending.

You can read more about our plan here: https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan

Australians deserve confidence for the future – not a trillion-dollar debt bomb.

Yours sincerely,

Angie Bell MP
Federal Member for Moncrieff

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Our Platinum Plus member, REDEMONT has kindly shared with our members a recent article unpacking some insights into where things are at 1 year on from the Seller Disclosure Scheme being implemented in Queensland.

For some key takeaways and breakdowns, check out their published article

The post Property Discussions – 1 year into QLDs seller disclosure scheme appeared first on Gold Coast Chamber Of Commerce.

With population surging, billions of dollars being invested in infrastructure and Brisbane 2032 fast approaching, there was broad agreement that the Gold Coast’s future remains incredibly bright. The challenge, speakers said, is ensuring housing, planning, infrastructure and investment can keep pace.

The Chamber’s flagship 2026 Property Forum, themed Building the Gold Coast for Growth: Preparing Our City for 2032 and Beyond, featured addresses from Mayor Tom Tate, Assistant Minister for Planning, Housing and Better Regulation Rebecca Young MP and respected property analyst Michael Matusik before an expert panel of some of Queensland’s leading developers explored the realities facing the industry.

Growth is no longer the question

Opening proceedings, Chamber President Laura Younger said the conversation had shifted beyond whether the Gold Coast would continue to grow.
“The real question now is whether our system can keep up with our pace of growth,” she said.   Younger described housing affordability as one of the city’s most significant economic challenges, warning businesses cannot continue to grow if workers are unable to find somewhere to live.

“We cannot talk about growth without talking about housing affordability,” she said.   “This is not a social issue. It is a core economic constraint.”

“If workers cannot live here, businesses cannot operate here.”   She said more than 300 older women are currently sleeping in their cars across the Gold Coast, describing affordable housing as essential to building a healthy and productive city.

“A thriving city requires strong health services, safe housing and leaders willing to step forward,” she said.  While acknowledging major infrastructure projects such as the new light rail extension, Younger said the city must now focus on removing barriers that delay development.  “When construction costs climb, when finance tightens and when approvals drag, projects stop stacking.”

Confidence, certainty and a city that says yes

Mayor Tom Tate delivered an optimistic assessment of the city’s future, predicting another 15,000 people will move to the Gold Coast over the next year alone.  “There’s going to be 15,000 people coming to the Gold Coast in the next 12 months,” he said.  Rather than slowing, Tate said demand for the Gold Coast lifestyle remained exceptionally strong.

He revealed work was underway on a new city planning scheme aimed at creating greater certainty for residents, developers and investors, with a goal of having the new town plan operational within the next year.  “I’d like to see the new town plan active within 12 months,” he said.  One of the Mayor’s ambitions is making planning information significantly easier to understand, allowing residents to use artificial intelligence to instantly determine what can and cannot be built on a property.  “I want to be able to go to our website and AI can tell me, in simple terms, what I can put on there.”

Mayor Tate also reflected on the city’s remarkable economic transformation, noting the Gold Coast’s Gross Domestic Product has grown from around $30 billion in 2011 to more than $55 billion today.  Rather than becoming simply a “smart city”, he challenged businesses to focus on building a “smart economy” driven by entrepreneurship, innovation and emerging industries.  He also introduced the city’s new positioning statement: Gold Coast Says Yes.  “We say yes to innovation, we say yes to smart thinking,” he said.

Queensland’s housing pipeline gathers momentum

Assistant Minister Rebecca Young said Queensland was making significant progress towards its ambitious target of delivering one million new homes by 2044.  She revealed more than 50,000 homes are currently under construction across the state – a record – while the construction pipeline has grown by more than 25 per cent in just 12 months.  “Meeting our target of one million homes by 2044 will only happen if government and industry continue to work together,” she said.

Young highlighted major planning reforms already reducing approval times, with more than 14,600 homes approved through Priority Development Areas during the past financial year.  She also pointed to almost $146 million in infrastructure funding recently committed on the Gold Coast, including upgrades to the Merrimac Sewage Treatment Plant expected to unlock more than 18,000 future homes.  “The Gold Coast is leading the way,” she said.

The workforce housing dilemma

Few presentations attracted as much attention as Michael Matusik’s market analysis. The respected property analyst painted a picture of an economy outperforming almost every other region in Australia.  The Gold Coast is now Australia’s seventh-largest economy, worth approximately $58 billion, while almost 90,000 new jobs have been created since COVID.   Yet despite those impressive numbers, Matusik argued housing affordability represented the single greatest threat to the city’s long-term prosperity.

