Big Apple project has appeal

Gold Coast Bulletin - July 23rd, 2009

THE brief was to come up with something outside the box and Surfers Paradise Alliance has delivered with its plan to re-brand the city centre by splitting it into New York-style mini-suburbs.

The alliance hopes to infuse the five sections -- Northside, Esplanade, West Quay, Central and Southside -- with unique characteristics based on the Manhattan model.

For example, trendy restaurants, bars, and nightclubs populate New York City's Meatpacking district, while boutiques, bistros and art galleries are found in SoHo. It's what marketers like to call a point of difference.

Getting locals back into town is a priority of the re-branding campaign.

We wish the Alliance well because like it or not, Surfers Paradise is the Gold Coast's canary in the coal mine. When it is doing well, so is the wider city. When it falters, so do we all.

Fresh data released this week show all is not well downtown, with hotel occupancy rates down 3.8 per cent on last year to 66.6 per cent.

Surfers is also copping negative publicity in our biggest tourism market New Zealand after a Maori couple claimed they were treated unfairly because of their skin colour.

Charity begins at home and hopefully Gold Coasters will embrace the Alliance's 'Manhattan by the surf' concept and give Surfers another go.

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But while we're at it, let's take another leaf out of New York's book.

Why not introduce the zero tolerance policing that transformed the Big Apple from an ungovernable mess into one of the hottest tourism destinations in the world?

It is a fact that many locals have written off Surfers because of the seediness and violence there after dark.

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani solved that problem with shorter nightclub queues, caps on nightclub crowd numbers, rigid enforcement of liquor licensing laws and by flooding problem areas with police.

Some of these tactics have already been applied in Surfers.

But Mr Giuliani says a sustained blitz on minor crime -- the so-called 'broken windows theory' of policing -- is the only way to change behaviour over time.

He says results usually appear within four to six months.

A freshened-up Surfers with the added incentive of improved security would surely be a winner with both locals and visitors.

Show restraint MANY people will understand the frustration of Gold Coast City Council workers who have been trying to seal a pay deal for more than six months. They deserve a fair go.

However, restraint must be shown if ratepayers are to be kept on side.

Now is not the time for outlandish wage demands.

Other Gold Coasters who have have recently found themselves unemployed would love to have the security that comes with a job in the public service.

These positions are largely immune from economic ups and downs and this should be reflected in any pay rises handed out.

The guarantee of a job tomorrow and next year is sometimes more valuable than a few extra dollars in the pocket.