Mayor of the Gold Coast

Mayor of the City of the Gold Coast
Incumbent Tom Tate since 28 April 2012 (2012-04-28)
Style	Councillor (Informal) His Worship (Formal)
Term length	4 years
Deputy	Cr Donna Gates
Website	Gold Coast Mayor

The Mayor of the City of the Gold Coast is presiding officer and public face of the Gold Coast City Council,[1] the local government body of the Gold Coast, Queensland. The current mayor is Tom Tate.

The mayor is charged with representing the city council and is popularly elected by residents of the City of Gold Coast local government area in local elections held every 4 years. The mayor presides over all council meetings; is the only councillor to not represent a specific Gold Coast electoral district;[2] and is the foremost representative of the Gold Coast City Council and its policies.[1]

The Gold Coast City Council reportedly maintains a budget of an estimated $1.83 billion annually,[3] among the highest of municipal governments in Australia. The mayor's office is located in the Southport Town Hall building in Southport, Queensland.[4]

Mayoral responsibilities

Under the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld),[1] Chapter 2, Part 1, the mayor of any city in Queensland, including the Gold Coast and except for Brisbane, has the following responsibilities in addition to their duty as a councillor:

• Leading and managing meetings of the local government at which the mayor is the chairperson, including managing the conduct of the participants at the meetings.
• Preparing and proposing the adoption of the local government's budget.
• Liaising with the chief executive officer on behalf of the other councillors.
• Leading, managing, and providing strategic direction to, the chief executive officer in order to achieve the high quality administration of the local government.
• Directing the chief executive officer, in accordance with the local government's policies.
• Conducting a performance appraisal of the chief executive officer, at least annually, in the way that is decided by the local government (including as a member of a committee, for example).
• Ensuring that the local government promptly provides the Minister with the information about the local government area, or the local government, that is requested by the Minister for Local Government.
• Being a member of each standing committee of the local government.
• Representing the local government at ceremonial or civic functions.

Delegation of mayoral responsibilities

The Act further stipulates that "a councillor who is not the mayor may perform the mayor's extra responsibilities only if the mayor delegates the responsibility to the councillor,"[1] while also stating that "when performing a responsibility, a councillor must serve the overall public interest of the whole local government area."[1]

List of Gold Coast Mayors

The current Gold Coast mayor is Tom Tate. He was first elected on 28 April 2012 and re-elected on both 19 March 2016 and 28 March 2020 with more than two thirds of the preferential vote.[5]

South Coast Mayor	Term
Len Peak	1949–1958
Gold Coast Mayor	Term
Ern Harley	1958–1967
Bruce Small	1967–1973
Robert Neumann	1973–1976
Bruce Small	1976–1978
John Andrews	1978–1979
Keith Hunt	1979–1982
Denis O'Connell	1982–1985
Denis Pie	1985–1988
Lex Bell	1988–1994
Ray Stevens	1995–1997
Gary Baildon	1997–2004
Ron Clarke	2004–2012
Tom Tate	2012–present

Former town/shire leaders

Prior to the South Coast council forming in 1948, ten local government areas existed between the City of Brisbane and the New South Wales border. Just four of those local government areas exist within modern day Gold Coast. Below is a list of the leaders of those areas:

Town of Coolangatta Mayor Term John Lanham 1914–1915 John Gardiner 1916 George L. Gordon 1917 Ralph G. Johnston 1918–1921 John Gardiner 1921–1924 John Thomas Matters 1924–1927 R. C. Graham 1927–1933 S. W. (Bill) Winders 1933–1946 Len Peak 1946–1948

Shire of Coomera Chairman Term David Yaun 1880–1884 William Bailey 1884–1886 A. Robinson 1886–1887 Samuel Grimes 1887–1900 Richard Mayes 1900–1904 J. Yaun 1904–1905 John Beattie 1905–1906 A. Thomson 1906–1907 I. Hart 1907–1908 J. Yaun 1908–1909 T. Doherty 1909–1910 John Joseph Johns 1910–1911 James Frank Oxenford 1911–1913 John Siganto 1914–1915 James Frank Oxenford 1915–1916 Richard Mayes 1916–1918 John Beattie 1918–1919 James Frank Oxenford 1919–1922 S. F. Walker 1922–1923 T. Doherty 1923 A. Thomson 1923–1924 John Joseph Johns 1924–1927 John Siganto 1927–1930 Charles Edwards 1930–1937 S. R. Black 1937–1946 William Frank Oxenford 1946–1948