“About 26 per cent of your workforce actually work here, can’t live here,” he said.

Without meaningful intervention, he warned the number of workers commuting long distances would continue to rise, making it increasingly difficult for businesses to attract and retain staff.  “The greatest threat to the Gold Coast in the future is to fail to build attainable homes.”

His challenge to government and industry was clear: find ways to deliver a broader mix of housing that allows essential workers to remain close to where they work.   “Great cities house their workforce.”

Industry calls for faster decisions and smarter delivery

The afternoon concluded with an engaging panel discussion featuring McNab founder Michael McNab, GemLife founder Adrian Puljich, MA Financial Managing Director Drew Bowie and Graya founder Andrew Gray.  While each panellist approached the discussion from different parts of the property industry, several common themes quickly emerged.

Planning certainty was repeatedly identified as one of the biggest factors affecting investment confidence.  Developers said project delays now represent one of the greatest financial risks facing the industry, with extended approval timeframes often proving more costly than construction itself.

“Timing is your biggest risk,” Michael McNab, Founder, McNab said.

The conversation also explored construction productivity, with panellists acknowledging the industry has been slow to modernise compared with other sectors. Artificial intelligence, robotics, improved project management and greater investment in workforce training were all identified as essential if the industry hopes to meet future demand.   There was also discussion around using offshore support teams for drafting, design and administration to improve efficiency, allowing Australian teams to focus on specialist work while maintaining local employment.

Trust remains the industry’s greatest asset

As the discussion shifted towards leadership and business growth, one message resonated strongly across the panel.  In a competitive market where buyers have more choice than ever before, trust has become one of the industry’s most valuable commodities.

Developers said delivering projects on time, communicating honestly and continuing to support buyers after settlement ultimately builds stronger businesses than aggressive marketing campaigns.

“Trust in the market is probably the number one and it takes quite a while to build that trust,” Drew Bowie, Managing Director, MA Financial said.

The session concluded with discussion around workplace culture, attracting the next generation into construction and ensuring South East Queensland has the skilled workforce needed to capitalise on the opportunities leading into Brisbane 2032.

A city preparing for its next chapter

If there was one consistent message to emerge from the Chamber’s Property Forum, it was that the Gold Coast is entering a defining period in its history.  The city’s economy continues to expand, investment remains strong and demand shows little sign of slowing.  But unlocking the next phase of growth will depend on more than cranes on the skyline.  It will require faster planning decisions, greater housing diversity, sustained infrastructure investment, improved construction productivity and stronger collaboration between government and industry.

For the more than 300 attendees who packed the sold-out event, the afternoon provided not only an insight into where the Gold Coast is heading, but also a reminder that the decisions made over the next few years will shape the city for decades to come.

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The Gold Coast is on course for 150,000 of its workers, or more than a third of its employment base, living outside the city by 2032 as a housing market that has become one of Australia’s least affordable pushes its key workforce south into northern New South Wales and north into Logan and Brisbane, according to property analyst Michael Matusik.

The finding in Matusik’s latest research exposes a growing pressure point for a city that has delivered one of the strongest economic performances in the country over the past five years while steadily losing the ability to house the workforce driving it.

The report reveals the housing issue goes beyond the headline affordability metrics, with the problem also having a knock-on effect on a range of key growth factors from a skills shortage to debilitating congestion on major roads such as the M1.

Among the report’s key findings is the Gold Coast economy has grown 32 per cent to $58 billion since Covid and is set to surge to $72 billion by 2032.

Employment has grown at an equally fast pace with some 385,000 people now working on the Gold Coast after creating 89,000 jobs since Covid, a lift of 30 per cent that rates the city among the best results of any local government area in Australia.

“Employment is punching above its weight and so is development, but the critical issue facing the Gold Coast if it is to maintain its growth momentum over the next five years and beyond is to provide housing that meets the needs of its workforce,” said Mr Matusik.

“Great cities should be able to house their workforce, and everything else flows from that key foundation. The Gold Coast is currently falling well short on that metric.”

Matusik’s report is backed by data showing Gold Coast unemployment running at 3.1 per cent against a national average of 4.2 per cent, with the report estimating the city is on track to expand to a workforce of 430,000 by 2032.

While the development industry has moved to keep up with the city’s housing demand, lodging about $25 billion worth of residential building approvals since 2020, close to 19 per cent of Australia’s entire residential approval total over the period, the report argues that the both the pace and the product mix hasn’t been enough to deliver housing at prices the local workforce can meet.

The Matusik report cites the Gold Coast price-to-wage ratio as a critical issue for affordability across the city.

The ration of 13.2 for a detached house on the Gold Coast compares with 11.4 in Sydney and 7.1 nationally, with 50 per cent of wage income going to rent a three-bed house.

Gold Coast households earn an average $181,000 a year, according to the report, but the wages and salaries component of that figure, which Matusik says best reflects what a key worker can actually afford, is just $100,000.

Both measures have risen about 15 per cent since Covid, yet both sit about $15,000 below the Southeast Queensland average.

Against that income, a detached house on the Gold Coast now costs $1.35 million after a 105 per cent increase since Covid, while an attached dwelling costs $980,000, up 106 per cent.

Three-bedroom houses rent for $985 a week and two-bedroom apartments for $855, increases of about 170 per cent in both cases.

“The result is an affordability gap wider than Sydney’s and that exposes the Gold Coast to a major structural issue when it comes to housing its workforce,” said Mr Matusik.

“The clearest evidence of this squeeze is reflected in the city’s journey-to-work data.”

In 2016, about 36,000 workers or 13 per cent of the city’s then 272,000-strong workforce lived outside the Gold Coast – rising to 16 per cent, or 48,000 workers, by 2021.

It now stands at 26 per cent, or 100,000 workers, which is almost triple the actual number of a decade ago.

Matusik estimates the share will hit 35 per cent by 2032, adding a further 50,000 daily commuters to the M1 and its feeder arterials.

“Every worker priced out of the Gold Coast becomes a car on the M1, and no amount of road widening changes that,” says Matusik.

“The congestion problem and the housing problem are the same problem, and only one of them has a fix.”

Population growth, which shows no signs of waning, will keep applying the pressure.

The Gold Coast population is currently about 700,000 residents, up 12 per cent since Covid, making it Australia’s sixth largest urban centre, with forecasts pointing to another 100,000 by 2032.

Overseas migration accounted for 70 per cent of the growth of the past five years, while one in five new residents came from wealthier local government areas elsewhere in Australia.

“The broader concern for the Gold Coast is the effect of these pressures on the city’s industry mix,” said Mr Matusik.

“Future industries are built by talent, not wealth, and talent needs the right salary and conditions to live comfortably. This is becoming increasingly challenging for the Gold Coast.”

Health care, construction, retail, education and tourism account for 65 per cent of Gold Coast jobs, and about 200,000 positions, or one in two, sit in essential key worker service occupations.

Only 60,000 jobs, or one in six, are in what the report classifies as future-facing industries, spanning artificial intelligence and digital technologies, medical research and biotechnology, defence and sovereign technologies, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, cyber security and data centres, financial and fintech services, and education exports.

Artificial intelligence and digital technologies employ 4,500 people locally, or 1.2 per cent of the workforce, while creative and digital industries account for 6,000 jobs.

The report says those industries are built out of talent, ideas, entrepreneurs, connectivity and opportunity, and that the Gold Coast has all of them except attainable housing.

According to Mr Matusik, the critical question for the Gold Coast is how the city delivers residences at around $650,000 to buy and under $600 a week to rent.

Modelling of underlying demand puts the requirement at 9,350 new dwellings a year between 2026 and 2036, spread across seven product types rather than concentrated in detached housing and high-rise apartments.

That breaks down to 1,530 traditional detached houses a year, 1,480 apartments in larger mid and high-rise projects, 1,465 small lot homes on blocks under 200 square metres, 1,360 dwellings in small-scale low-rise infill projects with a strong co-living component, 1,320 ancillary dwellings, rooming accommodation and backyard homes, 1,135 townhouses, terraces and manor homes, and 1,060 dwellings in age-related care.

More than 40 per cent of the requirement sits in the small lot, low-rise infill and ancillary categories that Mr Matusik says current planning settings and development economics deliver least of.

“The measure of success over the next five years will not be the number of dwellings the city approves but the price points they land at and the range of forms they take,” said Mr Matusik.

“Maintaining opportunity means embracing better housing choices, not fewer ones, because going up, as the city has been advocating for so long, only works for some,” he says.

“The greatest threat to the Gold Coast’s economic future is a failing to build attainable homes for the people who make the Gold Coast work.”

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