Shire of Nerang Chairman Term Walter John Browne 1880– Unknown 1881–1911 Walter James Brake 1911–1928 Unknown 1928–1948

Town/Shire of Southport Chairman Term Robert F. Johnston 1883–1884 William Charles Welsh 1884–1890 C. A. Beetham 1890–1892 George Andrews 1892–1893 Thomas M. Kirk 1893–1896 W. Downs 1897–1898 Edward Hicks 1898–1899 Edward Proud 1899–1990 Robert F. Johnston 1900–1902 Edward Hicks 1903–1904 Edward Fass 1904 C. A. Beetham 1904–1907 J. W. Proud 1907–1908 H. Soegaard 1908–1909 George Andrews 1909–1910 John Siganto 1910–1911 Edward Hicks 1911–1912 George Andrews 1912–1913 Ernest Freeman 1913–1917 Edward Fass 1917–1918 Edward Hicks 1918–1921 Edward Fass 1921–1924 Washington Waters 1924–1927 Joseph Hendry Grice 1927–1930 C. H. Steadman 1930–1933 Henry Wilson 1933–1936 Joseph Wood Proud 1936–1948

On 9 December 1948, as part of a major reorganisation of local government in South East Queensland, an Order in Council created the Shire of Albert by amalgamating Shire of Beenleigh, Shire of Coomera, Shire of Nerang, the southern part of Shire of Tingalpa and the eastern part of Shire of Waterford. On 8 June 1978, the Shire of Logan was created which reduced the Shire of Albert to nearly a quarter of its previous population. The Shire of Albert was amalgamated with the Gold Coast City Council in 1995. With the exception of the Beenleigh–Eagleby region, which was transferred to Logan City in 2008, the area of the Albert Shire is still present in modern-day City of Gold Coast.

Shire of Albert

Chairman	Term
Eric Gaven	1949–1950
Frank Oxenford	1950–1952
Alex Clark	1952–1958
Russ Hinze	1958–1967
Hugh Dunstan Muntz	1967–1982
Bill Laver	1982–1994
Ray Stevens	1994–1995

Election results

2024

This section is an excerpt from 2024 Queensland mayoral elections § Gold Coast.[edit]

2024 Queensland mayoral elections: Gold Coast[6][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent LNP	Tom Tate	170,150	51.82	−3.91
	Independent	Eddy Sarroff	68,061	20.73
	Independent	Danielle Dunsmore	25,983	7.91
	Animal Justice	Jennifer Horsburgh	18,130	5.52
	Independent	Rosie Foster	14,642	4.46
	Independent	Lavinia Rampino	9,137	2.78
	Independent LNP	Virginia Freebody	7,800	2.38	−3.23
	Independent	Brett Lambert	7,581	2.31
	Independent	Gary Pead	6,846	2.09
Total formal votes			328,330	95.45
Informal votes			15,641	4.55
Turnout			343,971	79.94
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Independent LNP	Tom Tate	177,666	66.32	−0.61
	Independent	Eddy Sarroff	90,218	33.68	+33.68
	Independent LNP hold		Swing

2020

This section is an excerpt from 2020 Queensland mayoral elections § Gold Coast.[edit]

2020 Queensland mayoral elections: Gold Coast[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Tom Tate	151,579	55.73	−8.13
	Independent	Mona Hecke	67,117	24.68	+24.68
	Independent	Brett Lambert	17,083	6.28	+3.22
	Independent	Virginia Freebody	15,260	5.61	+5.61
	Independent	Kris Bourban	9,115	3.35	+3.35
	Independent	Gary Pead	6,843	2.52	+2.52
	Civil Liberties & Motorists	Suphakan Somsriruen	2,545	0.94	+0.94
	Independent	Derek Rosborough	2,429	0.89	+0.89
Turnout			287,531	74.12
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Independent	Tom Tate	154,054	66.93	−6.21
	Independent	Mona Hecke	76,126	33.07	+33.07
	Independent hold		Swing	−6.21

2016

This section is an excerpt from 2016 Queensland mayoral elections § Gold Coast.[edit]

2016 Queensland mayoral elections: Gold Coast[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Tom Tate	172,735	63.86
	Independent	Penny Toland	53,081	19.62
	Independent	Jim Wilson	25,181	9.31
	Independent	Brett Lambert	8,151	3.01
	Independent	Andrew Middleton	5,978	2.21
	Independent	John Abbott	5,369	1.98
Total formal votes			270,495	94.73
Informal votes			15,050	5.27
Turnout			285,545
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Independent	Tom Tate	176,538	73.14
	Independent	Penny Toland	64,826	26.86
	Independent hold		Swing

2012

This section is an excerpt from 2012 Queensland mayoral elections § Gold Coast.[edit]

2012 Queensland mayoral elections: Gold Coast[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Tom Tate	83,876	37.05
	Independent	Eddy Sarroff	40,958	18.09
	Independent	Susie Douglas	35,417	15.65
	Independent	Peter Young	26,977	11.92
	Independent	Dean Vegas	20,868	9.22
	Independent	Keith Douglas	14,702	6.49
	Independent	John Abbott	3,568	1.58
Total formal votes			226,366	95.48
Informal votes			10,724	4.52
Turnout			237,090
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Independent	Tom Tate	90,935	64.34
	Independent	Eddy Sarroff	50,399	35.66
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing

2008

This section is an excerpt from 2008 Queensland mayoral elections § Gold Coast.[edit]

2008 Queensland mayoral elections: Gold Coast[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ron Clarke	79,463	35.62
	Liberal	Tom Tate	59,585	26.71	+26.71
	Unite GC	Rob Molhoek	57,605	25.82	+25.82
	Independent	John Bradford	20,754	9.30
	Independent	Ray Schearer	5,704	2.56
Total formal votes			223,111	95.71
Informal votes			10,005	4.29
Turnout			233,116
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Independent	Ron Clarke	90,418	53.99
	Liberal	Tom Tate	77,039	46.01	+46.01
	Independent hold		Swing

Governance of Gold Coast City

Main article: Gold Coast City

The city is governed at the local level by the Gold Coast City Council, whose jurisdiction spans the Gold Coast, Queensland, and surrounding areas.[12] Based on resident population, it is the second largest local government area in Australia and its council maintains a staff of over 2,500. It was established in 1948, but has existed in its present form since 1995.[12]

Wards and councillors

Gold Coast City has been divided into 14 wards (known as divisions), each electing one councillor at elections held every four years. The most recent local government election was on 19 March 2016.[2]

Divisional Councillors are:[2]

• Division 1: Cr Donna Gates Dep Mayor – Yatala
• Division 2: Cr William Owen-Jones – Coomera
• Division 3: Cr Cameron Caldwell – Paradise Point
• Division 4: Cr Kristyn Boulton – Biggera Waters
• Division 5: Cr Peter Young – Pacific Pines, Nerang and Hinterland areas
• Division 6: Cr Dawn Crichlow – Southport
• Division 7: Cr Gary Baildon – Surfers Paradise
• Division 8: Cr Robert La Castra – Ashmore
• Division 9: Cr Glen Tozer – Mudgeeraba
• Division 10: Cr Paul Taylor – Broadbeach
• Division 11: Cr Hermann Vorster – Robina
• Division 12: Cr Pauline Young – Burleigh Heads
• Division 13: Cr Daphne McDonald – Palm Beach
• Division 14: Cr Gail O'Neill – Coolangatta

See also

• Gold Coast, Queensland
• List of mayors of Gold Coast
• Local Government Areas of Queensland

References

1. Queensland Government. "Local Government Act 2009" (PDF).
2. Gold Coast City Council. "Mayors and Councillors". Archived from the original on 4 December 2010.
3. Gold Coast Bulletin. "The Gold Coast's most influential people".
4. Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate and chief of staff Wayne Moran quit council HQ for Southport
5. "2020 Gold Coast City Council - Mayoral Election".
6. "Gold Coast City Mayor". Electoral Commission of Queensland. July 2019.
7. "Nomination for Mayor or Councillor - VIRGINIA MARIE VERONICA FREEBODY". Electoral Commission Queensland.
8. "Gold Coast City". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
9. "2016 Gold Coast City - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
10. "2012 Gold Coast City - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
11. "2008 Gold Coast City - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
12. Gold Coast City Council. "Council overview". Archived from the original on 31 October 2005.